Scott,

Back then, that was going out with her, we sat on the swinging bench on her mothers veranda with her mother a few feet away inside the house. Sydney was in black out conditions, so that would have been a romantic evening by the standards of the day. I'd paid the cabbie a five pound Aussie note in advance to pick me up at 9pm for a ride back to the hotel, I tried to pass him a few more pounds to wait longer, he refused and said; "take yer time sport, long as ya need mate", we sat and talked until it was time to leave.

I had a briefing to attend the next morning, Valerie had told me where she worked, so I took a cab with another officer pal of mine, and we walked into the manager's office as if taking command of the place for inspection, Val worked in an office full of women, we told the manager we had a few questions for one of the women who worked for him, and my friend threw in; "you would be greatly helping the war effort if we can speak with her", Valerie was summoned to his office by his secretary, and told there were some American Army Officers here to speak with her, we asked if we could speak in private, so he then gave her the rest of the afternoon off. I took her for the mid day meal, we had our photos taken by the street vendors, she showed us the sites around Sydney, later the cab took her home. I bought her a ring, and when we went to the pictures that night to see the new Randolf Scott film, I slipped the ring on her finger.

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All the Best
Jack