Letter from Lewis Ellis to his mother and father

Letter from Lewis Ellis to his mother and father

Acknowledges receipt of their letters and wonders why they had not received any from him. Mentions he passed his end of course exams, that he now had 100 hours flying and comments on cross country flight. Writes that he will be posted to another station for two engine aircraft training as he will become a bomber pilot. Mentions graduation party and about his Christmas leave in Winnipeg. Catches up with news of other friends. Writes that of 16 trainees on cross country to Winnipeg only 7 got back and those after dark. The others were spread between base and Portage. Postscript comments on time difference and adds asks after family news.

1942-01-24

Five page handwritten letter and envelope

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EEllisELEllisH-[Fa]420124

[inserted] [missing letters]H[/missing letters] ATLANTIC [/inserted]

[postage stamps] [postmarks JAN 27 42]

EXAMINER 2971

[inserted] 1/12/42 [/inserted]

MRS. ELLIS,
54, WULFRIC RD.
MANOR
SHEFFIELD. 2.
ENGLAND.

[air mail stamp]

[page break]

[postmark]

[Royal Canadian Air Force crest]

P.C. 90
OPENED BY

[page break]

24/[missing numbers]

Dear Mam & Dad,

I was very glad to get your “Air Mail” letter last week and this morning I got your letter with the unwritten Christmas card in it. I can’t understand why you have only had one of my letters as I write every week only a week ago we took our exams at the end of this course and you’ll be glad to know I passed every one of them O.K.

[page break]

2/

[Royal Canadian Air Force crest]

and got 100% for signals.

You say in the last letter you think I shall have been up flying, well as a matter of fact I have now got [underlined] 100 [/underlined] hours flying in now and yesterday I flew from Virden to Winnipeg and back, a total of 420 miles; I went [deleted word] [inserted] solo [/inserted].

As I said I passed the exams and next Thursday we are being posted to another station for “Service Flying Training” on big two engined aeroplanes. I’m going in for a bomber pilot.

Last week we had a “graduation” party but I couldn’t have a drink until eleven o’clock as five of us were night flying for
(Night flying is only with an instructor)

[page break]

3/

a Group Captain who came to visit

I told you in a previous letter how I spend Christmas in Winnipeg so you should have it before this and I’m going there again if we get the leave we are expecting.

You’ll be glad to know I wrote to Harry Rodgers and got a reply; he’s in Tascaloosa [sic], Alabama and having a devil of a time and he wishes he was with us – he’s hardly had any flying yet.

You’ll be sorry to here Tyler failed his flying as a pilot so he’s gone as a [sic] observer and that only leaves Heap (now in hospital with measles) and I left from the chaps from Scarborough but I think we’ll both finish the race now.

[page break]

4/

I’ve just got to know that out of the sixteen who left here for Winnipeg, flying, today only severn [sic] have got back and all of them after dark. Eight of us all did it separate yesterday and the last back got in at 4-30. The chaps who are lost today are all somewhere between here and Portage, 150 miles away.

I can’t think of any more news so I hope every one a [sic] home is O.K. as I am. Tell Hats to join up its great fun.

Rember [sic] me to all at 52 & 69 I should be home sometime in July.

Your loving son

Lewis.

P.T.O.

[page break]

P.S. In Virden we are seven hours behind you so at six o’clock in England Im probably at 6000 ft up.

Hows my Dad getting on with the fowls and rabbits or have you eaten them? I hope our Tynes O.K. Knight [inserted] (a pal of mine) [/inserted] & I have a dog here now, its a pure bred [deleted] Dalchhaund [/deleted] Datchhound [sic] about 2’ 6” long and 7” high we call him “Hitler” he sleeps with me. We had him given us.

P.P.S. Ill send this letter Air Mail you may get it earlier.

I guess I missed being at home at Christmas.