No. 2 Flying Training School
Royal Air Force
Brize Norton, Oxford
April 18, 1939
Dear Folks:
If I don't start writing soon I'll forget how. It is ages since I have written any letters in spite of all my intentions. I was going to write Papa a letter for his birthday and it was too late t get it in time so I was going to send a birthday greeting by Cablegram but decided against it - so in the end i didn't do a thing - very sorry, Dad, but I still wish you many happy returns.
Our armament camp at Catfoss turned out to be a 'wash out'. We had so much fog, low clouds and rain that we only got up a few times. I did 1 bombing exercise and dropped 8 bombs about 60 yards from the target and I did one air-firing exercise. So there wasn't much excitement. We spent most of our time eating and sleeping and going to a few shows and dances. I also read quite a few books.
I flew back from Catoss and arrived here about 1:30. Joe Fraser invited me to spend the week-end with him so I caught the 4:30 train to London where Joe met me - he left here on train about 2 hours before I did. Anyhow, after he met me we went to a club where his family and a few aunts etc. were having dinner - a very elaborate affair, after which we went to a play - (Royal Circle seats) and saw "Quiet Wedding". It was fairly good. Then we went out to Joe's home - a large 3 storey stone house kept by a half dozen servants, butlers, Gardener, etc. The grounds were very nice. Mr. Fraser is very keen on gardening - mostly flowers. On one side is a very pretty rock garden surrounding a small pond. The house is very nice inside with the usual English ways of living. I think I am beginning to like it for some reason or other. I suppose in 4 years I'll be a pronounced Englishman.
We were reminded of meals and tea by the sound of a big brass cymbal that someone pounded on. It could be heard all over the house and all around the grounds. Every morning the butler brought my cup of tea and biscuit and polished my shoes. After having my tea I got up and had my bawth - you see I was in the 'Blue Room'. All in all it was a great week-end, very 'posh' indeed. One afternoon we went over to Sir Frank and Lady Madge's estate. They were out sailing on the lake. After they came in we went up to the house in a beautiful sun room and had some cocktails while we were looking at their tropical fish, etc.. It sure is great the way the people with money live a life of ease over here.
All last week we were dashing around the station returning publications and getting clearance forms signed; also we drew our camp equipment which is ours for good - consisting of a tent, folding cot, blankets and a collapsible bath tub. I only hope we never have to live in it. On the week-end I went home with Joe Fraser again and stayed until Sunday afternoon. His sister had a birthday party on Saturday night so Doug and another Canuck came down for the party and went back that night. I met a coupe of Australian girls there and they were very interesting conversationalists - not the type that is in Canada - they were well educated and of the upper classes. It is really great meeting different kinds of people like that. I never thought that I could appreciate so much, but it is a great education in itself.
One thing that is very noticeable over here is the fact that the young folks have mentality and a viewpoint of persons much older then they are. You would take most of the young people here to be about 5 years older than they are.
The place in London where those wax figures are is Madame Tussuad (spelled something like that). I haven't been there yet but will do sometime and have tea with one of her hostesses. It is a wonderful place to meet people. There are a lot of places in London I haven't been to see yet - but will this summer.
I don't do any mechanical work except give a little advice on some of the boys' cars. After my 4 years are up I am though over here. After that all I do is put in a few weeks flying every in Canadian Air Force, that is unless I happen to get a job over here or get a P.C. (Permanent Commission) which is rather hard. But I think if I get the chance I would take it. Since Esther may be home by now or will be home soon I won't duplicated this letter by writing to P.A. She always writes nice letters and I am glad to hear from her.
We have been having marvelous weather since we left Catfoss, it has been so warm. The trees that did shed their leaves are putting them back on again and blossoms are coming out all over. Soon England will be a mass of flowers and roses again.
Richard, you asked me what the round-shaped thing in the roof was, well, that is a shield and the '2-holes' in it are orange colored lights for lighting up the cabin for night flying - the reason they are orange is that they are not visible to another aircraft. Actually it isn't necessary to use lights as all the instruments are luminous. The reason we have to wear goggles is in case it is raining hard or ice forms on the windscreen and windows - we can put our heads out so that we can see, so we have to have our goggles although I don't suppose they are ever used much. When I am flying alone I just wear my service cap and take my helmet along. The "hood" on the plane doesn't slide back but there are 2 windows on each side that slide back and the triangular window near the front turns open. The windows are made of perspex - a heavy celluloid.
Yes, we get asked a lot of questions about Canada, as usual. Sometimes we tell them the truth and other times we "hand it out" - tell them about the Indians barging in our dances, picnics, etc. and going after our scalps - that's why we carry 6-shooters. That picture Mom sent of the huge grasshopper was pretty good - some of these blokes actually believed it - of course I verified the facts.
(Some more answers) Petrol means fuel - known in Canada as gasoline (or gas). The price runs from 1-5 to 1-11 a gallon that's shillings and pence - now you figure it out - between .34 cents and .38 cents.
I don't know how it feels to have the title "Officer" because I haven't felt it yet - I guess it's just like the title "Farmer".
As far as having a servant - I don't know, but if you mean batman - well, he's indispensable. You know what I mean - I couldn't lower myself by making my bed, cleaning my room, fetching my own water or by putting coal on my fire - that's what 'es for', ahem!
Oh yes, another question to answer: In England you don't cut-up at a dance like around Stenen - Oh! my deah, it simple isn't done - don't you know!
So you think Hitler has everything he wants now do you? And you think he wants peace! Well, let me tell you Hitler isn't half what he wants - neither has Benito. They have both bluffed Chamberlain right properly. As far as war goes he is crazy enough to try anything - but he isn't liking for Britain to growl at him too loud, see! I think if you look at the situation right and if Hitler doesn't come to war soon - well, his day is soon over. He has worked Germany into a fervor and got so far but now what can be do? I think he has found a "cul de sac" or a blind street - he has lost an objective. There might be a few little moves he can make but when that is over so are his big ideas. I don't see how there can be a war but anyway, England is prepared.
For instance, I'll tell you a little bit of official secret dope on our anti-craft guns. The 3.5 (inches) gun has a range of 30,000 feet which is the ceiling of most aircraft and the 4.5 gun has a range of 40,000 feet. I suppose you will say there isn't much chance of hitting an aircraft that high when you can't even see it, and flying anywhere between 200 and 400 m.p.h - well, there isn't, but this is how it works: the aircraft detectors which are super sensitive ears with lots of dials and gauges can tell the height and location of an a/c and the speed and course can be found and knowing the wind speed and direction, everything is accounted for. Then a battery consisting of a 8 guns firing 30 shells a piece per minuted with shells that are timed by some means to explode at a certain altitude start firing. When the first shell burst there are just 32 more already on the way - not very comfortable, I should say. But the main point is (I suppose you are wondering about the direct hit or the shrapnel) - well, there isn't any - but the concussion is so great within the radius of 60 or more yards that it is enough to wreck an a/c. they just get tossed about and caved in like a piece of tissue paper. This is an idea of our anti-aircraft protection, besides which of course there is the balloon barrages within their steel nets and our own defensive fight in a/c.
The Wellington Bombers which I hope to get on have a cruising speed of about 250 to 300 m.p.h. for a period of 18 hours with - i don't know how many tons of bombs. They are equipped with sets (not one) of machine guns front, rear and in the middle - I don't think. Oh well, why worry about war - but am in the mood for writing so I hope you don't mind reading this rubbish.
I bought a cheap English sports coat last week for 15 bob (for Richard's benefit $3.75). They are made of a sort of coarse home-spun yarns - a good jacket coast about 4 5shillings.
About 6 of us on 'heavies' are going to Manston on the 25th of this month. In the meantime we are posted here on super numerary duties. All we do is get up and eat and what ever else we care to do. All it means is that instead of going on leave we have this time for later on instead of taking it off our summer's leave, which I hope we will get after we leave Manston.
Showing posts with label Oxford. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Oxford. Show all posts
Friday, April 18, 2014
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.
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.
Wednesday, November 13, 2013
World War II Letters Home November 13, 1938-Estelles Wickenkamp
No. 2 Flying Training School
Royal Air Force
Brize Norton, Oxford
November 13, 1938
Dear Folks:
I suppose you wonder why I didn't write last week. Well, a bunch of us boys went to London for the week-end, on Friday evening and came back Sunday night so I didn't get time to write then and I didn't have time during the week.
We have been night flying every Monday night for our group. Wednesday afternoons we play games all afternoon. We have played soccer and rugby. Our teams are divided up into the "Colonials" vs. "English". The Colonials include Canadian, Australian, New Zealanders, South Africans and South Americans. We took the 'Gor' Blimies for a real ride in their own rugby game last Wednesday. Some time we will play them a game of baseball and show them how it is done.
Doug and I stayed at the Royal Hotel in London. We had a room together, it was a real swell room with 2 single beds, and it only cost us 5/6 a night a piece. We spent most of our time window shopping and gazing about. We went to a few shows. I made an investment and bought myself a dressing gown and a pair of bedroom slippers, which I had to have. I'll have to buy myself some underwear soon, then I think my wardrobe will be complete for a while.
Every time we are in London we go to "Canada House" to see if anyone we know has come over, and also to sign our names in the register. I was talking to a R.C.M.P at the doorway. He is from Winnipeg. They come over here for 2 year periods, this chap has been here about 6 months. It's great to see a redcoat again. I think if they had a few more of them over here and a better type of administration it wouldn't hurt England. Give Mr. Austin and his right hand man my best regards.
I haven't done much flying for the last month on account of the weather - so much fog and drizzle. As you probably know by now an Oxford is not aerobatic, but the other way I attempted to do a stall turn in one and as I went up I got the stick pack too far so when I turned down the tail came up over the vertical, my camera fell off the seat beside me and all the dirt off the floor fell in the top. (N.B. I thought maybe one of the wings would drop off - but I guess it could take it). Anyhow, I'll have to get that "stall turn" a little better next time. I don't suppose you know what a stall turn is, or did I tell you about doing them at Civil School. Maybe I can elucidate if you will pardon my drawings. After the following explanation you might try it on the wash machine.
Simple, isn't it! Instead of being in the position A, I got into position b. Probably if I go into one of the those climbs real fast an hold the stick back i could get a loop out of one of them. I won't try that yet because we are short of planes at the present.
The other day the C.F.I (Chief Flying Instructor) asked us what our choice of planes was after we completed our training here and go into a squadron. I put my name in for heavy bombers. I would have gone in for G.r. (General Reconnaissance) but we would have to fly Ansons, which are about the same as a Oxford, for another and i didn't want to be on these little planes any longer. The fellows that are flying harts (big planes) here have a choice of going on fighters (Hurricane and Spitfire) or medium single or twin engine bombers (Blenheim Fair Battle of Wellesley) the 3 that made the worlds record non-stop. It would take me ages and pages to tell you all about different groups so I call that enough for this time.
We are having a test exam on all our subjects tomorrow and Tuesday. We write our final exams about the 2nd week in December. The exams this term will be the hardest exams we get. After this we do more flying and loafing around and don't have any important exams, so i want to try and pull down some good marks this term.
If war should have broken out during the crisis, we would have just gone on training as per usual. We wouldn't have seen active service.
I was looking through the register in Canada House and I saw the name of a fellow that was in the same form as I at Collegiate. He is a civil school here.
I sent you some magazines, I include a large R.A.F. map. I hope you get it. You will be able to follow up on flights etc. on it.
I was supposed to go on another cross-country last Friday but the weather was hazy and the clouds were so low so I couldn't go. I hope I can get on one this week. If I do go, it will be from here to Farnboro, Bascombe down, Yoevil and back.
We had an Armistice Day Service in one of the hangars today. All the planes were out of it, it is about 300 feet long and 100 feet wide. All of the officers and Airmen were present.
The Senior Terms is away at Armament Camp so there were about 50 Officers, over 200 Airmen (riggers, fitters, clerks, etc.) and over 200 Airmen recruits, about 50 ex-service men and their wives. So there were quite a few people standing there, oh yes, we also had the Air Force Band in attendance. On Church Parade everyone wears their best blue and peak caps, and greatcoats, also I might say that a greatcoat is not worn without gloves on. It was quit a sight as we all marched out of the hangars by squadrons - with the bank playing. I wish you could have been here to see us.
So you blew yourselves to a good wind-electric. You should be able to have lights and the radio now without much trouble. Did you get Oscar Olson to change that register yet? Where are you cutting wood this year? Have you had any frosts yet?
I suppose work is slowing down at the garage. I got the letter Mr. Tait wrote. I can hardly manage to write to you and Esther, let alone write to a lot of other people that I should drop a line to.
Now that Rusty is gone you will have to get another puppy to feed. Are there many wild ducks this year? I suppose Richard has the old double-barrel all oiled up.
Well this will have to by my limit this week. I'll see what I can do with my exams for the next couple of days.
With Love,
Estelles
Royal Air Force
Brize Norton, Oxford
November 13, 1938
Dear Folks:
I suppose you wonder why I didn't write last week. Well, a bunch of us boys went to London for the week-end, on Friday evening and came back Sunday night so I didn't get time to write then and I didn't have time during the week.
We have been night flying every Monday night for our group. Wednesday afternoons we play games all afternoon. We have played soccer and rugby. Our teams are divided up into the "Colonials" vs. "English". The Colonials include Canadian, Australian, New Zealanders, South Africans and South Americans. We took the 'Gor' Blimies for a real ride in their own rugby game last Wednesday. Some time we will play them a game of baseball and show them how it is done.
Doug and I stayed at the Royal Hotel in London. We had a room together, it was a real swell room with 2 single beds, and it only cost us 5/6 a night a piece. We spent most of our time window shopping and gazing about. We went to a few shows. I made an investment and bought myself a dressing gown and a pair of bedroom slippers, which I had to have. I'll have to buy myself some underwear soon, then I think my wardrobe will be complete for a while.
Every time we are in London we go to "Canada House" to see if anyone we know has come over, and also to sign our names in the register. I was talking to a R.C.M.P at the doorway. He is from Winnipeg. They come over here for 2 year periods, this chap has been here about 6 months. It's great to see a redcoat again. I think if they had a few more of them over here and a better type of administration it wouldn't hurt England. Give Mr. Austin and his right hand man my best regards.
I haven't done much flying for the last month on account of the weather - so much fog and drizzle. As you probably know by now an Oxford is not aerobatic, but the other way I attempted to do a stall turn in one and as I went up I got the stick pack too far so when I turned down the tail came up over the vertical, my camera fell off the seat beside me and all the dirt off the floor fell in the top. (N.B. I thought maybe one of the wings would drop off - but I guess it could take it). Anyhow, I'll have to get that "stall turn" a little better next time. I don't suppose you know what a stall turn is, or did I tell you about doing them at Civil School. Maybe I can elucidate if you will pardon my drawings. After the following explanation you might try it on the wash machine.
Simple, isn't it! Instead of being in the position A, I got into position b. Probably if I go into one of the those climbs real fast an hold the stick back i could get a loop out of one of them. I won't try that yet because we are short of planes at the present.
The other day the C.F.I (Chief Flying Instructor) asked us what our choice of planes was after we completed our training here and go into a squadron. I put my name in for heavy bombers. I would have gone in for G.r. (General Reconnaissance) but we would have to fly Ansons, which are about the same as a Oxford, for another and i didn't want to be on these little planes any longer. The fellows that are flying harts (big planes) here have a choice of going on fighters (Hurricane and Spitfire) or medium single or twin engine bombers (Blenheim Fair Battle of Wellesley) the 3 that made the worlds record non-stop. It would take me ages and pages to tell you all about different groups so I call that enough for this time.
We are having a test exam on all our subjects tomorrow and Tuesday. We write our final exams about the 2nd week in December. The exams this term will be the hardest exams we get. After this we do more flying and loafing around and don't have any important exams, so i want to try and pull down some good marks this term.
If war should have broken out during the crisis, we would have just gone on training as per usual. We wouldn't have seen active service.
I was looking through the register in Canada House and I saw the name of a fellow that was in the same form as I at Collegiate. He is a civil school here.
I sent you some magazines, I include a large R.A.F. map. I hope you get it. You will be able to follow up on flights etc. on it.
I was supposed to go on another cross-country last Friday but the weather was hazy and the clouds were so low so I couldn't go. I hope I can get on one this week. If I do go, it will be from here to Farnboro, Bascombe down, Yoevil and back.
We had an Armistice Day Service in one of the hangars today. All the planes were out of it, it is about 300 feet long and 100 feet wide. All of the officers and Airmen were present.
The Senior Terms is away at Armament Camp so there were about 50 Officers, over 200 Airmen (riggers, fitters, clerks, etc.) and over 200 Airmen recruits, about 50 ex-service men and their wives. So there were quite a few people standing there, oh yes, we also had the Air Force Band in attendance. On Church Parade everyone wears their best blue and peak caps, and greatcoats, also I might say that a greatcoat is not worn without gloves on. It was quit a sight as we all marched out of the hangars by squadrons - with the bank playing. I wish you could have been here to see us.
So you blew yourselves to a good wind-electric. You should be able to have lights and the radio now without much trouble. Did you get Oscar Olson to change that register yet? Where are you cutting wood this year? Have you had any frosts yet?
I suppose work is slowing down at the garage. I got the letter Mr. Tait wrote. I can hardly manage to write to you and Esther, let alone write to a lot of other people that I should drop a line to.
Now that Rusty is gone you will have to get another puppy to feed. Are there many wild ducks this year? I suppose Richard has the old double-barrel all oiled up.
Well this will have to by my limit this week. I'll see what I can do with my exams for the next couple of days.
With Love,
Estelles
Wednesday, October 30, 2013
World War II Letters Home October 30, 1938-Estelles Wickenkamp
No. Flying Training School
Royal Air Force
Brize Norton, Oxford
October 30, 1938
Dear Folks:
Thank you for the nice birthday cards, they are swell. I didn't even send you any, all I did was write a letter. I would like to send something but I didn't know what to send.
If everything turns out all right Doug Morris and I may get a long week-end this week and go into London and do a bit of shopping. Since i have spent very little money all month I think I can squeeze in a trip to town (which means London to everyone here).
Tomorrow Richard is 24 - you will soon be a big boy: I hope you ate a piece of birthday cake for me.
Friday we had out 'big dance'. It was a huge success. I think everyone had a wonderful time. I don't know how many people were here - probably 200 including ourselves. There were all sorts of Officers, Lords and Ladies etc. The whole mess (which includes dining room and lounge ordinarily) was beautifully decorated and all the lights were covered by Chinese lanterns.
Our dining was converted into a ballroom and the lounge was divided into 3 parts, one end was the bar, the other was the buffer where all sorts of cold foods were served, ice cream, shrimps, salads, olives etc., trifle, cold meats, sandwiches, and i don't know what else. In the center part there were small tables around which everyone sat during intermissions and smoked, drank and talked. the hallway between the anterooms of lounge and the ball room were lined on both sides with plants. They sure went to a lot of work fixing everything up. The ladies all wore long evening gowns (frocks over here), some of them trailed on the floor for other people to tread on. The dance broke up about 3:30 a.m. We danced the famous "Lambeth Walk", Penny Glide, and other silly English dances. They know that none of us would be any good in class so all our lectures for Saturday morning were cancelled so we could sleep in.
I saw a picture in one of the papers today of the first snowfall in Ontario, so I suppose you have had some snow too, and frost. We haven't had any frost yet and the prospects for snow, I thin, are quite slim. It seems funny that winter is coming and all the difference it makes is that there is more constant fog and drizzle. Some days there isn't any flying at all on account of fog. Probably by spring I will be used to it.
The Senior Term from here are going hear Woodstock to an Armament Camp for practice bombing and machine gunning for 5 weeks, so just Junior Term will be left. There will be about 200 airmen recruits coming here soon. About all they will be doing for the first couple months is drill.
The other day there wasn't a plan for me to fly so I went along with one of the boys and our instructor. This boy was having an instrument flying test (under the hood) so after he flew around for about an hour and passed his test, the instructor took us up above the clouds and shot them up. We dived down at about 250 m.p.h. then zoomed up over the tops of these heavy rolling clouds that looked like mountains. We went through the top of one as son as we got in it, the plane sort of shook all over as the air is 'rough' in these clouds. I didn't know we were going up above them or I would have taken my camera along, because below the clouds was foggy and dark and I couldn't get any pictures of the ground. It sure is beautiful above the clouds, it's hard to explain, it is just like coming into a sea of white mountains. Actually one gets quite a thrill being up there just for the view.
I have just found out that we are allowed to stay in camp during our Christmas leave, so unless I can find some cheap place to spend the 2 weeks, I think I'll stay here in camp. Time seems to fly here and it won't be long until spring, so I'll save up and go on a holiday when we get our 2 months leave next summer.
Most of the boys here go into Oxford or some other town every Saturday and spend 1 or 2 quid (pounds) just loafing around, etc. but I don't get any kick out of that so I am going to save those extra pennies and buy a cheap motorbike so I can putt-putt around the country and see some of the sites. I can get a good bike and new tires on it for 5 pounds - the same bike in Canada would cost about $100. One of the boys in the Senior Term has it and I can pay for it a pound a month - so I won't even notice that. I wouldn't think of getting one but I figure it's the cheapest way of getting around and you don't have to be buying bus tickets every time you want to go anywhere..
(END OF LETTER MISSING)
Royal Air Force
Brize Norton, Oxford
October 30, 1938
Dear Folks:
Thank you for the nice birthday cards, they are swell. I didn't even send you any, all I did was write a letter. I would like to send something but I didn't know what to send.
If everything turns out all right Doug Morris and I may get a long week-end this week and go into London and do a bit of shopping. Since i have spent very little money all month I think I can squeeze in a trip to town (which means London to everyone here).
Tomorrow Richard is 24 - you will soon be a big boy: I hope you ate a piece of birthday cake for me.
Friday we had out 'big dance'. It was a huge success. I think everyone had a wonderful time. I don't know how many people were here - probably 200 including ourselves. There were all sorts of Officers, Lords and Ladies etc. The whole mess (which includes dining room and lounge ordinarily) was beautifully decorated and all the lights were covered by Chinese lanterns.
Our dining was converted into a ballroom and the lounge was divided into 3 parts, one end was the bar, the other was the buffer where all sorts of cold foods were served, ice cream, shrimps, salads, olives etc., trifle, cold meats, sandwiches, and i don't know what else. In the center part there were small tables around which everyone sat during intermissions and smoked, drank and talked. the hallway between the anterooms of lounge and the ball room were lined on both sides with plants. They sure went to a lot of work fixing everything up. The ladies all wore long evening gowns (frocks over here), some of them trailed on the floor for other people to tread on. The dance broke up about 3:30 a.m. We danced the famous "Lambeth Walk", Penny Glide, and other silly English dances. They know that none of us would be any good in class so all our lectures for Saturday morning were cancelled so we could sleep in.
I saw a picture in one of the papers today of the first snowfall in Ontario, so I suppose you have had some snow too, and frost. We haven't had any frost yet and the prospects for snow, I thin, are quite slim. It seems funny that winter is coming and all the difference it makes is that there is more constant fog and drizzle. Some days there isn't any flying at all on account of fog. Probably by spring I will be used to it.
The Senior Term from here are going hear Woodstock to an Armament Camp for practice bombing and machine gunning for 5 weeks, so just Junior Term will be left. There will be about 200 airmen recruits coming here soon. About all they will be doing for the first couple months is drill.
The other day there wasn't a plan for me to fly so I went along with one of the boys and our instructor. This boy was having an instrument flying test (under the hood) so after he flew around for about an hour and passed his test, the instructor took us up above the clouds and shot them up. We dived down at about 250 m.p.h. then zoomed up over the tops of these heavy rolling clouds that looked like mountains. We went through the top of one as son as we got in it, the plane sort of shook all over as the air is 'rough' in these clouds. I didn't know we were going up above them or I would have taken my camera along, because below the clouds was foggy and dark and I couldn't get any pictures of the ground. It sure is beautiful above the clouds, it's hard to explain, it is just like coming into a sea of white mountains. Actually one gets quite a thrill being up there just for the view.
I have just found out that we are allowed to stay in camp during our Christmas leave, so unless I can find some cheap place to spend the 2 weeks, I think I'll stay here in camp. Time seems to fly here and it won't be long until spring, so I'll save up and go on a holiday when we get our 2 months leave next summer.
Most of the boys here go into Oxford or some other town every Saturday and spend 1 or 2 quid (pounds) just loafing around, etc. but I don't get any kick out of that so I am going to save those extra pennies and buy a cheap motorbike so I can putt-putt around the country and see some of the sites. I can get a good bike and new tires on it for 5 pounds - the same bike in Canada would cost about $100. One of the boys in the Senior Term has it and I can pay for it a pound a month - so I won't even notice that. I wouldn't think of getting one but I figure it's the cheapest way of getting around and you don't have to be buying bus tickets every time you want to go anywhere..
(END OF LETTER MISSING)
Friday, October 18, 2013
World War II Letters Home October 16,1938-Estelles Wickenkamp
No. 2 Flying Training School
Royal Air Force
Brize Norton, Oxford
Sunday, October 16, 1938
Dear Esther:
I have before me letters from you dated September 14th, 23rd and 28th - they seem to be coming quite regularly. Your last letter is quite amusing in several respects. I don't see why you haven't received all of my letters as they were all addressed the same, and I have written to you nearly once a week for the last 3 months or so. And besides that I enclosed a bunch of pictures in almost every other letter. Let me know what pictures you have that I have sent and any you didn't get. I will try to get some more made. It keeps me guessing to remember what pictures I send and who gets them.
Yes, we take up wireless, I can receive up to 10 and 12 words a minute now. a word consists of 5 letters. We use Trig. for calculating triangles of force, velocity, etc. and other engineering maths.
The next time I get into a place where I can get R.A.F pins I will, and send it to you.
We haven't got our refund on our tickets yet. I sure hope they hurry up because I know you will be wanting you money soon.
Have I seen the famed Oxford College yet? Ha! Ha!. Now my dear girl which one do you mean. I can't just place it - you see there are only about 2 dozen famous colleges in Oxford. I'll try to get a list of the names for your future reference.
The next time that dummy gets after you -just give her an aeroplane spin that will keep her woozy for a bit.
Thanks for the addresses. I have been waiting a long time for someone to send me some.
You asked me in one of you letters how long it takes to complete our flying course - well, it's night on foah yeahs. By that time I hope to be a Flight Lieutenant and have my Navigators 2nd class, and Ground Engineers' Certificates.
I have a chance to get a good motor-bike from one of the boys in the senior term who is going to another camp. He wants 4 quid (pounds) for it and I can pay him sometime after New Years. I wouldn't think of buying it but it gets so damn monotonous staying around here without being able to get away, except on a bus or peddling a push-bike. I haven't had any week-end leave yet because I have no place to go.
By the way, you haven't told me whether Mom sends my letters up to you to read. If she does I won't have to repeat myself and probably I could write about something different to you.
We set our clocks ahead an hour last week no it's dark at about 5 o'clock now.
I wish you could see some of the pubs over here. Some of them are fixed up quite nice inside. There is one near here with a lot of old sea men's lanterns hung up, and old heavy plank tables and benches. It looks quite antique. Of course you know that every one goes into a pub here and you get everything from mineral water (soft drinks to you) to Benedictine. Instead of saying "Let's stop in here and have a cup of coffee?" meaning a beer. beer costs threepence ha penny a glass. Mineral waters about tuppence (which very few people drink). I don't spend much time in the pubs - probably once in a week or 2. We can get all the beer we want here in our mess (dining room and lounge room). We can't spend any money here in the station (R.A.F.) - everything we get in the mess is just put on your account.
All of our pay is put into our bank. We pay mess accounts by cheque, and if we want any cash we have to cash a cheque. There is never much left after we pay our mess bills.
After Christmas we will get our wings, then I am going to get a real photograph taken and send it to you.
I have been writing letters all day and am getting "browned-off" - expression for fed up, as I haven't been out walking or anything today. It gets terribly irksome and dull here sometimes. If it wasn't for flying I'd throw this life up in 2 minutes.
Of course, when I realize how much it would cost to get a course like this at a civil aviation school, I know I never would have learned to fly even, so I guess it really is not so bad. It isn't that I mind working hours; it's times when you don't have anything to do that gets you down. It must be the people or the atmosphere of aloofness of dumb-headedness that irritates us Canadians. The C.O. (Commanding Officer) of this station is a typical two-faced English hypocrite and he sure gets under my skin. He doesn't seem sincere as far as I make out.
I am not going to send any of you folks any birthday presents, sorry, you will have to wait until Christmas; there won't be so much duty then. I really haven't the slightest idea what to send anyone for Christmas. Like a good little sister maybe you could give me some hints or ideas. I want to send something real nice to dear Mom; she always writes every week and I know she is always wondering how I am getting along, etc. I hope she doesn't worry about me; everyone seems to think Air Force is a dose of poison because there is always someone getting killed and they make sure it goes into the paper. There are hundreds more getting killed every day in cars, etc. but no one thinks anything of it. No matter where you are or what you are doing you never know when you'll get it in the neck, so why worry!
I went on a cross country solo on Friday for about 350 or more miles. It took me a little over 2 hours. I sure saw a lot of territory. I went to Portsmouth, then to Bristol and back. I sure love navigation. It is a lot different in these high speed machines than our "Moths", going 3 miles a minute. It doesn't take long to get off your course if you aren't careful or if you can't read a map correctly. The main thing when you get lost is to keep cool and try at least to figure out where you might be, then if you can't find out - well - land.
I think I am running out of petrol so better I should sign off.
As Ever, With Love,
Your Brother, Estelles
P.S How about maybe some snaps?
Royal Air Force
Brize Norton, Oxford
Sunday, October 16, 1938
Dear Esther:
I have before me letters from you dated September 14th, 23rd and 28th - they seem to be coming quite regularly. Your last letter is quite amusing in several respects. I don't see why you haven't received all of my letters as they were all addressed the same, and I have written to you nearly once a week for the last 3 months or so. And besides that I enclosed a bunch of pictures in almost every other letter. Let me know what pictures you have that I have sent and any you didn't get. I will try to get some more made. It keeps me guessing to remember what pictures I send and who gets them.
Yes, we take up wireless, I can receive up to 10 and 12 words a minute now. a word consists of 5 letters. We use Trig. for calculating triangles of force, velocity, etc. and other engineering maths.
The next time I get into a place where I can get R.A.F pins I will, and send it to you.
We haven't got our refund on our tickets yet. I sure hope they hurry up because I know you will be wanting you money soon.
Have I seen the famed Oxford College yet? Ha! Ha!. Now my dear girl which one do you mean. I can't just place it - you see there are only about 2 dozen famous colleges in Oxford. I'll try to get a list of the names for your future reference.
The next time that dummy gets after you -just give her an aeroplane spin that will keep her woozy for a bit.
Thanks for the addresses. I have been waiting a long time for someone to send me some.
You asked me in one of you letters how long it takes to complete our flying course - well, it's night on foah yeahs. By that time I hope to be a Flight Lieutenant and have my Navigators 2nd class, and Ground Engineers' Certificates.
I have a chance to get a good motor-bike from one of the boys in the senior term who is going to another camp. He wants 4 quid (pounds) for it and I can pay him sometime after New Years. I wouldn't think of buying it but it gets so damn monotonous staying around here without being able to get away, except on a bus or peddling a push-bike. I haven't had any week-end leave yet because I have no place to go.
By the way, you haven't told me whether Mom sends my letters up to you to read. If she does I won't have to repeat myself and probably I could write about something different to you.
We set our clocks ahead an hour last week no it's dark at about 5 o'clock now.
I wish you could see some of the pubs over here. Some of them are fixed up quite nice inside. There is one near here with a lot of old sea men's lanterns hung up, and old heavy plank tables and benches. It looks quite antique. Of course you know that every one goes into a pub here and you get everything from mineral water (soft drinks to you) to Benedictine. Instead of saying "Let's stop in here and have a cup of coffee?" meaning a beer. beer costs threepence ha penny a glass. Mineral waters about tuppence (which very few people drink). I don't spend much time in the pubs - probably once in a week or 2. We can get all the beer we want here in our mess (dining room and lounge room). We can't spend any money here in the station (R.A.F.) - everything we get in the mess is just put on your account.
All of our pay is put into our bank. We pay mess accounts by cheque, and if we want any cash we have to cash a cheque. There is never much left after we pay our mess bills.
After Christmas we will get our wings, then I am going to get a real photograph taken and send it to you.
I have been writing letters all day and am getting "browned-off" - expression for fed up, as I haven't been out walking or anything today. It gets terribly irksome and dull here sometimes. If it wasn't for flying I'd throw this life up in 2 minutes.
Of course, when I realize how much it would cost to get a course like this at a civil aviation school, I know I never would have learned to fly even, so I guess it really is not so bad. It isn't that I mind working hours; it's times when you don't have anything to do that gets you down. It must be the people or the atmosphere of aloofness of dumb-headedness that irritates us Canadians. The C.O. (Commanding Officer) of this station is a typical two-faced English hypocrite and he sure gets under my skin. He doesn't seem sincere as far as I make out.
I am not going to send any of you folks any birthday presents, sorry, you will have to wait until Christmas; there won't be so much duty then. I really haven't the slightest idea what to send anyone for Christmas. Like a good little sister maybe you could give me some hints or ideas. I want to send something real nice to dear Mom; she always writes every week and I know she is always wondering how I am getting along, etc. I hope she doesn't worry about me; everyone seems to think Air Force is a dose of poison because there is always someone getting killed and they make sure it goes into the paper. There are hundreds more getting killed every day in cars, etc. but no one thinks anything of it. No matter where you are or what you are doing you never know when you'll get it in the neck, so why worry!
I went on a cross country solo on Friday for about 350 or more miles. It took me a little over 2 hours. I sure saw a lot of territory. I went to Portsmouth, then to Bristol and back. I sure love navigation. It is a lot different in these high speed machines than our "Moths", going 3 miles a minute. It doesn't take long to get off your course if you aren't careful or if you can't read a map correctly. The main thing when you get lost is to keep cool and try at least to figure out where you might be, then if you can't find out - well - land.
I think I am running out of petrol so better I should sign off.
As Ever, With Love,
Your Brother, Estelles
P.S How about maybe some snaps?
Wednesday, October 16, 2013
World War II Letters Home October 16, 1938-Estelles Wickenkamp
No. 2 Flying Training School
Royal Air Force
Brize Norton, Oxford
Sunday, October 16, 1938
Dear Folks:
I received your letters, all 3 of them, yesterday. I wondered why I hadn't heard from you, I thought probably you letter had been lost. It was raining this morning but the sun is shining now and it is quite nice outside.
Yesterday afternoon Doug and I borrowed our Batmen's push-bikes and rode up to Tissington, another R.A.F. station where some of our friends are. We stayed there for tea and came back home for supper. I must be getting the cycling habit.
That Dundas boy in the picture is from Pelly - he is in Egypt now. I didn't get much flying last week, only on Monday and Friday. On Friday I went (solo) on a cross-country trip of about 300 miles. I left there at 2:15 p.m. for an aerodrome near Portsmouth on the south coast. About half way I "shot up" Basingstoke, meaning I was doing some "reco" (reconnaissance work), drawing a map of the town, etc., counting trains, trucks. After I got to Tantmere I went along the coast eastwards, (on my own), then I altered my course (compass) in aline for Bristol on the Severn River. About half way there I was supposed to land at Boscome-down. Well, I stayed there for about 10 minutes and realized I would be overdue if I didn't make up for lost time, so from there to Bristol and back here I opened 'er up to about 190 m.p.h. (ordinary cruising speed speed is about 160 m.p.h.) so I got back here right on the dot - I was away 2 hours 15 minutes all together. Anyhow, I passed my test, and that is more than most of them did.
Before we go on a cross-country we go with the Navigation Instruction for a test. Two of us went with him. The first fellow piloted the first half of the trip, then I took over and the Navigation Instructor only let me fly for about half an hour (our trip was 2 hours), then I guess he thought I was getting along too well so he told me to get in the back and change with the other chap. he didn't follow his course so well and didn't pass it, that is why quite a few of the boys didn't get to go on a cross-country solo. I sure love to do navigation - it's great rambling about the country - reading maps. On my trip I used a nice sum for me to go joy riding. It will cost them more than that before i am through with this course.
You asked about a Navigator;s Certificate. That means besides just being able to fly, that you have qualified in map reading, calculating courses, calculating wind speed and direction, and to pin point your location while flying. To get this Navigator's Certificate we go to Manston which is on the north-east corner of Kent near Dover. There we fly with a navigator - that is 2 of us change about piloting and navigating - out over the North Sea. While out there we get instructions by radio that we are to change course and to some other point to intercept a ship. After we get more instruction by W/T (wireless telephone) and in that manner they send us all over. That is navigation - not map reading, the water has no land marks.
We have had several machine-gun practices on the range. We get belts of cartridges with bent and dud rounds in them so that we learn how to clear stoppages, and what causes them.
I can receive about 10 to 12 words a minuted in Morse Code. A 'word' is 5 letters. We don't use telegraph clicker keys - we use a buzzer with a key - that is so we can send and receive while in the air. Our planes are equipped with radio.
Some of the boys got a little dual night flying on Saturday. I was supposed to go up at 11:30 but it got too foggy.
We had what they cal a "Guest Night" last Tuesday. There weren't any outsiders, just all of us Officers. The Junior Term had to provide some entertainment for the Senior Term; if it wasn't satisfactory you had to go in the pen ( a corner of the room). After the entertainment was all over they made those in the pen run the gauntlet, which meant crawling under 2 tables and run between two lines of Seniors armed with knotted towels and newspapers rolled up. As they were getting ready for for this, everyone, and I mean everyone, stripped of their jackets, shirts, right to the waist, loosening the straps under wellingtons so our trousers were loose, then went through the works. As we went under the tables we had soda water and beer squirted at us, what a turmoil - then -the fight (which everyone was anticipating) started - Juniors vs. Seniors. You couldn't imagine such a transformation - with in 10 seconds there were about a hundred of us scrapping on the floor and all over the lounge room. Of course it was all in fun. Some of the boys thought they could leave their shirts on, well, they have to buy new ones now! After we were too tired to go any more we sang a few group songs and went to bed. Everyone was so tired they could hardly walk. That's what they call "Guest Night". The whole thing was really silly but I guess it is the only chance we let loose all our pent-up emotions and energy. Oh yes, the Seniors threw one of our chaps in the bathtub before we got through we had 3 of them in the water, clothes and all.
We are having our big dance her on the 28th. I don't know ow sophisticated it is going to be. I'll leave that until I find out.
I wrote a letter to Vernon. I got a letter from him and I guess he sure has his noes to the grindstone. He says Lyons is real good to him and helps him all he can.
I think am just about out of news, so I think I'll start a letter to Esther. She said in her last letter she has only received 2 letters from me and she should have about 10 by now, so apparently some of them have been lost. You seem to get all of mine. I am glad you got plenty fair crop this year.
I suppose you were all quite worried over the prospects of war - well, I couldn't see how there could be a war - although everyone was or acted awfully scared. Nearly everyone in England has had gas masks issued to them and the parks in London and all over are dug full of trenches and gas-proof chambers. About half the school children were sent out to the country, and a lot of people moved out. During the scare none of us could get week-end leave, and those on holidays were all recalled to their units. Well, it's all over with so there's nothing to worry about.
Take good care of yourselves and don't work too hard. I suppose you will soon be having snow and frosts.
Will write again next Sunday.
With Love,
Estelles
P.S. Thanks for the letter, Dad and Harold. Keep on writing. E.
Royal Air Force
Brize Norton, Oxford
Sunday, October 16, 1938
Dear Folks:
I received your letters, all 3 of them, yesterday. I wondered why I hadn't heard from you, I thought probably you letter had been lost. It was raining this morning but the sun is shining now and it is quite nice outside.
Yesterday afternoon Doug and I borrowed our Batmen's push-bikes and rode up to Tissington, another R.A.F. station where some of our friends are. We stayed there for tea and came back home for supper. I must be getting the cycling habit.
That Dundas boy in the picture is from Pelly - he is in Egypt now. I didn't get much flying last week, only on Monday and Friday. On Friday I went (solo) on a cross-country trip of about 300 miles. I left there at 2:15 p.m. for an aerodrome near Portsmouth on the south coast. About half way I "shot up" Basingstoke, meaning I was doing some "reco" (reconnaissance work), drawing a map of the town, etc., counting trains, trucks. After I got to Tantmere I went along the coast eastwards, (on my own), then I altered my course (compass) in aline for Bristol on the Severn River. About half way there I was supposed to land at Boscome-down. Well, I stayed there for about 10 minutes and realized I would be overdue if I didn't make up for lost time, so from there to Bristol and back here I opened 'er up to about 190 m.p.h. (ordinary cruising speed speed is about 160 m.p.h.) so I got back here right on the dot - I was away 2 hours 15 minutes all together. Anyhow, I passed my test, and that is more than most of them did.
Before we go on a cross-country we go with the Navigation Instruction for a test. Two of us went with him. The first fellow piloted the first half of the trip, then I took over and the Navigation Instructor only let me fly for about half an hour (our trip was 2 hours), then I guess he thought I was getting along too well so he told me to get in the back and change with the other chap. he didn't follow his course so well and didn't pass it, that is why quite a few of the boys didn't get to go on a cross-country solo. I sure love to do navigation - it's great rambling about the country - reading maps. On my trip I used a nice sum for me to go joy riding. It will cost them more than that before i am through with this course.
You asked about a Navigator;s Certificate. That means besides just being able to fly, that you have qualified in map reading, calculating courses, calculating wind speed and direction, and to pin point your location while flying. To get this Navigator's Certificate we go to Manston which is on the north-east corner of Kent near Dover. There we fly with a navigator - that is 2 of us change about piloting and navigating - out over the North Sea. While out there we get instructions by radio that we are to change course and to some other point to intercept a ship. After we get more instruction by W/T (wireless telephone) and in that manner they send us all over. That is navigation - not map reading, the water has no land marks.
We have had several machine-gun practices on the range. We get belts of cartridges with bent and dud rounds in them so that we learn how to clear stoppages, and what causes them.
I can receive about 10 to 12 words a minuted in Morse Code. A 'word' is 5 letters. We don't use telegraph clicker keys - we use a buzzer with a key - that is so we can send and receive while in the air. Our planes are equipped with radio.
Some of the boys got a little dual night flying on Saturday. I was supposed to go up at 11:30 but it got too foggy.
We had what they cal a "Guest Night" last Tuesday. There weren't any outsiders, just all of us Officers. The Junior Term had to provide some entertainment for the Senior Term; if it wasn't satisfactory you had to go in the pen ( a corner of the room). After the entertainment was all over they made those in the pen run the gauntlet, which meant crawling under 2 tables and run between two lines of Seniors armed with knotted towels and newspapers rolled up. As they were getting ready for for this, everyone, and I mean everyone, stripped of their jackets, shirts, right to the waist, loosening the straps under wellingtons so our trousers were loose, then went through the works. As we went under the tables we had soda water and beer squirted at us, what a turmoil - then -the fight (which everyone was anticipating) started - Juniors vs. Seniors. You couldn't imagine such a transformation - with in 10 seconds there were about a hundred of us scrapping on the floor and all over the lounge room. Of course it was all in fun. Some of the boys thought they could leave their shirts on, well, they have to buy new ones now! After we were too tired to go any more we sang a few group songs and went to bed. Everyone was so tired they could hardly walk. That's what they call "Guest Night". The whole thing was really silly but I guess it is the only chance we let loose all our pent-up emotions and energy. Oh yes, the Seniors threw one of our chaps in the bathtub before we got through we had 3 of them in the water, clothes and all.
We are having our big dance her on the 28th. I don't know ow sophisticated it is going to be. I'll leave that until I find out.
I wrote a letter to Vernon. I got a letter from him and I guess he sure has his noes to the grindstone. He says Lyons is real good to him and helps him all he can.
I think am just about out of news, so I think I'll start a letter to Esther. She said in her last letter she has only received 2 letters from me and she should have about 10 by now, so apparently some of them have been lost. You seem to get all of mine. I am glad you got plenty fair crop this year.
I suppose you were all quite worried over the prospects of war - well, I couldn't see how there could be a war - although everyone was or acted awfully scared. Nearly everyone in England has had gas masks issued to them and the parks in London and all over are dug full of trenches and gas-proof chambers. About half the school children were sent out to the country, and a lot of people moved out. During the scare none of us could get week-end leave, and those on holidays were all recalled to their units. Well, it's all over with so there's nothing to worry about.
Take good care of yourselves and don't work too hard. I suppose you will soon be having snow and frosts.
Will write again next Sunday.
With Love,
Estelles
P.S. Thanks for the letter, Dad and Harold. Keep on writing. E.
Monday, October 7, 2013
World War II Letters Home October 7, 1938-Estelles Wickenkamp
No. 2 Flying Training School
Royal Air Force
Brize Norton, Oxford
October 7, 1938
Dear Folks:
This Friday night I am going to start a letter, if I can, and finish it on Sunday.
We have been having oodles of rain here and lately we have some real high winds. For 6 days i was unlucky enough to be on flights when it had to rain so I didn't get any flying until yesterday. I went up on a height test solo. We are only supposed to go up to 15,000 feet and stay there for about 10 minutes. That didn't seem very high up to me so kept going. I got up to 18,500 feet and saw that i had to be down in half an hour so i quite there. It was about 10 degrees or 15 degrees below zero at that altitude. The sun was shining into the cabin so I was quite warm except my feet and they sure were cold. I glided down at 90 m.p.h to about 15,000 feet, then I wanted to go faster so I put the noes down and opened the throttles about 1/3. The motors made a funny whine because they run so fast when you dive. All the boys in the class heard it. Anyhow I got it going about 240 m.p.h the I shut the motors down and pulled the nose up again. Some of the boys suffer from earache and find it hard to breath even at 16,000 feet, but it didn't bother me - only it made me belch a couple of times.
I was doing some forced landing practices and some low flying with my instructor today, but it was quite windy and so it was really too rough and bumpy to do much low flying, so my instructor got out and I did some circuits and landing practice for 3/4 of an hour. I haven't taken my camera up with me but will try to remember to sometime next week. I would like to get some good pictures of the country around here, also of the aerodrome from the air. There is only one other boy here that I have talked to that has gone up to 14,500 feet. There may be a few more but I don't this there are many.
The storms and lightning put a few planes from other places out of commission this week. One Harrow Bomber with 5 men in it was struck by lightning about 10 miles out over Channel; the engine stopped and the instruments were haywire but they glided over to land and they all bailed out safely in their parachutes. This happened at night.
We haven't started our night flying yet, but probably will this coming week. As I told you before we only get one solo at night this term, until after New Year's.
(To be continued October 10)
Royal Air Force
Brize Norton, Oxford
October 7, 1938
Dear Folks:
This Friday night I am going to start a letter, if I can, and finish it on Sunday.
We have been having oodles of rain here and lately we have some real high winds. For 6 days i was unlucky enough to be on flights when it had to rain so I didn't get any flying until yesterday. I went up on a height test solo. We are only supposed to go up to 15,000 feet and stay there for about 10 minutes. That didn't seem very high up to me so kept going. I got up to 18,500 feet and saw that i had to be down in half an hour so i quite there. It was about 10 degrees or 15 degrees below zero at that altitude. The sun was shining into the cabin so I was quite warm except my feet and they sure were cold. I glided down at 90 m.p.h to about 15,000 feet, then I wanted to go faster so I put the noes down and opened the throttles about 1/3. The motors made a funny whine because they run so fast when you dive. All the boys in the class heard it. Anyhow I got it going about 240 m.p.h the I shut the motors down and pulled the nose up again. Some of the boys suffer from earache and find it hard to breath even at 16,000 feet, but it didn't bother me - only it made me belch a couple of times.
I was doing some forced landing practices and some low flying with my instructor today, but it was quite windy and so it was really too rough and bumpy to do much low flying, so my instructor got out and I did some circuits and landing practice for 3/4 of an hour. I haven't taken my camera up with me but will try to remember to sometime next week. I would like to get some good pictures of the country around here, also of the aerodrome from the air. There is only one other boy here that I have talked to that has gone up to 14,500 feet. There may be a few more but I don't this there are many.
The storms and lightning put a few planes from other places out of commission this week. One Harrow Bomber with 5 men in it was struck by lightning about 10 miles out over Channel; the engine stopped and the instruments were haywire but they glided over to land and they all bailed out safely in their parachutes. This happened at night.
We haven't started our night flying yet, but probably will this coming week. As I told you before we only get one solo at night this term, until after New Year's.
(To be continued October 10)
Thursday, October 3, 2013
World War II Letters Home October 3, 1938-Estelles Wickenkamp
No. 2 Flying Training School
Brize Norton, Oxford
October 3,1938
Dear Folks:
When I woke up this morning it was pouring rain so I stayed in bed until 10 o'clock. It has slacked off a little now but is a dreary day. We are allowed to have fires in our rooms now so I got my batman to light mine this morning. It is nice and warm now. I have been going to to tell you about the batman we have. They are are our servants. Each batman has 3 officers and their rooms to take care of. The first thing in the morning he brings in some hot water, lays out our uniforms and shoes and wakes us up. When we are out me makes up our beds, puts all of our clothes away and straightens our our rooms. In the evening he lays out our mess kit or whatever we have to wear for supper. He keeps our boots cleaned and polished, polishes our buttons, presses our clothes, lights our fires, takes care of our laundry, etc. He even unpacks your trunks when you come here - anything you want done - the batman does it - even brings you tea in bed on Sunday mornings if you don't get up for breakfast. So you see we get well cared for - all you have to do is ring the button and he's there with a "Yes Sir?"
Tomorrow I am Orderly Officer under instruction. The O.O. is responsible for the following duties: supervision of the guard, inspection of ration store on their arrival at the ration store, tour airmen's dining rooms during breakfast an dinner meals to receive any complaints, the maintenance of order and discipline in the institute, attendance at payment of airmen, ensuring of "lights out", attendance at the fires and inspection of fire guard., etc., inspection of detention rooms and visiting of occupants, etc., etc. So I won't get any flying or studying done tomorrow.
I got the Free Press. I got a letter from Vernon; it only took 10 days.
The situation with the Czechs looked pretty serious for a while but it seems to be all peacefully settled now. We were all confined to camp and no one was allowed to leave the camp on week-ends and we couldn't go any farther than 20 miles. Everyone on leave was recalled. In London they started to dig trenches in all the parks and are still doing it. Gas masks were issued to everyone in England - all sots of Air Raid Precautions were taken.
On the picture I sent you of our Civil School class you will find a boy names James. Friday afternoon he was up with his instructor and they got caught in the rain. Instead of climbing up high, they flew low and crashed into a telephone post or pillar of some kind and both of them were killed. They say that the instructor was a little reckless. If he had gained altitude he could have got out of the rain because they were just local showers, but no one really knows what he was doing so there isn't much that can be said about it. They have been very few accidents in the last 3 or 4 months. No one figures on accidents here any more than you worry about a car accident.when you go to town. Considering all the men that are flying there is a small percentage of accidents or deaths. There are about 70 pilots here and about 20 instructors, and we all fly nearly every day., doing on an average of 3 or 4 take-offs and landings. I figured it up roughly one day and there are about 1,500 or more gallons of petrol used here in one day.
I imagine there are about 50 or 75 training schools in England and about 120 squadrons, so you could probably figure what it must cost the British Government for Air defense alone, and then figure on top of that about 6 times as many airmen as pilots. It runs into millions of pounds a year.
About the ranks now - well, in another couple of months we get our wings, then after our 6 months here we become Pilot Officers. After we are in a squadron for 18 months we get promoted to Flying Officer. If we are fortunate enough before we get out we might get to be a Flight Lieutenant. That is as far as we can expect to get, unless you get a P.C. (Permanent Commission), then you advance through the various ranks, Squadron Leader, Wing Commander, Group Captain, etc.
That is too bad about Wesley Belous but it can't be helped now. The J.P.'s job seems to be a nice helpful side line on the farm. Apparently the garden turned out pretty good this year - well I guess you won't starve anyway. As far as I can remember we never did. I have 2 more cards to get for my set of aeroplanes, then I will send them to you.
Love,
Estelles
Brize Norton, Oxford
October 3,1938
Dear Folks:
When I woke up this morning it was pouring rain so I stayed in bed until 10 o'clock. It has slacked off a little now but is a dreary day. We are allowed to have fires in our rooms now so I got my batman to light mine this morning. It is nice and warm now. I have been going to to tell you about the batman we have. They are are our servants. Each batman has 3 officers and their rooms to take care of. The first thing in the morning he brings in some hot water, lays out our uniforms and shoes and wakes us up. When we are out me makes up our beds, puts all of our clothes away and straightens our our rooms. In the evening he lays out our mess kit or whatever we have to wear for supper. He keeps our boots cleaned and polished, polishes our buttons, presses our clothes, lights our fires, takes care of our laundry, etc. He even unpacks your trunks when you come here - anything you want done - the batman does it - even brings you tea in bed on Sunday mornings if you don't get up for breakfast. So you see we get well cared for - all you have to do is ring the button and he's there with a "Yes Sir?"
Tomorrow I am Orderly Officer under instruction. The O.O. is responsible for the following duties: supervision of the guard, inspection of ration store on their arrival at the ration store, tour airmen's dining rooms during breakfast an dinner meals to receive any complaints, the maintenance of order and discipline in the institute, attendance at payment of airmen, ensuring of "lights out", attendance at the fires and inspection of fire guard., etc., inspection of detention rooms and visiting of occupants, etc., etc. So I won't get any flying or studying done tomorrow.
I got the Free Press. I got a letter from Vernon; it only took 10 days.
The situation with the Czechs looked pretty serious for a while but it seems to be all peacefully settled now. We were all confined to camp and no one was allowed to leave the camp on week-ends and we couldn't go any farther than 20 miles. Everyone on leave was recalled. In London they started to dig trenches in all the parks and are still doing it. Gas masks were issued to everyone in England - all sots of Air Raid Precautions were taken.
On the picture I sent you of our Civil School class you will find a boy names James. Friday afternoon he was up with his instructor and they got caught in the rain. Instead of climbing up high, they flew low and crashed into a telephone post or pillar of some kind and both of them were killed. They say that the instructor was a little reckless. If he had gained altitude he could have got out of the rain because they were just local showers, but no one really knows what he was doing so there isn't much that can be said about it. They have been very few accidents in the last 3 or 4 months. No one figures on accidents here any more than you worry about a car accident.when you go to town. Considering all the men that are flying there is a small percentage of accidents or deaths. There are about 70 pilots here and about 20 instructors, and we all fly nearly every day., doing on an average of 3 or 4 take-offs and landings. I figured it up roughly one day and there are about 1,500 or more gallons of petrol used here in one day.
I imagine there are about 50 or 75 training schools in England and about 120 squadrons, so you could probably figure what it must cost the British Government for Air defense alone, and then figure on top of that about 6 times as many airmen as pilots. It runs into millions of pounds a year.
About the ranks now - well, in another couple of months we get our wings, then after our 6 months here we become Pilot Officers. After we are in a squadron for 18 months we get promoted to Flying Officer. If we are fortunate enough before we get out we might get to be a Flight Lieutenant. That is as far as we can expect to get, unless you get a P.C. (Permanent Commission), then you advance through the various ranks, Squadron Leader, Wing Commander, Group Captain, etc.
That is too bad about Wesley Belous but it can't be helped now. The J.P.'s job seems to be a nice helpful side line on the farm. Apparently the garden turned out pretty good this year - well I guess you won't starve anyway. As far as I can remember we never did. I have 2 more cards to get for my set of aeroplanes, then I will send them to you.
Love,
Estelles
Wednesday, October 2, 2013
World War II Letters Home October 2, 1938-Estelles Wickenkamp
No. Flying Training School
Royal Air Force
Brize Norton, Oxford
October 2, 1938
Dear Esther:
I have received about 9 letters from you and it is nice to get your letters so try to drop me a few lines about once a week, also how about a picture or so once in a while. Today has been just another rainy Sunday, in fact the last week has been rotten weather for flying and everything else.
I'll answer a few of your questions first. I haven't been able to locate D.B. Lindsay yet, but probably will sometime this winter.
At all the inland stations we use land planes but at the coasts we have seaplanes and fling boats - I hope you know the difference. I don't know how we get to be Officers so soon, but we are! All the boys are promoted at practically the same time rat. In an other couple of months I will have my wings and my appointments signed by the King himself.
You can rent some bicycles (I mean "push-bikes") over here for 2 or 3 bob a week. A lot of these English cigarettes are blended but I don't like them. I smoke Players Navy Cut. They are something like a Turrett. - plain Virginia tobacco. I think I will quite smoking this week. If I do I can save about 30 bob a month.
I just finished writing a letter home and i sent a few more snaps. I have to get all my snaps done 3 or 4 times so I can send them home to you, and have one for myself. But I don't mind; I think it's always nice to be able to see what things look like. The only trouble is that sometimes I forget what pictures I have sent you and what ones I have sent home, so if I send more than one to you and I haven
t sent one home can you send it. I know Mama, Papa and Richard are always anxious to hear from me. I suppose you all worry about me - after seeing something in the paper about R.A.F. crash, etc. Richards wants to know whether he should put in an application. Well, I really don't know what to tell him. It is nice and all that but there is a lot of red tape and blooey about it all too. Anyhow i wrote and told him that maybe he should stick it out in the garage and probably I can help him when I get back.
The clocks in England were all set back an hour this morning, so it is quite dark at 7:30 when we have our supper.
I am on of the Orderly Officers tomorrow so I won't get any flying or classes. We have to go around the camp and inspect everything to see that all is in order.
It seems as if the big crisis over the Czechs is over with. It almost looked as if there would be a war. In the last few days it has cost England about 50,000.00 for A.R.P. (Air Raid Precautions). They are still digging trenches in the parks in London and everyone in England has been issued with gas masks.
I don't feel much like writing tonight, as usual but maybe I'll get in the mood again sometime and write a more interesting letter.
Love,
Estelles
Royal Air Force
Brize Norton, Oxford
October 2, 1938
Dear Esther:
I have received about 9 letters from you and it is nice to get your letters so try to drop me a few lines about once a week, also how about a picture or so once in a while. Today has been just another rainy Sunday, in fact the last week has been rotten weather for flying and everything else.
I'll answer a few of your questions first. I haven't been able to locate D.B. Lindsay yet, but probably will sometime this winter.
At all the inland stations we use land planes but at the coasts we have seaplanes and fling boats - I hope you know the difference. I don't know how we get to be Officers so soon, but we are! All the boys are promoted at practically the same time rat. In an other couple of months I will have my wings and my appointments signed by the King himself.
You can rent some bicycles (I mean "push-bikes") over here for 2 or 3 bob a week. A lot of these English cigarettes are blended but I don't like them. I smoke Players Navy Cut. They are something like a Turrett. - plain Virginia tobacco. I think I will quite smoking this week. If I do I can save about 30 bob a month.
I just finished writing a letter home and i sent a few more snaps. I have to get all my snaps done 3 or 4 times so I can send them home to you, and have one for myself. But I don't mind; I think it's always nice to be able to see what things look like. The only trouble is that sometimes I forget what pictures I have sent you and what ones I have sent home, so if I send more than one to you and I haven
t sent one home can you send it. I know Mama, Papa and Richard are always anxious to hear from me. I suppose you all worry about me - after seeing something in the paper about R.A.F. crash, etc. Richards wants to know whether he should put in an application. Well, I really don't know what to tell him. It is nice and all that but there is a lot of red tape and blooey about it all too. Anyhow i wrote and told him that maybe he should stick it out in the garage and probably I can help him when I get back.
The clocks in England were all set back an hour this morning, so it is quite dark at 7:30 when we have our supper.
I am on of the Orderly Officers tomorrow so I won't get any flying or classes. We have to go around the camp and inspect everything to see that all is in order.
It seems as if the big crisis over the Czechs is over with. It almost looked as if there would be a war. In the last few days it has cost England about 50,000.00 for A.R.P. (Air Raid Precautions). They are still digging trenches in the parks in London and everyone in England has been issued with gas masks.
I don't feel much like writing tonight, as usual but maybe I'll get in the mood again sometime and write a more interesting letter.
Love,
Estelles
Saturday, September 28, 2013
World War II Letters Home September 25, 1938-Estelles Wickenkamp
No. 2 Flying Training School
Royal Air Force
Brize Norton, Oxford
September 28, 1938
Dear Folks:
Today is damp and everything feels cold and clammy, so I don't feel much like writing a letter, but if I don't do t now I might leave it go for the rest of the week. This problem of writing seems to be getting worse and worse - I hardly know what to say. You must be getting terribly tired of reading about aeroplanes all the time.
We are having a big dance party here some time next month for the officers. There will be about 300 people here altogether. It is a full dress affair - that is we wear our mess kits. A buffet supper will be served and drinks and dancing will continue until 2 or 3 a.m. he estimated cost of this dance is 100. I don't know where all the money will be spent, but they say it will.
The new mess and living quarters will not be finished until about April so I see where we don't get a chance to live in it.
I have about 14 hours flying in Oxfords - about half of it is solo. After we get 12 hours solo in we will start taking night flying. We are only allowed to make one circuit, with about half an hours' flying and one landing in this term. Next term (after New Years) we will get more of it. When night flying is going on they have all sorts of landing lights and a powerful chance beam which shines over the field, and also there is a big red light that is used for visual signaling Morse code. They send out B.N (-...-) for Brize Norton. I can receive 8 words this term in I.T.S.
We have to buy another service jacket sometime within the next 4 or 5 months, so that will be another 7 out of our pockets. We have 2 pairs of trousers already. with 2 uniforms we will have 1 good one for special occasions, parades, etc. Our uniforms are made of real strong material and they sure were. I guess they have to made like iron the way some of the boys treat theirs. After dinner (nights) the Senior Term loosen the straps under their boots (because you can bend very well if you don't) then they start fighting around and somersaulting on the chesterfield - which are leather upholstered, Then they grab the table cloths off one of the tables in the lounge and scrap each other up. Honestly, the way they tear around, it is a wonder they have any clothes left, but they seem to take the gaff pretty well. I would rather take care of mine and have something left at the end of 4 years.
I haven't seen Emery Fennell yet - according to the Air Force list he is at Manston taking his navigation course. This navigation and bomb sighting is real interesting; we have all sorts of instruments by which you calculate your speed, drift, height and everything. On one of these instruments if you know any 4 of the following 6 things: airspeed, course to steer, actual track, wind speed, wind direction, or ground speed, you can find the other 2. Then with the bomb sighting device, you can find, while you are in the air, the wind speed and direction. It is really marvelous the way these instruments work. Most of these tings cost from 6 to 20. Talking about instruments - you ought to see the instrument panels in Oxfords - it's just a mass of dials, switches, controls, etc.but after you get used to them it is easy just to glance at them and know what you want to.
Friday I was scooting around the sky alone so I wen to see some of the neighbouring towns. I went on a square about 20 miles each way in about half an hour. It is lots of fun diving into a cloud, you can't see anything so you fly by instruments until you come out the other side. I haven't taken any pictures from the air since I have been here but will one of these days. It is against the law to take pictures from the air, but as long as you don't advertise it no one knows what you do when you are alone. I am getting a cloud filter for my camera so that the clouds will show up better.
It takes so long for the mail to go back and forth, by the time you write back about something I have told you it is a month old. I am sending you a few more pictures - I thing you'll have to get an album to put them in because in 4 years you'll have quite a few of them, sort of a history in pictures. I am getting some enlargements of the one of myself by the Oxford with an E. on it. This isn't actually my solo plane; It had an F on it, but it looks the same. I don't remember whether I sent you a picture of myself - if I did you can send it to Uncle R. or some - I send Esther most of the same pictures I send to you.
What has happened to Richard? I haven't even had a note from him in a couple of months. I am going to supper now will mail this. Don't forget to tel me all the news, and don't work too hard.
With Love To All,
Estelles
Royal Air Force
Brize Norton, Oxford
September 28, 1938
Dear Folks:
Today is damp and everything feels cold and clammy, so I don't feel much like writing a letter, but if I don't do t now I might leave it go for the rest of the week. This problem of writing seems to be getting worse and worse - I hardly know what to say. You must be getting terribly tired of reading about aeroplanes all the time.
We are having a big dance party here some time next month for the officers. There will be about 300 people here altogether. It is a full dress affair - that is we wear our mess kits. A buffet supper will be served and drinks and dancing will continue until 2 or 3 a.m. he estimated cost of this dance is 100. I don't know where all the money will be spent, but they say it will.
The new mess and living quarters will not be finished until about April so I see where we don't get a chance to live in it.
I have about 14 hours flying in Oxfords - about half of it is solo. After we get 12 hours solo in we will start taking night flying. We are only allowed to make one circuit, with about half an hours' flying and one landing in this term. Next term (after New Years) we will get more of it. When night flying is going on they have all sorts of landing lights and a powerful chance beam which shines over the field, and also there is a big red light that is used for visual signaling Morse code. They send out B.N (-...-) for Brize Norton. I can receive 8 words this term in I.T.S.
We have to buy another service jacket sometime within the next 4 or 5 months, so that will be another 7 out of our pockets. We have 2 pairs of trousers already. with 2 uniforms we will have 1 good one for special occasions, parades, etc. Our uniforms are made of real strong material and they sure were. I guess they have to made like iron the way some of the boys treat theirs. After dinner (nights) the Senior Term loosen the straps under their boots (because you can bend very well if you don't) then they start fighting around and somersaulting on the chesterfield - which are leather upholstered, Then they grab the table cloths off one of the tables in the lounge and scrap each other up. Honestly, the way they tear around, it is a wonder they have any clothes left, but they seem to take the gaff pretty well. I would rather take care of mine and have something left at the end of 4 years.
I haven't seen Emery Fennell yet - according to the Air Force list he is at Manston taking his navigation course. This navigation and bomb sighting is real interesting; we have all sorts of instruments by which you calculate your speed, drift, height and everything. On one of these instruments if you know any 4 of the following 6 things: airspeed, course to steer, actual track, wind speed, wind direction, or ground speed, you can find the other 2. Then with the bomb sighting device, you can find, while you are in the air, the wind speed and direction. It is really marvelous the way these instruments work. Most of these tings cost from 6 to 20. Talking about instruments - you ought to see the instrument panels in Oxfords - it's just a mass of dials, switches, controls, etc.but after you get used to them it is easy just to glance at them and know what you want to.
Friday I was scooting around the sky alone so I wen to see some of the neighbouring towns. I went on a square about 20 miles each way in about half an hour. It is lots of fun diving into a cloud, you can't see anything so you fly by instruments until you come out the other side. I haven't taken any pictures from the air since I have been here but will one of these days. It is against the law to take pictures from the air, but as long as you don't advertise it no one knows what you do when you are alone. I am getting a cloud filter for my camera so that the clouds will show up better.
It takes so long for the mail to go back and forth, by the time you write back about something I have told you it is a month old. I am sending you a few more pictures - I thing you'll have to get an album to put them in because in 4 years you'll have quite a few of them, sort of a history in pictures. I am getting some enlargements of the one of myself by the Oxford with an E. on it. This isn't actually my solo plane; It had an F on it, but it looks the same. I don't remember whether I sent you a picture of myself - if I did you can send it to Uncle R. or some - I send Esther most of the same pictures I send to you.
What has happened to Richard? I haven't even had a note from him in a couple of months. I am going to supper now will mail this. Don't forget to tel me all the news, and don't work too hard.
With Love To All,
Estelles
Wednesday, September 18, 2013
World War II Letters Home September 18, 1938-Estelles Wickenkamp
No. 2 Flying Training
School
Royal Air Force
Carterton, Oxford
September 18, 1938
Dear Folks:
I had a sleep this afternoon so I don't feel very sleepy tonight. I don't know what I am going to write about but I may think of something to tell you.
I got that painting and a couple of other pictures wrapped up at last and you should get it about the same time as this letter. I had some of our menus, etc. from the ship so I sent them along too, also some of our uniform samples and prices. Overalls mean just plain trousers, except the mens' overalls, they are elongated tights. Wellingtons are four wear with our mess kit and look something like this; those hooks mentioned are to pull them on with. Our trousers go over the outside of them and are strapped under the boot. When we have our mess overalls on there are no wrinkles in them, being tied down at the bottom and being uncomfortably pulled up by the braces. I took some pictures of my mess kit and greatcoat but unfortunately they did not turn out good so I'll take some more, if the sun comes out long enough.
Before I forgot - about the radio, I think the best thing to do is take it to Oscar Olson and let him get one of those resistors for it and put it on. Also I think you should get one of those propellers from Eaton's or Macleods to put on the windmill. Do it this fall, then when winter comes it will be all set up. Richard can put a couple of condensers on it to the ground so it doesn't make a noise on the radio when it runs. I guess that should be enough instructions for one day.
I am saving picture cards from cigarettes of Royal Air Force Aeroplanes and when I get the set of 50 I will send them to you. Actually there are about 75 different planes used in the R.A.F.
About the middle of December we get 2 weeks leave, then in January we go to armament camp for a month in North Wales along the sea coast. There we practice machine gunning and actual bombing on targets on the water. After that we come back here and finish our 3 months of advanced flying. Then sometime in May we go to Manston - somewhere on the east coast in Kent and we have a navigation training. I think it is for about 3 months, maybe 1; anyhow, when we leave here I will have my 2nd Class Navigator's Certificate. Then we get posted to a Squadron somewhere and I don't know what all we do then. We sure get moved about plenty the first year. I ought to know England by heart by the time we are through.
I am Duty Pilot tomorrow so I don't have to go to classes. I think I explained some more about the Watch Office and Duty Pilot before, anyway we have to watch the planes take off and land, time, etc., and take care of any visiting aircraft. I haven't done any amendments for the last couple of days so I'll have to get busy this week and try to finish them up before we get some more.
Is Harold going to stay all winter or is he going into town? How much fruit have you put up this year? etc. etc. How is the garage work going, Richard, do study the manuals and leaflets to help you.
It is after 11:00 o'clock so suppose I should go to bed now . the big Albatross that broke in 2 at Hatfield is repaired and is flying again. It is going on a trans-Atlantic air-route.
Tell me all the news you can. I like to get your letters, although sometimes i am slow in writing back.
Love,
Estelles
School
Royal Air Force
Carterton, Oxford
September 18, 1938
Dear Folks:
I had a sleep this afternoon so I don't feel very sleepy tonight. I don't know what I am going to write about but I may think of something to tell you.
I got that painting and a couple of other pictures wrapped up at last and you should get it about the same time as this letter. I had some of our menus, etc. from the ship so I sent them along too, also some of our uniform samples and prices. Overalls mean just plain trousers, except the mens' overalls, they are elongated tights. Wellingtons are four wear with our mess kit and look something like this; those hooks mentioned are to pull them on with. Our trousers go over the outside of them and are strapped under the boot. When we have our mess overalls on there are no wrinkles in them, being tied down at the bottom and being uncomfortably pulled up by the braces. I took some pictures of my mess kit and greatcoat but unfortunately they did not turn out good so I'll take some more, if the sun comes out long enough.
Before I forgot - about the radio, I think the best thing to do is take it to Oscar Olson and let him get one of those resistors for it and put it on. Also I think you should get one of those propellers from Eaton's or Macleods to put on the windmill. Do it this fall, then when winter comes it will be all set up. Richard can put a couple of condensers on it to the ground so it doesn't make a noise on the radio when it runs. I guess that should be enough instructions for one day.
I am saving picture cards from cigarettes of Royal Air Force Aeroplanes and when I get the set of 50 I will send them to you. Actually there are about 75 different planes used in the R.A.F.
About the middle of December we get 2 weeks leave, then in January we go to armament camp for a month in North Wales along the sea coast. There we practice machine gunning and actual bombing on targets on the water. After that we come back here and finish our 3 months of advanced flying. Then sometime in May we go to Manston - somewhere on the east coast in Kent and we have a navigation training. I think it is for about 3 months, maybe 1; anyhow, when we leave here I will have my 2nd Class Navigator's Certificate. Then we get posted to a Squadron somewhere and I don't know what all we do then. We sure get moved about plenty the first year. I ought to know England by heart by the time we are through.
I am Duty Pilot tomorrow so I don't have to go to classes. I think I explained some more about the Watch Office and Duty Pilot before, anyway we have to watch the planes take off and land, time, etc., and take care of any visiting aircraft. I haven't done any amendments for the last couple of days so I'll have to get busy this week and try to finish them up before we get some more.
Is Harold going to stay all winter or is he going into town? How much fruit have you put up this year? etc. etc. How is the garage work going, Richard, do study the manuals and leaflets to help you.
It is after 11:00 o'clock so suppose I should go to bed now . the big Albatross that broke in 2 at Hatfield is repaired and is flying again. It is going on a trans-Atlantic air-route.
Tell me all the news you can. I like to get your letters, although sometimes i am slow in writing back.
Love,
Estelles
Thursday, September 5, 2013
World War II Letters Home September 5, 1938-Estelles Wickenkamp
No. 2 Flying Training
School
Brize Norton
Chaterson, Oxford
September 5, 1938
Dear Folks:
Well, here I am at another school now and hope to be here for about 6 months. We got here Saturday afternoon and loafed about on Sunday looking the place over. This is surely an Air Force base. As far as I can make out everyone within about 2 miles has something to do with the R.A.F. There are very few stores around here and no theatres less than miles away. I should start off by saying that this place is rather isolated after a sense. It is about 70 miles from London (west and a little north). I think it is about 20 miles from Oxford. This isn't exactly a new place, but to see all the huge buildings under construction you would think it was just being built. The cost to build and run a place like this, with paying everyone salaries, etc. must run into millions of pounds. There are 7 immense hangars here, besides there are 6 extra immense hangars that are built with a rounding roof and are going to be covered with earth to camouflage them. They look something like this:-
I really have no idea how large they are but I believe I could be safe in saying they are approximately 80 feet wide, 30 or 40 feet high and 300 or 400 feet long. They are situated a little distance from the landing field. A couple of them are about 1/2 mile away.
This morning we got 15 more text books issued to us. They add another 2 feet of space on the shelf anyway. Also we got our parachutes and lockers assigned to us.
The best news of all is that i have got into the type of plane I have been trying for. I worked real hard at Hatfield on my navigation so that I could get on multi-engined planes and boy! I made the grade. There are about 40 in our junior group and about 2/3 of them are on fighters. I am one of the third that was recommended for bombers or heavy planes. Oh, I am so glad that I got what I wanted. The fellows are going on fighters start training here on Hawker "Harts". they are somewhat bigger than the Tiger Moths we had at Hatfield. Their cruising speed is about 120 m.p.h. Then after they are advanced and leave here for a squadron they fly these Hawker "Hurricanes". They are the planes that travel up the 400 m.p.h.
We, who are on the heavies start here on Airspeed Oxfords. they are a 2 engined non plane, light bombers with a gunner's cockpit about half way back on them. I'll have plenty of pictures soon to send to you so you can see what they are like. Our instructor took us out and showed us as much of them as he could, just on the ground; we fly them tomorrow. They are simply marvelous.
If I am not mistaken, I think the top speed of these Oxfords is 270 m.p.h They are cabin planes and have a retractable landing gear - you know - the wheels pull up into their tummies. After about 5 or 6 hours of dual we will be doing solo in them. I can hardly believe all of this is true; it seems like a wonderful dream. Anyhow, after we leave here for a squadron we get to fly some real big planes. I don't know how big yet so I'll leave them alone for now.
Our living quarters here are long wooden buildings (1 story) about 28 rooms in each section, and each of us have a room to ourselves. The furniture consists of: 1 bed (about 30 inches off the floor) but very comfortable, 1 small coal stove (and I mean small), a wardrobe for hanging suits in (I only have 6), a dresser for putting my shirts in etc. 9 I only have 14 shirts and only 8 pairs of boots and shoes), and a writing desk with lots of room for books, one ordinary chair and a fibre easy chair, and also there are 2 rugs on the floor. The room is quite small, about 11 x 12' but is really quite comfortable. We all eat in a big mess with long tables and we get very good food here. Our mess bill is only 3/6 a day, compared to the 8s we paid at Hatfield it is quite a difference. We get about 18 quid (or pounds) a month and our mess and sports, batman (servant) comes to about 6 pounds. So i should be able to save about 12 pounds a month - it's not so terribly much but when you think of getting paid to learn something- it is quite a bit. Besides when our 4 years are up we get about 300 in one lump sum, so I should have enough to get home on.
We have our uniforms now - we get an extra allowance of 50 to pay for them. My bill comes to slightly over that with 2 trunks I bought. There are quite a few things I have to get yet, a dressing gown, and a pair of patent shoes. I am keeping a ledger of all my income and expenditures, so I will have at least a faint idea of how I stand.
Now to get this straight about the letters, I think I got them all. I got sent to Canada House, and 3 from Esther (2 in one day). It takes from 12 to 14 days for me to get them. I'll send the big pictures and some small ones this week, I can't get them ready tonight. I have a steady source of time killing to do on my studies, that means every night, so please try to realize that I can't always take a couple of hours off to try to write a nice long letter, especially since that is what everyone expects. Our time is fully occupied here. I can't site down and write letters because I have no work to do. We have to put in some of our time at sports, and sometimes it is nice to take a walk out in the country for a couple hours. This life would be drastically monotonous if we didn't get away from it sometimes. I got the letter in which various people wrote a few lines quite a long time ago, and from J. McKay.
That sure is too bad about the grain being so rusted, but I guess there isn't anything that can be done about it. I hope you get enough oats so that you'll have lots of feed anyway.
Did I tell you I made an average of about 76% on my final exams at Hatfield. I was 6th from the top out of a class of 25. I was going to send you a schedule of what we do in a week but will have to leave it go this time. I think I have written quite a bit. I don't know whether is is very interesting or not. Oh yes, when we are not on duty I am called Wick to airmen; other officers, etc. I am Sir, or Acting Pilot Officer Wickenkamp.
About dances - I have gone to a few public dances at Hatfield, but the few dances i have gone to are mostly club dance. It's different over here. Last Friday I went to a club dance at a grand place - 2 orchestras, footmen, waiters, etc., etc., in my tux - you know - swell joint. It cost only 2/6 to get in. Will tell you more about it next time. I know Esther will be interested.
As it is a quarter to 11 and 6:30 comes early I must close. Tell Harold to be good boy. Dad, how about you and Richard writing once in a while. I haven't had rheumatism since I have been here, and have sort of gotten over my sleepiness. I weight about 12 stone, 8 lbs.
Best Wishes and Love,
Estelles
School
Brize Norton
Chaterson, Oxford
September 5, 1938
Dear Folks:
Well, here I am at another school now and hope to be here for about 6 months. We got here Saturday afternoon and loafed about on Sunday looking the place over. This is surely an Air Force base. As far as I can make out everyone within about 2 miles has something to do with the R.A.F. There are very few stores around here and no theatres less than miles away. I should start off by saying that this place is rather isolated after a sense. It is about 70 miles from London (west and a little north). I think it is about 20 miles from Oxford. This isn't exactly a new place, but to see all the huge buildings under construction you would think it was just being built. The cost to build and run a place like this, with paying everyone salaries, etc. must run into millions of pounds. There are 7 immense hangars here, besides there are 6 extra immense hangars that are built with a rounding roof and are going to be covered with earth to camouflage them. They look something like this:-
I really have no idea how large they are but I believe I could be safe in saying they are approximately 80 feet wide, 30 or 40 feet high and 300 or 400 feet long. They are situated a little distance from the landing field. A couple of them are about 1/2 mile away.
This morning we got 15 more text books issued to us. They add another 2 feet of space on the shelf anyway. Also we got our parachutes and lockers assigned to us.
The best news of all is that i have got into the type of plane I have been trying for. I worked real hard at Hatfield on my navigation so that I could get on multi-engined planes and boy! I made the grade. There are about 40 in our junior group and about 2/3 of them are on fighters. I am one of the third that was recommended for bombers or heavy planes. Oh, I am so glad that I got what I wanted. The fellows are going on fighters start training here on Hawker "Harts". they are somewhat bigger than the Tiger Moths we had at Hatfield. Their cruising speed is about 120 m.p.h. Then after they are advanced and leave here for a squadron they fly these Hawker "Hurricanes". They are the planes that travel up the 400 m.p.h.
We, who are on the heavies start here on Airspeed Oxfords. they are a 2 engined non plane, light bombers with a gunner's cockpit about half way back on them. I'll have plenty of pictures soon to send to you so you can see what they are like. Our instructor took us out and showed us as much of them as he could, just on the ground; we fly them tomorrow. They are simply marvelous.
If I am not mistaken, I think the top speed of these Oxfords is 270 m.p.h They are cabin planes and have a retractable landing gear - you know - the wheels pull up into their tummies. After about 5 or 6 hours of dual we will be doing solo in them. I can hardly believe all of this is true; it seems like a wonderful dream. Anyhow, after we leave here for a squadron we get to fly some real big planes. I don't know how big yet so I'll leave them alone for now.
Our living quarters here are long wooden buildings (1 story) about 28 rooms in each section, and each of us have a room to ourselves. The furniture consists of: 1 bed (about 30 inches off the floor) but very comfortable, 1 small coal stove (and I mean small), a wardrobe for hanging suits in (I only have 6), a dresser for putting my shirts in etc. 9 I only have 14 shirts and only 8 pairs of boots and shoes), and a writing desk with lots of room for books, one ordinary chair and a fibre easy chair, and also there are 2 rugs on the floor. The room is quite small, about 11 x 12' but is really quite comfortable. We all eat in a big mess with long tables and we get very good food here. Our mess bill is only 3/6 a day, compared to the 8s we paid at Hatfield it is quite a difference. We get about 18 quid (or pounds) a month and our mess and sports, batman (servant) comes to about 6 pounds. So i should be able to save about 12 pounds a month - it's not so terribly much but when you think of getting paid to learn something- it is quite a bit. Besides when our 4 years are up we get about 300 in one lump sum, so I should have enough to get home on.
We have our uniforms now - we get an extra allowance of 50 to pay for them. My bill comes to slightly over that with 2 trunks I bought. There are quite a few things I have to get yet, a dressing gown, and a pair of patent shoes. I am keeping a ledger of all my income and expenditures, so I will have at least a faint idea of how I stand.
Now to get this straight about the letters, I think I got them all. I got sent to Canada House, and 3 from Esther (2 in one day). It takes from 12 to 14 days for me to get them. I'll send the big pictures and some small ones this week, I can't get them ready tonight. I have a steady source of time killing to do on my studies, that means every night, so please try to realize that I can't always take a couple of hours off to try to write a nice long letter, especially since that is what everyone expects. Our time is fully occupied here. I can't site down and write letters because I have no work to do. We have to put in some of our time at sports, and sometimes it is nice to take a walk out in the country for a couple hours. This life would be drastically monotonous if we didn't get away from it sometimes. I got the letter in which various people wrote a few lines quite a long time ago, and from J. McKay.
That sure is too bad about the grain being so rusted, but I guess there isn't anything that can be done about it. I hope you get enough oats so that you'll have lots of feed anyway.
Did I tell you I made an average of about 76% on my final exams at Hatfield. I was 6th from the top out of a class of 25. I was going to send you a schedule of what we do in a week but will have to leave it go this time. I think I have written quite a bit. I don't know whether is is very interesting or not. Oh yes, when we are not on duty I am called Wick to airmen; other officers, etc. I am Sir, or Acting Pilot Officer Wickenkamp.
About dances - I have gone to a few public dances at Hatfield, but the few dances i have gone to are mostly club dance. It's different over here. Last Friday I went to a club dance at a grand place - 2 orchestras, footmen, waiters, etc., etc., in my tux - you know - swell joint. It cost only 2/6 to get in. Will tell you more about it next time. I know Esther will be interested.
As it is a quarter to 11 and 6:30 comes early I must close. Tell Harold to be good boy. Dad, how about you and Richard writing once in a while. I haven't had rheumatism since I have been here, and have sort of gotten over my sleepiness. I weight about 12 stone, 8 lbs.
Best Wishes and Love,
Estelles
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