Letter to Mrs H Redgrave from her husband

Letter to Mrs H Redgrave from her husband

Letter from Harry to his wife explaining what he has been doing - guard duty and a maths exam.

1939-12-13

Two handwritten sheets

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[inserted] England our island home Land of the Free [symbol] unconquered Oer [sic] land and sea Lord of the heavn’s [sic] above Answer our prayer God keep Brittania’s [sic] sons Lords of the air. [/inserted]

[RAF Crest]

Room 124
No.4. I.T.W. R.A.F.
Bexhill on Sea
Wed 13.12.39

Dear Jessie,

This must be the longest you have had to wait for a letter but as you know I was on guard Monday and did not write last night because I did not know whether I was going to get my pass for the week end. I am glad to say it’s gone through all right, although I’ve heard rumours that there will be no leave until Xmas. Providing these rumours are wrong you can expect me about nine Fri evening. Friday afternoon is Pay Parade so I shall not get away until about four and shall probably have to go via Brighton. I’ve just come upstairs from a Maths Exam which the others took on Monday. That guard duty certainly did me a good turn as the exam paper took the boys by surprise in that it contained a logarithm and trigonometry

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questions. I had the chance to polish up those two branches. I finished the paper with nearly an hour to spare and think I have got them all right. For P.T. this morning we had a cross country run about half way to Hastings and back. Two months ago I should have said I couldn’t do it. They have worked wonders on me physically. Thanks for the Standard it’s very pleasant reading when one is far from home. and would like it every week. As far as I know we do not get a ration allowance to take with us it just goes to that mysterious “account”. I had a lovely tea on Sunday plenty of cakes and a chocolate gateax [sic] and a home made sponge sandwich it was all very homely and the sister was young and pretty though not to be compared with my sweet little wife. Our evening [inserted] at Xmas [/inserted] out will be the Saturday night and I hope that will be convenient for everybody.

Give my love to all and tell Pam Daddy is coming home. Get plenty of sleep before the week end dear as I shall want to talk to you for hours. Just you and I snuggled up close.

Bye Bye till Friday darling

Harry xxxxx