Dear Mom, Dad and All:-

     Today is Friday, Jan. 15th, and I hit the jackpot as far as mail is concerned. Dad, as usual gets the best score in the race across the Atlantic.  Here's what I got and the dates mailed.
All received 1/15/43

(Christmas Cards)
Rita-Dec.19
Hamilton's - Dec. 19
Geo. Knoll- Dec. 18
(Letters)
Mom's - Dec. 18
Dad's - Dec. 22 (Fargo)
Tom Schelly- Jan. 9 (Dublin)

     Since the fifth of January I have also received Xmas cards from Pat White, Rosses, Emersons, and a letter from Mrs. McIlwralth to say she got both your card and mine.  Whether cards or letters are sent air mail or not makes little difference, since they only go air mail in the U.S., so you may as well save the extra three cents and send them regular mail.  V-mail is the fastest when you are in a country where the film service is available.  In other countries it goes straight air mail all the way if possible and saves weight, but over here they do have the film service.  I'm going to be able to get some V-mail forms tomorrow, I think, and will use it myself.
     Tom Shelly is coming to London to work so I will probably get to see him sometime in the near future.  He said to say hello to you in his letter.
     Dad asked if your letters were censored very much.  None of them have been since I got in the Army, but even when they were, nothing was ever deleted, so I guess you don't have to worry about what you're writing since family affairs aren't of any interest to the enemy.  I was surprised to learn Bug was still in the U.S.A.  I hope he will write to me immediately when he gets here, if he should come, so I would get a chance to see him.  He wouldn't get any leave over here any more than he would there, except a 48 hour pass on a weekend maybe.  But I can now get 8 days every three months, maybe!  There are so many "ifs" connected with it that it is almost impossible, but that certainly would be reason enough, to see a brother from home after being here as long as I have.
    I hope you have received my picture by this time.  I'll enclose another with this letter for dad.  He'd probably like one to show the boys along the line.  It's unmounted to save weight and size.  I got six mounted and six unmounted and the lot cost me $9.00 so you can see why I don't have it done oftener.  You can get them done cheaper at some of these "While-U-Wait" places, but they're even worse than the one you have.  Evelyn is having hers taken tomorrow to send to you so you should have them in a couple months, one month 'til they're ready and another month enroute.
     My latest diversion has been taking a part in a play reading.  The "Pylon Players," a local theater group, have meetings in which they read plays and go through the action, when possible.  Last week they were doing "Our Town" and Lt. Leas, who was directing it asked Lt. "Cy' Creveling and I to take part, as it being American, they wanted as many Americans in it as they could get.  I took the parts of the University professor and the undertaker.  Cy played the two news boys.  They were all satisfied with our efforts, but I can't say it's just up my alley.  I did manage to get a few laughs from the audience with the professor's part.
     I'm on the books to get the rations (sweets, clgs, and other items) from the PX tomorrow.  I may go to tea at Lord and Lady Somer's home, Eastnor Castle, tomorrow afternoon if I get back from the ration trip in time.  Leas and Cy asked me to go along with them.  They have been there several times and were invited to bring a pal along.  Don't know if I just exactly go for all this nobility stuff.  It'd be like having dinner with the Governor back home.  It's amazing, the "caste" being an officer gives you over here, especially officers in our position.  I think we do pretty well too, in carrying it off with honor to Uncle Sam's Army.  It's certainly been, and is, a wonderful experience and I keep wondering sometimes if I won't wake up and find it's all a dream.  When I think of all I've done, what I've seen, the friends I've made, and not least of all, the fiance I've acquired, in the space of a year it makes my head whirl.  I've traveled nearly twenty-thousand miles by land, water, and air; on trains, buses, trams, subways, afoot, cycling, aboard ship, and in planes; since I left home with the CTC.  And I've found new friends in three countries.  I can hardly believe it myself.
    We've had one snowfall here, about three inches on the third of January, but it's all gone again and today was warm and sunny.  The leaves are gone from the trees, but the holly and the pines, and even the grass, is as green as ever.  The moon and stars are beautiful tonight, it's as light as day.
     Glad to hear Jerry got her phonograph okay.  Was doubtful if there would be any available.  What make is it?  Tell her when she's buying records to be sure and listen to all the European recordings of classical numbers when there are any.  The recording is much more realistic and the concert hall effect is much better than the 'dead' effect of sound proof room recording in the states.  Over here they have them from all over Europe, but the German recordings are about the best of all, especially the Vienna Philharmonlc and similar orchestras.  Thomas Beecham's renditions are usually preferable to Stowkowski's.  Tell her to listen to "Maids In Algiers" by the Vienna orchestra.  I can't remember the Spanish title or which orchestra exactly it is, but she can probably find it.  It's a marvelous piece of recording.  Art would most likely know the selection I mean.  She'd probably go for Haefitz (spelling?) recording of Brahms Intermezzo on Victor, too.  I like Claude De Bussey's light works, too, like "Afternoon of the Faun", "Morning", etc., but she'd better get a book at the library if she can and read up a bit on them first.  They were written from the interludes in symphony concerts to be played while people were wandering about, and talking as a sort of background, but the people stopped talking and moving about to listen and Debussey was rather disappointed at this result.  There's a good bit of controversy over their merit.  I'd like to have a phono myself to hook up to my radio, but you can't get a motor for love nor money over here.  I could make the pickup myself where I work.  Cy made himself one and uses it on an old style hand crank phono he has and plays it through his radio.  Guess I have enough junk around now to move about without records, though.  Cy and Leas have about a hundred records between them--they room together.
     Well, it's just eleven o'clock so I'm going to hit the hay.  I'm sitting with my back to the gas fire and its about baked, believe it or not.  Still short one Xmas pkg. and have only received Rung's and Irene's boxes thus far, as I told you before.  Still have hopes though.  Don't figure they're lost for good unless they've been on the way over three months.

Cheerio for now and love to all,
 

Bob