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Welcome to 'An Airmans Lost Letters' 1915-1917

These long forgotten letters penned by a young R.F.C. pilot, 2nd Lt. Oliver Charles Pearson to his Mother during the Great War, were discovered and liberated from a skip filled with the remnants of a roof clearance at a property in Southampton, UK during the mid 1990s. Within the past year they were rediscovered (again) having sat in a box in a loft for the last 10-15 years and were kindly passed to this sites authors, both of whom share an interest in social and military history from this period. Any links the letters had with the Pearson family have been long forgotten. We, the creators of this website, believe these documents are important social records of great interest to many, truly deserving preservation and a wider audience. When the letters came into our possession, via the nephew of the original finder, we deliberated over what we should do with them - perhaps donate them to a war museum? Oliver Pearsons old school? or return them to any living descendants, should we di...
Recent posts

We can finally see the face behind the letters

Since we started this blog in 2008, we feel we have got to know Oliver quite well, from the letters home we have shared here. One thing that frustrated us though was not having an image of Oliver. We really wanted to put a face to the young man. The Great War saw an explosion in photography, with every proud soldier and sailor having a studio photograph taken of themselves in uniform, and made into multiple postcards to send on to family and friends. And less common than the studio portraiture, not helped by strict censorship in force, were pocket cameras and amateur photographers. Oliver himself mentions his camera several times ... "Talking of photographs I am sorry you will have no studio ones of me because while I was at home and at Birmingham I had no clothes fit to wear and while at the C.F.S. had no opportunity but I do promise that I will have some done here when and as soon as it is possible for me. It should not be difficult. Keep all the letters from me that are int...

The letters are reunited with the Pearson family

Apologies from your rather scatty bloggers on this long overdue update! In March this year we managed to reunite Olivers letters to the Pearson Family. Francis and his wife Hilary were such gracious hosts for the afternoon and couldn't have made us more welcome. I can't say how happy Dan and I were to finally hand over the letters back to the family, where they belong, and also that they were so pleased to have them back. It was a perfect end to this story for us. Hilary treated us to one of the best Sunday roasts I've had for a very long time, and afterward we got to see Oliver's effects that had been passed down to Francis from his father Aubrey. Oliver's wallet, a short diary, some family photos, a map of North Belgium, and his medals and 'Death Penny' Memorial Plaque. Your humble blog authors with Francis Pearson. Francis with Olivers letters, while I am holding an 1897 bottle of Madeira, from Francis's own collection, which he opened espec...

Oliver's letters are going home ...

Well, it's been a few years since Dan and I started this blog in 2008, in an attempt to stop these precious and personal little snapshots from being lost to history. We didn't have a grand plan when we started this blog, we just wanted to share a view into the life of a young pilot in training. While we painstakingly scanned and transcribed the letters, put them in their correct order, and posted them here, in the background we were trying to decide what to do with them. We were very aware they were not ours, we were merely fortunate custodians chosen purely by fate. I looked into the Grosvenor School, and was very pleased to see they were still going well. They were very interested in the letters, and gave us more information to fill in the gaps in Olivers early life there. If we couldn't trace any family, we thought they may be good future custodians of the letters. It with sadness that we recently found out that the school is to close at the end of this academic year...

Lt Werner Voss claims his 44th victim

On the 10th of September 1917 two young pilots met over the Flanders battlefield. One was nineteen year old 2nd Lt Oliver Charles Pearson, the other was  twenty year old Leutnant Werner Voss , flying a prototype of one of the brand new Fokker Triplanes ... Oliver had left the 70 Sqn airfield near Poperinge at 4.45pm in Sopwith Camel B3787, on an offensive patrol to nearby Houlhulst Wood.  Lt Werner Voss was by then commander of 10 Jasta. One of Germanys top fighter aces, he was a natural pilot and aggressive fighter with 43 kills to his credit so far, second only to his friend and competitor Baron Manfred Von Richthofen.  Werner had been chosen to test fly Anthony Fokkers prototype only a few days before at the end of August. With aero engines in short supply his was fitted with a 110 hp  LeRhône engine  engine from a captured RFC Nieuport 17 fighter. Voss with Anthony Fokker Voss and his Triplane with his distinctive Japanese kite face p...

Shuttleworth Uncovered at Old Warden

I made a long overdue visit to the Shuttleworth Collection recently, for their Shuttleworth Uncovered display. The Shuttleworth Collection has been on my radar for many years now, especially since we started this blog of Olivers letters. For this event there was a special Sopwith line up, and although none were flying, we were treated to several engine runs of the Brooklands Camels 130hp Cleget motor. To finally see this stubby little aeroplane close up was an amazing experience, but to smell the castor oil and hear the throaty roar of the motor was even better, and will stay with me for a very long time. And this is one of the last 10 Pup's built by the Sopwith Factory in 1919. They converted them into a two seaters and called them 'Doves'. Richard Shuttleworth acquired it in 1936 and converted it back into a single seat Pup. We had a fantastic afternoon at Old Warden, can't recommend a visit highly enough. Now planning my next visit ... Click here for t...

70 Sqn Camels

An artwork by Mark W Miller, depicting Sopwith Camels of Olivers 70 Squadron. There are many more images of Camels on his website, including internals and cutaways. Check out his website - the aerodrome , it is well worth a look.

Letter 23 presumed missing

A note from the Editors: When we first read these letters, this one was the only clue we had to Olivers fate... Missing, presumed a Prisoner of War? It is written by Oliver's Headmaster from his old school in Nottingham, The Rev. Kirsopp. Grosvenor School was a small independant and some history can be found here . The link is well worth a look and mentions both Charles Kirsopp and C.B. Brookes, who is mentioned in this letter. We have been in contact with the school who were extremely interested in these lost letters from one of their Old Boys. Not only because of their obvious historical importance, but also their potential as teaching aids for the students. What better way to bring the Great War alive to their students? Headmaster Charles Oldershaw has supplied some interesting information from the school, to help fill in the some of the missing pieces of the jigsaw of Oliver Charles Pearsons life. Aubrey is Oliver's younger brother, (We think Oliver calls him 'Jim' ...

Letter 22 - I haven’t again been over the lines – yet but it is my turn next

A note from the Editors: The last letter home we have from Oliver, who appears to be very much enjoying squadron life Franked 11 SP 17 O.A.S. Mrs Chas. E. Pearson, Hillcrest, Lowdham, Notts. Letter 16 70 Squadron RFC BEF France Sunday 9.9.17 Letter 16 My dear people I received “the dear enemy” yesterday & thank you very much for it. I haven’t yet finished Pickwick so I shall not start it just yet but I can see its going to be like Daddy Long legs. I haven’t again been over the lines – yet but it is my turn next & we are to be very busy now. We have been having very cloudy days so have hardly been able to fly at all. I had rather a go the other night as 19 others formed a party got a tender & went into the ancient city. We had a most jovial little dinner & a good rag afterwards & I for one came home feeling much better for the rag & the good time. Last night the whole squadron was invited to have dinner with a neighbouring one. They gave ...

Letter 21 - I was a bit surprised you bet but I have had my first trip over hunland.

A note from the Editors: We are missing a letter which is a pain, as things have moved on a pace since Olivers last letter! He has now been posted back to 70 Squadron and straight back in the saddle, with a description of his first eventful flight over enemy lines - 'Hunland'. It has been just 3 weeks since his crash. Franked 8 SP 17 O.A.S. Mrs Chas. E. Pearson, Hillcrest, Lowdham, Notts. Letter No. 15 II 70 Squadron RFC BEF France 6.9.17 Letter no 15 Dear Mother & Dad. I have just received two letters from you dated 2 Sept so that they have only taken 4 days to come. I am again with my Squadron. I played my last card and won. I slung my weight about till I must have made everyone fed up with me & so they got a hustle on. I came back yesterday morning & flew in the afternoon for about an hour & a half. This morning at 5.30 I was wakened up to say I was for patrol at six. I was a bit surprised you bet but I have had my first trip over hunland. It was very cloudy ...