Letter from Harold Gorton to his wife

Letter from Harold Gorton to his wife

He writes of his social activities, describing his billet and domestic details.

1944-05-19

Four handwritten sheets

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EGortonHGortonLCM440519

TEL. SILVERSTONE 252
F/O H Gorton
OFFICERS MESS.
ROYAL AIR FORCE STATION,
[deleted] SILVERSTONE, [/deleted]
[deleted] NR. TOWCESTER [/deleted] [inserted] Scampton, [/inserted]
[deleted] NORTHANTS. [/deleted] [inserted] Lincoln. [/inserted]
[Royal Air Force crest]
19/5/44
Dearest,
We finished early this afternoon – it’s only 3.45 now, and it’s my day off tomorrow, so I am feeling at a loose end. Last night Ralph Reader’s Gang Show was on, & I went to see it. It was the same as we saw at Ossington, but it made me a bit melancholy, as it reminded me too much of the times when we could see shows together.
This course is supposed to last a month, but most people go after three weeks, although some go in two weeks & others have been here more than four – so make what you can out of that.
[deleted] Wh [/deleted] We get a day off
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tomorrow & a 48 after a fortnight (1 [inserted] st [/inserted] – 3rd of June, I think).
Did I tell you that Freddie’s car had been sold by the time he got home? At least four blokes have bought cars while they’ve been on leave. They tell me that one can get petrol for a 48 here, so I am regretting very much that we haven’t got one.
I’ve just thought of what would be the ideal scheme! You buy a car in Abergavenny, & then I come down on a 48 & drive you back up here. What do you think of that?
I’m a bit doubtful about Lincoln for living in, as it is so crowded – it reminds me of Bath. I’ve been wondering whether Newark mightn’t be better, or even Doncaster, but
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it's very difficult to say.
Anyway, I wish I was seeing you again. I hope you are finding everything O.K. at Newhouse.
All my love,
Harold.
P.S. Since tea time I have just finished off Mrs. Linnell’s story, so am inflicting it on you at the same time as this letter.
[deleted] [indecipherable letter] [/deleted] Now that I’ve got one job done, I hope to be able to do some law, as I have a lot of spare time here. I expect I shall settle down to it after dinner.
This house we’re billeted in would be marvellous for us.
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It has got a sitting room, living room, kitchen – scullery & pantry on the ground floor, & 3 bedrooms and a bath-room [sic] up stairs [sic]. There are radiators in the passages and bedrooms (fireplaces downstairs) heated towel rail in the bath-room [sic], Aga cooker and Robin Hood boiler (like your Ideal) in the kitchen. You would need a maid, of course, but it really would suit us down to the ground.
I learned from one of the chaps who has bought a car that the price of insurance goes up 50% to aircrew officers, so I think it would be a good thing to have the insurance in your name. don’t you?
All my love,
Harold.