Piecing It Together for Loren Small

In our PIT stop feature, we assemble additional pieces of the puzzle. Readers are able to learn more about the mill, its employees and the Hespeler community at large.

We are saddened to learn of the death of Loren Small. It was only in December that we received this letter from him. A life lost far too soon. Rest in peace Loren. We all thank you for your bravery and your service.

December 1943

Well here goes for a short scroll to thank you for your paper which I received today. It was really welcome and although I don’t go in much for reading, I read it from start to finish and enjoyed all the gossip of the “Old Mill.”

It’s not too bad over here. I guess you could call England a pretty place with its twisting narrow roads, green hills, flower gardens and many squatted little towns, but I’d much rather have good old Canada with its wide open spaces.

I am on an R.A.F. station at present and with a good bunch of “blokes”. My crew is a mixture of Englishmen, Australians and Canadians, so when Jerry gets a mob like that after him he better head in the other direction. They are a swell bunch of guys, and we all hope to get dropping a few “cookies” on Germany sometime.

Well my news line seems to be pretty well shrunk for this time or as the English say, “You’ve had it”, so will close by wishing D. W. & W. and staff a very Merry Christmas and a Happy new Year.

Thanking you once again for your paper.

R200870 Sgt. Loren Small,
R.C.A.F. Overseas.