Letter from Lewis Ellis to his mother and father

Letter from Lewis Ellis to his mother and father

Writes about meeting friend and that friend had washed out of pilot training. Mentions mail from other friends. Writes that the weather was now so hot that he was flying very early in the day. Mentions that his friend had been sent home to New Zealand and had written to him. Says he had started summer leave and was writing from YMCA in Winnipeg.

1943-07-07

Four page handwritten letter and envelope

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EEllisELEllisH-[Fa]430707

[crest] [postage stamp] [postmark JUL 7 1943]

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

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I

[crest]

ON ACTIVE SERVICE
Sgt E L Ellis
No. 7 B & G
Paulson.
Man.

Dear Mam and Dad,

By now you will have received my letter telling you I had met Stan Eccleston and no doubt Mrs Eccleston will have told you he has washed out [inserted] as a pilot [/inserted]. I was sorry when I heard he had washed out but according to his letter it does not appear to worry him at all and he says he will be quite content to be a navigator.

A week ago I got a letter from Harold Stevenson; he is stationed down East at No.17 E.F.T.S. Goodrich which is on the shore of Lake Huron he

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is really station [sic] at a good spot.

I started my summer leave yesterday and I am writting [sic] this letter in the y.m.C.a. [sic] Winnipeg. I am on my way to Toronto and then I think I shall go to Goodrich to see Hats.

The weather here now is terrific and I swet [sic] day and night and the one thing I would like most now is a good heavy rainstorm. I shall be leaving Winnipeg tonight, Wednesday but I shall not arrived [sic] in Toronto until Friday morning so I shall have two sweltering nights on the train.

Before I left Paulson I had strict orders to leave my address while on leave as I may be posted while I am away and as you can imagin [sic] no one has any idea where to look

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for the R.A.F. when they go on leave. Anyway I am hoping to receive a telegram when I get to Toronto telling me to return at once to Paulson.

Because it is so hot and the air is so rough we have now started flying at 4:45 a.m. so that we miss the heat of the day so, for the past week I have been going to bed at 8:00 pm. and getting up at 3:45 AM.

I hope Hats is not confined to camp when I get down there, as you know when I went to Regina Stan could only get out one evening as he was on duty watch.

I think I told you Gus Knox had been sent home to New Zealand; well two days ago I got a letter and a cable from him. The letter which was posted in Panama was all cut to ribbons and the only thing it told me was that it was

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very hot: the cable however came from his home in Aukland [sic], New Zealand saying he had arrived home in two weeks and he had got his commission so he is now a Pilot Officer. I guess I shall be getting a letter pretty soon giving me the gen on what he is flying in.

I guess thats about all for now. Remember me to all

Your loving son

Lewis.

P.S. Your mail is coming through fine now.