Letter from Jack Darby to Jean

Letter from Jack Darby to Jean

He has been doing more training. He looks forward to his next leave.

1944-11-19

Two double sided handwritten sheets and envelope

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EDarbyCAHWellandJ441119

[postage stamp] [postmark]

[inserted] 19-11-44 [/inserted]

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

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F/O. C. Darby, 154676.
Officers Mess
R.A.F. Station
Syerston,
Notts.

Sunday

My dearest Jean

Was so pleased to receive your letter, I was rather worried as Win wrote and told Jack that there had been a doodle dropped at Surbiton, however I knew there was nothing serious as I should have heard from home.

We are finishing our last day of ground school today, have had our oral exams this morning. I think I did fairly well shall probably find out in a day or so.

The weather has been really

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lousy these last few days, nothing but rain and fog, we shall be a few days before we start flying as there are quite a few ahead of us, however they will probably find us something to do.

So they did miss you at the speeches, expect when they get the wine bill they will take a poor view of you, probably offer you a chance of life membership in the teatotal organization, when is the next free binge?

I'm glad you put that little piece in that the doodle was coming down and not the shelter otherwise I should have imagined you peacefully asleep in the shelter ruins, by the way did you wake up at all?

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Fancy Bonny writing to you, did she tell you that you had done what she tried her hardest to achieve? poor old Bonny, I always think of her and her knitting, wonder if you will ever get as wild as she was that night!

We had a long discussion in the hut last night over the relative merits of married and single, as I'm kind of half way between, more or less in no mans land. I kept quiet, however I think the married men won, I asked one of them what was the best way of keeping his wife in order, he said 75/25 no rolling pin and bags of obey, so look out!

I'm very sorry about the cigarettes, its funny how they disappear, I went to the mess secretary about it and he

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said that nothing had arrived for me when I was on leave. I cant see how they could have been stolen from here as we had to produce a special slip and identity card when we collect some.

I've been thinking all this week on what I was doing last week, its now 4 o/c, do you remember what we were doing this time last week, my word would'nt I like to turn the clock back! however its a week nearer to my next leave is'nt darling?

Well, this is all for now, hope the spot will be better by the time I get home, if not I'll make it worse!

Take care of yourself, sweetheart, all my love.

Yours Jack