Letter from Peter Lamprey to W Gunton

Letter from Peter Lamprey to W Gunton

Peter Lamprey mentions that he has now been to Mannheim three times and that the previous night’s operation had been cancelled due to weather. He states that he had enjoyed his recent leave and that he had to terminate his letter as operations were on.

Four page handwritten letter

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ELampreyPGuntonW[Date]-34

R.A.F. Ludford Magna
Market Rasen.
Lincolnshire.

Dear Unk and Others.
The strain of war has prevented me from giving to my friends the undivided attention they richly deserve. However I am now embarking on another of my periodic epistles to give them the latest news from the war front. First I must appologise [sic] for my non-appearance last Tuesday but something over which I have no control wanted to go the pictures. Having let you down I feel so low that by going on my knees and reaching down I could shake hands with Mr Hunt - if I wanted to – which I don’t.

Last Thursday as ever was, we were issued with tickets for a performance

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at Mannheim. With our usual style we managed to draw a return ticket, although a number of the boys made a mistake and only took singles. We expect to be given the freedom of this place at any moment now having visited it on three occasions and put on a good show each time for the benefit of the local inhabitants. Not that we were welcome with the good fellowship one expects to find extended to bringers of light and fresh air.

Since the Thursday effort we have, praise the Lord, been earth bound. We were due to go places last night but at the last moment our supplications were heard and the weather turned fine. Bags of rain and ice and cloud and everything that makes the really keen aircrew rejoice. In any case I didn’t like the look of the target as the natives are known to be hostile.

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Not that you are in any way interested but just to make conversation, I can say I have enjoyed my leave and am now in the process of recuperating my strength in anticipation of the next one. With leave every six weeks I can picture myself being invalided out before I can bring this fracas to a successful conclusion. However, general dissipation is a lovely disease to catch and gives more satisfaction to the sufferer than most.

I am sorry I could not spend a few more hours at P.R. but will endeavour on my next visit to give you a full day and most of the night. That is if you are the men you think you are and know the women I hope you do.

Once again the letter is coming to a sudden halt as we are on tonight but somehow I

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don’t think we will go..

However remember me to all.

Cheers.
[underlined] Pete. [/underlined]