R.C.A.F.
#116 B.R.
Dartmouth N.S.
July 27/41.
Dear Mom,
Well after spending a scorching week on the train here I am right back where I did guard duty last fall soaking up the old Nova Scotia Sunshine - the pouring, soaking, skin drenching type that isolates every building in a little sea of mud.
Apparently I'm not going overseas after all - not for the time being at least for I find I've been posted as a sergeant navigator to a New Bombing & Reconnaissance squadron just recently organized & for the present stationed right here, but soon to be split up & sections posted to Newfoundland & Bermuda. (Here's hoping!) There are only eight navigators on the station & it so happens that our standings were from 1st to eight inclusive all thru our various courses, so apparently they figure you have to be good to be on this job. Apart from the fact that we are flying twin engined PBY's (called Catalinas) that stay in the air for 30 hours at a stretch & carry a crew of nine, there isn't very much we are allowed to tell of our work, however more of that some other time.
Mr. & Mrs. Marshall met me at Edmonton & were very anxious to hear all about you & the kids. Don was at Sylvor Lake & came in later that evening & was rather surprised to see me. He had been swimming all day & picked up a rash from pollen in the water so he used it as an excuse to stay home from work the next day. By the way you'd never guess what he's doing - working at Leigh aircraft assembly plant as a mechanic, overalls & grease & everything. His father got a '37 Ford coupe for him to go to Varsity in last year so he drove me all around seeing various people.
I saw Mrs. Atkinson, the Hansons, Mrs. Owen & Mr. Baker. Mr. Baker looked horribly thin & could barely speak. I don't think they expect him to last many more days although he did recognize me & his mind seemed to be fairly clear.
Mrs. Morris took me all thru the house & I hardly recognized it - the fireplace has been lowered, the china cabinet taken out, Venetian blinds in the sunroom, arches in place of the sliding doors, entirely repapered & repainted, built in bath tub & new tiling in the bathroom. The basement has been all white washed & painted & the furnace painted silver to save heat - as a matter of fact she said that her highest bill for gas last winter was $12. However that doesn't been much since they had a very mild winter & she probably doesn't keep it as hot as we did. The yard has also been improved considerably with the back all grassed in & the hedge cut down but as Nick told me it could never have been attempted with kids about the place & also he says they have spent a great deal on it. Some people by the name of Berg have built & very nice home in the back field while in the front as you probably know are the Merricks & the Moulds.
There seems to be an awful lot to write about so I think I'll save a bit for another letter. Oh yes - I nearly forgot - Mr. Marshall had a very good photo taken of himself & I think he would be awfully pleased if you just dropped them a short line�even just your addresses so he could send you one of them.
Don was very ill the afternoon I left & went to bed in agony over his stomach. They haven't the faintest idea what is wrong but it seems to be pretty bad.
Please write soon & tell me all about the new house & have the kids drop me a line too.
Lots of love
Newton.
