Tuesday, November 26, 2013

World War II Letters Home November 26, 1938-Estelles Wickenkamp

                                                                                                     Brize Norton
                                                                                                     November 26, 1938

Dear Folks:

I suppose you have been wondering why my letter aren't coming very regularly.  The first excuse is that I have been going away on week-ends and the other is that we have been having our test exams and we are now "swotting" for the final exams.

 don't remember whether I told you or not that I bought myself a grey and wine woolen dressing gown and a pair of bedroom slippers o match when I was in London. I didn't have any and I needed them so that's how I treated myself.  My robe cost me 35 shillings and the slippers 11s 6d.  Also the other day in Oxford I bought some underwear and a couple of suits of pyjamas.  One pair pyjamas matches my dressing gown.  The pyjamas cos 5/6 a pair.  Yesterday I tried to do some Christmas shopping but I am afraid it is beyond me.  I can't think of anything to buy.  I asked for hints but no one would give me any, so if anyone gets nothing they are unlucky, and if they get something they don't like - they are unlucky. Which would you rather be?? When I was home I could have thought of hundreds of things I should have liked from England but now that I am here I can't remember what they were. So, what can I do? - maybe I'll see what Woolworth's have, ha! ha!

I have finished my night flying for this term.  I made 3 solo flights (circuits) and landings.  One night when the squad on fighter planes were flying they "wrote off" (completely wrecked) 2 planes.  One fellow landed before he got to the aerodrome and summer saulted over  a hedge.  He didn't get hut though.  The other fellow drove into the ground on the aerodrome.  This was another "write off".  The pilot bumped his head against the dash board and fractured his nose so they sent him to the hospital.

I won the station football sweep yesterday.  I don't know yet whether I won 1st or 2nd prizes but I think it is 2nd it comes to 5/8.  If I get 1st I'll have 10/10.  Either one is going to be a big help to me.

Last week-end i went home with one of the Corporals (Airmen) to Wales.  I was kidding him some time ago about going home with him, so he came up to me and said "Well, I'm going home this week-end - are you coming with me?"  He said he lived out in the country and didn't know what I would do, but I told him not to worry about that.  Anyway, after about 4 hours on the road he pulled up in front of a huge castle-like ancient building and said "Get out - here's where I live." Well, you could have knocked me over. I had figured on going to a small farm house.  A doorman opened the door and after climbing stairs and winding passages we came to his room.  The main hallways have hand carvings along the walls and no 2 carvings are alike.  Also, there are hand paintings in the ceilings. A most marvelous place, and the grounds around it are absolutely beautiful.

Back of the castle there is a lake with fish in it and pretty little paths bordered by well trimmed hedges leading to the water.  In the front of the house there is a pool filled with goldfish.  Honestly, I thought it was a dream.  I took some pictures of the place and will send you some as soon as I get more made.

We are getting a lot of rain lately and the weather is quite miserable in general. We had frost this morning. I don't suppose I'll see any snow this Christmas.

If there is anything you have in mind that you would like to have please let me know.  There's plenty of antique shops, etc., in Oxford but it's hard to pick out something that someone else would like.

I have to write a letter home tonight so I can't spend any time tonight.  In fact, until exams are over, I suppose my letters will be rather short.

Don't you ever tank any pictures? Moms says "the pullets lat 16 eggs a day and the old hens 8.  We are going to feed them mas".

                                                                                               With Love,

                                                                                               Estelles

P.S. Did you hear the one about the girl with the greased bum? Oh well, I don't think I'll tell you, you couldn't grasp it anyway.


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