{"id":375,"date":"2023-08-05T08:00:06","date_gmt":"2023-08-04T22:00:06","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wepidgeon.com\/pidgeonpost\/?p=375"},"modified":"2023-08-01T16:33:18","modified_gmt":"2023-08-01T06:33:18","slug":"war-letters-darwin-wed-4-aug-1943-with-the-boys-of-a-fighter-squadron","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wepidgeon.com\/pidgeonpost\/?p=375","title":{"rendered":"War Letters – NW Australia: 5 Aug 1943, Livingstone Airfield; With the boys of a Spitfire squadron"},"content":{"rendered":"

W.E. Pidgeon
\nC\/O DPR Unit
\nArmy Post Office
\nDarwin<\/p>\n

Wednesday
\n[4 Aug 1943]<\/p>\n

Dear Jess,<\/p>\n

Been quite an exhausting day.\u00a0 Plenty hot and plenty weak.\u00a0 However I pulled my gizzard up & got stuck into the work of drawing some fighter planes.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Clive (Killer) Caldwell’s Spitfire, CR-C, A58-484; Aug 1943<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

They\u2019re sleek jobs and surprisingly small.\u00a0 You don\u2019t get much idea of their performance when seen on duty flights around this district.\u00a0 Rarely are they flown flat out except in combat.\u00a0 After seeing them on the ground dirty dented & camouflaged you\u2019d think they weren\u2019t worth a plateful of cold tapioca pudding.\u00a0 But the boys like them.<\/p>\n

The pilots are all hellishly young.\u00a0 The average age being about 22.\u00a0 The Squadron leader looks youngest of all like a bit of a school kid.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Believed to be Squadron Leader Ken James, commander of RAAF 457 Squadron<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

They have all had English experience & are a good bright lot.\u00a0 I get along very well with them as they are friendly & informal.\u00a0 The binge last night served well in breaking the ice.\u00a0 Almost all were as full as bulls.\u00a0 Incidently none of the crowd seem to like the journalists much.\u00a0 Being an artist makes everything so much easier.\u00a0 Tell Tommy there is a bit of a hoon up here \u2013 name of Pilot Officer Larry Alderson \u2013 says he knew him well in N.G.\u00a0 Gloria\u2019s husband Flight Loot Newton isn\u2019t a bad sort of bloke \u2013 Looks after me well. I still haven\u2019t managed to buy anyone a drink.\u00a0 One is not allowed to \u2013 they insist on my being a guest.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Members of RAAF 457 Squadron join each other at the mess near Livingstone\u00a0
L-R: FLTLT John Sefton Newton of Beaufort Vic., FLTLT E.S. Hall of Quirindi NSW, SQNLDR K.E. James of Frankston Vic., FLGOFF I.S. Mackenzie of Orange NSW, FLTLT D. Maclean of Rabaul and barman LAC Fred Storey. (Photo: Harold George Dick, 11 Aug 1943, Department of Information Official Photographer)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n1<\/a><\/sup>Wep must have obtained a print of this photo<\/a> with F\/L Newton in it taken by official photographer Harold Dick a week after Wep\u2019s visit. It is also reproduced in Darwin Spitfires; the real battle for Australia<\/em> by Anthony Cooper 2022, pp132-133<\/span>\n

A big crowd of bomber pilots were also down last night.\u00a0 The film was fast & furious.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s some blasted thing I should tell you but for the life of me I can\u2019t remember it.\u00a0 Guess it\u2019ll come later.<\/p>\n

Yes! I\u2019ve got it!\u00a0 Do you recollect the air force medical officers at that party of Tilly\u2019s2<\/a><\/sup>Australian Women’s Weekly journalist Adele ‘Tilly’ Shelton-Smith was the first woman to travel from Australia in 1941 to report from an overseas military theatre in Malaya.<\/span> at which Bill Brindle3<\/a><\/sup>William Brindle was a Daily Telegraph photographer<\/span> & his wife were present.\u00a0 One of the crowd from up the road turned out to be one of them.\u00a0 He is now a Wing Commander.\u00a0 He was then a Fl. Lieutenant so he\u2019s managed to step up very nicely.<\/p>\n

Flash \u2013 last night two of the pilots after a sufficient steeping in the fiery juices set off on journey back to tent.\u00a0 One \u2013 hopelessly lost curled up on the floor of a brother officers tent.\u00a0 The other made the grade & work about an hour later with the tent in flames around him.\u00a0 Much hilarity whilst domicile was razed to the ground.<\/p>\n

May be off to see \u201cIn which we serve\u201d4<\/a><\/sup>In Which We Serve (1942)<\/a> starring Noel Coward starring <\/span> tonight \u2013 that is \u2013 if I don\u2019t get sucked into the alcoholic vortex which is apparently about to swirl any tick of the clock.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m still not 100%.<\/p>\n

It doesn\u2019t look as if I\u2019ll be down by the 24th<\/sup>.5<\/a><\/sup>Wep and Jess 10th wedding anniversary<\/span>\u00a0 You will probably forgive me but it would be best for me not to dash down without properly doing the place over.\u00a0 I\u2019d love to be there.\u00a0 However have a good dinner.\u00a0 Get that or the other casserole or what ever you like \u2013 go to \u00a320.\u00a0 With love from your devoted, Willie.<\/p>\n

Thursday [5 Aug 1943]<\/p>\n

Bad show I didn\u2019t mail the above pages this morning.\u00a0 I went up to the strip with a crowd of pilots at 6.30am and arrived by at 4pm.\u00a0 Consequently missed the bus, I mean the mail.<\/p>\n

This blarsted country is full of things wot bite.\u00a0 Between the heat & the wogs I\u2019m as knobbly as a mills bomb.<\/p>\n

All day the fighter lads lounge about inside their dispersal hut (near the \u2018drome) in attitudes crooked but horizontal.<\/p>\n

So<\/p>\n

\"29\"<\/a><\/p>\n

There they remain, with but slight variation waiting for the call to arms.\u00a0 One morning early at least 4 of them were asleep when an alert came over.\u00a0 Like trains through a station they were off & in the air.\u00a0 Fortunately the aircraft responsible for the alarm was identified as friendly.<\/p>\n

The weather seems to be getting hotter.\u00a0 Myself more enervated.\u00a0 Sweat rolls off me \u2013 thirsty ants swim up my cascading body & quaff the salty juices.\u00a0 Beaut-O!<\/p>\n

There\u2019s been quite a lot of feeling that it\u2019s near time the yellow men come over.\u00a0 They sunk a ship a few days ago & have been fairly active.\u00a0 A couple of months have passed since they did anything and the fighter lads are anxious to have a crack at them to relieve the boredom.<\/p>\n

Hope Harold Coy has been behaving.6<\/a><\/sup>Harold and Bassie Coy ran the Hotel Hunters Hill, a favoured drinking spot of Wep and Jess<\/span>\u00a0Also the damned old Ponty.7<\/a><\/sup>Wep’s 1935 Pontiac 8<\/span>\u00a0 You poor darling I dare say Jane8<\/a><\/sup>Mary Jane Graham (nee Wray), Jess’s mother<\/span> has been giving you the real works.\u00a0 Is Tommy9<\/a><\/sup>Tommy O’Dea was the former General Manager of Guinea Air in Papua New Guinea. He joined the air force but following a major crash in New Guinea he transfered to the Royal Australian Navy as a Coast Watcher <\/span> up north indefinitely?<\/p>\n

Hope Dossie\u2019s little girl doesn\u2019t have 6 tits \u2013 it\u2019ll be awful hard to find a beau with 6 hands.<\/p>\n

Some bear bandit or other has got down on my bottle whilst Iwas away.\u00a0 That\u2019s the sort of thing that leads to lynching in this h\u2019yar country.\u00a0 You can as King from me \u2013 Where is the Ethics Committee of the A.J.A?10<\/a><\/sup>Australian Journalists’ Association<\/span>\u00a0 What are they doing about it all?\u00a0 When are they going to send a missionary up here?<\/p>\n

That there smudge is sweat.<\/p>\n

Which reminds me you mentioned Turkish Baths. Haven\u2019t you had any?\u00a0 Why don\u2019t you go away somewhere for a couple of weeks?\u00a0 It\u2019s getting right hot, mu chickadee.\u00a0 I\u2019m afraid this climate would suit you down to the ground.\u00a0 I can\u2019t see how one could stay very flat what with all this here perspiring going on.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t get too morbid, honey.\u00a0 It won\u2019t be long before I\u2019m home.\u00a0 How\u2019s the houses for sale? \u00a0Why don\u2019t you go around and have a look at a few just to get an idea of value, etc.11<\/a><\/sup>Wep and Jess moved to 85 Northwood Road, Northwood in mid 1940. They were initially renting the property and ultimately purchased it in August 1944 from Harry Charles Allan, Assistant Secretary of the Department of the Navy<\/span>\u00a0 I can\u2019t think of anything for the flairs.<\/p>\n

When its winter
\nWay down yonder
\nIt\u2019s a pint\u2019er
\nBeer I ponder
\nAnd a bit er bread
\nAn\u2019 butter an\u2019 a sponge<\/p>\n

Which reminds me how\u2019s frige behaving?<\/p>\n

\"30\"<\/a>Lots of love from yours meltingly,<\/p>\n

Willie.<\/p>\n

[On top of 1st<\/sup> page is a note written by another person]<\/p>\n

Hello Jess you beautiful thing I love you despite all absences(?).<\/p>\n

Yours<\/p>\n

(?) x [indecipherable]<\/p>\n

That goes for me too<\/p>\n

Willie<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Spitfire maintenance<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Spitfire maintenance<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Spitfire colour notes<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Spitfire<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Spitfires<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Spitfire<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Spitfire<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Spitfire<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Spitfire<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Spitfire<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Believed to be members of RAAF 457 Squadron, Livingstone Airfield<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Believed to be members of RAAF 457 Squadron, Livingstone Airfield<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Believed to be members of RAAF 457 Squadron, Livingstone Airfield<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Spitfire pilot’s parachute<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Dispersal room details<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Dispersal room details<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Dispersal room<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Dispersal room at a fighter squadron, Livingstone Airfield<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Dispersal Room at a fighter squadron, Livingstone Airfield<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Snooze in the sun for a weary pilot, The Australian Women’s Weekly, 20 Nov 1943, p9<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Dispersal Room<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Dispersal Room<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Dispersal Room<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Dispersal Room details<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Spitfire pilot in Dispersal Room<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Spitfire pilots<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Spitfire pilots<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Spitfire pilots<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\n

Notes:<\/h3>