Sydney, Australia

12 August 45.

Dear Jean & Mary:

My last was written to you from Melbourne about a week ago. Had a fine reception there, the Survey people were the best. Had a very busy time too, on the go all the time. Melbourne was a bit cold, especially after being in the tropics long enough for my blood to get thing again after the South African winter. I finally got out to one or two homes - to meet the Givas - one or two daughters and to hear about sons away with the Australian Army up North. These good people were very interested in you & Mary - and wished me god speed on my trip home.

Left Melbourne Friday night by train, getting to Sydney Sat morning. There are 1 ½ million people in Sydney - I leave tomorrow morning for the North. A short while after I arrived here, a cable was phoned on to me from Melbourne, to the effect that CMHQ in London has approved my proposed visit to Hawaii, and have authorized me to proceed on to USA - and Victoria, to take 30 days leave before going on to Ottawa. I would have roared out my joy to all & [?] - as it was I could only stand drinks to a nice old who is my boat home.

Am not sure just when I should reach America - but it may well be sometime between the 15th and 30 September. If I come by US Air transport likely will land in San Francisco, altho I cant tell much about that either. I find it hard to decide what we should do with our 30 days home - the main thing is to be together - but should we spend it in Victoria - or somewhere else. What I should like to do is for you & Mary to accompany me East to Ottawa when I have to go on there. In that case it might be best to just have a good rest in Victoria I want to spend a bit of time as soon as possible looking into the situation with the B.C. government. If I should land at S.F. you might want to come down there & have a visit together with your folks - before going on up to Victoria. You may get this in time to think about what you'd like to do I will try to cable you from Hawaii as soon as soon as I can find out the definite arrangements for going on.

The next phase of my trip promises to be most interesting. Expect to have 2 or 3 weeks in New Guinea, Dutch East Indies and the Phillipines, leaving for Hawaii about 1 Sept.

The recent turn of events seem to point that I will not likely catch up to the war. Peace will likely be declared before I get up into the combat zone. Perhaps its just as well, altho it would have been some satisfaction to have got up there while the war was still on.

The army did me regally here, and laid on a car to take me for a run around this wonderful city & harbour. We left at 10 am & got back to the mess here at 430 p.m. Went along up the coast - it is [?] a wonderful place. The famous Sydney Harbour Bridge is one of the engineering wonders of the world.

I am told that there is no air mail from here across the Pacific - so I [?] send this via the U.K. The service that way is very good. Hope you got my cable. Your birthday is 1 Sept - and it will not be possible to send your present but my leave goes to you dear - we will celebrate together soon!

Love you both.

Ger.