35 Squadron

Royal Flying Corps.

Narborough.

Norfolk.

15 Dec 1916

My dearest Beryl

The way you write so often is splendid and I assure you, life here, at this out of the way aerodrome would be fearfully dull and monotonous with-out letters. 

Some how I don’t get as much time as I should like for letter writing but it cant be helped. 

We have all been most fearfully disappointed for we were due in France – Bailleul as a matter of fact – yesterday.  Now our machines have been condemned as unsafe on acct. of their  likelihood of catching fire in mid air, and another squadron has gone out in our place-  No 53.

We don’t quite know whether we shall be split up or kept, till a different sort of machine is made.  Should the former occur some of us hope to go to 53 sqd. as we know most of the fellows there.  They are a “Long – Reconnaissance” sqdrn which  is jolly nice: it also takes in Long Distance Bombing – nothing could be better for me!

I had a jolly long letter from Grace Robertson yesterday.  She is “tickled to death” the way you work, and quite jealous I think. Almost every letter from [?] contains a word of praise for you.  It is so nice reading it & I am terribly proud of my Sister.  She is “one of the Best.” 

We all have great times in our hut during the Evening (the observers have one to themselves, & there are about 18 of us).  We sit round a stove and I play my gramophone. 

I am glad to say that I am considered “Boss” of the hut for I am able to make any-body & Everybody in it do as I want and whats more they all realize it, so I have a jolly good place for my bed – right near the stove.  Didn’t have it at first but had to kick some chap out to get it! 

We all get along very well together and have some great rags’ about the place. Night raids on the neighboring squadron – 59 are always occurring much to our delight & amusement. 

Yes I will try and write to the bus driver sometime.  Poor chap.  I’m glad Im not in his place.  I hear that Baird is going into the Tanks.  All I say is “good luck to him” – for I hear they are not so jolly as they are made out to be.  Fancy the Nicolls (?) being still out at Cordova Bay, and driving in twice a week behind that terrible old horse.