AUST. No 34171 LAC Cooney, JF No. 3 Squadron R.A.A.F., ABROAD
29th June ’43
Dear Mum,
I know this
letter is about two weeks overdue but to-day is the first day I have had out of
bed for some time. I took sick about two o’clock one morning so I got hold of
the Doc & he bundled me off to hospital straight away.
I was operated on & I had my appendix out later in the
morning. I feel OK again now except that I am a bit weak in the knees but that
will wear off. For the first four days after my operation I had a bad cold in
my chest & I was coughing continually day & night. Every time I coughed
I felt as though the Doc was at me with his knife again & believe me I felt
far from in the pink.
On my third
day in hospital one of the boys brought me down some mail which included
letters No’s 52, 53 & 54 from you & two from Betty both No 26.
Glad to
hear that you were getting plenty of mail about the time you wrote these
letters but I suppose the average has dropped off rather suddenly the last
couple of weeks because I have slipped rather badly with my letter writing.
After I get out of hospital I will be due for about a months leave down in the
Delta. If I can get any transport & the money holds out long enough I will
see if I can go up to Syria for a look around. If not I will see if I can catch
a plane going down to South Africa. In any case I don’t think there will be
very many letters written while I’m on leave. However, I will write you a
lengthy report on my doings when I catch up with the squadron again.
I will be flying down to Cairo but if the plane lands anywhere
near Derna I will get out & see if I can find Elliott’s grave.
When I get down to Alex. I will see what I can do about dress
materials for yourself & Betty & suiting for Dad. Anyway, I will leave
it until I am coming back because if I
get up to Syria I will take a run over to Damascus because I believe the silk
market is something out of the box.
I now have something to say that I wish I didn’t have to. Much
& all as I like fruit cakes I’m afraid I will have to cancel any further
orders for same because on the sixth I received two from you – one sent 2.12.42
– one from Aunty Lizzie & one from Marjorie & three out of four were
bad. Marjorie’s was the only good one & believe me it was good. I was
terribly disappointed in the others after waiting so long for them & then I
had to throw them out. None of the other boys are unlucky like that so if you
make them some other way I may be luckier & get some good ones. I also
received a parcel which was very acceptable. I can’t remember what number it
was but it was done up in a square biscuit tin. I put the couple of dress
lengths, some cigarettes for Dad & a couple of other things in the tine but
it is still in the tent back at camp & I will send it as soon as I get
back.
Still haven’t had any news from George Brissett or Buxton – can’t
understand them.
You said in one of your letters that I would have three overseas
stripes on my arm but I can tell you now
that I definitely don’t want three because we get one for going overseas &
one for each completed year. That means I will have to be here two years
& I don’t want to be over here that long & what’s more I don’t think
I will be.
The allotment is certainly mounting up. I will be able to have a
good bust up with it soon.
The King
was up at the squadron about a week ago as you probably read in the papers. I
was supposed to go on the parade but I got dumped in here before the day of the
parade & missed out.
I have been
searching through this letter & I’m not at all sure that you will be able
to read it, but I’m still a bit shaky.
The sister has just told me that I will have to go back in bed again
so I had better close & get to it.
Much love
to Dad & Betty & my regards to Leo
Lovingly
Yours
Frank
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