Welcome back to part 7, Peter is now in Burton on Trent and has started learning to fly. He writes to his mum on the 16th July 1943 thanking her for the letter and asking if she has yet heard from Des. He says:
" I am getting on fairly well and i'm enjoying it very much. The weather today has been glorious, in contrast to the last few days which have been lousy, flying being held up. So far i've done 5 hours 55 mins and i may get my 7 hour test tomorrow. I can take off and do a circuit of the aerodrome now, but my landings are pretty shocking so far. I've made 2 'three pointers' out of about a dozen attempts. It amazes me what the old Tiger will stand up to! It has been beautiful in the air today, with the patchwork of the countryside spread below, the River Trent winding like a snake into the distance, the trouble is i have to concentrate on flying all the time! "
Peter learned to fly in a Tiger Moth.
Peter's mum writes back on the 19th July 1943 :
" Glad to have your letter this morning and to know you have not yet struck the ground!! touch wood! You had better leave admiring the scenery until you are more proficient!!
I conclude you are coming this next weekend, so if you are keen on Enid also coming, you had better drop her a line saying ok and i will also do so. One of you can sleep on the couch!
Have not got Des new address yet, am awaiting cable. He is, i guess, in the thick again. Well cheerio, just off to catch the 12 o clock post, Lots of love and kisses, Mum"
The final letter i have for July is 21st July 1943 and is a letter to Joan from Peter thanking her for the enjoyable weekend he stayed with her:
" My dear sis, i arrived back in Burton ok and caught a connection at Derby without any difficulty. The weekend was very enjoyable indeed and especially did i enjoy the walk through Millers Dale. Well sis, things are going fairly well. On Monday i had my 7 hour test. I had to fly a different kite which did not improve matters and i found it very hard to fly accurately. However i did not do too badly, as i got 420/1000 the average mark being about 380. I felt pleased because i beat one or two people who are appalling 'line - shooters'. So far i've done 9.30 hours and i have been promised a solo test next - i'm keeping my fingers crossed!
There has been no flying today as there has been a very strong wind, so i'm hoping for a calm day tomorrow. I should finish my hours on Friday which will mean that i shall have to return to Burnaston in the evening. All things well i shall go home next Wednesday. I don't know yet sis whether i shall get to Buxton this weekend but i shall phone you if i can make it"
On the 4th August 1943 Peter's brother Des sends an airgraph to his mum, his address is now HMS Prometheus c/o fleet mail office Alexandria:
" My Dear Mother, This is to wish you many happy returns of the day for your Birthday and hope that it will reach you in time. My dear we must have Birthday and Christmas parties rolled into one when we are all together again. What a day that will be! How are you now? I do hope that you have got over the trouble with your teeth. I expect that Dad is just as busy as ever and as active.
There is little i can say about myself except that i am keeping very fit and have settled down to my new job. Sometimes i wonder how long it will take to settle into the old peacetime routine, but wish with all my heart that a return to more normal times will come soon. At any rate there is no harm in hoping. How are you managing with your birds now? Have you had any luck at the shows? Though i expect those are few and far between these days.
... It seems centuries since i left, but it must come to an end one day - perhaps quite soon. Well God bless you all and keep you safe, ever your loving son, Des "
Des also writes to his sister Joan on the 6th August 1943:
" My Dear Joan, How are you old dear? I wonder if that parcel of grub has reached you from South Africa yet, but at least it will be well on the way by now. Have you been home lately? I don't know what has been happening just recently as no mail has yet reached me direct to this address, but am hoping that some will come before so very much longer.
There is very little to tell you about myself except as usual that i am fed up and longing to be home again. Though it doesn't do to grumble as there are many worse off than myself.
... Well the news has been good, though here things seem to have come to a standstill for the time being - the lull before another storm i suppose "
Poor Des, all of his letters are so full of longing to be back with his family again, there must have been so many who felt that way. On the 10th August 1943 Peter writes to Joan:
" I'm very sorry i have not written earlier than this. I do hope you had a good journey back, though i've no doubt work must seem very irksome!
My leave goes like lightning! On Thursday last Bob and i had an expensive but highly enjoyable day in town together with his friend John (who lives next door to him)and a girl they know. We booked seats for 'Watch on the Rhine' then had lunch at the Quality Inn. Lunch over we saw 'Forever and a Day' with a multitude of stars at the Leicester Squ theatre - very good indeed.
... Friday i pottered about home and cut the lawns! Saturday afternoon Bob and i went up the reservoir and enjoyed an hours boating. Enid did not manage to arrive as early as she'd hoped as she had to use three lorries. However she arrived at 7.15pm a little tired and travel stained! After supper we walked through the woods as it was too late to go to the flics. We did not go to bed til gone midnight! So we woke rather late in the morning and after breakfast had an enjoyable morning boating, followed by a walk over the common.
We went out again in the afternoon at 4pm this time on bikes, Enid borrowed Mays! We had a grand run, all through the lanes and arrived back at 8.30. I went up to Paddington with her and she caught the 12.55am with Jean. It was a topping weekend and not long enough!
Yesterday i spent visiting people and booked tickets to take mother to the International Ballet on Wednesday. Last night we saw Alice Faye in ' Hello Frisco Hello!' - a topping show, whilst this afternoon Mum and i are going to see Mickey Rooney in 'The Human Comedy'.
Friday morning Enid may be going to Blackpool at the end of the month for her wireless course, so i'm hoping to see her again soon. Well sis, that's all for now, All my love, Peter"
I thought this nice long letter describing what he did on his weeks leave was interesting. He managed to pack a lot in and seems to be having a romance with Enid who i believe lives in Gloucestershire as she is mentioned in a couple of other letters too. I have another letter also written on 10 August 1943 from Des to his mum (their dad seems to travel a lot with work). It is unusual for the correspondence from Des to be an actual letter as most are airgraphs and very hard to read. He says:
" I hope that this will reach you in time for your Birthday, but have already sent you an airgraph. Many happy returns of the day my dear and may the coming year see us all united again. More than the last, this war is being fought in areas many thousands of miles away so we must just grin and bear it. I had little dreamed in the past that i would see so many strange lands and peoples, or travel so many miles. It may interest you to know that the old ship is very near the top of the list for sea miles steamed in this war - i cannot tell you the exact amount, but it would surprise you. A large part was steamed during the time i was with her. A stout ship and one of the best."
On the 15th August 1943 Peter writes to his parents, he has moved yet again and i think he is feeling a bit home sick after his leave, his new address is Vincent St, Manchester and he says:
" I am at last summoning the energy to write! My journey was a fairly comfortable one, I got a seat ok and the train arrived at 4.30 am. We then made a bee line for the YMCA where we refreshed ourselves with coffee and then went to sleep in arm chairs. We finally left there at 10 am and went to the camp. I do not like the place much and we hope that we shan't be there too long. You will see from my address that i'm billeted at a private house, though i have my meals at the camp. I've struck lucky. The house is far from imposing, just one of a row all alike, but inside everything is spotless and gleams like a new pin. Mr and Mrs Leonard are very pleasant people, Mrs Leonard comes from a little village called Lovacott near Barnstaple!
In a cage in the living room is a blue-white budgie which has quite a repertoire of words! My room is very small indeed but the bed is comfortable and i've slept very well so far. We have not done much work so far, we shall know tomorrow what grade we are. I have many of my old friends with me, and the last two evenings, Russ, Jay and I have been into Manchester. We saw 'The Black Swan' last night.
Ive been inoculated again so im not feeling particularly energetic. This afternoon though ( we have today free from first parade) Jay and I are going to hear the Halle Orchestra at Belle Vue. This im afraid is just a short note, more news later on. My leave was a very happy one and i find life at the moment most distasteful."
The very next day Peter writes again a short note with an update:
" Just a short note to let you know that, much to my relief, Ive been classified as a pilot, so i should get further training in that category."
It is possible i am missing a few letters here because the next time Peter writes to his parents on 22nd August 1943, it is to thank them for the several letters and parcels ( and blackcurrant puree). I don't seem to have these letters, but Peter goes on to fill them in on life at Manchester:
" Life proceeds uneventfully and unexcitingly. Bob arrived alright last Monday, but i did not see him 'til Fridays pay parade as he's in a different squadron. He too has been graded a pilot. Jay and i have volunteered for a course which interests us very much, but which will mean a long period of hard work. We don't know yet whether we shall get it, so we are rather apprehensive at the moment.
..Tuesday evening we went to a gramophone recital at the YMCA in Manchester. Wednesday evening i went to a dance which was quite enjoyable, Thursday evening, Bob and i saw 'Dangerous Moonlight' again, and Friday i saw a fairly good film called 'Squadron Leader X'. Last night we went to the speedway at Belle Vue( a new experience for me) and i quite enjoyed it."
Peter's mum writes to him on the 23rd August 1943:
" I was glad to have your letter this afternoon, and to hear all your news. I'm sure dear, you will find your new work very full of interest, also plenty of swotting!!
Dad went off to Glasgow this a.m. until Friday so we are a very quiet family, with Frisky lying beside us while we write! I have just written a few lines to Des, he sent me two letters for my Birthday. May treated me to George Blacks show ' The Lisbon Story' on sat eve, a very colourful show, plenty of music and good dancing, quite a treat. We also toasted everyone in gin and Limes! Rather expensive!
...We had a distant alert last night at 2 o clock, the brute went over here, but no local warning! All clear in 3/4 hour, a beautiful night! "
Peter writes back on the 28th August 1943, he says:
" Thank you very much for your interesting letter mum, i am glad you are all well. I hope you had a good journey to Glasgow dad. I am having a good time here, though i do not like the camp. The brightest spot in my day is when i leave it in the evenings! My evenings this week have been enjoyable, though i look forward with impatience to pay parade! Last Monday and Wednesday Jay and i went to the dance at the assembly rooms. Last night i went with Bob to see 'Fantasia' - a very fine film indeed and most enjoyable.
Cled arrived at last yesterday, he is very well and has had a very good leave. We're going to see his aunt (who lives in Manchester) on Monday evening. This evening i have been to see Russ who is in sick quarters. He has had beastly luck, his ear drum is perforated and he is grade 3 and definitely grounded. He may be able to re-muster to some ground job or he may get his discharge and return to his civilian job of dental mechanic.
I am very comfortable in my billet and could not wish for better. It is certainly luxury compared with life in huts. Their budgerigar 'Pete' is extremely amusing and i know you'd love it mum! He carries on interesting conversations with himself and says "Cheekie Pete", "Dirty boy", "Pretty boy", "Mucky pup" etc. and though i've not heard it, i am told that he imitates the pips in the wireless! "
I love the sound of that budgie, i have had a few as pets myself but none of them have been able to talk. Peter writes to his parents again on the 1st Sept 1943, he says:
" Thank you very much indeed for the photographs, washing, puree and last but not least the cakes, they are very much appreciated. i'm sorry to hear that you've got such a beastly cold Dad and i hope you are feeling better.
Life proceeds uneventfully here and i am looking forward to getting away from the place. Manchester's fame for its wetness is not without foundation, practically every day is wet and today it has rained all day! My hopes of seeing Enid again are dwindling as it is doubtful whether i shall get my 48 hr.
The course for which i volunteered does not commence in this country. You will be surprised to hear that i have applied to have my name removed from the list, though i don't know whether they will do so. The course would take about two years and there would be little chance of my getting on ops. However if i have to take it, i shall make the most of it as it is a very attractive course if it were not for its length. Cled has not passed as a pilot unfortunately. I'm sure he would have done if it had not been for his bad luck with his instructor. However he is to be a 'navigator, bomber- wireless', which also means a course of nearly two years and, if he passes, a higher rate of pay than the pilots."
On the 3rd Sept 1943 Peter's Dad writes to him:
" ...We shall miss you very much my dear and pray God will go with you in your travels and bring you safely back to us. We were surprised to know you had applied to have your name removed from the course, but you should know best, but if it would have been an advantage to you later on it might have been a wiser course to take. I am afraid pilots may be two a penny after the war. Still as i say you must decide for yourself and whatever you do, may good luck be yours always."
I thought it was rather sweet that he both gave some advice but also showed his support for whatever Peter decided to do. I don't know what the course was, but i find it interesting that he came to a crossroads here where choosing a path could have led him down entirely different routes, maybe even be the difference whether he lived or died. On the 5th Sept 1943 Peters mum writes to him:
" We are wondering if you are now on the move, or if Joan has been able to see you this weekend. I will order another set of photos and forward as soon as we get your new address. I was hoping to have seen you again next Sunday! Perhaps I shall! Enid will be disappointed if you do not get your 48 hrs. May and i went to Pinner last evening to see 'Crash Dive' with Tyrone Power, Dana Andrews, very fine.
No special news dear, i hope you will have decent weather on your trip and not be sea sick! Take some acid drops!!! You will be sure to see lots of interesting places and people! Take care of yourself dear son, you know you will always be in my thoughts day and night. Write as soon as possible, crowds of fondest love and kisses, mum "
Judging by that letter i can guess that Peter must have been told he is going overseas, but i don't have a letter which covers that, so it was possibly relayed through his sister Joan when they met on the weekends.
To be continued...
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