Letter from Hedley Madgett to his parents

Letter from Hedley Madgett to his parents

Writes from No 9 Recruit Wing at Stratford-on-Avon about arrival in rain and billeted at old school. Issue of uniform and request they send maths books. Short description of town and mentions he is going to Shakespeare play. Concludes with talk of photographs and inoculations and request for paper and string.

1941-05-26

Three page handwritten letter and envelope

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EMadgettLR-AGMadgettHR410526

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Mr. & Mrs. Madgett,
127, Longlands Road,
Sidcup.
Kent.

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No. 1330340. H.R.MADGETT
FLIGHT 11/22. NO. 9.R.W.
R.A.F. Grove House,
Greenhill Street,
Stratford-on-Avon.
26th. May. 1941.

Dear Dad & Mum,

We arrived in pouring rain here at 5 p.m. and am billeted in an old school. Most of the others in the 100 that arrived on Saturday are in hotels. But we get plenty of hot water. etc. We have had only a little drill & no fatigues; in fact quite a soft life as far as normal R.A.F. routine goes.

Yesterday, our uniforms &

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equipment was handed out & last evening was trying to fit the harness of "hundreds" of straps.

Would you please send me my maths. books, as we are to have an exam. just to sort us out in grades. We are here only for two or three weeks, after which we go on to an Initial Training Wing.

Stratford is a place where it rains every day. Yesterday & today it rained hard, & everything in the shops for the forces very dear. For meals we have to march 1/2 mile to another hotel, & meals are O.K.

Tonight, am going to see a Shakespeare play at the theatre,

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and this afternoon have to be inoculated & [deleted] po [/deleted] photographed.

When I get my equipment sorted out I will send back all I don't want, for which would you send some paper & string.

Well, that is all for the time being.

Best wishes,

Hedley. A.C.2.!