Letter from Peter Lamprey to W Gunton

Letter from Peter Lamprey to W Gunton

Peter Lamprey writes about visits from senior officers and massed drill. He then goes on to talk about life on basic training at Blackpool in general and mentions an inter-squadron boxing tournament.

1941-05-19

Envelope and four page handwritten letter

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ELampreyPGuntonW410519-01

dated 19th May 1941.

138435.
A.C.2. Lamprey.
84 Dickson Rd.
[underlined] Blackpool [/underlined]

Dear Bill and others.
We have to report, the big day for the wing has come and passed. There has been more brass in Blackpool these last few days than there is at a millionaires convention. There have been air-vice marshalls - air-commodores and other shots flying about from dawn to dusk until the poor A.C. Plonks have bitten lumps out of the parade ground. We have saluted most of them and f— all of them. The massed drill was the nearest to Bertram Mills Blackpool will ever see, and if most of us aren’t on charge Monday it will be because they have run out of 25q’s. when the A.O.C. said it was the finest show he had ever seen he was talking about the palladium crazy shows. When you get 5,000 [corrected] airmen [/corrected] doing drill in their own inimitable way / and time, it must be a very cheerful reminder that was is not all blood and tears. One A.V.M had so many ribbons up that if he really won them, they must have given him the first

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few for fighting in the nursery. Still everyone was satisfied – barring the 5,000. After taking part in such a show I feel that whatever Jerry tries on me [deleted] we [/deleted] will be a bit of cake, he can’t spare 4,999 men just to try and trample me to death. We celebrated our escape from the Maelstrom of seeing airmen in the usual manner last night and put the beer down quicker than we had put our feet down earlier on. If Mr. Hunt still objects to these allusions I shall certainly remember it, and take no notice. While passing a few moments conversation with a young lady she informed me that she had always thought a grindstone was an engagement ring, but ass I told her, the only rings she could expect from airmen were dark ones round her eyes. If ever I get out of this place alive it wont [sic] be because I haven’t tried to do my best for myself. I could really do with one of the boys up here as I have got to pack 2 night guards, 2 nights school and 4 dates into 6 days. If any one of them cares to come he can do the guards, the school, and I’ll do the others or that’s the general idea so far, in any case they know an airman will do anything, for love. I should really

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3.
spend all my service life here as every week brings more engagements and the services have always counted their engagements as honours. Thank the ginger cat and Charlie for the letter they write although I haven’t got it yet. I’d like to spend a day or night, on the tiles with them and show them how the service gets things done or just gets things or just does whoever will stand it. Don’t think my life is one round of pleasure, there are some things I don’t really cotton on to, getting up in the morning after doing it the night before. Whenever you see an airman looking fed-up it’s usually one of three things, bust, no dates, too many. Taking things all round it’s a decent life and the main idea of plenty of training is to keep the boys at for the evenings strife and bustle. When I do finish the course I shall most likely go to a station miles from anywhere and live on fresh air. 1/6 per day and memories of the hardships an aspiring AC2 suffers in the sacred name of freedom. Tell J.M. that I have another mad Irishman as a mate here and what we can’t think of between us is not worth thinking about and if at anytime we get stuck for something to get up to we will send for advice. This as you know,

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is free to servicemen, advice I mean, and if Jack thinks he’s going to get paid, hes right, wait till they get him he’ll pay. We had an inter-squadron boxing tournament Thursday but I think it will be the last as too many of the boys dared the N.C.O’s to come in the ring. The only boys that could fight in the squad, knew just enough boxing to box clever and keep out of the ring and the boys in the ring might have been quick on their feet but they were too slow in ducking the sergeant or they never have been there. Well as usual I’ll close with love to one and all, remember me to my friends / acquaintances and those who really do want to see me back and if anybody wants me to do anything for them, don’t be afraid to ask. It wont [sic] hurt them to ask and it wont [sic] hurt me as a plonk doesn’t consider it the thing to do as he is asked. Best of luck and keep your nose clean
Pete.

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BLACKPOOL
12 AM
19 MAY
1941
LANCS

[postage stamp]

Mr. W. Gunton.
Waterlow and Sons Ltd.
Twyford Abbey Road.
Park Royal.
London. N.W.10.

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[Reverse of envelope]