Letter from Harold Gorton to his wife

Letter from Harold Gorton to his wife

He writes of his flying over Nottingham and activities at RAF Fiskerton.

1944-09-19

Three handwritten sheets

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OFFICERS’ MESS,
ROYAL AIR FORCE STATION,
[deleted] SYERSTON, [/deleted] [inserted] Fiskerton [/inserted]
[deleted] NEWARK [/deleted] [inserted] Lincoln [/inserted]
[deleted] NOTTS [/deleted]
Tuesday 10.30 a.m.
19/9/44
Dearest,
I very much wanted to write to you yesterday but I wasn’t free for a moment (sounds like a line, doesn’t it but it’s true!). Last night was the third night in succession that I flew as I’ve been trying to get myself trained & operational again.
I feel that I shall be caught in the same mad rush again today when I go out, so I am taking the precaution of writing this before I go up to the Flight.
I don’t know if the new black-out rules have made any difference t you. On Sunday night it was quite a thrill to fly over Nottingham & see the streets marked by lights, the whole resembling the skeleton of some monstrous octopus.
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2.
I was very pleased to get your letter yesterday – doesn’t it seem ages since I left Newhouse! I’m glad to think that you may be back a week tomorrow; it’s most unpleasant not to be able to go over & see you.
I’ve got the new railway voucher & am enclosing it in this letter. The humble F/O who is acting Adjutant at present nearly fell over himself in his eagerness to do things for me! The crew are catching on, too. The Engineer was trying to get a torch from Stores yesterday. He was told no, & so spurred them on to greater efforts by saying that his skipper S/L Gorton, had told him to get one! Still, I don’t think I’ve a swelled head as I don’t get enough time to think about it.
Derek’s best friend went for an S while we were on leave. Consequently, he’s feeling very
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3
bloodthirsty & aggressive at the moment.
Freddy has fixed the hands of your clock, but at present it’s gaining a lot & I’m trying to regulate it.
All my love,
Harold.