2
25
49
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/372/6602/ELampreyPGuntonW420923.1.pdf
ce78c4bb917989f889846f37120d178d
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Lamprey, Peter
Description
An account of the resource
122 items. The collection contains letters from Flight Sergeant Peter Lamprey (1384535 Royal Air Force) to 'Uncle Bill' W Gunton and his former colleagues at Waterlow Printers, Park Royal, London. The letters cover all his stages of training and operations at Royal Air Force Ludford Magna. A wireless operator / air gunner, he was killed, aged 36, on 14 January 1944 during an operation on Braunschweig when 101 Squadron Lancaster LM367 was attacked by a night fighter and crashed at Lautenthal. <br /><br />The collection has been loaned to the IBCC Digital Archive for digitisation by Dereck Titchen and catalogued by Nigel Huckins.<br /><br /> A photograph of Peter and his final resting place appears in the Arthur Standivan collection <a href="https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/items/show/35884">here.</a><br /><br />Additional information onPeter Lamprey is available via the <a href="https://losses.internationalbcc.co.uk/loss/113449/">IBCC Losses Database.</a>
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2016-02-24
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Lamprey, P
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
Envelope
CALNE
WILTS.
23 Sep 42
[postage stamp]
MR. W. GUNTON,
MACH [missing] ROOM.
WATERLOW AND SONS. LTD.
TWYFORD ABBEY ROAD.
PARK ROYAL. N.W.10.
LONDON.
[page break]
[RAF Crest]
[list of names]
[page break]
138458535 AC 2 LAMPREY.
SIGNALS SECTION.
HQ. 4. GROUP RAF.
INVERNESS
SCOTLAND
[underlined] TUESDAY [/underlined]
Dear Uncle Bill and others.
Once again I write padding the letter with superfluous words to make it appear that you are getting some news. This of course, is a false impression, as the only things that happen here are sunrise and sunset – and you can’t always depend on them. Still – what news there is – is yours.
We have got a job that has removed us from the warmth and comfort of headquarters and planted us out in the fields. Despite our sturdy frames and general hardiness it is definitely a job for eskimos and should any apply for a job down there send them straight up. After three weeks out here I consider the serpentine bathers are pansies. As soon as the snow is deep enough we intend to send for a blue-print of an igloo and have a stab at building one.
Still, the job has its compensations. We have got
[page break]
very friendly with the farm girl down the road. She gives us milk and other stuff. If she can only be made to give a little more – things would be interesting and a good time had by all. However patience and persistence are on our side even if right is not.
The bright lights of town have called me on one or two occasions lately and I have been tasting the joys of debauchery and liquor again. The only trouble is that time is always against you. The curtain comes down at nine prompt and the show is over – you’ve had it. After that we visit the night clubs – Y.M.C.A. – S.A. – soldiers and sailors home etc. Sinks of iniquity I’ll admit but I can take care of myself by now.
The food we get here is remarkable – or rather the cooks are –if someone hooked their tin opener we’d starve to death. And the number of ways they serve the stuff up is a treat - if you didn’t have to eat it. They can do anything with it or make you like it. Still theres [sic] always plenty and if you dont [sic] fancy what is on your plate you can always get another helping of it.
For some unknown reason I have received no mail now for
[page break]
3.
five days. Either my fans have turned fickle and forgotten me or my latest excursions into literary composition have shaken all my correspondents [sic] rigid. This I can hardly hope for – but am still praying. The muse – as you can see – has deserted me on this occasion, not – I might add – permanently, but just long enough to collect – collate and consider what insults shall hurl and who shall be the target. This should cause my friends to rush to their letter pads and the others to consider the advisability of establishing friendly relations.
Today – feeling full of beans (Heinz baked) and the joy of life we clambered over large stretches of this scenery you keep raving about. It might be easy on the eyes but it is a shade hard on the feet and legs. After two hours I am of the opinion that the whole lot would be better if it were ironed out a bit more. As you are no doubt aware we are very near the historic Culloden Moor. Thank goodness they fight their wars near civilisation nowadays.
And now to the usual madam that I usually stick in these epistles not that I care how you are – I have enough worries keeping myself out of an early grave without bothering whether any of you are
[page break]
Suffering from overwork or any of the kindred complaints of civilian life. Mr Hunt I hope still enjoys the best of health – I’d hate to hear he’d passed out while I’m in a place where I couldn’t celebrate properly. Mr Maloney I take it still attends night school and by now can sign somebody else’s name so he can dodge any calling up. Dave is still keeping a firm hand on Rusty I hope and doesn’t let him too far out of his sight. Remember me to the engineers - electricians and all other leadswingers. Give my regards to the opa’s – especially worker – Bert Frankham, Fred Cooper and Speedy. Give my love to the guv’nor. [sic]
See you in church
Pete.
P.S. Start saving up. I might be up Christmas. I’ve altered my leave date, not that it means anything but I’d like to give Maloney something at Christmas. A black baby preferably.
Three cheers
[underlined] P. [/underlined]
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Letter from Peter Lamprey to W Gunton
Description
An account of the resource
Peter Lamprey writes that he has a job out in the field although compensated by the presence of a friendly farm girl. He goes on to comment on social life and the good quality of food on base. He mentions a route march before closing with more banter.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Peter Lamprey
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1942-09-23
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Mismatched envelope and four page handwritten letter
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Correspondence
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
ELampreyPGuntonW420923
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Royal Air Force
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
Scotland--Highlands
Scotland--Inverness
England--Wiltshire
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1942-09-23
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
military living conditions
RAF Inverness
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/372/6601/ELampreyPGuntonW420820.2.pdf
536163c7883cc30b5485b77bc000a88a
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Lamprey, Peter
Description
An account of the resource
122 items. The collection contains letters from Flight Sergeant Peter Lamprey (1384535 Royal Air Force) to 'Uncle Bill' W Gunton and his former colleagues at Waterlow Printers, Park Royal, London. The letters cover all his stages of training and operations at Royal Air Force Ludford Magna. A wireless operator / air gunner, he was killed, aged 36, on 14 January 1944 during an operation on Braunschweig when 101 Squadron Lancaster LM367 was attacked by a night fighter and crashed at Lautenthal. <br /><br />The collection has been loaned to the IBCC Digital Archive for digitisation by Dereck Titchen and catalogued by Nigel Huckins.<br /><br /> A photograph of Peter and his final resting place appears in the Arthur Standivan collection <a href="https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/items/show/35884">here.</a><br /><br />Additional information onPeter Lamprey is available via the <a href="https://losses.internationalbcc.co.uk/loss/113449/">IBCC Losses Database.</a>
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2016-02-24
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Lamprey, P
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
Envelope
Inverness
20 Aug
1942.
[postage stamp]
MR. W. GUNTON.
MACHINE ROOM.
WATERLOO AND SONS. LTD.
TWYFORD ABBEY ROAD.
PARK ROYAL.
NW10 LONDON.
[page break]
[RAF Crest]
[page break]
1384535. LAC. LAMPREY
SIGNALS SECTION.
HQ. 14 GROUP.
RAF. [underlined] INVERNESS [/underlined]
RX11DAY.
My friend etc.
I have been sold down the river on numerous occasions but – believe me, the smooth way you perishers do it has got Mr. A. Hitler looking like a bloody amatuer[sic]. When I write – I am not getting at anybody. When I don’t write – I am forgetting you. Listen. For the love of Pete – tell me what you want and then get someone else to do it. And another thing – you’ve got the belly to talk about me writing to other people. Remember you are still about ten letters behind. When you catch up you
[page break]
can start peeping but until then just take your turn in the queue.
Usually I start my letters in a spirit of duty and pleasure but I am afraid pleasure has rather come out on top and hence the temporary hold up in the mail. Since starting this epistle I have had news. I have got my posting on the last lap of my course at last. The fact has given my prospective a right hander and I dont [sic] suppose I shall be seeing you for quite a few months. This will be no hardship to me but I dont [sic] know how you people are going to stand it.
Seeing that I have quite a bit of work to get under my belt before I can leave I am parking this. You can bind as much
[page break]
you like but for all I care you can burn.
I will write as soon as I get to Y. Remember me to everyone.
Best of it.
Pete.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Letter from Peter Lamprey to W Gunton
Description
An account of the resource
Peter Lamprey writes complaining that post has been held up but that he has at last received his posting to the next step in training.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Peter Lamprey
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1942-08-20
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Envelope and three page handwritten letter
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Correspondence
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
ELampreyPGuntonW420820
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Royal Air Force
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
Scotland--Highlands
Scotland--Inverness
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1942-08-20
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
military service conditions
RAF Inverness
training
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/372/6600/ELampreyPGuntonW420802.1.pdf
1c99710b9810c17e6668637a439480e7
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Lamprey, Peter
Description
An account of the resource
122 items. The collection contains letters from Flight Sergeant Peter Lamprey (1384535 Royal Air Force) to 'Uncle Bill' W Gunton and his former colleagues at Waterlow Printers, Park Royal, London. The letters cover all his stages of training and operations at Royal Air Force Ludford Magna. A wireless operator / air gunner, he was killed, aged 36, on 14 January 1944 during an operation on Braunschweig when 101 Squadron Lancaster LM367 was attacked by a night fighter and crashed at Lautenthal. <br /><br />The collection has been loaned to the IBCC Digital Archive for digitisation by Dereck Titchen and catalogued by Nigel Huckins.<br /><br /> A photograph of Peter and his final resting place appears in the Arthur Standivan collection <a href="https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/items/show/35884">here.</a><br /><br />Additional information onPeter Lamprey is available via the <a href="https://losses.internationalbcc.co.uk/loss/113449/">IBCC Losses Database.</a>
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2016-02-24
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Lamprey, P
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
INVERNESS
4 AUG
1942
[postage stamp]
MR W. GUNTON.
MACHINE ROOM,
WATERLOW AND SONS. LTD.
TWYFORD ABBEY ROAD
PARK ROYAL. N. W. 10.
LONDON.
[page break]
Reverse of envelope
[page break]
1384535. LAC. LAMPREY.
H.Q. 14 GROUP
RAD. INVERNESS
[underlined] SCOTLAND [/underlined]
[underlined] SUNDAY. 2ND. [/underlined]
Dear Uncle Bill etc.
Listen. If you have at last decided to write to me, for Pete’s sake don’t tell me how much you enjoyed your blasted unpatriotic holiday. While you were lounging around – I – was resisting the enemy and shouldering your share of the war. Not that the amount I shouldered for you made much difference.
Life – thank heaven – is still treating me like a favourite son. I am managing to get by with no trouble and not much more effort. I suppose one of this[sic] days the storm will break and I’ll and I’ll find
[page break]
[underlined] 2. [/underlined]
Myself in the brig. But it is very nice at present – thanks very much. I have managed to poke in a few crafty trips to town and during a spell of fine weather a visit to a local beauty spot. Beautiful long grass and nobody around. A very fine view from where I was.
One thing I am glad to hear is that the three stooges haven’t actually come yet. Personally I don’t think the public could stand another set-back at present so the longer the T.S. Act as a brake on R.T. Production the easier for the rest of us. You didn’t say what they were going in as but as long as they are nice and green the sergeant will be pleased to see them. My heart bleeds for them – I don’t think.
If Mr. Hunt has the idea I am going
[page break]
[underlined] 3. [/underlined]
To waste my valuable time trying to get under his thick hide it is just another of his mistakes. As for brother George if he thinks I enjoy writing about his past misdemeanours and laying them bare to the world he has a funny idea of my nature. I don’t like doing it but feel it is my duty as one who had to take up a job he only half finished.
Since starting the letter I have had a break for a spot of entertainment and am sorry to state it has had to be delayed. The whole trouble with this war is the way it interferes with my letter writing.
The is something funny about the way they have left me alone this last day or so. I don’t like it and expect any minute to find I am due to be
[page break]
[underlined] 4. [/underlined]
Wafted away into the remote blasted highlands on another perishing job. Generally the news from here is noticeable by its absence and this week is nothing out of the ordinary. I don’t want to upset anybody at P.R. as I hope to grab a spot of leave in about a months [sic] time and would hate to be stabbed in the back.
If the bloody engineers think I am going to write about or to them they can think again – if possible. Its[sic] about time Bert Smith sent my perishing photo back and found one of Audrey instead. Half my time is spent in finding women for other blokes to pinch.
I am glad to hear the old R I P has quietened down a bit and is leading a more sober
[page break]
[underlined] 5. [/underlined]
life. He must be sickening for something.
I received everything you sent and you might tell Charlie I can recommend his taste. If he ever gets up here I’ll put him on to some of the people who shared the experiment.
Keep your head down and I’ll be along one day and lift it for you remember me to all
All the best
[underlined] Pete [/underlined]
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Letter from Peter Lamprey to W Gunton
Description
An account of the resource
Peter Lamprey starts with some friendly banter and mentions that he has managed some time off. He says the letter was interrupted by some unspecified duty away and concludes with catch up news.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Peter Lamprey
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1942-08-02
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Envelope and five page handwritten letter
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Correspondence
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
ELampreyPGuntonW420802
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Royal Air Force
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
Scotland--Highlands
Scotland--Inverness
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1942-08-02
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
military service conditions
RAF Inverness
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/372/6599/ELampreyPGuntonW420727.1.pdf
5bcd7b7905ee46f2fb76cafdd024e8dc
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Lamprey, Peter
Description
An account of the resource
122 items. The collection contains letters from Flight Sergeant Peter Lamprey (1384535 Royal Air Force) to 'Uncle Bill' W Gunton and his former colleagues at Waterlow Printers, Park Royal, London. The letters cover all his stages of training and operations at Royal Air Force Ludford Magna. A wireless operator / air gunner, he was killed, aged 36, on 14 January 1944 during an operation on Braunschweig when 101 Squadron Lancaster LM367 was attacked by a night fighter and crashed at Lautenthal. <br /><br />The collection has been loaned to the IBCC Digital Archive for digitisation by Dereck Titchen and catalogued by Nigel Huckins.<br /><br /> A photograph of Peter and his final resting place appears in the Arthur Standivan collection <a href="https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/items/show/35884">here.</a><br /><br />Additional information onPeter Lamprey is available via the <a href="https://losses.internationalbcc.co.uk/loss/113449/">IBCC Losses Database.</a>
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2016-02-24
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Lamprey, P
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
[postage stamp]
Mr. W. Gunton.
Machine Room.
Waterlow and Sons. Ltd.
Twyford Abbey Road.
Park Royal
London. N.W.10
[inserted]
EXAMINER 2473 51/9911. H.B.
[/inserted]
[page break]
[inserted]
OPENED BY P.C. 90
[/inserted]
[page break]
1384535. LAC. Lamprey.
Signals Section.
HQ. 14. Group. R.A.F.
Inverness
[underlined] Sunday. 26th. July. [/underlined]
Dear UNK – Others.
Very – very funny. I take it that the last missive I received from you was Maloney’s farewell letter. If some of you people are not more careful you will be getting a rush of brains to the head and Christ knows what will happen then. I might even get a bit of news – not that I want good news after your last effort. However it served its purpose and I [inserted] am [/inserted] able to see you are still alive. I almost said glad but have decided to stick to the truth.
[page break]
Life still continues to drag me feet first. If I wade through much more of this glorious Scotch scenery I shall apply for a transfer to the infantry so I can at least ride on the bleeding route marches. We have spent exactly two nights in our own beds in the last seven days and I am seriously considering taking in a lodger and making a bit on the side.
Still on the two nights mentioned we managed to get into town. I am sorry to say that I disregarded Mr. Hunts good advice and went on the beer. If we could have had a few more pints we’d have had this war over before August. I might mention that the evening lasted very well and the W.A.A.F I had, was a bit tight – at
[page break]
first. I also ran into a printer who said he knew Jack Denny but I told him not to worry about it too much, as we all had some undiscovered mistakes in our lives. We have also a new pal that has been stuffed up here. A Welshman. Dave Evans – but this one is a decent bloke so I never mentioned the old RIP. Taken by and large, we have a nice little party now. Seven strong, healthy airman willing to let anyone do our share of the war as long as the beer – and the cash – lasts out. If any of us see this year out without doing a spell inside it will be because we have collapsed under the strain of total war.
If the three dumb clucks have gone I hope they run into a sergeant we
[page break]
have just been unfortunate to lose. He will at least prove that all the battles are not won and lost on foreign fields. In fact he’ll prove that you can start a bloody fine war over nothing. I hope it keeps fine for them.
Some while ago I asked Bert Smith if he would forward a certain photo on and having thanked him for it would like to know when the hell he’s going to do it. If I get posted down south I shall be stopping off for a night and I don’t want to do any more explaining than I can help. I do so much blasted explaining at this lark that I am running out of tales and I should hate to have to fall back on the truth.
I have just been informed that I am on another job tomorrow. Lord knows
[page break]
where – I suppose they are finding the muddiest place. The sooner they find out I am only and air gunner U/T and not a bleeding camel the better I’ll like it.
Well I am packing up now and will write when I get time. Theres [sic] a date in town that must get by.
Remember me to all.
Love.
[underlined] Pete. [/underlined].
P.S Don’t forget the Royal.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Letter from Peter Lamprey to W Gunton
Description
An account of the resource
Peter Lamprey writes complaining about route marches and lack of sleep although he was able to get into town on nights off. He continues with comment on life and concludes with friendly banter to former workmates. Letter was stamped 'Examiner 2473 51/9911. H.B., Opened by P.C.90'.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Peter Lamprey
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1942-07-26
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Envelope and five page handwritten letter
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Correspondence
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
ELampreyPGuntonW420727
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Royal Air Force
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
Scotland--Highlands
Scotland--Inverness
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1942-07-26
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
military living conditions
military service conditions
RAF Inverness
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/372/6598/ELampreyPGuntonW420712.2.pdf
e1fc51d3a00daa3a71eafe107d2ac0c0
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Lamprey, Peter
Description
An account of the resource
122 items. The collection contains letters from Flight Sergeant Peter Lamprey (1384535 Royal Air Force) to 'Uncle Bill' W Gunton and his former colleagues at Waterlow Printers, Park Royal, London. The letters cover all his stages of training and operations at Royal Air Force Ludford Magna. A wireless operator / air gunner, he was killed, aged 36, on 14 January 1944 during an operation on Braunschweig when 101 Squadron Lancaster LM367 was attacked by a night fighter and crashed at Lautenthal. <br /><br />The collection has been loaned to the IBCC Digital Archive for digitisation by Dereck Titchen and catalogued by Nigel Huckins.<br /><br /> A photograph of Peter and his final resting place appears in the Arthur Standivan collection <a href="https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/items/show/35884">here.</a><br /><br />Additional information onPeter Lamprey is available via the <a href="https://losses.internationalbcc.co.uk/loss/113449/">IBCC Losses Database.</a>
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2016-02-24
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Lamprey, P
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
Inverness
11 – AM
13 JUL
1942
[postage stamp]
Mr. W. Gunton.
Machine Room.
Waterlow and Sons. Ltd.
Twyford Abbey Road.
Park Royal. N.W.10
London.
[page break]
[reverse of envelope]
[RAF Crest]
[page break]
1384535. LAC. Lamprey.
Signals Section.
HQ. 14. Group.
RAF. [underlined] Inverness [/underlined]
[underlined] Sunday. 12th. July. [/underlined]
Dear UNK. – Others.
Listen my friends. It is not often I complain. This is however is just a warning against the perfidious habit of printing lies about me in the “Royal”. If this is continued I am sorely afraid someone is going to get a nasty clump with a handy sized brick. I did not have 14 days leave. I admire the way you peri-shers [sic] try and get me extra leave but it is doing no good. Another little point. I have not left for any more training thanks very much. At the present
[page break]
[underlined] 2 [/underlined]
moment I am engaged in jollying the war along very nicely – thanks very much. Life has repented and is now engaged in treating me like the blue eyed boy. If it continues at this rate I shall need twenty-one days sick leave to recu-perate. [sic] Talk about bring on your dancing girls and let’s make a night of it. Half the bother is the nights don’t seem to stop.
I don’t seem to have a lot of spare time these days and the way your last letter read, seems like you do not realise the handicap we are fighting this war under. Remember my friend if I let anything slip the blasted army works a fast one into me and I have to find another date. In any case what the hell do you want every time I write? A set of
[page break]
[underlined] 3. [/underlined]
bloody love lyrics? Rest content with the fact that even amid the turmoil of battle, I still remember you.
I received – with a sense of shock – the news that the two love birds have joined up. From now on I am afraid Cherry will have to throw his own bricks. That is if he still has the strength after he has been taught to march and walk, and drill and what all hell knows else. The pity of it is I shan’t see them scraping the fat off Moloney with a rifle – but I shall nevertherless [sic] enjoy thinking of it. I don’t know what he is going in for but if he wants any advice on the subject I shall enjoy withholding it so he can suffer as all us real airmen have. The only advice I can give Cherry is never to stoop in
[page break]
[inserted] 4. [/inserted]
the dark as some airmen are always getting into tight places.
There does’nt [sic] seem to be much chance of me moving for a while and from tales that do get through now and again I think life here will suit my style of rugged beauty a bit better than some places. I am still bashing a key for a living and am not particular who for pleasure. There was a bit of [deleted] takk [/deleted] talk about going back to the island but I think I’ll break a leg or something if they mention it again.
I don’t know whether I wrote but I heard from Bill Smith and he seems to have got this war business pretty well banged – in fact if they stop it now I think he’d kick up hells delight about it.
[page break]
I haven’t heard from Wyn or Kitty yet but expect they are trying to find some bloody fine excuse for something. From what I know of the previous time they won’t be the ones who have to find them.
This is your lot and for Pete’s sake don’t start yelling. Thanks for the P.O’s – books and good wishes that were enclosed – I feel the same about you. Kiss Brother George and give him something to moan about. Remember me to one and all.
Love and kisses.
Pete. X .
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Letter from Peter Lamprey to W Gunton
Description
An account of the resource
Peter Lamprey starts with some general banter and then notes that two of his ex-work mates have enlisted. He comments that there is not much chance of him moving yet and concludes with some catching up with news.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Peter Lamprey
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1942-07-13
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Correspondence
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
ELampreyPGuntonW420712
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Royal Air Force
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
Scotland--Highlands
Scotland--Inverness
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1942-07-13
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Envelope and five page handwritten letter
military living conditions
military service conditions
RAF Inverness
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/372/6597/ELampreyPGuntonW420523.1.pdf
adee0edb93e6ffa24304400fe6b3ec0c
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Lamprey, Peter
Description
An account of the resource
122 items. The collection contains letters from Flight Sergeant Peter Lamprey (1384535 Royal Air Force) to 'Uncle Bill' W Gunton and his former colleagues at Waterlow Printers, Park Royal, London. The letters cover all his stages of training and operations at Royal Air Force Ludford Magna. A wireless operator / air gunner, he was killed, aged 36, on 14 January 1944 during an operation on Braunschweig when 101 Squadron Lancaster LM367 was attacked by a night fighter and crashed at Lautenthal. <br /><br />The collection has been loaned to the IBCC Digital Archive for digitisation by Dereck Titchen and catalogued by Nigel Huckins.<br /><br /> A photograph of Peter and his final resting place appears in the Arthur Standivan collection <a href="https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/items/show/35884">here.</a><br /><br />Additional information onPeter Lamprey is available via the <a href="https://losses.internationalbcc.co.uk/loss/113449/">IBCC Losses Database.</a>
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2016-02-24
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Lamprey, P
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
Inverness
10 – PM
25 MAY
1942
[postage stamps]
Mr. W. Gunton.
Machine Room
Waterlow and Sons. Ltd.
Twyford Abbey Road
Park Royal.
London. N.W.10
[page break]
[reverse of envelope]
[RAF Crest]
[page break]
[RAF Crest]
Signals Section.
HQ. 14. Group.
[underlined] Inverness [/underlined]
[underlined] Saturday 23rd [/underlined]
Dear UNK. Others. Friends.
Life – I am sorry to say – has now assumed all the appearances of the arse-end of a 250 H.E. - very grim. I stuck a pass in for leave as soon as I got back and they proceeded to play merry hell. Then they slung it out, so I put another in. Then they told me I only get seven days. I – in polite language told them to work it and I am now waiting to see the old man and pull his ear down. I shall
[page break]
either get leave or 14 days. If I don’t get leave I shall make sure I enjoy the 14 days. This place has gone to the dogs since I’ve been away and the sooner they send for me for my gunnery the better this erk will like it.
Outside of business hours however – it is not too bad. We have re-established contact with the life of the town and are now in the position of having some real sorrows to drown. I hope the money outlasts the sorrow. The realities of war don’t look so bad through the bottom of a glass and khaki hides a multitude of pretty legs.
My mail is gradually catching up with me. I notice that you can still write. Some of your news in any case is only what I have always expected. The very thought of
[page break]
[RAF Crest]
[underlined] 3. [/underlined]
the dangers the F.O.C. faces is appalling. That Mr. Evans should run amok with a knife is nothing unexpected. I have always advocated the policy of keeping well clear of people who seem to spend their nights in riotous living and their afternoons in getting someone to give them a blow. How he spends his mornings is, as always, a mystery.
Should at any time, anyone feel like sending me a bit of sand, I should advise keeping a few handfuls back to spread on the blood I shall beat out of them at some future date. The news that Brother George is back to his old form is a bit of a blow. How his staff must suffer. But in the days of tommy-guns etc. it is
[page break]
nice to hear of the wonders worked with a stone axe and a handful of bricks.
You always mention Charlie and the ginger cat in your epistles. Evidently there is a wrong impression abroad somewhere. I asked for news of my friends. The sooner the military catch up with these babies the sooner I celebrate. That goes for “Old Ivory” to. [sic]
Since returning to this place and spending a week in it I am afraid I have not had a lot of time for letter writing. There are still a few places I haven’t visited yet and I have these omissions to repair before I can say I have really arrived. In any case I dont [sic] wan’t [sic] to tell you all the news as I hope to be seeing you – lets [sic] get this straight –
[page break]
[RAF Crest]
[underlined] 5. [/underlined]
I hope to be getting leave.
So my friend – this is again short and sweet. Get the bunting ready. Remember me to all. Thanks for the letters.
[underlined] Pete. [/underlined].
P.S. The morse at the bottom of the letter was lousy.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Letter from Peter Lamprey to W Gunton
Description
An account of the resource
Peter Lamprey writes that he is having trouble getting leave but that his out of work hours social life is not bad. He concludes with some banter.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Peter Lamprey
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1942-05-25
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Envelope and five page handwritten letter
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Correspondence
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
ELampreyPGuntonW420523
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Royal Air Force
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
Scotland--Highlands
Scotland--Inverness
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1942-05-25
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
military living conditions
RAF Inverness
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/372/6596/ELampreyPGuntonW420517.1.pdf
9dfdd534335922490f57031bd416cc54
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Lamprey, Peter
Description
An account of the resource
122 items. The collection contains letters from Flight Sergeant Peter Lamprey (1384535 Royal Air Force) to 'Uncle Bill' W Gunton and his former colleagues at Waterlow Printers, Park Royal, London. The letters cover all his stages of training and operations at Royal Air Force Ludford Magna. A wireless operator / air gunner, he was killed, aged 36, on 14 January 1944 during an operation on Braunschweig when 101 Squadron Lancaster LM367 was attacked by a night fighter and crashed at Lautenthal. <br /><br />The collection has been loaned to the IBCC Digital Archive for digitisation by Dereck Titchen and catalogued by Nigel Huckins.<br /><br /> A photograph of Peter and his final resting place appears in the Arthur Standivan collection <a href="https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/items/show/35884">here.</a><br /><br />Additional information onPeter Lamprey is available via the <a href="https://losses.internationalbcc.co.uk/loss/113449/">IBCC Losses Database.</a>
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2016-02-24
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Lamprey, P
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
Inverness
11-AM
18 MAY
1942
[postage stamp]
Mr. W. Gunton.
Machine Room.
Waterlow and Sons. Ltd.
Twyford Abbey Road.
Park Royal.
London. N.W.10.
[page break]
[reverse of envelope]
[RAF Crest]
[page break]
[RAF Crest]
Signals Section.
HQ. 14. Group.
[underlined] Inverness [/underlined]
[underlined] Sunday. 17th. May. [/underlined]
Dear UNK and Others.
Heaven forbid that I should ever sink so low as to neglect my friends. This letter is written in bitterness – sorrow and anguish. Where the bloody hell is a reply to some of my blasted letters?
You will notice – I hope – that I am once more back in the arms of civilisation. And oh boy – what arms. After more than a week of the usual dithering, we flew back yesterday. And what a trip. The kite did everything but lay eggs – we did that. But now we are safe
[page break]
and able to take nourishment the fun will commence – or to be truthful, has.
The parcels were safe and my usual thanks for them. Having perused “The Royal” I have come to the conclusion that my rise in rank is a greater achievement than I considered. Your help was, as usual, such that I rose despite it. You might return my contribution that I so willingly sent for Mr Hunts’ [sic] wreath. I see he is still alive – or at least moving. As undependable as ever. Lowering myself to reply to him, I thank him for his wishes and hope he breaks his as well. Where in hell he gets his ideas of a good time from is just no bodys’ [sic] business. Still, I shall have much pleasure in being as rude as possible when I visit.
The return to Inverness has brought us face to face with war at its grimmest form. Beer
[page break]
[RAF Crest]
[underlined] 3. [/underlined]
is rationed. The pubs only open five days a week and then – according to eyewitness accounts – the slaughter is terrible. For myself, I only had a few in celebration last night. I saw an old friend and although good looking she doesn’t live up to looks. A good time was had by all. The A.T.S. are wearing summer issue already.
Realising the pleasure I shall bring – I am applying for leave tomorrow. If I get it – you, as master of ceremonies, will of course be informed, and the bunting unfurled ready. I am putting in for 14 days but whether they will stand me or not I dont [sic] know yet. Still we’ll have a bash.
I don’t like to insult Brother George in this letter as he may have already written me a
[page break]
letter apologising. Seeing that the war is doing so well here and there, I take it that no other minders have joined anything but their hands. We might consider a bit of help later on but, at the present moment, you can all lie back and act as a brake – your finest position. I have left things in good hands in the island and can now look forward to a spell of working my way back into the gutter. The tale of my progress in this direction will be unfolded later, as if you think I am going to lie here writing when there are a number of things to be done and the boys are waiting – youve [sic] had it.
[underlined] Pete [/underlined] .
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Letter from Peter Lamprey to W Gunton
Description
An account of the resource
Peter Lamprey writes that he is back in civilisation at Inverness. But complains of wartime beer rationing. Ne states that he is applying for leave and concludes with some banter.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Peter Lamprey
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1942-05-18
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Envelope and four page handwritten letter
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Correspondence
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
ELampreyPGuntonW420517
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Royal Air Force
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
Scotland--Highlands
Scotland--Inverness
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1942-05-18
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
military living conditions
military service conditions
RAF Inverness
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/372/6591/ELampreyPGuntonW420318.2.pdf
aa46b617eb416ed0d0823f2192911599
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Lamprey, Peter
Description
An account of the resource
122 items. The collection contains letters from Flight Sergeant Peter Lamprey (1384535 Royal Air Force) to 'Uncle Bill' W Gunton and his former colleagues at Waterlow Printers, Park Royal, London. The letters cover all his stages of training and operations at Royal Air Force Ludford Magna. A wireless operator / air gunner, he was killed, aged 36, on 14 January 1944 during an operation on Braunschweig when 101 Squadron Lancaster LM367 was attacked by a night fighter and crashed at Lautenthal. <br /><br />The collection has been loaned to the IBCC Digital Archive for digitisation by Dereck Titchen and catalogued by Nigel Huckins.<br /><br /> A photograph of Peter and his final resting place appears in the Arthur Standivan collection <a href="https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/items/show/35884">here.</a><br /><br />Additional information onPeter Lamprey is available via the <a href="https://losses.internationalbcc.co.uk/loss/113449/">IBCC Losses Database.</a>
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2016-02-24
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Lamprey, P
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
INVERNESS
9 AM
20 MAR
1942
[postage stamp]
Mr W. Gunton.
Waterlow and Sons Ltd.
Twyford Abbey Road
Park Royal.
London. N.W.10.
[page break]
[RAF crest]
[page break]
[RAF crest]
Signals Section
HQ. 14 [underlined] Group [/underlined]
[underlined]Wednesday 18th March 1942[/underlined]
Dear Uncle Bill etc.
You can – I am very sorry to say – put the flags – bunting and red carpet back in the store. I shall not be coming on leave just yet. Should anybody break into hysterical cheers over this fact you might note their name for future attention.
The way of an airman is very hard my friends. After steering a clever path through all the snags – pitfalls and what have you that beset the road I tread, they decide it is time to take this long heralded trip back to the island.
[page break]
My cup of bitterness is – as you can guess – now full to overflowing. Should you hear of an air force being formed in Scotland, having no connection with the RAF, it will be me forming my own one to get a bit more leave.
If anyone should – in their misguided way – tell me, I shall soon get used to the island, I shall have much pleasure in beating, what goes for head with the them, off their blasted shoulders. I shall never get used to it – I don’t want to get used to it.
Owing to the exigences [sic] of the service I am [deleted]unu[/deleted] unable to concede to your request to mark your letters off on the cribbage board. The fire was out and there was no wood so that now – your letters go
[page break]
[RAF crest]
[underlined]3[/underlined]
unmarked. Not that I would ever consider marking off some of your latest efforts as letters. They were just lurks to try and catch up – but they don’t get by with me, my friend.
Once again I implore you. Don’t shoot that horrible line [deleted]about[/deleted] to me about Scotch scenery. I don’t like Scotch scenery – except when I am heading south. Then it is moving in the right direction. Just remember that you saw it from the ease and comfort of a ship. I have to walk all over it.
Thanks for the latest parcel – which by the way is still unopened – as it was packed in my kit ready for the big trip. Should it be one of those parcels I
[page break]
shall withdraw the thanks in my next letter – if any.
Having got us all packed and waiting on the drome they decided the weather was too bad for flying so here we sit. Just the bare necessties [sic] of life to live with. Dare not open up the kit as I’d never get all the stuff back again.
After much mature consideration I have decided not to say any more about Brother Georges efforts in the last war. If he should burst a blood vessel I’ll never get that drink he is always refusing to buy me, or he might haul off and beat my block in with his stone axe.
So far – despite all your letters – I have no inside information about things down there. Are they still the same or do you
[page break]
[underlined]5[/underlined]
[RAF crest]
have to work now? Is Dave still in charge of the books or have they found him out? Thats’ the news I want – or some good news like, Moloneys’ funeral was a big success.
The inventors I suppose still dodge around doing their good deeds. Not that I give a hoot if they are doing time – which, by rights, they should. I like to think that one day they’ll have all their work cut out inventing excuses – and that the Sergeant won’t listen. If I ever get a chance to help them out of a tight corner they can rely on me to do the right thing – I owe them one or two things.
Mr Hunt seems quiet these days. If it is because I have upset him in any way – I am
[page break]
sorry I never thought of it before.
Here unfortunately I must leave you. This being the last sheet on the pad and the rest packed. Remember me to everyone.
I will write from Tiree but at present do not know what part we are going to.
Love to all at home.
Your loving nephew
Pete.
P.S. I’ve heard all about your outing – you dirty beast. After the girl trusting you.
P.P.S. Don’t blame it on me. Mine have all got blue eyes,
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Letter from Peter Lamprey to W Gunton
Description
An account of the resource
Peter Lamprey writes that his leave has been cancelled and he is being sent back to Tiree. He continues that he hates Scottish scenery and that bad weather caused the cancellation of his flight. He concludes with banter and says he will write from Tiree.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Peter Lamprey
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Envelope and six page handwritten letter
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Correspondence
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
ELampreyPGuntonW420318
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Royal Air Force
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
Scotland--Highlands
Scotland--Inverness
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1942-03-20
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1942-03-20
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
military living conditions
military service conditions
RAF Inverness
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/372/6590/ELampreyPGuntonW420312.1.pdf
e5649bef25cee370ff4f3ce291a2fe7e
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Lamprey, Peter
Description
An account of the resource
122 items. The collection contains letters from Flight Sergeant Peter Lamprey (1384535 Royal Air Force) to 'Uncle Bill' W Gunton and his former colleagues at Waterlow Printers, Park Royal, London. The letters cover all his stages of training and operations at Royal Air Force Ludford Magna. A wireless operator / air gunner, he was killed, aged 36, on 14 January 1944 during an operation on Braunschweig when 101 Squadron Lancaster LM367 was attacked by a night fighter and crashed at Lautenthal. <br /><br />The collection has been loaned to the IBCC Digital Archive for digitisation by Dereck Titchen and catalogued by Nigel Huckins.<br /><br /> A photograph of Peter and his final resting place appears in the Arthur Standivan collection <a href="https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/items/show/35884">here.</a><br /><br />Additional information onPeter Lamprey is available via the <a href="https://losses.internationalbcc.co.uk/loss/113449/">IBCC Losses Database.</a>
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2016-02-24
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Lamprey, P
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
INVERNESS
10 PM
13 MAR
1942
[postage stamp]
Mr W. Gunton
Machine Room
Waterlow and Sons
Twyford Abbey Road
Park Royal.
London. N.W.10.
[inserted] X [/inserted]
[page break]
Reverse of envelope blank
[page break]
[RAF crest]
Signals Section
HQ. 14 Group
RAF. [underlined] Inverness. [/underlined]
12th March 1942
Dear Uncle Bill and others.
First – I don’t write enough – then I write instead of print – now I have to put the date on. Next you will want the bloody letters delivered by hand – but before you shove that request in – I must tell you it is a bit of a job to do it.
Thanks for the books – boards etc. I can see that, despite the pressure of work on lighters, the inventors still have time to do anything but print.
With your usual disregard for the truth or anything approaching veracity you state
[page break]
“We stand just the same”, if I remember aright. The last time I saw you it could hardly be said that you were standing – balancing, yes. Standing, never.
The fact that I happen to be kicking the gong around in Inverness seems to be a sore point with more people that Eddy Hunt. I’ll tell you soon enough when I start back for the island. And I might mention that my cactus does not need water. It will feed only on the blood of my pseudo friends.
Things, as you can guess, are much the same here. Spring having come to [deleted] indecipherable [/deleted] Scotland we expect to drag out our snow shoes and skis any moment now. The beer is still very fair and boy – the latest- is she dark. A WAAF with as
[page break]
[RAF crest]
[underlined]3[/underlined]
much principle as Moloney – who, by the way, I hope is now in a worse state of health [inserted] than [/inserted] anyone who has been dead six months.
So far I have managed to be undetected and I am still as free as a bird. I can’t make my mind up what bird – a canary or a zoo parrot. But at least – up to the time of going to press – I can still get to town on occasion and waste my money and health on riotous living. Having discovered a decent dance hall I shake a wicked hoof every so often and feel like Fred Astaire – about 60.
You will no doubt be pleased to hear that I have booked my leave for the end of the month. You can therefore
[page break]
dig out your red carpet and bunting and send it to the cleaners in readiness. Only this time I think, we had better have a bit better company on the evening out. There were too many drunks around last time.
At last I have had time to study Mr. Ashtons [sic] perorations. I have examined them from every angle and fins they are best upside down. You can’t read them that way. Even so they still smell. Not that I should complain too much – I realise anything would smell after being so long near Mr Hunt.
You say that Archie might write – he might if somebody taught him how to spell first and then wrote the letter for him. As for Brother George he
[page break]
[RAF crest]
[underlined]5[/underlined]
is still too busy winding up the 1914-18 do to worry about helping this tea party along.
Having burst into a letter I now take it that Rusty is recuperating and I shall hear from him again in about six months or so. I am glad to hear that Dave has ceased to be a thorn in the flesh. I suppose he has now graduated as a knife in the back. If only half of what I hear about him is true he should be in our little mob. He could show us new ways of being a curse to all honest people.
I seem to get precious little news these days of how you poor sufferers are standing up to the rigours of
[page break]
this total war. I never seem to hear the latest news of the never ending fight of Mr Beacham to let Mr. Straw do it all, and Mr Straws [sic] gallant retreat.
So here I will leave you – short of news as usual, but if you can’t imagine what I am doing now, after all the letters I’ve written, it will be no good trying to excite your crippled brains with any further information.
Remember me to Tich Mitchell the next time you write. I should imagine that by now he knows the right end to keep clear of. If you should write Herbert tell him there is plenty of room for
[page break]
[RAF crest]
[inserted] 7. [/inserted]
good airmen up here – he can have my place.
Remember me to the Guv’nor [sic] and his two partners in crime. Give my regards to the OPA’s and the Engineers. If anybody wishes to be remembered to me, tell ‘em [sic] I’m very busy and I’ll rmemeber them when I get time.
If I have forgotten to insult anybody this time its [sic] because my stock of epithets have run low.
Look after yourself and keep calm I’ll be there soon.
Your loving nephew
Pete.
P.S. Kiss Auntie for me. The blonde one. PTO.
[page break]
P.P.S. Should Moloney be lying in bed it is nothing unusual – he lies wherever he is...
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Letter from Peter Lamprey to W Gunton
Description
An account of the resource
Peter Lamprey writes about life in Inverness and that he has booked leave for the end of the month. He concluded with banter and a request for news of friends.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Peter Lamprey
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1942-03-13
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Envelope and eight page handwritten letter
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Correspondence
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
ELampreyPGuntonW420312
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Royal Air Force
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
Scotland--Highlands
Scotland--Inverness
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1942-03-13
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
military living conditions
RAF Inverness
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/372/6589/ELampreyPGuntonW420305.1.pdf
6a5a3713fc7d41b825bb2f8c5d113121
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Lamprey, Peter
Description
An account of the resource
122 items. The collection contains letters from Flight Sergeant Peter Lamprey (1384535 Royal Air Force) to 'Uncle Bill' W Gunton and his former colleagues at Waterlow Printers, Park Royal, London. The letters cover all his stages of training and operations at Royal Air Force Ludford Magna. A wireless operator / air gunner, he was killed, aged 36, on 14 January 1944 during an operation on Braunschweig when 101 Squadron Lancaster LM367 was attacked by a night fighter and crashed at Lautenthal. <br /><br />The collection has been loaned to the IBCC Digital Archive for digitisation by Dereck Titchen and catalogued by Nigel Huckins.<br /><br /> A photograph of Peter and his final resting place appears in the Arthur Standivan collection <a href="https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/items/show/35884">here.</a><br /><br />Additional information onPeter Lamprey is available via the <a href="https://losses.internationalbcc.co.uk/loss/113449/">IBCC Losses Database.</a>
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2016-02-24
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Lamprey, P
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
INVERNESS
3.45 PM
5 MAR
1942
[postage stamp]
Mr W. Gunton
Machine Room
Waterlow and Sons
Twyford Abbey Road
Park Royal. N.W.10
London
[page break]
[RAF crest]
[page break]
[RAF crest]
Signals Section
HQ. 14 Group
[underlined] Sunday [/underlined]
Dear Uncle Bill
It seems quite a time since I have written to you. It will be a hell of a time before I write again if I do not get a more friendly style of correspondent. You have certainly got some gyver [sic]. Cracking on about my spelling – if I ever lower myself to visit that den of thieves where the machine managers hide, I shall fetch some of the brightest of the letters from my mail and shake a few of you.
[page break]
[underlined]2. [/underlined]
Things are very much the same as the last time I wrote. Not that half of you care if I am lying dead and the other half hoping it. Very shortly I hope to visit London on one of my periodical excursions. Should any of you wish to see me keep it to yourselves as the others will think you are mad. I am alredy [sic] (have a look at that for spelling) convinced of that fact.
The poetry was, I am afraid, a wasted effort on Mr Ashton’s part as I had only time to give it a quick glance and have not got down to it seriously yet. I am dodging around a bit and do not get a lot of time for the present. However I shall consider its contents before the week end and let you have a real poets [sic] opinion on it.
[page break]
[RAF crest]
[underlined]3[/underlined]
I am still waiting for a plane for a trip back to the island for a week or so, but from the look of things Ill [sic] get fallen arches hanging around.
In my, unfortunately limited, spare time I have managed to get to town a number of times, and things – I am glad to say –are very nice thank you. The beer is still fair and there is plenty around. The only drawback at present is the snow. Its [sic] very damp and you show up against it when on private affairs with one of the new recruits.
This I suppose, will cause Mr Hunt to reach for his book of tracts and get ready to post another one on to me. If, however, it should arrive while I am
[page break]
still sober I will give it the consideration it deserves.
The ideas some of you people have of Tiree evidently need a serious overhauling. From the general idea you think it is just one round of life and laughter. Listen to my friends – if I ever hear one peep of pleasure at the blood I’ve spilt on those sands I shall proceed to erect a gallows in the machine room and have a good time hanging you in bunches of five.
Despite the horrible threats against my person, Brother George seems to have retired into his cave. Again, [deleted]s[/deleted] he is, I take it, now inventing a new type of stone axe to use when his age group gets its second chance.
[page break]
[RAF crest]
[underlined] 5 [/underlined]
Since starting this epistle the parcel arrived. Many thanks for everything and if I can do anything for you don’t [sic] be afraid to ask. I shall not be afraid to refuse. I am glad to see by the Royal that there are one or two others helping me with the war. The work I have been doing lately made me wonder if I was carrying it alone or if Harry Beacham had been called up. At one time I understood the gallant Home Guard was on the verge of writing. If all he wants is encouragement I dare him.
While still on the same page I should point out that, every time I receive a parcel packed by the ginger cat it is opened outdoors and left in a bucket of water for a couple of hours. This
[page break]
being purely a precautionary measure against and because of the bloody inventors bright ideas. It might ruin the parcels but I am still alive, or as near as doesn’t matter.
How – if I am not overstepping the bounds of friendship – is our old friend Dave? Still pulling the same copy around as when I left or has he started another one? From the information I have had, he seems to be going to the dogs. Hitting the high spots at night and late every morning. A very strict watch is advisable on all chapel accounts as we know he intimidates Rusty and I take it they go over the books together.
Not having heard from Mr W. Collins since his outburst some months back,
[page break]
[RAF Crest]
I presume writers [sic] cramp has set in and he has still to undergo treatment for it. The usual method is a glass vessel filled with liquid clasped firmly in the right hand. He should know as he had something to do with this mob once.
Things are now moving towards me and it looks like a bit more work so I’ll finish up.
Remember me to everyone. With a bit of luck I’ll see you before the month is out. Keep your hands of [sic] my women or I’ll tell the chapel.
Keep your nose clean
Pete.
[page break]
P.S. Hard luck, nothing to say.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Letter from Peter Lamprey to W Gunton
Description
An account of the resource
Peter Lamprey starts with some banter and continues with some general comments on Tiree before catching up with news of friends.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Peter Lamprey
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1942-03-05
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Envelope and eight page handwritten letter
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Correspondence
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
ELampreyPGuntonW420305-0003
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Royal Air Force
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
Scotland--Highlands
Scotland--Inverness
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1942-03-05
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
military living conditions
RAF Inverness
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/372/6587/ELampreyPGuntonW420102.1.pdf
ebac8cf135793006377e059da9fb6d51
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Lamprey, Peter
Description
An account of the resource
122 items. The collection contains letters from Flight Sergeant Peter Lamprey (1384535 Royal Air Force) to 'Uncle Bill' W Gunton and his former colleagues at Waterlow Printers, Park Royal, London. The letters cover all his stages of training and operations at Royal Air Force Ludford Magna. A wireless operator / air gunner, he was killed, aged 36, on 14 January 1944 during an operation on Braunschweig when 101 Squadron Lancaster LM367 was attacked by a night fighter and crashed at Lautenthal. <br /><br />The collection has been loaned to the IBCC Digital Archive for digitisation by Dereck Titchen and catalogued by Nigel Huckins.<br /><br /> A photograph of Peter and his final resting place appears in the Arthur Standivan collection <a href="https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/items/show/35884">here.</a><br /><br />Additional information onPeter Lamprey is available via the <a href="https://losses.internationalbcc.co.uk/loss/113449/">IBCC Losses Database.</a>
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2016-02-24
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Lamprey, P
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
INVERNESS
10 15AM
2 JAN
1942
[postage stamp]
[inserted] EXAMINER 6399 [/inserted]
Mr. W. Gunton.
Waterlow and Sons Ltd.
Twyford Abbey Road.
Park Royal. N.W.10.
London.
[page break]
1384535. AC.2. Lamprey.
Signals Section.
HQ. 14 Group.
RAF. Inverness.
Scotland.
1st. [Underlined] Jan [/Underlined]
Dear Uncle (and for this letter) my friends.
Many months seem to have passed since I last saw your ugly pans but I put that down to the fact that I am feeling low. Having celebrated Hogmany [sic] in the truly Scottish style all I crave now is a quick death. This feeling I hope will pass, as I have one or two things to attend to this year.
Many thanks for the parcel which I found surrounded by a surging mob of airmen when I arrived at this hole – dump or what have you. Having rested I have now gone back to the job of winning the war, with a good heart. Things are once again under control. The RAF, once more, is at full fighting strength and now you can
[Page Break]
expect a change to come over the aspect of the war. Expect on for a while my friends, as I have my contacts to resume and cannot guarantee any real change for a while but, as I said befor [sic], things are under control.
I haven’t had time yet to study the lie of the land but I think the supply of pleasure is still good and plentiful and easy. So I must get me to town tonight and sample a bit.
There is, as you can guess, very little to write about at present but I feel the muse stirring and would never be suprised [sic] if, one of these days, I break out into a horrible attack of rhyme. The main trouble is to find out who to insult first. Collectively, I could insult you easily but I like to feel my mighty truths go home singly. I hope Mr Ashton is still in the best of health. I’m a bit of a dab for telling lies. Mr Hunt is as usual liable to every disease bar brain fever. In passing I might mention I have been thinking of signing the pledge and only drinking
[Page Break]
what he pays for, but on second thoughts I realise I should die of thirst so I’ll leave it.
I hope everyone had as good a Christmas as I did and all returned to their labours? fit and full of what it takes.
Dear Uncle – Wyn wrote to me and wanted to know why you didn’t turn up Tuesday. I bet that shakes you – you don’t even remember marrying the girl I suppose?
Thank Arthur Gilbert for his letter and I shall write to him and Fred Cooper as I let Fred down. Kiss Doug for me and will write over the weekend.
Look after yourself while nurse is away.
Best of luck.
Pete.
P.S. Compliments of the season.
PP.S. That goes for Moloney – I feel big hearted.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Letter from Peter Lamprey to W Gunton
Description
An account of the resource
Peter Lamprey writes that he is feeling ill after celebrating Hogmanay. He notes there is not much news and concludes with some banter.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Peter Lamprey
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1942-01-02
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Envelope and three page handwritten letter
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
ELampreyPGuntonW420102
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Royal Air Force
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
Scotland--Highlands
Scotland--Inverness
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1942-01-02
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
military living conditions
RAF Inverness
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/372/6586/ELampreyPGuntonW411211.2.pdf
542ddff365dc60f838af759d487d6b94
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Lamprey, Peter
Description
An account of the resource
122 items. The collection contains letters from Flight Sergeant Peter Lamprey (1384535 Royal Air Force) to 'Uncle Bill' W Gunton and his former colleagues at Waterlow Printers, Park Royal, London. The letters cover all his stages of training and operations at Royal Air Force Ludford Magna. A wireless operator / air gunner, he was killed, aged 36, on 14 January 1944 during an operation on Braunschweig when 101 Squadron Lancaster LM367 was attacked by a night fighter and crashed at Lautenthal. <br /><br />The collection has been loaned to the IBCC Digital Archive for digitisation by Dereck Titchen and catalogued by Nigel Huckins.<br /><br /> A photograph of Peter and his final resting place appears in the Arthur Standivan collection <a href="https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/items/show/35884">here.</a><br /><br />Additional information onPeter Lamprey is available via the <a href="https://losses.internationalbcc.co.uk/loss/113449/">IBCC Losses Database.</a>
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2016-02-24
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Lamprey, P
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
INVERNESS
10 15AM
11 DEC
1941
[postage stamp]
Mr. W. Gunton
Waterlow And Sons. Ltd.
Twyford Abbey Road.
Park Royal.
London. N.W.10
[page break]
1384535 A.C.2. Lamprey.
Signals Section.
HQ. 14 Group.
RAF. Inverness.
Scotland.
Tuesday – as ever [Underlined] was. [/Underlined]
Dear Uncle Bill – My friends and all
I fear my letters sometimes fall
On ears that do not seem to heed.
The mighty truths in every screed.
You may look askance at the date
And sometimes murmer [sic] “Pete is late
His letters come in such a stream
The lad does nothing else but dream”.
Now this is quite the wrong idea.
It is’nt [sic] dreams of you I fear
But my example seems to lead
To sheets of stuff that’s [sic] hard to read
And though I welcome any note
The stuff that Mr Ashton wrote
Has made me realise the curse
That’s laid on me for writing verse.
[Page Break]
[Underlined] 2. [/Underlined]
Now my friends – just plain madam – I hope this will be the last letter I shall write from here until the New Year. So far my pass has stayed in the office and up to the time of going to press, nothing has been found wrong with it. So everything points to the fact that you are likely to have the thrilling experience of talking to an airman next – or rather listening to one. I am warning you in plenty of time so that the bunting and flags can be flown and the carpet laid. I shall endeavour to arrange this treat for Tuesday or Wednesday.
After a slight hitch in the normal run of things we have once again settled down to a steady effort at war winning. My nights – to your no doubt infinite dismay – have been dreamless and all things considered, it is as well. This breathing spare will give the Pseudo-Poet – Mr Ashton a chance to think up a few more libels. It will also enable my old friend Mr Hunt to collect the few wits he has and struggle on with his atte[inserted]m[/inserted]pts at verse.
[Page Break]
So for the present you will have to put up with prose. Should the muse heave one at me I will not fail to let you have it. Not that I have had a lot of time to listen to anything lately as I have been putting in a few well learned hours in town.
Im glad to hear Frank Batch is doing ok – if he’s doing as well as me he’s looking for his cards. I’d like to have seen him – or for that any of them. I don’t know who writes the bits for the Royal but he’d better keep it a secret until after I’ve called as there is something like a dirty crack in it, at me.
I think I’ve discovered your lovely scenery at last. It’s mainly in town. The only doubt as to whether it is the kind you mean is, I don’t know whether they had any A.T.S in the last dog-fight. I shan’t write a lot as I want to give you all the “gen” at first hand next week so just excuse the brevity.
Remember me to everyone and hope to see you next week.
Be seeing you.
Pete –
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Letter from Peter Lamprey to W Gunton
Description
An account of the resource
Peter Lamprey starts with a poem and then goes on to say this should be his last until after the New Year. He concludes with friendly banter.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Peter Lamprey
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1941-12-11
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Envelope and three page handwritten letter
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Correspondence
Text. Poetry
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
ELampreyPGuntonW411211
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Royal Air Force
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
Scotland--Highlands
Scotland--Inverness
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1941-12-11
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
arts and crafts
military living conditions
RAF Inverness
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/372/6585/ELampreyPGuntonW411121.2.pdf
579e552b0ff2a9e62d6b023bdf961e17
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Lamprey, Peter
Description
An account of the resource
122 items. The collection contains letters from Flight Sergeant Peter Lamprey (1384535 Royal Air Force) to 'Uncle Bill' W Gunton and his former colleagues at Waterlow Printers, Park Royal, London. The letters cover all his stages of training and operations at Royal Air Force Ludford Magna. A wireless operator / air gunner, he was killed, aged 36, on 14 January 1944 during an operation on Braunschweig when 101 Squadron Lancaster LM367 was attacked by a night fighter and crashed at Lautenthal. <br /><br />The collection has been loaned to the IBCC Digital Archive for digitisation by Dereck Titchen and catalogued by Nigel Huckins.<br /><br /> A photograph of Peter and his final resting place appears in the Arthur Standivan collection <a href="https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/items/show/35884">here.</a><br /><br />Additional information onPeter Lamprey is available via the <a href="https://losses.internationalbcc.co.uk/loss/113449/">IBCC Losses Database.</a>
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2016-02-24
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Lamprey, P
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
INVERNESS
10 15AM
21 NOV
1941
[postage stamp]
[inserted] EXAMINER 6340 [/inserted]
Mr. W. Gunton
Machine Room
Waterlow and Sons Ltd.
Twyford Abbey Road
Park Royal.
London. N.W.10.
[page break]
[reverse of envelope]
[inserted]
P.C.90
OPENED BY
[/inserted]
[page break]
1384535 A.C.2. Lamprey.
Signals Section.
HQ. 14 Group. RAF.
Inverness.
[underlined] Scotland. [/underlined]
[Underlined] Tuesday [/Underlined]
Dear Uncle Bill – Friends – [Underlined] Etc. [/Underlined]
Once again I thank you for the letter. Once again I salute Mr Hunt for his valiant effort to emulate Byron. Once again I warn Mr Ashton that flesh and blood can stand so much and then I shall have to slaughter him piecemeal. Still – thanks. Being of an open nature – I shall open the parcel and thank you after – having been the victim of a number of parcels. The news you sent me is indeed stirring. I shall use it discreetly and no one shall know where I got the information – much.
[Page Break]
The news from the fighting line is again scarce. Very little has occurred since the last communique was issued. Gradually we settle down and now I am learning the language things are a shade better. I can now ask for a pint – and get it. Instead of being told “Its just through that door”
The number of businesses that this war has closed down is apalling [sic]. I have heard that the old firm of “trimmers – pullers and special sorters” has had a severe body blow and half the staff has left. The founder however, is – so I am told – keeping it going by doing a bit himself. This is the change the doctor has been advising him to take for years but up till now he has never risked it. The retiring partner is going in for finance I understand. He’ll find it
[Page Break]
[Underlined] 3 [/Underlined]
harder to trim the boys than trim radio.
Mr Hunt – I am sorry to note – is still alive. My faith in prayer diminishes every day. You might tell him that the people buried at Culloden are dead all over. I’m pestered by a bloke dead from the shoulders up. And as for someones [sic] daughter presenting him with a puppy – have a good look and see if it looks like Moloney – he’s the dirtiest dog round there.
I [deleted] Km [/deleted] knew Rusty would have to get into some sort of uniform even if he could only take a temporary commission in the R.S.A. He should look sweet in a waterproof and gum boots with his figure.
[Page Break]
[inserted] 4 [/inserted]
While getting stuck into this letter I received one from Fred Gunner. You might like to know he is now a corporal. I’d have forwarded his address but he is going overseas and by the time you get this he will be on his embarkation leave. He seems to be glad he’s going and sounds ok. You might pass the information on to Freddie Goodspeed.
Having retired to a dark corner and opened the parcel – I send my thanks to everyone once again. The mail has flowed so thick and fast these last two days that this letter has suffered a series of setbacks. I apologise for the delay knowing you will understand the position of us fighting men.
I should have warned you previously against spending an evening out with Mr. Evans. As soon as he approaches a bar his back feels bad and only
[Page Break]
[Underlined] 5 /[Underlined]
a drop of gin will do it good. He will now come back at me with the old crack – I can take it, my back is broad. Thats the trouble, it takes such a lot of gin for a broad back.
Excuse me one moment – the muse has taken over again.
Who is it? When a bloke comes round
To see the shop - is always found
Working hard at this and that
And always has his answer pat.
“Someone else will have to do
The dirty work, I’ve one or two
More important things on hand
I’m sure that you will understand”.
But let it be a bit of fluff
And then just watch him do his stuff
Sends her on the upper deck
And nearly breaks his blasted neck
Making sure she doesn’t fall
But keeps below and sees it all
PTO
[Page Break]
[inserted] 6. [/inserted]
is safe.
I know your dirty mind. Who is it? Two guesses – right both times – Bill Thornhill.
I won’t let on who told me about this when I got the books.
Having finished that we can get down to the rest of the news. I have booked my leave for Dec. 16th. If I, with my proverbial luck, get it, I shall be along and take my seat at the ringside for the fight that, I have been informed is in constant progress favouring no one – I hope my dear friend Mr Standivan has his ears pinned back, by the “Greenford Gorilla” Mr Barnes. This will save me a job. Having disposed of Mr. Standivan I can put him on to one or two more little jobs he could do for me.
Getting back – the trouble with your people is – you want to rush this war.
[Page Break]
[Underlined] 7 [/Underlined]
Everything is under control. At present I am a WOP. Eventually I shall be a WOP/AG. – then my friends – the tapes. If you don’t like it there are two things you can do. Inbred politeness prevents me from mentioning either.
Mr Hunt – bless him – will speak to nothing less than a sergeant. At last my dreams are coming true, if he keeps his word the war is worth it.
Mr Ashton forward – thank you.
You spell like a don
And the way you run on,
Reminds me of Tennysons’ brook
Your scansion is good,
That is quite understood,
And your subject would fill up a book.
But despite all your flair
For the verse: I despair
Of the trouble that your efforts spell
For although you can rhyme,
I maintain – all the time
Your poems continue to smell.
[Page Break]
[Underlined] 8. [/Underlined]
This – I am afraid – will be about all. If I have failed to insult – upset or antagonize anyone, my mission is a failure. Remember me to all my friends. Thank those that wrote and those that can’t.
Kiss brother George – J. Money – J. Denny and Rusty, your taste is worse than mine. Lots of love and kisses x
Pete.
P.S. I forgot to insult Moloney this time – remind me in your next letter.
P.P.S. Hear about the airman with one foot. All the WAAFs followed him for miles.
[Underlined] Be seeing you [/Underlined]
[Underlined] Pete. [/Underlined]
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Letter from Peter Lamprey to W Gunton
Description
An account of the resource
Peter Lamprey writes thanking friends for correspondence and that he is getting used to Scotland. He mentions a letter from a colleague in the services and includes a couple of short poems. He advises that he has booked leave.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Peter Lamprey
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1941-11-21
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Envelope and eight page handwritten letter
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Correspondence
Text. Poetry
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
ELampreyPGuntonW411121
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Royal Air Force
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
Scotland--Highlands
Scotland--Inverness
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1941-11-21
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
arts and crafts
military living conditions
RAF Inverness
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/372/6584/ELampreyPGuntonW411103.1.pdf
44f3958cf31a7af0e9b1ed28758032c5
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Lamprey, Peter
Description
An account of the resource
122 items. The collection contains letters from Flight Sergeant Peter Lamprey (1384535 Royal Air Force) to 'Uncle Bill' W Gunton and his former colleagues at Waterlow Printers, Park Royal, London. The letters cover all his stages of training and operations at Royal Air Force Ludford Magna. A wireless operator / air gunner, he was killed, aged 36, on 14 January 1944 during an operation on Braunschweig when 101 Squadron Lancaster LM367 was attacked by a night fighter and crashed at Lautenthal. <br /><br />The collection has been loaned to the IBCC Digital Archive for digitisation by Dereck Titchen and catalogued by Nigel Huckins.<br /><br /> A photograph of Peter and his final resting place appears in the Arthur Standivan collection <a href="https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/items/show/35884">here.</a><br /><br />Additional information onPeter Lamprey is available via the <a href="https://losses.internationalbcc.co.uk/loss/113449/">IBCC Losses Database.</a>
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2016-02-24
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Lamprey, P
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
Inverness
10.15 AM
3 NOV
1941
[postage stamp]
[inserted] EXAMINER 1989 [/inserted]
Mr. W. Gunton.
Waterlow and Sons Ltd.
Twyford Abbey Road.
Park Royal.
London. N.W.10.
[page break]
[Reverse of envelope]
[inserted] P. C. 90 OPENED BY [/inserted]
[page break]
1384535 A.C.2. Lamprey.
Signals Section.
H.Q. 14 Group. RAF.
Inverness
Scotland.
Saturday [underlined] 1st. [/underlined]
Dear Uncle Bill – Friends – J. Moloney – E. Hunt.
Thanks for the shoals of correspondence I have received this week. The bardic crown was much appreciated and will do to wear when I get browned off wearing my cap - field service – airmen – for the use of. “The Royal” is a nice bit of work and I like the contributors – especi-ally the poet. On the subject of poetry – I shall attend to the pseudo-Shelly, who’s effort accompanied said .bardic crown, personally. [sic]
The news, as usual, remains meagre. I can say however, that although still attached to H.Q. I no longer work in the ease and comfort of the signals office, but out in the frozen fields in a tender. Two days out there and a brass monkey couldn’t enjoy his rights.
Feeling rather chirpy, on Thursday we decided to go into town and take it apart. Having spent a pleasant afternoon we decided to spend a better evening. The beer was good. Having tasted blood I was prepared to roar. Would
[page break]
they let me? Not on your duff. Down came the shutters at 9 oclock. [sic] Talk about Eddie Hunts paradise. No beer after 9. It’s enough to make a man turn tee-total for life. I know why Scotchmen [sic] live in England.
The weather keeps much the same as in civilised places. When it keeps fine, its [sic] dry and its [sic] usually wet when it rains. The locals keep on shaking their heads and saying “Wait till [sic] it snows” – the trouble is I’ve no option. I’ve got to. From the tales I hear I shall finish up a snow-shoe expert.
Having settled down and decided to carry on the war from this remote fastness I am now getting a bit more used to the scenery and don’t hate it for so long every day. One reason being with the shorter days you don’t see so much of it. The heather is turning brown and will soon match the airmen.
I have your letter dated 21st. As the postmark is 26th either there has been some skulduggery and it wasn’t posted or the postal service is getting slack. I pray it is the latter. In your P.S. you say “If you cant [sic] get what you want where you are, let you know and you’ll get it”. Well I’d take advantage of that but what I want you can’t get. Or at least you can’t send it on – only how it felt.
[page break]
In “The Royal” I notice my agents are looking after my interests. I hope they have clinched a hard bargain as to royalties and sold the film rights to Hollywood. Though how Moloney will get on when it comes to signing his name on a contract – I don’t know. Personally I should have liked my lifes [sic] work printed on hand-made and hide bound – but suppose what they have done is the best.
I have booked my leave – so far – for January 10th. This as you will realise don’t mean a thing but being of an optimistic nature I thought I’d just try it out. If, by some freak of fortune, I get it on that date I hope some of you will have a few bobs left to help me celebrate my return from the back of beyond.
So “Tich” Mitchell has gone and become a gunner. Well, well, the war must now be moving to a climax – just one or two more out of the boys and I think we could break this affair wide open. And Herbert thinking of remustering to a pilot, eh? It’s a long hard road and only us supermen of the RAF know how hard. Mr Hunt will most likely come back with some dirty crack about the superman but as I never read his letters I shan’t know. But if he is not a bit more genteel
[page break]
than in his last letter, I shall apply for compassionate leave and come up and see him. Although, mind you, I enjoy some of his letters. Just shows you how your taste can deterioate. [sic]
As I am going to reply to a certain person within a few hours I shall close this brief epistle with my usual [deleted] forula [/deleted] formula. Remember me to anyone who cares to remember. Kiss Doug for me – or get Dave to do it. Thank everyone for the books. Don’t work yourself to death – until you have replied. Tell Cherry and Charlie the next flowers I wear round my hat I’ll pick off their graves.
Best of luck.
Pete.
P.S. You thought that I was going to put in a dirty crack about Maloney here but you’re wrong – I can’t think of one dirty enough. P.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Letter from Peter Lamprey to W Gunton
Description
An account of the resource
Peter Lamprey writes thanking friends for letters and a poem. He complains about early pub shutting times in Scotland and about the weather. He mentions that he has booked leave and concludes with some light hearted banter.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Peter Lamprey
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1941-10-03
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Envelope and three page handwritten letter
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text. Correspondence
Text
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
ELampreyPGuntonW411103
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Royal Air Force
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
Scotland--Highlands
Scotland--Inverness
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1941-10-03
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
military living conditions
RAF Inverness
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/372/6583/ELampreyPGuntonW411007.2.pdf
faac4e1f5783907c81da49cd308eca36
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Lamprey, Peter
Description
An account of the resource
122 items. The collection contains letters from Flight Sergeant Peter Lamprey (1384535 Royal Air Force) to 'Uncle Bill' W Gunton and his former colleagues at Waterlow Printers, Park Royal, London. The letters cover all his stages of training and operations at Royal Air Force Ludford Magna. A wireless operator / air gunner, he was killed, aged 36, on 14 January 1944 during an operation on Braunschweig when 101 Squadron Lancaster LM367 was attacked by a night fighter and crashed at Lautenthal. <br /><br />The collection has been loaned to the IBCC Digital Archive for digitisation by Dereck Titchen and catalogued by Nigel Huckins.<br /><br /> A photograph of Peter and his final resting place appears in the Arthur Standivan collection <a href="https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/items/show/35884">here.</a><br /><br />Additional information onPeter Lamprey is available via the <a href="https://losses.internationalbcc.co.uk/loss/113449/">IBCC Losses Database.</a>
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2016-02-24
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Lamprey, P
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
Inverness
1.45 PM
7 OCT
1941
[postage stamps]
[inserted] EXAMINER 4,789 [/inserted]
Mr. W Gunton.
Machine Room.
Waterlow and Sons. Ltd.
Twyford Abbey Rd.
Park Royal.
London. N.W. 10.
[page break]
[Reverse of envelope]
[inserted] P.C. 90 OPENED BY [/inserted]
[page break]
1384535. A.C.2. Lamprey.
Signals Section.
Headquarters. 14. Group.
RAF. Inverness.
Scotland.
[underlined] Second week. [/underlined]
Dear Bill and One and All.
Many thanks for the parcel which arrived this morning, greeted, I might say, with exclamations of joy. Well, here after 8 months service I can be found, unsteady but nevertheless, still on my feet and going in for the third round. I started my career as an A.C.2. and now, by strict application and hard work I find myself still an A.C. 2. Thank the lord I am holding my own. On the last camp we understood the RAF could do anything with you, barring give you a baby. We have since revised that idea. Now evidently they can even do that, but they still can’t make you love it. My one big worry since being posted here is that the whole affair will blow over and I shall know nothing of it. The wilds of darkest Africa have nothing on this place and at any moment one expects an expedition to discover us and reap the plaudits of civilised parts for their intrepid penetration into uncharted areas. This would be a rescue in the fullest sense of the word.
[page break]
Not of course that I am grumbling, I always wanted to see Scotland, but I’ve seen all of it now, all I want to. Mind you, I could be posted south among the perils and pitfalls of civilisation and be worse off. But only if I was broke.
All we can do here is read and write so if you receive more than your fair quota of letters, don’t imagine I think any more of you. It is just something to do. In any case half of you can’t write so I take it you’re short on reading too. This place, one gathers, is laid out to harden us off. By a slight misjudgement it is browning us off instead. The miles to town are as long as my memory and that, I warn all who have cheered at my luck, is of a mighty length.
Mr Hunt will be glad, once again, to hear that I am now definitely a teetotaler [sic]. The nearest beer is 4 or 5 miles away and 400 on a Sunday. The Scottish stuff is reputed to be extremely good but I think I will take words for deeds and stick to water. The stomach can crave but the feet won’t go. The next time I go on the bash I will very likely have three grape-fruit and proceed to take the town apart brick-by-brick. I am certainly joining Harry Beachams [sic] Band of Hope, hope
[inserted] 2. [/inserted]
[page break]
somebody else pays next time.
And the biggest surprise of all in the parcel. Rusty’s P.S. “Any complaints”? Listen. If I really got worked up on complaining I’d need a 72” and about 6 months leave to get it all down. As he was only asking about printing L.C. I can only reply “Is that what you do now? Then what did you call the process while I was there?” Surely I can still see the master-hand underlaying [sic] the cuts? Or am I wrong Mr. Denny?
As to your wants Mr. Gunton. You want a stone from Stonehenge and a side of bacon from Calne, where they cure it. Near Calne, there’s a place where they can cure you of wants. I’ve just left it.
Has any more been heard of Herbert. Is he going on a course. If so what. Where etc? And Bill Smith and F. Batch. How are they doing these days – just keeping the war slightly under way from the army side I suppose? Bill should just about have a few tapes by now shouldn’t he? You said something about his being shifted from Cardiff so he might land up here somewhere – and would it shake him. One idea of mine has certainly come unstuck. The weather here keeps fine and dry – I thought it was always raining and that was why Scotsmen always went to England. To keep dry. In
[inserted] 3. [/inserted]
[page break]
any case, I don’t blame them going south, they’re good judges.
Well my friend – the fount of inspiration having dried – with my usual madam I’ll wish all of you the same as you wish me – and see how you like it. Remember me to the maintenance and any other enquirers. Give my regards to anybody you like – I’m far enough away not to worry. Tell Maloney I often think of what he has to go through – and laugh like mad. How is Charlie’s youngster these days? I’m sorry I forgot to ask when I was there. Remember me to the puller-in-chief and deputy.
Best of luck
[underlined] Pete. [/underlined]
P.S. Don’t all write at once – the signals room is very small and we have to work there and bags of mail are awkward.
P.P.S. Remember me to Bert Frankham will you? I missed him when there.
[underlined] Cheers [/underlined]
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Letter from Peter Lamprey to W Gunton
Description
An account of the resource
Peter Lamprey writes that he has now spent eight months in the RAF and is still an AC2. He then includes some banter and asks for news of his friends in the services.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Peter Lamprey
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1941-10-07
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Envelope and four page handwritten letter
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Correspondence
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
ELampreyPGuntonW411007
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Royal Air Force
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
Scotland--Highlands
Scotland--Inverness
England--Stonehenge
England--Wiltshire
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1941-10
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
military living conditions
RAF Inverness
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/372/6582/ELampreyPGuntonW411002.1.pdf
44593710d4f73d4bdba433b554bd580f
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Lamprey, Peter
Description
An account of the resource
122 items. The collection contains letters from Flight Sergeant Peter Lamprey (1384535 Royal Air Force) to 'Uncle Bill' W Gunton and his former colleagues at Waterlow Printers, Park Royal, London. The letters cover all his stages of training and operations at Royal Air Force Ludford Magna. A wireless operator / air gunner, he was killed, aged 36, on 14 January 1944 during an operation on Braunschweig when 101 Squadron Lancaster LM367 was attacked by a night fighter and crashed at Lautenthal. <br /><br />The collection has been loaned to the IBCC Digital Archive for digitisation by Dereck Titchen and catalogued by Nigel Huckins.<br /><br /> A photograph of Peter and his final resting place appears in the Arthur Standivan collection <a href="https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/items/show/35884">here.</a><br /><br />Additional information onPeter Lamprey is available via the <a href="https://losses.internationalbcc.co.uk/loss/113449/">IBCC Losses Database.</a>
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2016-02-24
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Lamprey, P
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
Inverness
10.45PM
2 OCT
1941
[postage stamp]
[inserted] EXAMINER 2155 51/9911 WB [/inserted]
Mr. W. Gunton.
Machine Room.
Waterlow and Sons. Ltd.
Twyford Abbey Road.
Park Royal.
London. N.W.10.
[page break]
[Reverse of envelope]
[inserted] P.C. 90 OPENED BY EXAMINER 2155 [/inserted]
[page break]
1384535. A.C.2. Lamprey.
Signals [deleted] Office [/deleted]. Section.
Group 14. Headquarters.
Inverness.
Scotland.
Start. Monday.
Finish.. Thurs.
Dear Bill – Gents.
From this far-flung outpost of the empire – greetings. In the wilds of the north there still beats a southern heart but – its [sic] beating bloody slow. I have at last come to the conclusion that somebody has got it in for me and has wished me bad luck. This place is so far from anywhere that if you wanted to buy some beer you would need three days [sic] rations and a compass. Talk about where the hand of man has never trod, even the sea-gulls look lost and follow the trains to get to town. We are billetted [sic] in somebody’s hunting lodge by the looks of it. Why they built it miles from anywhere can only be put down to the fact that money softens the brain – witness E. Hunt. He will be pleased to know that the bright lights – the flesh pots and the debauchery of the cities is now a thing of the past with me, [underlined] but [/underlined], not because I want it to be. The powers that be, have decided I shall rusticate so who am I to argue?
[page break]
I may have remarked in the past that, what I am, I owe to my friends. I now remark, if I owe this load to one of my friends he had better dig a big hole – jump in and pull the dirt in after himself when I get away. By the way, tell Herbert Bud. That this is a lovely course and he wants to get in right away – let them all suffer. They say this life puts hair on your chest – its [sic] more likely to put a bunch of flowers there. Mind you, after a few days I shall probably like it. I’ll be properly balmy [sic]. I am writing this lying in bed and its [sic] so cold the herbert opposite thinks I’m waving to him, he’ll know I’m only shivering when I stop suddenly and freeze solid. The heating in the hut is good, one 40 watt bulb and a couple of hot jokes.
From all reports, by the boys here, I have joined the legion of forgotten men. Once you arrive here they scrub your name out and let you waste away. I expect any moment to run into a veteran who mustered as an air-gunner in the Boer War and got posted here. Don’t forget to let me know if the war ends as I want to do a bit of celebrating. When I think of the pleasures I left behind in civilization I begin to wonder if I ought not to try
[underlined] 2. [/underlined]
[page break]
and curb my adventurous spirit and settle down to a nice little A.C.H. job round about the London district. Thats [sic] if there are any jobs like that left in the RAF.
I missed one or two of the herbs when I called up there last week but they will know it was unintentional and due to the rush I was in. In particular I missed Dave and owe him my appologies [sic] but will see him next time they take my chains off. Also Jack Moloney – I did not get much chance to do a lot of cracking with him but have really plenty to yap about, but it will keep for a few months. Next time I call I hope to miss a few of the smiling faces and [deleted] her [/deleted] hear they are under training in the Orkneys or Shetlands, see how they like it. My heart bleeds when I think of what some of them have to face, it is one pleasure I have got to come at any rate.
There will be none of the nights of romance from now on. Life is real – life is earnest here. Work and sleep ad. infinitum. No more drifting from the Y.M.C.A. to the sports field with a nice WAAF and a nasty mind.
I had a very nice couple of days with the family and came up to London with them but didn’t have another chance of getting to the firm. I should imagine, from what
[inserted] 3. [/inserted]
[page break]
some of the old stagers here say, I shall be a perfect stranger by the time I do see the old homestead again. I’ll more than likely need a guide to take me round London so you can start arranging for it, next time up.
Well theres [sic] not a lot more I can write for the present so with the usual madam I’ll wish you all the best etc. Remember me to the maintenence [sic] etc - etc. Don’t overdo things and start working hard.
Best of luck.
Pete.
P.S. You asked me to get something or other. What was it? I’ve forgotten.
[underlined] P. [/underlined]
P.P.S. I’ll let you know when parcel arrives [underlined] from the wife [/underlined]
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Letter from Peter Lamprey to W Gunton
Description
An account of the resource
Peter Lamprey writes that he is not enjoying his life in Scotland away from civilisation and feels that they have all been forgotten.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Peter Lamprey
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1941-10-02
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Envelope and four page handwritten letter
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Correspondence
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
ELampreyPGuntonW411002
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Royal Air Force
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
Scotland--Highlands
Scotland--Inverness
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1941-10-02
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
military living conditions
RAF Inverness
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/372/6571/ELampreyPGuntonW4202XX.2.pdf
756e70b57e4789ebc554f1706b5cf499
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Lamprey, Peter
Description
An account of the resource
122 items. The collection contains letters from Flight Sergeant Peter Lamprey (1384535 Royal Air Force) to 'Uncle Bill' W Gunton and his former colleagues at Waterlow Printers, Park Royal, London. The letters cover all his stages of training and operations at Royal Air Force Ludford Magna. A wireless operator / air gunner, he was killed, aged 36, on 14 January 1944 during an operation on Braunschweig when 101 Squadron Lancaster LM367 was attacked by a night fighter and crashed at Lautenthal. <br /><br />The collection has been loaned to the IBCC Digital Archive for digitisation by Dereck Titchen and catalogued by Nigel Huckins.<br /><br /> A photograph of Peter and his final resting place appears in the Arthur Standivan collection <a href="https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/items/show/35884">here.</a><br /><br />Additional information onPeter Lamprey is available via the <a href="https://losses.internationalbcc.co.uk/loss/113449/">IBCC Losses Database.</a>
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2016-02-24
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Lamprey, P
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
Inverness
PM
FEB
1942
[postage stamp]
Mr. W. Gunton.
Waterlow and Sons. Ltd.
Twyford Abbey Road.
Park Royal.
London. N.W.10.
[page break]
[Reverse of envelope]
[RAF Crest]
[Page Break]
[RAF Crest]
HQ. 14 Group
RAF. [underlined] Inverness [/underlined]
[underlined] Friday [/underlined].
Dear Uncle Bill and others.
This is going to shake the rats nest rotten. Instead of printing a nice long letter I am just rushing off a few lines to stop a load of moans about you never hear from me.
At the moment I am rather busy on this war business and have no time to indulge in fanciful flights. As you will see – if you are still capable of doing any strenuous work – I have arrived back at this haven of rest and contentment. Since landing
[page break]
I have hardly had time to much less saunter into town and go on the belt.
From the terrific applause I got from my last epistle I should think I forgot to address it. If you come any more cracks about being two letters up I shall refer you to this bleak period.
If you send me Bill’s address next time you find a spare bit of paper I’ll drop him a line and give the army some gen on how to a stay out of trouble. This information will I in no way impart to “old ivory”. One thing about his (Moloneys’) false teeth is that he has got something to stay in his head at
[page break]
[RAF Crest]
[underlined] 3. [/underlined]
last.
Having returned to life I shall make a valiant attempt to re-establish contact with my friends. I shall also write to you occasionally. Mr Hunt can also look forward to being dealt with and as for brother George, I might even stir another letter from that [deleted] undecipherable [/deleted] inexhaustible store of fairy tales.
I hope to be posted south shortly and then my pseudo-friends – attention will be paid to all who have slighted me – cheered my misfortunes and generally praised my incarceration as the finest thing the RAF have done this year.
I believe I have already thanked
[page break]
Everyone for the fags and books but in case I have overlooked this I thank you again.
Tell me if you can understand. [sic] this letter only if you would like me to print the nest I know what to do. Remind Dave to get in early and not over do things. Not that he needs the second bit of advice.
Remember me to all at home.
Love and kisses x
Pete.
P.S. If half the chapel can’t read this letter its [sic] the fault of the education authorities – not mine.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Letter from Peter Lamprey to W Gunton
Description
An account of the resource
Peter Lamprey catches up with friend and mentions that he hopes to be posted south soon.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Peter Lamprey
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1942-02
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Envelope and four page handwritten letter
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Correspondence
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
ELampreyPGuntonW4202XX
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Royal Air Force
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
Scotland--Highlands
Scotland--Inverness
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1942-02
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
military service conditions
RAF Inverness
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/372/6566/ELampreyPGuntonW41XX03.1.pdf
c2bd24af529b1d60f5f859f65d2c6e63
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Lamprey, Peter
Description
An account of the resource
122 items. The collection contains letters from Flight Sergeant Peter Lamprey (1384535 Royal Air Force) to 'Uncle Bill' W Gunton and his former colleagues at Waterlow Printers, Park Royal, London. The letters cover all his stages of training and operations at Royal Air Force Ludford Magna. A wireless operator / air gunner, he was killed, aged 36, on 14 January 1944 during an operation on Braunschweig when 101 Squadron Lancaster LM367 was attacked by a night fighter and crashed at Lautenthal. <br /><br />The collection has been loaned to the IBCC Digital Archive for digitisation by Dereck Titchen and catalogued by Nigel Huckins.<br /><br /> A photograph of Peter and his final resting place appears in the Arthur Standivan collection <a href="https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/items/show/35884">here.</a><br /><br />Additional information onPeter Lamprey is available via the <a href="https://losses.internationalbcc.co.uk/loss/113449/">IBCC Losses Database.</a>
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2016-02-24
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Lamprey, P
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
10.22 AM
3 [undecipherable]
1941
Mr. W. Gunton.
Machine Room.
Waterlow and Sons Ltd.
Twyford Abbey Road.
Park Royal.
London N.W.10.
[page break]
[reverse of envelope blank]
[page break]
1384535. A.C.2. Lamprey. P.H.
Signals Section.
HQ. 14 Group.
RAF. Inverness
[underlined] Scotland] [/underlined]
Monday.
Dear Uncle Bill and other folk.
The delay in answering the many letters, parcels, poems and what have you has been quite unintentional and is due to the fact that, unfortunately, my spare time has been used for other purposes. That is now past and I am once more in circulation and capable of carrying on my correspondence with my so called friends.
Things have not gone with the pleasurable smoothness usually associated with affairs in which I am concerned but from now on a more normal state of affairs should prevail.
I must thank all the friends who wrote to me. I am [deleted] axam [/deleted] examining Mr Ashtons last
[page break]
[inserted] 2. [/inserted]
effort again before I include him in that category. I’m very pleased to see Mr Denny has again taken up the pen and joins the ever growing [sic] number who attempt to play me with their missives.
The tide of war doesn’t surge so fiercly [sic] in these parts as on other fronts but we are getting by very nicely thank you. The pass has gone in for my leave and I spend most of my spare time on my hunkers praying they won’t give it the elbow. If by some freak of fortune it goes by I will be seeing something of you before Christmas. If by some underhanded skulduggery it gets heaved I’ll see you about 1947. The latter course would most likely suit a number of you, but as always, I shall do my best to see you are disappointed.
The weather here is much the same as the last time I didn’t mention it. The scenery is also still the same and it is only superhuman
[page break]
[underlined] 3. [/underlined]
selfcontrol [sic]that prevents me from biting large lumps out of this much publicized [sic] countryside.
We have been getting into town a bit more than on our first few weeks here. The pubs are still doing business and despite all fervent appeals by the S.A. and Mr Hunt to stay away from them, I still consider it my duty to support firms who are doing a good job of work under difficult conditions. As you are no doubt aware, these places are not laid out in the southern style, although the customers are. It is a real treat to be in town on pay night. With a few fireworks it would be good enough for a peace celebration. The fireworks are always held over until we flow back to the billet. This admission will most likely cause Mr. Hunt to sort out a few more tracts for my edification. These I hope to collect in about a fortnights
[page break]
[underlined] 4. [/underlined]
time.
I’m sorry to hear my old friend J. Honey is incapacitated. It might be water on the knee. The way the beer is diluted these days is terrible. I suppose Mr. Moloney is still at work? Hasn’t broken his neck or anything sensible yet? Well, I’ll still hope. I heard from an unimpeachable source that Mr Gilbert has once again been in the clutches of the law. He should buy a season ticket, it works out cheaper if you are always visiting these places. From another source I heard Brother George was considering having a smack at me. This I want to mention is rather a dangerous proceeding and liable to have serious repecussions [sic].
I should like to warn all chapel members against a certain party who seems to be lining you all up. Said party has of late been missing his note-case and then dis –
[page break]
[underlined] 5. [/underlined]
covering it was at home. Next time he wants to go back to the railway station a responsible official should accompany him. There are too many of these lapses of memory in Slate Club secretaries. I hope to see him on my leave but would never be surprised to see a notice stating he was missing.
The ginger cat I suppose is safely settled in its [sic] winter quarters and purrs every time a set runs off. Charlie Stan, I hope, still continues to fight his defensive action and hold his territorial gains. When Alf launches his blitz however I’m afraid Charlie will be on his knees. Thats [sic] if he fights fair.
I hope and trust Mr. Hunt is enjoying the weather and the local fog hasn’t upset his naturally urbane manner. In any case if he only keeps on long enough he will
[page break]
[underlined] 6. [/underlined]
get something done – to him.
This letter must be finished and I shall at the first opportunity come up again with another effusion. Circumstances, as I have said, have been against me this time.
Thank Fred Honey for the parcel and letter and express my best wishes for his affairs. Jack Denny – Sir – I thank you. Harry Ashton – curse you I’ve just deciphered the epistle. Remember me to anybody I’ve forgotten. Thanks for everything from a part-worn – sorry – war worn airman.
Best of luck Pete X.
P.S. The paper inside might interest you.
I’ll write as soon as I know my leave is OK.
[underlined] P. [/underlined].
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Letter from Peter Lamprey to W Gunton
Description
An account of the resource
Peter Lamprey writes that has received letters and parcels from his workmates but has been too busy until now to reply. He has put his leave pass in and is hoping to see friend before Christmas. He makes some comments about Scottish pubs and concludes with catching up with friends.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Peter Lamprey
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Envelope and six page handwritten document
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Correspondence
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
ELampreyPGuntonW41XX03
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Royal Air Force
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
Scotland--Highlands
Scotland--Inverness
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
military service conditions
RAF Inverness
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/372/6530/ELampreyPGuntonW[Date]-20.pdf
b7d60e55386d7d99acba7899588bd0a3
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Lamprey, Peter
Description
An account of the resource
122 items. The collection contains letters from Flight Sergeant Peter Lamprey (1384535 Royal Air Force) to 'Uncle Bill' W Gunton and his former colleagues at Waterlow Printers, Park Royal, London. The letters cover all his stages of training and operations at Royal Air Force Ludford Magna. A wireless operator / air gunner, he was killed, aged 36, on 14 January 1944 during an operation on Braunschweig when 101 Squadron Lancaster LM367 was attacked by a night fighter and crashed at Lautenthal. <br /><br />The collection has been loaned to the IBCC Digital Archive for digitisation by Dereck Titchen and catalogued by Nigel Huckins.<br /><br /> A photograph of Peter and his final resting place appears in the Arthur Standivan collection <a href="https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/items/show/35884">here.</a><br /><br />Additional information onPeter Lamprey is available via the <a href="https://losses.internationalbcc.co.uk/loss/113449/">IBCC Losses Database.</a>
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2016-02-24
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Lamprey, P
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
1384535 A.C.2. Lamprey.
Signals Section.
H.Q. 14 Group. RAF.
Inverness.
[underlined] Scotland. [/underlined]
Dear Bill and those who wish me well
I have a sordid tale to tell
Of one who would – an airman be,
Who went and signed as W.OP/A.G.
Now when the fatal papers came
(the same to which he’d signed his name)
He left his home – and went to find,
If he was lame: or halt: or blind.
They tapped him there – they tapped him here
And said “it really does appear –
As if at last, we did not fail
To find the ultra – perfect male”
His final test seemed rather crude
And might to some – appear quite rude
For when he turned his head to cough,
They nearly tore the damn things off.
But finally then sent him forth
And posted him – somewhere up north.
[inserted] PTO. [/inserted]
[page break]
[underlined] 2. [/underlined]
Now in this town of great repute
They gave him such a lovely suit
With loads of other things to pack
And learn to carry on his back.
Then wheeled him out upon the square
And lined him up with special care
With heaps of others of his make
Who’d made the same futile mistake.
And there his troubles really start
A sergeant with a stony heart,
Made him drill and do P.T.
Until, as far as he could see,
A horse’s life was one long laze
Compared with how he spent his days.
From that – he started on his course,
And weeks and weeks he spent at Morse,
His sanity – he hardly kept
He sent the damn stuff as he slept.
And when he thought he’d learnt the lot
They sent him to another spot
And bashed the Morse at him again
Until he’d got it on his brain.
[inserted] Cont on [underlined] P.3 [/underlined] [/inserted]
[page break]
[underlined] 3. [/underlined]
At last they said “here starts the fun,
We’ll show you how to use a gun
And just what tricks, to bear in mind,
When Jerry’s coming up behind”.
He learnt each little lark he could,
And said he really understood;
To always try and [deleted] an [/deleted] be the first,
To get in with a [deleted] lo [/deleted] nice long burst
That stopped his dirty little games
And shot the blighter down in flames.
At last the day he did receive
Three tapes to sew upon his sleeve
And realized at last that he
Had passed out as a WO/P/AG
The big day [deleted] indecipherable letter [/deleted] came – to his elation
Off he flew on operation
Heeding not the months he’d spent
Off at last – at last content
So his tale must close at last
Rueing not his bitter past
Heedless of lifes [sic] bitter knocks
He came back in a wooden box.
What a life.
[page break]
Of course you don’t finish up in a wooden box but I couldn’t get “wiped him out of the back turret” to rhyme – still you get the idea. A fat lot you care, you haven’t signed as one.
Thank everyone for their wishes - their letters - their books. One of these days I’ll compose a poem in praise of the chapel – when I’ve saved enough to get properly drunk. Tell Charlie to use the other hand – there are fingerprints all over his last letter.
Best of luck
Three cheers
[underlined] Pete. [/underlined]
P.S. If Moloney ever thinks of writing I shan’t believe it – it would be miracle even if he could think.
[underlined] P. [/underlined]
P.P.S. Get Eddie Hunt to kiss Moloney for me, they’ll both die of poisoning.
P.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Letter from Peter Lamprey to W Gunton
Description
An account of the resource
Peter Lamprey writes about basic and wireless operator/air gunner training in the form of a poem.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Peter Lamprey
Format
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Four page handwritten letter
Language
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eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Correspondence
Text. Poetry
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
ELampreyPGuntonW[Date]-20
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Royal Air Force
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
Scotland--Highlands
Scotland--Inverness
Publisher
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IBCC Digital Archive
Rights
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This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
aircrew
arts and crafts
military service conditions
Morse-keyed wireless telegraphy
RAF Inverness
training
wireless operator / air gunner
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/372/6529/ELampreyPGuntonW[Date]-19.pdf
1a7909f88d09c66d54b51942993df5e0
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Lamprey, Peter
Description
An account of the resource
122 items. The collection contains letters from Flight Sergeant Peter Lamprey (1384535 Royal Air Force) to 'Uncle Bill' W Gunton and his former colleagues at Waterlow Printers, Park Royal, London. The letters cover all his stages of training and operations at Royal Air Force Ludford Magna. A wireless operator / air gunner, he was killed, aged 36, on 14 January 1944 during an operation on Braunschweig when 101 Squadron Lancaster LM367 was attacked by a night fighter and crashed at Lautenthal. <br /><br />The collection has been loaned to the IBCC Digital Archive for digitisation by Dereck Titchen and catalogued by Nigel Huckins.<br /><br /> A photograph of Peter and his final resting place appears in the Arthur Standivan collection <a href="https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/items/show/35884">here.</a><br /><br />Additional information onPeter Lamprey is available via the <a href="https://losses.internationalbcc.co.uk/loss/113449/">IBCC Losses Database.</a>
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2016-02-24
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Lamprey, P
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
1384535. A.C.2. Lamprey.
Signals Section.
14. Group. H.Q.
RAF. Inverness.
Scotland.
Monday.
Dear Uncle Bill and other friends
Too numerous to mention
Another letter has arrived
For your esteemed attention.
And though the contents may seem harsh
And sometimes rather trite.
Its [sic] just because I feel brassed off
And it comes out when I write.
The visit that I payed [sic] you showed
That all were much the same
All dodging work and swinging lead
The good old minders game.
So all you good old scroungers
I feel I really must
Extend the seasons compliments
[page break]
I feel it only just.
But why in hell I do this thing
Is rather hard to see
I ought to wish the blasted luck
You perishers wish me.
And touching on my visit
I thought it rather grand
The way all of you shoved along
To shake me by the hand.
Harry Ashton, pleased to see me
So at least he said
While all the time he’d like to wrap
A brick around my head.
The things I said to Eddie Hunt
Would make the man annoyed
Had he not, between his ears
A great big aching void.
While Harry Straws collection
Of bags is such a size
He even carries two about
Beneath his blinking eyes.
[page break]
And poor old Uncle Jack,
His knee, had such a shocking jar.
His foot slipped off the rail
While he was leaning on the bar.
But taken by and large the boys
Were [sic] going on the same
All taking things quite [deleted] eays [/deleted] easy
And finding it quite tame.
Well it’s the same up here and I dont [sic] propose to spend all the evening writing to you guys so I’ll stop the nonsense.
Having fitted back into the war in the accustomed place I find it hard to realise I ever had a leave. The next move – I hope – will be south and keep on rubbing the old rabbit foot and hope it is soon. I missed one or two of the boys when I was up but it was quite unintentional and wish them all the best etc.
For Uncle Bills’ benefit – I have had a parcel from McVitie and prices. That was the dame we met. I’m glad you saw [smudged] me [/smudged] home I might have
[page break]
finished up at Pinner like someone else.
Hope all the other service herbs got a spot of leave in [inserted] and [/inserted] had as good a time as I did. There is nothing to write about except that I feel brassed and the hell you care so with the usual smooge. Look after your money. Kiss Rusty for me. Remember me to everyone. Let me know if the other boys have to go and I’ll give ‘em a few addresses.
Don’t do anything a dirty dog wouldn’t do
Pete.
P.S.
Thanks for the books ‘etc.
P.PS. Tell Moloney not to worry about having no teeth, they don’t feed you for six weeks.
[underlined] P. [/underlined]
C.S.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Letter from Peter Lamprey to W Gunton
Description
An account of the resource
Peter Lamprey starts with a poem about his recent leave and continues with banter to acquaintances and the hope that he may move south.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Peter Lamprey
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Four page handwritten letter
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Correspondence
Text. Poetry
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
ELampreyPGuntonW[Date]-19
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Royal Air Force
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
Scotland--Highlands
Scotland--Inverness
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
arts and crafts
RAF Inverness
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/372/6528/ELampreyPGuntonW[Date]-18.pdf
94036e85f4a21672dc3085fbcd1e9d5c
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Lamprey, Peter
Description
An account of the resource
122 items. The collection contains letters from Flight Sergeant Peter Lamprey (1384535 Royal Air Force) to 'Uncle Bill' W Gunton and his former colleagues at Waterlow Printers, Park Royal, London. The letters cover all his stages of training and operations at Royal Air Force Ludford Magna. A wireless operator / air gunner, he was killed, aged 36, on 14 January 1944 during an operation on Braunschweig when 101 Squadron Lancaster LM367 was attacked by a night fighter and crashed at Lautenthal. <br /><br />The collection has been loaned to the IBCC Digital Archive for digitisation by Dereck Titchen and catalogued by Nigel Huckins.<br /><br /> A photograph of Peter and his final resting place appears in the Arthur Standivan collection <a href="https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/items/show/35884">here.</a><br /><br />Additional information onPeter Lamprey is available via the <a href="https://losses.internationalbcc.co.uk/loss/113449/">IBCC Losses Database.</a>
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2016-02-24
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Lamprey, P
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
1384535. LAC. Lamprey
Signals Section.
HQ. 14. Group.
RAF. [underlined] Inverness. [/underlined]
[underlined] Sunday. [/underlined].
Listen. If I happen to lay off writing for a couple of days, there is a hell almighty row, but you; you can take no bloody notice for weeks and then drop a line and think all is forgiven, but; it won’t do. If you can’t write, for Petes [sic] sake draw a cross on a bit of paper and post it. I will know then that you are still alive. Not that I care.
I would like some more information about this terrific attack of patriotism that struck three
[page break]
[underlined] 2. [/underlined]
half wits all at once. What I want to know is. Are they joining now or in about six months [sic] time.? The latter I hope, as I have all my work cut out shouldering the war along now – without having to take three more passengers aboard.
Life has once again given me the back of the hand. Just when I had got a nice line in dates they whipped a dirty card out of the pack and I found myself out in the blasted backwoods, playing at boy scouts. Having upset everything that makes life worthwhile, they replant me here and expect me to raise three hearty cheers. One of these bright days they’ll leave me in one place for a few days and I’ll break a blood vessel in my excitement. If you talk to me about Scotch [sic] scenery
[page break]
[underlined] 3. [/underlined]
any more, I'll fetch a handful home and ram it where it will do most harm. I’ve seen so much of the backwoods lately that I expect to finish up in a bloody log-cabin for the duration. If I turn up next time in a deerskin suit with a pair of blasted snow shoes under my arm you’ll know the worst.
If the above cry from a bleeding heart does not stir a bit of compassion in you – it is only what I expect but at least I can lay back and hope the three stooges get a bellyful. With a bit of luck even Brother George will be in the home guard. All he needs to find is a bit of sand and s--- and he can fight his battles all over again with full effects. Only I shan’t be there to cheer as he wins all his medals singlehanded. Mr. Hunt will doubtless arrange to carry his company
[page break]
[underlined] 4. [/underlined]
to the battle-front at greatly reduced rates. All I hope is that Archie excesises [sic] his authority and makes sure they fight this war in the modern manner – plenty of time off for whatever is going.
Lack of news from the home front bars me from commenting in any way on the doings of my erstwhile friends. But knowing them as I do, I should think they are still carrying on in the true minder way – getting some other dumb cluck to carry the can. I expect to return and find Rusty bow-legged after working with the old rip for a partner. If he – the O.R. – is still at his games he should write his memoirs and give the troops some really warm literature for the winter months.
I might mention that I have heard from two certain people and if you
[page break]
[underlined] 5. [/underlined]
-Mr Gunton – are not a bit more careful who you speak to in tea-shops – you will be caught with your trousers down and a lot to explain. Keep off the blondes. Should you want any advice on this subject you know what you can do.
Having exhausted what passes for news up here, I hope to hear a bit from south of the line. Don’t write if you are still short of money as I am in the same state but a card will do – even if it is only one in memoriam for some of the others.
Look after your apples. Remember me to all. Lots of love
[underlined] Pete. [/underlined].
X.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Letter from Peter Lamprey to W Gunton
Description
An account of the resource
Peter lamprey writes from RAF Inverness unhappy about his life including backwoods training. He goes on with banter to acquaintances and asks his friends to write back.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Peter lamprey
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Five page handwritten letter
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Correspondence
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
ELampreyPGuntonW[Date]-18
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Royal Air Force
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
Scotland--Highlands
Scotland--Inverness
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
military living conditions
RAF Inverness
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/372/6517/ELampreyPGuntonW[Date]-170001.jpg
969c1d92467bf18f6f3598a74b117640
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/372/6517/ELampreyPGuntonW[Date]-170002.jpg
28230af4013e3ffb4d39115f4573a101
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Lamprey, Peter
Description
An account of the resource
122 items. The collection contains letters from Flight Sergeant Peter Lamprey (1384535 Royal Air Force) to 'Uncle Bill' W Gunton and his former colleagues at Waterlow Printers, Park Royal, London. The letters cover all his stages of training and operations at Royal Air Force Ludford Magna. A wireless operator / air gunner, he was killed, aged 36, on 14 January 1944 during an operation on Braunschweig when 101 Squadron Lancaster LM367 was attacked by a night fighter and crashed at Lautenthal. <br /><br />The collection has been loaned to the IBCC Digital Archive for digitisation by Dereck Titchen and catalogued by Nigel Huckins.<br /><br /> A photograph of Peter and his final resting place appears in the Arthur Standivan collection <a href="https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/items/show/35884">here.</a><br /><br />Additional information onPeter Lamprey is available via the <a href="https://losses.internationalbcc.co.uk/loss/113449/">IBCC Losses Database.</a>
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2016-02-24
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Lamprey, P
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
1384535. A.C.2. Lamprey.
Signals Section.
H.Q. 14 group. RAF.
Inverness.
Scotland.
Dear Bill - one and all.
In your snug little cribs – the horrors and hard-ships of war are tales that only reach you [deleted] indecipherable letter [/deleted] when, by superhuman efforts, a caravan gets through from the far mot. [sic] Here, my friends, once again comes news from afar. News that will distress you and cause sackcloth and ashes to be the garb for many a moon. I am settling down and beginning to like the place. This, after the epistles I have written, might seem like a retreat, but is in fact, no more than a strategic withdrawal to straighten my lines and find something else to moan about. That it is also a means of playing for time can be judjed [sic] by the fact that things are still the same.
I was glad to receive the letters from my old friends. I also got one from Eddy Hunt. You might tell eddy I have thought better of joining forces with him. That idea struck me in a moment of dire misery when all hope was dead still, thanks for the letter Eddy, thats [sic] four of the
[page break]
straw about them. But I really do want to get out for a night with the boys next time. My memory of the last evening spent with Moloney is still fresh. We drank all night, he spent a couple of hours and stood around. If the RAF can get some service out of him it will be about all.
Remember me to my friends the engineers etc. also the OPA’s. Remember me as well to my friends’ [sic] in the chapel - all four. If anyone feels upset about anything I have said – I’m glad. Keep your nose clean and never spit into the wind. Kiss “Rusty” for me.
Best of luck
Pete.
P.S. Tell Brother George – they still use bows and arrows, the kids I mean.
P.
P.P.S. If any of the boys have any old books, magazines etc. The herberts [sic] up here would appreciate them, anything to read as a change from DRO’s.
Cheers [underlined] Pete. [/underlined]
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Letter from Peter Lamprey to W Gunton
Description
An account of the resource
Peter Lamprey writes that he is beginning to like Royal Air Force Inverness and then several comments catching up with friends. He concludes by requesting any old books and magazines be sent for his fellow servicemen to read.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Peter Lamprey
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Two page handwritten letter
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Correspondence
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
ELampreyPGuntonW[Date]-17
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Royal Air Force
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
Scotland--Highlands
Scotland--Inverness
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
military living conditions
RAF Inverness
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/372/6512/ELampreyPGuntonW[Date]-16.pdf
c1046277928a7fedaf8a76f7d68a0f18
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Lamprey, Peter
Description
An account of the resource
122 items. The collection contains letters from Flight Sergeant Peter Lamprey (1384535 Royal Air Force) to 'Uncle Bill' W Gunton and his former colleagues at Waterlow Printers, Park Royal, London. The letters cover all his stages of training and operations at Royal Air Force Ludford Magna. A wireless operator / air gunner, he was killed, aged 36, on 14 January 1944 during an operation on Braunschweig when 101 Squadron Lancaster LM367 was attacked by a night fighter and crashed at Lautenthal. <br /><br />The collection has been loaned to the IBCC Digital Archive for digitisation by Dereck Titchen and catalogued by Nigel Huckins.<br /><br /> A photograph of Peter and his final resting place appears in the Arthur Standivan collection <a href="https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/items/show/35884">here.</a><br /><br />Additional information onPeter Lamprey is available via the <a href="https://losses.internationalbcc.co.uk/loss/113449/">IBCC Losses Database.</a>
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2016-02-24
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Lamprey, P
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
RAF Crest]
HQ. 14. Group.
RAF. Inverness.
[underlined] Tuesday. [/underlined]
Dear Uncle Bill - others.
I know a hell of a lot better ways of using paper than writing to you non-reciprocating lugs: for the last two months [sic] the sole topic in your letters has been that you were two up on me. Well, at the present rate of receiving letters from P.R. I shall be about twenty up with this one.
Interlude for the muse: -
For more than a year I have laboured.
And held the wrong end of the stick.
While the cheers of the blokes left behind me,
Continue to make me feel sick.
[page break]
2.
I’ve delayed the despatch of this letter
Since the day that I went and joined up.
But I now wish it put upon record
That someone, has sold me a pup.
Ive [sic] about had my fill of square – bashing
And slinging a rifle about
Now the red - letter day in my diary
Is the one when I’m pushing off out.
Its [sic] not that I don’t like the service
Its [sic] easy – its [sic] cheerful and bright
But I get such a load, of insulting remarks
Every time you daft perishers write.
In the year that has passed, I have worn out my feet
On parade grounds [sic] all over the place
And I’ve suffered a lot, of distress and despair
In unfortunate lapses from grace.
Continued on Page 3.
[page break]
[underlined] 3. [/underlined]
[RAF Crest]
But I suffer as well, from some dimwitted clucks,
Who when writing to me seem to think
That I spend all my time in Elysian fields
Surrounded by women and drink
Ive[sic] been to some spots in my travels
And its [sic] not been so bad on the whole
But for holes as they go, the hole I’ve just left
As a whole, was a hell of a hole.
But the troubles and toil that I suffer
Don’t seem to produce any tears
For my hardships and trials only seem to give cause,
For amusement and three hearty cheers.
But in case you should think you can do it
Without some repartee from me
I’d like to point out – that I’m biding my time
And I’ll wait for the day patiently.
[page break]
When there’s one of you wits, with a pen in his hand
Attempting to ride me with verse
And you’ll all realise, as the storm really breaks
What is meant by an A.C.2’s curse.
The news, as such, is as usual, non-existant.[sic] I am doing just the same as I was yesterday. As I didn’t write then you won’t know what I’m doing today so it doesn’t matter if I don’t tell you. The weather is about the same to. [sic]
I have, much to Mr. Hunts [smudged] chargin, [sic] [/smudged] been out on the belt in an endeavour to forget my sorrows. It took me two hours hard thinking to find a sorrow so that could go out and drown it. The beer is as usual, pretty good and having been out of practice for so long I found that the exercise entailed made me very tired. I could just walk and that’s about all. Tomorrow night I must find out just what happened. I was either out
[page break]
[underlined] 5. [/underlined]
[RAF Crest]
With a sailor or a big WAAF and I don’t want to be caught bending.
I doesn’t [sic] seem as if I am destined to have my much awaited liberty for long. I [smudged] have [/smudged] had been warned to be prepared to go back to the Isle of Sorrows at a days [sic] notice. At present I am on my knees praying for snow and plenty of it. If my outing last night turns out wrong I shall of course cancel the prayers.
There is a hell of a lot of new faces up here, besides plenty of old ones that need changing. In fact I am myself being looked upon as one of the oldest inhabitants and pointed out as a man who has withstood the rigours of a Scottish winter and 4 months proximity to the A.T.S. Barracks.
I expect to hear from someone when
[page break]
Doug. has finished with his pen and then I might hear a bit more news. But don’t worry about writing if things are ok, but let me know if they are wrong and give me a laugh. [smudged] Thanks [/smudged] for the books etc. Keep off the grass and kiss Jack Denny for me.
Remember me to one and all.
[underlined] Pete. [/underlined]
P.S. Its [sic] a pity the two bloody inventors don’t [sic] invent something to teach “old ivory” how to write.
P.P.S. and to spell.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Letter with poem from Peter Lamprey to W Gunton
Description
An account of the resource
Peter Lamprey’s letter contains general gossip and a long humorous poem about his training and his life in the Royal Air Force.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Peter Lamprey
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Six page handwritten letter
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Correspondence
Text. Poetry
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
ELampreyPGuntonW[Date]-16
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Royal Air Force
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
Scotland--Highlands
Scotland--Inverness
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
arts and crafts
military service conditions
RAF Inverness
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/372/6383/ELampreyPGuntonW[Date]-15.pdf
f470d6287a3b08c62d923eeade750328
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Lamprey, Peter
Description
An account of the resource
122 items. The collection contains letters from Flight Sergeant Peter Lamprey (1384535 Royal Air Force) to 'Uncle Bill' W Gunton and his former colleagues at Waterlow Printers, Park Royal, London. The letters cover all his stages of training and operations at Royal Air Force Ludford Magna. A wireless operator / air gunner, he was killed, aged 36, on 14 January 1944 during an operation on Braunschweig when 101 Squadron Lancaster LM367 was attacked by a night fighter and crashed at Lautenthal. <br /><br />The collection has been loaned to the IBCC Digital Archive for digitisation by Dereck Titchen and catalogued by Nigel Huckins.<br /><br /> A photograph of Peter and his final resting place appears in the Arthur Standivan collection <a href="https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/items/show/35884">here.</a><br /><br />Additional information onPeter Lamprey is available via the <a href="https://losses.internationalbcc.co.uk/loss/113449/">IBCC Losses Database.</a>
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2016-02-24
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Lamprey, P
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
1384535. LAC. Lamprey. P.
Signals Section.
HQ. 14 Group. RAF.
[underlined] Inverness. [/underlined]
Friday [underlined] 6th [/underlined]
Dear Bill – Others.
From the general tone of the three letters just received, in one envelope, it seems that you will be pleased when I get leave. What the hell do you think I will do – bust [sic] into tears? Mr. Harbour in his magnificant [sic] effort closes with “I will leave the news to Bill”. For over a year now I have been waiting for news from that bloke and I still have to get the news when I pay one of my infrequent
[page break]
visits. All that Lug is good for is making dates with other blokes [sic] women. If he keeps on as he is going, it will be more than a front tooth that is broken.
Why in heaven I ever take all the trouble to print my letters to such an unappreciative audience, is one of this wars [sic] miracles. Just because half of you dumb clucks cant [sic] read a decent bit of writing, I have to sit and sweat. The next thing you'll want is the bloody letters illustrated.
Breaking away from my usual custom of keeping things dark – you will notice that I am now an LAC. Any letters addressed to AC2 Lamprey in future, will be treated with the
[page break]
[underlined] 3. [/underlined]
[RAF Crest]
contempt they deserve. This is equivalant [sic] to an army rank something below a Major- General and above a Private. Having attained, by dint of hard work etc [sic] this honourable recognition, I am expected to do 25 words a minute on the key. I am also expected to do a lot more things but life seems to be a shade too short for most of them. At any rate, I have at last got a genuine excuse for going on a belt, so if you do not hear from me for a fortnight or so, you will know that a good time was had by all. I usually manage to fall by the wayside just before a spot of leave. The big advantage is, that it
[page break]
enables me to save up a few coppers to go on leave with. However, even if the gods smile and I continue my career without trouble, I think I can make the “Harrow Tavern” for one night.
Life generally - is running on well oiled wheels up here. The visit to Tiree has been postponed for a while until new equipment has been got together. This – I hope – will be a week or so and with a bit of luck I'll be on my well earned vacation when the party goes.
Knowing how you are all interested in my welfare I can say that I am feeling very fit. I can say it, but I have to make an effort to believe it myself. The weather here has definitely
[page break]
[underlined] 5. [/underlined]
[RAF Crest]
broken a leg and fallen on its side. If I [sic] keeps like it we will need snow-shoes to go to bed in. It is a good job spring has come to Scotland as were getting browned off with the eternal heatwave. The local inhabitants can always tell when Spring has arrived by the layer of ice that forms on top of the bloody snow.
Thanks very much for the offer to fix me up with a lighter but I [corrected] already [/corrected] posess [sic] one. In any case I have suffered in the past from some of the blasted fixing you perishers do. It is a pity the inventors can't fix one another and give a decent clean living airman a chance to open his mail without finding
[page break]
another dirty bit of work inside.
Having been in the land of the heather for nearly six months, I hope – very shortly – to get down south for a wee while. This is the dream of every southerner, but I should think my posting must be very near now. As I was only supposed to be here for six weeks I should think something must be happening somewhere by now.
Having given you all my hopes, aspirations and disappointments I can now safely turn to enquiries about the health – good and bad of my so called friends. Mr Ashton I presume, still suffers occasionally from poetic rash, while Mr Barnes is still taking steps to see things all right. Archie having gone in for a bit of exercise and lost a couple
[page break]
[underlined] 7. [/underlined]
[RAF Crest]
of pounds has now disappeared entirely. The labour front (Warren and Gilbert) continue with their “I told you so” now that the Russians are coming west. Tell Reggie Smith I saw a lovely picture last night. Four pints (paid for) and a lonely “WAAF”. A real moving picture. The beer I had won and the WAAF didn't need winning. That is one of the reasons this letter is being finished Sunday.
However, having once again disappointed Mr Hunt, I really must close this letter. Remember me to the OPA's and the engineers. Tell Dave to try and keep straight or at least make the circles as large as possible. Thank Charlie for his
[page break]
letter – it was a pleasant surprise as I thought he had lost the use of his arms. If you can find anyone with a really low mind get them to kiss “Old Ivory” for me. Tell Doug that the wife and family are still doing fine and up till the last letter still received the grant. Remember me to all.
Best of luck.
[underlined] Pete [/underlined]
P.S. If you can't bloody well spell yourself don't knock me about mine.
P.P.S. Lay off the women.
See you [underlined] soon. [/underlined]
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Letter from Peter Lamprey to W Gunton
Description
An account of the resource
The letter contains gossip and complaints over letter writing shortcomings of his correspondents. Mentions work in signals section at Royal Air Force Inverness and that he is hoping to come south for leave.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Peter Lamprey
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Eight page handwritten letter
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Correspondence
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
ELampreyPGuntonW[Date]-15
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Royal Air Force
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
Scotland--Highlands
Scotland--Inverness
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
military living conditions
RAF Inverness