Airgraph No 4 So cold...

 Airgraph NO. 4

AUST. No 34171 

LAC Cooney, JF 

No. 3 Squadron R.A.A.F.,  

Cent. Medit. Forces

4^th  Dec ‘43

 

Dear Mum,

                  It’s only a couple of days since I wrote to you last but it’s so cold these days that we spend every spare moment in the tent.

                  Yesterday morning I was out of bed before daylight & all the surrounding hills were covered in an extremely heavy fall of snow & was it cold. I thought I’d never be able to get warm again. This morning I was out of bed about the same time &, if anything, it was colder. Every pool of water was frozen solid & I had on every piece of clothing I could find & I was still cold. When my pilot took off he gave me his wool-lined flying jacket & it was only then that I was finally able to thaw out.

Yesterday we were all issued with heavy oilskin coats & rubber knee boots ‘cause our tent area is just a quagmire & we walk around in about 10 inches of mud.

There’s no doubt about it, Italy is a lovely place.

Three months comforts arrived a couple of days ago & this afternoon our Christmas issue arrived. It contained Christmas cake & pudding,tin of fruit, tin of cream, ½ lb chocolates, pkt lollies ,pkt dried fruit, shaving cream, toothpaste, writing paper & envelopes. The other issue was tobacco, papers, cigs, soap, writing material, chewing gum, razor blades & a few other items. The eats were the most acceptable & I doubt if any of it will last more than a couple of days.

That’s all at present but will write again soon.

Much love to Dad, Bet & Leo,         Lovingly Yours     Frank