Letter from Harold Gorton to his wife

Letter from Harold Gorton to his wife

He writes of night flying, social activities and arrangements for leave.

1943-10-24

Four handwritten sheets

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EGortonHGortonLCM431027

Cark.
Wednesday 7.15 a.m.
Dearest,
I’ve just had breakfast & I’m going to go to bed, but I wanted to write to you first.
The night flying is going quite well, except that we haven’t had any decent clamps yet. The past two nights we’ve stopped for a couple of hours or so, but I’ve done a weather test & we’ve carried on then until dawn.
Of course, I’m only doing it so that I can have a 48. My last night will be on Saturday week, & I expect to have Monday & Tuesday off. Yesterday I went to the Kent’s Bank Hotel, & arranged for us to stay there from the 9th onwards. Is this arrangement agreeable to you? I’ll come down to Newhouse for my 48, if you like, but I think the best thing would [deleted] y [/deleted] be for you to travel to Farnworth on Saturday 6th, & I could join you on
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the 7th. We could then go to a show or something on the 8th, & come up here next day.
That’s only a suggestion, of course. I’d prefer you to say what you’d like to do, & we’ll do it. Absolutely anything will please me if I can see you during my 48. You don’t need to come up here if it will be awkward for you, but [underlined] I do want to see you again [/underlined], if only for a short time. Is that clear?
Incidentally, I was talking to the [deleted] [indecipherable letter] [/deleted] stationmaster at Kent’s Bank, & he said that the Kent’s Bank Hotel is far & away the best place in the district – comfortable & very good food. I don’t know how much it costs, as I forgot to ask the Manageress when I was there, but whatever it is, “it’ll stand it, I reckon” (That’s one of our popular phrases of the moment.)
I forgot to tell you that I’ve been wearing your pullover every day
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lately. It’s very warm & it really is an excellent fit – far better than the first one you made. The torch has done good service, but is u/s for batteries at present.
Your letter came yesterday afternoon, & was very welcome. Whenever I get a letter from you, I feel, “Ah, that’ll keep me going for another two or three days or so.” So you can see how important your letters are if one member of the R.A.F. is to be kept in good trim.
I’m glad you got the parcel, but sorry I boobed again about the socks. Perhaps I shall learn sense someday, but my nose being what it is, I don’t notice smells much.
That Ware job[deleted]s[/deleted] sounds quite suitable to me, if you really want it. I shouldn’t imagine that Ware is a very inaccessible sort of place, & 3 days a week of P.T. is certainly as much as you want. Would you get a house
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or furnished rooms? It’s your decision, but if you feel you want a job & don’t mind doing P.T., I should have a crack at it. There’s this advantage, too, that I’m very likely to be stationed on the east side of England, & so should get to Ware easily. On the other hand, it will be crowded like any other town, & you may have to put up with some terrible digs, so please yourself. Whatever you decide will suit me.
I’m very pleased with all the shopping you’re doing. [underlined] I think you’re wonderful [/underlined]
I expect to go to Grantham first for a Blenheim course & then to an O.T.U.
It’s bed time, so that’s all for now.
All my love, darling.
Harold.
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