From: Cheltenham
10 Nov. 1918

Dearest Mother -

Well, I read in the morning's paper of Kaiser's abdication and that the armistice is sure to be a fact by Monday. Rather excellent news. Just to think, that all fighting will be over. Several months are sure to elapse between this armistice & the final Peace and, during that time it is likely that munition making and all that sort of thing will go on as usual, and that little or no demobilization will go on till then. In any case, it will be a long process but we can count in months now and next summer ought to see me home. But, of course the main thing is that all fighting is now over and that I shall hence forth be in no danger in that respect.

I have still about four or five weeks to go in this course and then two or three on a gunnery course before we come to flying part. So, I am not yet on very far with course. The move to Shorncliffe has been postponed time & again and may be cancelled altogether, but it delayed us in the first instance, as I told you, and whereas I have been here three weeks, I have only completed about two weeks of course. Now, Casey, you see, has completed five weeks and should pass out in a week or two.

It seems to be the general opinion around here that these schools would break up after the armistice and that those of us who are only attached here from other units (as in my case) would be sent back to those units (or I mean to an artillery base in Eng.) to be demobilized eventually from there. This is probably what you wish will happen.

But to be quite frank with you, I shall be most terribly disappointed if I can't finish my course and get commission as a pilot before it is over. I have become quite interested in it here, and am getting in this course here valuable instruction in engines and other things at government's expense which, if I wanted to take up in civilian life, would cost me hundreds & hundreds of dollars. I never knew anything about engines before but knowledge of engines & engineering is very useful & might be a good thing to go into, but of course, too, there are too many pilots almost, more than is needed.

Anyway, I shall just have to sit tight and see what happens. After we are discharged, you know, we get paid for three months at rate we were being paid when discharged. There is a great difference between a bombardier's pay and that of a flight lieutenant. There is also more social status & prestige if that meant anything to the latter.

There will be more fuss made in the papers and more excitement & enthusiasm in the cities & towns of Canada or States than in those of England these days. I can picture it and would like to be there to experience it.

Well, very best of love to you and the rest.
Yours affectionately,
Gordon