Letter from Maurice Monks to Herbert Monks

Letter from Maurice Monks to Herbert Monks

Mentions that he has been commissioned and describes his current location. Catches up with news from home on his arrival back from Canada. Writes of leave and more family/friends gossip and of his activities. Asks how things are where Herbert was is and mentions that food was good on his station. Writes of war news and how Lincoln looked when he was on leave. Writes of pay and cost of living.

1943-10-31

Four sided handwritten airmail letter

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.

EMonksMAMonksH431031

31/10/43.
Dear Herbert,
Well here I am kid and about time too I suppose your saying, did you get my letter saying I’ve got a commission? You’ll see from the address that I’m back in dear old England, this place is so out of the way though that I might just as well be overseas, however I don’t expect to be here much longer so will you send your letters home for me then I’ll be more certain of receiving them. It was good to see the folks at home and the exitement [sic] when I produced stockings etc. When I arrived back from Canada, I hadn’t told them I was an officer either so of course there was more exitement [sic] over that. I was given a fortnights leave & then at the end of the second week received a notice giving me a weeks extention, [sic] arn’t [sic] I lucky? Edna got leave too so we were both able to do our stuff at
[page break]
Margaret’s wedding which was wizard, it drew the biggest crowd Newland has drawn for years, everyone was very sorry you were not in a position to attend. Sheila was invited but unable to come so I still havn’t [sic] had the pleasure of meeting her. Arthur Taylor was home too and we had one very good night out to-gether, [sic] by the way he has been grounded because of ear trouble. I was pleased that Edith was out of hospital when I got back she appears to have fully recovered and has started to work again, mornings only for a start, on my leave she used to go down with me in the afternoons sometimes to Les’s allottment [sic] & we did quite a bit of work there. By the way I dont [sic] know if Mother has told you but Alice has lost poor old Gyp, they had to have him destroyed. Jud is just about as lively as ever though. Hows [sic] things over there now? I hope the jolly old famine hasn’t effected [sic] you too much, the food on this station is wizard (for officers anyway)
[page break]
The war seems to be progressing favourably doesnt [sic] it, heres [sic] looking forward to that celebration we are going to have at the end of it. Lincoln looked a lot the same as when I left it, its funny how many people I know didn’t recognise me, it must have been the officers uniform. At present I’m getting 14/6d a day which although it sounds quite a lot is not really a terrific amount when you realise the expense we have to go to to live up to the commission, however I’m managing quite well and saving. I’m not on opps yet so dont [sic] worry about me old chap & in any case I’m exceptionally lucky in lots of things. There isn’t much room on these darned things so I suppose I’ll have to dry up up [sic] now, I bet theres [sic] something I’ve forgotten to tell you but anyway I’ll write again very soon so cheerio for now kid, look after yourself. you’re the best pal & brother I ever had
Your loving brother
Maurice
[page break]
BY AIR MAIL
AIR LETTER
[postmark] [postage stamp]
922558 L.A.C. MONKS. H.
ROYAL AIR FORCE,
INDIA COMMAND.
Sender’s name and address:
152996 P/O M.A. MONKS,
OFFICERS’ MESS,
RAF STATION,
MILLOM, CUMBERLAND,
ENGLAND.
[postmark]