Letter from Harold Gorton to his wife

Letter from Harold Gorton to his wife

He writes of his duties and his colleagues activities.

1944-05-30

Eight handwritten sheets

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EGortonHGortonLCM440530

[Royal Air Force crest]
F/Lt. H Gorton,
ROYAL AIR FORCE,
SCAMPTON,
LINCS.
‘PHONE: SCAMPTON 226
30/5/44
Dearest,
I’m writing to you now because I am in a letter writing mood, although there is nothing particular that I want to say.
The only thing of interest to me that happened today was that when we paraded, I was asked to act as squadron commander, & take the whole parade. As you no doubt expect, I carried the business off with considerable verve & aplomb!
How is the short
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story going? I’ve been reminded of it today because I’ve been acting as literary critic. Derek gave me his play to read, & I’m afraid he found my criticisms rather devastating. He’s got a good idea for a comedy, but I told him that after the opening scene it needed pepping up a good deal. I’ve also been asked to criticise the literary style of one of the pilots here. He is busy writing his autobiography at the advanced age of 20! I’m afraid both these two are wanting me to write something,
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so that they can criticise me.
Derek is spending a night in camp for a change. He has been getting [deleted] back [/deleted] here at 2.0 a.m. every night, & spending about £2 a night. I’ve tried to point out to him the folly of his ways, but it seems to make no impression. When we start flying again, however, I shall insist that he lead a sober life.
By the way, if I have to leave here on the 7th, I hope the car is ready by then, so that I can drive away in it. If not, it will
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mean coming out from Wigsley for it.
Wednesday 6.0 p.m.
Nothing has happened today except that I’ve had letters from you, Mother, & Wyver. Mother has no special news. Wyver has just finished at the satellite, & now has to do his cross countries. He also says that he asked for permission to live out, and didn’t get it. We were lucky, weren’t we?
I’m afraid it wasn’t very good to read your letter with its talk of this 48. It gave me too great a sensation of loss. I shouldn’t have given
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you the idea that I was getting one but for the fact that they told us when we arrived that we should get a 48 after a fortnight. On Monday, when I saw the Adj., he said we couldn’t have one till we’d been here 3 weeks.
By that time, of course, we shall have gone to Wigsley. I wish we were going tomorrow, as I am getting tired of this purposeless existence
I’m sorry about the fountain pen. This nib has done very well, but it’s wearing
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rather badly now. I don’t think it will last much longer.
I should like to see your betting story sometime, or are you going to make a composite model out of both our efforts? I thought that we could get Jimmy to type it up for us, as he’s going back to Bradford this week-end. It’s the least he can do since I’ve lent him my typewriter.
The weather, at least, should have been O.K. for your Gymkhana. I wish I could have gone with you & then I shouldn’t have cared much
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whether they shot any horses or not.
One of the officers on this course tells me he is turning over a new leaf. I told him it was jolly well time, as while he has been here he has been spending all his spare time with a nurse in Lincoln, although he has a wife & three children at home. I’ve been absolutely disgusted with his behaviour, & he said he saw the red light only when this nurse suggested he should live out of camp permanently with her!
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As far as I am concerned, they can keep all the women in Lincoln or any where else. All I want is to get back to you, darling, & stay there. I don’t want ever to have to say goodbye to you again.
All my love, darling,
Harold.