Letters relating to William Arthur Allsopp - Part 3

The start was supposed to be a standing
one but the gun went off as soon
as one of the Kiwi's boats touched
the line and we were left at the
peg by about six lengths. Anyhow
we paddled like hell for a while
head down, going for our life
And the next thing we knew we
had rammed the Pommies right in

the middle, while the other crew
were well ahead. Anyhow it served
to disorganise the race and the
others were recalled, and as we
were paddling I heard the cox -
who was a Canadian from the
Club - muttering to himself that it
would take a pretty good crew
to leave him at the post and get
away with it. But he picked a
bad markin when he decided
to sabotage the Pommies as they
squealed like hell, and wanted us
to give them our canoe as we had
 

caused the damage. However they
repaired the boat mostly with
chewing gum and off we went
again and again we were very
badly away. We drew the worst
alley of the lot, right on the bank,
with a bend about 100 yards ahead.
And we caught the wash of all
the other boats. Anyway we never
looked like catching the Kiwis
and the other Australian crew
were just as bad. We were having
a great battle for third place with
the Pommies when their chewing gum
became unstuck and down
they went. Didn't they go crook
when they came back to shore
and to cap it all by the time
by the time they got their boat
out, all the beer the club had
provided had been drunk, so
they left us in disgust.

The crowd seemed to like it, and
some old codger got up and told
us what great fellows we were
and England could never lose with
fellows like us around, so we gave
him three hearty cheers and everybody
felt happy. So you can see we are
quite falling into line with them
with their boloney. It got dashed
hot here last week, but it was a
dry sort of heat, when you felt your
shirt you could almost hear it 
crackle. When it gets warm like
this the people start looking for the
northern nights as these usually
presage a change in the weather.
They only appear when clouds are about
so they are pretty safe, and seem to
be like hundreds of searchlights
each ray independant of the other, or
on other occasion like blankets
hung in the sky. When a storm
does come the lightning goes
 

for hours and hours  without any rain
falling.
We are spending most of our time
now on the Wireless and morse
code but are not expert enough to

pick up Lochey Melveilli's broadcasts
yet. we are also working on direction
finding of the planes that the senior
flights are practicing in, and now and
again we pick up some very choice
language. You used to go crook at
the noise of the buzzer on the wireless
so you know how it would be to
have it buzzing in your ears for
an average of four hours a day,
though what comes over is usually
a thrilling murder story so it keeps
us a bit interested. They have some
gun turrets here and they are
truely marvellous the ease with
which they work, and there is a
lot more room in them than
what we were led to believe.

Every Sunday we have church Parade
and we have a french Canadian
priest who goes through all the
actions as he speaks and cracks
all the jokes about the peace. I

suppose you have the V for Victory
craze over there, they have all
gone mad here and goes around wearing
all the badges about the place,
the women wear V shaped hats.
And we even rowed up the river
in V formation.
I have enclosed a photo of the
passing out parade, when some of
the boys received their wireless
badges. In case you would like to
know where I was, it was in the
flight that is cut off on the right.
And all the other fellow from us
on have to pass out before we do
How are things at home. Tell
Jacky to write and tell me all the
winners, and how he is beating

the books at the All height meetings
I hope Pop is picking a few winners.
He ought to come over here as the
best backed horse in the last
few minutes always seems to win.
Remember me to all the neighbours
and give my love to yourself and
all the family so I will close
now with lot of love, and hoping
you are well.
Bill
 

411063 L.A.C.Allsopp W.A.

NO. 3 Wireless School

Winnipeg

Manitoba.

Canada.

11th July 41

Dear Mum.

I thought I had better write seeing

I have a bit of time now that our initial

exams are over. A few of the results are out

and so far I am doing alright though they

dont count as anything and were pretty

easy only being so that the instructors

could get an idea of how many dumb bells

he had on his hands

There is no doubt that this is the

home of variable weather as one day it is

90° or so and the next about 60° with winds

that go right through you. They laugh at us

Australians getting around with sweaters on

in the middle of summer and want to know

what we are going to do when it gets really

cold in a couple of months time. I think you

had better send over a bottle of Beenleigh

Rum to tide me over.  I have been keeping

pretty fit, getting most of the fat off me.

Got a bit sick of eating bacon the other

day as a few of us went to town and had

a feed of steak & eggs. They couldn't quite get

the idea of the combination but we ended

up paying about 5/6 for it but it was worth

it. Another couple of fellows and myself

have discovered an extra good way of

spending our spare time by joining up a

canoeing club. This is one of the favourite

sports here and its pretty good. paddling

around the river and if you tire of that

go either swimming, golfing or playing tennis

untill about ten o'clock and then dancing

afterwards. It is a pretty select club run mostly

for young business men and girls, and

all the "nicest" girls frequent there. They

have a few regattas and they put the idea

to us to put in an Australian team against

a New Zealand one, rowing or paddling rather,

Indian war canoes, 15 men to a boat

so there ought to be a bit of fun when it

comes off. The river they paddle on is quite

a big one, you could put the Peel in about

twenty times and the clubhouse is

very much what you see on the screen

depicting country clubs.

The people there are very friendly indeed,

and some how or other we have got

hold of some very nice girls with cars

who drive us out and deliver us back

to camp on time so we are doing alright

for ourselves in this country. They have an

idea which Jack would like very much

of dancing cheek to cheek, but it doesnt

appeal to me very much as I have to

concentrate on where my feet go too much,

so the girls dont know what a risk they

take, and are likely to have an ear

bitten off any time. We have the dickens of a

time making people understand what

we are talking about as according to them,

we speak too rapidly, so we have had to

slow down considerably, or otherwise it goes

right over their heads; but altogether

we are having a extra good time.

As we get further into the course

the more interesting it becomes, and is

right in my line as nearly 50% of the

time is taken up with raids, and the course

runs along the same lines as the one I was

following. In fact I am that keen on it

now that I wouldn't swap for any

other part of our crew. The fellows here are a

great lot, the Canadians being the wildest

fellows you will ever meet. I was originally

in their flight with about ten other Australians

but now I am with the New Zealanders,

owing to a Canadian turning up who

had be awol. And I had to shift seeing

I was the first on the Australian list,

to make room for him.

They held their first graduation

day last Friday, about 150 fellows

receiving their wireless emblems midst

all the boloney in the world and witnessed

by half the population of Winnnipeg. An

Australian finished top of the course with

97% followed by four other Australians

with 94% so we must be a brainy lot.

About 15 to 20 of the 150 were recommended

for Commissions so you can see that the

percentage is very small. After the reception

was over the school was thrown open

for inspection, and it was quite funny to

see the boys, trying to get introductions

to the [[jobs?]] that the graduating fellows were

leaving, so as to carry on the good work.