"Less than eight weeks to wait for leave - assuming that fate is kind - and why shouldn't she be? We're an awfully nice couple!"
This light hearted everyday letter was from my great Uncle to his wife.
I suspect it was kept and passed down as it was written two days before he was reported missing in action when his aircraft did not return to base (see typed document). All nine of the crew lost their lives at sea.
Transcript:
Dear Heart,
I had your Thursday's letter in the mess today and noticed a distinctly food-conscious tendency - Towny's rather sparse hospitality - Shinner's lousy lunches - the failure of the "Granada Grill for Gourmands" - a Yeoman-Jones "special" in the offing when your letters to gallant-boys were finished - and the final looking-forward to your own Saturday dinner. I hope it has been up to standard and left you feeling really replete after all the unsatisfying meals of the week.
Thank Heaven Mum's pen turned up safely - I was beginning to wonder whether I had secret jackdaw tendancies. I believe that the reason Mum thought of me was that she insisted on producing paper (and probably her pen) for me to write out for her my future address. That is the only writing occasion that I can think of.
Talking of pens, I have just "retroceded" the propelling Parker pencil from my outfit to Ken Iley for 17s/-including the two pretty plastic tubes of refill leads, so the pen and leather case now only "stand me in" at
say £2..7..0
I drew on the poor old P.O. A/C so as to settle up with John Stubbs, and there are still a few pounds left to keep me going until they start crediting me with some pay. In the meantime I do not (repeat NOT) live the sort of life of the dashing young officers in "the Student Prince" or popular novels. An occasional beer, a few quiet games of chess, and strolls down into Porth or Newquay constitute my usual routine, not forgetting the pleasure of writing my little letters to you.
Less than eight weeks to wait for leave - assuming that fate is kind - and why shouldn't she be? We're an awfully nice couple!
Besides - I LOVE YOU!
Pete
[Typed document]
Aircraft Type: Liberator
Summary:
Crew:
In 1949 it was recorded that the missing crew had lost their lives at sea.
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