Letter from Herbert Adams to his mother

Letter from Herbert Adams to his mother

Talks about his shock at Terry Cooke being missing on an OTU exercise and discusses what might have happened. He then moves on to discuss his rear gunner (who is married to a woman he knew previously), and a friend Jimmie Bunce, who is now flying Sunderlands and whom he trained with, being awarded DFC following being shot down in the Bay of Biscay and surviving in a dinghy for two days.
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1944-05-09

Two page handwritten letter

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EAdamsHGAdamsBHB[Mo]440509

339632
TO:- MRS B. ADAMS,
“SPRINGFIELD,”
MENDOORAN. N.S.W.
AUSTRALIA
[date stamp] 12 MAY 1944
Aus 424504 Sgt Adams, HG AUSPO, Kodak House, Kingsway, London
Tues 9/5/44
[underlined] No 13A [/underlined].
Dear Mum,
I was terribly cut up to hear that Terry was missing. I had a letter from him about 2 weeks after he arrived at O.T.U, just as I arrived at mine. Judging from the date of you [sic] letter I imagine he must have gone off on one of his first cross countries because I started here at OTU only 2 or 3 weeks after him and as yet am only half way through the course. He must have either had engine failure over the sea or chanced upon a Jerry intruder – must have been terribly unlucky at any rate. Since his first letter I’ve written twice to him, the last time chastising him for writing although I had a premonition something was wrong as he’s never let a letter go a month before without a reply. I suppose there’s not much hope for him now. Gosh I’m upset about it. He was such a perfect mate, always in good humour, no vices of any kind & loyal as they come. I guess I’d better write to Mr & Mrs Cooke – they’ll feel it pretty badly I imagine. Only son & Mr Cooke in bad health from the last war. So long till next page
[page break]
339394
MRS B. ADAMS,
“SPRINGFIELD,”
MENDOORAN. N.S.W.
AUSTRALIA
[date stamp] 12 MAY 1944
Aus 424504 Sgt Adams HG AUSPO. Kodak House, Kingsway, London.
[underlined] NO 13B [/underlined] Here’s some more. I think I’ll get away from the more unpleasant subjects. Did I tell you in my last letter that my rear gunner is married to a girl I knew in Mudgee? It’s quite a pleasure to yarn with him as he knows quite a lot of the crowd I knew there. We didn’t actually know each other, but we both feel sure we’ve seen each other there. [inserted] (P.S. Got the biscuits. Thanks a lot.) [/inserted]
I don’t know if you ever [deleted] [indecipherable word] [/deleted] remember me speaking of Timmy Bunce at Bradfield. We were cobbers in 32 course & both got [deleted] [indecipherable letter] [/deleted] sick & went back to 33 (mumps). He & Terry palled up at Bundaburg & came over together. Tim went onto Sunderlands & lately got a big write up & D.F.C. – attacked by 9 Jerries & spent 2 days in a dinghy in Bay of Biscay. I’m sending a cutting to Betty from the paper. Probably it’ll be in the Aussie papers too only you’d hardly remember it was he. I don’t suppose poor old Terry knew of it. I bet he’d have liked to. Had an airgraph from Ron yesterday. He’s just finished O.T.U. down there & had some well earned leave at Cairo & Alexandria
Sorry you’re in for a dry winter of handfeeding. So long for now. Love to all at home. Bert XXXX.