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Date: October 1st 1944
To
Family
From
Geoff
Letter

Dear family

Sorry as usual, but I havent had much opportunity to write.

As I predicted I'm 2nd in command of a tank squadron, which Im very pleased about, darned interesting. The war is very quiet at the moment, & we had a day off yesterday to [censored] a fair-sized town. We window shopped and had a darn good dinner, with better cooking than the average English cooking. This town to have been as uncomfortable as the that's only on the surface, they've had a rough time.

I got 1200 cigarettes the other day, all at once, some from you, some from Parke Stetham & some from T.C.S. believe it or not. Thanks, & were they a life saver. Yours were Winchesters, which pleased me a lot, being my particular brand, & the first I've had for ages. Kay had sent me some Limey ones, which kept me going, but between you & I (me?) theres nothing like a Canadian cigarette.

' My tank bit me in the little finger the other day and broke it, so I'm going around looking like a wounded hero with my arm in a sling, but it should be 100% in a few days.

The mail comes spasmodically, sometimes in 10 days sometimes 3 weeks, quite good lately. Keep it up, mail is like gold these days. Had a very nice letter from Aunt Hazel which I answered.

I found a bottle of Chanel #5 for Kays birthday. I don't think theres been perfume in England since 1940. How about Canada. If I find any more Ill send some to you of the gentler sex, only I don't consider you the gentler sex any more after meeting a beautiful blonde Belgian (female) major of the Underground Army. Very businesslike.

Had a terrific meal of waffles, butter syrup & beer the other day at a farm house we took over for a headquarters. And such things as pears, grapes, peaches & eggs are a dime a dozen here. Amazing after 4 years of England.

Hairp if I get to Bruxelles I might look up "Les Tourelles", although I don't suppose they still operate as a grinding & polishing school.

Well, cheerio for now Love to you all Geoff