R.H. Gray, S/Lt.
Canada House,
London.
March 16. [annotation, origin unknown: “42”]

Dear Mother and Dad,

There does not seem much to say any more. I think about you so much and worry about you. There seems to be so little I can do from here to help you. I got a letter from Jack’s adjutant but he told me that he was sending the same information to you so I will not enclose the letter. It was a very nice letter however and I am sure you will appreciate it when you get it. Since I wrote about his stuff I have not heard anything but as soon as I do I shall endeavour to get up there to see about it.

I have come from leave to a new station for a while. It is quite a nice station but we really have very little to do. At the moment our work consists of flying wireless operators in training about the country so they can practice their wireless. It is not an exciting job at all but one where we see a good deal of the country and get to know it quite well. Sutton and Johnson are here. You will be able to find them on some of those pictures. We are doing what they call 2^nd line duties while we wait for 1^st line squadrons. The whole course has been split up and it is now spread pretty well over the country.

While in London I ran into a large number of the other chaps we came over with. It was rather nice to see them. I also met some of my old friends from Edmonton and Vancouver. It really is remarkable how many people you do see up there. Everybody seems to come down for weekends as most of the army camps are fairly near to London.

This chap Taylor and I went to a Lady Francis Ryder who arranges for officers on leave to go to different country homes. We got one in Sussex near a place called Horsham and had a grand week. We didn’t do anything but sleep and eat. We had eggs, butter and milk in any quantity, which means a lot when you are lucky to see an egg a month and are usually given a pat of butter the size of your little finger nail. When we left there we were thoroughly rested and didn’t mind in the least getting back to work.

I am thinking a lot about Phyllis today, too. This is the date she told me she was expecting things. I hope to get a cable any day now with the news. I am glad to hear too of the safe arrival of Jean’s new baby. They will have quite a family soon.

I got a letter from Grandpa today, very nice it was. He seemed reasonably well although he complained of sometimes not feeling too well although he says his rallying power is quite good. I haven’t heard from you for some time now but that is the fault of the mail. It really has been quite bad lately. This present station has one or two nice things about it. We get two week-ends a month off and can get up to London in a couple of hours which is quite reasonable. Usually they put the stations miles from anywhere so that you just have to sit and wait for leave. Another thing is that, although I have just finished leave I am going to get another week’s Easter leave apparently. If I do I shall try and get up to Doncaster and shall tell you about it.

How terrible you both must feel. So many people are being killed every day in this awful business but it never really strikes home until we lose someone near to us. We can only carry on in the hope that it is a worthwhile struggle and that someday we will be finished with the whole business. How much better I would feel if I could only go and get leave to get home for a week or so. But that is out of the question. I can’t for the time being so of course the only thing for me to do is to carry on doing whatever they give me to do as best I can.

It is gradually getting a bit warmer now and of course the days are getting much longer. Soon we will have the beautiful spring weather after a long and very severe, (for this country), winter. It really has been miserable rain, and snow all the time so any time that the spring weather does get here will be alright with me.

Much love to you both,
Hampton.