April 10/4/42
C23 Gnr R.H. Francis
“A” Battery RCHA
1st Field Regt
c/o Base PO Canada
Dear Georgia –
Well here I am 21 years and 10 days old today. I was on leave to Ipswich Suffolk during March to the people’s place in which I stayed during my landing leave. There name is Finter also friends of Raymone Hollington’s by whom I was referred to when I joined and first got an idea of coming overseas. Incidentally in a turn-out recently I saw Cecil Slack. I’m mailing in the letter a couple of snaps of Arundel a town in the vicinity in which we are stationed. We had an intelligence test this morning and the results are secretly filled in Div. They were simple appearing questions but very tricky and only a limited time in which to do them.
We going to form a lacrosse team in the battery but we don’t get any time off now except Sunday. We’re busy building gun pits now and they’re really super. We’re really getting a toughening exercise lately and digging and working thro’ rain and shine. The other night we spent in the rain. There came a heavy down pour just after we got positioned about midnight and we really got soaked. The army is giving every man a qualificationed state of every type of organization and army of the forces. Time hangs so heavy I guess they figure they have to do something of that sort. Hope everything’s going fine.
I’ll close now ‘cause I’m going to bed so cheerio for now –
Heaps of love,
Ray Francis