Letter from Bill Akrill to his mother

Letter from Bill Akrill to his mother

Bill writes of flying close to home and an upcoming kit inspection early the next morning.

Last night he went to the church fellowship in the village and then to his friends for supper. Has also had an invitation from their neighbours, so is getting to know lots of people.

Speculates about where he might be posted - hopes it will be somewhere close to home.

Talks of his drawings of gremlins which he has made up into a little booklet. Has been suggested he should send it to the RAF Journal.

Resuming the letter the following day, Bill thanks his mother for her parcel and replies to news from home.

1943-01-08

1943-01-09

Six page handwritten letter

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EAkrillWEAkrill[Mo]430108

1436220 Sgt. Akrill,
Sgts’ Mess,
R.A.F. Station,
Upper Heyford,
OXON.
Fri. 8.1.43
Dear Mum,
I see there’s a parcel for me in the Post Office so I’ll collect it in the morning & then get this off tomorrow enclosing £.S.D. Think it must have been there some time but I’ve missed the list in the Mess.
Just landed from a trip over Norfolk, Lincs and Yorks. Had fun over Newark but I was much too busy to have a look outside. Were detailed to take off again less then half an hour after we touched down on the drome again but it was scrubbed owing to – well never mind. I think one of these days we’ll really have to land at S. It’s tantalizing when you can look out & see home especially when you’re feeling as anxious for a spot of leave as I do. So I’m having a quiet little rest on my bed. There’s a simple terrible
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kit inspection in the morning at 0750 hrs. With all the kit I have (& that I havn’t [sic]) its going to be a binding affair. I [underlined] dislike [/underlined] kit inspections more than anything. And at [underlined] that [/underlined] hour too. Oh dear, oh dear. Just one of the little things sent to try us [deleted] as [/deleted] as Mary’s friend Mr. Whatsitt-with-the Umbrella would remark.
I got down to Lower H. last night to the Fellowship and later to the Bates’ to supper. Mrs. B. said something about writing to thank you for your letter or something. I got teased last night when I got an invitation from the Prestons (who are farmers who live next door & whose party I went to on Sat.) to go to [deleted] tea [/deleted] supper a week on Sunday. They have 3 daughters so there was much speculation as to which one it was! Finally they decided it must be Vera, short, fat and 30 is who came to ask me! By the time I leave here I shall know
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three quarters of the village! Possibly not be here very much longer – all depending on the weather. Lets hope that [deleted] on [/deleted] my next move will bring me somewhere [inserted] where [/inserted] I shan’t have to be getting to know strangers! May spend some time at Win. before moving on to S. & then if I [deleted] move [/deleted] get finally to Wad. It would be ideal wouldn’t it for the Spring & Summer. Expect after all I’ll go to N. Yorks!!!!! I hear from our instructors, who all come from those stations around, that they are grand places to be at. We get to know a lot about them & it will be disappointing not to get there after building up hopes.
We’re having some extremely interesting lectures these days. I can’t talk about them but they are interesting & I enjoy them.
You remember the Gremlins I started
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doing? I hadn’t time to carry on and any way they became too technical but I have done a lot in a little booklet which the boys are very pleased with and want me to send something up to the R.A.F. Journal, which I shall do if I’ve chance – which isn’t likely.
Well, folks must get mobile and get weaving on this kit business, will finish when I’ve got your parcel.
[underlined] SATURDAY [/underlined] Collected your parcel from the Post Office this morning. Many thanks for the apples, cake & soap. Your parcels always have such a lovely “homey” smell long before I open them. They’re grand to get. Sorry about the colds & weather. You can guess how cold it [deleted] [indecipherable word] [/deleted] is upstairs! Poor old Major. I wondered why the dinner was so tough yesterday. Wonder if Mary & Daddy went to Lincoln yesterday. I was over there about 2 o’clock. It was a nice day. There’s lots of snow in N. Yorks.
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I wrote to Auntie at the same time as I wrote to the Moakes so she should have got it. They seem to have all the hard luck. No I don’t expect you’ll feel like stirring far from Potter Hill at the moment. I don’t think you’ll find a better little corner of the world at the moment. Which reminds me I’m sure Miss Moakes would be interested to know that the R.A.F. has great faith in her ‘adexolin’ pills, as a means of improving night vision. We’re supposed to take 3 of them a day and 1 Vitamin “D” tablet a day but that’s usually missing. I’m hopefully taking the ‘adexolin’ & have a chuckle at Miss M. dosing Mary up but I think it would be a better idea to concentrate on better food & blow the pills.
No, David didn’t seem to [sic] pleased
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with the Navy in his last letter. He’s definitely not the type for service life though he’d never admit he wasn’t happy. I’m happy enough as long as I can keep getting a spot of home and at the moment my bottle’s getting empty as Daddy would say. Soon be due for 7 days but it won’t come ‘til I’ve finished here.
Anyway, I’ll be seeing you one of these fine days I hope.
Love to all
Bill.
[deleted] P.S. [/deleted]
[underlined] 4. pm [/underlined] P.S. Just dashing off to do another trip to Goole & Newark &c. Will be right over home!!