R74906
Sgt Pilot Davey J.V.
112 Sqdn. R.A.F.
Middle East.
May 15/42

Dear Mom, Dad & Art:

Sorry I haven't written this sooner, in reply to letters that were forwarded from Uncle Harry & also other letters sent to England. I sure was in the mail last week. first really I had received & can assure you it was great fun reading thro' them & getting some idea of what was going on back home. I wrote a long letter to Con also last week in reply to some of hers that arrived here & can imagine it will be quite a shock to see so many pages. boy it sure is a lot easier to write when you have letters to write back to as out here its different to England (&how) one doesn't do anything at all so theres very little one can say. I have just arrived back from base, where we went to pick up some kites I spent five days down there waiting for mine it was a change, usually you are only around base for about a day, but things were messed up around there & caused delay. base by the way is also in the desert. I rec'd a parcel of Mr Lindner's whilst I was there - choco bars, cheese & raisins which was very nice, also rec'd his Christmas parcel which Uncle Harry sent. Your letters were enclosed in it also a couple from Aunt Necia. I haven't done much writing to the Aunts & Uncles back home as with what news I can scrape up for you I figured they would get it all from you. but will drop a line or two soon. Now to get on with your letters & see if I can make a decent letter out of this for a change.

Yes Bill Michelin & the Speedie boys are sure lucky to be back home, I couldn't think of anything better than to be posted to a Sqdn at Pat Bay. it would be a swell treat being only 20 miles from town & able to get in nearly every nite. I bet George was sort of mad when he heard the news. It's funny I never heard from him as I sent a letter as soon as I rece'd his address from you & should have had a reply before I left England. I notice in one of these letters you say he was stationed just outside of Saffron - Walden, well when in 129 Sqdn we were only 2 miles from there ourselves & was in Saffron at least 3 & 4 times a week, used to go to the dances on Tues & Fri., it's funny I never ran into him around there, but maybe it was harder for him to get to there from his station, we had a bus service from our station, will probably see him one of these days. & by Mr. Churchill's speech the other nite, that day doesn't sound as tho' it's far away. he sure put up a speech this time & not a word of doubt in it, but the way things are going it looks as tho' something is coming, let's hope its soon & that we can crack him wide open this time. & I believe we will do it so keep the fingers crossed & look out when they start arriving home, boy you wont see me for dust when the whistle blows for 'game over' I met a friend of Vernon Woodwards the other week Flt/Lt Castillo, who was in this sqdn during Greece & Crete & came back again & has now gone back to the Delta awaiting posting back to England. also my old C.O. of 129 Sqdn was in this Sqdn., it sure is funny the way you meet people & in the darndest places.

Glad to hear Dick made out okay & should be alwright ferrying bombers from Can. over but rather boring after awhile. remember I had the idea of being a bomber pilot well when we left the West Coast of Africa by Pan American. I took controls on that for about half an hour & can assure you I was bored stiff with it. Its much nicer in a fighter type, you can enjoy yourself by throwing it around.

Pleased to hear the Ball went off & that you didn't go down. but 200 wasn't a very large crowd. They always seem to get too many of the same things going at the same time don't they. That Air Force ball could easily have been put on to a later date couldn't it. You say Armand is still at Cape Breton, but I imagine by this time he has managed to get a posting back home. Do you remember Fred Arnott, I believe he lives in Uncle [?] place on Quadra St & he used to be with Ryan Wilson. he was a Sgt in the Dental Corps attached to R.CA.F Belmont House when I was on leave, now a 2nd Lieut. according to a clipping Con sent., so he hasn't done to badly has he., right sort of guy for Commission tho' & lots of brains.

I was very pleased to hear that you got Cuy & Peg a little something, Mom you sure think of things don't you also the present you bought Con, she sure was full of it in her letter about the marvelous bowl & candle sticks & about how the candle sticks will look really smart on our table - mantle piece or just inside our tent door the letter really amused me greatly, cause if any one mentions, camping in tents after it's all over I dont think I'll be able to take it. I'm allergic to canvas of any sort., I've put up & pulled down more tents since Jan. than I hope to do again Apparently she got quite a lot of house making things & doings.

Its great news to hear you are getting around some now Mom. altho' sorry to hear you were still getting attacks but hope by now every thing has cleared up and that you are back to your own self again. It would be grand having Uncle Jim & Aunt Mollie over, I bet you've done a lot of chin wagging. Pleased to hear the change seems to be doing Uncle Jim good & that by the time his leave is up I sincerely hope he is fully recuperated. Please say hello and & give them my love. What had he to say about coming to Victoria, he wasn't going to do that unless he came to live.

[censored]

may be Con good do some thing about it, being in the Bank also good you give me the gen on what you got yourselves for Christmas I asked you to take one of my cheques out & use the whole issue, I hope you did.

So infant brother has been getting his name in the paper, & spelt wrong as usual. How is the skating coming on Art. & also I hope you've done okay with your wireless. I haven't yet written an answer to your letter, but wil do one of these days, but I know you read these any way & theres not much I could tell you about which you probably have read before.

Please thank Mr Comely for the little book I have it in my tunic pocket & carry it around most of the time.

Glad you had rec'd mail from Uncle Harry etc and that I proved a satisfactory guest & I did used to help out with the doings Mom & I sure enjoyed every minute I spent with the folks over there. did I tell you before that I saw Sheila Downs now Mrs Norton. Fred & I rode from Addington to Shirley & paid a visit also she wanted to be remembered to Ken Waterman, & please say hello to him from me & any other kids you see around as I can't write to them all but often think of them all. & am just waiting for the time when we can all get together & continue where we left off. I must admit the time out here sure flys at least it seems to, arrived in Jan. & have been on the Sqdn since middle of Feb. - every day is the same - just a repitition. at present am on 30 minutes readiness so if you see the word 'scramble' written, I have just gone for a little trip looking for the Hun. Theres talk of a sweep later on but nothing definite. How did you like the do the other day 15 a/c shot down Ju 52's & Me 110's. our next door neighbour did that what a picking - apparently there were 100 or so jerries' taking a bath in the Med. - it would shake him as apparently they have been doing that for quite awhile & we finally beat him to it.

Just had my hair cut this morning first one in 2 months, bad show. but just couldn't get to it. that's the way it is you come of readiness or flying one just seems to get lazy no ambition at all just sit around & do nothing. if I remember rightly my last letter was a little raw. please don't take parts of it to heart as you get that way - cheesed off' with the whole doings - sand happy no kidding it is enough to drive one nuts at times Please tell Aunt Necia I received her letter & Uncle Jims & that I believe I got most of your parcels whilst I was in England. & tell Uncle Jim he wont be the only one who'll be happy when coming down the plank at Victoria & to say hiya to the boys I know in the army that I think about them & wonder how there shaping also some times I'd like to see some special guys plunked out here for a change. its quite desirable country & the swimming is good. bags of sun hours in.

Quite a different Christmas dinner routine last Xmas. but it would mean a lot of work again for Auntie Alice & I should imagine you'd get a decent feed at ferrys altho its not the same as a house party is it - but if I'm home for the next one it's on me & it will be good, more people than that at it. So Ruth & Dave have become engaged, have they been hitched yet. please give my congratulations & best wishes I was glad my cable for your birthday arrived only 7 days late. that was darn good as I sent it on your birthday. I couldn't get one before that date so I thought it would be okay on the 6th to show I was thinking about you. and hope you had a nice 25th Anniversary, my cable was a long way off a silver tea set wasn't it. I would like you to buy yourselves something you want from me & nothing cheap either see - I think the a/c will stand it - so please do it wont you. cause I'll be wanting to see it later; so.

I believe I have rec'd nearly all your letters, not sure but have a good % of them also airgraphs & cables, which have been sent out here. I can imagine it would shake you when you rec'd the news of my parting England for M.E.. Mr Lindner mentioned that he & you all were sorry to here I had left. I was myself as I would have liked to have spent more time with the relations & also in seeing other people. But you have to do what you are told don't you no matter how much it matters to you. When on leave I was going to send some presents home but didn't, but next time I should be pretty flushed with dough & will send some of this Egyptian stuff back I would like to get back Khartoum way & Gold Coast & pick up ivory thinks & leather goods its real wizard stuff. some kid bought things, but had a long trip & a lot of it was broken a darned shame but its best to get things when you leave I think. a sweep coming off 4:45. Maybe will have some fun. Now I have written a fair amount & do hope it will be of more interest than previous one as I told you there's very little to say & is very hard to make up any thing interesting, but in future hope to - put together a decent letter Well I wish to thank you for the news cuttings & can assure you I like getting them. I have pasted a few in the back of my album. Haven't taken many pictures since leave. have a roll to be developed when somebody goes into Cairo now my dear folks I shall close & say bye for now - with all my love to you & the others so till next time cheers.

Loving son.
Jack
xxxxxx
xxxxx
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P.S.

I guess you will have rec'd that so called picture of me by the time you get this, hope you like it, sent 3 to England & two one to you & one to Con. I have had an enlargement made in colour, the trouble is only one. & now I'm stuck whether to send it to you or Con. I wished I had two done but no cash. I'll pick it up when in Cairo next time & will send it to one or the other of you, I'll toss a coin & give you each a chance. fair enough. Thanks for Ted's picture I did see him in Blighty but only short time. & Ben Auckworth on the same path also, every body seems to be in that frame of mind, well I'll have to wait I guess, not long I hope., I've about had this roaming, never was a guy for roaming altho' I was never in at nights, I can see now that why you probably think me not appreciating home as I should. I really did but not like I do now. I guess I didn't act very appreciated but really I was. - but Mom & Dad, I really know what a couple of swell parents I've got and always will have and I sure hope I can get up to your standard of thoughtfullness and swell doings - and living - boy I don't know what you'd call that - so don't worry about me I'll look after myself cause I've got a couple of heavy dates in Victoria - you & Con. Our sweep has sort of fallen thro' so far indefinite now. three changes in 10 mins from 4:45 to 5:00 then from 5:00 to 6:00 & now indefinite - weather is quite hazy & the drome is throwing up quite a bit of dust. a lot different to England. if the ceiling was down to 50 or 100 feet you could always see where to land. but here it comes from the deck up. & you cant see where to land. I sent a picture to Con or you of an aircraft you've probably seen same in picture mags, with the nose design on. - supposedly famous. that's us. I am the only Canadian now. - Punk was posted to another Sqdn. which aren't actually front line. He was shot down & baled out the day before we left the blue & I think they put him there as I think he was still feeling it & it will keep him in flying but more or less out of it. He is from Duncan V.I. We have a good bunch of chaps here. oh we got a 109 the other day, I wasn't on, had just come off readiness, the other six took over & sure enough were scrambled about 20 min later & ran into a couple. Things are really pretty quiet in general out here. but I think there's going to be something popping & its going to pop all over every where. This out here I think looks like a diversion to keep him going. I don't know of course but by what Churchill said & papers it looks that way. I don't think the Japs will last long if we keep old Hitler on the run. & finished. Its really fun & we manage to have a good time amongst ourselves, out in the blue. either visiting other Sqdns or them visiting us - its not bad & you sure meet some good fellow. - cool & callous. it would sure be a shock to the average person to step in one of these messes at nite & I'm sure it would shake them, you wouldn't believe that the fellows were pilots.

We have a tail plain of a ME 110 as a bar now it looks okay.

Well I've succeeded in gathering a little more information & probably will think of some more before I seal the envelope so be good again & can I assure you I will love again

Jack xxxxxx

Had our sweep - yours truly lost formation in cloud, a lovely low cloud & I got in it & went above it, the rest didn't come up so I went thro' down again & couldn't see them so continued on nipping in & out of clouds but had lost them so wended my way back home nothing else to do.

Love again
Jack xxxxx