Letter from Donald Baker to his mother

Letter from Donald Baker to his mother

Thanks her for letters and photographs. Writes they are taking wing exam next week. He had also been recommended for a commission and had passed his medical. Not confident he has done enough work but they do get another chance although this would mean no commission. Mentions uniform allowance not being enough to get all they need. Writes that he is not happy with idea that some Rhodesians would become instructors.

1941-05-25

Three page handwritten letter and envelope

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Mrs. C. Baker
Charlton,
Inyagura,
S. Rhodesia
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c/o Rhodesia House
429 Strand
London.
May 25 1941.
My Dearest Mother,
Thanks very much for your letters dated 3rd and 16th of April which I received a week ago also for the snaps of yourselves which were most welcome. It was very nice to receive a letter from you written only a little over a month before. I had almost got accustomed to receiving them at least two months old.
We write our “wings” exams next week and of course am rather “nippy” about it. You’ll perhaps be surprised to hear that I have been recommended for a commission and have so far passed the medical and have had the necessary interview and all that remains now is for me to pass the “wings” exam. As ever before have not done nearly enough work to go into the exams with any confidence but can only hope for the best as it is only
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tomorrow we start. However if we fail these we get another chance but it means the chance of a commission going “West”. As an officer the conditions would be better than Sergeant Pilot and of course more chance for promotion. The R.A.F. [deleted] £ [/deleted] allow us £40 to equip ourselves but as usual it is not quite enough as the officers uniform is [deleted] let [/deleted] terribly expensive as you’ll probably realise. You see we have to have 2 tunics and pants a Great Coat and 2 Caps and believe it or not that comes to just under £40 as it all has to be tailored. Then there are various accessories such as special shirts etc so please dont [sic] be surprised when you’ve received my cable for any money that you have of mine.
There is some talk of a few of us Rhodesians being put onto instructing as we have shown such promise at flying or something like that. The idea is not very popular at all with us as we came over here to actually do something and not to train other fellows to go and do it all. Apart from that it would not be so bad if you could do operational work
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and then return to instructing but there is no chance of getting off instructing once on so we are making a big bid to get off it.
The snaps are very nice and if you have any more of the like please send them over
Well dear mother must close now as I want to do some swotting for tomorrow
Much love to you all from
your loving son Donald.
P.S. Sent a cable to you last Tuesday to say I am keeping well