2 October 1936
To Mother
Dear Mother:
There is nothing much to write about because I am just resting on my oars till October 12.
Russell Dingle had his physical exam yesterday and is waiting around to hear the result.
A young chap named John Jackson of Birmingham who works for Frigidaire and I have been visiting all sections of London. Yesterday we went slumming in the east side of the east end if such is possible.
The longer I stay here in London the better I like it - there is so much variety, so many interests, bright lights and millions of people - it really is a wonderful city.
The number and variety of the shops is astounding to the eye.
I read where my friend D. M. Coupland crashed one of the Calgary Aero Club machines and that John Lascoski had passed his commercial pilot's licence. - By reading the Calgary and Edmonton papers I can still follow what is going on back in Alberta.
I get letters from Young Canada Clubs etc. inviting me to participate and the other day an engraved one from Vincent Massey, Canadian High Commissioner to attend an opening of a Canadian Art Exhibit. They are very friendly and will do anything for you. There are dances for young Canadians etc. I can't do anything with them as I am going into R.A.F. so I don't have anything to do with them.
But just the same if one was working over here it would be a wonderful asset. I even got a free offer from a photograph place for my picture as a Canadian visitor.
It is nearly always dull and cloudy - you never see the stars etc. It rains quite often but I feel in tip top shape to begin training.
It is impossible to get a good cup of coffee. They always pour something out of a bottle and add hot water.
The man who crossed with me was an experienced traveller and brought his own percolator and tins of American coffee and was quite proud of the fact, boasting to me continually - "Wait till you order a cup of coffee and see what you get!" he would say and laugh long a coarsely.
Back to Canada. I will never forget the beauty of Ontario - wide, smooth roads lined with hardwood trees. Ripley is a beautiful place with its trees and gardens. And Ross is certainly lucky to be close to Bruce Beach -we always passed "starvation" - Dad is supposed to know what this means but I forgot.
Kincardine is the best laid out and most beautiful of all towns I have ever been in up to date - it is so clean. Wide concrete streets, boulevards, trees and parks.
Alberta looks like a dried up piece of toast compared with Ontario. (Ask Dad if he has writer's cramp or something.)
With love,
Bill
Do write to ?????? Mabel