Letter from Lewis Ellis to his mother and father

Letter from Lewis Ellis to his mother and father

Writes of soloing in Bolingbroke. Says not much else going on but the days were getting shorter and it was not so hot. Writes of teaming up with a New Zealand gunnery instructor. Catches up with domestic issues. Writes of mail from friend. Still does not know when he would be coming home.

1942-08-26

Three page handwritten letter and envelope

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EEllisELEllisH-[Fa]420826

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Mrs. H Ellis
54, Wulfric Rd.,
Manor
Sheffield 2.
England.

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1238597 Sgt E L Ellis
#7 B & G School
Paulson
Man
26/8/42

Dear Mam & Dad,

Sorry I did not write last week but I have been very buisy [sic]. Last Thursday I soloed on the Bolingbroke after 45 minutes instruction. The Bolingbroke is the Canadian name for the British Blenheim IV so you see at last I am flying a modern bomber. It does make you feel strong when you have a thousand horse power engine on eigther [sic] side of you and a twin gun turret behind you. I should think they will do 300 m.p.h. but I have not tested them yet to see what the top speed is.

Apart from the Bolingbroke things are much the same here but the days are getting shorter and it is not quite so hot but we are still wearing summer uniform, it looks lousy.

Greene and I have paired up with a New Zealand lad, Knox; he is a sergeant wireless operator – air gunner and his job here is to instruct on the gun turrets and as he is married he is really mad that they have

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kept him here as a [sic] instructor.

The last letter I had from you dated August 12th had two pieces cut out of it and as you wrote on both sides of the paper quite a lot was missing.

I do hope my dad is better and back at work and that the air raids are not worrying you. That is about all I could make out of the letter but I still look forward to all mail.

Last week I had a letter from John Smith A.R. its the first I have had from him for six months and was I surprised to hear he was married. He also told me my photograph was in the paper, what about sending me the cutting, Mam? or didn’t you see it?

We still do not know when we will be coming home only we expect to be in England for Christmas.

I can’t think of anything else to write only I hope our Sidney enjoys it at High Storres; he should be starting there when you receive this. Tell him to take his French seriously eh?

Give my love to all at 69, 52 & 6 Mam.

Your loving son

Lewis

[underlined] P T. O. [/underlined]

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P.S. Have you received the photographs I sent?

P.P.S. Hows our Tyne getting on?

P.P.S. Are the fowls laying? Here we have eggs for breakfast every morning in the Sergeants Mess. they are only a nickel each.