Letter from Jack Darby to Jean

Letter from Jack Darby to Jean

He complains that because he is not replying to her letters due to the time it takes so he is unable to send her rude comments. He asks about friends in England. He still has had no news on his training course. He is learning to play bridge. His camera shots are poor.

1943-03-30

Three double sided handwritten sheets

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EDarbyCAHWellandJ430330

[CANADIAN Y.M.C.A logo]

ON ACTIVE SERVICE

927893. L.A.C. Darby,
31.P.D. 12G. R.A.F.
Moncton. N.B.
Canada.

30/3/43.

Dear Jean,

Well, heres another week gone by, its getting a terrible strain writing against a blank wall of silence in a manner of speaking, at home I could wait for your letter, carefully read it, then throw in some nasty rude remarks, but here, well there isn't any of them thar [sic] opportunites [sic](sorry though I was talking to a local inhabitant).

Whats new in your part of the world? any fresh news, dont tell

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II/

me that you've bought a new hat or something, that would'nt be news, that would be a sensation. Have you found that rich old man with a weak heart yet? remember fat is rationed so don't waste too much grease on the stairs, better thing to do would be to cook all his meals for a week, some guys are tough but their inside machinery is'nt.

Give my respects to Daphne when you see her, also any other of the gang, is Carol married yet? I heard she had got Gordan's brother on the edge of the cliff (slang term for being engaged) when's she pushing him over.

Went to a camp whist-drive last night, quite a decent evening. I had medium luck, managed to get 150.

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III/

so did not win the booby. Remember way back, when we had whist drives at the A.B.C. at Esher. the first one I went to I won a prize, probably you can guess which one, still at the time I thought it was a good show, its a terrible job to lose without your partner realizing it.

There is not any news of the house yet, we go on parade quite hopefully every day but nothing happens except I always seem to be in the squad for cookhouse fatigues, you know I believe the flight sergeant works on my system, he always takes the middle of the flight, shall have to try another scheme.

Have decided to learn to play

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IV/

bridge. its very popular in camps they have bridge drives twice a week for prizes. if you can [deleted letter] get hold of a good partner its pretty interesting, the only thing I can't manage at the moment is the bidding.

The weather has turned mild now, the snow is all gone and the ground if pretty soft, apparently from now on it will grow steadily warmer until by June we shall be wearing tropical kit, this country is properly a land of contrasts.

As regards the snaps I mentioned in the last letter, theyre not really worth sending, the detail isn't too good and the sighting is all over the place. afraid my camera is just about finished with, by the way, have you a camera, if you want some films

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5/

let me know the size, can get most sizes here.

Don't think theres a lot more to write about, this is letter No. 5. have you received the others? let me know in the next letter.

Will say cheerio for the moment, all the best.

Yours

Jack