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  • Notice: Trying to access array offset on value of type bool in oa_core_visibility_data() (line 607 of /app/profiles/viu/modules/contrib/oa_core/includes/oa_core.access.inc).
  • Notice: Trying to access array offset on value of type null in oa_core_visibility_data() (line 607 of /app/profiles/viu/modules/contrib/oa_core/includes/oa_core.access.inc).
Date: September 22nd 1974
To
Susan, Tonia, and Cameron Doerksen - (wife & children)
From
Kenn Doerksen
Letter

Sunday 22 Sept

Dearest Susan, Tonia and Cameron,

Mail here continues to be sporadic and I have been hoping to hear from you for a few days. Did get 2 letters on the same day you phoned. It was lovely hearing your voice, Sweetheart even if for only 3 mins. but the setting was unusual. I was having a meeting in the office of the head of the Cyprus Electrical authority and through my driver who was outside listening to the command radio, they phoned right to the office. Mr. Kyhas (good friend) couldn't believe their was a call from Canada right on his phone.

This week has been extremely busy, for some strange reason. I didn't finish yesterday until after 10 p.m. (played baseball for awhile) and I was just too beat to do anything more than crawl to bed. I only worked till noon today, then swam in the pool and played mini-golf with Bruce Archibald. Watched a  James Bond “thriller” tonight.

On Friday night I got a call from some acquaintenances of the Red Cross on the Turkish side, to go to dinner. So they whisked me away in civvies (a no-no) to a  neat garden-type Turk restaurant where 11 of us had a delightful, million course meal, paid for by one of the Turk liaison officers with the Red Cross. There were 2 Finns, 3 Turks, a German, a Dane, a Swede, two Swiss and me...speaking any one of about 4 languages. Afterwards we went downstairs to the only discoteque open in Nicosia and danced for about an hour (5 guys and 6 girls), then watched while a bunch of Turk army types danced with each other to some rather strange Arabesque music. It was a very pleasant evening, mostly because it was such a departure from our normal evenings in the Mess (Hotel).

As you must know by now, we are all due to be home by Christmas...official from General Dextraze, who originally gave out the March date, which made no sense. It still seems a long way away but I'm sure we will all make it through. Tonia, you be a big, brave, girl and try real hard not to cry at night. Daddy will be home before very long. I'm sure you are being a big help to Mommy and I hope you like your school. Grandma said in her letter that you were a really good girl at her house and that she misses you and Cameron and Mommy.

I doubt I will get any leave over here, but if I can wrangle a few days I shall head off to Egypt. Only the guys who were here originally are going right now.

Stay busy and write often... I wait anxiously for each mail delivery. I love you all and miss you.

Kenn
XXXXX

Original Scans

Original Scans