- Contributed byÌý
- curtana
- People in story:Ìý
- T. JONES
- Location of story:Ìý
- U.S.A.
- Background to story:Ìý
- Royal Air Force
- Article ID:Ìý
- A2703494
- Contributed on:Ìý
- 04 June 2004
U.S.O. VOICE RECORDING WW2 OF T.JONES BELIEVED AUSTRALIAN TRAINEE PILOT IN U.S.A.
I WAS SENT FOR TRAINING AS A PILOT DURING THE WAR AND WAS STATIONED AT BUNKER HILL.INDIANA. I WAS BORN IN AUSTRALIA AND CAME TO ENGLAND FOR TRAINING. I HAVE ALWAYS WANTED TO BE A PILOT. LIFE WAS VERY EASY APART FROM THE DISCIPLINE ON THE POST. THE FOOD AND THE SOCIAL LIFE WAS GREAT, MUCH EASIER THAN IN ENGLAND AS THERE WAS NO BOMBING AND FOOD WAS PLENTIFUL.
THE LOCAL PEOPLE ASKED US OUT TO SOCIALS AND PARTIES TO MAKE US WELCOME AND IT WAS JUST LIKE A HOME FROM HOME. I WAS VERY YOUNG AND MISSED ALL THE FOLKS AT HOME BUT YOU HAD TO MAKE DO.
THIS ABOVE IS MADE UP THE FOLLOWING IS FACT THIS MAN MADE A TALKING RECORD TO HIS MOTHER WITH THE USO ITS A DOUBLE SIDED 78RPM WHICH I HAVE MANAGED TO RECORD AND I ADD A TRANSCRIPT AND SOME PICTURES OF THE RECORD AND PACKAGE. THERES NO WAY OF KNOWING WHETHER THE RECORD EVER GOT TO HIS MOTHER OR WHETHER HE EVEN SURVIVED THE
WAR. I THINK ITS QUITE EERIE TO HEAR A VOICE FROM 60 ODD YEARS AGO TALKING TO HIS FOLKS AND NOT KNOWING HIMSELF IF HE WOULD EVER SEE THEM AGAIN. I HERE ADD THE TRANSCRIPT ---------.
""HELLO MUM AT PRESENT MOMENT I’M IN THE U.S.O IN PIYO INDIANA AND THE U.S.NAVAL STATION BUNKER HILL, IT’S NOT A BAD PLACE REALLY, TOO MUCH PETTY FOGGING DISCIPLINE, GET VERY GOOD FOOD, BEST OF ALL WE WERE FLYING A COUPLE OF DAYS, I SUPPOSE THAT’LL MAKE UP FOR QUITE A LOT.DON’T KNOW QUITE HOW LONG WELL BE THERE, ABOUT FOUR MONTHS I SUPPOSE, INCIDENTALLY WE DONT GET TO PESCICOLA AS I TOLD YOU, WASHED OUT NOW, THIS IS A NEW SCHEME THAT’ THEY’VE EVOLVED . HOPE THE GARDENS GOING OK, AUNTS LOOKING AFTER THE CROPS AND WHAT NOT. AH YES, PEOPLE HERE VERY KINDLY OFFERED HOSPITALITY AFTERNOON AND EVENING AT SONLEY ? THERES BEEN A DANCE AND ALTOGETHER ITS JOLLY FINE . THERE ARE LOTS OF U.S.O.’S HERE AND THEY ARE ALL VERY GRACIOUS, ESPECIALLY IN NEW YORK THEY ARE PRETTY GOOD THERE. ON THE WAY UP WE STOPPED IN A LITTLE TOWN CALLED RICHMOND, LOVELY PLACE,TURN RECORD OVER NOW;
IVE BEEN WANTING TO TELL YOU IN MY LETTER BUT OF COURSE I COULD’NT FOR FEAR OF THE SENSOR, WE CAME OVER ON THE QUEEN ELIZABETH, WAS’NT A BAD TRIP, BIT ROUGH ONCE. DID WATCHES ON THE GUNS FOUR HOURS OFF-----FOUR HOURS ON EIGHT HOURS OFF, BIT CHRONIC TO GET UP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT TO GO ON WATCH, I SUPPOSE IT’S ALL IN THE GAME. WE ARRIVED HERE, SPENT A FORTNIGHT IN NEW YORK THEN WE CAME TO HERE IT TOOK US 24 HOURS ALMOST. DON’T REALLY KNOW WHAT ELSE TO SAY AS NOTHING MUCH MORE I CAN TELL YOU ABOUT , PERHAPS WHEN IV’E BEEN HERE A LITTLE LONGER I’LL BE ABLE TO TELL YOU MORE, WELL CHERRIO FOR NOW MUM. BE SEEING YOU SOMEDAY I SUPPOSE."""
I THINK THIS WOULD MAKE A GOOD ITEM FOR RADIO I HAVE EMAILED THE U.S.O AND R.A.A.F. WITH THIS HOPING THEY MAY FIND HIS RELATIVES. HIS NATIONALITY IS BASED ON HIS SLIGHT ACCENT AND USE OF SOME TERMS AND THE FACT HE WENT OVER IN THE QUEEN ELIZABETH. OF COURSE IT MAY BE THAT HE IS ENGLISH. IF THIS IS OF INTEREST PLEASE EMAIL ME I AM HAPPY TO LEND THE RECORD FOR THE PURPOSE OF A POSSIBLE REAL LIFE STORY.
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