Dear Mum, Dad, Bette and Commando Jack:

…Johnny and I spent our leave together and we really had a swell time. We were in Edinburgh and all points around it. The best part of the leave was the skating at a place about an hour’s ride out of Edinburgh across the Forth Bridge. We were out there five times and it was really swell. The skates they hire out to us were not so hot, but I was lucky and got a good pair. The old fellow said since I was a Canadian I should be able to skate so he gave them to me….

I met a swell girl at the Canadian Legion…. She took me to her home and her folks were really swell to me. They don’t get such an awful lot to eat over here but she certainly gave me some swell meals, I had a lunch there every night…. I didn’t want to take it but she wouldn’t let me go without and insisted that I eat it. They can get oranges over here now and I had two, boy were they good…. Johnny was with her girlfriend and he was treated just as I was. It was a swell time for us. If you would Mum, I wish you would write a note to Alison’s mother and thank her for being so good to me. Will you do that? I thanked her but it would show my appreciation if you would and if there is any of my check money left you could send her and Alison some little gift. I don’t know what you could send them, but just a little something….

Boy did I drink a lot of Coke while on leave. They have all you want at the Canadian Legion and Johnny and I sure made up for what we missed. The meals they serve up there are real good too and we were eating off real plates for a change. I had a small bit of chicken twice which was a swell change.…

You know folks it is over a year now since I left good old Hopewell and it seems odd when I think of it…. I have seen enough of the world to satisfy me and good old Canada would sure be a sight for sore eyes now. Maybe this time next year it will be all over and if we don’t have to clean up on those Japs we will be back home if all goes well. Boy that will be the biggest day of my life and the one I look forward too the most….

All the best to the best folks in the world, see you soon, I hope.

Lots of Love to All,

Bill