Cranwell, Lincs.
Dec. 3, 1941

Dear Mom, Dad & All:-

     I received your letter of Nov. 8th today, 25 five days after you mailed it, and was glad to hear from home at last, as it seemed as though I never would.  If somebody will write every week I should get the letters at about the same intervals and I will do the same from here.

     I am now at the RAF No. 1 radio school, having arrived the 26th.  I'm writing this on a table in the center of our barracks containing 17 CTC men.  There is a stove in the middle which throws very little heat, and since the outside temperature runs from 35 to 50 degrees the inside temperature is never over 60.  I'm wearing a sweater and my tunic as I write.  The building itself is about thirty-five by eighteen feet, of brick construction.  At one end is a toilet and wash bench holding three stone basins.  There is a shower, too, but I haven't had the courage to make use of it yet.  The beds are springless steel cots and just about as comfortable as the floor.  I have four army blankets over me and two under and still am none too warm.  I have the full compliment of uniforms now, but they issued us no winter underwear and I sure miss it, also my warm pajamas.  They have one of those heat by mental suggestion stoves in the classrooms, which are also individual brick buildings the same as the barracks and the temperature there doesn't even seem to be sixty.  We hope to get use to it sometime,  but I think it's hopeless myself.  However, the food and the extremely interesting subject matter of the course of instruction help us to forget the discomforts.  We're learning all about [Cut out by censors].

   However you'd better continue to use the Bournemouth address for mail or the American Eagle Club for packages.  Insure any packages you send so I'll be sure to get them.  They are sometimes rifled in transit, but if they're insured they may take better care of them.  Incidentally, we can't write and ask outright for anything so you'll just have to use your own judgement or interpret my suggestions on what I would like.

     And now to retrogress a bit.  We arrived in Bournemouth ten days after leaving Canada and after signing in and getting a meal under our belts were taken to our billets, which were private boarding houses since the regular barracks were already filled.  We (Geo., Dee, and I) were assigned to one which was a semi basement.  It was terrible.

No heat at all and the walls were damp.  We squawked plenty and on Saturday were moved to Crohamhurst, a private hotel, which was infinitely better.  In the first place I had to wear my wool socks and two wool sweaters over my pajamas and my teeth still chattered with four wool blankets over me.  We stayed in Bournemouth for three weeks before being sent here.  During that time we paid a three day visit to London, of which we wrote you from there.  During the remainder of the time we visited Boscombe, Pools, and Christchurch, three nearby towns of which you may have heard.  Pools pottery for instance comes from the second one.  We were issued our complete uniforms and had to do a bit of sewing of emblems and buttons.  The RAF uniform was issued and we had to take off the brass buttons and sew on plain black ones.  George took my picture out in the yard and we developed and printed it ourselves.  I have enclosed it.  We were issued gas masks, which must be carried at all times, and had a drill in its use.  We were also issued identification cards with our pictures and description on, and our rank and location.  Every time we are moved this card must be signed by our commandant and must be carried at all times.  If a bobby or an M.P. stops you, you must have it.  Also you can't go off the post, buy a bus or R.R ticket without a leave pass signed by the C.O.  We are issued a permanent one which we also carry at all times.  We do not come under the military discipline of the RAF and do not have to salute officers.  We saw everything there was to see around before we left on the 26th of Nov. to come up here (about 250 miles) by train.  I'm sure seeing England.  Last Saturday one of the fellows, George Boone, a U of Texas man and myself took a bus into Lincoln for the weekend.  We got a room at a hotel and went out sightseeing.  We found our way up to a large cathedral on top the hill, the town is about like Seattle, and were well rewarded for the climb.  As it was dusk however we decided to come back again by daylight and look it over again.  We found our way to a Church canteen which we had been told about in the old rectory of the Cathedral and had our supper.  We had powdered eggs scrambled among other things.  I haven't seen an egg in England yet.  We visited a couple pubs in the evening, meeting soldiers and airmen from all over the world.  Everything closed at ten so back to the hotel and to bed, and a fine bed it was.  We were awakened at 8:30 Sunday morning and after a good breakfast consisting of oat meal, bacon and buttered toast and fried tomatoes and the usual tea, we than went to Mass at St. Hugh's Church at 10:30.  It was a High Mass and not too well sung.  The Church was plenty big, about the size of St. Lukes in St. Paul, but of greater seating capacity.  After Mass we went up and gave the Cathedral the once over again.  It was absolutely the hugest thing I've ever seen.  I'm sending some post card pictures of it so you can get some idea of its size.  When the bells rang they shook your very bones.  I certainly enjoy the sightseelng I can get in on the side.  I sold my typewriter for $48.50 to keep from having so much excess baggage to carry around and am going to buy a bicycle.  They go along on the train with you as your baggage at no extra cost.  This will increase the range of my explorations and before I get out of here I hope to see everything there is to see.  We're near the Sherwood Forest of Robin Hood fame and many other places of like interest, as you can see if you have a large scale map of England.  We have Thursday afternoons off from classes for exercise of some kind, sports, swimming, or cycling, so I'll take the cycling.  We have class all day Sat., but are free on Sunday.  I am going to ask for overseas service when I finish school, but can't specify where, so I may end up in Africa, India, Egypt, Singapore, or, but I hope not, Iceland.  The English fellows want to stay here, so they say there is a better opportunity for promotion overseas.  At any rate, I'm willing to take a chance on it.

     I don't suppose you'll get this before Christmas since it takes a month to make the trip air mail so I'11 wish you all a Happy New Year and hope it won't be tardy.  We get two days off Christmas and I hope to go down to London for the Holiday.  Sure will seem funny not to be home.  It'll be the first time away in thirty years.  I won't send anything to you, since everything is exceptionally high priced if you can get it at all.  I'll have to save up the souvenirs until I get home.  Paper is extremely scarce, nothing but food is allowed to be wrapped at the stores, but I still have plenty of stationery for a couple months.  This onion skin is the clear dope for air mail letters.  You can send about twelve pages for one air mail stamp.  It's easier to read if you put a sheet of white paper behind it.

     Well, I guess that covers the subject as well as I can now.  The boys are having a bull session and I can't concentrate too well.  I can't mail it until tomorrow so I won't seal it until then so if I think of anything I'll add it later.

And so for this week, Cheers,

Bob

P.S, I have yet to see or hear an air raid.  I'm as safe as I would be at home.