To Jessie from Harry Redgrave

To Jessie from Harry Redgrave

A letter and envelope from Harry to his wife Jessie. He writes about practising navigation in a Fokker, taking his navigation exams and thanks her for the photo which has just arrived.

1940-02-24

Six handwritten sheets and an envelope

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[postage stamp]

Mrs H. C. Redgrave
“Redwood”
Oaken Grange Drive
Prittlewell
Essex

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Reverse of envelope with written calculations

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Redbrae
Sat 24. 2. 40

My dearest Jessie,

Thank you [underlined] very much [/underlined] for your daily letter this week, they have been a great comfort to me through a very hard week. This morning we sat for our photo + reco exam and apart from the maths the mid term [sic] exam is over. When I reached home your portrait had arrived and darling I think it is wonderful and far away the best you have ever had taken. I [deleted] strod [/deleted] stood and gazed at [inserted] it [/inserted] for a long time and even now I keep having a peep at you. You look so pretty and it makes me long to have you in my

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arms and keep kissing you and hold you close to me. Just another month and all my dreams will come true and we shall have a few happy hours together again. Just looking at your picture revives a thousand memories turns me to hopes of the day when I can afford to have you and Pamela living near my station.

The exam was a step in that direction but I shall have to wait a few days to hear the results. It was quite a stiff test and the three hour paper yesterday morning left me with no time to spare. The general feeling was that there was too much to do in the time and although I was able to complete it several fellows has to leave the last portion unfinished. I feel I did fairly well and I did know all that was

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asked but how I expressed myself is a different matter. In the afternoon we had a two hour plotting paper and I had hoped to get a hundred per cent at that but when I talked it over with the boys I found I had made a piddling error in not taking the deviation of the aircrafts [sic] head. Instead I had taking [sic] it off the bearings a thing we have been warned about time and again. How are the mighty fallen. Plotting I thought was my strong point and in many exercises in the class I have always remembered about that deviation and always made a really good show of my work then yesterday of all days I make a slip

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in this mornings [sic] exam I think I have made a good show and am [deleted] f [/deleted] hoping that the results all average me over 60%.

I managed to get in another four hours flying on Thursday and went down to Annan in the morning. The flight took us over some of the wildest country I have seen and it made navigation rather difficult but withal that the exercise proved very satisfactory and we arrived slap over Annan right on our E.T.A. In the afternoon we set off for West Freugh but had to turn back because just past Maybole it became violently rough and the Fokker was tossed about like a piece of paper in the air and with those menacing

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rolling [sic] away underneath us it was rather disturbing. The trouble in flying in this hilly county is that once you lose height you never know when one of these hills may get in your way. Some of the pupils became greener and greener as we were being tossed about [sic] A few were sick and I was proud of the fact that I was able to keep the cat down. I have now done 24/ [sic] hours up hear [sic] and 23 at Rochford and I'm feeling a real veteran.

[deleted] I [/deleted] Pamela is lucky to find a little pal in Rosalie and it will do her a world of good to have a youngster to play with at times. Nice for you and Gladys too, especially if they can amuse themselves while you have a chat over a cup of tea. I bet you find plenty to

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to [sic] talk over what with your children and your husbands and bungalows and the R.A.F.

Aunt Nellie wrote me a long letter in the week saying they has all been ill but are now better but as there is a lot in it I have enclosed the letter so you and Mum can read it

Mr Chamberlain is speaking on the radio and he is impressive in his confidence of victory. Darling the sooner the better and home again for your lonely airman.
Thanks again dear for my picture and all my love to you and Pamela and Mum
Your ever loving
Harry xxxx