August 12, 1944

Well folks, you will notice from the slight change of address, that my expected promotion came through. Yes, your second son has finally made the grade, not a bad record for one family, two boys in the army and both Sergeants. At present, I am a Lance Sgt. and will be such for one month. At the end of this time I will become a full Sgt. (if I keep my nose clean) and receive and additional thirty cents per. As it is now, I get a dollar and ninety cents every time the sun goes down. All I have to worry about is keeping out of hospital for the next four months. Under the present system, it takes four months from the time you receive your promotion until it is confirmed. If, during the intervening period, you take sick, you revert to your former rank. This seems anything but fair, particularly if you are wounded in action, but there you are.

I always did want to have command of a gun of my own in action, so you can well imagine how pleased I am. Of course, there are added responsibilities but nothing I can’t handle with complete confidence. Tonight, my job is battery orderly sergeant. As such, I turn out the guard for inspection, supervise meal parades, check to make sure all anti-malaria measures are taken, and lastly, to take charge of the battery orderly room during the night. Well, so much for my promotion and so on to other matters.

Ross Scott received a letter from his sister Ethel yesterday. In the letter, she tells of having heard over the radio of Liulf’s arrival by hospital train in Calgary. This news came as quite a surprise, although I knew he expected to return to Canada. He certainly has had more than his share of trouble, hasn’t he? At least, Mom, you know that fifty percent of your worries are back in Canada. ------