大象传媒

Dear Folks,

The past week has been a hodge-podge if ever there was one. Actually, so much has happened that it is difficult to decide what stands out most. The end of the war came as something of an anticlimax to the 8th Air Force for our war had been over for about a week or more. We merely awaited the formal procedures to take place and then went back to a rather dead routine. Clyde spent a day over here and we went into Norwich for the evening. For a year now I鈥檝e avoided mention of where I am, but I understand from the 鈥淪tars and Stripes鈥� that it is possible to mention many things that here-to-fore have been restricted information. It was good to see a city with lights again鈥攈ow good you can never know until you鈥檝e lived in darkness. After 6 years of it, the first night must have been unbelievable to most Englishmen. It was a day or two after V-E day, but the crowds were like moths around the lights鈥攇reat masses of people, filling the streets鈥攇awking at the streetlights. Little kids from 6 through about 15 couldn鈥檛 recall having seen streetlights鈥攕ome even older ones couldn鈥檛 remember what it was like. They had imported search lights and it looked like a Hollywood premiere. To many people who I met last winter, I remember mentioning that they should look and never forget the blackout鈥攊t is a phenomenon that is indescribable鈥攁 state of mind really. After a time one gets to the point where he reacts to the slightest amount of light and you feel irritated if you see an uncovered window. Now, we are slowly getting used to not having to pull the curtains.

There is one point I may as well mention now鈥攖here will be rumors there, as there are rumors here鈥攁s to the future position and role of the 8th Air Force and from newspapers and various other sources, there may be people who try to forecast where I might be. I know nothing, and no one else does either鈥攖his is an army at war yet, and most talk is based on wishful thinking or 鈥渉ot rumors鈥�. Pay no attention to any wiseacres鈥攐bviously we will leave someday and go somewhere, but I would urge everyone at home not to raise false hopes or be pessimistic.

It is possible that I may go to Scotland tomorrow for a week鈥擨 haven鈥檛 decided as yet. That is one happy think about the army. You can make up your mind and get on the way about a 100% faster than in civilian life.

Writing seems very strange any more with so few people to write to. I鈥檓 practically at the point of throwing my address book away for all I have in it now. They tell me that when the censorship is officially relaxed we鈥檒l be able to send home letters that were sent to us over here. I鈥檝e saved a good many which will serve as something of a diary鈥攁nd I鈥檒l probably send them home. If you could, just put them away somewhere out of harm鈥檚 way. I鈥檒l probably send some more pressed plants along at the same time. I鈥檝e had little luck really, for the paper I use to press them is so glossy that they rot before they dry. Paper is a scarce article over here. However, it has given me something to do and something of an idea as to British flora. It also gave me an incentive to collect some American species鈥攖hat should be somewhat easier and technically more successful.

I鈥檇 sure like to tackle a day鈥檚 fishing somewhere this summer鈥攕ome of the boys went fishing up in northern England and picked up some trout. I don鈥檛 know how the fishing is over here, but if it [is] any way approximate [to] the possibilities of hunting, it shouldn鈥檛 be necessary to bait the hook. There are so many rabbits, pheasant and partridge that a slingshot and a couple of hours would be all required to get the limit. I鈥檓 sure that a 鈥�22 rifle could bring in a half dozen pheasant in a couple of hours鈥� time. You could get two or three rabbits on every shot.

The weather has improved again and I鈥檝e made a couple of rather long rides on a couple of evenings last week. It is almost too warm in the evening now鈥攆rom one extreme to the other, I guess.

Well, this much for now鈥擨鈥檒l write again soon鈥擴ntil later, then鈥擫ove, Bill

P.S. I鈥檓 on my way to Bonnie Scotland!!! B.

漏 Copyright of content contributed to this Archive rests with the author. Find out how you can use this.