Letter from Jack Darby to Jean

Letter from Jack Darby to Jean

He describes his return journey to camp. His new camp has excellent accommodation and the food is good.

1944-12-20

Two double sided handwritten sheets and envelope

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EDarbyCAHWellandJ441220

[postage stamps] [postmark]

[inserted] 20-12-44 [/inserted]

Miss J. Welland,
7. Queens Drive
Surbiton
Surrey

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[RAF Crest]

ROYAL AIR FORCE,
[deleted] TUDDENHAM [/deleted] [inserted] STRADISHALL. [/inserted]
BURY ST EDMUNDS,
SUFFOLK.
TEL: [deleted] MILDENHALL 2161 [/deleted]

Tuesday.

My dearest Jean,

Just a few short lines to let you know I arrived safely, we did'nt come by car as Ron could'nt get the petrol so I left home at 4.40 and caught the 5.46 from Liverpool Street. I met the other three on the platform and we managed to find some seats. The local train from Cambridge was very late leaving and we finally arrived here at 10 o/c.

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We are lucky, and living in the mess, Rod and I share a room and Jack is just above us. Its like living in a first class hotel, plenty of room, central heating and only about ten yards to the dining room, under cover of course, in fact in the same building. We can literally walk along to breakfast asleep and leave it until the last minute, of course I don't, I'm nearly always the first! still I have a cup of tea in bed to wake me a little.

The food is quite good, better than our last station, although this is more

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isolated, its eight miles to the nearest railway station and about the same to Bury St Edmunds.

I hope you did'nt mind me not wanting you to see me off on Monday, but you know what it is, you're both watching the clock and prolonging the agony, I think it was best as it was. How is work going? Not too well I suppose, I miss you terribly but am counting the days to next leave, it won't be long after Christmas, think you're blisters will heal by then.

Have looked at Mothers cake

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several times but am saving it for Christmas, bet it'll taste good!

The weather has been pretty bad today, a thick fog, did'nt start to clear until about four o'clock, we spent the day finding our way about and chasing round collecting kit, it all accounted for now.

Well, cheerio for the moment, remember me to Mother & Dad, by the way done any more collecting lately?

Take care of yourself darling, looking forward to your letter.

All my love

Jack