Joe’s Letters, WWII: “Dortmund – ‘coned’ in Spotlights!”

One of my Uncle Joe’s letters will be posted to this Blog each and every Friday until they are done. Please see below for a link to Joe’s full story and the other letters in this series so far.

Joe and crew have experienced their first few bombing raids over Germany, the first of which ended in disaster. Joe is flying out of Chedburgh in Suffolk, New Year 1945.

 Letter 102; 2nd Feb 1945

Letter transcript:

“Ched’

Monday.

Hello Mom,

How’s things? Good or duff? Well I got your letter and the washing OK, thanks a lot ‘boofull’.

Well up to now I’ve only done one op since coming back from leave and that was on Saturday night. We went to Dortmund. It was the WORST spot we’ve been to so far, worse than Munich and that’s saying a mouthful! The whole of the Ruhr seemed to come to life in a big way that night! It’s a bad spot at the best of times but that raid was a ‘pip’. We were coned by searchlights once! And on top of that we were being predicted by Heavies FIVE times but got away with it by the skin of our tonsils! They came damn close anyhow.

We have found out since that OUR bombs were the best for the Squadron so it wasn’t too bad an effort. Still that’s enough of the line-shooting for now.

You asked if I know anything about that watch. Well it is now ready I guess but I don’t want to trust it by post so I think Jean had better keep it for me ’til I’m next on leave. Which incidentally is on the 8th March (or at least I hope so).

By the way we now have to do FORTY Ops for a Tour!! And the targets are getting harder instead of easier!

Who is this bloke ‘King Kong’ anyway!!?! Well there’s nowt much in the way of news so I’ll sign off for now saying God bless and Keep Smiling,

Lots of love Joe.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

P.S. I’d love a dozen pancakes right now! xxx“

Even a world war can’t hold back a good old British Pantomime at Christmas time! It sounds like it’s a popular one too if Olive had to spend two hours trying to get tickets!
To read more about Joe’s letters please follow this link. There you will find the full selection of letters to date, as well as more information about his fascinating yet ultimately tragic story. He was our family hero. He IS our family hero. If I knew how to complete an effective RAF salute, I would salute you now, Joe. Long may your memory live in our family stories. I hope to post a new letter from Joe’s correspondence with his Mother here every Friday until they’re done. It will be a turbulent and heart-wrenching journey. Subscribe to the Blog to make sure you don’t miss any of it.

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