Letter to Lewis Ellis from Gus Knox

Letter to Lewis Ellis from Gus Knox

Says it is a long time since he wrote last. Wonders where Lewis was now and what he was flying. Writes that he had left New Zealand and was stationed near Java but could not say much more as it was hush hush. Writes a little about conditions. Continues with news of family and more about his current accommodation and insects. Tells him how to keep in contact. Continues with more gossip.

Four page handwritten letter

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EKnoxATEllisEL[Date]-02

[missing letter]N ACTIVE SERVICE

[postmark]

SGT. E. L. ELLIS
1238597
54 WULFRIC
SHEFFIELD II YORKS.
ENGLAND.

[inserted] SERVICE CENSOR stamp [indecipherable word] F. McConnell. [/inserted]

[page break]

[underlined] From [/underlined]

P/O A. T. KNOX
415535

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I.

P/O A. T. KNOX
415535
A.P.O. 381
WELLINGTON.
N. Z.

Dear Lew,

It is a long time now since I wrote you and a still longer time since I saw you. I have been wondering where you are and what kites you are on. I have left N. Z. again and am stationed in Fiji near Java, that is all I can tell you and of course you know what sort of “boats” I am on.

They have bags of gear, all very hush – hush so the least said, the easiest mended. Fortunately I came here in the winter but it is still hot enough for me yet. I have not quite thawed out from Canada. I had two weeks leave in N. Z , at home and I can tell you

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II.

it was enjoyed all round. I am certainly a “proud father” my daughter is perfect an absolute gem of a child, talks and trots around.

My wife is O.K. and tomorrow is my fathers birthday so I guess I had better buy him a present. I only arrived here a week ago and this is the first opportunity I have had to write you.

Our Quarters are not so hot they are a “shed” thirty feet by eighteen with a concrete floor asbestos sides and tin roof they are a cameoflage color [sic] and have no windows only wooden shutters, it could be worse I daresay. The food hardly measures up to the Sgts mess at Paulson, the big trouble is to keep food in the tropics. There is an abundance of huge spiders, toads, and the

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III.

meanest breed of mosquito you ever clapped eyes on.

There is a Yankee store in town for the armed forces and tobacco and goods they sell is dirt cheap.

I did not do any O.T.U. in N. Z. they seemed to think we could go right on to the planes without any further training. I don’t think they realise what they have here. Still I daresay we will make out all right. I have almost perfected my Jap. A/C rec. They have a good system here too, instead of learning it as a Kawasaki or a Mitsubishi they call them by peoples’ names for instance the Mitsubishi 97 is Sallie and so on. The operating procedure is slightly U.S.[indecipherable letter] but it is all the better for that. The British is a lot of “B. S.”

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IV

The address at the top of the envelope will get me O.K. for the next month or so but After that send my letters to A.P.O. 331. as I may shift.

I was looking thru my note book and saw Brenda Lockwoods address I was sorry I could not get to England to see this “secret passion” of yours.

I would very much have liked to see all the boys, Tony, George, Les, R. B. Fennel and the rest again, but as I said in my previous letter I hope you are back [deleted] [indecipherable letter] [/deleted] in England with your people again.

Well old man I will close now, and wish you all the best

Cheers from your cobber

Gus Knox