Letter from Harold Wakefield to his parents

Letter from Harold Wakefield to his parents

Writes that he is fit and well after having done six operations and describes some of them. Mentions their usual bomb load. Relates that a fighter had attacked a Halifax just behind them. Mentions eating eggs and bacon before and after operations. Thanks them for lucky horseshoe and mentions crew mascot. Catches up with other news.

1943-09-04

Four page handwritten letter and envelope

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EWakefieldHEWakefieldWE-[Mo]430904

1582185 Sgt. Wakefield, H.E.
Sergeants Mess,
R.A.F. Snaith,
Nr. Goole,
Yorkshire.
Tues.

Dear Mum & Dad,

Well here I am again, feeling quite fit & well & no worse for having done 6 ops. I received your letter to-day. Glad to hear you are both O.K. Hope Mum has a nice time at Aunt Lena's this week.

Well when I wrote before last week I think I told you I'd done 4 ops. The last one being Bochum on Wed. night. Thurs. Friday & Sat we had off.

On Sunday night we went to Kassel, a 7 1/2 hrs. trip. Then again on Monday night (last night) we went to Frankfurt an 8 hr. trip.

Now we have tonight off & perhaps to-morrow as

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as[sic] well. Both trips to Kassel & Frankfurt were very good. We had no trouble at all. Really tremendous fires were started at both places. Especially at Kassel which seemed to be one huge fire. It was on fire from end to end & a thick pall of smoke thousands of feet high hung over it.

At Frankfurt last night, we saw two or three big explosions, & burning debris was flung high in the air, & the fires there were really tremendous.

We usually carry 2/1000 lbs. bombs & about 5 or 6000 lbs. of incendiares [sic]. The Lancs & Stirlings carry the 4000 & 8000 lb. blockbusters, but they can only take 1 - 8000 lbs.

Last night just before we got to the target a fighter attacked a Halifax just behind us. But the Halifax had seen it & was waiting, and as the fighter closed in we saw the Halifax open up & tracer bullets flew at the fighter. The fighter burst into flames, & went streaking down, when he hit the deck there was a

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big explosion & flames shot into the air.

We certainly eat some eggs & bacon on ops. One before we go & another when we get back.

[deleted] Well thats [/deleted] Ah.! Thanks for the lucky horseshoe, I'll take it with me in future. We have a mascot. Its a stuffed monkey. We call it Joey & always tie it up in the kite before we go. Jock always wears a purple scarf. But personally [sic] I'm not superstitious. If you want to come back every time, then keep your eyes skinned & do your job well. That'll bring you back, not the lucky mascots. But our skipper is really top-notch. He keeps us on tip-toe all the time we're out. Consequently no fighter has ever got near us before we've seen him, & we're well away in no time, & they never see us.

Had a letter from Betty to-day. She seems quite O.K. Also had one from Sam. He's at Barrow in Furness, but he's held up because the dockyard workers are on strike.

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Well thats about all for now. Will write again about Friday. So cheerio until then,

All my very best love,
Ally [three rows of kisses]

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[postmark] [two postage stamps]

1582185 Sgt. H. Wakefield.
Sgts Mess,
R.A.F.
Marston Moor
Nr York.
Yorkshire.