Thurs. Evening

Dear Dad

As I start out to write this letter I'm not exactly sure of your address. The one you gave me is in my suit coat and I sent it home, forgetting to take the address out so here's hoping this reaches you.

When I left Saskatoon I found out that the rest of the boys were in a smoker, so I joined them. I didn't sleep very well, but after renting a pillow I got about four hours. We arrived here at 7:30 and weren't brought out to the station till 9:00, after phoning them to come and get us.

It took us the rest of the morning in being filed and being asked what seemed silly questions. In the afternoon they started to give us our uniforms and all the other crap along with it.

The conveniences here are very nice, lots of closed in toilets, wash sinks & showers. I've had a shower every night so far, and I believe I'll be keeping up the same practice from now on.

The depot here is also in the old Exhibition camp. We are in the reception wing of the agric. building. We are gradually moved to new barracks and take up different parts of our training. We have a very nice corporal in charge of our squad (33 men happens to be in it). We've had quite a bit of drill so far but nothing to what we have to look forward too. In about a week we start on a three week course of drilling at the end of that time the C.O. puts us through our paces and if we are good enough we are put into the disposal wing which lasts about two weeks and in that time we do fatigue duty.

Yesterday morning we had dental inspection along with a talk by the dental captain. The rest of the day we had drill, but are given 15 minutes rest at the end of each hour. Today we had two inoculations, a blood test, a vaccination, and a T.B. test. They were all on the same arm except one. A Couple of the boys fainted. Right after this we were given a talk by the C.O. on Air Force law. A few of us began to feel quite sick and I was one of them. I had to leave the arena for awhile along with another fellow. I was still sick at suppertime and didn't have any supper. I went to sleep and when I woke up my arm was so stiff I couldn't move it. The rest of the boys were the same, and at 8 P.M. we had to march to the M.O. to see if it took. Mine took allright but we have to have the rest of our nocks every so often, all the time that were here. After this I came over to the canteen and filled up on pie, tomatoe juice, hot dogs, and pop. I came right upstairs to the Y.M.C.A. and started to write this letter. Our mess is also in the same building.

We are C.B.'d for the first eight days and possibly a couple of days shorter than that. After that we are given what is called double ee cards and can stay out till 10:30 each night. Lights go out at 11 P.M. and we get up at 6:30. Surprisingly I haven't minded getting up at all yet but I would rather have lights out at 10 instead of 11.
So far I haven't much to kick about, except so many nocks one after the other and more to look forward too. We can buy practically all our needs at the canteen, our meals are very good, and I'm in with a swell bunch of guys.

Well Dad its 9:15 P.M. (also the same time as yours) here and I believe I will have a shower and then to bed. My arm is really sore and I hope it will be better tomorrow, although I doubt it. Please send this on to Mother. I have sent her a card & a letter so far.

Your loving son,
George

My address

#R170071
AC2 Cresswell G.E.
No. 3 Manning depot,
Edmonton,
Alberta (keep this)