Boat Dock

July 26th/44

My Dear Son

Received your letter dated July 19th I think you got mixed on your dates. The field Post office dates the letter July the 15 & the other post office date I presume it is in Eng. is dated July 18th so I guess with all the excitement you got out a day or two You say that you are in France as “I presume”. Well I did not presume you were in France as the last letter we got from you was dated July the 4th & you said nothing about being in France. I did notice the your letter was censored by Bawlf. That was the July 4th & 15th letter both censored by the same officer Well Son I have prayed for your safe return & I hope you do. Just keep your eyes open & on the alert all the time & don’t forget look out for personal mines. We had a few lads killed when they played pianos on opened doors or picked up something. They were left poisoned food in the hope that we would eat it. So please watch yourself. We are always talking about you. I notice you received the 1000 sigs. Well I ordered them May 3rd & believe me thats a long time. I sent you 1000 Rum & Maple & a couple of 300 lots. Helen is working & last night got an order for 300 british consols to send you. So lets know the number of the cigs so we can check & find out if you are getting them all. I ordered 300 cigs on July the 4th & have had no word they received the money so I sent another 300 & asked them to let me know if they got the order that was about the 17th of this month. So there is lots of cigs being sent you if you get them all you should have lots of smokes. I made up a parcel & all ready to Post when I thought of the lighter you wanted. Well I’ll go get one like I used to carry. They are good & stand a lot of use. Its hard to get good choclate bars. There is a war time chocolate bar & is not very good I have another pound of peanuts for you let me know how you like this parcel. You never say what condition it is in or remark about anything we send you. You told me of getting the $1000 but you did not mention art Moore. 500xx of that was his so please write & thank him. The last letter I got from you came in 9 days thats the quckest yet. Here is some clippings out of the T.d. Tom Davenfort went fishing & got a bite but did not have a good hold of his pole & lost it so the next day another lad was out fishing & caught the fish that had his pole. There was a big write up in the paper about it but the kids must have tore the paper up as I could not find it. We sent you some pictures of the boys & the baby with Helen. did you get them? I am to get some pictures tomorrow so I’ll let you have them but please tell us if you get them. I am bringing the family home this thursday from camp.

I have not received the bond you bought or any increase in your allowance. I am going to put your money into a war bond. I still have last months cheque. so when I get this one I’ll deposit it on a $100 war bond for you. I received a questionaire in the mail today & filled it out & tomorrow I will take it to the city clerk. They are going to write you & ask what trade you want to take up when you come home. I am putting you wise so you will be able to answer them right away when you get their letter. I just thought Son, I can’t send any lighter fluid you will have to bum some over there from the jeeps or cars

July 28th

Just received your letter dated July 18th that is sure fast mail. I understand They are taking all letters air mail. Just parcels going by boat. I am pleased to hear you are O.K. I read in the paper where your Segt. Captured St. Andre Sur Orne & that you had heavy mortar & machine gun fire to stand to hold the town. Well We all wish you luck Son & do be careful you do not mention anything about the battle & yet I know you must have seen action. Would you try & tell us something of it also the country what it looks like. I am still wearing your L.S.R. tie Pin. I would sure be proud to wear one of the Q.O.C.H. Mother would like to have a cushion with the crest of your Reg. on it, to put on the davinport. You don’t seem to answer any questions in our letters. When you answer our letters, re read them & see if there is anything to reply to them & answer them. Well your monthly $20 00 arrived today you said you signed over some extra. Have you. If so we have not received it. I am buying you a hundred dollar bond with it & we will pay your Ins. ourselves for you. It is still raining. We sure have had a terrible lot of rain now for nearly a month

We have had a few carrots & buts but they are still small. I have taken the casing off the furnance & am cleaning it out & amenting the joints as it smokes bad & dirtys up the wall paper. Well Son I’m glad the mail is so fast it will be nice to hear from you often. I sent off your parcel last night. It has a lighter & wick & flints. do not let the wick burn to low or you won’t be able to pull it out. When changing the wick thread a needle & put the thread through wick & drop needle through hole & pull in wick

Hope you like the parcel. Please tell me how you like it & what the other fellows get in theirs & if you would like anything else besides what we are sending. do the parcels arrive in good shape

Well I’ll close now Son. The pictures of camp life are not worth sending you. You could not make whos who do you like the clippings out of the paper? Millar is on a weeks holiday & I’ve been busy this week guess I’ll get my holidays about the last two weeks of August. did you get the parcel with the Automatic Pencil? Yes your last letter spoke of an air mail from Lonnie[?] & a parcel from Aunt Cathy in detroit. Make sure you write & let them know you were delighted with it & thank them very much for it. Well Good night Son will write in a couple of days.

Love from all

Your loving

Dad

There is no more room to write any more & We are out of paper

P.S. Could you read Bills letter. He wrote that all himself no coaching from anybody. Gary can say quite a few names now. Such as Ji my for Jimmy that’s you, & tom & Bill & Ge-oy for George (small change)

When He kisses me he always says Ji-my & I get kissed for you

Bye for now

XXXXXXXXX

Excuse the dirty paper as I carried it in my pocket. Thats all this time