Sept. 17th, 1942

Dear Mom,

Well, here's the weekly news bulletin from this part of the world. Flash! RAF. tug-o-war team beats Army 10 in straight pulls! Today at Scarborough Cricket Grounds a very interesting phenomenon was witnessed namely: an RAF. team composed of 8 Canadians and 2 English chaps pulled over 4 Army teams in 8 consecutive pulls to win the North Country Championships (and undying hatred of the Brigadier I might add who wasn't too happy about the whole thing. I rather think he backed his own team rather heavily and not unnaturally, was sorry to lose it...but more fool him for risking his money on anything so foolish). The boys in blue were really in top form and under the expert handling - or should we say piloting, of their coach (Warrant Officer Hines whom old times may recognize as coach of many famous RAF. Olympic teams in the past). They really pulled magnificently. The championship was never in doubt (from the first heave) for the blue boys got in a mighty hoist that lifted their opponents clean out of their boots! Many spectators were heard to murmur "That shook ‘em!" and no doubt they were right, for it was indeed a heave worthy of these doughty Canadian sons of toil. The boys were naturally very elated with their success: and not surprisingly either, for it was rumoured that a midnight pass and five shillings per man was at stake: such rumour has since been substantiated by sounds of "reverly by night" from a certain pub known as ‘No.111' which old residents will recognize as the hang-out of cadets from the ITW's. The boys were toasting their team, their coach, their Service, their girl friends and each other until a very large hour last night. But all is summed up by the remark of the Brigadier "Canada is too good for us", or would the mutter of the spectator's be more appropriate? I think it would...so "That shook ‘em!"

Such is a purely imaginary account of yesterday afternoon's grand event at the Scarborough Cricket Grounds yet it happened just as I have said, we were very happy about the whole thing. But we now have to settle down to the more serious business of passing our exams which come up in about 2 wks. time.

Many thanks for the last bundle of papers. I can't tell you how I enjoyed them or how homesick they made me... the one of all the kids who graduated I mean. It certainly was good to see all the old familiar faces again. White Rock certainly has the most beautiful girls I have seen anywhere I have been. That is one thing I have never ceased to marvel at, the higher standard of beauty among the boys and girls of White Rock and any other place I have ever been. The average is very, very much higher. I am not kidding at all when I say that. I also saw a clipping saying that Mr. Gibson had died. You may remember I wrote and told you that Ken Gibson and the boy that Sheila Walsh married were cousins. So I sent the clipping to Sheila as I don't suppose her husband knows that his uncle is dead. There is not much else to report. Mary and Mrs. Sayers send love and of course, so do I.

Love to all,

Jim