Letter to Les Pickford's Mother from 139 Squadron
Title
Letter to Les Pickford's Mother from 139 Squadron
Description
The writer expresses shock that Les' name has appeared on a list of deceased from the International Red Cross.
Creator
Date
1941-08-29
Temporal Coverage
Coverage
Language
Format
One typewritten sheet
Publisher
Rights
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Contributor
Identifier
EOC139SqnRAFPickfordA410829
Transcription
[inserted] [circled 10] [/inserted]
139S/460/76/P.3.
No. 139 (Jamaica) Squadron,
R.A.F. Station,
Aylsham,
Norfolk.
August 29th, 1941.
Dear Mr Pickford
It was a great shock to us today to receive a telegram from Air Ministry (of which I expect you will have received a copy), informing us that a telegram from the International Red Cross Society, quoting information from Rome, gives your son's name in a list of deceased airmen.
It seems difficult to understand, in view of the fact that you had previously received a letter from him, saying that he was alive and well, and I am wondering whether you received any subsequent letters stating that he was ill.
On behalf of the Commanding Officer, who is at present away, please accept my sincere sympathy, and also that of the whole Squadron, in your great bereavement.
Yours sincerely,
[signature]
Flight Lieutenant, Adjutant,
for Squadron Leader,
Officer Commanding,
[underlined] No. 139 (Jamaica) Squadron. [/underlined]
Mrs. A. Pickford,
41, Broadlea Road,
Kingsway,
MANCHESTER.
139S/460/76/P.3.
No. 139 (Jamaica) Squadron,
R.A.F. Station,
Aylsham,
Norfolk.
August 29th, 1941.
Dear Mr Pickford
It was a great shock to us today to receive a telegram from Air Ministry (of which I expect you will have received a copy), informing us that a telegram from the International Red Cross Society, quoting information from Rome, gives your son's name in a list of deceased airmen.
It seems difficult to understand, in view of the fact that you had previously received a letter from him, saying that he was alive and well, and I am wondering whether you received any subsequent letters stating that he was ill.
On behalf of the Commanding Officer, who is at present away, please accept my sincere sympathy, and also that of the whole Squadron, in your great bereavement.
Yours sincerely,
[signature]
Flight Lieutenant, Adjutant,
for Squadron Leader,
Officer Commanding,
[underlined] No. 139 (Jamaica) Squadron. [/underlined]
Mrs. A. Pickford,
41, Broadlea Road,
Kingsway,
MANCHESTER.
Collection
Citation
139 Squadron, “Letter to Les Pickford's Mother from 139 Squadron,” IBCC Digital Archive, accessed June 14, 2025, https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/collections/document/42522.