May 22nd, 1945

Dear Mom and Dad,

Many thanks for your birthday wishes which arrived a few days ago. As you can see from the date of this letter, I am writing on my birthday: I was hoping to spend it in London but was recalled from leave. I don't know why as I haven't been down to the camp yet. Now - I don't want you to start building your hopes too high, but there is a possibility I will be home much sooner than you expect. If I am, I will send you ‘a wire', much as I would love to just ‘walk in' on you, I guess I'd better not. But whether we are going to be allowed to return to ‘Civvy Street' is another matter. I was hoping I would be allowed to return because of my long service, but now I'm not at all sure that that will even count! This Japanese affair has to be cleaned up yet and if they can't get enough to volunteer, I guess we'll have to go. They sent around a paper the other day which we all had to sign and give our preferences. I put down ‘return to Civvy Street' as first and ‘volunteer for Far East' as second. I'm damned if I'm going to sit around Canada if I have to stay in the RCAF. I'd far rather take my chances with the Squadron, I hope we are allowed to remain together as a crew. I think we are because we didn't finish our tour; we still have seven more to do. I don't know why they didn't let us ‘drop food' or ‘carry back the POW.' We never got any of those trips and I would have enjoyed that.

I have been down to London to say ‘Good bye' to Mrs. Beverly and Mrs. Sayers. John is on his way home at last so Mrs. S. is very happy! I met two of my old friends of the Lion Club just back from POW Camps. Must have been horrible...they'll carry the marks throughout their life! I haven't heard from Stan since he got back to camp, so have no idea what he is likely to be doing. I hope he gets home soon too. You may recall Mom, asking me to get you a ‘power of attorney'. I did when I was in London but lost it somewhere. Thank God I hadn't signed it! Now I don't think there is much use me making one out before I get home and have a better idea what's going to happen. By the way, I made an average of 80% in my classification tests, so I'm in the top 1/3 for University Entrance ‘when and if' I get the opportunity to use it. My marks were Mechanical Aptitude 76%, Clerical Aptitude 78% and University Entrance 86%: they should help if I ever get a chance to use them. I must go to the UBC. when I'm home and get a ‘letter of acceptance' from the Dean. Now must close.

Love to all,

Jim