Letter to David Donaldson from Frank

Letter to David Donaldson from Frank

Letter to David Donaldson from Frank (?) written after the war. Reminiscences of colleagues and an operation on Venice. Mentions RAF personnel Frank met while a POW in Germany. Additional information about this item was kindly provided by the donor.

Six page handwritten letter

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E[Author]FDonaldsonDWXX1205

[underlined] DEC' 5th [/underlined]
C/o. 15 BELL HILL.


PETERSFIELD
HANTS
Dear David,
Your letter was more welcome than a five pound note! So thank you very much for replying, & so soon too.
It was great to hear from you, I thought you must have forgotten my existence by now, so, as I keep saying – it was good to hear from you.
So you're demobbed!! I too have my civvy suit, & am on indefinite leave whilst waiting for my resettlement course. (I'm not wanting the course, but intend using the leave to find a suitable job, then my discharge
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leave money can go straight into the bank & stay there, [deleted] ( [/deleted] I hope!)
They classified me as A. / B. ie. Perfectly fit, and yet at the same time gave me a 10% dissablility [sic], daft, isn't it?
You bet, there's every chance in the world of our getting together for a natter. I'd love to; my folks have moved from So'ton to Petersfield, so I can easily meet you when at Guildford, or alternatively I rather imagine I'll be working in So'ton; so you see, it'll be easy.
You old blighter! You calmly sit back & accept my congratulations on your family, &
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appear to think you deserve them all (congratulations, that is!) Would you kindly pass on precisely half of my praise to your wife? I'm [underlined]quite[/underlined] sure she fully deserves it.
The bit in the Echo? David old boy, were I to have my way [underline] all [/underlined] remaining copies would be burned; I've only seen two, but I've blushed, & shuddered all over each time. Thank Heavens you [underlined] didn't [/underlined] see it.
Poor old Alan, & for him that will be a terrible loss; but what news of Gordon? Whilst I was in Germany I managed to follow some of you, (but I heard you were a Groupie!!) & Gordon, so my
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informants told me, was a S/LDR & still going strong about mid '44, also:- he had got very fat!!
[underlined] Is [/underlined] he alive? I do hope so.
I wonder, how many of the old [two indecipherable words] V.R. [word deleted] [inserted] are [/inserted] still O.K.? Do you think we'll ever get together again?
Do you ever come down to town? if so, we could have a spot of dinner together, (& I'll introduce Betty, my fiance, I'm sure you'll be attracted)
Right ho, I'll wrap up,
Cheerio to you both,
Frank
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P.S.
I wonder, would you remember Jan' 13th. (I believe) 1941? we put on a Venise [sic] show. (I was not with you)
We lost Sgt Hodgson in R. for Robert. (their last trip too!)
You may recall that they all got away with it, and became P.s O.W.
Right! After Italy “packed in” most of the prisoners were brought up to Germany, and a few officers came to my compound, my mess (6 of us) entertained one of them to dinner, and he turned [deleted] of [/deleted] [inserted] out [/inserted] to be Ken Wilson, the second pilot of R!! We became very good friends, & of course I got
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their story.
[word deleted] Do you remember too, F Freddie of 99 landing in France? I met that crew, & got their story too, & damn interesting it was.
Fair enough, I'll save all that for later,
Bung Ho