Letter from Lewis Ellis to his mother and father

Letter from Lewis Ellis to his mother and father

Writes that he would answer their questions from recent letters. Mentions colleagues and catches up with family news. Comments on his good time in Chicago and recent wings parade, Writes of flying Fairy Battle aircraft, going on to Bolingbroke in future and soloing in Anson. Mentions terrible heat.

1942-07-06

Two page handwritten letter

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EEllisELEllisH-[Fa]420706

[crest]

1238597 Sgt/Pilot C L Ellis
No. 7 B & G School
Paulson
Man

6/7/42

Dear Mam & Dad,

I received your letter yesterday which was very welcome. I do not seem to get many letters these days. You say I do not answere [sic] your questions so I have read up the last few letters and I will answere [sic] the questions.

Tyler was washed out at Virden and the last I heard of him he was at a Observors [sic] School in Quebec and getting on very well but that was about three months ago.

Hammond and Knight are two English lads one is from St John's Wood London (Knight) and Hammond is from Chrystal Palace London; they were both posted to a B & G school at Lethbridge Alberta, Heap got his "wings" with us and went [deleted] th [/deleted] to Lethbridge

Tell our Sidney we left the dog at Virden with a [sic] officer but Creene (a [sic] English lad) flew down to Virden yesterday and he said he saw the dog but he does not know who has it now.

Yes - we certainly did have a grand time in Chicago and no doubt you have received a letter from the woman we met in Chicago by

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Now?

The wings parade was a stupendous affair and the people looked like a football crowd with flags flying and in the middle of the crowd stood Bonham Carter and we had to walk up to him and receive our wings boy were we scared.

At present we are flying Fairey Battles with gunners in the back but in about a months time we [deleted] ag [/deleted] are getting Bolingbrokes – Canadian Blenheims we certainly shall enjoy flying them. Since I last wrote I have soloed, the Avro Anson our Sidney should be able to recognise them as they have a lot in England.

The heat here is terrible and when you are sat behind a 1050 horse power Rolls Royce “Merlin”[deleted letter] engine its ten times worse.

I guess thats about all except I am going on fourteen days leave on September 16th so I shall probably go to Chicago again.

Remember me to all at 69, 52 & No. 6. etc.

Your loving son

Lewis.

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The photographs are different if you look closely.