April 17, 1943

Dear Mother & Dad,

I went to the Post Office yesterday and received four letters from Canada. One of them was dated March 16 so it only took a month to get here, which is a little faster than some of them have been. I'm glad to know that you have been receiving my letters. I usually write one a week so they should be coming along pretty regularly.

For the first time since I left Canada, I started to fly again last week, and it reminds me very much of St. Eugene back home where I was last summer. We are more or less getting used to the countryside here, and I must admit it certainly looks far different from that back home. We are only here for a few weeks but it is quite a bit of fun.

I was glad to hear that Bruce was in the store. How is he getting along these days? I wrote him a letter some time ago, but I haven't heard from him yet. I received a letter from Bill Dean yesterday. He was quite a good friend of mine in Toronto. He said that he would be ringing up to the store to find out how I was getting along, so I guess you have probably heard from him by now. He is really a swell fellow and we used to go to the YMCA on Saturday nights together.

I see that my check has come from the government. I hope you have found out something about the Victory Bond I bought, as I hate to think of that $50.00 as being wasted. By the way, Mother, I hope you have put the records and radio away safely as I am looking forward to using them when I get back home again, so don't let anyone wear the records out.

I had the day off yesterday so another friend and I went into Coventry to see a show. Random Harvest was playing, and it was a very good picture. I sold my bicycle last week, but I'm getting tired of walking into the village two miles from here, so I think I'll buy another one. At least they are a lot faster than walking.

Beer and cigarettes have gone up again over here. Cigarettes especially are very expensive and the beer seems awfully weak, but I guess the people just have to grin and bear it.

Have you heard from Uncle Jim lately? When I was down that way for a few weeks a little while ago, I used to go down to the house nearly every day. I expect to be down there again next week, but for how long I don't know-maybe a week. How does Billy like Army life now that he has been in it for a few months? Is he getting tired of it? I suppose Howard is still working down at John Inglis. Is he still receiving lots of money and more important positions down there? Give my regards to him and Lucy.

The weather has been very nice around here for the past few weeks. There has been hardly any rain at all since I've come to England, which is hard to understand after hearing about all the rain England is supposed to receive. I imagine by the time you receive this letter Doug will be in the Air Force or Army and I wonder how he will like it?

Well, I guess I'll have to close now, but regards to all of you at home and I'll be writing again next week.

Your loving son,
Arthur