Letter from Bill Akrill to his mother

Letter from Bill Akrill to his mother

Writes of only a few trips to do on course including war load. Leave due when course finished. Plans for journey home but will not know exactly when. Mentioned going to chapel and supper with friends.

1943-01-19

Four 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]430119

No 1436220 Sgt Akrill,
Sgts’ Mess,
R.A.F. Station,
Upper Heyford.
Oxon.
Tues. 19.1.42 [sic]
Dear Mum,
Just to let you know I’m O.K. Nothing much happening these days. Weather been duff for a day or two. Soon as it clears & we can get cracking we’ll soon be finished I hope. We’ve not so very much more to do – couple of nights a Chief Instructor’s test and our “War Load” trip which we did without our own Bombadier [sic] will have to be done again. We’re officially here for a fortnight or so but [deleted] I [/deleted] we’re told that we can get on leave as soon as we’ve finished so naturally there’s more enthusiasm for flying than usual!
I was thinking of bringing my bike
[page break]
with me but as I shall be so terribly loaded with kit I dare say I shall send it on ahead. I daresay I’ll not be able to let you know long ahead – I’ll try ringing up if I can but I wondered if you could safely manage the last 5 miles if you happen to be in town? I’ll ring up from the station. Anyway it will be some time yet.
Some of the crews – who have more time in than we have – are getting 48s but I doubt if we’ll get one. They’re such a chopped-about affair too that I shouldn’t get home ‘till 6 one night and would have to leave on the 3 train next day. I’d sooner wait & have a good leave at the end.
Got to chapel on Sunday & went to supper next door. The Bates were upset because they’d heard from Alf (whose on the ground crew of one
[page break]
of the machines in our flight) that our course had practically finished & would be going soon. So he thought it was my farewell visit. Both the Bates & the Hughes seem very upset that my stay’s drawing to an end. If I can I shall try to get back here. Sgt. Hughes is the best fellow I’ve ever met in R.A.F. blue. He’s asked me to keep in touch with him. If we’re not flying I think I shall pop down a bit more often than Thursdays & [deleted] Friday [/deleted] Sundays while I stay.
Well, keep trusting I’ll be home ere long, don’t be surprised if I turn up on a fleeting visit but don’t expect it
Love to all
[underlined] Bill [/underlined]
P.T.O.
[page break]
[underlined] P.S. Friday. [/underlined]
Afraid I didn’t get this off before, so now sending it enclosing £8. Will not be getting 48 now but leave shouldn’t be so far ahead. Isn’t this miserable weather?
Love to all
[underlined] Bill [/underlined]