Letter from Peter Lamprey to W Gunton
Title
Letter from Peter Lamprey to W Gunton
Description
Peter Lamprey writes that he is still at Royal Air Force Tiree and the weather has generally been good apart from the wind. He concludes with friendly banter.
Creator
Coverage
Language
Format
Envelope and six page handwritten letter
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.
Identifier
ELampreyPGuntonWXX0502
Transcription
[postage stamp]
Mr W Gunton
Machine Room
Waterlow and Sons Ltd
Twyford Abbey Road.
Park Royal. N.W.10.
London.
[page break]
[RAF Crest]
[page break]
[RAF Crest]
Hut. Z. 14.
[underlined] Tiree [/underlined]
[underlined] Saturday. 2nd. May. [/underlined]
Dear Bill, others.
The address is above. It might just as well be China from the number of bloody replies I get from your end of the world. For Petes [sic] sake send me something even if its only a Christmas card. I slave myself fighting your war and you don’t even cheer, you’d be in a pretty fine pickle if I turned the job in with it half won. If you have definitely decided to ignore me completely you might write one line to the effect and I’ll start
[page break]
corresponding with somebody who can write.
If you can still read you will see that I am still incarcerated in the Western Isles. Why in hell anybody ever wrote songs about them I dont [sic] know. Except rude ones. I notice that the clients that did write the songs, did it from the mainland and always hollered about getting back – but never did. Wise in their generation.
Mind you there is not a lot to grumble at these days. In fact I have a hard job finding something to moan about but why should I forgo the right of being happy when I am moaning. The sun shines brillianly [sic] on the airmen disporting themselves upon the sandy beaches – or that’s what the papers say. The trouble is, the wind fetches the sandy beach right into bed with you and on your plate
[page break]
[RAF Crest]
[underlined] 3. [/underlined]
as well. About the only disporting this airman gets a chance of doing is in his bed, and then he does it alone.
This fine weather gives you a chance to have a look at the island. If you want to. For my part the finest view of this place is seen from about six hundred miles. I cursed the place in January but since then I’ve learnt how to swear properly. If I am [deleted] hear [/deleted] here much longer I shall have to learn Spanish as I understand you can really put some feeling into your language then.
Not having the latest information from you I don’t know how things are getting along down there. From the little news we do get I understand one or two things have happened down south. This will mean
[page break]
the return of the spotters I suppose back to their little wooden hut and some more bloody inventions. If they send any of them to me they can come down from the roof and make their home in a shelter for safety. Not that there seems to be a lot of chance of me getting leave for a while. This however will not upset any of you in fact it is about the best war news you’ve had I suppose.
The fact that I am still feeling fit is of no interest I know but then I like to rub into you civilians the fact that they certainly got the right men this time. If brother George is well enough you might point this out to him. Feeling a fit man is pretty good. Unfortunately there are none of the other sex in the island as I’d like a change.
With the advent of fine weather I take it
[page break]
you are all digging for victory. Beacham, as usual, borrowing a few plants for a couple of months, while the straw-wall combination gets along. Bert sowing. Harry reaping. From the performance some of you put up before, about all you people will grow this summer will be about four months older.
When I get back to civilisation I intend doing a bit of cultivation myself. If all goes well I shall plant a few things out in the fields round Inverness. I hope to be away before the harvest. One thing there should be a few new blossoms around by the time I get back.
I hope everything is Jake [sic]. Keep the payments up or she’ll have you in court. Remember me to all at home. If J. Denny has got over last time you can kiss him
[page break]
again for me. Remember me to one and all.
All the best
Pete.
P.S. Ask B. Smith if he has heard from F Gunner. I wrote Glady’s[sic] and have not had a reply yet.
P.
Mr W Gunton
Machine Room
Waterlow and Sons Ltd
Twyford Abbey Road.
Park Royal. N.W.10.
London.
[page break]
[RAF Crest]
[page break]
[RAF Crest]
Hut. Z. 14.
[underlined] Tiree [/underlined]
[underlined] Saturday. 2nd. May. [/underlined]
Dear Bill, others.
The address is above. It might just as well be China from the number of bloody replies I get from your end of the world. For Petes [sic] sake send me something even if its only a Christmas card. I slave myself fighting your war and you don’t even cheer, you’d be in a pretty fine pickle if I turned the job in with it half won. If you have definitely decided to ignore me completely you might write one line to the effect and I’ll start
[page break]
corresponding with somebody who can write.
If you can still read you will see that I am still incarcerated in the Western Isles. Why in hell anybody ever wrote songs about them I dont [sic] know. Except rude ones. I notice that the clients that did write the songs, did it from the mainland and always hollered about getting back – but never did. Wise in their generation.
Mind you there is not a lot to grumble at these days. In fact I have a hard job finding something to moan about but why should I forgo the right of being happy when I am moaning. The sun shines brillianly [sic] on the airmen disporting themselves upon the sandy beaches – or that’s what the papers say. The trouble is, the wind fetches the sandy beach right into bed with you and on your plate
[page break]
[RAF Crest]
[underlined] 3. [/underlined]
as well. About the only disporting this airman gets a chance of doing is in his bed, and then he does it alone.
This fine weather gives you a chance to have a look at the island. If you want to. For my part the finest view of this place is seen from about six hundred miles. I cursed the place in January but since then I’ve learnt how to swear properly. If I am [deleted] hear [/deleted] here much longer I shall have to learn Spanish as I understand you can really put some feeling into your language then.
Not having the latest information from you I don’t know how things are getting along down there. From the little news we do get I understand one or two things have happened down south. This will mean
[page break]
the return of the spotters I suppose back to their little wooden hut and some more bloody inventions. If they send any of them to me they can come down from the roof and make their home in a shelter for safety. Not that there seems to be a lot of chance of me getting leave for a while. This however will not upset any of you in fact it is about the best war news you’ve had I suppose.
The fact that I am still feeling fit is of no interest I know but then I like to rub into you civilians the fact that they certainly got the right men this time. If brother George is well enough you might point this out to him. Feeling a fit man is pretty good. Unfortunately there are none of the other sex in the island as I’d like a change.
With the advent of fine weather I take it
[page break]
you are all digging for victory. Beacham, as usual, borrowing a few plants for a couple of months, while the straw-wall combination gets along. Bert sowing. Harry reaping. From the performance some of you put up before, about all you people will grow this summer will be about four months older.
When I get back to civilisation I intend doing a bit of cultivation myself. If all goes well I shall plant a few things out in the fields round Inverness. I hope to be away before the harvest. One thing there should be a few new blossoms around by the time I get back.
I hope everything is Jake [sic]. Keep the payments up or she’ll have you in court. Remember me to all at home. If J. Denny has got over last time you can kiss him
[page break]
again for me. Remember me to one and all.
All the best
Pete.
P.S. Ask B. Smith if he has heard from F Gunner. I wrote Glady’s[sic] and have not had a reply yet.
P.
Collection
Citation
Peter Lamprey, “Letter from Peter Lamprey to W Gunton,” IBCC Digital Archive, accessed April 23, 2024, https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/collections/document/6638.
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