31/ Land and By Air

to be sent home to teach Navigation. We came home by the Isle de France and landed in New York while the war was still on, and the subs still active.

Our greeting on homecoming was for the birds - we landed in Montreal and were put on buses and sent to camp. They said the band was out playing for a Victory Drive, which was the reason why the troops were not given a welcome back from England. We landed in the rain and were told to go to hut 46 somewhere on the station, having to carry all the clothes I owned, in a heavy valise and a large duffle bag. I had to wander around in the rain until I found hut 46. They put the officers and other ranks in the same hut. Trying to get a shower was a problem. Someone took the officers’ raincoats. The next morning we had to stand in a parade in the rain, until a Wing Commander said “To Hell with this," and we left the parade.

The following day we were to be taken into the heart of Montreal. I was given a pass to go down to Boston to visit my father and sisters, but shortly after leaving, the bus broke down and I had to thumb my way into Montreal where I got a ticket to Boston. After I stayed there a week, my father decided to come back to Little Sands for the summer. While we were on our way to Prince Edward Island, World War II in Europe ended. I missed all the celebration and the wild time in Halifax.

We arrived in Charlottetown and took the bus to Little Sands. I must say I had a jolly old time. My car was waiting after two years. All I did was to get the battery out of the cellar, turn the key and away it went. Hector MacDonald was also home on leave.

I was on leave for a month, before going to Moncton, where I got my posting to Summerside, and

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