Dear Mother and Dad,

At last I can give you my permanent APO # (Army Post office). As you see I’m stationed in London and thrilled no end. I have seen so many things I’ve read about. I did receive Emma’s letter with her pictures but the other mail seems to be trailing us. I’ve heard tales of people receiving a sack full of mail at a time, so that maybe my good fortune. At least now that our assignment is semi-permanent the mail should come through.

Our quarters (billet now instead of barracks) are grand. There are five WACs in my room and we actually have plenty of floor space and elbow room. It is such a change after all the various places we’ve stayed since leaving the States. We still live out of our “duffle bags” to a great extent but I’m becoming accustomed to it. However I never imagined that I’d be happy to see a good old fashion Army foot locker again.

Yesterday was my first day on the job and I’m sure I’ll like it. The people I’ll be working with seem to be very congenial and the office is very well equipped. I feel myself most fortunate. This is the highest American headquarters in the European Theater.

I have been shopping for clothes hangers as I left mine behind in the States and they are essential for our uniforms. My biggest problem is tired feet. There is so much to see and we have a great deal of daylight in the evening.

I now have a ration card that entitles me to certain purchases at our PX (Post Exchange). We can have 7 packs of cigarettes (which I don’t need, but always buy to give away), two boxes of matches, one package of gum, and two candy bars and one cake of soap per week.

We consider ourselves fortunate in contrast to the British people. Their rationing is much stricter than ours. But there are a few items that you can send me. I’ll give you a list of things I’d like if you can manage without too much trouble. Send them along whenever you can because packages take every bit of a month.

First starch because there seems to be none in England, a jar of Tussy deodorant and the big bottle of Dorothy Gray lotion which I left there and always use Kleenex for packing. We use our one cake of soap a week for everything so I would like a cake or two of Saymans soap.

I’ll be able to write more now that I am settled. I’m getting homesick for mail because it has been awhile but I always know that it will come eventually.

Lots of love,

Frances