Letter from CE Lutwyche to Betty

Letter from CE Lutwyche to Betty

Bill writes to his sister about being captured and how he would send letters with coded messages. She would then have to get in touch with the Director of Information at the Air Ministry.

1940-01-02

Two handwritten sheets and a handwritten envelope

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ELutwycheCELutwycheB400102-0001, ELutwycheCELutwycheB400102-0002

NO 501197 Sgt Lutwyche
NO 114 Squadron
Royal Air Force
B.E.F.

Friday 2.1.40.

Dear Betty,

Thanks for your letter. Im [sic] not going to write a lot of news but I want to have a serious talk with you. If anything does break out in the way of an offensive we are going to take the brunt of it. Now I have a very good pilot and the chances are that if we catch anything I shall “get away with it” and be taken prisoner. When and if I’m interned I shall undeniably attempt to escape but in doing so I shall have to make preparations. Now I’m allowed to write letters and if [inserted] I [/inserted] want anything sent to me I shall have to send it in a simple code. [inserted] in a letter [/inserted] Your [sic] about the best person to send it to as I can trust you not to panic. Mother & [indecipherable word] are each excitable so its up to you if I write and if Im [sic] taken prisoner. The best way is to take the first letter of each word in the letter say the first paragraph or so. Any how it goes like this “[underlined] M [/underlined] ay [underlined] a [/underlined] ll [underlined] p [/underlined] eople [underlined] o [/underlined] f [underlined] f [/underlined] airly [underlined] h [/underlined] ope [underlined] o [/underlined] r [underlined] l [/underlined] ove [underlined] l [/underlined] eave [underlined] a [/underlined] s [underlined] n [/underlined] one [underlined] d [/underlined] are.” which means “map of Holland”. only the letters wouldnt [sic] be underlined. You understand dont [sic] you? You then have to get in touch with the Director of Information at Air Ministry and they will give you all the ways of doing things to keep me as a prisoner.[underlined] Keep this to yourself [/underlined] and then hope for the best I’m not a prisoner of

[page break]

war [underlined] yet [/underlined] but this is in case, you never know.

Now lets be a bit more cheerful. Hows [sic] the throat [indecipherable word] is behaving itself. The weather thank heavens has been a little kinder this week. I havent [sic] been guzzling all the champagne you mention of late but rum has been more in my line. Ill see if I can do a shot of bringing home when I come on leave. You’ll have to wait for your [indecipherable word] I’m still putting [indecipherable word] out with a few things in my case good things cost money.

Well Im [sic] not going to carry on any more theres [sic] no news of giving value. So cheerio

Yours

Bill

[inserted] [ink stamp] [postmark]

Miss. B. Lutwyche
15 Cromwell Rd
Hove 3
Sussex
England. [/inserted]