In England Jan. 1944

Friday

Dear Mother,
Here I am in jolly old England. It looks a good deal as one would imagine. The thing that seems the strangest is the oldness of all buildings. So far I haven't seen any new buildings like you see in the States.
Some of the homes and villages are quite picturesque. They look like something from a story book. The straw thatched roofs with their gables and peaks. I'm sorry now I didn't bring a camera to take pictures of this country.
Our housing situation is much better than I expected. We have barracks belonging to one of the old Historical Regiments of England, from the age of the barracks they must be very historical. The beds we sleep on make me laugh every time I lay down. They are almost six feet long and have a straw tick for a mattress. Now I'll have a comeback if Dad ever starts talking about straw ticks.
I got your letter of Dec. twenty-seventh. Am glad to hear everyone had a good time. Linda Lee should be getting pretty husky by now. I would have like to have gotten something for the kids, but I've been moving so fast and so far that many things had to be foregone.
This letter will probably reach you about your birthday so I'm taking this oportunity to wish you a *HAPPY BIRTHDAY WITH LOVE*.
Tell Dad to take good care of that Christmas cheer. And don't do anything with it that I wouldn't.

Love
Kenneth