Letter from Harold Gorton to his wife

Letter from Harold Gorton to his wife

He writes of a family visit to St Anne’s and films he’s seen recently. He also writes of his journey back to RAF Cark from Blackpool.

1943-08-13

Five handwritten sheets

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.

EGortonHGortonLCM430813

OFFICERS’ MESS,
ROYAL AIR FORCE,
CARK,
NORTH LANCASHIRE.
TELEPHONE GRANGE 390.
13/8/43
Dearest,
I went to St Anne’s yesterday to see Dad. He looks a lot better but isn’t very strong, & his back isn’t very sure yet. I think it did him good to see me.
The visit made me glad we didn’t go to Blackpool when you were up here. If I had to spend a holiday there I should go mad. Queues everywhere. It was impossible to get tea in Blackpool, & when I reached my train, 35 minutes before it started, there were perhaps a dozen seats left. When we set off there were 7 standing in my compartment. Fortunately, I was able to ring up the Mess from Preston, & order
[page break]
2
a late dinner, but otherwise I should have been famished.
I’m amused to find you wanting to keep my letters, as it was you who first insisted on our burning them. But I agree with you that after two years of marriage we are a lot closer together than I should have thought possible – more sympathique [sic], at least I think that’s the word for it.
I’ve finished the Twilight of France – on the train yesterday, & thought it very good. I’ll send it off tomorrow.
I was asked to go to the flicks tonight, but it was a Robertson Hare – Alfred Draycott film, & I’ve not much time for them. Instead I stayed in the Mess long enough to get caught in a storm on my way back to the billet,
[page break]
3
so I had to get straight into bed, where I’m writing this letter.
The films I’ve seen recently are: The Road to Morocco,
George Formby’s I see Ice (with Mary)
In Which we Serve – good, but a bit too much of a tribute to Noel Coward.
No Time for Love.
I’ve seen so many that I don’t think I’ll go again until I’m able to go with you.
I don’t see why Grace shouldn’t have my bike if she thinks it worth having. The back brake is u/s, the saddle is broken, & it’s permanently in top gear, but I’ll get Alice to send it on.
[page break]
4
I don’t think we can charge her anything, though, unless you want to. I think it would be better for her to have it as long as she wants it & then we can keep it or scrap it afterwards. It’s only a little thing to do for her, & I think she’s done a lot for us, so if she’d like it I should be very glad for her to have it.
It’s a bit rich, though, isn’t it, that she has to consider prisoners of war in this way in order to retain their services! I hope our chaps in Italy & Germany get the same consideration.
The watch is going steadily, has gained 15 minutes in about four days.
The Moodies seem quite
[page break]
5
happy at Hillcrest. He says Mrs. Moodie is physically 100% better for the move
All my love, darling.
Harold.