Letters of Ronald Henry Etherton, November - December 1943- Part 4 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 / 10

Lose 47 Dear 4day 1th Dec Deares Jear Renerbe what I wrote about suroundergs having such an influence on one I guess you realised from my last litte that my comparative bright wos could be explained by that. They sure do make a difference but you can nake then appea a lot better if you iy. ard of course, he are other people who can help wake thigs a lot nore pleasant if they ray. Thee are lors of people doe not, m come wo cortact with i the Ai Force whose throate I would be very pleased to slit They they improve in grades to those Id like to hick & hose not t00 fre about, those who arey too bad and those who are pretty good eggs. Then there are the select few like the has Officers in our flight here. There are only a few crews in exch flight and each flight sano it's own show more or leas. She has. officers have been sevence as insrctor afe finishing one or two Fous of Ops. Quise a few of the servins go thoroughly brownex off with instructing and fle of them have menh interest in it but these fellows are the gradest burch especially ore who flew with us on Monday With they help, if I can do a really fust class jot, I'll have to hang my head in deep dak shame Fue only had the one trip here with aan the ante re of the cres screens but the shippes eent on his fist solo in a Whitley today. I had to go to ledures out Samuel and the pp were with him He wase on A job of it I received your letter 22 today Propt sceconta o last station sa akes it'se Ihat where the letter has been. Will I was more than pleased to find it in the rack No that was I was nt waiting to give me ry lunch bee there'o a was I corporal, a aress here who has already bee riched off once for being impatient about serving the rext course when I had fished you liter The other aass w ymph and prsended he to ce
back and apotogise I received you mothe's pacel roday too I a great epation to open it I did proise to leave this one init did Should I open it or 2011 I shinll I'll leave it untel t was day because we'll probably be in caup like any other day and opening prcels should add a touch of Kias spiit every in a camp. New year is the tine in Seslland but they se hard up this year. They can't get their bortle of whishy even I see by the label that there's guive a selection in the pacel. I shall to thank you nother tonorrow. Goy! hose chosol ona sa delicacy this country I wish you could help me eat then on twas day and I could plact a chocolstey hws on your check Iro tue for bed now Goarnight! sweet aseains! And all my love Hon ana AIR LETTER MeNan Mis Jean Ayre 13001- 122 St Edmonton 47 ceus lan
H COMFORTS F ILlATEO TN and &M.CA. and Sa1 tion Army Aus 423088 Sgr Etheron AH AaaT Case 10 London Englan 8 Deeber 1803 Dear Sweet hear, I hope you like these souveriss. The apton is Mac beth in whose Teniories we are poaching. The plane is_ well, I danno what it's yeont for. It's just a novelly. You please youself what you do with it It's the well known Scotch Red Decr, at least they say cound here that it'sa famous. I wish they' a shoot a couple and give us the steaks. You do get weeks from deer, dont you All my love Ron
21982S por Niss Jean AVRE 130071214 KOMONTON Mer Caon an t by te t tat ba to hor by os Dunbe n tiren 68 Du Sew hear I sorde what you is dong Ss wop here as I seaves to shil ob you'l aa us by ts o its sill ao of taotor I guiss you is will sorting I could cons wo the sor and say sils b is content sold moue ns so sessptid 100 ofe ca I care on to you place this wn pov not en hup you ip s00 lels. you cor life & 000 you beauy sup a you tust be because, lots of sanly was lots of beauly stp. Dis I tell you the youis sccutiful no you are you is so readiful that sonde so I say to ryself I wse whote fas bee aing shise hoe ss nowts IfSa Ihape I dont wats up an sordies Ist she the snd Gs be seading will pr suh a long due as the I shark of you tokes an sell ysel she me day the san will spakls wth no joy sh we the wil sheIca expect now ofa a son, the the promse a plas is lave. Ou st se non the provise an plas on shoy Tyt be a abiliable rely just a nas a s f y b mn
232431 To HisJean AYRE 15007. 141 51. EONONTON Cime Alberto Conodo An TON Sy. Fitiror A4 Faat bacs to hondor y t0 Dundy hese 10 s Beares J &0 like to site a by llle dough t is w24 ary ad I really nus go to h son to t ae to onte wr tonerow the wern ew s a pap corst so see good Soday has see the coldes get all the picass hass h poge all ay an is in b be shng to be see yon who Carotr's wshe Iaid sell you the last sevey on on day off sames and I ver wto Iwones &e go ae soueis I posis sor so you way you 8/ ou ae a s ane. s gusong so of you wotle to seed to the custors se or o f. by i yout he be a te a west or now I guess. was she purs i good cordidion I hope so I a suppose the parces sas wefend with Anghos stul h b blow wide I though of go s rad you was be consent fiday. An stack goes wih aytheg or aoes sf I rnd th wes for you soacy. 2.30 & s0. doag has bee a sy, oy aan aay Seaget noo very of you wlees Thy soll is p a litse a the thys ryularyo6 hal as wursting as yous your always fon GALAELEDEMLM
herry 50 Sar. 11 Deeber 1843 Dear Sweethear, Ii pracically ready to hop ino bed and Iwe left writing to you until last thing & doit know why but I dont like to conse to you any other dul. Maybe it's because I dont want to be distracted by thi ing of something else I have to do Or may be because ws quietes then, lovely and wa in our 1000 yee a fire nakes you dreany, docant s? Ive taken yearly all evening just to writeto Iean hat's all I have done besides drowing a dreaning. These last few days have been lovely and cleas though cold Ir really so just like Edwontors wealhy. The ground is frogen hard All the energency water supply ponds are frozen over. Im sure they could have a rent if they trud. But thereo no srow just a heavy frost on everything The rooss are all white Ihas is, except ours, because ae have such a roaring fire that it sakes the frost nell even Are you any good at washing and yoning? I's all off if you arent. Oh n0 maybe the Chigman will will be is business. I'll take it to him. you know he knew I was leaving Edworton when I collected the last ot he didHe said what a sence Perhaps you come back some days may be he know something There was no rail for me today Tonorrow is surday so there wont be any then. Here o hoping for monday! and you I have to go to bed I wish I could su up with you longer. Goodnight and all my love Hon
am AIR LETTER BCF o o Miss Year Ayse 13007 122 St Edmonton aesut lawas
Letter 51 Wed 15 Dumber Dude Sear Fraid Fie been bagy the last three nights. Or will you alcess my eause that I've been soot sitle down so write? Guiss what I did the night before last. I sae down to start to write but hat was as far as I got. you see, I started to read sone of your fior letters. I still have then all I remember most parts of them sonetines I think of Ednontor as it was iy the sunner and sonetees as it was in the wintyr. Its so different I's strange but Ive never thought of our puddle being frogen over before, or, buied under snow I wonder whether wll will be then when the snow and wo have metted ad the mosquitoes come round again. I hope it is hisis a rile pudale, 20t 400 wide to sep across and 2ot 100 decp 10 walt through if you forget it's there. Ever if it were wider and tishes I woulant mind it. would AIR LETTER M Miss Year Ayse 13002-122 St Edmonton Hivesta Canada
you? Not if it was the only hirarance to stop us having bunch toget her in the kirchen. So you really mind whether I make a woise as I gulp my sea! I don't know whet her I do or not now because it's never so quiet as that Hs half on howr since I wrote the last word. Ive been shinking of toto of things we could be doing or places we could be going togethy but haven though of anyt hing nore to write teeny about writing when I was honesick; you know that I havent witten any letters like that, cont you When I tell you how much I lave you I i being perfectly suithful and In sue of it Ioe felt this way about you logger shan I realised it and I alwsays shall - forever. But ws atees like this that I wiss you most when it's quitter I shirl how pleasant it would be if had I could doze off with you in my arms, the radio suned down low and the light on it glowing sofely. Ih beautiful light Probably that's because it only shore on you. Our fires dreany now and it makes we feel that way I'll have to stope is before I get into bed. I always daydrea better when I walh the fire you can daydrean at night, can't you? Sts always day dreaning when you se not fully asleef. Doe this letterof soud sleepy. Is should. feel of so terribly sleepy Govanigh I love you Ron NS
728329 ror Ris JeOn AYRE 13007-12257. EOMONTON wme METO CAMDO t B ph tat dan to tor b wer 50 s 10 Decense Ou feo snt the Pres not and tow po on 0a th op shorg we te has po once ba Inday is to shill sas he so so sto bet satios. Hhe lalist wes I have is aved w0 rooe se. Thes's a pieet for as as the pos offee so to ase so go o tonowosI was shole so yous will I so sols so now the suptaion to nos to o fo esas h opiye you ads got and I a good soy hes hass I onde so stal be pr s shats not so yoas you te so be we corg b 00dyya or is vosig too I mas shelfe I hs bee los a stile you jus soe cont. I shad you Ibcouse I sao wens pr swees in our I go and a cabl sononow or the seday she is yy sase it. I hope that you teles sat to amos gan sornos fe se as appeated it thes and ay 1 feet o inbapy fr a shill she I seas beping for the se day I sive asd low you as, as I Mayse because & sad wegys you ary wey of by sa onge ad spating s yo atways on su s his cols aboa conllity gone. Ou wer i HIKESTR TRIY TH L & MTTTY ILI NAY TET N IMP

Letter 47 
Wednesday 8th Dec
Dearest Jean
Remember what I wrote about
surroundings having such an influence on
one. I guess you realised from my last
letter that my comparative brightness
could be explained by that. They sure
do make a difference but you can make
them appear a lot better if you try. And,
of course, there are other people who can
help make things a lot more pleasant
if they try. There are lots of people I've
met, I mean come into contact with in the
Air Force whose throats I would be very
pleased to slit. Then they improve in
grades to those I'd like to kick , those
I'm not too keen about, those who aren't
too bad and those who are pretty good
eggs. Then there are the select few
like the Nav. Officers in our flight
here. There are only a few crews in each
flight and each flight runs it's own
show more or less. The Nav. officers have
been "screened" as instructors after
finishing one or two tours of Ops. Quite
a few of the screens get thoroughly
browned off with instructing and few 
2.
of them have much interest in it but
these fellows are the grandest bunch -
especially one who flew with us on
Monday. With their help, if I can't do
a really first class job, I'll have to
hang my head in deep, dark shame.
I've only had the one trip here with
Sammie and the W/Ofr and the rest
of the crew screens but the skipper
went on his first solo in a Whitley
today. I had to go to lectures but
Sammie and the W/Of were with him.
He made an A1 job of it.
I received your letter 22 today. Prompt
service, isn't it? The P.O at our last
station sure takes it's time. That where
the letter had been. Still I was more
than pleased to find it in the rack
so that WAAF wasn't waiting to give me
my lunch but there's a WAAF corporal, a
waitress here who has already been ticked
off once for being impatient about
serving the next course when I hadn't
finished your letter. The other WAAF's were
sympathetic and persuaded her to come 

 

3.
back and apologise
I received your mother's parcel today
too. It's a great temptation to open it.
I didn't promise to leave this one until
X'mas did I? Should I open it or not?
I think I'll leave it until Xmas day
because we'll probably be in camp like
any other day and opening parcels should
add a touch of X'mas spirit even in
a camp. New year is the time in
Scotland but they're hard up this
year. They can't get their bottle of
whisky even
I see by the label that there's
quite a selection in the parcel. I shall
to thank your mother tomorrow. Boy!
Those chocolates are a rare delicacy
in this country. I wish you could
help me eat them on Xmas day and I
could plant a chocolatey kiss on your
cheek
It's time for bed now Goodnight!
Sweet dreams! And all my love
Ron 


BY AIR MAIL
AIR LETTER
IF ANYTHING IS ENCLOSED 
THIS LETTER WILL BE SENT
BY ORDINARY MAIL 
Miss Jean Ayre
13007 - 122 St
Edmonton
Alberta Canada 
47 
← Second fold here    → 
Sender's name and address
Aus 423088
Sgt Etherton R.H.
RAAF Base 10
London England 

 

AUSTRALIAN COMFORTS FUND       A.C.F.
WITH WHICH IS AFFILIATED THE 
R.S.L. War Service Fund, Y.M.C.A. and Salvation Army

Aus 423088
Sgt Etherton R.H
RAAF Base P.O
London England
8 December 1943
Dear Sweet heart,
I hope you like these
souvenirs. The apron is Mac Beth in
whose territories we are poaching. The
plume is_ well, I dunno what it's
meant for. It's just a novelty. You
please yourself what you do with it
It's the well known Scotch Red Deer, at
least they say around here that it's well
famous. I wish they'd shoot a couple
and give us the steaks. You do get
steaks from deer, don't you?
All my love
Ron

 

Write the address in large BLOCK letters in the panel below 
The address must NOT be typewritten     219929
TO:- Miss Jean AYRE
13007- 122 St                                     
EDMONTON            
Alberta CANADA  
DATE STAMP
13 Dec 43 
________________________________________________
Write the message very plainly below this line.
_________________________________________________
Sender's Address Aus 423088 Sgt Etherton R H RAAF Base PO London Eng
Letter 48      9th December 1943
Dear Sweet heart
I wonder what you're doing now. It's 11.15 pm
here as I started to think "Oh, you'll be in bed by this" 
but it's still afternoon in Edmonton. I guess you're still
working. I could come into the store and say "Hello" but
we couldn't talk because interrupted too often.
Can I come out to your place this evening? I'll promise
not to keep you up too late. You don't like to miss
your beauty sleep, do you? Must be because lots of 
beauty need lots of beauty sleep.  Did I tell you
that you're beautiful? No? You are,. You're so  
beautiful that sometimes I say to myself "I wonder 
whether I've been dreaming these last six months"
If I am I hope I don't wake up. And sometimes I think 
that the dream has been standing still for such a long 
time and then I think of your letters and tell myself 
that some day the dream will sparkle with more joy 
than ever. And until then I cant expect more of a dream 
even, than the promises and plans we have. But 
they'll be more than promises and plans, won't they. 
They'll be unbelievable reality - just as real 
as my love for you    Ron 
_______________________________________________
This space should not be used 
MAKE SURE THAT THE ADDRESS IS WRITTEN IN LARGE BLOCK LETTERS IN THE PANEL ABOVE 

 

Write the address in large BLOCK letters in the panel below 
The address must NOT be typewritten                         
232494 
TO:- Miss Jean AYRE                           
13007 - 122 St, 
EDMONTON 
Alberta  Canada 
DATE STAMP 
13 DEC 43 
___________________________________________________
Write the message very plainly below this line 
___________________________________________________
Sender's Address Aus 423088 Sgt Etherton R.H. RAAF Base P.O. London 
Letter 49                 Saturday Friday 10 December 
Dearest Jean, 
I'd like to write a long letter tonight but it's
10:30 pm already and I really must get to bed soon. I'll
be sure to write more tomorrow. This evening we have been
to a camp concert. It was good. Today has been the  
coldest yet. All the puddles have been frozen all day 
but the sun has been shining. It has been more like
Edmonton's weather. I didn't tell you that last Tuesday was 
our day off. Sammie and I went into Inverness. We got  
some souvenirs. I posted some to you today. You'll find 
out what they are when they arrive. Keep guessing! It's
good of your mother to attend to the customs slip on 
my present. By now you will have been in 1944 a week or 
more I guess. Was the purse in good condition? I hope so.
I don't suppose the parcel was interfered with. Anyhow, it
should have been black suede. I thought of green to match
your coat but couldn't find any. And black goes with
anything, or does it? I received three letters from you  
today - 33, 35 & 36. Today has been a very, very happy day.
I can't get too many of your letters. They roll in pretty
regularly now. I hope mine do likewise and that they're
half as interesting as yours.  Yours always   Ron 
___________________________________________________
This space should not be used.

 

Letter 50
Saturday 11 December 1943
Dear Sweetheart,
I'm practically ready to
hop into bed and I've left writing
to you until last thing. I don't know
why but I don't like to write to you
any other time. Maybe it's because I
don't want to be distracted by think-
-ing of something else I have to do.
Or may be because it's quieter then.
It's lovely and warm in our room. Gee 
a fire makes you dreamy, doesn't it?
I've taken nearly all evening just to
write to Edna. I mean that's all I
have done besides drowsing and
dreaming. These last few days have
been lovely and clear though cold.
It really is just like Edmonton's
weather. The ground is frozen hard.
All the emergency water supply
ponds are frozen over. I'm sure they
could have a rink if they tried.
But there's no snow - just a heavy
frost on everything. The roofs are all
2. 
white. That is, except ours, because we
have such a roaring fire that it
makes the frost melt even.
Are you any good at washing and
ironing? It's all off if you aren't. Oh
no! Maybe the Chinaman will
will be in business. I'll take it to
him. You know he knew I was
leaving Edmonton when I collected
the last lot he did. /He said what a sentence!
"Perhaps you come back some day?"
May be he knew something.
There was no mail for me today.
Tomorrow is Sunday so there won't
be any then. Here's hoping for
Monday! And now I have to go
to bed. I wish I could sit up
with you longer. Goodnight and
all my love
Ron 

 

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

50
Miss Jean Ayre
13007 - 122 St
Edmonton
Alberta   Canada 
  
←  Second fold here    → 
  
Sender's name and address 
Aus 423088 
Sgt Etherton RH 
RAAF Base P.O 
London   England 

 

Letter 51
Wed 15 December
Dearest Jean,
'Fraid I've been lazy the last
three nights. Or will you accept my
excuse that I've been too/ tired to settle down
to write? Guess what I did the night
before last. I sat down to start to
write but that was as far as I got.
You see, I started to read some of
your first letters. I still have them all.
I remember most parts of them.
Sometimes I think of Edmonton as it
was in the summer and sometimes
as it was in the winter. It's so
different. It's strange but I've never
thought of our puddle being frozen
over before, or, buried under snow.
I wonder whether it'll still be there
when the snow and ice have
melted ad the mosquitoes come
round again. I hope it is. It's not
a nice puddle, not too wide to
step across and not too deep to
walk through if you forget it's
there. Even if it were wider and
deeper I wouldn't mind it. would 


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

51
Miss Jean Ayre
13007 - 122 St
Edmonton
Alberta   Canada 
  
←  Second fold here     → 
  
Sender's name and address 
Aus 423088 
Sgt Etherton RH 
RAAF Base P.O 
London   Eng

 

2. 
you? Not if it was the only hindrance
to stop us having lunch together in
the kitchen. Do you really mind
whether I make a noise as I gulp
my tea? I don't know whether I do
or not now because it's never so
quiet as that.
It's half an hour since I wrote the
last word. I've been thinking of lots
of things we could be doing or
places we could be going together
but haven't thought of anything
more to write. Remember about
writing when I was homesick?
You know that I haven' written
any letters like that, don't you?
When I tell you how much I
love you I'm being perfectly
truthful and I'm sure of it. I've
felt this way about you longer
than I realised it and I always
shall - forever. But it's at times
like this that I miss you most
- when it's quieter. I think how
3. 
pleasant it would be if had
I could doze off with you in
my arms, the radio turned
down low and the light on it
glowing softly. Oh beautiful
light. Probably that's because it
only shone on you. Our fires
dreamy now and it makes me feel
that way. I'll have to stoke it
before I get into bed. I always
daydream better when I watch
the fire. You can daydream at
night, can't you? It's always
day dreaming when you're not fully
asleep. Does this letter f
sound sleepy. Is should. I
feel oh so terribly sleepy
Goodnight
I love you
Ron   XXX

 

Write the address in large BLOCK letters in the panel below 
The address must NOT be typewritten.
2793 
728329 
TO:- Miss Jean AYRE                              
13007-122 St.                                                    
EDMONTON                                                   
Alberta   Canada 
DATE STAMP 
20 DEC 43 
__________________________________________________ 
Write the message very plainly below this line. 
__________________________________________________ 
 Sender's address Aus 423088  Sgt Etherton RH RAAF Base P.O London   Eng
Letter 52      Thursday 16 December
Dear Jean 
I think the X'mas rush must have put our
Base P.O in a flat spin. The only letter I've had from you 
since last Friday is 26 which had been sent to the last
station. The latest letter I have is dated 23rd Novem
-ber. There's a parcel for me at the post office. I'll
be able to get it tomorrow. I wonder whether it's your's
Will I be able to resist the temptation to read the 
label to find out what's in it? I haven't opened your 
mother's yet. Aren't I a good boy! Nor have I written
to thank her for it. That's not so good. Your letter 36
is missing. Maybe it's coming by ordinary mail. Number
17 is missing too. I wonder whether it has been lost 
or whether you just lost count. I think you do sometimes
because I two letters for several numbers. I'm going to
send a cable tomorrow or the next day. That is, if they'll
take it. I hope your letters start to arrive again
tomorrow. Gee, I'm disappointed when there aren't any.
I feel very unhappy for a while. Then I start hoping  
for the next day. I never ask how you are, do I?
Maybe because I cant imagine you any way other
than bright and sparkling as you always are. I feel 
fine - cold almost completely gone. But, Gee, I'd feel
tons better if I could see you.   x  Ron 
____________________________________________________
This space should not be used. 
MAKE SURE THAT THE ADDRESS IS WRITTEN IN LARGE BLOCK LETTERS IN THE PANEL ABOVE 

Last edited by:
Jacqueline KennedyJacqueline Kennedy
Last edited on:

Last updated: