(You know where!)
Alexandria

July 21, 1939

Dear Mother:

Received a letter from Max today and have just replied to him. He does not know yet what type of aircraft he will fly - a very interesting letter it was.

The London Gazette in the Times states that Kenneth Keith has been posted to HMS Eagle in China waters. That is our aircraft carrier in the far east, so I expect Ken will be quite pleased. It carries no fighter aircraft, so Ken must be a torpedo-spotter-reconnaissance pilot. These at the present time are Swordfish open cockpits for one pilot, one observer, and one telegraphic airgunner.

There new Browning machine guns in our Gladiators are wonderful. They fire so fast they just roar - no Vickers' typewriter effect. Did you know that when the Spitfire or Hurricane fires its 8 Brownings - the speed of the Aircraft drops 40 m.p.h. (remarkable, eh?)

Of course the mess stooge has already figured it all out. If I was flying at 100 m.p.h. in a Spitfire in Canada - especially in the summer.

I believe Kenneth Keith is still in the Fleet Air Arm in England -although I haven't heard anything about him.

We missed a cruise to Crete and Greece with a holiday in Athens thrown in because of our new machines and red tape to get through.

The C in C wanted 802 to put on a flying display at Athens, but it couldn't be done. I think Marmont, Campbell, Horsfall and myself would have done a formation aerobatic show on our own, besides, but it wasn't to be. HMS Glorious is there now and will return in a week or so I believe.

There is some talk of calling our squadrons differently. G6 instead of 802, but it isn't confirmed yet.

A quite good cinema is situated on the camp here. One sits in cane chairs with plenty of leg room. The pictures are good and up to date. The English prefer American films (don't we all?) and the general consensus of opinion is - "These British films are punk!"

Love to all at 1608

Bill

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