Middle Atlantic
June 17/43

Dear Marg and Marie,–

Well girls here I am sitting in the officers recreation room with pips on all sides of me. Six of us were lucky enough to get a job on board ship in their recreation room, we sleep here as well as work (“not bad eh”) while the rest of the fellows have to sleep in hammocks below deck.

I had really a swell trip from camp to the coast. I saw some really wonderful country on the trip and enjoyed every bit of it.

The traim stopped at a small town once and we were allowed to get out for some exercise, while we were out I saw a statue of the Blessed Virgin in the gurotto(?) when she appeared to St. Tressa. I probably thought we would spend some time at coast but I guess it is just as well we didn’t because you would have had to wait all the longer for a letter.

We came on board ship right from the train and who do you think I saw standing up on top deck, Fat Swales. I have met quite a few fellows on the ship from home, just the other day I bumped into the two Hartman brothers while strolling on the deck. Then just about 15 minutes later I saw a fellow by the name of Culberson I used to go to school with, his sister works for Mrs. Ross next door to us, with him was another of my school chums a fellow by the name of Latour. I also saw Frenchie Cachier on board from Midland as well as two fellows from Victoria Harbour I was in the pageant with. I have been to Mass on the ship nearly every morning with one of them, so all in all I am not having a bad trip at all.

For entertainment we can go to the show every afternoon and evening, they have only 2 shows on board ship and I have seen them about four times already, to-day was the first da I missed. They also have a game called house that we have been playing quite frequently it is something the same as bingo only your card has to be full. For prizes them have been giving us cigarettes, I won 3 packages of English cigarettes last night. That’s about all we can do on board except look at the lovely scenery. I was up on deck this morning and I could sea for miles and miles.

This afternoon while I was up on the top deck we sighted land, the first we have seen in quite a few days; (I hope it isn’t a mirage)

I have me quite a few English men on board, the stewarts in the officer’s canteen are all English, we get talking to them quiet often, I have to laugh at them. They got my money changed for me when we first got on the ship and by this time I know it fairly well, I got to know it through them. If all the Englishmen are like these fellows I think I will like them o’.K.

Oh yes by the way I hope you got my letter I wrote you just before I left. I didn’t have time to say very much and I doubt if you could read what I did say. You were asking in your last letter to let you know how graduation turned out. I really had a swell time, I got a pass from 4 in the afternoon till 6 A.M. I was really lucky. Frances had a smart evening gown on. It was white with a low neck and little black bows on each sleeve with two long black tapes dangling  down the front. I gave her a corsage of roses long with a necklace thanks to you Marie. let me know if Mum has got my war bond yet and if she hasn’t I will write to Ottawa about it. 

I was just out and had another look at land it is getting closer and closer every minute it really makes you feel like hooting it up. The ship right now is really in a happy mood over it.

Well girls there isn’t an awful lot more I can say and I can’t think of anything I need right now, I will let you know just as soon as we reach shore in my next letter, because I will post this one on the boat. On the back of the letter you will find the #(1). I will number all my letters and by that you will be able to tell which one’s don’t arrive.

I will say “so long” for now and hope to hear from you both often “ I’ll be thinking of you both.

Your big brother,
Love
Lloyd.

P.S. I only used one side of the paper in case some of this is cut out.

B-134028 Pt. Harber T.L.
48 Highlanders of Can.
#4 C.I.R.U.
Canadian Army Overseas.