Browse Items (1240 total)

  • Tags: military living conditions

YGeachDG1394781v4.pdf
Third of David Geach's diaries describing his service & personal life training as an Air Bomber in Canada. He describes his ground & flying training experiences, social life both in camp and in local Canadian towns and New York. He details train…

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Top left - a road running from the bottom with a row of single story huts on the left. Telegraph poles along right side of road. Caption 'the camp'. Bottom left - a cluster of single story huts in the middle distance. Captioned 'our billets'. Right -…

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Writes of his experiences at Receiving Centre. Includes account of journey back to centre. Says it was good to see her. Continues with description of activities and fellow trainees. Includes humorous account of being sorted by religion.

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Writes that he misses her and worries about danger to her of bombing. Continues telling of journey to by special train and describes new camp. Covers activities, food and accommodation. Mentions blackout and washing in dark. Continues with detailed…

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Thanks her for her letters. Apologises for his awful writing. Describes camp and day to day activities. Covers RAF ranks and badges. Mentions his instructors and training schedule. Concludes with domestic and finance matters as well as general…

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Thanks her for letter and cake. Says he is unhappy particularly over rainy weather and polishing boots. Writes of church parade and offending the padre with swearing. Continues with recounting visit to local ladies for afternoon tea. Continues…

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Thanks her for letter and parcel. Mentions poor mail handling, Lists letters received and asks her to number subsequent ones. Mentions financial matters and requests she sends him some items. Mentions he is homesick but not looking forward to next…

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Thanks her for parcel but worries over cost to her. Discusses parcel contents. Discusses financial and domestic matters. Describes daily activities, visit to locals for tea and mentions first rifle range firing in poor weather.

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Replies to issues raised in her letters. Writes of receiving soap flakes and doing laundry. Happy that RAF allowance is going through. Discuses mail and other domestic matters. Goes on with brief description of daily activities and a hateful new…

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Starts with description of punishment duty and reason for it. Writes of possibility of getting compassionate leave due to immanent birth. Goes on to describe daily activities and then provides a very detailed description of local town of Bridgnorth.

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Writes it was wonderful to spend two days with her. Mentions journey back to camp. Describes activities and intensive training for passing out parade. Mentions cook house fatigues, food preparation and free cake. Goes on with more description of…

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Writes of very good weather, daily activities and problems with laundry. Exited about next station although they have not been told about it for security reasons. Postscript adds that postings have now been announced but he was not on list and 30…

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Post card from John Valentine to his wife informing her that he has sent a parcel. He tells her that he is leaving for Grantham early the following morning and that he will write again when he has a new address. He ends by saying that he is…

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Writes describing last day at Bridgnorth and difficult journey to Grantham. Mentions poor food and difficulty finding accommodation on arrival. Describes activities and frustration about no news of future. Accommodation now in married quarters,…

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Relates that mail has caught up with him from Bridgnorth. Pleased to get news from home and is getting on with ordering materials for the shelter. Describes excitement of overflight by Ju-88 with air raid warning and sitting in shelter. Describes…

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Letter written over at least two days describing his activities, poor accommodation and weather. He was please with parcel and especially a long letter from her with details of all her activities. Mentions delays in mail, financial and domestic…

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Last letter from Grantham telling of daily activities, laundry, cinema, letters received, her recent birthday. Catches up with news of family and friends. Writes about pay, weather and that he will be glad to leave current location.

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Writes to let her know new address in Stratford-upon-Avon. Writes they are first tenants in a chaotic hotel new establishment. Complains that station is only open as receiving wing for aircrew and they will not be there long. Describes daily training…

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He writes about their arrangements for meeting at Christmas. Continues with recollection of her recent visit and about his training activities. Writes about a mansion which has converted its stables into a Services Canteen. Catches up with family…

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He writes about trying to find accommodation for Ursula when she comes to Stratford to stay for Christmas. Mentions church parade and weather. Write of meeting up unexpectedly with two old friends. Asks her not to forget to bring his post office…

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Writes of how much he enjoyed spending a few days with her during Christmas and that he was successful in getting back into camp.

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Writes that he hoped she got home safely and how much he enjoyed her visit. Describes his journey via Shrewsbury and Wales to Aberystwyth where unusually they were expected.

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Mentions he has written to several relatives. Writes he has finished wedding cake but broke a tooth. Describes walking in hills and describes local area.

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He writes about commencing training at Aberystwyth and that it is intense but he is enjoying it much more than previous training. Mentions London has had some nasty nights which worries him.
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