Letter from Jack Darby to Jean

Letter from Jack Darby to Jean

He comments on her holiday then discusses his flying. His wireless operator has been grounded because he cannot breathe at height. Norman has asked him to be his best man.

1944-07-28

Two double sided handwritten sheets and envelope

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EDarbyCAHWellandJ440728

[postage stamp] [postmark]

[inserted] 30-7-44 [/inserted]

Miss J. Welland
7, Queens Drive
Surbiton
Surrey

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F/O C. Darby, 154676.
Officers Mess,
R.A.F. Station
Upper Heyford,
Oxford.

28/4/44.

Dear Jean,

Thanks so much for your letter which arrived this morning, am glad to hear you enjoying your holiday even [if] it is punctuated by sudden bursts of activity, you know you must’nt get too fat or the shelter at home will have to be raised, still, don't worry I'll see you lose it when I get home, can tell you after the 18th you'll have to be careful of all

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the drains round Surbiton, think I'll bring you a Mae West in case you slip through.

We've done about half the flying in this flight and were doing fairly well, however today we've just had the news that our wireless-op is finished, he's been grounded indefinately. [sic] The other night we were on a cross country and flying about 15,000' it was very cold about -14°F and after about two hours the navigator noticed the W/Op trying to plug his intercom plug into the oxygen fitting and vice versa, also he had done no work, was just drawing on his log

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sheet, in fact he nearly passed out. Today he had a pressure chamber test and he passed out at 12,000 feet without oxygen, so he's had it, apparently he's just one of the types whose lungs don’t function above a certain height, its rotten luck but he would be a danger to the crew on ops. I can tell you flying at 3 miles up is no picnic, I had to move about several times without oxygen and I soon felt the effects. What will happen now I don't know, we may be kept hanging about here for some time.

I should get next Thursday off shall get home Wednesday night about

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8 o/c, so I shall probably have to catch the 7.40 on Thursday it looks as though I shan't see much of you unless you come over on Wednesday, however I'm still hoping we shall get our leave as we planned, keep your fingers crossed!

I've just had a letter from Norman, he wants me to be best man at his execution (sorry wedding), I don't think I can manage it, however when he fixes the date I'll see.

Well, must pack up now, cheerio for the moment, take care of yourself,

Yours

Jack