Merry Christmas (1944)

Here is what Keith wrote to his mother just after Christmas in 1944. Some of it relates to events I haven't posted about yet so here is some brief background.

• Mr. & Mrs. Vinall were the parents of John Douglas Vinall, a friend of Philip's. They flew spitfires in Malta together in 1942. 
• John Vinall died in October 1942, and Phillip maintained a friendship with John's parents. 
• Mary is 'feeling low' because Phillip was reported missing on 19 November 1944. 

Letter from Keith to his mom, 30 December 1944.

'I had a very nice Christmas with Mary, we went over to some peoples place for the day and we really had a good time, Mr. & Mrs. Vinal(?) are really swell people, it’s a good thing Mary has them to turn to when she is feeling low. We aren’t doing anything right now, I am on picket duty in new years eve which should be very nice. Thank goodness I didn’t get it on the 2^nd as Robby & I have the same birthday we are having a birthday party at the local pub to celebrate. ... Say you talk about it being foggy in Vancouver weill I hitch hiked to London and back at Christmas and on the way back it got as bad you couldn’t see the side of the road so I had to take the train back. There was a restriction on trawl to 20 mi for the ? at the time so I had to ride free & then climb the fence when I arrived in the station.'