Letter from Jack Darby to Jean
Title
Letter from Jack Darby to Jean
Description
He comments on Jean's previous letter and discusses his five years in the RAF. They had a discussion with senior RAF officers about the lack of a course. He complains about the poor pay and higher prices in Canada. They have not been promised a course for four months so he has been exploring the countryside. He has been watching films at the station cinema and ENSA entertainment shows. He complains that the Canadian girls can't dance.
Creator
Date
1943-06-27
Temporal Coverage
Coverage
Language
Format
Four double sided handwritten sheets and envelope
Publisher
Rights
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.
Contributor
Identifier
EDarbyCAHWellandJ430627
Transcription
[CANADIAN Y.M.C.A. logo]
[postage stamp] [postmark]
[inserted] 27-6-43 [/inserted]
Miss J. Welland
7, Queens Drive
Surbiton
Surrey.
England
[page break]
[CANADIAN Y.M.C.A. logo]
ON ACTIVE SERVICE
927893. L.A.C. Darby
31, R.A.F. Depot
Moncton N.B.
Canada.
[underlined] No 21. [/underlined]
27/6/43
Dear Jean
Doing my best to keep up with your letter writting [sic] efforts here's another masterpiece. before starting on my news, was rather shaken by the fact that Raymond was a father, he's certainly taken Morrisons motto to heart has’nt he, there seem to be families springing up all round Claygate, as regards myself marrying "do you think any women would be fool enough to marry me? after about five years in the service it will be a terrible job for me to settle down again, that's of course if I'm lucky enough
[page break]
2/
to be still in the land of the living. Sometimes I've thought that the world won't be worth living in after the war, when you have five of the best years of your life thrown away sometimes your thoughts are is it worth it? Frankly I can't see much future for a lot of us after this messy business is over, still no one can fortell [sic] the future.
Everyone here has been worrying the orderly room about when we are starting our course, so much so that the clamour has reached the ears of the Commanding Officer, its 18 weeks since we arrived and certain facts have come to light that gave us the idea that someone was pulling a fast one. After much agitation the officer i/c postings gave a talk and then asked for any questions, after a ceaseless barrage of questions for nearly an hour he promised to place the matter
[page break]
3/
before the C.O. The Commanding Officer in turn drafted a letter to Ottawa and made certain suggestions, within two days we had an Air Commodore down to talk to us. He gave us all the gen on reasons why no postings were possible until October at the earliest, naturally I can't mention them here, but some were viewed with deep [deleted word] suspicions. he did ask if some would remuster to other trades, with the bait of a return ticket to England. I have decided to stay put, I've been messed around enough already, that they're not getting the chance of putting me on another course, in fact am thinking of throwing the whole business up, altogether, I thought they needed aircrew and gave up chances of promotion to volunteer, if I had known what I do now I should have stayed in
[page break]
4/
my basic trade. of course there are other reasons for discontent regarding pay etc over here, we are actually getting less here than in England although prices are 50% higher, also married men only get $10 a month (£2.10.0). all the way round we are getting a raw deal and you can appreciate that everyone is cheesed.
Well, having got that lot off my chest perhaps I can turn to more pleasant subjects. Last weekend as I mentioned in one of my airgraphs we spent exploring Albert County. we had a grand time, met some very nice people, spent the night at a farm, as we have now obtained a map of New Brunswick we shall push off for weekends all [deleted letter] over the place, we have four months to wait so I'm going to use them as profitably as the Air Force will
[page break]
5/
allow, some parts are practically uninhabited, there are no roads or railways, one trip we are planning is to an Indian reservation, may be able to get some good snapshots if we can persuade an Indian to get into his fancy outfit, anyway it will be good fun. another trip is to Fredericton the capital of N.B. by River Steamer on the Saint John River, this is about 360 miles return but we should be able to do it on a weekend.
We have met a very nice lady and gentleman in Moncton, he's principal of the Moncton High School and is extremely interesting to talk to, they have a summer residence by the sea and we've
[page break]
6/
received an invitation for the weekend. This should provide some good swimming and fishing and providing the weather is kind we'll have a great time. Last Sunday we walked to Magnetic Hill about 6 miles from Moncton, I expect you have heard about these so-called hills, actually the cars look as though they are travelling up-hill when the engine is stopped and brakes released. My idea of it is its an optical illusion of two sharp gradients with a gentle slope between, anyway it was an interesting walk and the weather for a change was a bit settled.
These last few weeks the Station Cinema has excelled itself as regards films, I've seen "Bambi", "Fantasia" Arabian Nights" "In which we Serve, The Road to Morocco", "Presenting Lily Mars", I married a Witch" to mention only a few, we get an excellent
[page break]
7/
programme, all for 15c (7 1/2d) Last night an Ensa show was featured, of course all American Artists, it was excellent and naturally the theatre was packed. The Entertainments people in camp have now completed another Theatre where they have films, variety shows, promenade concerts quite frequently, in addition there is a large drill hall for dances, these are quite enjoyable, but most Canadian girls don't know the first thing about dancing. I danced with one girl on Tuesday and honestly it was like pushing a truck round the floor, afterwards she said quite cheerfully, "This is the first time I've danced this evening I thought it will be the last with me, so with this idea in mind I retired to drown my sorrows in Coke-Kola, what a place!
[page break]
8/
Well, suppose I must stop sometime, we are going to the seaside this week, weather, church parades and other nuisances permitting. About a fortnight ago we went to the evening service in Moncton, it was very similar to our own the only thing they have a ladies choir, so theres plenty of interest during the sermon, at some churches they do really get down to hymn singing however, the real old time religion stuff, after an hours solid singing, they knock off for refreshments, its funny the church plays a much more sociable part here, they're all pals together.
Shall be sending an airgraph later on, its unfortunate that I can't send you air letters but these are only [underlined] to [/underlined] the forces.
Cheerio for now, take care of yourself write soon.
Yours
Jack
[postage stamp] [postmark]
[inserted] 27-6-43 [/inserted]
Miss J. Welland
7, Queens Drive
Surbiton
Surrey.
England
[page break]
[CANADIAN Y.M.C.A. logo]
ON ACTIVE SERVICE
927893. L.A.C. Darby
31, R.A.F. Depot
Moncton N.B.
Canada.
[underlined] No 21. [/underlined]
27/6/43
Dear Jean
Doing my best to keep up with your letter writting [sic] efforts here's another masterpiece. before starting on my news, was rather shaken by the fact that Raymond was a father, he's certainly taken Morrisons motto to heart has’nt he, there seem to be families springing up all round Claygate, as regards myself marrying "do you think any women would be fool enough to marry me? after about five years in the service it will be a terrible job for me to settle down again, that's of course if I'm lucky enough
[page break]
2/
to be still in the land of the living. Sometimes I've thought that the world won't be worth living in after the war, when you have five of the best years of your life thrown away sometimes your thoughts are is it worth it? Frankly I can't see much future for a lot of us after this messy business is over, still no one can fortell [sic] the future.
Everyone here has been worrying the orderly room about when we are starting our course, so much so that the clamour has reached the ears of the Commanding Officer, its 18 weeks since we arrived and certain facts have come to light that gave us the idea that someone was pulling a fast one. After much agitation the officer i/c postings gave a talk and then asked for any questions, after a ceaseless barrage of questions for nearly an hour he promised to place the matter
[page break]
3/
before the C.O. The Commanding Officer in turn drafted a letter to Ottawa and made certain suggestions, within two days we had an Air Commodore down to talk to us. He gave us all the gen on reasons why no postings were possible until October at the earliest, naturally I can't mention them here, but some were viewed with deep [deleted word] suspicions. he did ask if some would remuster to other trades, with the bait of a return ticket to England. I have decided to stay put, I've been messed around enough already, that they're not getting the chance of putting me on another course, in fact am thinking of throwing the whole business up, altogether, I thought they needed aircrew and gave up chances of promotion to volunteer, if I had known what I do now I should have stayed in
[page break]
4/
my basic trade. of course there are other reasons for discontent regarding pay etc over here, we are actually getting less here than in England although prices are 50% higher, also married men only get $10 a month (£2.10.0). all the way round we are getting a raw deal and you can appreciate that everyone is cheesed.
Well, having got that lot off my chest perhaps I can turn to more pleasant subjects. Last weekend as I mentioned in one of my airgraphs we spent exploring Albert County. we had a grand time, met some very nice people, spent the night at a farm, as we have now obtained a map of New Brunswick we shall push off for weekends all [deleted letter] over the place, we have four months to wait so I'm going to use them as profitably as the Air Force will
[page break]
5/
allow, some parts are practically uninhabited, there are no roads or railways, one trip we are planning is to an Indian reservation, may be able to get some good snapshots if we can persuade an Indian to get into his fancy outfit, anyway it will be good fun. another trip is to Fredericton the capital of N.B. by River Steamer on the Saint John River, this is about 360 miles return but we should be able to do it on a weekend.
We have met a very nice lady and gentleman in Moncton, he's principal of the Moncton High School and is extremely interesting to talk to, they have a summer residence by the sea and we've
[page break]
6/
received an invitation for the weekend. This should provide some good swimming and fishing and providing the weather is kind we'll have a great time. Last Sunday we walked to Magnetic Hill about 6 miles from Moncton, I expect you have heard about these so-called hills, actually the cars look as though they are travelling up-hill when the engine is stopped and brakes released. My idea of it is its an optical illusion of two sharp gradients with a gentle slope between, anyway it was an interesting walk and the weather for a change was a bit settled.
These last few weeks the Station Cinema has excelled itself as regards films, I've seen "Bambi", "Fantasia" Arabian Nights" "In which we Serve, The Road to Morocco", "Presenting Lily Mars", I married a Witch" to mention only a few, we get an excellent
[page break]
7/
programme, all for 15c (7 1/2d) Last night an Ensa show was featured, of course all American Artists, it was excellent and naturally the theatre was packed. The Entertainments people in camp have now completed another Theatre where they have films, variety shows, promenade concerts quite frequently, in addition there is a large drill hall for dances, these are quite enjoyable, but most Canadian girls don't know the first thing about dancing. I danced with one girl on Tuesday and honestly it was like pushing a truck round the floor, afterwards she said quite cheerfully, "This is the first time I've danced this evening I thought it will be the last with me, so with this idea in mind I retired to drown my sorrows in Coke-Kola, what a place!
[page break]
8/
Well, suppose I must stop sometime, we are going to the seaside this week, weather, church parades and other nuisances permitting. About a fortnight ago we went to the evening service in Moncton, it was very similar to our own the only thing they have a ladies choir, so theres plenty of interest during the sermon, at some churches they do really get down to hymn singing however, the real old time religion stuff, after an hours solid singing, they knock off for refreshments, its funny the church plays a much more sociable part here, they're all pals together.
Shall be sending an airgraph later on, its unfortunate that I can't send you air letters but these are only [underlined] to [/underlined] the forces.
Cheerio for now, take care of yourself write soon.
Yours
Jack
Collection
Citation
Jack Darby, “Letter from Jack Darby to Jean,” IBCC Digital Archive, accessed April 25, 2025, https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/collections/document/40057.
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