F/o L.J. Drewry
J8629 CAN.
AIR-SEA-RESCUE
RAF. ME.
20/8/43.

Dear Mildred and John,-

When your wife reads that to you John, do you say; “he’s just being polite to include me??”. Well your wrong, though of course it is through your wife I am thinking of you as well but as you are “one” now I hope even if I seem to have little to say about or to you, I still include you when I write. I can quite imagine just how much sham decoration and parades go on at uplands. In fact it’s always been a propaganda station as well as a training school.

I have always been cheesed myself with parades and in fact havent been on a, pucka, one for over twelve months. Even for the A.O.C. (Sir Sholto Douglas) visit we just have an informal ring around to listen to his instructions. Of course we had previously lined up to await his coming but I was very pleased to see how he called us around. Lord Trenchard is just as informal though mostly he speaks to training camps so you may have heard him. At present I’m on a detachment – we move about where needed sometimes 2000 miles from lease, and so have no orderly officer duties or any kinds of like nature. when I get back to Canada I’ll sure not enjoy parades.

I’ve had a good deal of mail recently – yours of July 16^th came today plus three from home (latest July 28) one from A. Heavysege – one from A. Crosbie. I haven’t answered the last bunch except yours and home cause I’ve been moving so much; However its only 1030 and I’ve written to Mum – had a trip in the “walrus,” and breakfast so you see its looking like a good day. The weather is always good – no rain to damp a shirt since May. Besides I’ve put my mosquitto net up so can write in peace. At night I put the bed under it – in the day the table and chair (folding).

When I moved last July 18^th I had to leave all my laundry behind so one of these days we will take a run down in the aircraft to collect it. Leaves me short of clean sheets etc. but such is life. (Fancy sheets at all; I was a long time never seeing them.)

Mary’s last letter was written from P.R. and she seemed to find the children quite willing to entertain her. I’m very glad she’s able to be up and about. If she’s all better now it will so much easier for Mum. Besides in the letter just prior to leaving for P.R. she had been doing all kinds of work. By the way is there any sort of tins of stuff I could send you such as syrup or food stuff?? Sugar is rationed here but the only ration on other stuff is that of a limit of 2lbs. in any one parcel so it seems sort of useless. However let me know and I can try. – Agnes Heavysege tells me her sister Margorie is being married in fact is by now so of that family of seven she’s the only one at home. All most reminds one of our own family doesn’t it?? Andy by the way has informed me of the expected heir, he sounds a trifle worried about Edith though very pleased otherwise. Good luck to them anyhow and by the way be sure to let me know a couple of months ahead if you have any plans for a family so I can start knitting etc. Andy says that Mary and Edith have the house full of stuff. I’m promised leave when I go back to base so if I can get to the delta I’ll buy some wool just in case its scarce in Canada. Last bought was for Anne Lawries expected baby in Scotland (I had spare coupons) but I’ve not seen it or what they made of the wool. Well folks not much in this but my good wishes – Cherio

Love as always –
Lawrence