Pony Club letters June 1942-1945

Held by

Alex Dworkin Canadian Jewish Archives via Canadian Jewish Heritage Network (incl. Alex Dworkin Canadian Jewish Archives)

Dates

1942-1945 (indexed as 1942–1945)

Level

file

Scope & content

Includes letter from Monty Berger overseas to Pony Club sharing recent experiences.

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Subjects

Pony Club letters June 1942-1945

Genre / form

textual record

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AirplaneAviationDocumentHandwrittenLetterMapMilitarySoldierTypewrittenWarTagged automatically by a vision model; may contain mistakes.

Text in the image

C15974 F/L Monty BergerRCAF O/cass.12 July 44France.Dear Ponyites -21 July, 1944.Once again, Dear Ponyites-C159741, F/L Monty Berger,RCAF Ops.The above bit of letter was written about 3:30 in the morning during a session of night duty, hence the slope and soon. I've been utterly incapable of sitting down and concentrating on a letter since arriving in France. It's a shame because of course there's been a lot to write about, and the atmosphere changes after a lapse in time.We have seen our fighters going in in huge numbers in daylight and it sure is a boost to morale to know that they are on our side. And the perpetual barrage, off and on, has become almost second nature, the same background as other typewriters in a new paper office. In the early days we took visits to the front—in fact, we were pretty much at the front in the very early stages. I've acquired a fine fur-lined side-bag that had belonged to a Hun officer of a mountaineer division. And a rather finely-cut raincoat that really doesn't fit me, and helmets and water-bottles, rifles and what-not. In fact, we've had everything but a Lugger revolver and a pair of Hun binoculars, which is all I really want.However, visiting the front isn't recommended any more, though our pilots still like to make the odd visit. As far as I am concerned the novelty has certainly well and truly worn off. It's amazing how one's bravado even a few miles back of the line disappears on approaching a little closer. My attitude has always been considerate in that respect, very much so, but I've seen quite a few who weren't initially, but later became so.I don't know if you had a letter on it—I don't know I've written already—that I lost most of my kit coming ashore. I was the first Air Intelligence officer to arrive—strictly one day after the start—but our chief problem was road bombs rather than hostile action. I drove my jeep through all right but the truck my kit was on just floundered and everything inside it floated away. At the moment I am dressed in brown instead of blue battle-dress — "survivor's kit".Read automatically; may contain mistakes.

Harvested

2026-10-18T19:26:56Z · source datestamp n/a · cjhn

Digital objects at the source

• pdfOpen original at source ↗P0094-01-05-19440712MBPC.pdfRead here
• imageOpen original at source ↗P0094-01-05-19440712MBPC-p1.jpg