Aus No 407499,
Sgt Goode RM
C/o South Australia House,
Marble Arch
London W.1.
27/3/42.

Dear Everybody,

Am still at a station in the North of England. Have put in to do another course, don't know if they will let me as it means changing from Coastal Command to Fighter Command.

Before letting any finches go get Dad to price them at a Bird Shop, they will only give about half price for them, may be able to sell some privately. Could have bought Norwich Canaries for about 15/- a pair, & Coloured Gouldians are about 12/6 to 15/- (Red), Black Hearts 7/6 still it doesn't matter much, I'd rather the Canaries were all yellow, & if possible exchange some of the young ones for an old Cock Bird Roller (it improves the singing. Also change some of the other birds put a ring on each one exchanged & keep a note of date and ring colour & where from, change of blood improves the birds. Afraid more than one pair of Quail fight all the time so will have to keep the old birds; or one young one & get a mate in exchange.

Hope Airlie Reed is quite better now, she must have been very ill, I sent her a card some time ago.

Not much to write about here as we can't say anything about the station, & the country surrounding is not very interesting as there is no growth, all trees & hedges are quite bare. Don't get time to go further than a mile or two from the station.

Have been to Carlisle about 20 miles away by train, on the day off on Monday, we get one day a week. Weather is still very cold, still some heavy frosts, snow has been gone for several days now. This morning on Parade the pain was pretty bad in fingers & toes, not just cold but as if they had all been hammered.

Don't know if all my letters are going through. I write each week, even if theres not much to say.

Think I've got most of the Expresses up to date, another lot of papers came from Auntie Ted this week; this is the second lot I've received so far from Sydney. The last letters were dated 11th January so they have caught up a bit, got them about nine days ago.

So you have quite a lot of returned items now, quite a lot of things over here can't be obtained, & all rationed items must be bought & coupons given with them as we don't get coupons we can't buy them.

Hope eveyone is well.

Love, Ray