SOMEWHERE IN ENGLAND

3 OCTOBER 1943

DEAR FOLKS,

            AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THE ABOVE ADDRESS YOUR CORRESPONDENT IS BEGINNING TO SEE THE WORLD. THINGS HERE ARE NOT VERY MUCH DIFFERENT THAN IN THE STATES, ALTHOUGH THEE IS NO PLACE QUITE LIKE THE GOOD OLD USA.

            A FEW NIGHTS AGO I WENT INTO TOWN TO SEE A MOVIE SO I VISITED THE CINEMA AND SAW ONE OF THE GOOD OLD HOME MOVIES CALLED 7BROADWAY RYHTHM. THE SHOW WASN’T TOO BAD AT ALL AND IT MADE ME FEEL AS IF I WERE RIGHT BACK HOME AGAIN.

            TJEY DON’T HAVE VERY MANY AUTOS OVER HERE YOU KNOW AND YOU SEE MORE BICYCLES AROUND HERE IN A DAY THAN YOU WOULD SEE IN A YEAR AT HOME. TRANSPORTATION IS NOT SO GOOD SO YOU SOMETIMES FIND YOURSELF WALKING GREAT DISTANCES. IF YOU GO INTO TOWN YOU HAVE TO RETURN EARLY BECAUSE THE LAST BUS IS AT 10.15 AND IT IS QUITE A WALK TO WHERE WE ARE LOCATED.

            RIGHT NOW I AM LISTENING TO THE RADIO AND FRORTUNATELY THEY PLAY MOSTLY AMERICAN MUSIC OVER HERE. PROBABLY I WILL GO INTO TOWN AGAIN SOON TO SEE ANOTHER MOVIE BECAUSE FOR A FREW HOURS YOU THINK YOU ARE AT HOME AGAIN.

            I FIND MYSELF LOOKING IN THE WRONG DIRECTION OVER HERE. WHEN I TRY TO CROSS THE STREET BECAUSE THEY USE THE LEFT HAND DRIVE AND YOU ALWAYS LOOK IN THE WRONG WAY. IT IS SORT OF A HABIT AFTER SO LONG DOING OR WAY AND THEN THIS IS JUST THE OPPOSITE.

            THERE ISN’T MUCH ELSE TO WRITE ABOUT. MANY THINGS THAT I COULD TELL YOU ABOUT AREN’T SUPPOSE TO BE TALKED ABOUT AND SO I WILL HAVE TO FORGET ABOUT ALL THAT.

            THIS IS A PRETTY SAD LOOKING ATTEMPT AT A LETTER BUT YOU WILL HAVE TO FORGIVE ME FOR BEING SO POOR A WRITER. SOMEONE WITH A GOOD HEAD WOULD BE ABLE TO MAKE THIS A VERY INTERESTING LETTER AND POOR YOU HAVE TO LISTEN TO THIS THAT I AM POUNDING OUT.

            WELL I GUESS THERE IS NO USE TRYING TO GO ANY FARTHER HERE SO I WILL BRING THIS MASTERPIECE OF LITERATURE TO A CLOSE NOW. YOU ARE LUCKY INDEED THAT YOU DO NOT HAVE TO READ ANY FARTHER. HOPE THAT I HAVE NOT PUT YOU TO SLEEP. IF SO WAKE UP NOW AND I’LL BE HOPING TO HEAR FROM YOU ONCE IN A WHILE NOW. JUST ADDRESS ME AT OTD-NYPE, 8TH STREET AND 1STAVEBYEM BROOKLYN, NY. BOY AM I HUNGRY FO MAIL NOW. I HAVEN’T HAD ANY MAIL NOW FOR QUITE SOMETIME AND I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW HOW THINGS ARE WITH YOU.

            SO-LONG FOR NOW AND DON’T FORGET TO DROP ME A LINE IF YOU GET A CHANGE NOW. REGARDS TO YOU FROM YOUR OLD COLLEAGUE.

                        Love to all at home. Hope you have heard from Joe lately.

            You may not here from me for awhile but don’t worry. I’ll probably wind up closer to home.

            Love,                                                               Tom