OFFICERS'  MESS, 
 
                   ROYAL AIR FORCE,

                              FINNINGLEY, 

                                         DONCASTER,

                                                      YORKS. 

Wednesday 9th October, 1940

Dear Mother,

     Thank you for the letter received the other day (the cupboard one) and thank Dad for his, received a couple of days later.   I am glad to know that 117 still stands, and that the family is quite intact in spite of the heavy bombardment.   We have been very lucky here lately, and have had no bombs in the vicinity for over a fortnight, although we have lots of purple warnings.   However, we don't get up unless bombs are being dropped - we simply cannot afford to lose too much sleep and still remain efficient at the job. 

          Unfortunately we have had several trips cancelled during the last few days owing to extremely adverse weather conditions, and the continual stand-by is very tiring - more so than the show itself.   However, I hope to get a week's leave very shortly, and it will be very welcome.   I was proposing to hire a car in London and go for a holiday in the country with young Dorothy - miles away from aeroplanes for a whole week.   I think I shall get it after about two more trips - so far, I have done 40 operational hours - another 160 and I shall be due for my DFC and a rest for a bit.   Of course, the winter will slow us down a bit.   It's a grand thrill once you have got used to being shot at, and I wouldn't miss a trip for anything - unless it was for a spot of leave!

          I presume that Tom is home at present, so I haven't been over to Stoke - tell Dad it’s easier to borrow a Hampden than to get an india-rubber from stores.   All you have to do is to shove your head round the door of the Flight Commander's office and say “I'm going to Stoke for the day, may I take P4413?”, and he says, “Yes, old boy, go-ahead”.   Easy isn't it?

          Well, life here isn't so bad.   I went to a dance last week and had a very pleasant time and have been to most of the weekly shows at the Grand Theatre.   This week Norman Long and Claude Daupier are on - it's a very good show indeed.   We have a concert party here every week, and they are generally pretty good - they had Horace Kenney the other week - and the usual Sunday evening party in the Mess, so we don't do too badly for entertainment.

          I don't think there is anything else to say, so please give my love to Dad and the boys, and anyone else you can think of.

          Cheerio, hope to see you very soon - I think I will have to bring the Hampden by hand, unless I get a suitable bomb-proof box soon. 

          Best of luck, 
                   love from Geoffrey.