Letter from Bill Akrill to his mother

Letter from Bill Akrill to his mother

Last letter before leaving West Freugh. Writes about potential choice next courses as navigator or bomb aimer. Chooses navigator course at Upper Heyford. Considered navigator as harder job. Catches up with news and writes in pencil at the end that he has now passed out as sergeant observer.

Three page handwritten letter

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EAkrillWEAkrill[Mo][Date]-06

The Dear old Freugh
(for the last time)
[underlined] Monday [/underlined]
Dear Mum,
Thought id drop you a line before leaving here then you’ll have some idea what’s happening. We got to Stranraer Harbour at about 5 this am. & waited in the usual rain for the first bus at 7.40
Learned that we were being posted tonight & we had a choice of stations and duties – near Leighton Buzzard as Navigator or to near Oxford as either Bomb Aimer or Navigator. I wanted Nav-B. Aimer combined but of the 2 I chose Navigator at Upper Heyford just south of Oxford. [deleted] All [/deleted] Most of my best pals are going there either as B.A.s or Navs.
[page break]
Sorry I shan’t have the long waited for pleasure of dropping bombs but I’d made up my mind to do the harder job of Nav if possible.
So it looks as if I’ll be on heavy stuff – Lancasters and the like. May be taking the roofs off Collingham soon! Of course [underlined] this is not supposed to be public knowledge [/underlined] – I’m just a Sgt. Observer somewhere near Oxford.
All having a terrible job packing. Passing out this afternoon. Got letter O.K. but Pyjamas have not turned up! As a final farewell it’s just pouring with rain. Scots mist & all that and the food is terrible — good old West Freugh!!
[page break]
[underlined] Later [/underlined]
Now passed out. Sergeant Observer . Chaos everywhere at the moment. Trying to get this off but have no stamp. Write as soon as I get to Upper Heyford. 160-TO
[underlined] Bill [/underlined]