Letters of Ronald Henry Etherton, November - December 1943

Letters relating to the Second World War service of 423088 Flight Sergeant Ronald Henry Etherton, 19 Operational Training Unit.

In letters to his sweetheart, Jean Ayre, written between November and December 1943, Etherton describes his experiences of training in the Royal Air Force as a navigator in England and Scotland. Some of these experiences include being frustrated with inactivity, sessions in the “sweat box” (synthetic trainer), being on guard duty, night flying, living in a hut, seeing a vaudeville show, and being posted to 19 Operational Training Unit in Scotland. He then writes about struggling with the cold weather, being in hospital with sinusitis, the joy of receiving letters, running out of oxygen part way through a flight, going to Inverness while on leave, playing football, feeling nervous before an important flight, and opening parcels at Christmas time.

Etherton also tells Jean about where he is from and what his family is like. In every letter, he assures Jean of his love, and often writes hopefully about their future together.

Ronald Henry Etherton died while taking part in a bombing mission on 13 August 1944.

This file contains:
Letter from Ronald Henry Etherton to Jean Ayre, England, 3 November 1943;
Letter from Ronald Henry Etherton to Jean Ayre, England, 4-5 November 1943;
Letter from Ronald Henry Etherton to Jean Ayre, England, 7-10 November 1943;
Airgraph from Ronald Henry Etherton to Jean Ayre, England, 9 November 1943;
Airgraph from Ronald Henry Etherton to Jean Ayre, England, 12 November 1943;
Letter from Ronald Henry Etherton to Jean Ayre, Scotland, 14 November 1943;
Airgraph from Ronald Henry Etherton to Jean Ayre, Scotland, 17 November 1943;
Letter from Ronald Henry Etherton to Jean Ayre, Scotland,19-20 November 1943;
Airgraph from Ronald Henry Etherton to Jean Ayre, Scotland, 20 November 1943;
Letter from Ronald Henry Etherton to Jean Ayre, Scotland, 24-25 November 1943;
Letter from Ronald Henry Etherton to Jean Ayre, 26 November 1943;
Airgraph from Ronald Henry Etherton to Jean Ayre, 27 November 1943;
Letter from Ronald Henry Etherton to Jean Ayre, 30 November 1943;
Letter from Ronald Henry Etherton to Jean Ayre, 1 December 1943;
Letter from Ronald Henry Etherton to Jean Ayre, 2 December 1943;
Letter from Ronald Henry Etherton to Jean Ayre, 6 December 1943;
Letter from Ronald Henry Etherton to Jean Ayre, [Scotland], 8 December 1943;
Letter from Ronald Henry Etherton to Jean Ayre, [Scotland], 8 December 1943;
Airgraph from Ronald Henry Etherton to Jean Ayre, 9 December 1943;
Airgraph from Ronald Henry Etherton to Jean Ayre, [Scotland], 10 December 1943;
Letter from Ronald Henry Etherton to Jean Ayre, 11 December 1943;
Letter from Ronald Henry Etherton to Jean Ayre, 15 December 1943;
Airgraph from Ronald Henry Etherton to Jean Ayre, 16 December 1943;
Letter from Ronald Henry Etherton to Jean Ayre, 19 December 1943;
Airgraph from Ronald Henry Etherton to Jean Ayre, 20 December [1943];
Letter from Ronald Henry Etherton to Jean Ayre, 21 December 1943;
Letter from Ronald Henry Etherton to Jean Ayre, 22 December 1943;
Airgraph from Ronald Henry Etherton to Jean Ayre, [Montrose, Scotland], 25 December 1943;
Letter from Ronald Henry Etherton to Jean Ayre, 26 December 1943;
Letter from Ronald Henry Etherton to Jean Ayre, 27 December 1943;
Letter from Ronald Henry Etherton to Jean Ayre, 29 December 1943;
Telegraph from Ronald Henry Etherton to Jean Ayre, 29 December 1943.