Letter from Pat Hogan to his father

Letter from Pat Hogan to his father

Writes about recent mail and catches up with family and friends news. Comments on conditions at his location including recent snow and thaw and burst water pipes. Reports arrival of cake and going to other nearby station to see Australian newsreels. Mentions doing some tiring long trips flying recently and going to regular mass. Talks of making enquiries on accountancy course.

1945-01-13

Four sided handwritten airmail letter

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EHoganPJHoganDH450103

A436464
F/S Hogan P.
RAAF AUSPO
LONDON
3/1/45

Dear Dad,

I think if anything my [deleted] mail [/deleted] letter this time is just over the week. I've not heard from your end since Marie's letter from Olinda – sorry I did get an airgraph from Eileen the other day written just after her return. She seems to have had a pretty fair trip & time. Pleased you too enjoying your sojourn in the hills. Eileen will be crook on me as I think I owe her a couple of letters.

Kevin seems to have done fairly well unfortunate he seems to be following my footsteps in not having a clue on science for I've really found that in most walks of life a little [inserted] knowledge of [/inserted] science, mechanics, & electricity are essential. Your Scotch friend, I'm afraid hasn't my tastes although I'll admit Edinburgh is a

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good spot. As for his bridges etc. [missing word] seen them all & didn't find them very thrilling.

This place hasn't been quite so good lately for like everywhere else our coke supply ran out – hence cold water & no more central heating. After several weeks of snow – we spent half our time on the end of a shovel clearing runways & dispersal – the big thaw came on this week & there was water & ice everywhere. I suppose you read about its effect in the war zones. The greatest effect it had on us was that when the ice melted [indecipherable word] expanded in the water mains, they all burst & we were without even cold water.

The cake sent by Marie & Mary only arrived from my previous station today and I'll open it up tonight. We had a very interesting afternoon today. We were all taken to another R.A.F. Station nearby

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where we saw about three hours of the Australian newsreels entitled News from Home. Saw all the big spring races in Melbourne & Sydney. The football finals in both cities – tennis – SWPA War News War Brides to & from home & many others. It was very enjoyable indeed.

We've managed to get a bit of air under our seats several times lately & it gets one very tired for they are fairly long & the hours are irregular. You might be interested to know we have a regular Catholic Chaplain here & a very nice chapel We have mass several times a week. The Priest is always standing by before ops. to hear confessions & administer communion to aircrew. It's a bit of a rush but I've managed it so far.

Still in the throes of enquiries before starting my accountancy course & if we continue to get plenty of work here I may forget about it. I'm going on a weeks leave from next week end. I don't know where yet. Hope you are all well.
Love Pat.

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[post mark] Driffield Yorkshire.

Mr D H Hogan
67 Chapel St.,
Bendigo Vic.
Australia.