Letter from Pat Hogan to Jim Hogan

Letter from Pat Hogan to Jim Hogan

Catches up with news and says he had been pretty lucky getting onto a modern liner with good food and weather. Writes a little about his activities. Mentions daily mass and that he knows many on board. Concludes with comments about friends and relations.

1944-02-06

Two page handwritten letter

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EHoganPJHoganJS440206

[inserted] P.S. [indecipherable words] does come from Wang & wishes to be remembered to Mr's Dowling & Doherty. P.H. [/inserted]

AUST 436464
Sgt Hogan P.J.
Overseas 422,
c/o RAAF BASE PO.
MELBOURNE VIC.
6/2/44

Dear Jim,

I learnt in a letter from Marie the day before I left that you had been transferred to Wang. I dare say that you will be glad of the change. Of course I heard all about the new crew [deleted] in there [/deleted] & hope you have no trouble with it later.

We have been pretty lucky so far in firstly getting on to a beautifully appointed modern liner & having a fairly long tether to get about on. Tucker is both good & plentiful as are canteen supplies. We have a library and pretty good weather so naturally “spine bashing” is about our most popular past time as we laze about on the decks. Of course we have our share of P/T and a little competive [sic] sport & cop a few not very arduous duties.

For the first time since I joined the Army

[page break]

2.

I volunteered for a job as a Postal Orderly for the trip. It has now turned into practically a full time job & I consequently lose all my daytime sleep. Still I guess that won’t hurt me.

Spiritual environment here is pretty good. Fr. Tuttle celebrates mass daily in a beautiful little chapel we have & recites the rosary & evening prayers each night.

I know a lot of chaps on board having been with them at some stage or another, & of course, most of my own pals are with me again. Jack Reilly (Quarry Hill) & Frank Hogan (Maryborough) are about the only ones you’d know. There is also a chap from Wang (I think) named O’Dwyer who was at The Mount when I was there.

I’m afraid I wasn’t very dutiful as far as relations were concerned in Melbourne. Ryans were the only ones I called on. I had a yarn with Fr Len McKenna at St Francis one day. We got out nearly every night but we went either to a dance or a party for 2 out of 3 nights anyhow. Any other nights I either took out my girl friend or went out to her place so I hardly had time for visiting.

Two pages is our limit so without option I’ll close.

Your loving brother, Pat.