Letter from Harold Gorton to his wife

Letter from Harold Gorton to his wife

He writes of night flying, the chances of returning to operations and his plans for Christmas.

1943-12-21

Seven handwritten sheets

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EGortonHGortonLCM431221

Cark
Tuesday.
Dearest,
I got your parcel yesterday. It makes me feel almost ashamed, and yet proud, that you should be willing to go to so much trouble for me. I only hope I can find something to send to you in return.
I got a letter from Alice yesterday sending a book token, & expressing the hope that I’ll buy a book that you will like. At the moment I’ve no ideas. Will you send me some suggestions, or shall I send you the book token & let you choose your own?
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2.
Douglas Dant has sent me a letter & Christmas Card. He is now with the Southgate Borough Council in London, doing the same job as in Bath. If we go to London some time, we’ll get him to come & see us.
Night flying is going very well so far. We flew on [deleted] Monda [/deleted] Sunday night, but have scrubbed Saturday, Monday & tonight, & I’ve only got two more nights to do.
On Friday I think I shall borrow Wyver’s civvies, and go off to Farnworth, returning on Sunday. I’ve
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fixed it with the C.F.I. & with the Adj., so there will be no questions asked. If Newhouse were only a bit nearer, I’d go & see you, but I think it’s too far at Christmas time. It’s not that I’m particularly keen on going home – it will be awfully crowded and uncomfortable – but somehow, the thought of spending Christmas in the Mess seems revolting. I don’t think I could stand the “party spirit” there – with all the alcoholic spirit as well. There’s a dance on New Year’s Eve, but I shall try & arrange to do O.C. night
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flying or something.
The latest news about Ops is very poor. The C.F.I. has been to a conference at Group H.Q., & says that if we want to go to any command other than Bomber Command, we shall have to wait until 1945!
Frankly, I don’t know what to do. My instinctive reaction is to put my name down for Pathfinders straight away, because I don’t fancy the thought if spending another year here. On the other hand, it is a fact that I’ve better opportunities of
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reading law here than I shall ever have anywhere else, but I get a feeling that that’s a rather selfish attitude to take. What do you think?
I’m sorry to be bothering you with my own concerns like this. It isn’t that I haven’t been thinking about you. I keep wondering whether you’ve had any replies to those letters you sent, & wondering whether there’s anything I can do about it. If there is anything, you’ll let me know, won’t you, darling.
It’s going to be a very
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poor Christmas without you. I hope you have a happy time, none the less. If the shops weren’t so bad, I’d have sent something for you to give to Elizabeth & Bubs. Perhaps you’ll visit them on Christmas day & give them my love. I seem to have a very strong feeling this year that children are the making of Christmas, & that without them it’s largely a waste of time.
All my love, darling, & may you have a very happy Christmas.
Harold
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P.S. Please give greetings to your Mother & Grace from me.
N.B. the one consolation about this Christmas is the fact that it may be the last one I spend in the R.A.F. I hope so!