No. 86

Capt GS Andrews, RCE,

Survey Directorate,

H.Q. Cdn Corps,

Canadian Army Overseas.

England, 26 October, 1941

Dear Jean:

The mail continues to be very unsatisfactory, but it might be worse. Your letter of 28 Sept came during the week, but the ones for 21 and 14 Sept must have gone astray. Fortunately the carbon of your 21 Sept closes the gap that much, so the net gap is the letter of 14 Sept. Also it looks as though your parcel mentioned in your letter of 31 Aug with such marvellous contents, tobacco, shorts shirts etc has gone to the fishes. It is a shame, too, after all your trouble and expense. I think I told you that the parcel with the hankies etc. came safely some time ago. I still have a few plugs of Dixie, and a pkg of cigs came from the Forest Branch the other day, so the nicotine situation is not serious yet. Also you do not mention the arrival of your birthday parcel from here, so it looks as though it has gone too, because it was sent about the same time as Mary's prints, which arrived some time ago. I believe that they are going to inaugurate an Airgraph service soon, to Canada, and that ought to speed up communications a lot, and you can get quite a bit on the one page if typed. I got one from Bill Hall, and although small, the typing was quite legible. Mrs Morris was pleased to learn that her book reached you safely, and to know that you and others enjoyed it. Evidently the censors have been entertained or bored, as the case may be, by reading my letters to you, and I think it may be that sending them air mail in Canada makes them more enticing to the Censors, which of course delays them, and defeats the purpose of sending them air mail. This annoys me, and smacks strongly of the Gestapo. I remember one letter during August, when I was a bit fed up, or browned off, as they say here, and perhaps indiscretely gave vent to my feelings, which of course I shouldn't have done, even to my wife, must have provided them with some stimulating gore. Not had my knuckles rapped yet, but one never knows. Makes one feel rather like a naughty boy, certainly very puerile.

Am glad to hear Al Phipps is lined up for a commission. He and Dorothy seem to have consolidated their assets very satisfactorily. I owe both Frank and Mrs S letters now. Perhaps I can get a combined payment off. Lorne, Dick Farrow and I were entertained at Morris' for dinner the other evening. We protested, but compromised on the terms that no rationed food would be on the menu, so had a very tasty meal of macaroni, salad, and chocolate pudding and coffee, Lorne had made a great hit with the Morris', they like him tremendously, and Dick too, of course.

I am all for getting a puppy for you and Mary, but if she thinks she can wangle a pet Kermodie bear, she can expect a firm NO from the old man. I would be willing to go halvers on a good eloquent parrot if she will consider that.
The fuel situation in Victoria sounds no so good. Hope you can keep comfortable. Lucky you can cook electrically. Maybe I can arrange to send some prisoners of war to Victoria to handle the wood and sawdust distribution.

If you should be sending Airgraphs, typewritten, get a new ribbon for the typewriter, because the copy should be good and black. Am not sure when they will get the business started for letters from here to Canada, Think service this way starts around 1st November.
Do not expect to go back to hospital for tonsil removal till about 2nd or 3rd Nov. Am feeling fine now, and the infection seems to have completely disappeared. Just the same I think it wise to get them out before the winter sets in. Am going to ask them to nip out the adenoids at the same time if they will.

Perhaps we will have enough ahead to get the gramophone and washer next spring, after the taxes and insurance are all cleared up. Am going to try to send you £20 at the end of this month, out of which I want you to get a Xmas present for yourself. It seems silly to send stuff from here just to have it go to the bottom. My promotion and new appointment have not appeared yet in Routine Orders, and until they do, I can't draw the extra pay. As soon as it goes through, I plan to increase your allowance from my pay. When it does appear, it should be dated back to the 23 August, so there should be a bit of back pay, which will help.

Got out for a nice walk this morning, and yesterday walked as far as Morris' for a cup of tea with Mrs M. and Anita, her little granddaughter. She is five, and is very interested in Mary Elizabeth. Ecila was away seeing an invalide aunt. Next week Ecila and I are going to try to get up to town for an afternoon to see "49th Parallel" which I hear is very good.

Well, I must get Mary's card fixed up, and get to bed. Things seem to be coming along as well as can be expected. I am slowly becoming a little more conversant with the details of administration of this office, and hope now to give a higher proportion of my time to technical matters, again.

All my love

Gerry.