Letter from Harold Gorton to his wife

Letter from Harold Gorton to his wife

He writes about his flying duties and his electric fire.

1943-10-15

Three handwritten sheets

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EGortonHGortonLCM431015

OFFICERS’ MESS,
ROYAL AIR FORCE,
CARK,
NORTH LANCASHIRE.
TELEPHONE GRANGE 390
15/10/43
Dearest,
My week of O.C. N/F is nearly over – only one more night now. I’ve not done too badly, three scrubs out of six, & the nights when I’ve been on duty have been easy ones with no prangs and no flaps.
I’m glad to say that I’ve at last settled the question of my electric fire. The C.O. has been sick, & didn’t come back until yesterday, so I went to see him in the evening, after I’d got up.
I took up a very injured attitude, said that the Resident Engineer had taken my property away, property that I’d bought for my own home. It rather shook
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the C.O., I think, because he summoned the R.E. & the Clerk of Works to his office, & told the R.E. to have my fire sent back to my room today. The R.E. was most apologetic, so I left it at that, as I couldn’t think of anything else that I could insist on. I’m afraid, however, that I shan’t be able to use the fire any more at this station, but it won’t matter now, as I can have a fire every night if I wish.
The new C.F.I. seems to be setting a horribly unpleasant example of working hard. He hasn’t affected me yet, as I’ve been on night flying, but I expect I shall have to get up a bit earlier when I’m on days.
I hope the house is becoming a little more ship-shape
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now. There’s nothing more unpleasant than having workmen in the house, especially when it’s combined with lack of hot water.
I saw Moodie yesterday. He goes to Morecambe today, & certainly doesn’t look well. I doubt if he will be passed fit for aircrew duties on his present showing.
Personally I shall be the more pleased the sooner I leave this joint, as the more I see of it, the worse opinion I have of it & of my position here. The only thing that I’m really looking forward to is our setting up house together in peace time. May it be soon.
All my love, Harold