Sept 17th 1944

Somewhere in Belgium

Dear Dad:

It’s quite some time since I wrote you, isn’t it? Well here’s a short note at least. I hope I’ll have enough news to make it interesting. I’m writing this in a field of a farm where we are billeted: It’s not a Navy bio farm but there are many fruit trees apple pear and peach; there are eggs and milk for the [buying?] and we’ve had a few feeds of eggs and milk and believe it or not white bread too. The people never grow tired of celebrating only last night I was to a dance where the favorite song was “it’s a long way to Tipperary” not a word of which they understand they remember it from the last war. The Belgian women are surely beautiful. I’d give anything to be able to talk their lingo: oh! boy! War doesn’t seem to have touched this country very much until the Jerries started retreating through here – even now the houses all have windows two weeks before we came they had electricity, the stores carry a greater variety of commonalties than those in England. The towns and cities are very clean – you could almost eat of the streets the people sweep the section of the street fronting them and every once in a while scrub it too the houses are all brick on stone – their fuel is mostly [for ___?] of wood although I guess they do burn coal in some parts. It’s a very healthy climate and the kids are all fat cheeked and rosy. In the last town where we stayed there were three Nuns from Ireland who could speak perfect English. We had a merry old time there for a while I’ll have to leave the details toll after the war – be sure to remind me to tell you. I don’t expect I’ll see Cliff as I’m probably in a different part of the country than he is. I have written him since coming here so I may hear from him one of these days soon.

The war news sure looks good! The Germans themselves are positive another two months will see the finish for them. The last [up__?] we had the Yanks were twenty five miles inside the [Serofirnd?] line, but weren’t receiving the Jerrie’s welcome they had become accustomed to in France and Belgium. The people are all expecting a bunch of [cutther] 5 and are having difficulty in understanding things. We hear that Churchill Roosevelt and others are holding another conference in Quebec. Lets hope it [p___?] as good results as the last one did.

Well dad ‘ve talked a lot about myself and hardly even asked how you are I hope your well and settling down about now, after so much travelling around. You sure had a hill of it there for a while, didn’t you? I guess Mum probably worries a lot but if she were here she’d see how needless it is to worry: I’m not saying there’s no danger because there’s always danger even back in Canada. Tell her I’ll be writing her again in a couple of days. How I’d like to see the kids but just occurred to me though that Irene may have gone out West and take Louise with her. George won’t have anyone to be Jealous of then, will he? Tell Mary and Rene too that I’ll be writing them soon also tell Lennie that there is nothing to be gained by our little plan so I won’t resort to it. However I will write her a letter just the same. Maybe very soon now depending on whether we light anywhere long enough to do so. I hope our lawn and garden are doing well. I have some new ideas for when I get back. I hope that won’t be too far distant.

Well dad I think I’ve done pretty well, don’t you? I believe it’s nearly supper time so I’ll close now with best wishes to everyone. Above all don’t worry about me I’m having a swell time.

So cheerio

Bill

F111777 Pt. Hollett W.E. Lincoln and Wellond regt.

C.A.O.

P.S. fancy me in an Ontario Regt.