PILOT'S LETTER

Taranaki Daily News, 23 September 1940, Page 6

PILOT'S LETTER

NEWS FROM PATEA MAN PRISONER IN GERMANY LEARNING SAXOPHONE News of Pilot-Officer L. H. Edwards, formerly of Patea, who was the first official "casualty" of the war and who has been a prisoner in Germany since the first Roj'al Air Force raid on Kiel, has been received by a friend at Hokitika. Pilot-Officer Edwards, who is interned in a castle, says on a postcard that he is learning to play a saxophone and speak French. "Avant trois mois de ea je serai complement fou," was the remark of a French fellow prisoner, stated Pilot-Offi-cer Edwards, concerning his saxophone. In plain English it means, "after three months of that I shall be completely mad." Like to Hear From Friends. "Life in the castle," he continues on his card to Mr. G. W. Thompson, Hokitika, who played Rugby with him at Wellington, "is much the same, except that, now summer is here, we get plenty of outdoor exercise and sunbathing. I am still pounding away at French and have added music to my varied accomplishments. 1 think that I play a mean saxophone, but the remark of the French man seems to sum up my ability in that direction. "There are no more air force officers here, but another naval officer off the Glow-worm arrived two days ago and we were able to get news of England." He mentioned that at that time he was rather out of touch with happenings in New Zealand. *One of the boys may even drop in on me," he added. "Not that I would wish this incarceration racket on anybody." In conclusion he mentioned that he would like to hear of the doings of his friends.