Letter from Jack Darby to Jean
Title
Letter from Jack Darby to Jean
Description
He has transferred to Harrogate. His accommodation is better as is the food.
Creator
Date
1944-04-26
Temporal Coverage
Coverage
Language
Format
Two 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
EDarbyCAHWellandJ440426
Transcription
[postage stamp] [postmark]
[inserted] 26-4-44 [/inserted]
Miss J. Welland,
7, Queens Drive
Surbiton
Surrey.
[page break]
P/O. J. Darby. 154676.
Officers Mess,
Queens Hotel
Harrogate
Yorks.
26.4.44.
Dear Jean,
Just a few lines to let you know I've arrived safely. without causing any dislocation of the railway.
After rising at a very early hour of 7 am. I managed to catch the 8.17. train from Claygate, the Harrogate train which left at 10.10 was pretty crowded but as I was there early I soon got a seat. Dad came up to Kings Cross as he was going to the City to do some buying.
The journey up was rather uneventful, no nice young lady to keep me company, however I managed to pass the time away, the country is
[page break]
2/
worth watching at this time of year, although the trees are only just breaking into leaf. here.
Our quarters are pretty comfortable, theres just two of us in a room and we've actually got some furniture this time as well as hot and cold water laid on. The food (how important) is not too bad, the beer lousy and weak, not like Swan bitter.
This was a very exclusive hotel in peace time and is still very comfortable, considering the R.A.F. has had it since the outbreak of war its in very good condition, the lounge and writing rooms are extremely comfortable.
Most of the chaps from our course from Filey have arrived and it looks as though we are [deleted] un [/deleted] not going to be here very long.
3/
[page break]
however, just write normally and the letters will be forwarded.
I've been measuring that photo of yours, am afraid to get it in my wallet I shall have to cut off part of you, either head or feet, suppose it will look better to remove the feet, its a pity to mutilate it, but I'll have to take a snap of you when I come home again, preferably running for one of my short ones on the tennis, your expression is really worth registering, (can see some rude remarks appearing next time, can imagine you saying if only I could get hold of him for a few minutes).
Well, theres not much more to
[page break]
4/
write about, hows the socks progressing? expect you are oiling your knitting needles for Thursday night, can imagine a sound like a machine gun when you go into action, do they ever get red hot?
Thats about all, just beginning to feel like some food, so with that thought I will say cheerio, take care of yourself and write soon.
Yours
Jack
[inserted] 26-4-44 [/inserted]
Miss J. Welland,
7, Queens Drive
Surbiton
Surrey.
[page break]
P/O. J. Darby. 154676.
Officers Mess,
Queens Hotel
Harrogate
Yorks.
26.4.44.
Dear Jean,
Just a few lines to let you know I've arrived safely. without causing any dislocation of the railway.
After rising at a very early hour of 7 am. I managed to catch the 8.17. train from Claygate, the Harrogate train which left at 10.10 was pretty crowded but as I was there early I soon got a seat. Dad came up to Kings Cross as he was going to the City to do some buying.
The journey up was rather uneventful, no nice young lady to keep me company, however I managed to pass the time away, the country is
[page break]
2/
worth watching at this time of year, although the trees are only just breaking into leaf. here.
Our quarters are pretty comfortable, theres just two of us in a room and we've actually got some furniture this time as well as hot and cold water laid on. The food (how important) is not too bad, the beer lousy and weak, not like Swan bitter.
This was a very exclusive hotel in peace time and is still very comfortable, considering the R.A.F. has had it since the outbreak of war its in very good condition, the lounge and writing rooms are extremely comfortable.
Most of the chaps from our course from Filey have arrived and it looks as though we are [deleted] un [/deleted] not going to be here very long.
3/
[page break]
however, just write normally and the letters will be forwarded.
I've been measuring that photo of yours, am afraid to get it in my wallet I shall have to cut off part of you, either head or feet, suppose it will look better to remove the feet, its a pity to mutilate it, but I'll have to take a snap of you when I come home again, preferably running for one of my short ones on the tennis, your expression is really worth registering, (can see some rude remarks appearing next time, can imagine you saying if only I could get hold of him for a few minutes).
Well, theres not much more to
[page break]
4/
write about, hows the socks progressing? expect you are oiling your knitting needles for Thursday night, can imagine a sound like a machine gun when you go into action, do they ever get red hot?
Thats about all, just beginning to feel like some food, so with that thought I will say cheerio, take care of yourself and write soon.
Yours
Jack
Collection
Citation
Jack Darby, “Letter from Jack Darby to Jean,” IBCC Digital Archive, accessed May 21, 2025, https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/collections/document/40066.
Item Relations
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