Letter from Hedley Madgett to his parents

Letter from Hedley Madgett to his parents

Writes of Morse exam then navigation, big meal, a wedding attended and going to the beach. Talks of money and how he spends his days. Goes on to write about training, class photographs, his laundry and requests from other people for letters.

1941-07-03

Four page handwritten letter and envelope

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EMadgettLR-AGMadgettHR410721

Start of transcription
[postmark]
[postage stamp]
Mr. & Mrs. Madgett.
127. Longlands Road,
Sidcup.
[underlined] Kent. [/underlined]
[page break]
[stamp]
[page break]
NO. 1330340. H.R. Madgett.
etc. etc.
Wednesday
[underlined] evening [/underlined]
Dear Mum & Dad,
Today has been perfect. This morning we had our Morse sending exam (I got 98%), which was not hard work, then Navigation. We had a big dinner with plenty of 2nd helpings then in the afternoon the whole squadron went to the wedding of one of the sargents. [sic] – We threw the confetti. That did not take long - & for nearly 2 1/2 hours we sunbathed & played games on the beach. I had a whacking great supper & tea & the weather now is still very hot.
[page break]
[underlined] 2 [/underlined]
We have hardly any “homework” and is too hot to do any in any case. That is life the R.a.f. [sic] Please excuse pencil as writing in the “Italian Gardens” near here.
It looks as though I’m going to get £2 every month from GH & Co. Actually, its surprising how little one spends per day here, & so I am collecting quite a lot. I’ve got £3 now – and so when its [deleted] conuv [/deleted] convenient I will send it home per registered post. When I come home I can have a good time with the money saved. We should
[page break]
[underlined] 3 [/underlined]
be having leave in a few weeks now, when we have [deleted] had [/deleted] finished our course here & taken the Navi. exam which we aren’t exactly looking forward [deleted] too [/deleted] to.
We have had 2 Photos taken of the No. 4 flight, & I have ordered 2 of them, & 1 postcard size of our C.O., officers, [deleted] co [/deleted] seargents [sic] & corporals. So when we get them I will send mine on.
I got the collars this afternoon. The envelope was rather torn about, but they were O.K. Thanks for doing the laundry. I hope it gets here in time.
[page break]
The people I have to write to! You say Ernie & Edith, & John [deleted] g [/deleted] keeps telling me to write to him and says a lot of other “people” want to hear from me. But I’ll do my best.
Which reminds me. There is a chap in our Flight who comes from Liverpool & knows Tuebrook quite well.
Well, I must be moving now, so Cheerio.
Love from [underlined] Hedley [/underlined]
P.S. I suppose I will have to write to G.H. & Co. as well.