Letter from Jack Darby to Jean

Letter from Jack Darby to Jean

Mail has been erratic. Jean has been gardening encouraging flippant comments from Jack. He is still at Moncton awaiting transfer but does not know when that will happen. He has been walking and attending dances. He complains that Canadian girls are not up to the quality of English girls.

1943-04-19

Two double sided handwritten sheets and envelope

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EDarbyCAHWellandJ430419

[inserted] 19.4.43 [/inserted]

CANADIAN [crest] LEGION
WAR SERVICES

[postage stamps] [postmarks]

Miss Welland.
7. Queens Drive
Surbiton
Surrey.
England

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CANADIAN [crest] LEGION
WAR SERVICES

19th April 1943.
927893. L.A.C. Darby.
12G. 31 R.A.F. Depot
Moncton N.B.
Canada.

Dear Jean,

Have just received your air letter number four, three has not turned up yet, probably it will arrive in a day or so. how is my mail arriving? Mother said in her last letter that they had only received an airgraph from me, have written in all ten letters home so they should receive quite a bundle when they arrive.

Well, how are you fairing? so you have been gardening, hope that bent back of your has lost some of its creases by now, you are really heartless, disturbing the worms and weeds, why can’t you let

PLEASE USE BOTH SIDES

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them rest in peace? are you doing any planting? would really be a waste of good seed, can see you planting spring onions for gladioli bulbs.

After those pleasant opening remarks perhaps I had better mention something else a little more polite. As you have probably noticed am still at Moncton, am getting fed up with hanging about, of course we do classes, route marches, P.T. and drill but we seem to be getting nowhere fast, I want to see more of Canada also to get on with the course, the trouble is when the course does start you have to work about 16 hours a day and every thing is concentrated in a short space of time, at this rate shall be spending Christmas here, shan’t see any operations at all.

So someone has the misfortune to

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know Bonny, I thought she was engaged to some chap, at least I think I heard a rumour about it when I was home, that guy does’nt know what he’s letting himself in for. So the Choral Society still seems to be taking it and standing up to the strain, I hope they don’t decide to practise in the open air, what a shock for the people next door, when a strange sound floats over the garden wall followed by a voice saying “Miss Welland.” “Can you sing a ‘little’ bit softer please”.

Yesterday being Sunday we went for quite a hike along the river, the scenery is not particularly good but it made a change, now it has properly thawed there were larger ice floes floating down the river, quite a sight, should not have liked

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to have fallen in, the river was in flood about a 10 knot current, with ice about it would have been hopeless.

Went to a couple of dances last week, were quite good, have met quite a few girls (all right don’t panic my hearts still whole). so I was dancing practically the whole time, the band was very good, these girls are quite good company but they don’t come up to English girls, that is not only my opinion but the rest of the boys out here.

Well there’s not a lot more to write about, how are you getting on, still taking it out of the Ice Rink in bumps? take care of yourself, next time I write will try and describe some Canadian customs.

[deleted word] Cheerio, all the best

Yours

Jack