A Rosser]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Sue Smith]]> eng]]> Text]]> Text. Correspondence]]> Royal Air Force]]> Great Britain]]> England--Nottinghamshire]]> Scotland--Dumfries and Galloway]]> 1944-11-07]]> A Rosser]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Sue Smith]]> eng]]> Text]]> Text. Correspondence]]> Royal Air Force]]> Great Britain]]> England--Oxfordshire]]> Scotland--Dumfries and Galloway]]> 1943-10-15]]> A Rosser]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Sue Smith]]> eng]]> Text]]> Text. Correspondence]]> Royal Air Force]]> Great Britain]]> England--Oxfordshire]]> Scotland--Dumfries and Galloway]]> 1943-10-01]]> A Rosser]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Sue Smith]]> eng]]> Text]]> Text. Correspondence]]> Royal Air Force]]> Great Britain]]> Scotland--Dumfries and Galloway]]> England--Nottinghamshire]]> 1944-11-08]]> A Rosser]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Sue Smith]]> eng]]> Text]]> Text. Correspondence]]> Royal Air Force]]> Great Britain]]> Scotland--Dumfries and Galloway]]> England--Oxfordshire]]> England--Banbury (Oxfordshire)]]> 1944-01-05]]> A Rosser]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Sue Smith]]> eng]]> Text]]> Text. Correspondence]]> Royal Air Force]]> Great Britain]]> England--Oxfordshire]]> Scotland--Dumfries and Galloway]]> 1943-01-27]]> 1943-01-28]]> A Rosser]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Sue Smith]]> eng]]> Text]]> Text. Correspondence]]> Royal Air Force]]> Great Britain]]> Scotland--Dumfries and Galloway]]> England--Oxfordshire]]> England--Banbury (Oxfordshire)]]> A Rosser]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Sue Smith]]> eng]]> Text]]> Text. Correspondence]]> Royal Air Force]]> Great Britain]]> Scotland--Dumfries and Galloway]]> William Akrill]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Bradley Froggatt]]> eng]]> Text]]> Text. Correspondence]]> Royal Air Force]]> Civilian]]> Great Britain]]> Scotland--Dumfries and Galloway]]> 1942-05]]> William Akrill]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Tricia Marshall]]> eng]]> Text]]> Text. Correspondence]]> Artwork]]> Royal Air Force]]> Civilian]]> Great Britain]]> England--Nottinghamshire]]> England--Newark (Nottinghamshire)]]> Scotland--Dumfries and Galloway]]> 1942-10]]> William Akrill]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Tricia Marshall]]> eng]]> Text]]> Text. Correspondence]]> Royal Air Force]]> Civilian]]> Great Britain]]> Scotland--Dumfries and Galloway]]> 1942-10]]>
Writes of mix up on return journey with respirator cases with ATS girl and he now has two respirators and she has his pyjamas and vests etc. Cartoon drawing on fourth page of servicewomen with pyjamas and another in gas mask facing a servicewoman sergeant and a male officer who look surprised and cross.

Bill is sending his bicycle home since he does not know where he will be posted to.]]>
William Akrill]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Tricia Marshall]]> eng]]> Text]]> Text. Correspondence]]> Artwork]]> Royal Air Force]]> Civilian]]> Great Britain]]> Scotland--Dumfries and Galloway]]> 1942-09]]> 1942-10]]>

Nothing definite on leave, but really hopeful for to come home next week. Have only got two night trips, a day's bombing and some exams to go. Have completed the Bombing Exam and interview with senior officers.

Party was a great success and much better than he had feared. Almost everyone behaved themselves, they had a good meal and fine entertainment.

Gives likely details for leave. Bill adds that he gave up the chance of special bombing course at Manby near Louth (local to home) as did not want to waste navigator training.]]>
William Akrill]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Tricia Marshall]]> eng]]> Text]]> Text. Correspondence]]> Royal Air Force]]> Civilian]]> Great Britain]]> Scotland--Dumfries and Galloway]]> 1942-09]]>

Bill comments that 'the wretched aerodrome's spread it's [sic] tentacles as far as Potter Hill'.

Mentions night flying and upcoming grand dinner in Portpatrick. ]]>
William Akrill]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Tricia Marshall]]> eng]]> Text]]> Text. Correspondence]]> Royal Air Force]]> Civilian]]> Great Britain]]> Scotland--Dumfries and Galloway]]> Scotland--Portpatrick]]> 1942-09]]>

After catching up with home news, pleased to report that they now have good news on leave: since the photography exam has been postponed, he can go on leave as originally planned.

Describes one night's flying when the weather was very bad and one of the planes, with course instructor and two men, got lost and had to land in Blackpool.

Remarks how much he misses everyone on a Sunday and thinks about them having breakfast together.

Had their Station Sports Day today, which was rather spoilt by the wind and rain.]]>
William Akrill]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Tricia Marshall]]> eng]]> Text]]> Text. Correspondence]]> Royal Air Force]]> Civilian]]> Great Britain]]> Scotland--Dumfries and Galloway]]> England--Lancashire]]> England--Blackpool]]> 1942-09]]>

Had a good day bombing yesterday in good weather (unusually) and will be night flying tonight.]]>
William Akrill]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Tricia Marshall]]> eng]]> Text]]> Text. Correspondence]]> Royal Air Force]]> Civilian]]> Great Britain]]> Scotland--Dumfries and Galloway]]> 1942-08]]> 1942-09]]>

Bill is interested to hear about the 'fellows in the caravan', who seem to be conscientious objectors. Says he has sympathy for people with genuine objections and has talked with several of them in Collingham.

He is detailed to fly at 2.30 am that night, so will not have any sleep before then, although the weather might cancel it. Mentions that flying can be treacherous due to the frequent fogs. Discusses death of Duke [of Kent?] in a Sunderland, when it crashed into a mountainside.

Mentions yesterday's visit of Lord Trenchard (Marshall of RAF) and today's of an Air Marshall and the Commander in Chief Training Command. They had stayed for dinner, so Bill wonders what they were given, as the men had just had a terrible meal.
]]>
William Akrill]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Tricia Marshall]]> eng]]> Text]]> Text. Correspondence]]> Royal Air Force]]> Civilian]]> Great Britain]]> Scotland--Dumfries and Galloway]]> 1942-08]]>
William Akrill]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Tricia Marshall]]> eng]]> Text]]> Text. Correspondence]]> Royal Air Force]]> Civilian]]> Royal Air Force. Fighter Command]]> Great Britain]]> Scotland--Dumfries and Galloway]]> 1942-08]]>
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 aircraft over his local area. He continues with more home news, especially commenting on the way his family clearly worked hard to give him the best possible things to eat when he was on leave. Writes that camp food has improved in the last week, but his mother's food parcels are very welcome.

Discusses a new church minister at home, who Bill is yet to meet. Remarks that previous minister was very influential in Bill's christian conversion and church membership. Catches up with course progress and describes some trips briefly. Notes that the church at the station is having a community singing evening and it will be broadcast on the radio.]]>
William Akrill]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Tricia Marshall]]> eng]]> Text]]> Text. Correspondence]]> Royal Air Force]]> Civilian]]> Great Britain]]> Scotland--Dumfries and Galloway]]> 1942-07]]> 1942-08]]>

Catches up with friends and family news. He also writes that the Air Officer Commanding is visiting the base and that they have been busy cleaning and tidying. He has also been tidying up the garden outside their hut but was amazed at the ignorance of the other men about gardening. Has had interim bombing theory exam. Mentions he has just finished a drawing of hut 20 going to bed. ]]>
William Akrill]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Tricia Marshall]]> eng]]> Text]]> Text. Correspondence]]> Royal Air Force]]> Civilian]]> Great Britain]]> Scotland--Dumfries and Galloway]]> 1942-08]]>

Now senior course so lots of cross country flights. Dropped his first bombs, which he describes in some detail. Continuing with bombing and navigation flights. Mentions that he is taking swimming lessons since all navigators have to be able to swim.

Remarks that aerodrome near home (RAF Swinderby) is very noisy and 'a horrible place - like a festering sore smothered with flies'. He hopes it will be replaced with farms and woods again after the war.

Finishes with thanking mother and Mary for all the food they made for him to bring back with him.]]>
William Akrill]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Tricia Marshall]]> eng]]> Text]]> Text. Correspondence]]> Royal Air Force]]> Civilian]]> Great Britain]]> Scotland--Dumfries and Galloway]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> 1942-07]]>
William Akrill]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Tricia Marshall]]> eng]]> Text]]> Text. Correspondence]]> Royal Air Force]]> Civilian]]> Great Britain]]> Scotland--Dumfries and Galloway]]> 1942-07]]> William Akrill]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Tricia Marshall]]> eng]]> Text]]> Text. Correspondence]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Civilian]]> Great Britain]]> Scotland--Dumfries and Galloway]]> 1942-07]]>
He has no definite news on leave but longs to come home where he can eat well and have uninterrupted sleep.

The boys from his former offer have sent him a large bundle of magazines which have been greatly appreciated by the men.]]>
William Akrill]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Tricia Marshall]]> eng]]> Text]]> Text. Correspondence]]> Royal Air Force]]> Civilian]]> Great Britain]]> Scotland--Dumfries and Galloway]]> 1942-06]]> 1942-07]]>
William Akrill]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Tricia Marshall]]> eng]]> Text]]> Text. Correspondence]]> Royal Air Force]]> Civilian]]> Great Britain]]> Scotland--Dumfries and Galloway]]> 1942-06]]>