608 Squadron

Postmarked Rockcliffe M.P.O AU 29 41
Written on RCAF stationery

AC2 H. Webb
R103489
RCAF
Security Guard
Rockcliffe Station
Ottawa

Dear Mom:-

Well I got your parcel O.K. yesterday. Thanks a lot for it. It was pay day
to-day so I'll send you some more money. Next time I go into town I'll get
some postcards of Ottawa and send them to you so you can see what Ottawa is
like. I got a 24 hr pass on Sunday night so I can get them on Monday. I have
to do 48 hrs duty now so I can;t get in to town yet.

Boy it sure gets chilly at night time now. On Wednesday night we were wearing
our great-coats out on post. Boy we sure needed them. Next clothing parade
I am going to try to get my second blue uniform and cap and winter underwear.
We'll soon need that.

By the way how is Billie feeling now. Is he still bothered with his stomach.

How are Dad and yourself keeping. I see the doctors are afraid of this
sleeping sickness starting in the east and there is also some danger of
infantile paralysis again.

Well, one of our fellows went to sleep on post and the sergeant caught him.
He has been in the guardhouse for 2 days now. He is coming up for trial
to-morrow and it looks like it will be pretty bad for him. The minimum
penalty the can give him is 28 days in Kingston. It will make it rather hard
for him to get his "wings." The fellows are all ready to squack to the
sergeant for pressing charges.

It was Richardson;s first offense. Some of the other fellows had been asleep
3 or 4 times and got away with it.

How is Jackie getting on. Is he still disgusted with the air force. A couple
of our fellows beat up a fellow in Ottawa who had been kicked out of the air
force, because he had been running it down. Well, I can't think of anything
else to say so I'll write to you later on. Good by for now.

Your loving son

Herb

Written on RCAF stationery, included in the same envelope
AC2 H. Webb
R103489

Postmarked Rockcliffe M.P.O AU 26 41
Written on RCAF stationery

AC2 H. Webb
R103489
RCAF
Security Guard
Rockcliffe Station
Ottawa

Dear Mom:-

Well I haven't got a great deal to say. I have to go out on shift in a little
while and it is raining cats and dogs outside. I think it has been raining
nearly every night since I have been here.

Well, I had a 24 hr pass from 4:00 Friday till 4:00 Sat.

I went into town with Bill Richmond and Murray Marshall, 2 fellows from
Hamilton. We went to a show and saw "A Woman's Face" with Joan Crawford. It
was very good. Later we went to a restaurant and had supper and then as there
was still time we went to another show and saw Bob Hopen in "Caught in the
Draft." It's really worth seeing.

We got a bunk at the "Y" for a quarter. SLept in till 10:30 then went for a
swim in the "Y" pool and later had lunch in the "Y" restaurant. I had Fried
Ham with French Fried Potatoes, fresh Tomatoes, coffeee, and Banana Cream pie.

Saturday afternoon we went to the Ottawa Exhibition and had a good time there.
We weren't on duty this morning so we were out drilling. We have some new
officers that have just joined up. They are veterans of the last war. They
were drilling us this morning and they certinly made a mess of it. They
didn't know any thing. The one that was drilling my squad had a flight
sergeant standing there telling him the order and then the officer got them
wrong. I could have done better myself.

Well I'm starting my fourth week down here now so I guess it won't be so very
long before I'm moved. I hope I move back to Toronto.

I'm sorry to hear that Billie isn't feeling very well. I hope he gets better
pretty quick.

How is Dad doing nowadays.

By the way is there any chance of you sending that blue scarf I got from the
shop down here, it gets pretty chilly out on post during the night. Have I
any underwear shorts hanging around there at all. I could use some more.

Well, I guess that's about all I have to say for now so good bye for now.

Your loving son

Herb

Postmarked Rockcliffe M.P.O AU 21 41
Written on RCAF stationery

AC2 H. Webb
RCAF
Security Guard
Rockcliffe Station
Ottawa Ont.

Dear Mom:-

Well I got back to camp allright. I got in at 8:10 in the morning, had
breakfast and then I went to the Ottawa Exhibition with Charlie Pleuman. I
met him coming back again, I had a swell time there. I'm writing this letter
with a pen that I won there.

When I got back in camp at about 3:10 I had to get my last typhoid inoculation
so I'm finished with them for a while now. Then I went down and got my pay
and went on duty again so this is the first chance I have had of writing to
let you know that I got back OK. They still didn't take any money out of my
pay so I'll send you some with this letter. I'd like to send more but I guess
I'll be able to send some on later whenever I get any to spare.

I go down to the pay office when I get time and see about them sending the
money to you.

I had a swell trip down. I got a really nice car at Toronto with adjustable
seat and air-condition so I slept most of the way down.

Well Mom, there is really nothing much to say just now so I'll write you again
also to Billie and Roy. Good bye for now.

Your loving son

Herb

PS. Let me know if you got the money allright.

Herb

Postmarked Rockcliffe M.P.O AU 18 41
Written on RCAF stationery

F/C2 H. Webb
R103489
RCAF
Security Guard
Rockcliffe Station
Ottawa
Aug 16th

Dear Mom:-

Well I got you parcel on Thursday night. And it was swell. This is the first
chance I have hadto write to you and thank you for it as I have been on duty
for 3 days now and will be until Sunday night. That makes 4 straight days on
duty.

Our whole outfile did 2 days duty in order to get their 48 hr pass, but some
of the other guards went on at 8 so 10 of us had to stay including me so we
have the 4 days. We hope to get our 48 starting Sunday. Of course there
won't be much to do except go to a show in town or something but it will be a
break. It is to far to Hamilton and costs too much money on the train so I
won't get that far. May be I can get some place in a plane as we can act as
part of the crew if there is a plane going where we want when we are on pass
or leave.

Marshall tried to get back to Hamilton yesterday. There was a plane going to
Camp Borden so he got his name down for it but the trip was cancelled so he
started hitch hiking last night. I think it is to far to hitch hike myself.

Have you heard what Grant is doing now. Has he left B.C. yet?

Well I really haven't got much to say except to thank you again for the
parcel. May be you can get Viv to make some fudge next time.

Well, I drop you a line later on so good bye for now.

Your loving son

Herb

PS. How is Jackie getting on?

Herb

Postmarked Rockcliffe M.P.O AU 13 41
Written on RCAF stationery

F/C2 H. Webb
RCAF R103489
Security Guard
Rockcliffe Station
Ottawa

Dear Mom:-

Well how are things back home. So every thing going off all right with you.
I guess Bill's holidays will be over pretty soon.

I went into Ottawa for the first time on Saturday morning. It was really not
much. The Parliament Buildings and Chateau Laurier are about the only
interesting spots.

I bought one of those telegraph sets that Dad was talking about. You know
like Mr. Nichols has. I thought it would help me learn my wireless.

I got my laundry back from Toronto. I got everything back except 2 hankies
but they gave me 2 that were not mine so I broke even although they were
coloured ones.

I got a letter from Roy and Viv on Monday and sent them one back Monday.

I'm still waiting for that parcel though. Maybe it will be here soon. I
hope.

Did Roy ever get that roll of films developed. If he did I'd like to get some
prints of them. I haven't got a picture of any of you here at all. Well
there is really not much to say. So I quit now and write you later.

Your loving son

Herb

Postmarked Rockcliffe M.P.O AU 9 41
Written on RCAF stationery

F/C2 H. Webb
R103489
RCAF
Security Guard
Rockcliffe Station
Ottawa, Ont

Dear Mom

Well, I'm still O.K. and getting along fine here although I think we were gypped on this guard business though as there is a lot of fellows (pilots and observers) leaving Toronto to-day (Aug 8) and going straight to Initial Training School and not having guard duty at all. I guess we were the last lot to get it.

The First day I was on duty I was in the Station Guard Orderly Room. I started at 11:00 at night till 5:00 in the mornings then again at 11:00 in the morning till 5:00 at night. 12 hours all together. Of course I just sat there but it was a long time. The second time I was on duty I was guarding the aeroplanes and hangars down by the river. I went on last night at 5:00 till 7:00 then 11:00 till 1:00 and then this mnorning at 5:00 till 7:00 so I was through by 7:00 this morning till 4:00 tonight. We get a 24 hour pass at 4:00 to night till 4:00 tomorrow and then start on guard duty again.

As I had nothing to do this afternoon I got through stores and got a summer uniform. It's over the tailors being fixed up now and another pair of boots. The boots are repaired ones but they are pretty good.

Yes mom the meals are pretty good here, in fact. I think they are better than what we had at Toronto. Of course I don't care for the salads they have at supper but I can always buy a sandwich or a hot dog at the canteen for a nickel. Chocolate bars are only 4 c as are 1/2 pints of chocolate milk.

It's too bad the stadium had to burn down but I bet it made a swell blaze. I guess you couldn't keep Dad away from the games if he had to stand in the ashes to watch it.

So Vic has started to gad about. It must be quite a novel sensation to him. Tell him to be careful and not stray from the straight and narrow path now that he is releasing all that energy he as kept pent up all these years.

I can't say I've started to gad about yet as I have not been out of barracks since I've been here so I can't tell you what Ottawa is like although the boys say there isn't much to it. I would like to see the changing of the guard on Parliament Hill one of these days. The guards alternate between the ARmy and the R.C.A.F. although I don't know if it is shift by shift or day by day. They are special guards and are supposed to be pretty good.

No, Mom, I haven't heard from Grant since just before I left Toronto and I haven't wrote. I guess I should have but we don't get a great deal of time as when we are not on duty we drill all day the next day on duty we get pretty tired. I guess I'd better wait and make sure if he does move or not. You can let me know give me his new address if any.

Well I'll be looking forward to that parcel. I hope there is some more fudge in it, tell Viv that it was swell. May be I'll get my laundry from Toronto at the same time. It's not here yet but I guess it will take time as it would not have been ready until Thurs.

Well I hope I get moved back to Toronto for my Initial Training School because then I'll be able to get home and see you again.

Well I guess there's not much more to say except do tell Bill to write so I can answer. I can't think of any thing to say to him as it is and I'd like to write to him.

Well, I guess that's that so give my love to everyone there.

So long for now, Mom.

Your loving son

Herb


PS. Note the address at top of this letter as it is correct and saves the clerk a lot of trouble.

Love

Herb

Postmarked Rockcliffe M.P.O AU 4 41
Written on RCAF stationery

F/C2 H. Webb
R103489
RCAF
Rockcliffe Airport
Ottawa, Ont

Dear Mom:-

Well we got here all right. We left Toronto at 10:30 and got here at about
8:00. It was about 9:00 by the time we got to the airport.

Boy! What a trip. It's pretty hard to sleep on one of those train seats. I
got a pillow for 25 cents so that helped a bit. And dirty! Everything was
black with soot by the time we got here. I'm glad you did not stay to see me
off as it makes it easier to go if there is no one there.

Well it is a pretty nice place here. It's laid out like a summer camp. We
are in huts like down at Niagara. The hospital and post office and Mess hall
and places like that are in big buildings like big-shots houses. The air-port
itself is a little ways down on the river bank. There are quite a few planes
there. There is another air-port on the other side of town called Up lands
that is where all the big Trans Canada planes land. The breakfast they put up
this morning was swell. Fried eggs and ham, toast and tea and corn-flakes.

The wash-room is all fixed up swell with separate sinks and modern toilets
etc.

Well I guess there is not much more to say just now except to give my love to
Dad, Bill, Roy and Viv and ask you to write me soon.

Good bye for now, Mom.


Your loving son

Herb