Letter from Bill Akrill to his mother

Letter from Bill Akrill to his mother

Bill writes of flying activity, or lack of it when flights are abandoned or postponed. Mentions visit of circus comprising Ju 88, Me 110 and Heinkel which gave flying demonstration and after he was able to look over them. Was not impressed with crew space.

Has received a gift from the 'Comforts Fund'.

1942-12-13

Two page handwritten letter

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.

EAkrillWEAkrill[Mo]421213

Sgt. Akrill.
Sgts. Mess.
R.A.F. Station,
Upper Heyford
Oxon.
Sunday 13.12.42.
Dear Mum,
Thank you for the letter which turned up yesterday. Sorry you were worried but as things are now I didn’t realise it was so long since I wrote. I could be like David & ring you up if you want me to but it really doesn’t seem worth it.
Things are keeping on just about the same. It gets a bit tiring but I’ll be able to have a rest at Christmas. On Friday night we were just taxying out to take off when we got bogged in the mud & messed round there from 6 to 10 in pouring rain & finally had to abandon it. Saturday was fine & I was all ready to come in an Anson to bring somebody to Scampton but [underlined] that [/underlined] was scrubbed. One day some of the lads took a S/Ldr to Winthorpe in an Annie. Wasn’t I wild when I found out later. I think we should have developed engine trouble if [underlined] I’d [/underlined] got as far as that!! Then somebody else went to Wigsley. People are always going to & from there so maybe I’ll get one day
[page break]
[underlined] 2 [/underlined]
We’ve got the “Circus” here paying us a visit. A Junkers 88, a Messerschmitt 110 and a Heinkel!!! They put up a good show in the air but I’ve been over them & I’m glad I’m not one of their crew. The crew doesn’t seem to be considered at all as they are in our own kites. The Ju 88 is one of the best aircraft in the world but the crew are packed like sardines. We look like a unit of the Luftwaffe at the moment!!
I got my Gift from the Comforts’ Fund the other day – it had been lying around sometime as someone had spelt my name wrongly & missed my number. Would you let me know where to write to acknowledge it? Please tell Mary that I’m stumped for blades again – on my last which is like a saw.
Enclosing £7. Havn’t [sic] got any Christmas Presents – see what I can do if ever I get into town.
Will try to write again soon.
Love to all
[underlined] Bill [/underlined]