#36

Sept 21. 1944.

Dear Mother:

I have been doing rather well with parcels lately. No 16 and 17 have both arrived and No 16, the one with the grapefruit juice, was addressed correctly. You had corrected it I think. I have never had a chance to use the sandwich spread before but I will now as we have a sort of picnic lunch on board when we go flying here. Last time we were given only one small tin of bully beef to spread over sandwiches for eight people which rather annoyed us. Another 1000 cigs arrived today so I now have over 1500 on hand. I should begin to build up a good surplus now for the future.

Have done well with letters also and at last have heard from Peter. He spent five days on an American LST living in the height of luxury with a cabin to himself so I suppose he went in in southern France. Also heard from Ken Reid in Ceylon and the next day met a chap in the mess who had just come from there and knew him well. This chap was just off to Pat. Bay so I am hoping Ken will be diverted thru the same curious channel. Heard from Doug. McGrath too who is on Bomber command. One page had been completely cut away leaving only the narrow border.

You remember how I used to hate the link. That is a picnic compared to a new device here. Pilot navigator and wireless operator sit in a device simulating an aeroplane, things are flashed on screens and you act accordingly. The snag is the big clock staring at you from the wall ahs varying speeds and sometimes goes about three times normal so everybody ahs to work like fiends. In this way almost a whole sortie is done in a few hours and after the first one I felt almost as groggy as if it had been the real thing.

With love from Tony.

[Editor’s note: Transcription provided by collection donor.]