Jan 26 1944

#2 A.G.S. P.Q.

Dear Folks

Well here I am again with another diary or something. It's too bad I didn't have a large book or something to log all these things, however disinteresting they may be. I really expected a letter today but am certainly hoping there'll be one for me tomorrow.

Well, I've forgotten just where I left off but anyway we'll start with Sunday as Sat. was a very disinteresting day and we didn't do much of anything. Sunday morning we got up at 8:30, had breakfast, dressed up and then went to St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church and met the minister, a Mr. Reid, and he asked me where I was from. I told him a little place in Ontario and added that probably he wouldn't know what or where it was, but when I told him, he said, why sure, that's where my wife comes from. We weren't there too early so I couldn't ask him any particulars. He invited us to a Fellowship Hour after the evening service so we decided to go.

We met Tommy & Ray after Church-They went to Mass-and had dinner. After that we went out to see the MacDonalds. They rented a room and Millie came down from Montreal just for the duration of our course here.

After that the eight of us went on another sightseeing tour of Quebec. Really it is the most interesting city I ever saw. It was a horrible day but anyway we went down to the Plains of Abraham, back up through the St. Louis Gate through which Montcalm retreated, saw the monuments erected for the two of them, each on the place where they were mortally wounded. We then walked downtown, had a sandwich and went back to barracks.

Our buttons were so bad from the snow we had to polish them, so decided to do that before going to church. We spent so much time on them that we were so late we decided not to go . Ordinarily it would take about 8 mins to get there, but it took us about 20 that night. We walked around until after the service expecting to go to the Fellowship Hour, but when the service was over there were so few there we decided not to go so came back to barracks.

Monday night we played cards all night and right now I'm becoming quite a bridge shark.
We were payed, but only partially in the afternoon and, strange as it may seem, stayed in.

Tuesday I was S.P.O (Senior Pilot Officer) for the day, and luckily, or unluckily, after morning parade we were told we would practice all day for a funeral parade in the afternoon-the third military funeral since we came, but my first. It was for a Flt. Lt. Price who had completed two tours of ops. Overseas and then was killed after he returned here to Canada. It was an Anglican service and very impressive.

are a family in Quebec something like the Langs are up there , so you can imagine how large a service it was. We had to march for miles and I was really glad when it was all over. Buses were there to bring us back.

Most of us got off before we got back, so I had my hair cut, walked down to the officers' clubhouse and played bridge there again until about 11. Tommy and I still lose, but we always have a grand time. I expect that's what we'll do again tonight because I'm certainly too tired to go out.

Here's what we did today. 1. C.I. (Chief Instructor) a Wing Commander inspected. (2) One hour of solid squad drill. (3) One hour of defense which this morning consisted of a 5-mile forced march in one hour. You can imagine the pace. We fell in for an Admin. Lecture through which we all slept, and then dinner. -VI One hour of Aldis lamp (Morse code) from the school while we stand freezing in an open field 200 yds away. After that, 2 one hour period of P.T. and games. So you can imagine how tuckered out I feel, but all in all I never felt better.

If the meals were only better I'd be quite happy.

Oh, by the way, I'm afraid you'll have to send me the wire to my hat. It's that corset affair that's fastened in the middle. They're going to make us them back in our hats.

Gosh, you know, I'd almost forgot wee Skipper until last night, and today I've been wondering how the little fellow is. I do hope he is over his nonsense, or in other words housebroken, but I know that will take quite a while.

I suppose Paud will be back in Toronto this week. I do hope she went because everyone needs a change. It's too bad you and Dad couldn't get away. Wouldn't it be swell for Dad to get to the bonspiel. You could get the bridal suite in the York and really have a swell time. Oh, well, there'll come a day.

There's rumour of a 48 at the end of 4 weeks, so may be home. I understand if I leave here at 5:50 P.M. I'd get into Toronto 7 A.M. the following day and then would have to leave Sun. afternoon. Oh well, we'll see when the time comes.

I expect we'll either go to Lac de Beauport skiing or into Montreal this weekend.

Well I must sign off for now before I run out of paper. Write soon and often as every letter helps.

Love
Bill