Letter from Ian Hay to his grandmother

Letter from Ian Hay to his grandmother

Writes of leaving parcel at railway station and subsequent recovery. Mentions uncertainty over weekend off. Comments on guard duty previous Sunday and funeral on previous day. Mentions that training was more interesting and he had passed Morse exam.

1940-04-04

The page handwritten letter

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SFieldPL907804v10041

[Royal Air Force crest]

906233. A.C.2. Hay. I.
Hut Y.42.
‘A’ Sqdn: 2 Wing.
R.A.F. Yatesbury,
Nr Colne,
Wilts.

4/4/40

Dear Granny,

I arrived all right last week, but I left my parcel on M’hd station, while I was putting my bike in the guards van. I wrote for it straight away though, & it was sent to Colne station, where I collected it yesterday. It was unopened peculiarly enough!

I don’t know whether our week-end is next week-end (13th) or not; it seems quite probable, but one never knows in the R.A.F. till the last moment. Anyhow I’ll drop a card as soon as I know.

Last Sunday I was on main guard, 24 hours with 2 hrs: on & 4 off, all day & night. I had to guard Station Head Quarters, but it was very boring. I could only watch the rabbits feeding in the evening

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and early morning.

Yesterday there was a posh funeral of a sergeant pilot, who smashed himself & plane up the other day. They brought the band out, & a firing party & a lorry to pull the hearse. He had some beautiful flowers though.

The course is much more interesting now we have passed out of the pool, (where I was before). I passed the Morse with 100 percent I think, & the General with 90 percent. We are now starting on electric motors & doing a lot with accumulators. But I expect that is pretty boring for you.

I don’t think there is any more news. The weather has been quite like April; Warm & showery.

Very best love

[underlined] Ian. [/underlined]

P.S. Gordon Barnes has just been posted to Hendon, so I expect he will be home most week-ends.

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