Letters of Ronald Henry Etherton, November - December 1943-Part 2 of 6

Conflict:
Second World War, 1939–45
Part of Quest:
Letters to Ronald Henry Etherton
Subject:
  • Love Letters
Status:
Finalised
Accession number:
AWM2020.22.4
Difficulty:

Page 1 / 8

ro Hiss Jeon AYRE 130or 122 St, EOMONTON MrTO CENDA Din Se Hhis is nyfort likle fom on resstation hs as hew wit potilly prow worse, the the bsb, so w solle anp pales st us just find out tlat us soul s f shillys b it wary anent wahe wall affere ag a station hs sul a good wosd pr bt of enste to g rots but contray to expectationg thss is nos bo ou up we proses through pads of the hills whos shs was sae sad the lyhe seps a s coes t goting like the dodes They nally are just hills but sh i me gull pretty seeng o u a han a copt of hous I bouth we postes which 10 pe a will shole s sheta dae to sed the ss to is we stetng hoe the's is adm nt a I sent h shill din would so good o if mere sais to as of s ss puls ye te was as 1 i o oris i sleve be n itte it sase tes wote Ia has what sh ito his shorld be secouse the diay b a not of sh sthe otter ofa is w sny e 905 s has aes sy ane gong to p s,at ee a se to calll i up p me do shigs te o mome. len 1 a a a7 b b
Lette 38 Friday 18th N00 Dessest fean, not see that Ioe nubeed his letter correctly out what o that Ill have so kep what in filese gust the see Is outher lite to be starting a litter andI hve to costae it sorrow Iwe ts d b as seer talfing bus with some of the sells impostent busie 200 - creig up t thif till be able to go a pey not gont dene, n instrati ad an bylist filst with fors of expernce. We work hio for sue for a whill yet and it i be a bit to y byve we sall flying sgt her. That t be the day I wst at are verng of wt wl continions this comp and the set be spit it, a bit. I haven't received any letters sine seen spe those sent clucks in the ost office at the wa station hvent bet of it apes conp lip in this cousty bll appreciate ome cofortrthe evet I kno be dont see the best site of the use here out I still a ao hoe anyone could pe up with it for long Dudee 101 Iwe shought to be daying in dx or a iiroon ff when I iind heve ao very god reason to so so. The trouble is that I havent a sefed good reason to go out Is a fai way wo sown, thes sot much to do kee ad anglaw it loods as though it'll saw before long guess I'll leave it atit we get a whole day off an dy to calch of ony weit this peroon I not behd at preset but if I got the lt Lr hoping for soon I will be. I dont shid wt be i cosibly pashes for diie here Io a charge, the ravigatsis arent 100 badly off hee oe oe firished ops I can got any this condeynsteed of being put on instanting of se station like ths I ply the poor fellows who are y are i a a well as the ound bego in prt but just the same they have to put up with i longet to bt of the gound steff in this conoy seen to hat w an was or the Torce the orly rason foe hers an that they done will properly or cla they toot ad wall woud with thes hards in thes poe Wes be a goors isees if I bey dise away with dis tr completely. Ihe they could have an by Torce that was pietly year peped shing bsons as sho tha and Th mecking cangalue wee could shin the aiisass up and fe then is lis aoun he sance suills is ad cost so much o the Capyus oy to hep the ais Tone gonn. The wery would bs inrefutily, they soulde use ae ro much an thee woutend be any eashes
Tis a atio Sying Office insi hee who a gest who live in calde S wit frow his well be Ill at him the jet and mext tie I talling to him tI haperes to fins out sas shis He ous sall ut being sedin this place n nie I wish I could get to c o ct The to wha whre we had sde wh he was so ihurtis about Oeusale I said who so be ant the ho wid she ws re The dispost I gueased it night be Carle gooe dcuction, sont you bit w come to thit of it, she works the wowloy tatia he port his fellow is a sont cai te hes she O80 I hnd wase ay yooe got of this lette have SI have 1h0 sere wble as you do I write s to shil sontigtwe The upe about guite a how I surly rlise Fal bee deging st dayseg about you Out that wes get the atles piishes so Irake wthe effort to that of conething to wite I wish you could reasng thoughts. Theyre all amed with you. What bt I give to be with you soeties I shall of is withing of frm the stopor along the sod that wrs along the lop of the hill above the rive tby? I welen shil about those thig if I we have thas sone dy, wt too for a I hope, we'll be soing that again slkigi the Ws isble hee but tis give angt able to sulfi her is btor yo h te AIR LETTER Miss Jear Ayse 13007 122 St Edmonton Alberte Caras
12 por His Jeon AYRE 13007-12251 KONONTON AlbePTo ConoTO to tth tt t to trn 10th Noverber 1800 Lette 30 u wutheet wrote as Ais letter to you whi bag a I sm wite vey gre wig as the shoule and a afe to to a as ltte you ho should so glad the shen's not wch to do ovsias to ap he Fes atually nos very sow the whe Iana ala to a wly ao ss w to you duaghe &t at to be y away, and yo age. duying as fing she wels lon is gon i we vory I guis o is so sleI in raly a mentalig sutl on rati you by I e tr wlltn tena we w a s s i bo as so implase usis t an has ou sole s o a on louses las to last so by he y w s in wre a sell the sa is the conty an all such s ay a s of th h sitled whn my us to sai He macon is son me sens to seit its wall sut to a apen a as by ww of gie m sis at t as a Inom 10 pp a pete of persen as pletss Teyss so pist tor which has see syng p wts t g n
Wee 60 Wanede, 16 rove be Dearer See Ireceived you leter t art 18 toary they e fi t i ss he a b lette from hor. Thee is one, is feet. they were from M ba an silly and w asted roomby. Eass her received you fer wle, though I gaes you knewp the has wille wo to you. I have as rach chare to write at pece Se and working so wribly hd bet long hous tl probably se the reuse ohe wil fyin I coll go that oy soluered to up her, dia I For a while ve vondisis whethe v hax adex wisely but yesterday I has a litter from day with which you or his retteer a post tha rst of tho sad will be saving as as tie at 0r0 a ape that wi'll have the lagh on the alst s to go os g whith a so not while we'll be on the tatest Helifces which for os pits of ours on better the teste He have on cew practically all fied up ws. Ihe pilot is a wilstion, he has lon of expennce on right flying and istaunents. He narries ad pretty steady. On Coube is a austatian from Busbans an the spop on Englishe His going but neried too We hvent ay gannes got b sell be leying to get a coupte of you Seotemen. The filst is she then ang of us but thes be because hell be skipp Thaysay to hoverby is This is long I was sure I'd be able to finish th lse bet nigh but thee was so much interruption that I coulds conastiate The ppils ness in at all confortable so I have 10 write in the hw I feet for from hyty got a hell of a cold. Everyors has you cant expect aythig else when nost of the clanon nwith store floor the satbou are in sepreate buildings an draughty chc as cold and danp as this, The tence a claly sight when they say that G Dudsi is about 100 year behind the ties. They as saugh when y see the pible at tempt to ha y ag sae the ates reds so eion say to uch dust and waste sus a sot of frul. The foom is o so dad, to fad, aine is good. Cursfast and se asen very auple. I feet teribly euply conclies duing the noming, she fo supper we got coffee and capes sdy call the abe)in the Church of Heoltand tosem. Tos I received two aakes from Edniburgh. They it cesisd for a couple of days. I kne yeoerery that there was a parcel at the part offer for ne and I coutan) think what it coute be e e a I feet wase still e to beloes the rg while it was still gak and pished tonight i the dof. We care beet to the hut ape about 730, It is as cole as a iebery weis a will as ousi dpe it w lorge like ca hre you could p on ough chothes to keep the cols out b hee do ast isibleI wish wa wld tonorou nI could cone back to bannton
you mast be firing this letter agravating to pd I shirk I should close it ad leave it and it I a vie widhing wore bung btil the all my have Hor amear AIR LETTER Mr You Ago 13007122 St 40 Eamonton Aua Carse
hee 41 Friday 16 Nember Dear Socethear Don shirk In sich but I in ospital only a head cold I wen to tho 40 this norng expecting to be given some rediine. However, I had a slight seaper atue and be suggested that I have a day or two the which is a sort of in formal hospital We can get ip when we feel like it or stay is bel. 2s me a ware and very confortable out I hope I aer here yon, the couple of days else I'll wess my crew. I've been riting all day he after te hoy Olsm cane down with three letters fror you He stayed for a while but soon resused thas I wayted to read you littes so vert away to get a cate I had in the hut. The letters are 28,30 and 31 Gee it was great to get hen I readhe the s each alseady When it's time to go to sleep F'll go off mying to rcove the red na My beed surroundings enflunse on nood and thoughts. Jusr because its wan and confortablei here and Fve been able to lien to the wreless I feel perperly a peace, at least alnost as peace. Ive been heg0 pabout what st do whe the was is out and I can come back to Canonon. Ie not being personissie but I gusyou realise as well as I do the the surest way to se disappointed is to be over opinister I mightn find it easy to get a gob. In the fist place. My previous exper= iice wont be worth much, at though I wouldn't want nos gobs whoe it would be and secondly s idea what sort of gob really do want I have sone idees but that's all Actually, Canorton is the only place where I would dare at sempt out from scach ell i wont be quite starting from scetch because I wost be gaide perrilees and banorton int complitily strange to me you're takeg a big risg with re be I hik you know it and I shil tots of you for it. Ih. I hope it works ou well. It will be worderful if it does - interesting job gorgesus wife the should have come first nice modion home. What could be be kes; Saydseaning is wasting tere plessanitly most sines, I know but I don't shir There's any horin in it when you re in hospital anywry. Ive been shanden what our house will look like, in wizter and sunmer. It tooks great In a way, prhaps Thelna wesn fair but in another she certainly was maybe she should have realised that she seally didn loe truch erlie but. Then maybe she really thought she did
When she finally did industand her feeling, it was the right thing to do to tell him. If you ever feel that way. tell we wont you but please of please dont feel that way ever There's seldon anything of which I feel vey sure bet here's sonthing which Im absolutely positively, completely case Thas I'll love you for eve& we, Row &X4 an AIR LETTER Miss Gear Ayse 13007 122 St Camonton 41 Alserta Conada

Write the address in large BLOCK letters in the panel below.
The address must NOT be typewritten. 
Passed 
P.270 
To:- Miss Jean AYRE 
13007 - 122 St., 
EDMONTON 
Alberta Canada 
860230 
DATE STAMP 
19 NOV 43 
_________________________________________________________ 
Write the message very plainly below this line. 
_________________________________________________________ 
Sender's Address Aus 423088 Sgt Etherton R.H RAAF Base P.O London England. 
17th November '43. 
39 
Dear Jean, 
This is my first letter from our new station. It's no better, 
will probably prove worse, than the last. We were rather disappointed 
when we first found out that we would be flying 
Whitleys but it really doesn't make much difference and, this 
station has quite a good record for lack of crashes. It's quite 
cold but, contrary to expectations, there's no snow. On our way 
up we passed through parts of the hills where there was 
some snow and the highest tops are snow covered. They're 
nothing like the Rockies. They really are just hills but there 
is some quite pretty scenery. We were in Inverness a couple of 
hours. I bought some postcards which I'll put in with those 
photo's when I get a chance to send them. There'll be no ice 
skating here. There's no indoor rink and I don't know whether 
an outdoor rink would be any good even if someone tried to 
fix one up. You see, it's quite near the coast and the sea stops 
it from getting as cold as it might otherwise. I've received your 
letter 28 since I last wrote. I don't know what the number of 
this should be because the diary I keep a note of them in 
is down the bottom of my case and, with its usual 
efficiency the RAF doesn't know where they are going to put us 
yet so I can't unpack. For the same reason, I can't expect any 
letters to catch me up for some days. Hope things clear up 
a bit tomorrow, then I'll write more All my love Ron. 
______________________________________________________________ 
This space should not be used
MAKE SURE THAT THE ADDRESS IS WRITTEN IN LARGE BLOCK LETTERS IN THE PANEL ABOVE

 

Letter 38 
Friday 19th Nov 
Dearest Jean, 
I'm not sure that I've numbered 
this letter correctly but what does that matter. 
I'll have to keep check in future just the same. 
It's rather late to be starting a letter and I 
may have to continue it tomorrow. I wanted 
to start earlier but I've been talking business 
with some of the fellows - important business 
too - crewing up. I think I'll be able to get 
a pretty hot Bomb Aimer, an Australian 
and an English pilot with tons of 
experience. We won't know for sure for a 
while yet and it'll be a bit longer before 
we start flying together. That'll be the 
day. I wish we were crewing up under better 
conditions This camp and the weather 
spoil it a bit. I haven't received any letters 
since I've been here. Hope those dumb 
clucks in the Post Office at the last 
station haven't lost any of it. 
After camp life in this country I'll 
appreciate home comforts more than ever. I 
know we don't see the best side of the life 
here but I still can't see how anyone 
could put up with it for long 

2. Saturday 20th 
I never thought I'd be staying in camp on an 
afternoon off when I didn't have a very good reason 
to do so. The trouble is that I haven't a sufficiently 
good reason to go out. It's a fair way into town, theres 
not much to do there and, anyhow, it looks as 
though it'll rain before long. Guess I'll leave it 
until we get a whole day off and try to catch up 
on my mail this afternoon. I'm not behind at 
present but if I get the lot I'm hoping for 
soon I will be. I don't think we'll be so 
terribly pushed for time here. For a change, the 
navigators aren't too badly off. 
I hope when I've finished ops I can get away from 
this country instead of being put on instructing on 
some station like this. I pity the poor fellows 
who are here. They are treated better than us, almost 
as well as the ground bugs in fact, but just 
the same they have to put up with it longer. 
A lot of the ground staff in this country seem to 
think that Air Crew are an awkward encumbrance 
on the Air Force. The only reasons I've heard are 
that they don't drill properly or clean their boots 
and walk around with their hands in there pockets. 
It'd be a good idea if they did away with Air Crew 
completely. Then they could have an Air Force that 
was pretty near perfect - shiny buttons and shoes 
marching everywhere swinging their arms. They 
could shine the aircraft up and put them in 
neat lines around the tarmac. Besides it wouldn't 
cost so much t of the taxpayers' money to keep 
the Air Force going. The aircraft would last 
indefinitely, they wouldn't use near as much 
gas and oil and there wouldn't be any crashes

 

3. 
There’s an Australian Flying Officer instructing 
here who knows a girl who lives in Calder. I 
don’t know his name but I’ll ask him the girl’s 
name next time I’m talking to him. How I 
happened to find out was this. He was talking 
about being stuck in this place and said “I 
wish I could get back to Canada” Who doesn’t ? 
Then he asked where we had trained. When 
he was so enthusiastic about Edmonton I said 
“What’s her name ?" When he said she lived near 
the airport I guessed it might be Calder. Good 
deduction, don’t you think ? Now I come to think 
of it, she works in the meteorology station at 
the Airport. This fellow is a Bomb Aimer 
he has the D.F.C. 
I haven’t made a very good job of this letter, have 
I? I have the same trouble as you do. I write 
a bit, start to think about something else to write 
Then, after about quarter an hour I suddenly realise 
I’ve been daydreaming. - Sweet daydreams about you. 
But that doesn’t get the letter finished so I make 
another effort to think of something to write. I 
wish you could read my thoughts. They’re all 
concerned with you. What wouldn’t I give to be 
with you ! Sometimes I think of us walking up 
from the street car stop or along the road that 
runs along the top of the hill above the river 
Remember ? I wouldn’t dare think about those things 
if I didn’t know that some day, not too far away 
I hope, we’ll be doing that again. Walking in the 
rain. It’s miserable here but I’d give anything to be 
able to walk in the rain in Edmonton with you Love Ron 
← First fold here→ 

BY AIR MAIL 
AIR LETTER 
IF ANYTHING IS ENCLOSED 
THIS LETTER WILL BE SENT 
BY ORDINARY MAIL 
38 
Miss Jean Ayre 
13007 - 122 St., 
Edmonton 
Alberta Canada 
← Second fold here → 
To open cut here → 
Sender's name and address:- 
Aus 423088 
Sgt Etherton RH 
RAAF Base P.O. 
London Eng 
To open cut here →

 

Write the address in large BLOCK letters in the panel below. 
The address must NOT be typewritten 
215920 
1470 
PASSED F95 
TO:- Miss Jean AYRE 
13007-122 St., 
EDMONTON 
Alberta Canada 
DATE STAMP 
___________________________________________ 
Write the message very plainly below this line. 
___________________________________________
Sender's Address Aus 423088 Sgt Etherton R.H. RAAF Base P.O 
London Eng 
Letter 39 20th November 1943 
Dear Sweetheart, 
I wrote an Air Letter to you earlier today 
but I haven't written very often lately and this should 
arrive at a different time to the Air letter. You know, I 
should be glad that there's not much to do outside the 
camp here. I've actually more money now than when I arrived 
in Canada. I'm not trying to be miserly but there's nothing 
to spend it on, anyhow it'll all be handy some day, don't you 
agree. Buying and furnishing that little home is going to 
cost some money I guess. Gee it'll be great when I can really 
say "Now I can start concentrating fully on making you happy " 
I have always liked weatherboard, pardon me, frame houses 
but the houses in Edmonton are so comfortable inside that I 
don't know why anyone ever bothers to build brick ones. Besides 
brick houses have to last so long that they inevitably become 
dingy sooner or later. The houses in this country are all brick. 
You'll never see such dull, dreary spectacles as some of them. 
The brightest colour they used to paint the woodwrork is brown. 
No one seems to think it's worth building to a different design. 
You see long rows of quite expensive houses, all the same design 
Tomorrow I'll post a packet of postcards and photo's 
They're the first lot which I've been trying for weeks to get 
away All my love Ron 
_______________________________________________ 
This space should not be used 
MAKE SURE THAT THE ADDRESS IS WRITTEN IN LARGE BLOCK LETTERS IN THE PANEL ABOVE

 

Letter 40 
Wednesday 24 November 
Dearest Jean, 
I received your letters 25 and 28 today. They're 
the first since I've been in Scotland. I also had a big 
letter from home. Three in one, in fact. They were 
from Mum, Edna and Betty and were dated 2nd 
November. Edna has received your first letter, though 
I guess you knew/ by now. She has written two to you. 
I haven't as much chance to write at present. 
We aren't working so terribly hard but long hours. It'll 
probably be the reverse when we're flying. I told you 
that Roy Olsen & I volunteered to come up here, didn't 
I? For a while we wondered whether we had acted 
wisely but yesterday I had a letter from Ian Smith, 
which more or less settled that point. He and the 
rest of the crowd will be having an easier time at 
OTU but after that we'll have the laugh on them. 
They're almost sure to go onto Stirlings which aren't 
so hot while we'll be on the latest Halifaxes 
which, from most points of views are better than 
Lancasters. We have our crew practically all fixed 
up now. The pilot is a Welshman, he has tons 
of experience on night flying and instruments. He's 
married and pretty steady. Our Bomber is an 
Australian from Brisbane and the W/Op an Englishman 
He's young but married too. We haven't any gunners 
yet but we'll be trying to get a couple of young 
Scotsmen. The pilot is older than any of us but that's 
best because he'll be Skipper.

2 Thursday 25 November '43 
This is lousy. I was sure I'd be able to 
finish this letter last night but there was so 
much interruption that I couldn't concentrate. 
The pupil's mess isn't at all comfortable so I 
have to write in the hut. I feel far from happy 
I've got a hell of a cold. Everyone has. You 
can't expect anything else when most of the classrooms 
are unheated, with stone floors, & the bathhouses 
are in separate buildings and draughty, in a 
climate as cold and damp as this. The Americans 
were are certainly right when they say that Gt. Britain 
is about 100 years behind the times. They must 
laugh, when they see the feeble attempt to heat 
a hut by a tiny stove that takes needs so much 
attention, raises so much dust and wastes such a 
lot of fuel. The food isn't so bad. In fact, dinner is 
good. Breakfast and tea aren't very ample. I feel 
terribly empty sometimes during the morning . Then, 
for supper we get coffee and cakes (they call them cakes) in 
the Church of Scotland Canteen. Today I received two 
cakes from Edinburgh. They'll assist for a couple 
of days. I knew yesterday that there was a parcel at 
the post office for me and I couldn't think what it 
could be. 
It's after tea time now and I feel worse still. We went 
to lectures this morning while it was still dark and finished 
tonight in the dark. We came back to the hut after tea 
about 7 30. It is as cold as an iceberg inside as well as 
outside. I don't think I'll be able to stand it much 
longer. It's not like Canada. There you could put on 
enough clothes to keep the cold out but here it's 
almost impossible. I wishx the war would end tomorrow 
and I could come back to Edmonton.

 

3.
You must be finding this letter agravating. 
In fact, I think I should close it and leave it 
until I can write something more cheering 
Until then, all my love 
Ron. 
← First fold here → 

BY AIR MAIL 
AIR LETTER 
IF ANYTHING IS ENCLOSED 
THIS LETTER WILL BE SENT 
BY ORDINARY MAIL 

40 
Miss Jean Ayre 
13007 - 122 St., 
Edmonton 
Alberta Canada 
Sender's name and address;- 
Aus 423088 
Sgt Etherton RH 
RAAF Base P.O. 
London Eng 
← To open cut here

 

Letter 41 
Friday 26 November. 
Dear Sweetheart, 
Don't think I'm sick but I'm 
in hospital. It's only a head cold. I went to 
the M.O. this morning expecting to be given 
some medicine. However, I had a slight temperature 
and he suggested that I have a day or 
two in the annex which is a sort of informal 
hospital. We can get up when we feel like it 
or stay in bed. It's nice and warm and very 
comfortable but I hope I aren't here more than a 
couple of days else I'll miss my crew. I've been 
writing letters all day. Then, after tea Roy 
Olsen came down with three letters from you. 
He stayed for a while but soon realised 
that I wanted to read your letters so went 
away to get a cake I had in the hut. The 
letters are 29, 30 and 32. Gee it was great to get
them. I've read them three time each already. 
When it's time to go to sleep I'll go off trying 
to remove the red mark. 
My bed surroundings influence one's 
mood and thoughts. Just because it's warm 
and comfortable in here and I've been able to 
listen to the wireless I feel perfectly at 
peace, at least almost at peace. I've been 
thinking, too, pre about what I'll do when the 
war is over and I can come back to 
Edmonton. I'm not being pessimistic but I 
guess you realise as well as I do that the 
surest way to be disappointed is to be over 
optimistic. I mightn't find it easy to get a

2. 
job. In the first place. My previous experience 
won't be worth much, although I 
wouldn't want most jobs where it would be, 
and secondly I've no idea what sort of 
job. I really do want. I have some ideas 
but that's all. Actually, Edmonton is the 
only place where I wouldn't dare attempt 
start out from scratch. Well s it won't be 
quite starting from scratch because I won't be 
quite penniless and Edmonton isn't completely 
strange to me. You're taking a big risk 
with me but I think you know it and I 
think lots of you for it. Oh, I hope it 
works out well. It will be wonderful 
if it does - interesting job - gorgeous wife
(that should have come first), nice modern 
home. What could be better! 
Daydreaming is wasting time pleasantly 
most times, I know but I don't think 
there's any harm in it when you're in 
hospital, anyway. I've been thinking 
what our house will look like, in 
winter and summer. It looks great. 
In a way, perhaps Thelma wasn't 
fair but in another she certainly was. 
Maybe she should have realised that 
she really didn't love / George much earlier but, 
then maybe she really thought she did.

 

3. 
When she finally did understand her 
feeling, it was the right thing to do to 
tell him. If you ever feel that way, 
tell me, won't you but please, oh 
please, don't feel that way, ever. 
There's seldom anything of which I feel 
very sure but here's something of 
which I'm absolutely, positively, 
completely sure, That 
I'll love you for ever & ever 
Ron 
X X X 
← First fold here → 

BY AIR MAIL 
AIR LETTER 
IF ANYTHING IS ENCLOSED 
THIS LETTER WILL BE SENT 
BY ORDINARY MAIL 

41 
Miss Jean Ayre 
13007 - 122 St., 
Edmonton 
Alberta Canada 

←Second fold here → 
To open cut here → 

Sender's name and address:- 
Aus 423088 
Sgt Etherton RH 
RAAF Base P.O. 
London England

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