R122119 Sgt Witt E.
R.C.A.F.
Overseas
29/6/43.

Dear everyone,

I believe I last wrote on the 20th but I couldn’t have made a note of it in my diary, so shall assume that any news since then is fresh news. I’ll take a look and see what has happened. Nearly every day we have flown, for training.

On Tues (22nd) we were “on” and had a successful trip to the Ruhr. The papers aren’t lying when they say those towns are well hit, On 23rd I got Helen’s letter of the 18th of June. On the 26th I got a nice letter from Verne. On Sun 27th I rode into a nearby town on my bike in the evening and enjoyed it. The country these June days is lovely of course, and though you read about it you have to see it to enjoy it. Last night we were “on” again and helped Jerry with his slum clearance. The papers again are not lying when they say that Jerry has a lot of guns in the Ruhr. The navigator has a souvenir today – a piece of flak which lodged under his seat. However we had no exceptional trouble. To-day I got Dads letter of the 17th. That is about all the diary has to say. Of course I have a few more details in the diary. Tonight I am rather tired because we didn’t get to bed until 6.A.M. this morning and were flying again in the afternoon.

Now for your letters. I have not been able to find out about Ralph Hart, and don’t think he was on this sqdn. I saw a list of all those who had gone for a Burton and his name was not among them. So glad Helen and B. are enjoying themselves. I wrote uncle George quite a while ago but the letter was delayed because I sent it through the wrong Post office. He’ll get it though in time. The Pathfinders are a specially trained outfit whose job it is is to find the target and mark it for the others. I thought the papers at home would have mentioned them because they have shot a fair line about them over here. It requires special training etc. and after you have passed through all the qualifications you wear a small eagle on your tunic pocket. On my next leave I hope to have my picture taken in a different uniform and also with the eagle up. It will probably be found later that the formation of the Pathfinder Force was a war winner, from the results attained. Yesterday I was called into the bombing office and told to apply for my commission. The officer didn’t know I had done so all ready, but apparently my mark is satisfactory, from that. I hope to hear any day now, and have already been fitted for my uniform. I miss the little man more than anything when I think of him talking etc. But my tour is going to take a long time, probably a year, though after that I’m through – we do more trips in our tour than the others, but dont do a second one, which is better actually. That is of course, under present arrangements. Power has been talking of giving the boys leave at home, after a tour, but I guess that is a pipe dream so far.

Well my dears I guess I’ve covered everything fairly well. Please don’t send these letters on though because while I haven’t overstepped the mark I’d just as soon they didn’t go around. You never know when some newspaper reporter will get one and that wouldn’t do me any good. Love to all four of you and I wish I were there too.

E

P.S. same address