Search The Archive

Search form

Collection Search
Date: August 1941
To
Mother [& Dad?] - (Wilhelmina & John Gray)
From
John (Jack) Gray
Letter

[This letter may be missing the first page/s. While there is no date given, the contents indicate it was written in 1941. The reference to daylight savings time places it in the week following August 10th, most likely on the 11th or 13th.]

Your parcel with Mrs Boomers socks arrived last Thursday or Friday and it was swell to get it thank you. Since you tell me in the last letter that that was the second parcel I must have got them all and hope the next comes soon with underwear as I sure need it – it is a lot of trouble to get civie clothes such as that while this rationing is on but it will be alright. The shirts will be good too. Dont forget lots of food too such as a jar of olives and other such things. Food is sure appreciated over here as it is hard to get stuff like that over here. You might wrap up a couple of good apples and send them if you think it would be O.K. Boy, what I’d give for a good apple.

The time went back an hour on Sunday so now we are on just plain daylight saving. You would be surprised the difference it makes now as it is dark about 9 P.M. and so people go home in the dark now. I have forgotten what lights at night look like but sure hope to see them again soon. You were asking about Harry Mom, so I will tell you – he is a very fine lad and has been a good friend of mine ever since we went to Calgary. He was my class senior there and is the lad for whom I took the rings to Calgary. He is also the lad who fixed things up for me when I was A.W.L. at New Years. I have been going around with him ever since we came to this country. He was down at Elstree with us when we helped make this now rather famous picture “Target for Tonight.” No fooling that is really some picture and not just because I’m in it for about a minute. It has received more publicity than any other picture over here for a long time. The other day the King, Queen and daughters had a private showing of it. Great stuff – no?

Since you ask about air raids and all that I’ll tell you I’ve seen very little of it except last May when they had a couple of really big ones when I was in London. This part of the country where we are now is very quiet and at any rate it is not like it used to be when the ’planes that were heard at night were Germans. Now it is the R.A.F. that are on the way to Germany to return the business to them.

I am very sorry indeed to hear about Henry Hartridge. I enquired about him different times at the Beaver Club but without success. As he is posted missing there is a chance that he might yet be safe. I sure hope so.

I am in the best of health, Mother and haven’t grown any more I don’t think. I now weigh about 12 stone 6 lbs. which is about 175 lbs. My heel is alright if I take good care of it. I was down to the dentist about a month ago so I’m alright there.

I am going to enclose a note to Mrs Boomer in this so please pass it on.

Love to all
Jack

Original Scans

Original Scans