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1985-12-17

1945-05-13 GERMANY - Des to Ken

1945-05-13 GERMANY
By: Des WATKINS

Pilot Officer Watkins
350 Belgian Squadron
Royal Air Force
British Liberation Army.

Germany May 13th. 1945

Dear Ken,
I guess this is our first ‘Peace in Europe’ letter eh? Well as news goes that little bit about the capitulation was as good as any I’ve heard in a long time.

As a matter of interest Ken I lead the last sortie of the European War. I was up at Keil when the clock turned up eight oclock and as it ticked around to eight my controller called me up and said:
“Wars over chum, bugger off home” Boy did I fly careful!

I came home like I had a sack of eggs on board. I wound up with five destroyed Ken. Mostly F.W.190’s. That works out to one per head the family. That will learn the bastards to lob bombs at us!

What of the future Ken.


It looks like for the time being we’ll be ‘occupying’ these types doesn’t it. I’m facing a good year in the RAF yet, still at 25/- a day I’m not complaining. You’ll be out long before me of course. I’m wondering what my position is with Japan. I’m not over keen to start on the Nips yet. After a bit of a rest I’ll think about it, but right now I’m keen on a nice long leave with Wyn.


I’m flying over on the 16th. Ken, Wyn is meeting me at Croydon and after a Victory dinner in Town we’re slipping home, then off to the seaside for a week.

I’m hoping she will be out of the WAAF any day now. The policy is to release married WAAF as soon as possible. So I’m hoping to have a nice little civvy wife inside the next few months.I’ve saved a nice little sum of money Ken so I’m not too perturbed about the future, at least I can buy a good home for her as a start.

Are you going to take E.V.T. Ken? I’m going to occupy my spare time with it, might just as well, education has hurt no one to date.When do you get leave Ken? I’ll bet you’re dieing for it ain’t you? I can well imagine it.I applied to become an Allied Military governor I don’t know if I’ll get it of course. I want to do it.


I saw Belsen you see and I reckon I’d make a ‘lovely’ military governor in view of that.

Well Ken Drink me a toast, we’ll make it ‘skoll’ and not ‘Valhallah’ now.

Your loving brother,
Des
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