No. 1 I.T.S. 1107 Ave. Rd.
1/8/40. A.M.

Dear Dad,

Have a little time to drop you a short note now as I have just come off two hours sentry duty. We have two hours on and four off. It is not bad but in the middle of the night it is sort of tiresome. I don’t mind the work very much though and every day the Air Force seems to me to get better.

That was great about Tom – in fact that was quite a fine write up altogether. I see too where the sports of Nelson lost me with some others to the Service. That was too bad about Al Maxwell – he was a pretty good chap really – a good athlete too.

I have written a letter today to Calgary and I hope he will send me a wire from there telling me when he will arrive here. It is necessary as at the present time I am still quarantined and wont get out until Monday and perhaps Tuesday. I may have to apply for special permission to get off to see him but anyway I will see him somehow. It is sure great that he is getting such a wonderful chance as he is. It is too bad to sort of lose the whole family all at once but this is no time to forget our duty to the country. It is good that he is in that part rather than in the Army as the work will be more interesting.

Mothing much new here these days – we still study most of the day and then extra studies at night as the stuff is very interesting. The Math is not very hard but it needs study to keep in practice. The Armaments and other studies are very interesting – especially the Link Trainer which is a wonderful outfit.

I haven’t been out for nearly a week now so there is nothing new to tell about what I have been doing then. Have phoned Aunt [Mayme?] a couple of times but haven’t phoned the Fergusons yet. Perhaps sometime I will see Old Man Stevenson but I don’t think I will go far out of my way to see him. I guess he really isn’t a bad old chap at that – I hope he does better in his new post.

Here are some answers for Mother. Yes, I got the sox a long time ago and they were fine, also the collar buttons. I got no sox yet from Aunt Beth but should be here soon. I don’t wash my own sox or shirts or anything as the laundry is very inexpensive. I now have two white shirts as I had one on leaving. I have not found the pen and am afraid it was lifted from me. By the way please put the time of mailing on another letter as I was in the hospital when the other came and so it was a couple of days late. I got a letter from Phyllis the other day and it is good to know that things are fairly definite now – boy, I would love to be at the wedding. It will be nice to have her able to come home now and then.

Glad to hear you had a good day, Dad; it is somewhat helpful. The by-law passed didn’t it? Is it very important?

Wilhelmine is fine but I haven’t seen the family for awhile. I hope to get up to Tillsonburg again one of these times as I would like to see them again and especially Francis – hope to get to London and Guelph sometime, too. By the way, Mother, there is a fine young chap here in my flight by the name of Hanbidge – he is a grandson of the Bedford’s so phone them and tell them about it. He is a flight orderly and it seems to me he has a good chance of a commission. He is same rank as I. Must go on “inspection of the guard.”

Your loving son
John

[postscripts added at top of first page]
P.S. How about a letter, Dad. It is great to here from you. Get that typewriter warmed up again and whip off a few pages. Best of luck. Regards to Anne, Ernie. J.B.G.
P.P.S. Just add this to my address – Flight “C”