Letters of Ronald Henry Etherton, March-May 1944 - Part 6 of 8
3
airgraphs of course) so that they can be
returned without being opened
2. If you're sending me anything
you wouldn't want anyone else to
have, send it in a separate parcel, if
necessary, but in any case mak &
mark the outside "If undeliverable
return to sender - Miss J. A - - etc"
3. If you don't mind you might
mark any other parcels "If undeliverable
send to Red Cross"
I hope that noone ever has to comply
with these instructions but one never
knows. For the same reason, I'm
going to arrange for you to be
informed in the event of any mishap.
But for Pete's sake don't letter
every cable I send you scare you
out of your wits. Only the good
die young but, of course, you don't
know how bad I really am. Maybe
I should have just told you I come
from a long living family. They're
all bad.
All my love
Ron.
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BY AIR MAIL
AIR LETTER
IF ANYTHING IS ENCLOSED
THIS LETTER WILL BE SENT
BY ORDINARY MAIL.
117
Miss Jean Ayre
13007 - 122 St.,
Edmonton
Alberta Canada
← Second fold line →
← To open cut here →
Sender's name and address:-
Aus 423088
F/Sgt Etherton R.H
R.A.A.F Base P.O
London England
Write the address in large BLOCK letter in the panel below.
The address must NOT be typewritten
To:- Miss Jean AYRE
13007 - 122 St.,
EDMONTON
Alberta Canada
334298
DATE STAMP
12 MAY 1944
______________________________________________________________
Write the message very plainly below the line.
Sender's Address: Aus 423088 F/Sgt Etherton
R.A.A.F Base P.O London
9th May 1944 117B
118
Dear Jean,
I'm writing this from the Canadian Legion Club
in Aberdeen. It's rather an appropriate place from which
to write to Canada. Everything around us is Canadian
-the flag on the wall, the magazines. - We're even
having coffee and doughnuts. The coffee isn't bad but
the doughnuts! XX. C'est la guerre! The only item
missing is Canadians. The place is nearly deserted.
Actually, we've practically no competition in most of
the towns nowadays. Aircrew are the only ones getting
leave and I think it's only operational aircrew at that.
Too bad there's no Jean Ayre here!
I went skating last night and met a girl to
whom I spoke to a few times when we were last
here. Her name is Kitty Macdonald. Very Scotch!
So is she. She's engaged to an English airman who
is stationed in The Azores and is very much in love
with him. I saw her home but that's all. I didn't
even try to kiss her goodnight. Not that it would
have been much good trying. Guess I'll have to wait
until the day. I'll make up for it then. All my love Ron
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TO:- Miss Jean AYRE
13007 - 122 St.,
EDMONTON
Alberta Canada
672742
DATE STAMP
18 MAY 1944
Write the message very plainly below this line.
Sender's Address Aus 423088 F/Sgt Etherton R.H R.A.A.F Base P.O. London
11th May 1944
119
Dear Jean,
I'm afraid I've forgotten what number this
should be but I'll work it out later. I think it's
119. The weather is very considerate and staying
fine for us, though it is quite a bit cooler here
than in Aberde Yorkshire. I think I can say that
we are both enjoying our leave and growing fat
and lazy in the process. I might even say that
we're being overfed. There aren't many places
over here where you can manage that. Aberdeen
is a pretty good place all round. There are a
lot of nice cafes. In those we go to we're getting
to be known and, though the menus are quite good
we nearly always get something better that's not
on the menu.
Scotland is far nicer in winter summer than
winter. Just now everything is so freshly green.
Aberdeen's wide avenues look fine with their rows
of trees and there are lots of bright colours in
the gardens. Must so close now
Love Ron
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Letter 120
14th May '44
Dear Jean,
Edna has spoken of Bill,
the chap she was going with, in
her letters to you. She has asked
me to pass onto you bad news
of him - that he has been
posted missing from a mine
laying detail in Danzig Harbor.
I received her letter the day we
went on leave but didn't mention
it before because I didn't want
to think of it while we were on
leave.
Edna is hopeful that he is
safe. I'll be very glad for her sake
if he does turn up. I hardly knew
Bill. In fact, I only saw him once.
I had a letter from him while we
were up north. He was on an
Australian Lancaster Squadron
which has a wonderful name.
2.
despite the fact that it gets all
the dirty jobs.
There is another chap I went to
school with and worked with in the
same office who went missing about
the same time. He was on that
Squadron, too. Remember I told you
that he, I and a pal of his
joined up together. The pal and
I flew together at home until he
was killed in a crash. and The
chap I worked with went to Canada
soon after he went into the Air
Force. We wrote quite a bit but
I'd never been able to see him.
My brother Ern is going to
join the navy. He has more
sense that I gave him credit for.
I thought he'd want to join the
Air Force but I'm glad he didn't.
He's not eighteen yet but he's
3.
a grand kid. He lost his job as
dental mechanic because he had an
argument with his boss over paying
for some teeth (artificial ones) he
broke. That was why he got the
job at the swimming baths
while he was waiting to turn 18
to join up.
For once I've had lot's to write
about but I'm afraid I'll have
to cut this short. The whole
crew is in the one big room and
they're all wanting to get to sleep
so I guess its
Goodnight, Sweetheart
Ron
XXX
SI-5956 {6}
EXAMINER 4961
IF ANYTHING IS ENCLOSED
THIS LETTER WILL BE SENT
BY ORDINARY MAIL
Miss Jean Ayre
13007 - 122 St.,
Edmonton
Alberta Canada
#120
Sender's name and address:
Aus 423088
F/Sgt Etherton R.H
R.A.A.F Base P.O
London
P,C. 90
OPENED BY
The address must NOT be typewritten
TO:- Miss Jean AYRE
13007 - 122 St.,
EDMONTON
Alberta Canada
13593
DATE STAMP
25 MAY 1944
Write the message very plainly below this line.
Sender's Address Aus 423088 F/Sgt Etherton R.H R.A.A.F Base P.O London
Letter 120
16 May '44
Dear Jean,
I'm afraid I'm not going to have much
chance to write letters while we're here. We've
been doing quite a bit flying. Most of the rest
of the time we waste hanging around waiting
but have no time to ourselves. We took a risk
yesterday afternoon and went into York. We went
to a show - James Cagney in "Johnny Vagabond"
and came back to camp early as we thought
we might be wanted. We weren't but I didn't
want to stay out particularly. The Skipper's wife
was going to come up last night to stay in the
village for a week but was too ill to travel and
put it off for a few days. I don't know why
she's bothering to come up here because Bob
will be too busy to see much of her. There
were three letters from you waiting for me on
Saturday so coming back to camp wasn't as
terrible as it might have been.
Love Ron
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TO:- Miss Jean AYRE
13007 - 122 St.,
EDMONTON
Alberta Canada
336918
DATE STAMP
1 JUN1944
Write the message very plainly below this line.
Sender's Address Aus 423088 F/Sgt Etherton R.H R.A.A.F Base P.O London
17th May '44
Letter 1218
Dear Jean,
I'm afraid I'm not being punctual with my
letters. I just can't settle down to write. We are
doing lots of flying but most of it is monotonous
circuits and bumps - taking off, round the 'drome,
landing, taking off, around again and so on. It's
monotonous for everyone except Skipper. Halifaxes
are hard to land. That is why he has to get so
much practice. My job during this procedure is to just
sit and do nothing unless the weather closes in and
he gets lost. Then I have to get him home.
You asked how many trips we've done. None
that count towards being layed off. I don't know
when we'll start but it shouldn't be long. We
should finish here in about two weeks. Then we'll
go to a squadron which won't be far away. I hope
we get another leave there before we start operating.
We should be able to say we're settled there for a
few months at least. Here's hoping that it's a good
station. This looks like the end of the page Love Ron
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