#41

Dec 5^th. 1944.

Dear Mother:

Well it is great to be back in London again for a bit of leave. I am staying at the Cumberland as usual and I think I was lucky to get a room for the city is as crowded as ever. The lights are supposed to be slightly brighter than formerly but I cannot notice much difference. However I have become an expert in tube travel so manage to get around alright.

Had tea this afternoon with Uncle George and Meg. They are both very well. Uncle G. says that I must visit his nephew when I go to Scotland as I shall soon. Well I wonder—this nephew is the Duke of Argyll.

Tomorrow I hope to go up to spend a night with Violet and then later to Uncle Geoff so I shall be moving around quite a bit. I hear that Tom has been missing for almost a month—happened around the Adriatic somewhere. I hope he is alright.

I am awfully glad that course is behind me now. It wasn’t much fun towards the end and we were pretty fed up particularly as it ate up a bit of our leave. Putrid weather and considerable mechanical trouble made it a bit shaky at times. Have come home three times now in trouble. The last occasion was about 4 in the morning. A terrific storm had got up while I was away and apart from the R/T report you cant tell what it is like at night for landing. Had it been day I should never have attempted landing in such a tremendous cross swell. It was no fun trying to handle twenty five tons of scrap metal that was behaving like a bucking bronc. An hour later a cat broke its back when it came in and an hour before my chum had refused to take off because the spray was coming right over the wings so it was bad. This poor chap was still trying to finish the course when I left so I doubt if he will get much leave.

Had to do a sort of P.T. test before I could get cleared from the station. You had to do as many sit-ups as possible with somebody holding your feet, chin yourself likewise and do some running. It was too wet for the latter but I did 45 of the first, 10 of the second and my stomach was sore for days.

Have sold my bike £5.

With love from
Tony

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