Letter from Harold Gorton to his wife

Letter from Harold Gorton to his wife

He writes about his social activities and flying over Bobbington, near Wolverhampton and Rhyl.

1943-07-29

Four handwritten sheets

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EGortonHGortonLCM430729

OFFICERS’ MESS,
ROYAL AIR FORCE,
CARK,
NORTH LANCASHIRE.
TELEPHONE GRANGE 390.
29/7/43
Midnight.
Dearest,
I’m Oi/c tonight, so am using a quiet period to write this overdue letter. I shouldn’t have done this until the week after next, but the C.F.I. thinks that the P/O who’s been doing it this week is too inexperienced.
I was going to write to you last night, but I fell by the wayside. Yesterday morning I cycled out to Esthwaite, a very nice ride of about 15 miles & set off back at 8.0 p.m.
After I was more than halfway back, I met Stockdale & Sinclair, who dragged me back with them to the Swan at Newby Bridge, & then to the King’s Arms at Cartmel. – Quite a pub crawl, in fact. To crown it all, we went to Engel’s house in
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Cartmel for supper, and reached camp at midnight. By that time I’d cycled about 35 miles, & was feeling worn out, although I think it did me good.
This morning I went to Bobbington, near Wolverhampton. There was broken cloud at 1000 ft when we started, but over the sea (from Lytham to Rhyl) we were down to 300 ft, & trying to give ships a wide berth in case they were flying balloons – Quite a dice, I can tell you. At Rhyl I climbed up through the cloud, 5 or 600 ft thick, intending to turn back because of the Welsh Hills, but S. of Liverpool it was O.K., and we had a very good journey back in the afternoon.
Your letter gave me a thrill today. I’m delighted to think we’ve actually got some
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chairs, let alone a saucepan! What shakes me about your life at the moment is the straits you are put to to get into Aber. The sooner you live in a civilised place, the better, I think. It’s not too bad in this sort of weather, but it would be hopeless in winter.
The watch I’m not quite sure about yet. Twice it has lost time, once 5 minutes & once 1/2 hr., so I’m giving it a thorough check before I consider sending it to you. Perhaps by then it will be time for our 48, if the days will only pass quickly enough!
I’ll try & fix the petrol for you, but my biggest trouble will be finding a bottle, I expect.
I’ve got the perspex ring,
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and will finish it when I can.
[deleted] I’m [/deleted] Mother sent me the letter from Kingston, but there was no hurry, so I’m enclosing it with this.
I take a poor view of this way of spending a night. When I think that I could be with you instead of being stuck in this office until about 6.0 a.m., it’s enough to make one weep.
Still, perhaps the more I do this, the sooner I shall be able to be with you permanently, because that’s what I want. It’s pretty dim being away from you darling.
All my love,
Harold.
PS. Dad apologised for not having had enough time to write to you!