Can. Army Eng.
Jan. 3/44.

My Two Dear Little Sisters, –

Well girls it is finally me, your big brother Lloyd. It has been an awful long time since I have written you but I think of you all quite often back there.

I have been receiving all your parcels and letters etc. and really appreciate them a lot thank you too much. The birthday cards were here in plenty of time as well as the box and I enjoyed them fully. I also received the Christmas box which you sent and it might interest you to know that I didn’t open it until Dec 25/43. The poem was right in place. The chocolates are a treat, I as well as others enjoyed them, others mostly. When I was opening the box everybody of course was standing around and then a very nicely done up parcel was hauled out which turned out to be nothing but a cute little doll of a nurse. Boy did I get ribbed as you can imagine, in fact they still mention it. I have the doll standing on the shelve beside Frances’ picture. You can thank Marg. B. for me if you will and tell her that they fit and that I will think of her every time I put them on and that I will of course have clean feet before doing so, which you very seldom have where we are now. You wanted me to let you know when the box arrived, well almost ten days before Christmas.

I didn’t have too bad a Christmas at all. I was invited out to a couple of places but didn’t accept them because I thought I would have just as much fun in camp and so I did. For dinner we had turkey and Christmas pudding which was all served by the officers. After dinner we had beer, in fact all the beer we wanted.

On Christmas night the regiment gave a dance and I corted a little broad which I have been taking out once in a while lately. I had quite a number of meals at her home as well as late dinner on New Year’s Day. Her mother thinks that I am really the berries simply because I am Canadian. The people think more of Canadians over here then they do anyone else because they seem to be so “Jolly well” happy all the time, she said. The Yanks are spoken of as being conceited. The Limmeys are supposed to be stupid and not much fun. Oh yes I have heard people talk of us as a bunch of wolves, but I don’t blame them because we are.

I was on kitchen duty on Christmas Eve. but I still managed to get to Mass which was put on for the Armed Forces. It wasn’t half as nice as back home but it was still a Mass. I also went to Communion.

Mum has probably told you that I have had my 7 days leave and that I went to Glasgow, or did I tell you before. I had a perfect time. It was the closest thing to home I have seen since I came over. The people used us just as if we belonged to them and invited us to come up again, which will be soon I hope. I told you about it in the air-mail I sent but I’m not so sure of it getting there because it was posted in a civilian post box.

Jack wrote me a letter and was telling me all about his training. He also put a greetings poem in it, he may show it to you when you are home next, it’s good.

Well girls I am sorry I didn’t write you sooner or if I gave you any cause to worry at all, but no news is always good news according to me. I will write soon and this time I’m serious wait and see. I hope you both have a very Happy New Year. “So long” for now.

Your loving Brother
Lloyd.