Letter from Jack Darby to his Wife

Letter from Jack Darby to his Wife

He thanks her for her letter and advises his trip to Italy is off. His squadron is disbanding in four days. His friend has developed photographs of their wedding.

1945-08-11

Two double sided handwritten sheets and envelope. One b/w wedding photograph.

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EDarbyCAHDarbyJ450811

[Postage stamps] [postmark]

[inserted] 11-8-45 [/inserted]

Mrs Darby,
7. Queens Drive
Surbiton
Surrey

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[italics] Tel No. Wickhambrook 259. [/italics]

[italics] Officers’ Mess,
R.A.F. Station,
Stradishall,
Nr. Newmarket.
Suffolk. [/italics]

Saturday.

My darling,

Thanks so much for letter received yesterday, I’ve looked out for the parcel and I see its ready for me to collect this afternoon.

Well, it looks so though our Italy trip is off as the squadron disbands on the fifteenth, I doubt whether we shall get away before next weekend, the powers that be have decided that we are redundant and we shall probably hand in our flying kit here and then either be sent to a centre in Yorkshire

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2

for disposal, we should get leave some time or other, the sooner the better as I have’nt done anything for about ten days. Regarding the re-training, I don’t think I shall have and as the latest order on release just published by the A.M. gives up to class 20 out by 30th September so if I’m lucky I may get indefinite leave until I am released, it’s a chance anyway. I think I shall be in civvy street by Christmas now the Jap business looks like folding up. I hope our people have got their wits about them and don’t fall for any Jap tricks.

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3

Jack has just got the snaps developed, the ones of the church are quite good and would look O.K when enlarged, your hat looks wizard you can’t see the veil and it seems as though you’ve left the hat at home and are wearing the hat box! I bet it’ll cause some laugh amongst our children. Am afraid the others I took on our honeymoon are a dead loss, they are all under-exposed. I used a too-fast speed, so regards detail and composition theyre quite good, I’ll enclose the

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4/

wedding snap and bring the rest home with me, don’t take much notice of the paper theyre printed on as its only cheap stuff.

If I get home for a fortnight I shall be able to do a lot to the kitchen, I can soon make the pelmets, we can do a bit of experimenting.

I’ve just received a letter from Mother and Dad written at Broadstairs, Dad said he had been busy in the shop and was enjoying a nice rest, hope they both feel the benefit of it.

Well, darling, thats all for now, this time a fortnight ago we were lunching at Lynmouth, it seems ages longer than that.

Give my love to Mother and Dad,

Take care of yourself darling

All my love

Yours Jack.

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[photograph]

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Jack & Jean’s Wedding 25.7.1945