Browse Items (143 total)

  • Collection: Akrill, William

EAkrillWEAkrill[Mo]420311-0001.jpg
Bill wishes he had more letters from home recently. The work is much harder than on the pilot's course and he is struggling to get the hang of the using a sextant. Describes daily training hours through the week, but have games on Tuesday…

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EAkrillWEAkrill[Mo]420319-0001.jpg
Thanks her for parcel including half a cheese-cake. Describes in detail afternoon ground school activity practice plotting an attack on Saarbrucken in Stirlings. They are using the instructors actual logs to do the plots. Notes there will be a stiff…

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Describes difficulty of travel by train due to restrictions. Has very little free time. Catches up with home news of family and friends. Hopes to be home on Friday.

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Writes of journey from home to Eastbourne. Mentions mid course exams coming up that week and end of course exams in 3 or 4 weeks time. Says it was good to be home, but such a rush around he wished for a longer stay.

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EAkrillWEAkrill[Mo]420413-0001.jpg
Tells of meeting land girl on train while returning from leave. Writes of games afternoon, played golf. Writes of changes to plans for next leave because has the 'fateful medical' the next day. Notes very good weather.

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EAkrillWEAkrill[Mo]420419-0001.jpg
Bill gives details of his expected travel arrangements for his seven-day leave at the end of the week. As he will be part-way through his final exams and has the medical on Saturday, he will leave soon after.

Mentions air raid warning but no…

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Writes about exams and passing. Mentions leave possibility and church parade. Speculates over embarkation and writes of being re-equipped. Starts writing about a friend's experience of a bombing attack on Bath but then breaks off. Resumes to write of…

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Writes that he is still alive despite Lord Haw Haw's broadcast of German bombing attacks on Eastbourne. Mentions damage to nearby buildings. Describes attack by Me 109s including machine gunning and dropping bombs - and how they had to hide from the…

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Writes about measures after bombing attack - half the course to go on leave and other, including his flight, to man gun post. Describes how he and friend Derry rushed to get the first post. They are on a very exposed gun post with a Vickers machine…

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EAkrillWEAkrill[Mo]420512-0001.jpg
Bill writes about possible leave - keeps changing. Now on 2-3 hr shifts on the gun post, but also have to get there quickly if there is an air raid warning. Says no air raids recently but saw Me 109 at high level and resulting anti aircraft fire.…

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EAkrillWEAkrill[Mo]420515-0001.jpg
Bill describes his new location in Scotland as a desolate place, comparing it unfavourably with his previous stations: 'posh hotels, fashionable seaside resorts, country mansions'. Stranraer is about 12 miles away. Mentions that there are Ansons,…

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Bill writes that he is happier with location and work will be interesting. Little chance of long leaves. Would like to get his bike up there, so he can go on 'good rides' around the local countryside. Mentions Stranraer as a 'dismal sort of place'.…

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EAkrillWEAkrill[Mo]420524-0001.jpg
Bill mentions that he was disappointed not to go overseas for training but that his mother would be pleased he is staying for home training. Writes of enjoying Eastbourne but is now at new completely different type of location at West Freugh.…

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Bill writes about the hot weather which has caught him out. His diet could be more varied (Mary has mentioned tomatoes) and there could be more food. He queued for an hour to get a seat at the only cafe in Stranraer.

In answer to her questions,…

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EAkrillWEAkrill[Mo]420613-0001.jpg
Thanks her for parcel with food. Complains about food and mentions passing of summer. Mentions doing night flying and sleeping all day and that he was allowed to fly on trip from Holyhead to Mull of Galloway, not as much fun as Tiger Moth. Says he is…

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Writes that his bicycle has arrived and has a good ride and it is now locked it up. Describes in some detail the local countryside and type of farming. Mentions flying to Western Isles and Ireland and had fun with Lysander used as gunnery target.…

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EAkrillWEAkrill[Mo]420619-0001.jpg
Bill describes how his flying hours are going and (they are really 'navigating' most of the time, if the pilot co-operates) how they will be going on to reconnaissance flights and aerial photography next. Reassures his mother that it is safe for him…

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EAkrillWEAkrill[Mo]420627-0001.jpg
Catches up with news of family and friends. Mentions dairy farming in local area. Describes photo reconnaissance work and other flying activity. Talks of journey home on next leave. Writes of bad news on Libya and good news on RAF bombing operations.

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EAkrillWEAkrill[Mo]420701-0001.jpg
Bill opens with finance matters (it is pay day) and that he is doing the same old routine flying over north-western Scotland, Northern Ireland, northern England and Wales. Would like to fly nearer Lincoln (home) occasionally. Now on bombing course…

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Bill catches up with domestics, family and friends news. Describes station parade of 2000 men. Now devoting one afternoon a week to station defence. Mentions Winston Churchill and A Sinclair passing through Stanraer. Mentions American in local area…

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EAkrillWEAkrill[Mo]420710-0001.jpg
Bill is delighted to receive his mother's parcel and letter, and especially the home-made fruit pies which reminded him strongly of home. He includes a cartoon of him eating one with a house and farm behind him. States that the entire station has…

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EAkrillWEAkrill[Mo]420726-0001.jpg
Bill writes of the dreadful journey back to West Freugh after leave. Nearly had to report sick due to wasp sting on hand which had swelled up badly. Feels better for leave but seemed to go really quickly and journey back terrible. Catches up on news…

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EAkrillWEAkrill[Mo]420729-0001.jpg
It is pay day, so Bill is sending money home and asking his mother to send his comb and diary which he left there.

Now senior course so lots of cross country flights. Dropped his first bombs, which he describes in some detail. Continuing with…

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Bill thanks her for her parcel and letter. Shocked by story of bombs jettisoned by friendly aircraft but shouldn't judge until know the facts. Worried about Lancaster base being so close to home ('Those Lancasters and the drome are a menace').…

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EAkrillWEAkrill[Mo]420808-0001.jpg
Catches up with news and apologises for not visiting while on leave.

Bill says he enjoyed his last leave, although he mentions that the nearby aerodrome is expanding and aircraft going overhead. He did, however, managed to get a trip in an…

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