29

B.E.F France

Nov 17/17

Dear Dad

I left the pool yesterday noon and have arrived at my squadron O.K. I was posted to 19 Sq. in the morning and just after lunch the tender came for me. We had about thirty miles to go and arrived just in time for tea. I am in 19 Sq R.F.C. which is a Spad sqdrn. The weather is very dud these days. There was no flying at all to-day as the clouds were very low so I have not been up yet.

I have a room with a chap from Quebec named de Pensur. The mess is very good and fairly reasonable as a matter of fact it is the best I have ever been in.

I have to do quite a bit more flying before I will be allowed to go over the lines and as there is very little flying these days it may be quite a while as there are quite a few fellows ahead of me. There is some talk here at present that we are getting a new type of machine and will go back in two weeks or a month to refit. If that is so I may not be through training in time to do any work on Spads. I will, however, write you again about this. It was fairly certain however that I will not do any real flying for a month or so.

We are very near to very good little town I have not inspected it yet but have been through several times on tenders. I had to go up to Wing Head - quarters this morning. It is about five to ten miles away so I had a tender and saw something of the way traffic is managed over here. You can talk about King & Yonge at 6 P.M. or Broadway & 42nd or any part of London. They're not a patch on this part of the country for being busy.

Spent the afternoon splitting up a tree that some of the fellows had felled this morning for firewood so we have a peach of a fire in the fireplace in the mens. All kinds of trees around here that we may cut down so I suppose we will lay in a supply of firewood for the winter.
How are you getting on? Do you think you will be able to go South? I hope you go. I certainly am glad to hear Kathleen has not had a crash yet. If she can get in and out of the garage she can manage most anything I think.

I am expecting a box fairly soon now as you said in your latest letter that Fern had a box all ready. You might tell her that I have no need for sugar any more and get all I want eat. In spite of my repeated request she has not sent me any homemade fudge as yet.

I have everything I need that I can think of at present. If I ever want any thing I can get it at the town which is only about two minutes walk away from here. I am sending you a French half franc not which will show you the kind of money they are using here now. I don't believe they had these when you were here. You will have to excuse this scribble, Dad, as I am just writing it on my knee. The fountain pen which I "borrowed" from Fern comes in here very handy as no writing materials are provided in any of the messes in France as far as I have seen.

I will write you again in a day or so although I do not suppose there will be much to say as things are fairly quiet here as far as flying goes.

Love to all

Yours

Gord

My address here is

2nd Lt

19 Sq. R.F.C

B.E.F

France

I will send this to Metcalf to-morrow

G