To Jessie from Harry Redgrave
Title
To Jessie from Harry Redgrave
Description
A letter and envelope from Harry Redgrave to his wife Jessie. He writes about his exam results, the possibility of Easter leave and the bomber that was brought down near Gravesend.
Creator
Date
1940-02-05
Temporal Coverage
Language
Format
Four handwritten sheets and an envelope
Publisher
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
ERedgraveHCRedgraveJM400205-020001,
ERedgraveHCRedgraveJM400205-020002,
ERedgraveHCRedgraveJM400205-020003,
ERedgraveHCRedgraveJM400205-020004,
ERedgraveHCRedgraveJM400205-020005
ERedgraveHCRedgraveJM400205-020002,
ERedgraveHCRedgraveJM400205-020003,
ERedgraveHCRedgraveJM400205-020004,
ERedgraveHCRedgraveJM400205-020005
Transcription
[Envelope]
[postage stamp]
Mrs. H. C. Redgrave
"Redwood"
Oaken Grange Drive
Prittlewell
Essex
[page break]
"Redbrae"
Monkton
Ayrshire
Wed 5. 2. 40
Darling Jessie
Your forecast of my results have come true and I have averaged 80%. I feel very pleased with that and hope I continue to do as well in my other exams. Mitchell (that's the one with the moustache in the Victorian Group) and I were the best at Redbrae Donald the lad you met at Bexhill got 66% and is rather disappointed still we have plenty more to learn and know [sic] one knows how we shall finish.
Its [sic] been a wonderful day up here and although there was a very sharp frost this morning the sun warmed up and made things very pleasant. We've had a hard day doing W.T. D.R. and Maps and Charts and as soon as I have finished this I must get down to some Maths, but still its [sic] for a good cause.
[page break]
Yesterday C and D squads of B course had a group photo taken for record purposes and I think we are able to buy reprints so if I can get one I will send it on It should look rather good and not unlike a photo of a [deleted] cricktt [/deleted] cricket club or something. Tomorrow evening I am going to a show in Troon where the management have invited the whole school over two evenings and I am hoping to have an enjoyable night. Its [sic] about time I had an evening out as lately I seem to have had all work and no play.
I had laugh [sic] over the boys here today as on Thursdays we usually have macaroni cheese for tea and as I dont [sic] like it I have [deleted] us [/deleted] always gone without and just had bread and jam and scones, but earlier this week in talking to the cook I said I did not like Thursdays tea and today as well as the other chaps tea in came a big plate of ham and tomatoes for Mr. Redgrave. You should have seen their faces and to make things worse instead of
[page break]
having a dish for seven to share amongst them they only had enough for six.
We takled [sic] the W.O. about Easter leave today but he was non commital [sic] and said it would go up on D R O. as soon as it was decided, that is about 12 days before Easter he said. From the talk we felt that it was pretty sure although any thing [sic] might happen yet. One course are sitting for their finals on Good Friday so they will be unlucky.
I bet Pamela enjoyed her train journey and I remember how we have taken her on many occasions and how excited she has been I hope you found Nelly and Frank pretty fit How is Frank looking forward to military service? Do you know what Tom is doing at Weymouth I think it is a gunnery school and if ever I pass this course I think I shall try and do my armament course there as it is near home and I may be able to get back to see you on a week end.
[page break]
I read about the bomber brought down at Gravesend and wondered whether you saw anything of it. It was a terrible business and a horrible end for the crew. Bad enough to be shot down by the enemy but by your own chaps is unthinkable.
I think thats [sic] all for tonight dear so happy dreams and all my love to you and Pamela.
Harry xxxx
P.S. I will send on P.O. for 4/6 in anticipation of my leave as soon as I get to the Post Office
Harry
[postage stamp]
Mrs. H. C. Redgrave
"Redwood"
Oaken Grange Drive
Prittlewell
Essex
[page break]
"Redbrae"
Monkton
Ayrshire
Wed 5. 2. 40
Darling Jessie
Your forecast of my results have come true and I have averaged 80%. I feel very pleased with that and hope I continue to do as well in my other exams. Mitchell (that's the one with the moustache in the Victorian Group) and I were the best at Redbrae Donald the lad you met at Bexhill got 66% and is rather disappointed still we have plenty more to learn and know [sic] one knows how we shall finish.
Its [sic] been a wonderful day up here and although there was a very sharp frost this morning the sun warmed up and made things very pleasant. We've had a hard day doing W.T. D.R. and Maps and Charts and as soon as I have finished this I must get down to some Maths, but still its [sic] for a good cause.
[page break]
Yesterday C and D squads of B course had a group photo taken for record purposes and I think we are able to buy reprints so if I can get one I will send it on It should look rather good and not unlike a photo of a [deleted] cricktt [/deleted] cricket club or something. Tomorrow evening I am going to a show in Troon where the management have invited the whole school over two evenings and I am hoping to have an enjoyable night. Its [sic] about time I had an evening out as lately I seem to have had all work and no play.
I had laugh [sic] over the boys here today as on Thursdays we usually have macaroni cheese for tea and as I dont [sic] like it I have [deleted] us [/deleted] always gone without and just had bread and jam and scones, but earlier this week in talking to the cook I said I did not like Thursdays tea and today as well as the other chaps tea in came a big plate of ham and tomatoes for Mr. Redgrave. You should have seen their faces and to make things worse instead of
[page break]
having a dish for seven to share amongst them they only had enough for six.
We takled [sic] the W.O. about Easter leave today but he was non commital [sic] and said it would go up on D R O. as soon as it was decided, that is about 12 days before Easter he said. From the talk we felt that it was pretty sure although any thing [sic] might happen yet. One course are sitting for their finals on Good Friday so they will be unlucky.
I bet Pamela enjoyed her train journey and I remember how we have taken her on many occasions and how excited she has been I hope you found Nelly and Frank pretty fit How is Frank looking forward to military service? Do you know what Tom is doing at Weymouth I think it is a gunnery school and if ever I pass this course I think I shall try and do my armament course there as it is near home and I may be able to get back to see you on a week end.
[page break]
I read about the bomber brought down at Gravesend and wondered whether you saw anything of it. It was a terrible business and a horrible end for the crew. Bad enough to be shot down by the enemy but by your own chaps is unthinkable.
I think thats [sic] all for tonight dear so happy dreams and all my love to you and Pamela.
Harry xxxx
P.S. I will send on P.O. for 4/6 in anticipation of my leave as soon as I get to the Post Office
Harry
Collection
Citation
Harry Redgrave, “To Jessie from Harry Redgrave,” IBCC Digital Archive, accessed April 27, 2024, https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/collections/document/15866.
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