Okanagan Mission B. C.
Jan. 25 1945
Dear Tony,
Thanks for the good wishes and herewith mine for you. You do seem to be having a dull time through all your courses. Have you taken one which was not delayed in some way. Still it is better than the later ones. Gifford was still at Bournemouth at New Years and had been transferred to Bomber command. They were even talking of making some of his bunch flight engineers. He hoped this was just talk. Then of course all the latest aircrew trainees are discharged as soon as they complete their courses. John Evans was one of these. I fancy the army can’t grab the discharged aircrew but all others are grabbed by them unless they have overseas service. How does your change of status effect [sic] your tour. Do you start over or just continue on?
Henry [Hobson] is getting his discharge and has just gone back for the final formalities of getting out after the customary short leave. I never know why they clutter up the trains by doing it like that. Why not discharge them without the leave. He is getting out on compassionate grounds so will be liable for army callup [sic] as his Air Force category is A.1. but shouldn’t have much trouble getting out of that. He got a letter from Dr. Underhill to show them. One or two route marches would have him out in any case. Henry is going to work for Campbell the C. A. who bought Cheynes Kelowna business, with time off for orchard work etc. He and Marjorie drove up in their small car and I guess I’ll have to post an armed guard over your tires on dark nights. By the way I hadn’t turned your engine over at all, but will do so. I don’t quite know why unless one did it fast enough to splash the oil about.
I went to a dance last week the first for over a year (except for a look in on the Jr. Board of Trade’s New Years dance at the Community Hall which Mary wouldn’t stay at). It was at East Kelowna and I took Anne going with Henry & Marjorie and joining Francis and Mary Etta there. I got to be feeling pretty good as the four of us cleaned up on a 26 oz bottle of Jocky [sic] Cap rye. We didn’t get to the dance till after 10.30 as we were making merry at Anne’s. The scotch situation is still bad. You have to be on deck when it arrives in the middle of the month or you are out of luck.
We have had more ski-ing this year than last but that isn’t much. We had a lot of snow but it thawed as fast as it fell so that now there are large areas of bare ground interspersed with snow with a breakable crust.
The political situation is not too good just now and it looks like an election coming up. I don’t know weather [sic] a change would be good or not. McKenzie King has done pretty well except on the conscription issue. We don’t want the C. C. F. to get in, that would be worse, and I don’t think the Conservatives can make it. I think all this trouble with deserters coming at a time when the Minister of Defense is trying to get elected will force the issue.
I’m afraid I can’t say what Allan Francis’ initials are but I haven’t heard anything about being mention is despatches. I do know that the is flying bombers and was recently promoted to F/L.
I guess you know Peter [Mallam] is a Captain now. Bob Whillis couldn’t join the regt. because of flat feet. Bill Bredin [?] is on leave here now. Dad saw him the other day. I understand Pete Lloyd is in the Hebrides so you ought to arrange a forced landing there sometime. I hear Leicester Collett is auditing pay rolls and travels around from station to station. I can’t think of any more items at the moment.
How about sending us some photos of Uncle Geoff’s [Freer] farm and family. Can you get film or do you need some sent. How come Valerie [Freer] doesn’t take you hunting with her. You used to be pretty keen on riding?
Well once again best wishes and good luck.
Yours Archie.