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Copy of Letter No. 5 from Sgt. Pilot Murray Wilson.
Mon. 11th. August '41
It is now a week since I last wrote to you - or anyone else for that matter - but it is rather exasperating to be doing rather interesting things and not be able to tell you about them. We had a day in port yesterday and got ashore for a couple of hours. It was the first feel of dry land we'd had for ages and I can tell you it wae very welcome. This ship is nice and roomy and quite comfortable, but by the time we reach our ultimate destination, we are going to be heartily sick of it.
Things are not as we expected - not at all - haven't seen a decent sized wave yet, although we have had our little mon about the weather, Its been stinking hot, A lot of the boys have been sleeping on deck to get away from the heat and stuffiness below. Had a go at it myself a couple of times, but our ¢cabib is not too bad and it is a lot of bother lug<:ing mattresses etc., around the place and now it has cooled off a bit, I don't think I'll be doing it any more. I was most surprised to find out that the temperature of the sea water was $4 degrees a few days ago. When I was on the "Cooks Tour" job of the engine room, I got a bit friendly with one of the engineere down there
and he's told me quite a bit about it all. The lowest temp. we got dom to
was 54 degrees. With such hot water around us the ship has been a bit stif- ling. However we have always got the swimming pool although ef course thats pretty warm toc,
The old blackout job is not bad at all this weather, I've been on the shifts
up till midmight 211 the time so far and quite often it made no difference
being on or off duty. We would be on deck in any ecee. It is pleasant to sit out on the deck or wander around these nights, but it will be a different tale when it starts to get cold again. Still I've plenty of togs te keep
cs warm "ee = 4 2
Our little jaunt ashore yesterdsy was great. It was a funny little spet we called in at and the tomm - a funny little snot too - was about ten miles aray. Out money was no good, but everyone managed to get a bit of the loeeal @oin and see the torn - plenty of taxie to tuke us there - and get beck to
the ship again - tired, but darn glad of the break and very pleased te have
geen it all. A few days before that we had a most interesting day but the rules of the game won't let me tell you of it. We stopped for a while but didit get any leave - bad show. oe We had to hand our cameras in 2 week ago and haven't got them back yet. I'd have loved to have had it yesterday, there ws miles of meterial for some decent pictures - but no camera. ; art ednesday, 13th. Well, it is still just the same old round of things end mot much te tell you. Yesterday was as hot as the very devil and the night was stifling. I ws on blackout frem 12 till 2 and the deck wae the only place that was at all comfortable ~ even there it was pretty worm. The eapin - with the prthole closed - was nt much good for sleeping, but I stay- ed there from 2 o'clock onwards as the lads on deck get shot off very early in the morning by the erew scrubbing down the deck, and at six Beb da the porthole and I slent until nearly nine so came out of it oretty weil. I just got the camera back, 8° I'll get soje m@e snaps. I haven't been able to get any vrinted yet, put got = few developed and the negatives look quite good. When I get something decent I'll send it to you. | | We seen to spend most or the day reading now, of course I’e got a few books there and could do s me swot, but I'd be very much alone and anyhow I don t feel like it. Its 2 bit nerd to concentrate on boorg shin so I'm not trying,
; . xo @ a bit about photography. At our first part after ay oe uivcien at he ait Local ine came good with a lot of magazines.
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