Letter from Terry Ford to his family
Title
Letter from Terry Ford to his family
Description
A letter from Terry Ford to his family, where he writes about Paul Gibbs (the cricketer). Terry has also met up with Denis and they have had a few beers and played games of shooter. He has completed dinghy and parachute drills.
Creator
Date
1943-09-03
Temporal Coverage
Coverage
Language
Format
Four handwritten sheets
Publisher
Rights
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.
Contributor
Identifier
EFordTAFord[Fam]430903-0001,
EFordTAFord[Fam]430903-0002,
EFordTAFord[Fam]430903-0003,
EFordTAFord[Fam]430903-0004
EFordTAFord[Fam]430903-0002,
EFordTAFord[Fam]430903-0003,
EFordTAFord[Fam]430903-0004
Transcription
Officers Mess
Queen’s Hotel
Harrogate
[deleted] 4th [/deleted] 3–9–43.
Dear Folks,
Received the parcel O.K. when I got back here, it was waiting for me.
The last test at Finningley went off O.K. except for stomach ache again. However John Cox got the Bends & so we don’t know whether he’ll be passed or not, but hope so.
We’ve got Paul Gibb the cricketer with us here Dad. He was also with us at Charlottet [deleted] ion [/deleted] (pilot) but I didn’t realize it.
Well, we’ve landed on the European mainland at [deleted] land [/deleted] last folks. Hope it comes off O.K.
[page break]
Did you he [deleted] re [/deleted] [inserted] ar [/inserted] that talk 3/9/43 after the one o’clock news two days ago on P.R.U. Also in all the papers. Very interesting. One chap had breakfast in Scotland lunch in Russia & supper back in Scotland on the same day. Apparently we get the newest & best years before anyone else & it’s a most envied job. I hope to goodness we get it.
I was standing by the entrance two days ago watching the new chaps arrive, when in walked Denis. Same as ever Looking very fit. He got some leave in New York & Chicago & had a good time. I’ve had a few beers & games of shooter with him. He should be home on leave this week–end or Monday. Had an A.G. from Basil written to Canada & re–sent here.
I haven’t had a cig
[page break]
for two days. Going to smoke a pipe instead. Do you want my cigarette ration, Dad, I can get them cheap.
Had a tooth filled yesterday. Felt fed up with lectures so I decided to go to dentist for him to look at my teeth, as I knew they were O.K. However he found a hole in one teeth & chopped nearly half of it away & filled it. Took a long time too Still I don’t get meat caught in it any more.
We [deleted] did [/deleted] [inserted] do [/inserted] dinghy drill & parachute drill which is quite interesting. For dinghy drill we put on soaking wet battledress & flying kit, discarded by previous class, & also a Mae West, & jump from top stage into water & climb into dinghy. Its much more difficult than you might think
[page break]
with wet heavy clothes on.
Hope Jack is O.K. after recent heavy losses. Must be very worrying for Mrs L. & Auntie A
I don’t know when or where we are going to be posted, or when I shall get some leave. Have to wait & see.
Much love to all.
[underlined] Terry [/underlined]
[page break]
Queen’s Hotel
Harrogate
[deleted] 4th [/deleted] 3–9–43.
Dear Folks,
Received the parcel O.K. when I got back here, it was waiting for me.
The last test at Finningley went off O.K. except for stomach ache again. However John Cox got the Bends & so we don’t know whether he’ll be passed or not, but hope so.
We’ve got Paul Gibb the cricketer with us here Dad. He was also with us at Charlottet [deleted] ion [/deleted] (pilot) but I didn’t realize it.
Well, we’ve landed on the European mainland at [deleted] land [/deleted] last folks. Hope it comes off O.K.
[page break]
Did you he [deleted] re [/deleted] [inserted] ar [/inserted] that talk 3/9/43 after the one o’clock news two days ago on P.R.U. Also in all the papers. Very interesting. One chap had breakfast in Scotland lunch in Russia & supper back in Scotland on the same day. Apparently we get the newest & best years before anyone else & it’s a most envied job. I hope to goodness we get it.
I was standing by the entrance two days ago watching the new chaps arrive, when in walked Denis. Same as ever Looking very fit. He got some leave in New York & Chicago & had a good time. I’ve had a few beers & games of shooter with him. He should be home on leave this week–end or Monday. Had an A.G. from Basil written to Canada & re–sent here.
I haven’t had a cig
[page break]
for two days. Going to smoke a pipe instead. Do you want my cigarette ration, Dad, I can get them cheap.
Had a tooth filled yesterday. Felt fed up with lectures so I decided to go to dentist for him to look at my teeth, as I knew they were O.K. However he found a hole in one teeth & chopped nearly half of it away & filled it. Took a long time too Still I don’t get meat caught in it any more.
We [deleted] did [/deleted] [inserted] do [/inserted] dinghy drill & parachute drill which is quite interesting. For dinghy drill we put on soaking wet battledress & flying kit, discarded by previous class, & also a Mae West, & jump from top stage into water & climb into dinghy. Its much more difficult than you might think
[page break]
with wet heavy clothes on.
Hope Jack is O.K. after recent heavy losses. Must be very worrying for Mrs L. & Auntie A
I don’t know when or where we are going to be posted, or when I shall get some leave. Have to wait & see.
Much love to all.
[underlined] Terry [/underlined]
[page break]
Collection
Citation
Terry Ford, “Letter from Terry Ford to his family,” IBCC Digital Archive, accessed December 13, 2024, https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/collections/document/23816.
Item Relations
This item has no relations.