XV Sqn Mildenhall - letters home

Mildenhall XV Sqn — Lancaster bomber crash 22 March 1945

When my Nan died, I was given the mementos she had kept of my Uncle, who had been killed in the Second World War. George Arthur Cope of Chadwell Heath, Essex had served with XV Sqn as a Lancaster wireless operator, flying out of Mildenhall during the latter part of the War. He had been killed on take off on 22 March 1945 on his third operation. My Mum (Pat in the letter below) had always believed that the crash had been over the sea, but research at the Kew archives means that we now have a copy of his death certificate showing the crash site being at Mundford Covey in Thetford.

In the mementos given to me, are two letters and a diary. The letters are re-produced here, and it is poignant that the last letter was dated 21 March 1945, the day before the crash. I don’t know whether this meant the letter was received by my Nan and Grandad after learning of his death, or whether it was waiting to be posted and in his personal belongings.

18 March 1945
Sgt Cope GA
Address as usual

Dear Mum and Dad
Thank you very much for your letter received on Friday. I was pleased to see you were OK and that Dad is still improving. I am OK myself.
It should interest you to know that I did my first real operation today and have not long returned. We bombed a benfol plant in the Ruhr and you can imagine the new experience it was for us.
When we took off there were loads of chaps cheering us off. The flak was pretty accurate but — boy! When those bombs went down. All the kites dropped their load at the same time — it was like rain — 4000 pounders, 500 pounders everything going down in one deluge. When I saw them I just said to myself “Hold that packet, just a little return for London you B….s”. There was quite a bit of flak opposition and some a bit close but not close enough, thank goodness. So as you can guess I have now really started in earnest.
As you know, I think I told you in my last letter we have been moved out of our houses into barrack blocks now.
No — Tom wasn’t on the court martial himself, he was only a witness.
Your advice about getting home is OK but you see if we get away early on the day starting our leave we can get transport to Shippea Hill station, 6 miles away to catch a train to London, changing at Ely. It only takes just over 2 hours by that.
Yes I would definitely go down to Lincoln for a few days for a rest when you can but make sure its not when I get leave. Pat will certainly want to come back with you.
I received a card from Aunt Lil the other day forwarded from Langar — she says she’s sending me something when I get settled.
Doris has been asking me again what I would like as she had seen some nice silver cigarette cases but as I lost my lighter the other day I told her she could buy me a nice solid gold, jewelled controlled lighter or a lighter and cigarette case combined.
I can guess Dad is very happy now he can get working on his beloved garden again. I really don’t know how he’s resisted the temptation all this time.
Well I must close again as I feel very tired. Take care of yourselves
Your loving son
Arthur

Diary entry for Sunday 18 march 1945:
“Ops Take off 1153. Landed 1703. “Hattingen”

21/3/1945
Sgt Cope GA
Address as usual

Dear Mum and Dad
Thanks very much for your letter received on Monday and I was pleased to see you were OK and Dad is still improving. I am still well myself.
Yesterday I did my second operation on the large railway marshalling yards at Hamm, east of the Ruhr. There was the usual amount of flak which was accurate, one or two bursts too close to be comfortable. There wasn’t much cloud so we could see the target. Below me Hamm is one mass of bomb craters, we could see them well even at the height we were.
After we had left the target we saw the trail of a V2 which had just been fired off in Germany on its way to London I suppose. It came right under the plane.
I was pleased to hear John is home at last and I was hoping to see him. You see, we should get leave starting on April 10th but we have been put down for April 17th. Well I told Johnnie that John was home and asked him to try to get our leave at the proper time but he just said he wasn’t interested so I guess I shan’t see John after all unless they put it forward themselves.
I haven’t done anything at nights since I wrote on Sunday, I haven’t been off the camp at all. Went to the pictures on Monday night to see “Three Men in White” which was quite good. I have been feeling quite fed up with Johnnie’s attitude since he told us our leave wasn’t until the 17th. You can bet your bottom dollar that if and when I have to do a second tour after this one I shan’t get an Australian skipper.
The weather around here is keeping quite nice too except for one or two days when it turned a bit chilly.
Yes I have been hearing quite a bit from Tom lately but it might be quite a time before I hear again as there has been a big gap in my letters to him. I also remembered you to Alf when I wrote.
Well I will close again for now. Please remember me to John. Take care of yourselves.
Your loving son
Arthur

Diary entry Tuesday 20 March 1945:
“Ops Take off 1010. Landed 1541. Hamm”

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