Letters To Home - July 9, 1951

Grafenwohr, Germany
July 9, 1951

Please forgive my not writing lately. We've been quite busy, looking over our territory, shooting, etc.

Last week we started maneuvers. The weather has been almost perfect. We moved north to Wildflecken last Sunday. You should see this country; almost the same as around Franklin or Oil City; hills, valleys small streams. Very beautiful. We camped on top of a large hill, with valleys on all sides of us. When we'd go out in the mornings it would take almost 1/2 an hour to get to the bottom of the hill. The weather has been nice all week, except for one day when it dropped to 40 degrees. Most of the time it has been between 60 and 70. The air is always clear and cool, and we have all developed large appetites.

We went out to fire almost every day. This time I got to pull the lanyard; lots of fun. We fired mostly smoke shells this time. They are pretty to watch.

Yesterday we left Wildflecken at 8 a.m., drove in convoy, towing the howitzers, to Grafenwohr. I understand that the German general Rommel trained his tank corps here. It was a long drive, about 150 miles. We are located in Bavaria; pretty country.

We'll stay here for at least another week, and then move back to Schweinfurt. I'd much rather we stayed out here for the rest of the summer, but I don't think we will.

The weather in Germany isn't as warm as it is back home. Reminds me a bit of early October in southern Ontario. The nights get pretty chilly, but the days are warm, though not really hot.

I found out yesterday, according to the records, I was not charged any leave time for the leave I had before shipping out. Somebody in our Battery, due, I suppose, to the confusion of packing up and moving, didn't mark me down. So, now I can put in for leave and they can't prove I've already had one. I think maybe that I'll save up my time and try for a month in the States later.

Getting dark, and I want to mail this, so will close. Please write soon.