Letter from Peter Lamprey to W Gunton

Letter from Peter Lamprey to W Gunton

Peter Lamprey writes about his life in the Royal Air Force including intensive physical training and Morse code training.

Four page handwritten letter

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ELampreyPGuntonW[Date]-08

1384535.
A.C.2. Lamprey.
2 wing. D27.
84 Dickson Rd.
[underlined] Blackpool. [/underlined]

Dear Bill.

This time the pen is lifted and a more sombre note is struck. The veil is drawn and at last before your horrified gaze, there passes the pageant of youth of the country attempting to get by in the Morse wing. Having succeeded in scraping the fat from our bones with a rifle, they are now attempting to remove the bones piecemeal by intensive P.T. four hours per diem is devoted to Morse, when you have had this you [sic] brain is dripping from your ears and the next proceedure [sic] is to get it back. This is done by plenty of excersise [sic] and when your head is spinning with it, the old grey matter slips back and the vital operation is complete. We have as a P.T. Sergeant a professional acrobat in civvy life and the only trick he can’t do is disappear off the end of the pier. We are subscribing for a book for him to learn it. The parcel arrived safely, for which many thanks. Corn in Egypt is the phrase most suitable. One query I have to ask, why did you only put Eddy Hunts’

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draw tickets in the box? Surely some of my other friends support the scheme. I thank all who wrote praising me for the R.A.F. successes against night bombing but wish to point out that I have some slight [deleted] assisst [/deleted] assistance in this business and I do not do it all by myself. All I do absolutely on my own is sleep; one of my grievances. Even had you not informed me that the Ginger Cat was back on the job I should have known by the parcel etc. Tell him to put plenty of weight on before they call him so they have something to work on. When I strip down now, my shape is so different I keep thinking its [sic] a stranger standing about. I feel a new man, what feeling I have left. Lumps have appeared where no lumps grew before and I have developed muscles in the most unexpected places, notably the right arm and can now carry a full glass safely across a crowded bar. They are now promising seven days leave to all airman who pass out in the Morse School, there are plenty here who will pass out in the Morse School and quite a few who will pass out on the parade ground. Everything we have learnt these past weeks is, according to the old sergeant, wrong, and we are all having a very nice time, thank you, learning to do it right. If he can get our mob right in the time I believe they are going to decorate him. Quite a few of boys would like a

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hand in the decoration. We are quite old sweats now as understood by the RAF. That means we can do something wrong, be bawled out, told how to do it, shown how to do it, and do it wrong again. This is always a sure fire winner with the crowd that gathers to watch us drill and next week, being a broke week, we will most likely make a collection. We see plenty of shows here, very cheap and very humourous [sic]. They train the army on the front as well and we often stroll along and point out the faults. They best way to bring the pains on is to tell them not to worry, we can use the rifles.
I see you are having rather a hot time lately, if you can only hold them off for another year or two I shall be ready to climb into the ring and deliver the knock-out, if you can’t hold them off and feel yourself weakening, sell my tools and send me the money just before the end. You will notice by the way that I have moved my billets and am now in with eleven other herbs. We notice with pleasure, that there is plenty of room left in the house for summer visitors, we have church parade Sunday and twelve good men and true will pray for the right occupants of the rooms. Taken by and large this war is running true to form, we are happy in our misery here, knowing the vital part we are playing is helping to spend the twelve million a day. The only snag is

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they don’t let us handle enough of it or we could always push the figure up a bit. This must now close as I want to be turned out of the Carlton Hotel as usual so thanking everybody at home, from this far flung outpost of civilisation I will say cheerio.

Harry Lentle wrote to me and I am enclosing a note for him which will help him in the great game he is getting in on. Remember me to Bert Smith and all the maintenance and to all my friends doing their best to make this country safe for [deleted] te [/deleted] the RAF to live in.

[All the Best in Morse Code]

[underlined] Pete. [/underlined]

P.S. Thank Bill Spalding – Eddie Hunt – Harry Staw – Fred Honeycombe – the Four Spotters etc [sic] for their most welcome notes. If you have any troubles dont [sic] forget to write and tell me, I like a good laugh.
Pete.