Joe’s Letters, WWII: “Grounded”

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.

At the time of this letter, Joe is at RAF Feltwell in Norfolk for the crew’s Lancaster Finishing School training, just weeks away from his first Operation sortie.

Letter 80; 20th November 1944

Letter transcript:

” “Yewer Sun”!

Sunday.

Hello Mom,

How goes the battle? I have not yet heard from you since I’ve been here. I only hope I hear tomorrow. I have parcelled up some washing to send to you. I tried to send it Saturday but the front office was closed so it will have to go tomorrow. When you send it back, be sure to parcel it strongly as I may have left this place before it arrives and if it gets sent on it will get a bashing.

I went to the station cinema to see Anna Neagle and Richard Greene in ‘The Yellow Canary’ and it was a bang-on show. I get bags of free time for the next couple of days (I hope) as we have now finished Ground School. We have not flown yet owing to reasons I can’t tell you. As you can imagine we are cheesed off but there isn’t much news this time.

Maybe I’ll have more to write when I have one of your letters to answer. Jean sends her love.

God bless,

Lots of love, Joe xxxx”

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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