Description
Object description
Six ms letters (1 incomplete, 3 with envelopes, 11 folios in all) to his parents in Fulham, London, November 1940 - December 1941, covering his training and service as an Aircraftman and, from May 1941, as a Sergeant RAFVR at the RAF stations in the United Kingdom at Yatesbury, Ringway, Evanton, Upwood and Watton, with useful brief references to life on the stations, the death of Neville Chamberlain, the popularity of RAF personnel in Manchester, and news of his imminent posting with No 21 Squadron to Malta; together with one ms letter (3pp with envelope) from his mother dated April 1941, one ms letter (3pp) to his cousin Ronald Groves from RAF Watton, dated December 1941, mentioning his forebodings about his posting to Malta - 'this is no game... because it is almost suicide', one ms letter of condolence (2pp with envelope) from his Commanding Officer at RAF Luga, Malta, dated January 1942, following Groves's death when he was shot down over the Mediterranean, Groves's RAF identity card (form 1250) and a printed brochure about the unveiling of the RAF Memorial in Malta (on which his name appears) in May 1954. With these items are two ms letters (4pp and 3pp), written to Ronald Groves circa early 1941, from Arthur Peake, a Stoker at the RN Barracks Portsmouth awaiting drafting, and a photograph of him in uniform.
Content description
Six ms letters (1 incomplete, 3 with envelopes, 11 folios in all) to his parents in Fulham, London, November 1940 - December 1941, covering his training and service as an Aircraftman and, from May 1941, as a Sergeant RAFVR at the RAF stations in the United Kingdom at Yatesbury, Ringway, Evanton, Upwood and Watton, with useful brief references to life on the stations, the death of Neville Chamberlain, the popularity of RAF personnel in Manchester, and news of his imminent posting with No 21 Squadron to Malta; together with one ms letter (3pp with envelope) from his mother dated April 1941, one ms letter (3pp) to his cousin Ronald Groves from RAF Watton, dated December 1941, mentioning his forebodings about his posting to Malta - 'this is no game... because it is almost suicide', one ms letter of condolence (2pp with envelope) from his Commanding Officer at RAF Luga, Malta, dated January 1942, following Groves's death when he was shot down over the Mediterranean, Groves's RAF identity card (form 1250) and a printed brochure about the unveiling of the RAF Memorial in Malta (on which his name appears) in May 1954. With these items are two ms letters (4pp and 3pp), written to Ronald Groves circa early 1941, from Arthur Peake, a Stoker at the RN Barracks Portsmouth awaiting drafting, and a photograph of him in uniform.
History note
Cataloguer RWAS