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Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Green, Alan William
A W Green
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2016-09-19
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
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.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Green, AW
Description
An account of the resource
58 items. The collection concerns Flight Lieutenant Alan William Green (b. 1920, 104402, 1150518 Royal Air Force) and contains his log book, photographs, diary and correspondence. He flew operation as a navigator with 218 Squadron before being shot down and becoming a prisoner of war.
The collection has been donated to the IBCC Digital Archive by Stuart Green and catalogued by Barry Hunter.
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
1
[RAF Crest]
1150518 A.W. Green.
Flight 13
No 1 Receiving Wing
Babbacoombe [sic]
Torquay
Dear Folks,
Did you get my last letter? I posted it in Torquay on Sunday, and have been wondering if you had not received it due to disorganisation of postal services or something.
Since I have been here a week, and have talked with many airmen, I am now in a position to let you know a little more of what has happened to me, and what may happen to me.
I arrived all OK last Thursday week at about 9-30 pm. It was pouring with rain, and absolutely 'pitch-dark'. I could see only about 20 yds, but managed to get a bus into Torquay, and put up at the first hotel which loomed up. The next morning – ie Friday, I found that I was only about 50 yds from the
[page break]
2
sea and quay, although I had not known it the previous night. The next morning was very much more heartening, and I presented myself at the receiving wing in Babbacoombe. [sic]
The course at this wing is a fortnight in duration, and involves about a months work in normal times, but now everything has been speeded up of course.
We have had inoculations against Tetanus, Typhoid (25% so far, we get the other 75% on Monday) and a vaccination.
The day time is taken up by incessant drills, PT's, and lectures. We come off probably 2 hours drill, march straight back to our billets, which are in an hotel, get about 5 minutes to change into PT shorts and pumps, and off again for probably 2 hours PT. By this time we feel pretty fagged, but instead of resting, march straight off
[page break]
3
to a maths lecture or something like that.
The meals were very poor to start with, but are now considerably improved, and we are not needing to spend quite so much money supplementing them elsewhere.
As I told you in my last letter, my next move will be to ITW. (Initial Training Wing.) This will probably be next friday, [sic] if all goes well, and may involve my going to N. Wales, Scotland, Cambridge, or I may stay here, and move only to Torquay. At ITW, I shall have a white front on my forage cap, although this means very little, I shall be an officer-cadet, and regarded as a potential officer. (This latter rank I shall achieve if I am very good, but it will probably take 9 months or more.
This course is hard-grind all the way through, in that you have to combine a
[page break]
4
high mental and disciplinary efficiency throughout. There are examinations all the way through, on navigation, maths etc, in which you are required to attain 60% or out you go on your heels. In fact, I think I can say that it is much harder to get through now than it was in peace time. This is because there is so much competition, men from universities etc, and they can always get brainy people, and consequently don't bother about the others, they just fail them.
We have had a maths grading exam this afternoon, and so have a little more freedom than is usual tonight, although we still have to be in by 9-30 pm.
When we leave ITW, we go to EFTS. (Elementary flying training school), where we have to work like hell for another two months or so. We then go on to other training
[page break]
5
schools, about which I know very little as yet.
When I pass out of ITW (if ever), I lose the cadet band on my hat, and become an LAC. (Leading aircraftsman), when I get the propeller on my arm. This is more or less equivalent to lance Cpl in the army, there being no Lance Cpl in the RAF. Promotion however, is very slow, and you must not expect me to work wonders like Basil has in the army.
You see the difference is, that in the army,you get recognition if you have a good education, and general deportment, because the others with whom you get thrown in have possibly not had these opportunities. Here everyone has to be very intelligent to even pass through the interview, and so I think you will quite see what
[page break]
6
I am up against.
By the way, the pay here is very bad. I get 10/- for the first week, and 2/- a day when I get to ITW. Thereafter I get 5/6 and so on, but for the first two months things are not going to be too easy.
With the money you gave me, I have had to pay hotel fees (dinner, bed, and breakfast), for may meals out, for hair cuts, dusters, brasso, boot polish, a buzzer (to learn morse-code) mirror, writing paper, and a score of other things which I cannot remember. Consequently, my financial state is not too comforting at the moment.
I wondered if you could approach Pa with a view to him getting the firm to make up my money for the first month or two. This what is happening
[page break]
7
in the case of many fellows here, and so they seem to be getting on better. I have just this minute had an order, which makes things a little uncertain for a day or two, so don't send any money until [deleted] everything [/deleted] I confirm things, as, in view of the above, it may have difficulty in finding me.
When I do let you know that things are OK, you might try and let me have a cake, a new bar of soap, my multi wrap, and any underpants with elastic tops.
Yours
Alan.
P.S. I would also like some clean handkerchiefs (go through my suits in my wardrobe.) Remember me to Grandmother, and show her my letter. Also, Best wishes to all the staff.
P.P.S Have just seen my flight corporal, who has confirmed things OK for the moment, and so if you could post the necessary on [underlined] immediately [/underlined] I think I shall get them as usual. Alan.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Letter to his Family from Alan Green
Description
An account of the resource
Alan writes from Torquay during his training. He had just arrived in pitch black then the next day turned up at the receiving unit. There are lectures and physical training. He will then move to an Initial Training Wing in about a week. Then he describes the next stages of his training.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Alan Green
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Seven handwritten sheets
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Correspondence
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
EGreenAWGreenWH-[Mo][Date]-010001,
EGreenAWGreenWH-[Mo][Date]-010002,
EGreenAWGreenWH-[Mo][Date]-010003,
EGreenAWGreenWH-[Mo][Date]-010004,
EGreenAWGreenWH-[Mo][Date]-010005,
EGreenAWGreenWH-[Mo][Date]-010006,
EGreenAWGreenWH-[Mo][Date]-010007
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Royal Air Force
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
England--Torquay
England--Devon
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
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.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Jan Waller
aircrew
Initial Training Wing
military living conditions
military service conditions
RAF Torquay
training