Letter to Jean Welland from Jack Darby

Letter to Jean Welland from Jack Darby

He expresses surprise that he is married. He has been on leave but snow stopped his progress. He went horse riding in the National Park.

1943-09-10

One double sided handwritten air letter

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EDarbyCAHWellandJ430918-0001, EDarbyCAHWellandJ430918-0002

No. 33. 18/9/43.

Dear Jean,

Have just received a letter from you dated [deleted] 26.9 [/deleted] 4.8.43. No. 26, as you can imagine I was very surprised to hear I was married, who is the unlucky girl? Should have thought by now everyone had abandoned hope of attending my wedding, you never know, I may have a bit of luck and marry some girl before she can get away. At the moment we have just returned from 48 hour pass, as usual we travelled about 200 miles, in fact if it had not been for a sudden snowstorm we should have visited Glacier Park in Montana, we did get to Cardston, that's about 20 miles from the border where we stayed the night, but it snowed from 11 pm until 9 o/c the following morning, by this time the road was impassible and we decided that another snowstorm might strand us for a week. However we visited all places of interest in Cardston, this is a typical Western battle town, on the edge of the Indian reservation, in addition its a Mormon town. we visited the Civic Centre which like everything else in town is run by the church, I was really amazed at the organization of their social services, they are fifty years ahead of ours, a kind of [deleted word] religious socialistic community, they grow some kind of food and exchange with the Mormans in Utah. This centre caters for everything, all the different town organizations have their own rooms and look after their own activities. After we had seen Cardston we decided to travel north to Pincher Creek, a very old cattle town on the edge of the Turner Valley Oilfields, however we met two American families who were going to Waterton, we all got on

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3/

perhaps later on. By the way, I liked in your letter you said "I found myself in a pub" as though you were using a magic carpet, do accidents like this occur frequently? if so I shall have to say, “I found myself in a chop suey joint eating Southern fried chicken" as though it were strange, are you trying to tell me you've reformed? If you have I bet I'll alter then as soon as I get home.

Well, another letter full, theres not a lot of space, did Mother receive [deleted] yo [/deleted] my letter O.K.? Cheerio, take care of yourself

Jack

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AIR LETTER TO ARMED FORCES

BY AIR MAIL

IF ANYTHING IS ENCLOSED, THIS LETTER WILL BE SENT BY ORDINARY MAIL.

AFFIX 10c POSTAGE

[deleted] Number, Rank or Rating and Name [/deleted] MISS WELLAND

[deleted] Unit (Company, Battery, Ship, Squadron, etc.) [/deleted] 7 QUEENS DRIVE

[deleted] Regiment, Branch, Establishment or Station [/deleted] SURBITON

[deleted] Service [/deleted] SURREY. ENGLAND

[inserted] 18-9-43 [/inserted] OVERSEAS.

FROM (Sender's full name and address)

M 927893. L.A.C. Darby
[symbol] 8. B. & G. 8.
Lethbridge Alberta

[inserted] 33 [/inserted]

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2/

so well that they persuaded us to go with them, we had a wizard time, managed to get some more snaps and went horse riding, climbing & so forth. Next day they ran us back to Cardston and if we had had time would have made a 150 mile trip through the mountains and back to Grand Falls, much to our regret we were due back early next morning so we could’nt go. Still