Scampton Lincs
Oct 7. 1917.

My dear Fern.

I received two letters from you yesterday Nos 15 & 17, written on the 6th & 12th of Sept. Those are the only two I received from Canada. I suppose there will be more along in a day or so as No 16 is missing.

I wrote you Friday Oct 5. saying that I expected to fly a Spad soon. I put in an hour on it yesterday and got along fairly well. Managed to bust a tire and a tail-skid on a couple of bad landings but even that is much better than most of them do.

I think that this is the rottenest day I ever saw. It is pretty cold outside and raining like the devil. A couple of days ago I took part in an imitation bombing raid. There were quite a number of machines in it from all over the country. A number of the machines were bombers (about 8 or 10) I was one of four scouts that were supposed to protect them. We met at eleven o'clock at 8000 ft above a certain point, took up our formation, and proceeded to fly to & bomb Gainsborough. It was the coldest I have ever experienced in my extensive flying experience and we were all glad when it was over. We were in the air for about two hours and were all so cold that the whole three machines from here were in such a hurry to land that we all lost our props. No! They didn't drop off. I mean our engines stopped just the same way as you see Mrs Capreol[?] stall her Ford at the corner of K&Y and have to get out and crank.

You will have to overlook this shaky writing but my hands are still cold from that bally bombing raid.

I am still hoping to get down to London soon and Max may be able to get up at the same time although he is not sure.

Let me know how everything is going on at home. Have any of your acquaintances been conscripted yet and how are you off for rations. If you take my tip you would lay in a little supply of things likely to be scarce for you can be sure that they won't go down in price and the war isn't over yet. Sugar, butter, bread, & bacon & tea & (matches) seem to be about the only eatables that are at all scarce here and although they are hard to buy we get plenty here.

Mr Metcalfe said he had forwarded a paper to me but I have never received it. You might let me know if you sent it and if so was there anything particular in it.

I hope Dad is feeling a lot better. Tell Grannie not to bother herself about making socks for me yet as I have plenty and take care of yourself, and don't work to hard.

Your little brother,

Gord