Letter from Pat Hogan to his father
Title
Letter from Pat Hogan to his father
Description
Writes that thing were quite but he was doing lectures and cross countries and spending most of his time at Driffield. Continues with news of his and his crew's activities. Says he has seen some good ENSA plays. Makes some comments about the caterpillar club rules and home newspapers. Writes that now he is in transport they might not see him for a couple of years but he has no desire to get back as he will be flying around the world. Discusses what food he would like to get. Next section unreadable due to water damage. Concludes with news and gossip.
Creator
Date
1945-06-19
Temporal Coverage
Spatial Coverage
Language
Format
Four sided handwritten airmail letter
Publisher
Rights
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.
Contributor
Identifier
EHoganPJHoganDH450619
Transcription
[missing word] F/S HOGAN P,
RAAF AUSPO
LONDON
19/6/45.
Dear Dad,
I suppose it is about time to write home again although things are pretty quiet at this end. Still doing lectures and cross countries on alternate days & I’ve been keeping pretty quiet. For the second week end running I’ve not budged away from Driffield. The weather is still very poor, although oddly enough today is fairly warm by way of a change.
There is another Feat over at Sheffield next week end and I may try to get across for the Saturday play. My skipper, Bert McElvee went away this morning on a week’s course & I may even be able to work it to get over on Monday or Tuesday also.
20/6/45. [deleted] P [/deleted] Just come back from an Ensa show down in the Naafi Hall. Just fair this time. It was variety
[page break]
but recently I’ve seen a couple of good Ensa straight plays.
You’ve got the wrong idea about the Caterpillar Club (actually I’m answering Marie now) it has nothing to do with Ops. [deleted] It [/deleted] [inserted] Membership [/inserted] is for blokes who make [inserted] successful [/inserted] emergency jumps from aircraft whether operational or not. The other one is just from the G.Q Parachute Co. I think. I’ve already apologised about the Bendigo Advertiser.
Keep me posted of any news you get of [missing word] But, please God, he should pull [missing words] O.K. You certainly kept your mind [missing words] during the school holidays [missing words] that herd. Still I imagine it [missing words] all good to have a little [missing words] at the place.
[missing words] of whether [deleted] my [/deleted] [inserted] your [/inserted] [missing word] will [missing words] Have no fear of that for I’ve [indecipherable word] my head out properly now we are in transport and you’ll probably not see me for a couple of years yet. I know it sounds silly but I’ve no urgent desire to get back to civy [sic] street & don’t intend to let the future worry me till I have to. We know nothing definite yet, of course, but will probably go on to heavies & do long routes half way across the globe. We will almost certainly be based in this country so I wouldn’t worry too much about mail, if I were you.
[page break]
Consequently the odd parcel might not go astray again now. But don’t send tea, cocoa or tinned meats etc for I only give it away. If at all procurable a bit of fruit (we still see no fruit in this country except the occasional dried apricot & prunes) jam, chocolate & cake will be appreciated but don’t send them too often. If we get a change in policy I’ll let you know immediately but I’d hardly think so.
It is 8 weeks since I had [missing words] but there is no sign of any [missing words] up whilst we are doing that [missing words] they get pretty boring but keep [missing words] Sleep is the problem nowdays [sic] [missing words] 2hrs daylight saving it [missing words] midnight & again [missing words] half [missing words]
[underlined] 3 [/underlined] I think I told you [missing word] Mason is in another crew here & has his commission.
You did tell me once you got rid of the car didn’t you? What did it bring – a fiver? Glad you got the crew photo. I’ve also sent one of the second crew but it is a horrible effort. Eileen was romancing, on seeing the snow, that we must have been on leave. To be a little more realistic, you can tell her that at that time we had to dig our aircraft out of the snow every day.
Well, Dad, Good luck & best wishes to you all. Don’t build up any false impression about my speedy return for I can’t see it coming off. Your affectionate son. Pat
[page break]
BY AIR MAIL
AIR LETTER
[postmark] [postage stamp]
Mr D. H. Hogan
67 Chapel St
Bendigo Vic
Australia
[postmark]
A436464 F/S HOGAN PJ.
RAAF AUSPO
LONDON
[postmark]
RAAF AUSPO
LONDON
19/6/45.
Dear Dad,
I suppose it is about time to write home again although things are pretty quiet at this end. Still doing lectures and cross countries on alternate days & I’ve been keeping pretty quiet. For the second week end running I’ve not budged away from Driffield. The weather is still very poor, although oddly enough today is fairly warm by way of a change.
There is another Feat over at Sheffield next week end and I may try to get across for the Saturday play. My skipper, Bert McElvee went away this morning on a week’s course & I may even be able to work it to get over on Monday or Tuesday also.
20/6/45. [deleted] P [/deleted] Just come back from an Ensa show down in the Naafi Hall. Just fair this time. It was variety
[page break]
but recently I’ve seen a couple of good Ensa straight plays.
You’ve got the wrong idea about the Caterpillar Club (actually I’m answering Marie now) it has nothing to do with Ops. [deleted] It [/deleted] [inserted] Membership [/inserted] is for blokes who make [inserted] successful [/inserted] emergency jumps from aircraft whether operational or not. The other one is just from the G.Q Parachute Co. I think. I’ve already apologised about the Bendigo Advertiser.
Keep me posted of any news you get of [missing word] But, please God, he should pull [missing words] O.K. You certainly kept your mind [missing words] during the school holidays [missing words] that herd. Still I imagine it [missing words] all good to have a little [missing words] at the place.
[missing words] of whether [deleted] my [/deleted] [inserted] your [/inserted] [missing word] will [missing words] Have no fear of that for I’ve [indecipherable word] my head out properly now we are in transport and you’ll probably not see me for a couple of years yet. I know it sounds silly but I’ve no urgent desire to get back to civy [sic] street & don’t intend to let the future worry me till I have to. We know nothing definite yet, of course, but will probably go on to heavies & do long routes half way across the globe. We will almost certainly be based in this country so I wouldn’t worry too much about mail, if I were you.
[page break]
Consequently the odd parcel might not go astray again now. But don’t send tea, cocoa or tinned meats etc for I only give it away. If at all procurable a bit of fruit (we still see no fruit in this country except the occasional dried apricot & prunes) jam, chocolate & cake will be appreciated but don’t send them too often. If we get a change in policy I’ll let you know immediately but I’d hardly think so.
It is 8 weeks since I had [missing words] but there is no sign of any [missing words] up whilst we are doing that [missing words] they get pretty boring but keep [missing words] Sleep is the problem nowdays [sic] [missing words] 2hrs daylight saving it [missing words] midnight & again [missing words] half [missing words]
[underlined] 3 [/underlined] I think I told you [missing word] Mason is in another crew here & has his commission.
You did tell me once you got rid of the car didn’t you? What did it bring – a fiver? Glad you got the crew photo. I’ve also sent one of the second crew but it is a horrible effort. Eileen was romancing, on seeing the snow, that we must have been on leave. To be a little more realistic, you can tell her that at that time we had to dig our aircraft out of the snow every day.
Well, Dad, Good luck & best wishes to you all. Don’t build up any false impression about my speedy return for I can’t see it coming off. Your affectionate son. Pat
[page break]
BY AIR MAIL
AIR LETTER
[postmark] [postage stamp]
Mr D. H. Hogan
67 Chapel St
Bendigo Vic
Australia
[postmark]
A436464 F/S HOGAN PJ.
RAAF AUSPO
LONDON
[postmark]
Collection
Citation
P J Hogan, “Letter from Pat Hogan to his father,” IBCC Digital Archive, accessed April 23, 2024, https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/collections/document/31915.
Item Relations
This item has no relations.