Royal Flying Corps Auxiliary Hospital
6th Jany 1917.

Dearest little Mother:

Your letter of Dec. 12th reached me yesterday and I am sending off a reply to it at once so as to be in time to wish you many happy returns of your birthday. I always appreciate your letters so much- you cannot realize how much- but I only wish I could see you instead and hear all the home news first hand. There certainly are lots of things to talk about and how our tongues would wag!

I had a cable from Molly quite unexpectedly the other day saying that she was sailing for England on the "Philadelphia" and asking me to meet her in Liverpool. I find that the steamer is due to-morrow (Sunday) so as a favor I have got the M.O. here to let me go to Liver- pool to-day. It’s a 10 hour trip- and date my discharge from Liverpool to-morrow. I am due to arrive in Liverpool at mid- night to-night and if the steamer is on time I'll take Molly on to London to-morrow and return to my squadron for duty Monday morning.

She has spoken before about coming over at her own expense to nurse, and I have no doubt that she can get a position immediately as qualified nurses are not too plentiful, still the cable was somewhat of a surprise to me. I should not wonder at all if we were married very quietly within the next week or so. It would probably make her position easier here. It’s funny how one’s plans are filtered and tossed about now-a-days isn’t it?

It is two weeks last Thursday since I arrived however, although I am sorry to lose so much flying, I am glad of the rest. They tell me I looked ghastly when I arrived. Whether that’s true or not I don’t know but certainly I feel like a different person now, lots of color and lots of "pep" too.

Isn’t it queer how very ordinary celebrities are when you get to know them. Seated next to me at the dinner table every day is a cheery little tow-headed youth of about twenty who is one of the finest pilots in the R.F.C. His name is “Fluffy" Dixon and his latest achievement is the bringing down of the German "Mutzler" who ranked third among the Hun pilots -Immelman and Boelcke being the leading two. Another celebrity, of a sort at least, who is here is Lord Doune, eldest son of the Earl of Moray. He is quite a good pilot too and has won the Military Cross.

By the way, it may interest you to see the sort of machines I am flying now. You can see a fairly good picture of them in the "Sphere" of January 6th on page 14 and at the bottom of page 13. They are big brutes- 160 horse power and frightfully easy to fly.

Must close now Mother Dear, I know that you think of me and remember me in your prayers too, and it is a great comfort to me. May God bless you and keep you through this coming year, is the earnest prayer of

Your loving son,
Eric.