30 Cdn Air Survey Liaison Sec, RCE

Cdn Army England.

22 Nov 44

Dear Jean:

Your letter didn't come till today, these last two have been a little bit slow. Instead of writing this last night, I got most of the official unit Xmas cards ready to mail. We have quite a few connections in one way or another, and it is rather nice to send a card along at Xmas, it gives one an opportunity of showing appreciation for many good turns, and others it reminds them of us, and that we are human as well as technical. Am sending very few personally, only to you & Mary, to my brothers and sisters, to the Haggmans, and one to Mrs Bergtholdt, as representing your family. Would like to send one to the Swannells, Capt & Mrs Bowden, and one or two others, but if I do, there may be others to whom I cant send cards who might wonder why the line of distinction. I think I'll send one to the Forest Br just in appreciation of the cigarettes, which I rarely take time to acknowledge as they arrive in individual parcels. It is not quite as artistic a card as we had last year, but rather a good one for members of the unit to have as a keepsake, Cpl Davis was the artist, as he was last year.
Bob Richards came up for a couple of hours Sunday evening, he is stationed not far away, but hes not sure for how long. Am afraid I was a decidedly poor host to him, being dead tired from the fresh air and exercise of cutting down a large tree at Morris's and partly cutting it up, and then the long cycle ride back. My eyes were just slits, Its good for me to get real tired like that, and always feel much better for the workout for several days following. It was nice to see him tho, and likely he will be able to get over again. He and Betty are certainly your worshippers.

Hope you enjoyed your cousins visit, and that he liked Victoria. He sounds interesting. Your story about your Dad was wonderful, I'd love to have seen the escapade on the stallion. Mr B was a wonderful man, and I'm so sorry that I was never able to meet him. No wonder Mary has a weakness for horses. It is a pity that our Mary has missed out on Grandmas and Grandpas, (I mean her own), It would be nice, as she widens her understanding, to teach her the simple story of both her Bergtholdt and her Andrews grandparents. I do hope she will soon become more immunized to the evidently wide assortment of cold germs that seem to infest the schoolroom, Dr Simpson must be very busy, but am glad you have booked a consultation for M, even if you have to wait I wish we could go south for the winters. That brings me to another topic, but will deal with it separately.

I was of course very pleased that Roosevelt was reelected, and consider that it is a fine compliment to the great American nation that, in the climax of the war, they exercised their right to throw out the government if they wanted to, and did in fact confirm their faith in a great leader. No other "Democracy" has done anything as big and as democratic as that during the war, so far. what a cheap contrast we have at Ottawa with our cringing compromising sloppy government. They are even afraid to act on a mandate already given them in no uncertain terms to put in conscription, and fight the war as a Nation, not as a political arrangement with Quebec. To me, the issue at Ottawa is not so much one of reenforcements for the army overseas, as it is whether the minority in Quebec are to be allowed to dictate policy for the whole country, just for the sake of King hanging on to power for another term. God forbid. We are, too, much distressed at McNaughton's behavior. I interpret it as evidence of his decline, and like to remember him as the inspiration I once knew. Would you like to send some dark red nail polish or paint, and some dark red lipstick - for the two ladies who bring around the mobile canteen to us twice a week. If its hard to get, don't bother. Also I could do with another batch of toilet soap, the kind you sent last was wonderful.
Am quite impressed with what you have to say about the Greggs opinion about a future in the FB. Have thought there is much to be said for getting on the staff of a University, with the summers free to get out and do some private business in Air survey. I wonder if it might pay to write the California Tech, think I'd like them better than Berkely. Guess I ought to try to pick up a PhD. My ideal would be to earn my bread and butter by teaching and research in a University, and gradually build up a private consulting practice, with possibly a financial interest in a commercial air survey company in my spare time. California would be an ideal place to live, and who knows, I might get some business in BC and northern Canada in the summers. The more I see of this world, the less sentimental patriotism I entertain for any particular nation or country. If you know or learn anything about possibilities in Calif universities, pass them along. The time to get your bid in for any jobs like that is NOW.

Heaps of love, and hope your eye is still mending

GER