France, Dec 23. 17

My dear Dad:

I haven't had a chance to write you lately as I have been away on a little trip. Two of us, Jennings myself and a couple of men were told off to take a two days course at the Engine Repair Section. We left here in a tender at 8 AM. on Tuesday last and arrived at 9.30 at night so that we were about thirteen hours on the road. We had - 50 miles to go. Started off all right but about 3 P.M. our troubles started. The first thing was a punctured. Then the further south we went the worse the snow got. We were stuck four times in the snow and passed a dozen other buses also stuck. At five p.m. it was quite dark and we had about forty miles more to go and nobody knew the road.

We got in Rouen about 6.30 and had dinner and started off again about 8 P.M. However our troubles were not over yet; we lost our way a couple of times, our back fender caught in the tire chain and ripped off; we ran into a rock and knocked the oil pan off and finally ran out of petrol just as we were turning into the guard-room at the E.R.S.

Jennings and I stayed at the Hotel Normandie that night. Had a darned good bed there and breakfast in the morning Wednesday. Then we went up to E.R.S. and had a look around. Wednesday happened to be a half-holiday there so in the afternoon we got our tender and a couple of other fellows and went into R. It is a peach of a town; the best I have seen in France. had tea and did some shopping and then had dinner at the café de L'Opera best of france so you see it must have been pretty good. Then went to a show - the Follies Bergere. Got home at 1.15 that night.

Next day, Thursday, we wandered into E.R.S. about 10 A.M. We really did some work that day. Spent most of the day tuning an engine, a 200 h.p. Hispano Suiza, the kind we fly.

We spent that evening in the mess and next morning started off at 8.15 for home. Stopped off in R and bought some marmalade and holly for the mess as they are not to be had around here.

Continued on from R and lost our way. Soon had another puncture. Got mixed up in the roads and it took us two hours to get fifteen kilos. Lost our way several more times. Had dinner in the second largest town in France. Got home at 11 p.m. so that we were over fifteen hours coming home.

I have not had a fly since I got back as one of the chaps took my machine up while I was away and crashed it so now I will have to fly anything I can borrow until I get a new one. I sent you a cable on the 19th saying - Everything going fine. Moving. No more work for a month. - However that isn't quite right as though we were supposed to move on Tuesday and I being away did not know that was cancelled until we got back. However I am OK here.

Parcels received O.K.

Have a lot more letters to write so for the time -

With love

Gord