December 18, 1942

We are playing hockey again and, to date, have won two games in as many starts, winning by scores of 2 – 1 and 4 – 1. The Colonel was very pleased and we got special privileges on this account. It’s really funny, but the thing that makes me homesick more than anything is the smell of the coast air rising off the sea. It seems to be fantastic to be playing hockey about fifty miles from the Hun, just as though we had no other interest in the world.

I expect you are all following the progress of the 8th Army in Libya and the 1st Div. in Tunisia and wondering all the time when the Canadians will be called to contribute their share in the Allied effort. I can’t see how they can keep us out of action much longer, so I am looking forward to some real fireworks in the Spring. In the meantime, we just carry on as before and try not to get bored to death. At least the Allied nations have much to celebrate this Yuletide, and I feel sure that if our cards are played with wisdom, dash and courage, the worst should be far behind us by this time next year.

I met a very nice girl on my last leave who wants me to come to her home in Mill Hill in N.W. London, but I don’t expect they will allow us to travel. This girl, Kay King, is in the N.S.F. (National Fire Service), is good looking and thoroughly nice. In fact, if I thought for a moment we were going to sit around England another year, I should be very tempted to get married.