Letter from Peter Lamprey to W Gunton

Letter from Peter Lamprey to W Gunton

Peter Lamprey starts his letter with some banter and then mentions the weather had precluded flying and he had a great night out in Derby. He then make some comments about past flying before concluding with more banter.

Four page handwritten letter

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ELampreyPGuntonW[Date]-23

Sgt’s Mess.
RAF. Station
Church Broughton.
Nr. [underlined] Derby[/underlined]

Dear Unk – Bro.G. – Hunty – etc.

Yours letter(s) of the (date unspecified) received. With the usual enthusiasm and awestruck wonder. How you men do think things up. If I could only read what you write, I bet I’d laugh me bleeding head off. I was – I must confess – disappointed with Bro. G’s effort inasmuch as, looking at the drawing before reading the text, I fell into the awful error of imaging it represented me, gazing at a picture of the old war-horse. Sorry Bro. G. But the likeness is remarkable.

And so I see the good old market gardener is still fiddling for a crust. Kriesler has nothing on him. As secretary of the allotment trading society he should be a riot – he is at everything else. Mind you I don’t like using him as a punch-bag – I can get more come-back out of spitting into the wind.

Life has, for the nonce, lifted its irksome shackles and left us with a modicum of unexpected freedom. The

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[underlined] 2. [/underlined]

weather has been so bad – thank god – that flying has been a grim memory these last few days. Always keen and willing you notice. Last night the streets of Derby rang with my happy laughter and the lowlifes of the town had a distinguished visitor. One way and another it was an evening of remarkable achievements. I awoke in my little cot with a faint recollection of being unceremoniously ejected from certain premises in some very good company. How we managed to reach the aforementioned little cot is a major mystery as while we were still capable we had no time to find a conveyance and vice versa. If they can only keep the bad weather centred round here, we might almost do a return trip. Mind you, can if it be arranged in some other way we are quite willing to forego the bad weather.

Otherwise the news, as always, is noted chiefly by its paucity. We fly sometimes and then turn again sometimes we don’t. Some trips are not so hot and some are even hotter, but taken by and large things have been fairly quiet – praise Allah. We expect, mind you the way we are fu------ around to be expecting is only natural, to be shifted from here in about a week or so. We are therefore performing bags of praying actions in the hope of a spot of leave. Should these supplications bear

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[underlined] 3. [/underlined]

fruit I shall have the greatest pleasure in accepting the kind invitations you are going to extend for an evening out. However I can give you more up to date gen in a future letter.

You might extend my regards to Archie in your letter and thank him for his assistance in this war – it will ease the burden slightly from my shoulders. While I am on the war winning line, whoever said [deleted] unq [/deleted] Uncle Joe was winning it for us can, perhaps, get said Uncle Joe to take my blasted place in the kite while I have a rest, Mr. Gilbert. However, getting back to Arch, I am glad to see that he has finished playing at soldiers and is now one of the spearhead who will plant their feet – or themselves – in the soil of France. From what I read of cocky Warren he must have joined the circus instead of the army the time he is getting off. Still, good luck to him and if he has any origional [sic] ideas on getting leave he might pass them on. As for the three stooges, I should like to hear they are still sorry they joined, it is one of the few pleasures I have left. Glad to hear that Frank Batch is still getting by and not mixed up with anything sticky.

Another thing I am glad to see is, that you are still working your loaf and letting the old man win the

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swindle now and then. Must keep him nice and quiet. I suppose he sits in the office and checks on how much he has been diddled out of. If only he knew.

You might extend my greetings to Sam and C o. Jack Denny – Uncle Jack and all the rest of the riff-raff. Should any news break in the next few days I shan’t write so don’t expect it. Remember me to the O.P.A.’s – engineers etc. Look after yourself and keep your finger out.
All the best.
[underlined] Pete. [/underlined]

P.S. If ever Bro.G. gets called up, it will be because we have declared war on the Indians and hate taking advantage of them.
P.P.S. Now that Archie has gone it means Hunty lost all his friends in one day.