Letter to Mrs K Hobbs from officer commanding 630 Squadron

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Title

Letter to Mrs K Hobbs from officer commanding 630 Squadron

Description

Informs Mrs K Hobbs that her husband Flight Sergeant Frank J Hobbs is missing in action on night of 15/16 March 1944. Offers possibility that crew were able to abandon aircraft. Mentions that the request in previous telegram was included to avoid prejudicing possible escape. Personal effects would be returned and any further information would come from the Air Ministry.

Date

1944-03-16

Temporal Coverage

Language

Format

Two page typewritten letter

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.

Identifier

EYeatsAFHobbsK440316

Transcription

No. 630 Squadron,
Royal Air Force.
East Kirkby.
Nr. Spilsby.
Lincs.
Ref: 630S/1802/18/CA.
[underlined] 16th. March, 1944 [/underlined]
Dear Mrs. Hobbs,
It is with deep regret that I must write to confrim [sic] my telegram informing you that your husband Flight Sergeant Frank. J. Hobbs is missing from operations on the night of 15/16th. March, 1944.
He was the Wireless Operator of an aircraft detailed to take part in a raid against Stuttgart, but, as is usual, radio silence is maintained after take off and therefore it is not possible to determine the cause of its failure to return.
Your husband was an experienced Wireless Operator and a member of an excellent crew who had carried out some successful sorties against the enemy. I had every confidence in the Captain, Pilot Officer Rodbourn, who would, I know do everything possible to ensure the safety of his crew.
There is, of course, every possibility that the crew were able to abandon the aircraft and land safely in enemy territory. If, as we all sincerely hope, this proves to be the case then news should reach you from the International Red Cross Committee in due course. May I express the very sincere sympathy which I personally and all members of my Squadron feel for you during this most distressing and anxious time of waiting.
I would like to explain that the request in the telegram notifying you of the casualty to you [sic] husband was included with the object of avoiding his chance to escape being prejudiced by undue publicity in case he was still at large. This is not to say that any information about him is available, but is a precaution adopted in the case of all missing personnel.
You will wish to know that I have arranged for his personal effects to be taken care of by the Committee of Adjustment Officer at this Station and they will be forwarded on to you as soon as circumstances permit.
Any further information concerning the missing crew or aircraft will be sent to you by the Air Ministry, but if, as sometimes happens, you receive news from other sources, I shall be most grateful if you will let me know.
[page break]
If, in the meantime, there is any way in which I can be of assistance to you please do not hesitate to let me know.
Yours sincerely
[signature]
Wing Commander, Commanding
[underlined] No. 630 Squadron, R.A.F. [/underlined]

Collection

Citation

Officer commanding 630 Squadron, “Letter to Mrs K Hobbs from officer commanding 630 Squadron,” IBCC Digital Archive, accessed March 29, 2024, https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/collections/document/10140.

Item Relations

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