Letter to Terry Ford from Peter Lamb

Letter to Terry Ford from Peter Lamb

A letter from Pete to Terry Ford where he writes about Terry starting to fly flying boats. Pete writes about how many hours he has got in flying. He has been to Vancouver on leave and is waiting to hear if he is going on a GR course.

1943-01-31

Four handwritten sheets

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[CANADIAN Y.M.C.A. logo]
ON ACTIVE SERVICE
1489920 LAC Lamb P.S.
33.S.F.T.S.
Carberry
Manitoba
31/1/43
Dear Terry,
Well you are a bloody fail man! So you wanted to go on Flying boats did you? Have I ever heard you tell me to make up my mind? However seeing you [underlined] are [/underlined] on Havards I hope they go down well, don’t take me [underlined] too [/underlined] literally. Anyway good luck and "all that sort of thing". Cyril Day is here and sleeps under me shaking the damn bed in nights. Hells delight. Darned hard luck about your money, but I hear the lads [undecipherable] – jolly good of them
Well, we are flying Ansons – absolutely grand. I wouldn’t have singles

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now for anything. As for the dignified Cornel [sic], Ansons will do about 140 mph on normal boost, and about 220 at full boost at sea level – see! I agree with you on the dials etc, but don’t forget on the Anson, there are two engines with consequent duplication of everything: [underlined] and [/underlined] wireless, bomb doors, bomb release switched and god knows what else! It’s a merry old game. On most of them however there are no V.P. props so [underlined] that [/underlined] complication is eliminated. They are actually Anson IIs with Jacobs CGMB engines, hydraulic U/C and flaps. The engines are disgustingly unreliable. Landing them requires absolute brute force both hands in fact, pulling and hauling, you nearly have to put your feet on the dash. I’ve now got 14 hrs in – the weather being bad and some solo, although we do about 70 hrs solo here as pilot, only twenty [underlined] all [/underlined] on you own.

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on other occasions you act as pilot or navigator. 6 cross countries, I love flying all about 250 – 300 miles, and 3 night, on of 300 miles! Happy life.
I hope to go on a GR course after this and so to flying boats or heavy bombers, but its all hope’ because they hurl an appalling number out here. I keep hoping.
Its grand flying them, quiet, steady as a rock – turning; simply turn the wheel and one wears no chute, – it goes in a rack. Sometimes go as passenger as well. Wizard business.
Carberry is not bad as a station but of course pretty bloody after Caron, God. E.F.T.S. was a dream.
I went to Vancover [sic] for leave – good time had by all. I just missed Mae by a few minutes – he had gone to Banff – got [undecipherable] too!
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I doubt if you [underlined] will [/underlined] see me in the ‘mess’ at Moncton, because I have a feeling a sergeant I shall be – but as I have said one cannot but hope – hope me boy the eternal well of happiness and joy.
By the way T. don’t go flying down in to the states!
Sex.
I believe you do 20 hrs on twins What the hells johnny playing at in Detroit.
Thanks for writing write again son.
See you later – son.
Happy landings
Best for 1943
Yours to the cats connection
We're 72 co
F flight
[underlined] Pete [/underlined]
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