March 21, 1944

Dear Mother and Dad,

I am writing this in the men’s mess during the noon period. The place sure is crowded now and I almost got into a fight to get the chair I am sitting on to write this letter. Last Saturday, I was on duty watch and we had to clean ship in the morning. In the afternoon we carried a few loads of hammocks and kit bags over to the C.P.R. station with the truck. About 3 or 4 divisions left for Cornwalis, but on Monday, 280 recruits came in and the ship is just as crowed as before.

On Sunday morning, I thought that I was through work, when the duty watch was piped on the parade deck and two men were picked to go to Fort Osborne to get supplies, and I happened to be one of them. We put on our overalls and when we came back we had to get cleaned all over again. One consolation was that we missed church parade. On Sunday night I went to Westminister church again and got to the ship about 10 oclock Monday morning I got nailed for #16 (two hours extra work) for having a dirty collar although I couldn’t see where it was dirty. I made sure it was clean today

We saw some films today, on boat construction and use. We are going to get some drill this afternoon. I am off this evening and I will go to Uncle Campbells,

Your loving son,
Malcolm.