14

Overand, Earl
1940
unknown

15

Letters were censored, both incoming and outgoing, to ensure no details of the war got into the wrong hands. In August, 1943, Earl Overand wrote: "Here I am in the RCAF at __________, Ontario and have been in the service since April. I left Calgary April 30 and spent 35 days training at __________. From there I was sent here and will be here for another three weeks. The Air Station is out of town and very nicely situated on the Bay of __________."

16

Hicks, Murray Drysdale, air force
1940
Okotoks, Alberta

17

In a letter home to his father in October, 1942, Murray Hicks wrote: "I am just finishing another week's leave which incidentally I well earned. They have pushed us hard lately. I have seen more action than I can relate even if I were allowed. I am on Britain's best and newest bomber and our pilot is a wizard. . . His name is Abercrombie, a Scotchman. Our kite gets right on its target and you'll probably know that our squadron has the best record in England in every way." In another letter received January, 1943, he writes: "I can't tell you much here except I'm okay. Have been on lots of trips over Germany and other European countries . . . my second trip to Italy was quite a shaky one and very close. We left our mark there too."

18

Ardiel, Leonard Armitage, army
1940
unknown

19

In a letter to his father received Sept. 17, 1943, Leonard Ardiel wrote from England: "It was quite a trip across the ocean in which the ocean itself was very calm and as a result there were very few cases of seasickness. As for myself, I hardly knew I was on a boat and just felt fine all the way across. . . It will no doubt take some time to get used to the blackout here for just as darkness approaches out go all the lights."