Letter from Jack Darby to Jean

Letter from Jack Darby to Jean

He discusses what flying he has to do to complete his course. He is pleased with his new wireless operator who is also a pianist.

1944-08-16

Two double sided handwritten sheets and envelope

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EDarbyCAHWellandJ440816

[inserted] 16.8.44 [/inserted]

[postage stamp] [postmark]

Miss. J. Welland,
7. Queens Drive,
Surbiton
Surrey

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16th August 1944

F/O C. Darby 154676,
Officers Mess,
R.A.F. Station
Barford
Nr Bloxham
Oxon.

Dear Jean,

Thanks so much for your letter which I received on Monday, I expect Mother told you on the phone that I expected to finish this week, however it looks like being next Tuesday before we are clear, we have finished our cross-country’s and only have an hour’s fighter affiliation to do, we went to do it this afternoon but we were just going to take off when we had

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2/ engine trouble and came back to dispersal. However we should be first off tomorrow morning and should be able to get cleared from here on Friday, then we go to Heyford and have a few odd things to do.

Our last two trips have been pretty wizard, we had a new aircraft and the side [sic] was a piece of cake, every thing went perfectly.

Regarding your various rude remarks, well I’ll deal with those when I come home, it’s no good being polite now, you’ve had it, dont forget I’m not the only one who is ticklish, you’d better buy a nice thick piece of canvas to protect

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3/

yourself.

How is work going? Hope you are getting up to date and able to get away on holiday next week.

Our W/op has settled down O.K. He’s really good company, we went down to his local pub last night and had a very cheerful evening, we found out he’s quite a good pianist, and as the local had an instrument with some strings, I won’t call it a piano we had some jive, the only bind was that the beer ran out about 9.15, just as things we [sic] getting organised

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4/

he had invited us home to meet his wife but after our session we thought it rather late to start visiting.

Well, theres not much to write about, thanks so much for getting some more flints they have’nt arrived yet but I expect they will in a day or so.

Cheerio for the time being, look after yourself, hope to be seeing you very soon.

All the best,

Yours

Jack