Letter from Harold Gorton to his wife

Letter from Harold Gorton to his wife

He writes of his night flying duties and a taxiing accident.

1943-10-29

Four handwritten sheets

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EGortonHGortonLCM431029

Cark. Fri. 4.0 a.m.
Dearest,
This is a funny time to start writing, but then I’ve had a funny evening. We did weather tests at 7.0 p.m., & 10.30 p.m., & after the second one went to the Mess to play billiards until supper time at 12.45. After supper we scrubbed for the night & then went back to the Mess to play billiards for a couple of hours. It probably seems a crazy thing to do, but actually it’s a good thing because it means we get up later and so start our work fresher.
We are having a good time in this N/F flight, because the four of us in it get on very well together & have lots of fun.
The C.F.I. made himself rather unpopular with us by suggesting that we should finish night flying soon & be able to start day flying. That doesn’t appeal to us because
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we want our 48, so we are altering our policy. Instead of trying to get the work done, we are being careful not to fly in doubtful weather as we have done in the past. We hope to remain on night flying until the end of next week, but I may be able to get my 48 when I want it whether we continue night flying or not.
[deleted] O [/deleted] I had one bit of bad luck two nights ago when I had a taxying accident. A lorry had broken down on the runway we had to taxy along. It had been marked with red lights but I didn’t see them in time because I’d forgotten to bring a cushion with me & so couldn’t see outside properly. The top of the cab made a hole underneath the port mainplane, & I expect I shall get my first endorsement in my log book as a result. Hard luck after 1300 hours, isn’t it?
As for my ops training, if there is no weather hold up, I ought to
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have finished in a month at Grantham & 3 months at O.T.U., but I expect it will be at least 6 months before I’m through.
You don’t say whether you are actually coming up to Grange for a week or two, but I suppose I’ll hear in my next letter. [deleted] I [/deleted] Even if I didn’t see you again until the end of the war, I should think myself lucky compared, for instance, with Roderick, one of the instructors. He’s only been back from leave a week, & he’s just had a letter from his girl to say she’s thrown him over. It’s hit him pretty hard, & I feel sorry for him.
I’m jolly glad about the Utility coupons. Is 30 the maximum allowed? If I can manage it, I’ll get a booklet illustrating all the furniture, so that I can have an idea of what one can get, but when you come to see me, perhaps
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you'd bring one too, in case I can’t go out to get one. I haven’t had much time this week as I’ve been going to bed between 7.0 and 8.0 a.m., and starting work between 6.0 & 6.30 p.m.
I think I should let the Y.W.C.A. know that you are available, & then see what sort of job they produce. You can always turn it down if you don’t like it.
Finish the Dorothy Thompson & get another if you can, but if you haven’t read it by the time you see me, I should like to have a look at it.
All my love, darling,
Harold.