Hello dearest

Here it is Wednesday night dear and I thought I would write you a few lines seeing as you will heading back home soon and I am hoping to get this away so that you will have something to read once you return from your trip to Toronto.
I also wanted to get this down on paper in the event that we do not have a chance to talk about some interesting news that has happened around here. I am sure that we will be discussing it with your Mom and Pop when you are here but in the event that the topic does not come up I wanted to give you the news and you can read my letter once you return back to the station.
Last night Marg and Aunt Jessie came over for supper, and once I had put Beverly down for bed I came back downstairs to find Marg in tears and Aunt Jessie holding her. I was concerned that something had happened to Marg similar to what happen to me when I was down in Halifax. But it was quite the opposite dear, she was just besides herself and you can guess who is to blame.
She told Ted the good news about her expecting in the family way and he seemed excited at first. He told her that this was good news and that she will have to remain at the Simpson house until he gets chance to make any additional arrangements for where they will live once the baby comes.
Marg wants so badly to get out of that house and I cannot blame her. When I found out I was expecting dear, my Mom and your Mom were so loving and caring and made sure that I had all the right things to eat and lots of milk to drink. Poor Marg had a completely different reaction when she told the Simpsons that they were to become grandparents. Mrs Simpson, that old witch, told her that she would continue to do all the cleaning and washing and that once the baby comes that Marg would have to make sure that she still had a job so that she could contribute to the household expenses. Marg told Ted how she was feeling and that she did not want to stay there and Ted told Marg that she had to do what was best for the family and that she was to stay with the Simpsons as he thought that they could help her once the baby comes along. I think dear that he is being as supportive as he can give the circumstances.
Marg is just so sad and I wish I could help her but I am expecting our own baby in a few months and dear, looking at her in this state I am just so happy and thankful that I have you supporting me even when you are not at home.
So there you have it. That is the news that has been taking up most of Mom’s and my time as Aunt Jessie can’t be there for Marg in her time of need.
So this makes me think of when I say I love you and that I am so proud to be called your wife dear I truly do mean it. So for now I will will close and I will look for you at the station and amen sure that I do not run too fast into your arms.
With all my love,

Doreen

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Hello Darling;

Well dear here I am again writing to you as I said I would. I hope you are keeping yourself nice and warm at home as it is terribly cold here.
Well dear things are going along “right” good and I think that it will be a lovely station in the summer. The meals aren’t perfect right now but i think it will take a little while to get going but the barracks and everything else is real comfortable. The Montreal Ski Club want 50 fellows to go skiing and tobogganing last week but there is an invitation coming in every day for different affairs.
Saturday night some Scotch Lodge wanted a few fellows to go to a dance at the Mount Royal Hotel and some of the boys had a real good time there. I was going to go myself but it really is to far to go into Montreal and you know how I like to get to my bed early.
Sunday night Norm and I went to the Rotary Club in Lachine and had quite a very nice evening and they served tea and cake too. Tonight there is a show on the station and tomorrow night a dance. Wednesday night there is a concert, Thursday night a show and on Friday a dance, but dear, I really must to getting old because dancing does not appeal to me without you anymore so I don’t bother.
Well dear I could have got a 48 hour leave last weekend but I thought I would let it go until next week because I might be able to get away Friday afternoon. So you could stay at our house Friday night anyway dear and even if I don’t get in until Saturday morning you will be there but I will try and let you know definitely in my next letter as to whether I’ll be in Friday night or Saturday morning.
Well I guess Ted knows the good news by now or is it bad news for him. Gee dear I was just thinking last night how happy and proud I was that I am going to be a father but there is one thing worrying me and that is what name shall we give the baby if it is a boy. We have been so decided on Donna for a girl but I have not thought much about a name if it is a boy. What do you think, I kind of like Butch, but I will leave it to you to decide.
Well darling I sent your form away and I’ll be bringing my pipe down with me on the weekend and so for now darling, I’ll just close by saying I love you very much.
Your loving husband,

Bill

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Hi darling.

Well dear I have just finished reading your last letter and was very glad to hear from you as usual and also very glad to hear that you are feeling so well. It will be just 2 weeks tomorrow that I left dear and if I wanted I could get a 48 hour leave this weekend but I think I will let it go tot he end of the month. Then I will take my other four days in the middle of next month.
Well Marg is in the family way, well what do you know. I am sorry to hear that she isn’t very happy about it. I can only imagine how she is taking the news and that she must be very scared at the prospect of doing this alone. The way that I look at having a baby is that it will make us love each other even more is that is possible dear and I really don’t think I could love you any more dear. And just think it won’t be very long now darling. This fellow I was telling you about that had the baby well he only took a 48 hour leave to go home and see his wife. He is saving his annual leave until she is up and around again and then they can have a lot of fun together. I was wondering what you would rather have me do darling? Because I’ll do just what you would like so let me know.
Well dear I have not done very much since I wrote you. I saw a dandy picture Monday night. It was “Destination Tokyo” and was it ever a dandy picture. If you have the time and want to see a good picture I would say go see this one as there is a lot of action and I know that you like the kinds of pictures.
They had a concert on last night and tonight they are having a dance but I think I will go bowling with the boys. So you have done a little knitting lately dear. I am glad to hear that. I guess out little bundle will have enough to wear anyways dear eh?
I think Marg is foolish to do everything that the Simpsons want her to do. She is too easy with them. If she doesn’t watch out she is going to harm herself.
Boy wouldn’t it be nice dear if the war was over by this time next year. Little Donna would only be a year old then and couldn’t we have an awful lot of fun together dear but as you say we are still young and we have lots of fun ahead of us. I am glad that you have that blanket with you dear as you say it will help you keep warm dear along with the little baby growing inside of you. I can’t hardly wait to meet them.
Well darling I am afraid that is about all for now but I will write you again on Saturday or Sunday and so darling, I’ll just close by saying that I love you dear from the bottom of my heart.
All my love,

Bill

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Hello Dearest

Well darling, I finally have your address and I now have a chance to write to you and let you know all the news from home and seeing as you were just here on leave there is not that much you do not already know.
Bill darling, it was certainly lovely having you at home and what made it extra special was that I did not have to go to work during the day and that we were able to spend so much time together . I want to let you know that those times when we would just be at home together making breakfast and sitting and listening to the radio were some of the most wonderful times. I know it was only for a few days but I think dear that this was what I expected married life to be and if this is what will happen in the future once our little baby comes along I will be very happy.
Your Mom and Pop were certainly very glad to have us stay with them while you were here, and I think that the extra company really did wonderful things for your mom seeing as she has been quite lonely as of late.
As you know dear I have been doing a little knitting here and there as I am no longer at work. I think that my knitting is getting quite good and I am hopeful that I will have a few items of clothing for the baby when it arrives in April.
Darling, I think I can now tell you the biggest news that we have around here. Marg came over last night after supper and she let Mom Pop and me know that she is expecting. She is not sure how far long she is, but I think she is thinking that the baby will be due some time in September. At first I thought how wonderful that will be that she will have a little one in the same year as I do and that they might grow up together and be very close like Marg and I are. And then reality hit us all and we now know that she will have to live with the Simpsons until Ted is done with his services. I cannot even begin to think of how they will treat her while she is expecting and even when the baby comes I am sure Marg will have a rough go of it. She did have a good cry with us, and I am not even sure if they were happy tears or not. Either way dear, I said that I will be there for her and that she could have some of the new born clothes once I am finish with them and that seemed to cheer her up.
Darling, I am wondering when you will get you next 48 leave and when you think you will be coming home? I guess I am now getting spoiled seeing as you are so much closer to home than you were when you were in Halifax. And I am hoping that this war will be over before too long and that you will be home for good. Dear, when do you hear from the Army office about your examination and what you are going to do about the Air Force. I am hoping that you will be able to stay where you are and not have to transfer somewhere far away.
I am feeling fine dear, even though I am eating like a horse and that I am always so darn hot. I guess the baby is going to run hot, or is like this with everyone who is expecting. I guess Marg will let me know when it is her time.
Well dear I think I will sign off for now seeing as I have giving you big news to think about and let me know about your leave and please take a minute to write a few lines to your Mom and you Aunt as I think that they would really appreciate it.
So for now darling, loving you from the bottom of my heart, from your ever growing wife,

Doreen

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Hello Darling;

Well here it is Wednesday afternoon at 4:15 and things are rather quiet (as usual). I have just come in and I thought I would write you and let you know I have my leave pass in my pocket and I expect to have my 48 hour leave. So as far as I know I will be home on Friday at 5:15, boy I am really looking forward to this week at home. It is to bad that it isn’t the summer and we could go away up to the lake for a day or so.
I am at the canteen bar at the Corporal club tonight and tomorrow night. All I have to do is enter the club. All the Corporals get access to it about every 3 months. It is a good thing I don’t drink beer or I would certainly be using all my extra money sitting here in this lovely club. I am going to enter the quiz contest tonight I think. I have a friend who thinks that I would be a shoe in to win so you never really know.
Boy dear is it ever cold here, even the heat is struggling to get into the barracks at night. I certainly hope that Pop has the heat running at home so that I do not get frostbite!
I am letting my discharge stand as it is for the time being dear. I am going down to the Selective Service when I am home and get a medical examination off the record and see if I am fit for the Army. If I am I will cancel my application when I come home and if I am deemed unfit I will let things stand where they are today. They came and asked me the other day if I wanted to go to Moncton. I told them definitely not. So I just saw the one fellow they picked getting on the truck to leave for the station down there. Things are so uncertainly here in the R.C.A.F that I am really expecting anything to happen in the future. But I think that they way the war is going it will be over by July, but I have been saying that for over a year dear so you never really do know.
Well darling I had better close now so this will get away today in the evening post. But I will be seeing you Friday and before I close I was just wondering if there is anything special that you would like to do when I come home. Is there somewhere special that you would like to go, or maybe something nice that you would like to see specifically a picture show? Whatever you decide darling I will be more than happy just to be with you. And so dearest all my love to you and our daughter to be.
Love,

Bill

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Hello Darling;

Well dear I’ve finally got time to write my little wife a letter. Well here it is over a week since I left Toronto and it certainly has gone fast. I think I can get 48 hours leave next weekend but I think I will wait until the following weekend.
Well dear I have not really had much spare time on my hands but, I did go to a couple of shows last week boy do they ever get real new pictures here. The one on Tuesday night was “The Gangs All Here” a musical with Alice Faye, Kenny Goodman etc. and it was a a good show. the other show on Thursday night was “As Thousands Cheer”. I guess you have heard about it dear, neither one has been shown in Montreal yet and from what I hear we are going to her all our pictures just as new.
I went to the Air Force House on Wednesday night and that really is a good place. It is a huge home that a certain Lady Davis has given to the Air Force in memory of her son who was killed and there is everything a fellow would want to do there. The only trouble with this station is that it is so far from Montreal it take about an hour to get into town from here. I am going around with Bill Campbell the drummer and we took in a show last night downtown and dropped into a restaurant last night and had some real Italian spaghetti and was it good.
Well dear another one of the boys became a pop yesterday. They sent him a telegram telling him the good news. His name is Miller and he is from Toronto too, he didn’t go home but is getting his leave later. It is a little girl and is he ever proud but just wait until I become a Pop. I’m going to buy a real big box of cigars. By the way dear you have seen him and his wife down in Halifax, do you remember when we were out with the Simpsons and I mentioned to you I knew him? The MacBeth twins have brought their wives down here and a lot of the lads are finding places quite easily.
Well darling I hope that you made out OK with the Doctor on Thursday. I hoped to have a letter on Friday or Saturday so I would know but I guess that will be OK seeing as you have just received the mailing address and I am sure that it takes time for the mail to find its way to us seeing as we are all new here.
I think Norm went home again this weekend and he left Saturday afternoon and he only lives in Belleville. That takes about 4 hours to get there. I think that he is going to get engaged pretty soon, and not soon enough as far as I am concerned.
I am going to write my Mom and Dad tomorrow but tell my Pop I could have 10 orders for rings like mine, all the lads think the ring is pretty swell.
Gee darling we had a lot of fun on my leave didn’t we and you look lovelier every time I see you dear. I think that you are going to be a very lovely little mother and so darling I’ll just close by saying I love you very much and write soon.
All my love,

Bill

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Hello darling

Well here it is Sunday night dear and I’ve finally been able to sit down and write you a letter. I’m in my room right now and the temperature is about 15 below but it really is very comfortable in the barracks tonight.
Before I forget dear, I wanted to give you the address of where you can write me, it is, CPL William A Lewis, R115161 No 1 “Y” Depot, Lachine PQ. Now you have all you need to get those letters coming. Make sure that you let my folks know where they can send their letters as well.
I am going to the station show as soon as I finish this as there is a spooky picture on and you know how I like those kind of pictures.
I arrived back from Ottawa Saturday and had a nice time there. It was very cold however. I imagine that you have read in the papers about us getting discharged to the Army. We don’t have to get out of the Air Force unless we want to so I am going to go down to the army recruiting centre when I come home next week and see if I’m physically fir for the army or not. If I am I am going to stay in the R.C.A.F and if I am not I will take my discharge. I don’t know how I will fair in account for my eyes in the Army.
I have had a very quiet day today sleeping most of the day and a little reading. I went to Church this morning and it was very good, although you could see your breath in the church it was so cold. As far as I know my leave will start next Monday and I am due for my 48 hour leave so I will be home Friday night anyway, unless you here different you can count on me Friday.
And how is our little girl getting on? As well as ever I hope. I saw Casanova Brown the other night and if you think I’m fussy when it comes to babies you should see this, it really is very good though.
I got a new pair of shoes the other day, they are a little wide but I will wear them around the station. I also got a new pari of boots.
I would love to have a picture of you and all your beautiful pregnant self down here dear, so if you can manage it. I think it would be very nice dear to get one taken someday when it is not to cold or if you would rather wait until I came home so I could help you it is entirely up to yourself.
You should have let me have that big knitted blanket that you have on you bed dear. I had 6 blankets on me last night and one underneath, but I guess I will just have to struggle along.
I’m certainly looking forward to being home with you for a week dear, boy I really think I’m lucky to be getting home so often again and I just keep thanking the Lord for it as well. I really believe that is why I’ve been so lucky so far. I’ve seen Bert McKee a couple of times lately. He was supposed to have gotten his 48 hour leave this weekend but it was cancelled.
Well darling I’m afraid that is all for now but I’ll write you on Wednesday and let you if I am definitely coming home next week and so for now dear, from the bottom of my heart,
All my love,

Bill

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Bill has been posted to Lachine QC

Hello Darling;

Well here is is Sunday afternoon dear and as it is so darn cold out I thought I would drop you the few lines that I had promised you when I left.
I had a very good train trip dear and dozed off for most of the trip and arrived here about 7:15, it certainly was nice compared to that awful trip down to Halifax.
I was talking to that soldier that was in the station with those 2 girls when you dropped me off in Toronto, he was from Halifax but was engaged to the small girl that was with him. I certainly felt sorry for him to go all that way and leave his little girl behind.
Well as I said we arrived at 7:15 and I think that the temperature was about 20 below zero and there is about 10 inches of snow, it is quite a bit warmer today and is altogether very nice. I think we are going to have a real swell station down here in Lachine and it should be lovely in the summer. Maybe you and the baby can come down for a week once everything is settled with the baby.
Well darling lets talk about the sweetest little wife in the world thats you of course. I can’t get over how really lovely you are looking. I think that marriage must be agreeing with you. We should do it more often, what do you say? There is only one thing I ask dear and that is for you to take real good care of yourself.
I certainly had a swell time on my leave dear. I’m sorry that I could not take you dancing but I didn’t think that you wanted to go yourself and we will have lots of time for that later on won’t we? I loved seeing everybody at New Years and we certainly did have a swell time at home with family and friends. I really enjoyed having Beverley sit on my knee and just think before long I will have one of my very own to bounce up and down. The house looked wonderful with all the Christmas decorations still up and dear, sitting with you listening to the radio was all I ever wanted. Gee dear I get excited when I think of the big day in April coming and yet we haven’t made any good suggestions for names. I think Donna is a nice name for a girl but what about a boy, I have not even thought of a good name.
Dear, I have got some bad news for you, my pipe broke. I think that it must have been the cold or there must have been a flaw in it. I don’t know whether it will do any good or not but I’ll send it down to you and you could take it back and see what you could do dear because I didn’t drop it or anything and it shouldn’t have broke so soon anyway.
I haven’t had much chance to get into town yet, things have bene so busy but I think I’ll get down this week sometime. I was talking to Bert, you know the fellow with the little wife, anyways he brought her down and she is staying at some rooming house downtown but Bert is looking for another place for her. Darling, once I get things settled down here and I know where you can send the mail I will let you know and that way any letters that you write me will not get lost in the post so hold on writing until I let you know ok?
I’m getting all the chocolate bars I want down here dear so don’t worry about anything like hat and so for now dear, all my love and hoping to se you in 3 or 4 weeks.
Your loving husband,

Bill

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Hello darling;

I have just finished reading your letter darling and although it was rather short I was very glad to receive it. I also got a card from Irene and 2 letters, one with a cheque for $5 and one with a cheque for $10 from my aunts so that was very nice wasn’t it?
Well honey we are moving next week for sure so I’ll let you know as soon as I possibly can. I’ll try and phone around Wednesday or Thursday night. I’ll call about midnight so you won’t be out but I’ll be home if it is the last thing that I do darling.
I have not done very much at all dear lately. They have taken our motion picture machines out and all Norm and I do is shoot pool. We are sleeping with the band now and they say we are going to have a big dance Saturday night but darling I can’t have any fun without you dear. I certainly think of you an awful lot and I do a lot of planning and hoping for us after the war and I can’t wait until April comes around to see whether we have a little boy or a little girl and you know which one I am leaning towards. It will not make a difference to me honey, but I think a little girl would be nice so see what you can do about that eh?
I went to the station to put some boys on the train last night and what a crowd. I hate to think about travelling at Christmas but I guess we will have a special coach when we go so that is alright. Do you remember when you came down dear what a time we had. I can still see you, boy, I thought you looked lovely in your new coat (and even your white boots HA HA). I guess absence makes the heart grow fonder and just think dear I’ll be seeing you in a week, the time would have gone so slow but as I am going to be real busy it should go fast.
Have you got a Christmas tree yet dear? I hope so and we will just pray that we will be all together next year and little Willie will be there with us with his hockey stick and skates. Unless it is little Doreen in which case she will be there with her little dolls. Either way as the little one will be so young we can just get them a teddy bear.
I hope you are taking good care of yourself darling and it will be a load off my mind when you quit work tomorrow for good and I want you to get lots of rest and sleep but I guess you should get a little experience too but your mother should be able to keep you in line with little Beverly.
Well dear I think that is about all for now but I just want to say that I hope you have a really swell Christmas but don’t have too much to eat and I think I might have a nice surprise for you darling so keep up your chin.
your loving husband,

Bill

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P.S – please say Merry Christmas to your folks and be sure an tell mine the same. I love you very very much.

Hello Darling;

Well here it is Sunday afternoon dear and I have just finished reading your letter and the Toronto Star. We are still down here but I think that my next letter will be from somewhere else so if you don’t hear from me for a while you will know what is the trouble. I have not heard anything definite yet dear but I’ll let you know as soon as I possibly can.
I mailed my cards this morning so I guess that was in good time, but the mail call will be very slow I imagine.
I’ve had an awful quiet week, they have moved the projectors out of the Rec Hall but I went to the Casino Thursday night and to the Capital Saturday night. I went to church this morning and we had a real nice Christmas Service. We were expecting an R.A.F boys choir but they didn’t arrive in time for the service.
Norm and I were the first there and we were asked to be the ushers to hand out the hymn books so I guess I have done my bit for the day.
Have you enough money to do your shopping over the holidays dear? If you haven’t take some out of the bank account and buy yourself some nice things and how about a nice new nightie….oh yes you have a nice new one already haven’t you dar and don’t be surprised if I see you in it about 2 weeks today because I’ll try and get home if it is the last thing that I do (but you know your husband and how much i want to be with you darling). Take really good care of yourself next week darling and get lots of rest and don’t wot too hard.
I received my mothers letters and was glad to get all the local gossip, you had a better tell her to have an extra place sitting at the table on New Years day as I could certainly make short work of a turkey right now.
I guess Beverley is pretty excited about Christmas or does she understand about Santa Claus dear. I guess that you have bought her something from us dear – just think dear we will be buying little things for our own little gift next year.
Well dear I have just come back from having supper, it was beans and a salad and some cake. Norm and I dropped into the canteen for a snack after the show last night and they had about 4 big trays of chocolate cake and about 3 or 4 of cupcakes. They couldn’t get rid of them and they were certainly good and I think that I ate my fair share to the point that I was very tired and went to my bed after we had the cake.
I’m reading a good book dear, its titled “The Strong Women” boy what a story, What a Woman! What a time!, it certainly is a hot one.
Well darling I hope that in my next letter I will be able to tell you definitely where I am going and I think it should be good and so darling for now, all my love
Your loving husband,

Bill

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