Bournemouth Poole
5.45 PM 13 Nov 1942
13-11-42

Dear Ma & Pa and Everybody:

I am still kicking folks, just haven't gotten around to writing. I have written all the folks I know over here and haven't heard from many of them yet. Should have some mail one of these days. I expect Bill is on leave anyway so won't likely contact him this trip. I don't get leave anyhow from here so it doesn't matter much anyway. Had a swell trip. Wouldn't mind doing it again. Best accommodation on the water, meals were good and only one little bit of rough going, which wasn't much.

This isn't a bad place in all. Nice and green, not too much rain, only the odd alarm, but haven't seen many Jerrys yet. People just don't give a darn about a siren anymore it seems. Was on firewatch last night almost fell down an air raid shelter entrance, was left hung upon a little guard nail by my feet and a dark hole before me and I dropped my flashlight in the fall, but I recovered O.K.

I hope to be posted out of here soon but you never know. Its three months since I did any flying and I bet things will be a bit slow going for awhile. We get another course to freshen up though. The time has come when one should learn to navigate so guess I'll do a bit of work for a change.

We do a lot of walking here. Live about a mile from the mess hall, which gives us a good six miles a day, and I did a lot of running this morning doing P.T. so should be getting back in shape again. There isn't much doing here but we get along O.K. Blackouts aren't bad. I haven't got lost yet. I think they exaggerate them. I saw more light around here the first night than there is around home anyway. Well I guess I better get on parade and finish this later.

HyouB agin, that didn't take long but I gotta go back in an hour, but after today things should go a lot better all the red tape will be cleaned up and just settle down to wait posting.

Just saw P./O. Sewell, our instructor, at A.O.S. There are three of them over here (instructors from A.O.S. EDM). I guess they will have to learn to navigate now too. I'd like to see them on their first flight or two. I bet it would be as bad as the rest of us.

Sure is good news from Africa. Hope they really come through this time, and I'll be back for Christmas next year. I think it'll be all over but the cheering then anyway. Hitler sure is going to take a beating this next spring. I bet by the Air Force. I don't think there has been a German plane over England since I got here according to the papers. I'd kind of like to see one myself, see if I could recognize one. However the longer they stay away the better I guess. It would be too bad to see this town bombed. It's pretty as the devil but the roads go round and round and never get any place, but I guess we'll get along O.K. We're happy anyhow so be good and I'll be seeing you some time. I hope.

Love JBBD