Letter from Harold Gorton to his wife

Letter from Harold Gorton to his wife

He writes of issues with his commanding officer, the Italian surrender and his leave arrangements.

1943-09-09

Four handwritten sheets

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EGortonHGortonLCM430909

OFFICERS’ MESS,
ROYAL AIR FORCE,
CARK,
NORTH LANCASHIRE.
TELEPHONE GRANGE 390.
9/9/43
Dearest,
I’m in a state today when I don’t know whether to have a good row with the C.O. or not. This morning he asked for an aircraft, & I told him he could have mine. When he came back from his trip, he said the plane was a wreck, & not safe to fly, & he later told the C.F.O. & his assistant that I ought to be under arrest for sending a pupil solo in it. At least, that’s what the assistant told me, but when I tackled the C.F.O. about it, he smoothed it down and said the C.O. merely stated that anyone who sent someone up in a u/s aircraft ought to
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be under arrest.
The fact of the matter is that the aircraft was not u/s, and the C.F.O. & I think that the C.O. did a bad landing at Millom and is blaming it on the plane. There was nothing wrong with the plane apart from being dirty, but it had some technical imperfections (connected with the synchronisation & the slow running) which did not affect its airworthiness.
I take a dim view of the C.O. saying that I sent a pupil up in a u/s aircraft, & if he thinks I’m no good as an instructor, the [deleted] last [/deleted] sooner he posts me the better I shall be pleased.
I was going to ask for an interview with him this afternoon, but have decided
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to see if I can have a friendly (?) talk with him in the Mess.
The C.F.I. will be back from leave on Friday, & I shall certainly ask him for a posting.
I trust you were as pleased with the Italian surrender as I was. They’ve waited a good time, but they’ve certainly done the thing properly now.
Thanks for getting the torch darling. Tuesday, in Lancaster, was the first chance I’d had to do any shopping, but it wasn’t necessary by then.
We’ve got a new instructor now, from Fraserburgh. He tells me that Cawker, Worthy & Webster are all F/Lts now! Makes
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you think doesn’t it?
I spent six shillings yesterday on having myself drawn by a cartoonist. It’s a good, but not a flattering likeness. I’ll bring it along next week to see what you think about it.
I’m taking the 48 with my leave, as things are so unsettled here that I may miss it otherwise. I shall therefore be free after duties on the 15th, & return on the 27th. If I’m going to Newhouse, I think I’ll call at Farnworth to collect some flannels, and then catch the 9.25 from M/c on Thursday morning.
All my love, darling,
Harold