Letter from Harold Gorton to his wife

Letter from Harold Gorton to his wife

He writes of arrangements for his leave, the weather and domestic details.

1943-09-07

Four handwritten sheets

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[underlined] 120984 [/underlined]
OFFICERS’ MESS,
ROYAL AIR FORCE,
CARK,
NORTH LANCASHIRE.
TELEPHONE GRANGE 390.
7/9/43
Dearest,
I heartily approve of your Kendal decision. You know how much I should like to have you near me, but it really doesn’t seem likely that I shall be here long, & it would be unwise to fix yourself for the rest of the war in such an out of the way place.
I didn’t know whether to ring you up on Monday evening, but thought than since you’d already decided about Kendal, it wasn’t worth while, & the line is usually so bad that we can’t do more than get yes or no to previously determined questions.
As for the leave, I’m in a complete fog. In some ways, Newhouse would be a good thing, but all the people you’ve got there
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now pretty well makes it hopeless. If you don’t want to go to London, do you fancy Oxford, which is quite a good place, or that pub in the Brecon Beacons. I’m easy wherever I go, as long as I’m with you, but I definitely want you to have a break from Newhouse, as it must be pretty dreadful for you there.
I’m putting in my leave application tomorrow, & shall put Newhouse as my address (for want of somewhere else), & anyway, I think I’d better meet you there or in Abergavenny, wherever we go.
Incidentally, I got a letter from Mother today, saying she’d like us to go to Farnworth for our leave if we’d like to go, so that confirms what I said about Dad’s remark. Dad’s back has been bad again, so I’m beginning
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to think he’s really had it this time. I don’t remember his trouble ever recurring so frequently as now.
By all means send the furniture form off. I’ve put my number at the top of the letter. Pitch the reasons as hot & strong as you can.
The S. Warwickshire house seems a bit above our mark, don’t you think – but nice work if you can get it. The cottage & orchard makes me feel all farmerish, though as usual, all the work would probably fall on you.
At least you have good weather to console you; I haven’t even that amelioration of your absence. We’ve had 70 inches already this year, & the average
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for this part of the country is 75 per annum, & the rest of the country’s average is 60! I’m certainly feeling more than a bit lonely for you & am counting the days until I see you again. In the paper today, it says that teachers will be the first to be demobbed after the war, so that doesn’t sound too bad. The thought of being able to live with you all the time is like a dream of heaven, too impossible ever to come true!
I’m surprised my letter didn’t arrive yesterday morning, as the one I sent to Farnworth arrived all right.
I haven’t decided anything about leave, I’m afraid, except that I’m having it, & spending it with you. I should prefer more ideas from you on the subject.
All my love,
Harold