Letter to Jean Welland from Jack Darby

Letter to Jean Welland from Jack Darby

He thanks her for her mail and newspapers. He has been night bombing.

1943-10-03

One double sided handwritten air letter

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EDarbyCAHWellandJ431003-0001, EDarbyCAHWellandJ431003-0002

No.35. 3.10.43.

Dear Jean,

Thanks a lot for the Surrey [indecipherable word] which arrived today, this is the first English mail that has arrived this week, there seems a holdup somewhere. At the moment its 3 AM, have a couple of hours between night bombing trips, so its time enough for a few letters. I've just done two trips, have another to complete the nights work. Some fright [sic] lad tonight bombed the quadrant where they plot the bombs, apparently its shaken the range staff rigid, although I was flying, for a change I was’nt the guilty party, theres bags of panic at the moment, you see there were quite a few kites up and [underlined] off course [/underlined] nobody knows anything about it. At the moment we are working a 16 hour day and it will be 24 hours before our present excerise [sic] is finished, we start our exams in a fortnights time, then only another 6 weeks and home I hope. We have been very lucky as regards weather, it has been very warm yesterday was 87° in the shade, of course if the wind changes round to north the temperature may drop 30° in a few hours, its so uncertain but every warm day makes it more pleasant for flying.

We had a day off yesterday, the first for a fortnight, you can imagine we had a nice lay-in until 10.30 AM. after lunch we went as far as Stirling, quite a small place about 30 miles from here, of course it was a typical Canadian town and we managed to get a few snaps, you will probably laugh when you see them, my picture collection is still increasing, by the way how did your picture make out? I'm looking forward to seeing it, how did they manage to get that lucky head of yours all on one plate?

[page break]

3/

a plausible excuse, shall have to go sick or something.

Well, nearly used all the space, things seem to be going fairly well in Italy, hope this war will soon fold up, would be nice to have Christmas '44 at home, I've had three in the service and this one will be my fourth.

Well cheerio for now, all the best.

Yours Jack.

[page break]

AIR LETTER TO ARMED FORCES
[inserted] 3.10.43 [/inserted]
[postage stamp] [postmark]

BY AIR MAIL

IF ANYTHING IS ENCLOSED, THIS WILL BE SENT BY ORDINARY MAIL.

[deleted] Number, Rank or Rating and Name [/deleted] MISS J. WELLAND
[deleted] Unit (Company, Battery, Ship, Squadron etc.) [/deleted] 7 QUEENS DRIVE
[deleted] Regiment, Branch, Establishment or Station [/deleted] SURBITON SURREY
Service ENGLAND
OVERSEAS.

FROM (Sender's full name and address)
[deleted] M [/deleted] 927893 L.A.C. Darby
[symbol] 8. B. & G.S.
Lethbridge Alberta

[page break]

2/

I was quite a good boy [deleted word] yesterday, went to church in Lethbridge, it was harvest festival, a very nice service, very much like the Church of England, one innovation they have a nice collection of choir [underlined] girls [/underlined], seems strange to see them after the usual men's choir. Next Saturday is a big day for No. 8, at least the Canadian part, they are having an air show and [underlined] of course [/underlined] a procession, this part I take a very poor view of, all the English lads are the same, I'm thinking up