Letter No 78

 AUST. No 34171 

 LAC Cooney, JF 

 No. 3 Squadron R.A.A.F. 

MIDDLE EAST 

16th March ‘43 

 Dear Mum, 

         Some of the mail we have been expecting arrived here today but it was rather late stuff. I received No. 38 from you & the previous one was No. 31 that means there is still 6 to come to fill in the gap. 

We are expecting them here tomorrow or the next day. 

 Seeing as how there is several letters missing I am a bit out of touch with regards to George Buxton’s final leave etc. but will probably hear all about it soon. 

 Just received three bundles of papers but no more letters yet. 

 I told you some time ago that I had received s letter from Miss Moody & she told me that John was doing Jack Fennell’s job and making a good fist of it. In Mr Hanson’s letter he said that he was looking forward to the day when we will all be back at work again, so it looks as if my job is still OK there. 

 I haven’t written to Aunty Lizzie for over six weeks so I better write when I finish this or she will be giving me away. Haven’t had a letter from her either since the 22nd November so it looks as if I may be in the bad books already. 

 As you say, Vernon must be rather high up in the force now, probably a Wing Commander because last time I saw him he had his Squadron Leader bands up. Ask Dad to ask Morrie what his rank is. 

 There’s still no sign of the parcels that you mentioned in your last letters but I’m hoping to see them shortly. Not much chance of losing them unless a postal official feels a bit hungry and picks on mine to satisfy his hunger. 

 To-day has been a great day for a lot of us because all those who went for a re-muster about eight months ago received notification that they had passed. Yours truly is now a Fitter II A on Group One pay rate of 13/1 per day & 2/- deferred extra. Our pay is back-dated from the 25th of Nov & that means I have nearly £10 back money to collect. I can’t allot any more to you but each time my book builds up a bit I will send it home in a lump sum. 

 Am enclosing another copy of our new “paper” which we received yesterday evening. 

 I have been working for the last week or so making crib boards for the cooks. These boards are made out of Perspex – unbreakable glass out of kites- and when polished up they look good. I had a bit of material over so to-day I started to make a small trinket box for Betty & a few other little things in the way of pendants for you & Bet. I will post them when I finish them off. 

 No more now but will write again in a couple of days if more mail comes in. Much love to Dad & Betty             

                            Lovingly Yours,

                                                 Frank