Oxford
Feb 4/42

Dear Mom & Dad:-

Received two airmail letters since writing last. The first was mailed 26 Dec. I received it 17 Jan., the other, post marked 9 Jan., reached me 2 Feb. I believe the delay is in the field post office on this side. The parcel made up of two tins wired together and containing the socks, gloves, etc. reached me OK. You were enquiring, in one of the letters, about the condition of the parcels on reaching me. The boys say that all my parcels need is a rudder. That should give you a good idea of the shape they are in. There is really no need to go to so much trouble wrapping them up. Most of the boys parcels are made up in Moirs XXX chocolate and beer cartons, any cardboard box with two paper wrapers seems to be OK. Dad wonders what I do with the cans, well they go towards the war effort. Every week a salvage truck comes around and collects tin cans and paper so, although I am not actually fighting, my mazola tins are probably dive bombing Berlin

I've got a ticket to go to a boxing match to-nite but dont think I'll go. I arrived back yesterday from a two week assault course, it was a sort of toughening up thing - very necessary and very hard - I came through OK without swinging the lead once. So its very cosy here to-nite, the programe on the radio is good, the fire is warm and the bed is soft. And without further ado I am going to take full advantage of those comforts.

Love to all the family

Cheerio Boyley