Dear Folks,

Well this is just a short one to let you know I got back (from leave). I am writing this in bed so that may account for the writing being a bit queer.

I have once more struck one of my decisive blows for victory. I was over Kiel last night bombing so it just shows that the country can’t get along without me for very long. I did not get to bed until about 6 a.m. so I’m feeling pretty tired. It was a pretty rotten trip. Our Met people forecast fine weather over the target area and the clouds we ran into went up to 18000 ft. It was pretty cold up there (the temperature was) minus 30 C. which in terms of degrees of frost was 54 degrees below zero according to the old household thermometer. We managed to find Kiel though some of the blokes didn’t. We flew around for a short while but could not get a break in the clouds to see our particular target so we just waited until we were in the centre of a ring of flak and searchlights and let them go. By some ironical trick of fate no sooner had we done that than we got a small break in the clouds and managed to see exactly where we were. Our bombs dropped somewhere in the residential area but what they hit we will never know. I was too fed up to care where or what they hit. It serves them right for firing at us anyway. Well. that’s all there is to say about my latest death defying feat so I’ll say no more.

Now before I forget—I did not get a chance to thank the people at the hospital before I left so do it for me will you. Well if I don’t get up soon I’ll be too late for dinner so I’ll have to get up I suppose. I’ll see if there is anything I can think of writing about after dinner. Well all I can think of is that one of the old Carlisle boys has arrived here. He was at Cottismore. The time is now about three in the afternoon and I am still wearing my pyjamas under a uniform and a polo neck sweater of course so I think I’ll close now and get dressed.

Cheerio Auf Wiederhoren
Jack.