28 February 1938
To Mother · Royal Air Force, Catterick, Yorks
CATTERICK,
YORKS.
TELEPHONE,
OLD CATTERICK 53.
Dear Mother:
Got mail from everybody today. Aunt Adelene wrote me a nice long letter. Dad sent a card from Vancouver and your letter and Herald also arrived.
It certainly is cold back in Canada. We are having lovely warm weather and even if we don't get sunshine there is something to say for this climate.
Yesterday I flew down to Digby via North Coates with F/O Wallace and we fired on the ground targets.
I met P/O Orton and Grey in 73 and 46 Fighter Squadrons respectively. They are two old boys of the Reading Civil School days - very glad to see them.
Did half an hour's flying under the hood in our Miles Nagister this morning. Air conditions were very bumpy and the instrument needles danced drunkenly on the dash - very disagreeable altogether.
I am smoking my old pipe a lot - this damp climate and a pipe seem to agree with me.
My flight is getting more hoity toity every day. I returned to find myself Officer i/c "in charge" Camera Gun films - quite a shot - what?
This afternoon we have a wind of 45 miles per hour and very gusty.
53 Army Cooperation Squadron are stranded here from Farnborough on their way to Strannaer Armament Training Camp because of fog at their destination - their Hawker Hectors fill our hangar to capacity.
Give my love to Ronny and the rest of the Martyns.
Love
Bill