Letter from Jack Darby to Jean

Letter from Jack Darby to Jean

He thanks Jean for her letter and cake. He has booked their honeymoon hotel in Bideford since Lynton was not available. He has just enough petrol saved up and rationed. Jack is coming back so they can resume flying.

1945-06-26

Two double sided handwritten envelopes and both sides envelope

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EDarbyCAHWellandJ450626

[postage stamps] [postmark]

[inserted] 26.6.45 [/inserted]

Miss J Welland,
7 Queens Drive
Surbiton
Surrey

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[inserted] 28.14 [/inserted]

[Royal Air Force Crest]

[Inserted] [deleted] 10. 6.
14. 6 [/deleted] [/inserted]

[inserted] £29.4.6 [/inserted]

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F/O. C. Darby, 154676
R.A.F. Station
Stradishall
Newmarket
Suffolk.

Sunday.

My dearest Jean,

Thanks so much for your letter which arrived yesterday also for the cake which came the day before, the box was a bit battered as though they’d used the cake to stop the van from running away! anyhow after undoing it the contents were quite O.K. and are being demolished forthwith.

I've just received the [indecipherable word] slip for our honeymoon, afraid they would’nt book at Lynton, but its [inserted] the [/inserted] Royal Hotel Bideford, should be quite nice there, I’ve just

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2.

written off to White Hart at Salisbury for rooms, I think Shaftesbury is a bit too far, by the way do you know what these hotels in Salisbury are like? I just picked one with a pin.

One other blow, they’ve stopped the operational petrol allowance but I think I shall be O.K, [deleted] I’ve [/deleted] the allowance for leave is 400 miles at 24 m.p.g. is 17 gallons, I’ve 10 gallons in reserve plus five gallons basic and what I can scrounge from my pal here. the total number of gallons required for the round journey alone is 23 gallons = 540 miles so we shall have at [inserted] least [/inserted] 11 gallons to play with

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3/

I’m fitting this spare tank in the luggage compartment, should hold about eight gallons, the only bind is I’ll have to syphon it into the main tank when required.

We’ve not been very busy just lately, expect we shall start flying tomorrow as Jack should be here tonight, we’re pretty short of crews at the moment, quite a few people sick and getting married, wives having babies etc.

Regarding the unemployed idea I think thats quite good as we can then go down to Broadstairs for a few days, shall probably take Grandma home, then we can get organized on the flat [underlined] if [/underlined] the C council have given permission, I’m going over to see them if I get a 48 before we’re married.

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4/

Well darling, not much to write about, was very disappointed I could’nt get home this weekend but was just unlucky, should have liked to give you a surprise.

Cheerio for the moment remember me to Mother & Dad, hope you’ve still got the ring in a safe place, no ring – no wedding!

All my love, darling,

Jack