Letter from Lewis Ellis to his mother and father

Letter from Lewis Ellis to his mother and father

Glad that they were now receiving his mail. Reiterates that he written about his flying and passing his EFTS flying and exams. Writes that he was now at 5 FTS service flying training school flying twin engine aircraft. Writes about going to Vancouver while on leave including bus via Calgary, Banff and the Rockies. Describes some of his activities on the journey and return by rail. Catches up with news of friends.

1942-02-25

Four page handwritten letter and envelope

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EEllisELEllisH-[Fa]420225

[postmark FEB 25 1942]

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

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[Royal Canadian Air Force crest]

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[underlined] First [/underlined]

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[Royal Canadian Air Force crest]

1238597 LAC ELLIS
12 S.F.T.S.
BRANDON.
MAN.
CANADA

Dear Mam & Dad,

I was very glad to get you [sic] letter, dated 18th Jan, on the 18th Feb, at last you are getting my mail.

Its almost too long ago to remember what I put in them, but as you will gather by now I have done quite a lot of flying.

I sent you a “air mail” letter about Jan 25th telling you all about my flying and how I passed the E.F.T.S. exams. Well now you see I am at the S.F.T.S. Service Flying Training School and here we fly big twin engined aircraft which are much harder than

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Tiger Moths and more like the real [deleted letters] thing. Tell our Sidney they look like Blenheims.

Well from Feb 1st to Feb 17th we were on leave so Wally Hammond and I decided to go and see Vancoover [sic] on the extreme west coast we didn’t make any arrangements but just walked down in to Vinden [sic] and got on a Trans-Canada bus. It too us thirty six hours to get to Calgary and from there we went up into the Rockies at Banff, a big national park. I have never seen anything like the Rockies – boy are they big. I have some very good photos of them what we took.

Any way aft two days we got

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tired and went back to Calgary and caught a bus south for Mcleod and from there we recrossed the Rockies – it took another two day and we had a great time. We ran down the Frazer Canyon 800 miles long and got into Vancover [sic] at 11.45pm Tuesday after leaving [inserted] Virden [/inserted] at 1-30pm Wednesday. We had [deleted] glad t [/deleted] grand time in Vancoover [sic] and on the Friday we went across to Victoria, Vancoover Isle and come back [deleted] Sud [/deleted] Sunday night to Vancoover we left for Brandon on Thursday night night [sic] and got back on Sunday night, [deleted] I [/deleted] we came back by rail, its much quicker.

Now we are at Brandon and on our last lap but it will take us another four mounths [sic] here.

I suppose “Echo” Fred & Hats are

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very excited but tell them not to judge the service until they have done about four mounths [sic]. Tell them I sure they will get through at least as far a [sic] I have got. The only snag is a few chaps just can’t fly and its usually the guy who a perfect flyer.

Anyway I hope I’m in England before they leave for Canada.

I thing that’s all.

Tell our Sidney I’ll teach him how fly after the war.

Your loving son,

Lewis.

P.S. I got our Renée’s letter, Tell her I’m replying.