Airgraph No 29 Betty, Leo & Junior

Airgraph No 29

AUST. No 34171 

LAC Cooney, JF 

No. 3 Squadron 

R.A.A.F.,  

Cent. Medit. Forces 

 5^thJuly ‘44

Dear Mum,

                  Do not know if I have the right number on the airgraph because I have been a bit mixed up with my mail of late. I sent you an air mail letter a couple of days ago. We only get one a week as yet but may be able to get more later on.

Your airgraphs No’s 33, 34 & 35 arrived here this morning. It’s good to hear that mother & child are both doing so well but I can’t say I like the crack about the child’s ears. Tell Betty that if there is anything she wants for him & thinks I may be able to get over here just to let me know what it is.

I went up to see Alan Avery this morning but he is in Rome for the day. I will probably see him to-morrow.

                  We haven’t received any parcels or papers for quite a while now but some should happen along soon. I hope so anyway because I’m getting a bit sick of the same tucker day after day.

The weather the last week or so has been extremely hot but we are fortunate that we have a small cool stream quite close to our camp & we can have a dip between jobs, while the kites are being   XXCENSOREDXXX.

I have quite a bit of washing to do sometime today so I had better get on with it whilst I have the chance.

         

                        Much love to Dad, Betty, Leo & Jr.

            Lovingly Yours                                         Frank

 

  

Air Letter No 1 Leave in Rome, blessed by the Pope

  

Air Letter No 1

AUST. No 34171 

LAC Cooney, JF 

No. 3 Squadron 

R.A.A.F.,  

Cent. Medit. Forces 

30^thJune ‘44

Dear Mum,

            It’s ages since I wrote to you last but to-day we were told that we had been into Rome on leave so that gives me something to write about.

As yet we have only had one day leave in there but we are hoping to get a bit of leave organised which will extend over several days but at present there is to much work to permit anything of that sort. Things should quieten down a bit shortly.

The first day we were in there we spent more than half the day at St Peters Cathedral. I could never explain in writing just what it was like but it was the most magnificent & imposing building that I have ever seen. There are 33 chapels in the church & each one is as big as an ordinary church. The floor space will accommodate sixty thousand people.

            On Sunday the wing padre arranged to say Mass in the Vatican Chapel for this Wing. Anyone could go whether they were Catholic or not so I went. After Mass we went into the Reception Room of the Vatican City & were blessed by the Pope.

            The Pope gave each of us a set of Rosary beads & a photo. I bought three sets for Aunty Molly, Vivi & Maureen & got them blessed as well.

            They are not very expensive beads but they are the best I could buy at the church. I will send them & the photos as soon as I parcel them up.

            It will give you some idea of how elaborate the church is when I tell you that they started to build it two hundred years ago & they are still working on parts of the interior.

            We met several Australian priests who are being ordained at the Vatican. They have been there for the last eight years & all seem anxious to get home again.

            I spent the rest of that day just wandering around & having a look at the city. It is beautifully clean & rather modern & there is no sign of any bombing except at the railway yards.

The next day that I went in I went to the opera house & saw Irving Berlin in his show “This is the Army”. It was a very elaborate show but one that was well worth seeing. I believe that it will be going to Aussie when it has finished its tour over here.

            The New Zealanders has taken over one of the biggest hotels in Rome for a club. It is a huge place containing six hundred bedrooms. It’s open to any Aussies that are in these parts. We met a Lt Col. From the A.C.F. & he said he was over here to fix up a club of our own.

            I’m rather mixed up with my mail of late & do not know what I have answered & what I haven’t but letter No 130 & airgraph No 32 arrived a couple of days ago.

            We had a visit from a R.A.R.E. Liaison Officer about a week ago & we had to fill in forms with details of our pre-war job, what we want after the war in employment, housing, education etc. I will send you one of the forms if I can get hold of one.

            I suppose you feel a bit older now that you are a Granny. I’m anxious to hear a bit more about my young nephew.

            No more room now so will close. Much love to Dad, Betty, Leo & Jr.

                                                                        Lovingly Yours                                         Frank

 

 

Airgraph No 28 No news that I’m able to write about

 Airgraph No 28

AUST. No 34171 

LAC Cooney, JF 

No. 3 Squadron 

R.A.A.F.,  

Cent. Medit. Forces 

 30^th May ‘44

Dear Mum,

                  It’s quite a while since your letters No 128 & airgraph No 28 arrived but ever since I wrote to you last, that was several weeks ago, we have had a terrific amount of work with this latest push that has been going on. We are very short of armourers & the crews have had to help with lifting the bombs & believe me that’s not easy work. The kites fly anytime between 4 o’clock in the morning & 9 o’clock at night.

    The weather lately has been marvellous. The days have been extremely hot & we often have a swim while the kites are away. Our new camp site is in the middle of a big wheat field & a swift flowing river is about 150 yards from the tent.

                  I had a letter from Norm Dunne in the last mail also a photo of the wedding group. The bride seems to be quite a nice girl.

    We have great hopes of being in Rome before this letter arrives in Aussie. There’s some talk of us getting leave to see it when it falls but whether we do or not remains to be seen. I’ll write you & tell you about it if we  happen to get to see it.

                  No news that I’m able to write about so I close.

Much love to Dad, Bet, Leo & Jr

                                                      Lovingly Yours                                         Frank

 

 

 

Airgraph No 27 Needles every two or three months

  

Airgraph No 27

AUST. No 34171 

LAC Cooney, JF

 No. 3 Squadron 

R.A.A.F.,  

Cent. Medit. Forces 

8^th May ‘44

Dear Mum,

                  I received letters No’s 125,26 & 27 yesterday afternoon, also airgraphs 26 & 27. It wasn’t until I read your airgraph No 24 that I understood what you meant by the Ready R. but I think I can do something about it. Will let you know next airgraph.

                  You were wondering if I had been sick because I had had some needles. The last ones we had were something new, a typhus preventative, but we get a needle of some sort about every two or three months because their usefulness only lasts a limited period.

I had no idea the Buxtons had moved because I haven’t had a letter from any of them since I left home.

I haven’t had any word from George Brissett either. I hear from Fred Lowe quite often so I told Fred to look for George & to tell him it’s about time he answered my letter.

                  The weather has continued to be warm but the water is still too cold for swimming. Most of the winter snow has disappeared & the waters have run down into the sea so you can imagine how cold it is in the water.

    When Ivan Hansen left here we all expected him to be discharged as soon as he arrived home because he had Tinea (?hard to read this word) so badly. He still seems determined to get out of it & into some essential job. Hope he can make it.

                  

                No more now but will write again soon. Love to all the family                Lovingly Yours     Frank

 

 

 

 

Airgraph No 26 No news and a broken finger

Airgraph No 26

AUST. No 34171 

LAC Cooney, JF

 No. 3 Squadron

 R.A.A.F.,  

Cent. Medit. Forces 

1^stMay ‘44

Dear Mum,

                                    It’s about 10 days since I wrote last but the reason for not writing is the same as usual – no news.

Letter No124 & airgraph dated 12/4/44 arrived here yesterday & parcel No 30 a few days previous. Also received another letter from Mrs Palmer.

    You have probably received the airgraph in which I told you that the £40 arrived OK. If not you know now.

Although the Padre put in his airgraph that an answer was not necessary he has had dozens of answers from the boys’ people. Don’t know whether you answered it or not but if you did the Padre said he will not be able to write again for a while.

    I was playing baseball after tea a few nights ago & got a rather hard crack on the finger. I went down to the hospital yesterday morning & had it x-rayed & found it was broken. It’s in plaster now & will be for the next couple of weeks.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXX     3 lines censored out of the letter here  XXX XXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The weather is continuing to be fine but still not warm enough for swimming but it shouldn’t be long now before we can have a dip.

                    No more now. Love to all at home                                                                         Lovingly Yours

                                                                                                                                                                  Frank

 

Airgraph No 25 The Yanks certainly wreck a girl

  

Airgraph No 25

AUST. No 34171 

LAC Cooney, JF 

No. 3 Squadron 

R.A.A.F.,  

Cent. Medit. Forces 

22^nd April ‘44

Dear Mum,

                  I received letters No’s 122 & 123, airgraph no. 24 & parcel No 29 from you yesterday. The cake just got here in time because it was just starting to go bad.

                  I’m glad you like the bedspread so much. Re the price it actually cost me very little but on the stall they were listed at about 30/- sterling. I think I forgot to pay for it. In fact that’s what I did do.

                  The wedding cake carried very well & naturally didn’t last very long at all.

Received a letter from Bill Alfonso in this mail. He said he has been up in the islands for quite some time & doesn’t seem to think much of the place. Also had a letter from Mrs Carter (Randwick). She told me that Betty N. had been out to see her the week previous. She said it was hard to imagine how a girl could change as much as Betty had. She lost her baby but said she didn’t want it anyhow. Her Yank husband has left her & Betty is hitting the hot spots. Mrs C said the yanks certainly wreck a girl’s life. If I can find the letter I will send it to you.

The weather’s still quite warm here but the surf is still too cold.

No more now. Love to all at home                                                                         

                                                Lovingly Yours

                                                                          Frank

 

Air graph No 24 Learning to play chess & Mt Vesuvius erupts

 Airgraph No 24

AUST. No 34171 

LAC Cooney, JF 

No. 3 Squadron 

R.A.A.F.,  

Cent. Medit. Forces 

12^thApril ‘44

Dear Mum,

                  I received another airgraph from you to-day dated 23/3/44. Some sea-mail arrived also but it evidently wasn’t my turn because I didn’t receive any of it. Maybe some more will turn up to-morrow. Some parcels are due.

Speaking of parcels, I have one ready to send Dad. Will put it into the post office to-morrow & get it away. I made the tin for it myself & soldered it up all round so open it up with a tin opener round where I’ve marked it.

    Bob Jay & Ken Jacobs, the writers of the letters in the W. Weekly are both from here. Ken Jacobs was posted from here to 450 squadron about a week ago. 

   

     Mt. Ves (ie Vesuvius)certainly kicked up a fuss for a while. Ashes from it were landing over on this side of Italy which is about a hundred miles from the place. Some of the boys from here were on leave in Sorento when it all happened. They said it was a great sight. 

    I have been learning to play chess the last couple of weeks & each night we sit for hours on end playing.

The weather has been much better of late which of course means more flying & so more work for us, which is not bad because the business of sitting around all day with nothing to do is very monotonous.

No more now. Love to all at home.                                    Lovingly Yours

                                                                                                                              Frank