Elkins Barracks
June 8, 1943
Dear Mom:
I am a little slow in answering your letters.
We have been kept busy the last week.
You wanted to know how long this course is, it is eight weeks. I should finish about the first week in July.
I will get my leave when I finish. As yet I don't know how much I will get. As soon as I find out I will let you know.
About 50% of the boys when they finish here get embarkation leave. So from that I may go overseas when I finish but I will have to wait to see if I go when I finish.
The cookies and money belt arrived last Monday. The cookies were alright a few of them were broken. The money belt fits fine. I have not much to put in it just the same I know where what I have is when I want it.
The "Readers Digest" got here the other day. Thank Dad for me will you.
I have not had a chance to get in and see Sister Church but I will do so when I get into Halifax. The Sisters of Service is just a block from the CNR station.
Where did you get the idea that Halifax was beautiful, or was the remark meant
that way. There are some very nice spots in the city but not many. On the whole it is a very dirty city. The tulips are just coming out down here now. The apple blossoms are just out as well. It seems funny to see everything so late but I guess that I am just used to Van.
We went out to the range on Saturday to fire the Bren gun and the rifle. The Bren is a lovely gun to fire. There is no kick to it at all. The rifle is not bad to fire either. I don't know where some of the fellows find the kick. Just the same it will kick if you don't hold it right.
We fired the Bren at 200 yds. The possible score was 50, I made 31. On the rifle the possible score was 60, I made 46. We fired the rifle at 100 yds.
There is a big difference in the rifle we fire here to the one we fired at basic. That one was only a .22 but these are .303 and have a full charge of powder. Should you want to find anything out about the rifle ask Mr. Brass. he will tell you.
The G.S. badge is not the same as the Airforce G.D. it is just to show the Active Service men from the Reserve.
Where did Doug ever find a name like "Alistair". That guy must be crazy to even think of hanging a handle like that on anybody.
I will try to go CP when I get leave so that I can see them on my way home. If I can arrange a stop over I am going to do that too. It would be nice to spend a couple of days there. I sure hope that I can make it.
There isn't much that I can tell you about my training. We have to know about 35 planes to pass. At first I had some trouble but they are coming easier now. We had a test today on 28 planes I think that I got about 20 of them. They will tell us tomorrow how we made out.
The gun drill is not hard but there are a lot of other things that we have to know that will take some studying. They are not hard if you keep your ears open and study a little.
I have some darning to do so I had better get busy. I am getting pretty slick at it now but I am slow, not enough practice I guess.
We have been issued our summer drill but are not wearing it yet.
Shirley's letter arrived the other day, I will write her soon.
Love
Ted.
