Letter from Dennis Batty to brother Phil

Letter from Dennis Batty to brother Phil

Comments on recent letters and reports death of squadron pig. Continues with banter and gossip. Mentions that he cannot write about his operations. Writes that he would be back in Belfast next Sunday and hopes to meet up with him.

1940-09-10

Two page handwritten letter

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EBattyAHDBattyPH400910

Where Shamrocks grow though I don’t get a chance to see ‘em.
10-9-40.

Dear Phil,

Just a few lines in reply to your ever welcome letter which I haven’t yet received, & which you must have posted last week as I haven’t yet read it ‘cos it will not get here till yesterday. I have some sad news for you Phil, our squadron Pig died yesterday & he was our nearest[?] so you had not better open this letter till 2 hrs after you receive it so that it will break the news more gently, the vet said it died from pneumonia but between me & you Phil, it died from lack of breath I’m sure.
Well thats[sic] the kind of thing we have to put up with, with these Irishmen. I hope that you are still as well as when I last saw you & still working your fingers to the bone on the Transport.

[page break]

Well Phil I’m afraid there isn’t any more news, as I can’t give you any details of the raids that we do as it isn’t done, as much as you would like to know, although we are giving ‘em twice as much as they could possibly give us. So I will have to say goodbye & I felt I had to write just to relieve the monopoly [inserted] that’s a game we play, but it also means a kind of repetition of things so Im[sic] told to be sure. [/inserted] of your life so I will say goodbye & look if you want to see me, I shall be in Belfast at 7 next Sunday by the monument & if I get there first I’ll put a chalk mark [deleted word] on it but if you get there first, rub it out & I shall know that you can’t possibly come so goodbye for now stooge.

Your loving Brother Denis

P.S. Give my love to all. I will write to Dad a little later.