31 Oct 43

Major GS Andrews, RCE - 10 Cdn Air Svy Liaison Sec

First Cdn Army Overseas.

Dear Harry, Isobel, and "Jigger"

This letter is long overdue. I am not even sure if you are still at Ft Ware, on the grand old Finlay River. However, here's hoping it will be sent on to the right place if you are elsewhere. One thing I am sure of, is that I have been the happy recipient of the "Beaver" for years, now, and that I am indebted to you for this pleasure. The September number just came in the other day, just when your names and memory came up in another connection, which I shall explain further. Its hard to tell you how much these reminders of the good old Canadian North are enjoyed by us here, who seem to be exiles as much as anything. Even my English friends get a big kick out of them.

You m ay already know that our friend Jack Benton "went West" on active operations with the RAF last summer. I am in a position to know that he was doing work of vital importance, and in a splendid manner, work which was a logical consequence of his last job at home, in 1940. Well, I remember getting a swell letter from you, in which you had mentioned some nice things about Jack and Norman Stewart, when they were up at Lower Post, so I took the liberty of sending a copy of that letter of yours to Jacks little Mother, who is a widow in Victoria, BC. I know it would please her a lot. I didn't send the original, because it is one of those letters which I have put away in my "collection". Jack's memory will always be sacred to me, because he passed on "doing his job" for the world and the rest of us, and because I regarded him as "one of my boys" who helped to pioneer air mapping in BC.

I had a wonderful break of luck recently. I was suddenly sent to Canada and back by air on an urgent bit of business connected with my work here. The business was in Ottawa, but I was given a trip to my home in Victoria, 14 days with my wife and little girl, who is now 4 1/2. It was 3 1/2 years since I left them to come overseas, so it was a real thrill. It was a wonderful experience travelling by air across the old pond too. After the war think I'll get a little airplane and get around for a visit with all my old friends, including the Borbridges. I still carry that snap of the gang including yourself in front of the wood pile at Ware. It bucks me up just to look at it.
Bill Hall was in England for a few weeks this summer, and is now back with the 8th army, in Italy. He got the MC for his actions in the North Africa campaign. He has had the most wonderful experiences of all of us, but he's just the same old Bill.

ALL THE BEST,

------GERRY.