[CENSORED]

1942

Dear Mom:-

By the time you receive this you will have my cable and know that Im safe, I suppose you worried like the dickens, but really there was nothing whatever to worry about, we had a pleasant crossing, although the second day out I felt a bit squeamish, I didn’t become sick enough to miss a meal though.

We are still on board ship, it is twenty minutes to eleven and I thought it would be a good idea to write a few lines while I still remember little incidents that may interest you, by the way I havent had an opportunity to keep one of these epistles [CENSORED] the George Washington, however my memory should serve me well enough to remember the most interesting things. Well we pulled out on [CENSORED] morning there were [CENSORED] and [CENSORED] we made a mad dash across and here we are safe and sound, one day it got a bit rough and at dinner the plates, cups etc., came sliding off the table right stop long into my lap, was I ever a blinkin mess. Then one day when we were about four days from England we saw an old pickle barrel floating by, it caressed quite a lot of excitement, I can well sympathize with Columbus now. We saw a convoy outward bound yesterday I sure hope they make it, we got our sea legs the about the third day and could really enjoy the trip, it is really funny to see the workers walking along the slanting decks you would think they had one leg shorter than the other by about a foot. Well this morning we saw the first land since leaving Canada. It sure looked good although it appeared to be covered with snow, however when we got in closer it look so much (over) like north Cape Breton that I found in [CENSORED…….] from home they have the same kind [CENSORED………] look like the Bras d’Or lakes, the first village we saw looked like a toy at the foot of the hills then as we proceeded inwards we saw more and more, you could pick them out first by the church spires and after dark by the lights, which by the way were blacked out at eight oclock.

We are busy to-night getting ready to disembark [CENSORED……….] in London by [CENSORED] and then Ill sit down and write you a nice big letter with as much news as I can squeeze by the censors. We have a lot of R.A.F. on board and it would do your heart good to hear us trying to learn to speak English like they do in England.

I have to get up at 6:30 tomorrow as Im the Riding sergeant to-morrow and will be busy as all get out. Tomorrow we store our life belts pack our kits and say good-bye to our ship she sure is a sweetheart in the dreams of a lot of guys in [CENSORED] tonight. Jerry is on the other boat you might tell Ada and Rene so they can tell the Downings, I hope to see them tomorrow when we go ashore.

Well old girl I will have to dash off now and catch me a wink of sleep say me to all the folks, you can imagine me directly across from (A) right now that will be some where else soon. So long for now.

F11177 +A.W.L. Hollett

[CENSORED]

P.S. keep your chins up Dad, Mom, Ada, Irene, Cliff, Mary, Zorn, Margaret, Mildred, Evelyn, Lennie and Vern /also of course George.