4 November 1945

Taunton, Somerset
4 November 1945

Dear Mom,

Arrived here Thursday noon. Started right
in by working that afternoon. We were supposed
to be in an Overseas Section just like we were at
Dinton. This base isn’t shipping much stuff
out yet, so they don’t need but four men
in that office. I’m working in a warehouse
office. Erwin, Schalliol, Rose, and Armbruster
are in the Overseas Section. From the pictures –
Lee & Chaney have already gone home, Hilton,
Ireland, and Leiber are leaving sometime
this month. Laudon is going to school in France
and the the [sic] rest of us are here.

Here’s a couple of pictures from the
Torquay trip. It’s about 100 or 150 ft. to
a rocky beach.

I sent two boxes home right before I left
Dinton. One was letters that I’ll read over
some rainy day and the other was a little
bit of everything mostly books and papers.

This base is quite different from Dinton.
There are only 450 American soldiers. The rest
of the personnel are British soldiers, A.T.S. (British WACs)
civilians (male & female), and Jerry PW’s.
We live in brick barracks, have good food,
a nice shower, a big Recreation Hall and
Post theater. It’s a great deal better than
BAD#4. We go to work at 8: and quit at 5:30 with
a break for tea morning and afternoon. Dinner
from 12:30 to 1:15. A little longer day than
at Dinton. The town is pretty much like
Salisbury – three picture shows and the Red Cross.

I’m afraid that this year creeped up on
me. I didn’t manage to save any money
for this Christmas. I’ll pick up some knick-
knacks of some sort over here. They won’t
amount to much but it’s the best I can do.

Will you ask Dad to send another pound of
that same pipe tobacco?

What is Loyd doing now? I imagine that
he’s still enjoying that vacation. About
thirty men re-enlisted here so they could get that
90 days at home. Most of them are low point
men that want to spend this peace-time
Christmas at home. I thought about it but
rejected the idea. They’re selling three months
for twelve. That’s not a good bargain.

Love to all,
Lawrence