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' a AC ant iT ¢ Watch your label; it tells whem your expires. "Subscription $1.50 per year in advance 5 cents a single copy EDITORIAL "ERIN Such is the patriot's boast, where'er we roam, his first, best country ever is at home.--Goldsmith. COMPULSORY MILITARY TRAIN ING When Robinson Crusoe lived alone on his island, he could recite "I am monarch of all I survey; My right there is none to From the center, all roun I am lord of the fowl and In short, he had things all his limits. But few of us would wish to gain complete Robinson freedom from conditions, control under When we live in communities, we undertake certain obligations--if we are good citizens. War has brought to light. two 1. All nations are not suffici willingly live peaceably with all _ 2. The physical condition of our young people is not all that could be desired, or all that is essential for defence against an aggressive people. The fact that compulsory military training is advocated by some high authorities, is proof that there is as yet no definite assurance of per- Cromwell is reported to have said --""Trust in God, and keep your powder dry." is Until the poison of war is replaced by the ad- peace, there will be continued need of manent peace. venture of defence, Military defence is a highly That skill is needed immediately to cope with a The blitz does not capable aggressor nation, give unprepared peoples time More and more, war is a lightning. business. He who sees first, and acts quickly, wins, There are factors of dogged endurance that Britain has proved But it is expensive enter into the war picture. herself to have that quality." 'business in lives and treasure. prepared." of humanity. dispute; d to the sea, the brute." Lo as we please, own way, within Crusoe For the time being, the motto should be--"Be Quite aside from military values, compulsory | training would be of profit in the development Nearly all young folk would be benefitted by discipline. teriorating because of our determination to do At present we are de- The tendency to expect Governments to take care of us, makes it essential that we be trained to take reasonable care of ourselves. Hot dogs, pickles, booze and midnight frolics are to be in the matter of facts: : ently civilized to go undeveloped. other nations, velop a race", enlargement vision, taken with caution. could be very expensive to any Government, both Unrestrained use of them necessary medical attention, and in loss betause the best qualities of citizenship One cannot help admiring the fine physical appearance of members of the armed forces who 'are returning home. 'Regular hours, proper food, and directed exercise, make for wonderful results. Having said all this, there is no need to de- goose-stepping, We want no jingoism, need no enlargement of territory. What is needed heel-clicking "master The Big Four of co-operative, 'tonstructive There will be plenty of national and inter- national problems for a considerable time. Compulsory military training, in such doses as skilled business, for preparation. a high order. in world affairs, will not interfere greatly with civil life, could become a valuable asset in the social structure. It could also be badly abused if its sense of direction became wii the spirit of true citizenship. ; Our leaders in education, religion, and economic administration, will need wisdom and courage of Canadians are making their debut military, neglectful of We need all the training of the right sort that we can secure. ort enjoyed. And the public took full advantage of this fine holiday. , BEST IN MANY It didn't rain on Port Perry Fair Day! That was a blessing we have not always Perr was far from being the only reason for the big crowd. --something to interest everyone. I] 1 L] | ] YEARS { Fine weather There was a fine program It was well arranged, too. The Fair Board deserves credit for that. If some genius could devise a plan to save time in start- ~ing the race horses, the well arranged schedule would be complete, The varied conteste, pony races, merry-go-round, and games, kept up the in- terest full time. The midway and the grandstand were both full of happy people. Secretary R. D. Woon and his helpers had a busy time, for there was a heavy exhibit docket in nearly al | classes. This was particularly true in Holstein eattle + and horses. Ladies' work and flowers made an excellent showing. The L.Q.D.E. war work display.was a credit to these faithful workers. is growing, but there is still plenty of room to expand. The Streét Fair and Dance drew a great crowd. The following were winners' "of Lucky Number Prizes ($2.00 cash)--Miss Jo Deans, George Irwin, Duncan McTavish. We publish the Holstein prize winners in this issue. The rest of the names of prize winners will be ready for next week. WINNERS AT THE BLACK & WHITE SHOW. Bull, 3 years and over -- 1 A. E, James & Son; 2 K. E, Holliday. Bull, 2 years -- 1 Ransom Stock Farms and W. J. Murphy; 2 W. C. Ashenhurst & Son; 8 Leslie Beare & Son; 4 G. H. Walker & Son and Bert Waddell; 5 R. L, Cookman & Son; 6 Russell Rodd. Bull, Senior Yearling--1 Elmeroft Farm, Oshawa. ; Bull, Junior Yearling -- 1 Smith Bros. & H. Honey; 2 A. E, James & Son, Bull, Senior Calf--1 W. L. Evans & Sons; 2 K. I. Holliday; 3 Elmeroft Farm; 4 G. H, Walker & Son; 5 Rus- sell Rodd;.6 W. L. Evans & Sons; 7 Smith Bros; 8 Ransom Stock Farms; 9 G. H, Walker & Son; 10 Norman Linton. Bull, Junior Calf--1 H, W. Honey; 2 W. C. Ashenhurst; 3 Elmcroft Farm; | 4 Smith Bros.; 6 G .H, Walker & Son; 6 Better 'Bull Syndicate; 7 Norman Linton; 8 W, L. Evans & Sons; 9 H. W. Honey. . Senior Champion Bull--A, E. James & Sons (Pomona Tensen Merton) Junior Champion Bull -- Elmeroft Farm (Elmcroft Sylv-O-Gram) Grand Champion Bull--A. E, James & Song (Pomona Tensen Merton) Reserve Senior Champion Bull-- Ransom * Stock Farms and W. J. Murphy (Otonabee Sir Supreme Co- lanthus) . Reserve Junior Champion -- W, L. Evans & Sons (Lifloc Grand Artis) Reserve Grand Champion Bull-- Elmeroft Farm (Elmeroft - Sylv-0O- Gram. a .. Cow, 4 years & over, dry--1 Ransom Stock Farms; 2 Russell Rodd; 3 R, L. Cookman & Son; 4 G. H, Walker & Son; 6 Smith Bros.; 6 Smith Bros.; 7 Smith Bros.; 8 and 9 Norman Linton; 10 W, C. Ashenhurst; 11 W. L. Evans & Sons; 12 W. L. Evans & Sons, . Cow, 4 years and over, wet--1 G, H, Walker & Son; 2 R. L. Cookman & Son; 8 Russell d; 4 H. W, Honey; b H. W. Honey; 6 W. L. Evans; 7 Smith Bros.; 8 W. C. Ashenhurst; 9 Smith Dros) 10 Webster Bros.; 11 Webster ros. Heifer, 3 years, dry -- '1 Webster Bros.; 2 Elmcroft Farm; 38 Smith Bros.; 4 K. E. Holliday; 6 G.H, Walker & Son; 6 Russell Rodd; 7 Smith Bros.; 8 Norman Linton; 9 K. E. Holliday; 2s H, W. Honey; 11 R. L. Cookman & Son, y Heifer, 3 years, wet -- 1 Elmeroft' Farm; 2 Norman Linton; 3 Norman Linton; 4 and 65 G. H. Walker & Son; 6 Ransom Stock Farms; 7 W. L. Evans' & Sons. ! Heifer, 2 years, dry--1 G. H, Walk- er & Son; 2 W. C. Ashenhurst; 3 W. C. Ashenhurst; 4 G. H., Walker & Son; 6 A. E. James & Son; 6 H, W. Honey; 7 G. H. Walker & Son; 8 K. E. Holl. day; 9°R. L. Cookman & Son; 10 Web- ster Bros, " Heifer, 2 years, wet--1 A, E, James & Son; 2 Ransom "Stock Farms; 3 Smith Bros.; 4 Smith Bros.; 6 W. C. Ashenhurst; 6 H, W. Honey; 7 R, L. Cookman & Son. Heifer, Senior Yearling--1 Elmeroft Farm; 2 Elmeroft Farm; 3 Smith Bros,; 4 K. E. Holliday; 6 A, E. Jamey & Son; 6 Leslie Beare & Son; 7 W. L.- Evans & Sons; 8 and 9 H, W. Honey; 10 Russell Rodd; 11 G. H. Walker & Son; 12 Leslie Beare & Son; 13 R. L. Cookman & Son, Heifer, Junior Yearling -- 1 Smith Bros.; 2 H, W, Honey; 8 W. L. Evans & Sons; 4 Smith Bros; 6 H, W.: Honey; 6 G. H, Walker and Son; 7 and '8 W. L. Evans and Sons, | Heifer, Senior Calf -- 1_Elmeroft Farm; 2 Ransom Stock Farms; 3 "Smith Bros.; 4 Ransom Stock Farms; |6, 6 and 7, K. E. Holliday; 8 A. E.| James & Son; 9 H, W. Honey; 10 Smith Bros.; 11 A. E. James & Son; 'g G. H 12 Norman Linton; 18 W. C. Ashen- hurst; 14 Leslie Beare & Son; 16 Rus- sell Rodd; 16 G. H, Walker & Son. : Heifer, Junior Calf--1 and 2 Ran- som Stock Farms; 8 Elmeroft Farm; '4 W, L. Evans and Sons; 6 W. C.. Ashenhurst; 6 K. E, Holliday; 7 and 8 Smith Bros.; 9 H. W, Honey; 10 G. H, Walker & Son; 11 R. L. Cookman & Son; 12 W. L. Evans & Sons. Senior Ohampion Female--Elmecroft Farm (Elmeroft Segis Lassie M.) Reserve Senior Champion Female-- The Junior Department yce Redkin, Miss Doris Duff, George There were 186 entries, Ransom Stock Farms (Polly Bradoon Queen). : ' Junior Champion Female--Ransom Stock Farms (Creator Rag Apple Bess) } te Reserve Junior Champion Female Elmeroft Farm (Elmeroft Colantha Rose M.) . Grand Champion Female--Elmeroft Farm (Elmeroft Segis Lassie M.) . Reserve Grand Champion Female-- Ransom-~Stock Farms (Polly Bradoon Queen). Get-of-One Sire, 4 animals, any age (2 seniors necessary) -- 1 Elmeroft Farm; 2 G. H, Walker & Son;-3 and 4 Smith Bros; 6 W. C. Ashenhurst; 6 H. W. Honey; 7. K. E. Holliday; 8 A. E. James & Son. (Judge's Note -- An outstanding group by Montvic Monogram won this class, It consisted of the 'Grand Champion Cow, the Reserve Grand Champion Bull, 1st prize senior year- ling, 2nd prize dry three year old.) Get-of-One Sire, 8 junior animals (under 2 years)--1 Elmeroft Farm; 2 Elmeroft Farm; 3 Smith 'Bros.; 4 K, I. Holliday; 6 A. E. James & Son; 6 H. W. Honey; 7 W. L. Evans & Sons; 8 Smith Bros.; 9 H. W, Honey. Progeny of Dam, Senior (one of which may be a Junior)--1 Elmeroft Farm; 2 Smith Bros.; 3 A. 'E, James & Son; 4 G. H, Walker & Son; 6 Smith Bros.; 6 W. C. Ashenhurst; 7 H. W. Honey; 8 Norman Linton; 9 A, E. James & Son; 10 W, L, Evans & Sons. |' * Progeny of dam, Junior (under 2 years)-- 1 Elmcroft Farm; 2 and 3 Smith Bros,; 4 H. W. Honey. ' Graded Herd--1 Elmeroft Farm; 2 Ransom Stock Farms; 8 Smith Bros.; 4 Russell Rodd; 6 A. E. James & Son; . Walker & Son; 7 R. L. Cook- man & Son; 8 W. CO, Ashenhiirst; 9 Smith Bros.; 10 K: E. Holliday; 11 H. W: Honey; 12 W. L. Evans & Sons. Junior Herd--1 Elmcroft Farm; 2 Ransom 'Stock Farms; 8 K. E. Holli- day; 4 Smith Bros.; 56 H. W. Honey; 6 W. L. Evans & Sons, Comments of Judge Henderson. The general quality of the exhibits were excellent, although I believe the tops 'were not quite as good as 'last year, . allibehind, It was through misty eyes jac PO STAR PORT PERRY, ONTARIO, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 6th, INTERESTING LETTER FROM | INDIA From L.A.C. WALTER SONLEY (Cdn.) R277976 L.A.C. Sonley, W,'H., India, August 19th, 1946. Dear Mr. Farmer:-- 'Lhe other day a copy of our home town paper arrived, a little old, but, oh! so welcome. It seemed as if a little bit of home had been trans- planted out here in far away India. So It occurred to me that pernaps some- one would be interested in my ex- periences since leaving Canada last September. ; 1t all began when someone informed me that 1 was on posting for overseas. I was both glad and sorry, sorry to leave good old Canada for strange lands and customs; glad, well, 1t seems to be everyone's wish to get overseas, even if they don't admit it, After the usual! preparations, we tinally arrived at an castern seaport, where we shouldered our kit and made our"way on board ship. After finding our quarters, we "immediately threw off our web equipment, gas mask and kit bags (by this time it seemed to weigh a ton). Our quarters weren't bad, crowded of course, but one ex- pects that on a troop ship. Of course, our sailing time was a sceret and the next morning we went on deck to find a number of tug-boats pulling us out of harbour, '"T'nis was it!", we were off, the word spread like wild fire, soon all who could were on deck to watch the boat move out of har- bour, for it was nearly everyone's first long sea voyage. As we got under way on our own power, the shore line was fading in the distance, 'Then and only then did it actually dawn on you that you were leaving it that we saw Canada slowly disappear, The second day out "was one. of misery for those Yoho were seasick-- happily 1 escaped 'but 'some of the boys really felt 'awful. In all, the trip 1h the pond was very: smooth Nighan any incidents. It seemed no tinje at all till we sighted the shore line of Northern Ireland away in the distance. It was a grand sight after so much water. We knew then that our sea voyage was nearing the end, We arrived at a port in Scotland where we went through the usual for- malities of debarkation and on to the waiting trains. We piled mto the trains which' are qui: a novelty to us,. they are much s; ler and have a_queer squeaky whistle, not the-prouu blast of our Canadian trains. How- ever, they travelled at a remarkable speed over a wonderful railway system, one of the best in the world (I am told). } We arrived at a point in South England where we settled ourselves to await further orders. It was a lovely seaside resort and in peace time must have been one of the best. We were now at liberty to go out and see this new country for ourselves. Everything was strange--the two- decker bus, the blackout, and then the money, my biggest headache. You went to buy something and not being sure just how much the price asked was, you produced a Pound note and hoped it wouldn't be any more; your biggest shock was when you got your change. To me, it seemed as if.1 had changed a Pound note and got a pound of silver and other coins back, ». We had a_few days leisure which were taken up with sightseeing, ete, | must mention here how kind the people were to us and how we mar- velled at the spirit of a country at war for so long. i -When we left Canada, we heard rumors that we were destined for the far East and then didn't we get these yellow fever inoculations along with We were stationed not far from a big aif base where we were formed into a Squadron and told we were to fly to the far Kast. Our stay in lingland was very short and was more like a dream when we boarded the planes and soared out over the Chan- nel for the other half of our journey. The novelty of looking down on the countryside soon wore off (it all looks the same up there) and we settled down to read or just sit around, Our first stop was on an Island in the Mediterranean--the weather was perfect and the blue waters of the sen were inviting and warm. After refuelling, we again took off and soon sighted the shore of North Africa. We flew along the coast of Africa where one could see the start of the Desert and realize what a fight it had been to chase Rommell out. We stop- ped that night on a Base in Africa, once supposed to have been the Head- quarters of the German Army. Ahout the only point of interest there was the wrecked German planes not far from where we stayed, The 'next day we passed over the Desert and saw the marks of many fierce battles -- abandoned trucks, tanks, ete. The Desert stretched as far as the eye could see on every side, It looked nearly as treacherous as the Ocean--no doubt your chances of sur- vival set adrift or afoot on either would be about the same. We also passed over a graveyard out there, hundreds of miles from anyone, where those who fell in one of the bitter battles were laid to rest. It seemed rather lonely by itself away out there and I wondered just how many of our Allies lay beneath the réd sand, Let's hope that the sacrifice and privations they suffered will not be in vain, 'We are now .in Egypt, the land of the Pyramids and soon one looms up in' the distance--all that remains to remind us of an, extinct civilization, Looking at them, 1 wondered at the work and ingénuity it must-have taken to build one, they are so big and seem |, to be eternal. We stopped for a short while and soon are on our way again over the Desert. We passed over Jerusalem and the Dead Sea, which brings back memories of our Sunday School days, Little I thought then I would ever even get a glimpse of any of these places, One more stop before we let down in 'India, and that last stop was inthe "hottest place I have ever been, over '110° I. in the shade; even the slight breeze was scorching and we just waited for the time when we would be off again. . Well, here we are, nearly in India, wondering just what it will be like and trying to remember what we had ever read or saw in the movies about it. At last we came jn and after going through the usual formalities, we were sent to a trgnsit camp where we have nothing to do but await orders. It is very hot and there are«plenty of flies. At night we go into the city for our first sight of India. Getting off the bus we were amazed at the crowds and are spotted as strangers; so are surrounded with shoe shine boys, beggars and people selling every conceivable article. Getting free of this mob, we head for the bazaars; here you do see the crowds. As you force your way through, the shop- keepers shout at you to come in and sce their wares, There is a great variety of souvenirs, leather goods, silver and copper plates and all sorts of gaily decorated silk and cotton jackets, saris, ete. The prices, no doubt due to war conditions, are very high. and you have to be on your guard to keep from being cheated. Bargaining is the order of the day; others that I don't know the names of, but they were uncomfortable. I do! know that one day on parade, we were! told that we could expect some time soon to see this part of the world." Then came the usual checking, draw- ing of tropical kit and all the rest until in no time we were once again on board the trains, looking out on the quaint English countryside with its well-trimmed hedges and well-kept gardens, | The Grand Champion Cow had plenty of dairy quality and carried a very fine udder. The Reserve Grand Champion was a deeper cow, very good in the head, neck, shoulder and body, and while her udder was show- ing dry, I did not feel that it was quite as good as that of the Grand Cham- pion. | The Junior Champion heifer, I con- sidered, a very promising calf, © She looked the part of a champion al- though shown thin. Both the Grand and Reserve Grand Champion Bulls are sons of Montvig, Monogram, the Senior herdsire at Elmeroft Farm, as was the Grand Champion Cow. Both Bulls were very smooth individuals but the Grand Champion was particularly strong in the loin for an aged bull, and while his feet needed trimming badly he walked very well. The Reserve Champion should develop into a top bull and I predict a great future for him. RESULTS OF SOFTBALL GAMES PLAYED ON LABOR DAY | - t First Game-- i Brooklin--11; Greenbank--1, Second Game-- Scugog--9; Port Perry--1, Play-Off Game-- ! Scugog--7; Brooklin--1, you go to buy something, the shop- keeper asks an outlandish price and you offer him about one quarter of what it's worth, After a lot of hagg- ling, waving of arms and pleas of going broke from the clerk, you get it for a decent price. Getting free of the bazaars, we stroll along until we see a crowd gzathered on the sidewalk. Pushing our way closer, we see a snake- charmer performing for the benefit of the crowd. They are repulsive- looking things. and I can think of nicer ways to make a living. Now a word about the Sacred Cows. It "strikes. you funny the first time you see one standing on a street cor- ner, cars and people swirling past, chewing its cud as placidly as if it were one of our own cows on a pas- ture at home; They roam everywhere at will and are considered sacred by the Hindus who feed and care for them, Another thing that one never sees anywhere else in the world, is the old and new rubbing shoulders, so to speak, and both going their own way without interference. You see an ox- care rumbling along, then a modern car speeding past. -On the side of the road a native walks with an enormous load on his head, one of us couldn't balance it, let alone walk. From here we were sent to a station to train our air-crew for their work ahead, From where we lived, one could look out and see the snow- capped mountains; the scenery was marvelous. The weather was rather remarkable--during the day it was very hot, but at nights the tempera- ture dropped enormously. We were all waiting for the day when we would, et word to move up front. It came"with only a few hours' notice, just time enough to pack and be off again, Arriving at what was to be our home and is up to the time of writing, we tasted for the first time SAMUEL FARMER Editor and Publisher DAY by DAY Jottings by the Editor Red Cross work must continue--- children must be fed; wounded must be healed; naked must be clothed. Misery and freedom do not go to- gether. * L LJ Here is a little story from "Coronet" by- Joseph Gollomb. * _,, Having prospered, raised a family, and installed every modern conven- ience on his land and in his home, an, Illinois farmer settled down to spend. the rest of his life in comfort and con-! tentment, But the family had the itch to travel, and urged him to come along. The old man refused. "Some folk would take a train out of heaven, looking for it", he snorted. "Me, I know I'm there", * ' * The best information which is avail- able is that at the present moment, to house eleven and a half million people, there are in Canada 2,260,000 dwell- ings (which includes apartments), of which 972,000 units lie in the principal metropolitan areas, 660,000 lie in the smaller towns and 728,000 are in farm areas, ) - This reprelents a shortage of hous- ing units of from 12% % to 30%. We'll have to learn what UNRRA means--- United Nations Relief and Re- habilitation Administration. This or- ganization is the most important in; the world to-day. On it depends the ! re-establishment of war-torn-countries and the real hope of permanent peace. LJ * LJ . We grow neither better nor worse as we grow old; but more like our- selves".--May Lamberton Becker. LJ - LJ Lifting speed regulations and doub- ling the liquor ration will not help in any respect except to promote whoo- pee. And that kind of thing needs no promotion. "I teach by killing. Let the people learn", --But that is a hard way to learn: common self-con- trol is hetter. ' " L LJ No atom capsule for autos or afr- craft is yet conceivable; atomic power for industry is far off, is limited to stationary power plants or large ships; . but future industrial applications may be outside our present range of ideas, say experts. Medical uses of Chalk River's byproducts are of greatest im- mediate importance. ' rv LJ * . Lend-Lease, or no lend-lease, Bri- tain as a good customer is essential to the prosperity of the United States. Great production requires wide mar- kets, or production is useless. L LJ LJ] That's the Spirit -- "There's too much to do now, Jeff, for folks to grow old" -- Clyde Armond in Maclean's Magazine. ' _ es APPLICATION TO LIFE % + "Rev, E. G. Braton of. 4 | Jesus said "I am the Light of the ' Why is it that so many of our young people to-day do not seem to want to "bother" about religion or the Church? And this includes also the many who have carried into adult lifé the habit of withdrawing from anything that looks like Christianity. Perhaps we should seek the real rea- gon (and not the excuse) why they do stand off. Since the beginning of the use of the automobile and radio we all are trying to live at a greater speed. We want "life", and the faster we go the more dissatisfied we be- come. May I venture to suggest that we are Todking in the wrong direction. We have persuaded ourselves that if we have anything to do with religion, we are living under a tension; we are restrained from doing the things we would like to do; we would have to give up so much that life would be- come very drab. : Ifut that is not so. If we choose to be a Christian we will not be under a great restraint; we will not be "fenced in", Christianity is the same, in its essence, as it has always been, and that ist'"Light" and "Life". We need not be like the school child who became further "in the dark" the harder he worked. Christianity will allow us to have all the life and thrill that the normal person can stand. The only difference is that the true follow- er of Christ does not act in such a way that he is always dissatisfied and always "in the dark". And why should he be when he has a light to guide him? world; he who follows Me will not walk in darkness but he will enjoy the light of life" (St. John 8:12). We may recall the words of Miss Haskyns, quoted by King George at the begin- ning of the war: "I said to the man who stood at the gate of the year, 'Give me a light, that I may go out into the darkness'. And he said to me, 'Go out into the darkness, and put your hand into the hand of God. That will be to you better than a light and safer than the known way' ". In the Old Testament, Jehoyah is con- stantly set forth as the Light. In every sense Jesus is the Light of the world. He is "the light which light- eth every man that cometh into the warld". He is the Light in which we see the Father, in which we see the will of God, the law of God, and the purposes of God. But He is only Light to those who receive Him as such, and follow Him as they would a guiding light. Christ is our Light for guidance, not only to prevent us from groping in uncer- tainty, but also to draw us up out of the pit of sin and evil desires. To follow Christ is not merely to follow His teaching, but to give ourselves over into His discipleship. If we do this-, we shall see clearly in places where others stumble. Where Christ shines into our hearts, He brings not only illumination, but Life, "WELCOME HOME" How happy we are to see Gnr. Fred Colbear home again from over- seas! [Fred is the eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. L. D. Colbgar and has been overseas for the past fives years." He tnlisted in September, 1939, and was one of the first boys from Port Perry to volunteer for duty. * Also home from overseas-- Gnr. Herbert C. Howard, son of Mr. and Mrs. Bert Howard. Tt Sgt. Fred Densham, son of Mr. P. J. Densham, of Oshawa. H/Capt. Jack C. Clough, former rector of the Church of the Ascension. Flying 'Officer Bruce Beare has received his discharge from the Air Force and is now home, Pte. Bert Howard is also home, having received his discharge from the Veterans' Guard. the real life of a Squadron in a for- ward area. So many things were dif- ferent--we lived in grass and bamboo huts known as Bashas, They keep out the sun, most of the rain and none of the insects. Mosquito nets were al- ways used as there were plenty of insects about. Before many days passed by, Canadian ingenuity got to work---bashas . and tents were made more comfortable, old parachutes were used to line overhead and walls, electric lights were installed and all sorts of showers, made of odds and ends, appeared everywhere, We even surprised ourselves at how comfort- able we were, and with the arrival of our first movie projector we were all set---shows, all of them new. We owe the Canadian Legion a huge debt of gratitude, not gay for shows, but sports equipment, books, musical in- struments, etc. Indeed I would say only for the Canadian Legion, our leisure time would have been very dull and a lowering of morale been the result. When everything was organized and we could get leave, I went to Calcutta for a short stay. It is like the ma- jority of Indian cities, so I won't repeat what I have plieady written, It is sufficient to say that it is quite modern in parts, is the third largest TN A. A by > 4 Ly Pen yy SRE PA A A WH ee EG f City in the Empire, and is stifling . hot. [I visited several points of in- terest, the usual tourist views, toured the bazaars and had my first ride in a rick-shaw---a sort of two-wheeled buggy pulled by a native. It was, however, with a feeling of relief that I returned to my camp, away from the crowd, the heat and the dirt. At present, we are in the Monsoon Season and it usually manages to rain every day or so . The natives are busy planting rice in the flooded paddy fields, as they are called. It is a back-breaking job standing in water almost knee deep all day long, plant- ing the rice shoots by hand. One never realizes how much work is con- nected with growth when you get it from the grocer. This'brings me to the present time. We have now celebrated two V-Days and I only hope it won't be long until the job is finished and we are on our way home to good old Canada. How we all love that name and our hap- piest day will be when we see its shoreline cog in view. , We will come back all the more thankful we are Canadians as we have seen Kow the other half lives, Faithfully yours, Bud Sonley. a Or -- pt a A SAT re ars A? ft aks TA I he gil 775 an. i