An Airman's Lost Letters

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.

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'

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

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

A note from the Editors: Oliver gets passed as fit, but is still waiting to be posted back to a Squadron. Also very difficult to read his review of the concert party without 'Blackadder' in the back of my mind. Franked 3 SP 17 Mrs Chas. E. Pearson, Hillcrest, Lowdham, Notts. Letter No. 13 70 Squadron RFC BEF France 1 Sept 1917 Letter no 13 Dear Mother Isn’t it rotten I haven’t been posted back yet but live in hope as other fellows are being posted to other squadrons flying the same machines but none go to 70. I had a jolly fine time last night. I was mooning around in ----------- when I was hailed in a loud voice from a tender & there was my pal Smith Grant & lots of other 70 fellows all going to a concert so of course away I went with them. We went to see the “Crumps” concert party. They are jolly good & very famous. They have a chap who dresses as a girl who is simply fine. His (her) picture apeared in the Tatler or the Sketch for last week. Her n

A note from the Editors: A short BBC news clip of a Sopwith Camel.

A note from the Editors: Still recovering in hospital. Also interesting to note, in our modern lifestyles where so much is disposable, especially if broken, that Oliver's goggles that were smashed in his crash have been sent away to be repaired! Franked 1 SP 17 Mrs Chas. E. Pearson, Hillcrest, Lowdham, Notts. Letter No. 12 70 Squadron RFC BEF France 29.8.17 Dear Mother I have just had a letter from you dated 19.8.17 & as it’s the first I have had for a fortnight you bet I was pleased. I have also had the first instalment of papers which are very welcome indeed as I am very short of literature. I have just finished the Tale of Two Cities & am now reading Pickwick which I have often tried to read befor but never got beyond the first chapter. I am enjoying it immensely. I don’t know how Jim would recognise a Camel as I more than suspect he has never seen one as there is only one aerodrome in England where there are any. What you saw was most probably a DH5

For an insight into the aircraft being flown by the RFC at the time the excellent Vintage Aviator website is well worth a look. They haven't recreated a Sopwith Camel yet, but you really get a feel for the machines that took to the air back then. Click here to visit the site:  Vintage Aviator  

A note from the Editors: Recovering well in hospital, but suffering aerial attacks from mosquitoes and Huns. Hopes of rejoining 70 Sqn. don't look good either after a chat with the adjutant... Franked 25 AUG 17 Mrs Chas. E. Pearson, Hillcrest, Lowdham, Notts. 39 Stationary Hospital France Address to 70 Squadron BEF France 25.8.17 Letter no 11 My dear Mother I am still in hospital although now I am up & about & yesterday went out for a walk up the town. The stitch on the outside of my mouth has been taken out & that cut is quite healed but the one inside is not taken out yet although I expect it will be to day. All swelling has gone down practically & my eye has now only rings and contours round it & no swelling. I shall leave here I suppose in two days at most & where I shall go I don’t know. I hope to get back to my squadron & shall swing like mad to do so but one cannot be sure that’s what’s worrying me a lot just now. My watch has a

A note from the Editors: A couple of days after the crash and Oliver is recovering, and news about the accident from a fellow squadron mate shows he was lucky to escape so lightly. Franked 24 AUG 17 Mrs Chas. E. Pearson, Hillcrest, Lowdham, Notts. 39 Stationary Hospital France } BEF France 70 Squadron Letter no 10 My dear people The above are my two addresses but address my letters to the second as I hope not to be here much longer. My cuts have healed very rapidly although I haven’t had the stitches out yet & my eye is practically unbunged up. My greatest sorrow is the loss of my two teeth which I cannot get over. It’s so awkward amongst other things to eat. I even have to eat pears with a spoon! & I think that is the outside edge. The two teeth I have lost were also the two I invariably held my pipe with & it feels so awkward holding it in the other side. One tooth, one of my tombstones, has gone completely & the one next door is all cracked up what