Laffin Crew outside Nissen Huts at airfield

The young faces of the Laffin crew out on the airfield, training either in a Heavy Conversion Unit (H.C.U. - January-February) or Operational Training Unit (O.T.U. February-March).

See the crew photo dated 13 April 1944 (Night Raid on Happy Valley or Crew photo's) they appear to have weathered 2-3 years in a span of 3 months.

Ken Donaldson, London

Ken Donaldson touring London, he is the Wireless A/G for the Laffin crew.

First letter from Croft airfield, the Laffin crew is now operational, awaiting thier first mission.

RCAF Overseas

23 March 1944

Dear Rose, and All,

...We are just getting settled down again, oh yeah I forgot to mention it but we have moved again, so now we are in another station. The barracks are bloody awful, but they sure have a swell YMCA here, lots of room, a big library, all sorts of games, and a lunch counter of sorts, which is where I am writing from.

Ken is down in the mess sampling the beer, which is always his first job at a new station. Well we should be getting leave in a week or two I hope, so I might go home with Jack, or go to Edinburgh. I`ll wait and see if the leave comes first and how much my pocket book weighs, if it has a few pounds I’m all set.

I guess Mike will be rambling around telling all his girlfriends that he is on a day off, so he will be able to see at least 4 of them. If they raise an argument Mike just says we’re through, so they always write and ask him to come back on his next leave. It is a great life if you like a great life. How is everybody in the family getting along? I am pretty fair myself.

So long for now

Love Clair

Douglas and Mike Laffin - Crew 88 complete 2 missions.

Douglas and Mike Laffin, Doug is in the army and will visit with Mike regularly at Croft.

The Laffin crew have two missions completed;

26/27 March 1944 - Courtrai, Belgium and 29/30 March - Vaires, France.

RCAF Overseas

434 Squadron

31 March 1944

Dear Rose, and All

...Well the gang is all here and all well and happy. Cliff is in very high spirits reading a letter from his dear Marge. She expects to be Mrs. Cliff Wentworth when he gets home, and Cliff just sits here moaning about the fact. He says she is a lovely girl but I don’t want to get married soon as I get home, he’s still kicking himself for telling her things that he shouldn’t have.

We are getting 7 days leave starting on the 5th, next Wednesday; I am going home with Jack, so I will know at least one person in the town. Mike was sitting here last night trying to figure out how many of his seven girlfriends he could see in seven days, so he got disgusted and quit. He decided to go and see one of his brothers who is in the army over here, told his girlfriends that he wasn’t getting any leave for at least 3 months.

...I banged my watch on one of guns the other day, so now it stops every time it gets to 25 past 5, it isn’t so good in the morning cause when I wake up and see what the time is, I turn over and go back to sleep. The next time I wake up and ask somebody the time, it is usually 10 O’clock, and we have to get up at the bright hour of 9 O’clock, and be at squadron headquarters by 9:15. 

...Well there goes Cliff writing another letter with a dreamy look in his eyes, he will be kicking himself in a couple of days again for writing such trash, I always tell him to be like me, don’t write that sort of stuff. ...Well I won’t be able to get you that trinket from Scotland this time, as I’m not going there, but I will see if I can find one in Jacks home town.

So long for now, Love Clair

Rose - Crew members are out on the town...

Rose is the second oldest of the 6 children. 

RCAF Overseas

434 Squadron

12 April 1944

Dear Rose and All

Well I just got back this morning from 7 great days leave, and found 28 letters waiting for me. I went to Jacks home in Gloucester last Saturday night and I sure had a swell time. I had a look at England’s old cities down in that part of the country. We even went to the dog races and lost our fortunes. So help me I swear that one of the dogs Jack bet on came in so far behind that he won the next race. That was the only night Jack and I got even got half swacked. That is quite a city, I even met a nice WAAF there, she made me promise to write to her.

...Mike is sitting here trying to write his way out of a marriage, more of his troubles. If I was him I would quit going on leave. Poor Cliff is in the same trouble, but his is way back in Canada, they both like these girls the best of all. They are not ready to get into a two-man crew just yet, as this job at the present time is kind of shaky.

...All anybody ever calls me over here is "Sody".

Will you please let me decide who I should marry, besides I won’t be getting married for quite a while after this mans war is over. At least not until I have enough money to start something and a job that is fair market, so in that case I will probably be an unmarried man the rest of my life. I don’t intend to go out on the street corner selling pencils and shoestrings for a living. How are prospects for starting a tourist camp somewhere in the Rockies? I can always knock off a bank or two to get the financing.

God I got so many letters to write that I don’t know if I will ever catch up.

So long for now,

Love Clair

Mr. & Mrs. Ture Soderstrom, my grandparents. Crew completes a gardening mission.

Clair's parents Agnes and Ture

Clair and crew have completed thier 3rd mission - aerial mine laying off the coast of The Netherlands completed on 1/2 April. 

RCAF Overseas

434 Squadron

17 April 1944

Dear Rose, and All

I received two letters from you and one from Dad today, and one of your parcels yesterday with bars, chocolate, candy, gum, shaving cream, cod liver oil tablets, pipe cleaners, and tobacco. I also got 300 cigarettes from Oscar and Jean the other day.

This letter will probably not get finished today, as I will soon have to get cracking cause we are flying tonight. Well I got back from leave 5 days ago and worse luck we don’t get another leave for a whole month. I went home with Jack on leave and boy did I meet a terrific blonde, she was swell.

...Did mom get those flowers for Easter? The only trouble around here is that we have to get up too early every morning, 9 O’clock an ungodly hour. I guess we will get use to it in time.

...This is a great life, we are getting a few baseball teams together here now, and a bunch of other teams. I’m just waiting in hopes for next week we are having a squadron party and I expect it will be some blow out. So I will blow out with the rest of the boys.

...Mike and Allie are sitting here playing Chinese checkers and talked me into playing too, guess they will get their way cause I haven’t got much space to write much more.

So long for now,

Love Clair

Mike Laffin - Crew has encounter with Luftwaffe, cannot mention in letter.

Mike Laffin has two other brothers in the forces, and his wife to be is also serving as a nurse.

The Laffin crew will be going on their 5th mission tonight bombing the rail yards at Lens, France. Two nights previous (18/19 April) they had thier first encounter with 3 Luftwaffe nightfighters while laying mines at Kiel Bay on the east coast of Denmark.

RCAF Overseas

434 Squadron

20 April 44

Dear Rose, and All

... I spent all morning cleaning my turret, so you see we do work once in a while.

Did you say Curt was over here? If he is I wish he would drop me a line, so I could maybe go and see him on my next leave, but that is whole month from now.

Where in the blazes did you happen to scare up all those corny jokes? How does Fred like you roaring around with all those Americans? I`ll bet you six pence you don’t marry Fred next year, I will even risk a shilling.

Mike didn’t feel like waiting around here for supper, so Jack and him are up in barracks asleep, here I am half asleep writing a letter home like a good boy. The rest of them were smart, they wrote their letters last night, while I went to see a show called "China" and the night before we were playing "Dike the Bridges". Well I’ve got Cliff’s pen and he wants to write to dear Marg....

So long for now,

Love Clair

Rose and Tim. Jack and Sody didn't feel well Easter Sunday

Rose and Tim

Tonight the crew will be flying a bombing raid to Laon France, attempting to destroy the German equipment at the marshalling yards.

RCAF Overseas

434 Squadron

22 April 44

Dear Rose, and All

...Don’t get too sore about not getting letters from me, if you listen to the news or read the paper you will see that we are very busy little boys.

Well old dear you are quite right I haven’t even been on a dance floor since I set foot in this country. All the rest of the crew dance, Jack use to dance at the Normandy and Crystal Palace, it does not help that I haven’t met a girl to go dancing with. I did meet a swell girl on leave, but she is blonde, lives a long way from here, and has a boyfriend.

...Yeah I go to church every Sunday when I’m home, Jacks mother almost got us there on Easter Sunday, but Jack and I had spent the night before and most of the next morning in one of the neighboring cities drinking rum. She didn’t think we looked well enough to take to the neighborhood church...

So long for now, Love Clair

Happier Times, Rose, Clair, Soi,

Rose, Clair and Soi.

Feeling the exhausted, the crew flew 4 missions in the past week, each mission can be many hours, not arriving back until the early the morning. They will be flying to the Friesian islands tonight on a "Gardening" operation, mission 10.

RCAF Overseas

434 Squadron

30 April 1944

Dear Rose, and All

Well here I am again just waiting to go to work, and I feel fagged out as though I had been flying last night, but no I was in bed at 10 p.m. and I didn't get up until 9 this morning. Rose if you get a chance would you get me a bunch of dress socks, shorts, and send them as soon as possible. I am not so fussy about the sock length, make sure the color is not white or yellow cause that don’t look so good with blue...

...What do you mean I finally get tabbed with the name "Sody" I’ve had it ever since I first hit Manning depot. As for our plane, we flew for a while in "Ally-oop", then "Pistol Packin Boma" now we have a new one, L-Love, it has no name yet. Can you think of a good name starting with L?....

So long for now, Love Clair

Clair & Sophie - Crew 88 have 9 missions complete.

Clair's girlfriend "Soi"

The crew now have nine missions complete, they require a total of 30 to go on leave back to Canada. Clair managed to write two letters the same day.

RCAF Overseas

434 Squadron

30 April 44

Dear Rose, and All

I just scared a couple of envelopes out of Mike, so I will send you a couple of pictures of the crew. There was a great argument here about why I should have these envelopes when Mike wants them himself. I can’t imagine how I got them, but I guess you and Soi will be getting a picture or two. They aren’t very good of the guys but they will do. Jack and Mike have sort of corny looks on their faces, and Mikes hat is always where it happens to land. Ken is a Flight Sgt., but he is now a W/O, hope you like it.

Cliff is out roaming the country somewhere tonight. Mike is here trying his best to answer some of the 50 letters that he hasn’t for sometime. That is about all.

So long for now, Love Clair.

Four crew members and fatigue setting in.

Four crew pose for a photo at Croft.

This letter indicates the crew is quite fatigued, what is not mentioned is the run in with the Luftwaffe and other crews that "Fail to Return" (They cannot mention operational matter's in letters)

RCAF Overseas

434 Squadron

3 May 1944

Dear Rose, and All

...I sure have a great time trying to stay awake these days, but I think I will go to the show tonight "Above Suspicion".

...I’m not kidding this work is wearing me to a frazzle, just cause we get up at 9 O’clock don’t mean anything, we don’t get to bed at night until sometime between 3 and 8 in the morning. If we fly the night before we get up at 12, so if you are lucky you get 6 hours sleep, most of the time it is less.

By the way I sent you a couple of crew pictures the other day, 4 to be exact. I don't throw people around anymore for the single reason that I haven’t got the energy. I think I should give this life up, it is getting the best of my nerves, every time somebody yells or a car blows a horn behind me, it takes about 5 minutes to come back down to the ground. You should see Cliff though, I think he has the itchiest trigger finger of all the rear gunners in the squadron. Every time he spots a plane he always asks me if I know what it is? So Mike comes through fast with "Don’t shoot until you’re sure" But he is always ready to blast everything that moves through clouds, and stars.

Say did I tell you that I got 1000 cigarettes that were sent through the overseas tobacco fund. Say Rose you can send me some socks and shorts when you happen to get around to it. Can you imagine I’ve grown a ½ inch, and gained 2 pounds since I got over here, but I think I lost 10 on our last trip, it was very hair raising, to prove it I had to get a hair cut the next day.

So long for now,

Love Clair

Clair and Rose (sister) Crew 88 has 11 missions complete.

Manitoba 1943 - Clair and Rose appear to be getting ready to go out for the evening; family, relatives and friends live in the same nieghborhood and would do a lot of socializing.

Later the remaining Soderstrom family will move to  New westminster B.C. late fall 1943. 

RCAF Overseas

434 Squadron

6 May 1944

Dear Rose, and All

...Well we have to work again tonight, I am rather nervous, but aren’t we all. You should be getting those crew pictures one of these fine days, and I have a few snaps I will send. What do you mean that I actually did some work? Say listen one trip we make is equal to a week’s hard labour, and we sometimes make 4 a week. They tell me I use to be good at night work as we do all our work at night.

...It burns me everytime I think of those dog races, I could just as easily of bet my dough on "Garden Frame" instead of "My Future", but then I could have done the same with "Always Best", and "John Chinaman".

So between Jack and I, we lost our dough, got drunk, picked up a couple of nice WAAFs, missed the train and walked 5 miles home, a wonderful time was had by all. But we did get home even if it was 6 O'clock Easter morning. Oh yeah remember that picture you sent of yourself sitting on the porch with the dress somewhere up in the region of your hips, well Mike told me to tell you that your pants look neat anyway. Cliff wanted to know if it was stocking ad, or if you thought you were Betty Grable. Ken thinks his blonde has nicer legs, and Jack is ready to go to Canada and head west. Jimmy and Chappie haven’t seen the west yet. Well I guess that is about all for this time.

So long for now, Love Clair

Jim Martin - Hitting targets in preparation for D-Day

Jim Martin is the Navigator.

On the 9/10 May 1944 the Laffin crew along with many others bombed the coastal batteries along the french coast to soften up the Nazi's for the invasion.

RCAF Overseas

434 Squadron

10 May 1944

Dear Rose, and All

Well I got one of your letters yesterday, but I couldn’t answer last night cause we were out stirring up Jerry, or maybe I should say Adolf and his boys. I still don’t know why they get so miserable about it, just cause we want to drop a few bombs around his joints. They don’t play fair use real bullets.

So you are getting married in July are you? Well best of luck, but I still think Fred is getting the worst of the bargain, but if he is crazy enough to get married, he might as well marry you, and Mike agrees with me. These blotches on the paper here are some of Mike’s cake. I’m feeling in a good mood tonight, so I will send you a picture of Mike and myself. My dear girl, Mike will not get mixed up in his directions, it is Jimmy that does all the directing, he is the navigator. The rest of us never know where we are, nor how long it will take, all we hear is change course to so and so, target ½ hour away, fly at such and such speed, and all the rest of that stuff....

So long for now,

Love Clair

Clair & Sophie - The crew will have 2 weeks free of Operations.

A much needed break for many crews, during the 2 weeks they may fly a few training flights with instructors, brushing up on aerial manuevers and target practice.

RCAF Overseas

434 Squadron

15 May 1944

Dear Rose, and All

Well I guess I will drop you another line or two as I have this evening free, and tomorrow at this time I will be on my way to London for a couple of days. On this leave I am going to spend a day or so in Nottingham and Doncaster, I have to see Nottingham, that is the joint where the sheriff lived that use to make Robin hoods life interesting.

...Mike and Cliff were hauled up in front of the C/O today, he is a group captain, so I got told to be Cliffs escort. They took Mike in first and boy what a row, before Mike was finished I almost thought that it was the C/O that was on charge, but they both got these cases dismissed. Mike talks himself and us out of and intomore trouble in five minutes than twenty other guys.

Well tonight I am going to see the "Herman comedy". Cliff and I went to town last evening, we saw "Second Chorus" and "Forced Landing" they weren't very good. We got out around 7:30, then went pub crawling till 10, but I'm sorry to say I did most of the drinking, cause Cliff just drinks a limited amount.

Got a letter from Soi today, and she has a new job, it should be pretty good. I`ll see if I can find something for you in London this time old dear. I should tear this letter up and forget the whole thing but I guess I`ll send it anyway.

So long for now,

Love Clair

Mike Laffin, Clair. Crew enjoying thier extended leave.

Mike Laffin is the Pilot, Clair is the Mid-Upper A/G

Even though the Laffin crew and other crews are not flying "Op's" does not mean the squadron is not flying. Other crews alternately fly while other aircrew are on leave. Unfortunately returning from leave new faces appear and old ones are missing. 

RCAF Overseas

434 Squadron

20 May 1944

Dear Rose, and All

Well we just got back from leave this morning and I found two letters from you, one from mom, and one from dad, three from Ivy, 4 from Soi, and one from Louis and Violet, so I guess I had better get cracking.

I went on leave this time with Cliff, we went to Doncaster for a couple of days, London for a couple and Nottingham. 

...The turret on a Bolingbroke is not the same as ours, in fact they are useless, in other words no good. We don't have "L-Love" any more we have another plane now, "A-Able" so we call it "Ally-oop". I tried to find something for your birthday but I couldn't find anything worth sending, but I will see if I can find something one of these days, it will be kind of late. A few minutes ago I had a lot to write about but Mike came in with some drastic news, and shook it all out of me.

I sent you some pictures of Mike, and myself, I guess you will have them by the time you get this letter. I seen one of the boys from old course 60, he is at the same station as Gunner, he told me that Gunner married the daughter in the local pub so I guess we will know where his headquarters will be for the duration. ...We went to see some of Cliffs relatives in Doncaster, one of his cousins looked very interesting but I just seen her long enough to say hello and goodbye. She was good looking, lot of black hair, dark eyes, and 20 years old. The rest of the time we didn't meet anybody....

So long for now, Love Clair

Gunnar a close friend of Clair. 13 Op's completed

Gunnar is a close friend of Clair, also enlisted in RCAF.

Coastal Batteries are pounded again, D-Day is only a few days away.

RCAF Overseas

434 Squadron

3 June 1944

Dear Rose, and All

Well I have a few minutes to spare so here comes a letter your way, I got a couple of your letters yesterday. Also letters from Soi, and Isabel today, but I haven’t had time to answer them yet. So now I am way behind in my letter writing again. I think I told you that I received two of your parcels.

How is dad getting along now? Is he feeling any better?

...They are just playing "Sleepy Lagoon" on the radio, it makes me think of White Lake in the evening. Don’t mind the oil smudges on the paper cause I just finished fixing my guns. We are flying these days with a different WAG. Ken is sick, and has been in the hospital for the past 10 days, now they have sent him to another hospital, I don’t know when he will be out. Gosh I can’t think of much more to write about. I went to a show the other night, "Sweet Rosie O`Grady" it was pretty good...

So long for now,

Love Clair

An unwanted telegram - Missing on Operations

The 20th June 1944, a day that my grandparents would remember for years, and not lose hope that maybe Clair was a P.O.W.

Clair's last letter - dated 8 June 1944, 15 missions complete

This letter would arrive in New Westminster from Clair after the 20th June, unfortunately letters take 2 - 3 weeks to arrive in Canada. As of the 8th of June missions flown by the Laffin crew total 15, exhuastion will now play a role and deal a fateful hand. Clair and his crew will fly five more missions including 16/17th of June 1944 - thier last.

RCAF Overseas

434 squadron

8 June 1944

Dear Rose, and All,

Well I have a few spare minutes so I thought I would drop you a few lines. I am sitting munching hard tach and cheese, it tastes pretty good, god we have more stuff around here than we know what to do with. Cliff just got 5 parcels today so we are having a great time opening them. He even got a mouth organ as a birthday present from his girl friend. I got those 3 parcels the other day, Mike got 2 yesterday and Cliff has 6 in the last 3 days.

I guess you haven’t had very many letters from me lately, but don’t worry too much, we are pretty busy these days, as you can imagine. I even got ambitious enough to buy a bike today, as I will probably go out and break an arm or something. Ken is still in the hospital and I don’t know when he will be out.

We have another WAG flying with us now, F/O James, god what a queer he is, he reminds you of Bob Hope.

Our crew has a day off today as Jack, Mike, Jimmy, and Chappie have gone to town, but I went to town a few days ago with Jack and didn’t get home until 9 O’clock the next morning, with no sleep. So the next few days they fly the pants off us, boy I am tired. Every time I go anywhere with Jack we miss every train, and bus stop that is possible. Neither one of us have a clue when we go out and in a couple of pubs. The boy’s just look at us knowingly and think "There goes a part of Laffins clueless crew".

This letter is pretty mixed up but it seems to be about the best I can do at the present time. Oh yeah did I mention it but I got a letter from Mom today. Say how is dad feeling now? I haven’t heard from Curt for about two months, what in the blazes is he doing now? What does Ruth and Betty intend doing out there in B.C. Gosh I can’t think of anything to write about, with the second front and everything else going on, nothing ever happens that I can write about so I guess I`ll have to close.

So long for now,

Love Clair

Return to Sender 31 July 1944 - from Rose...more heart break

This is one of two letter's Rose wrote to Clair, unopened "Return to Sender" arriving back in B.C. late July 1944. Rose would open the letter and read the second sentence of what she had written...

June 11, 1944

Dear Clair:

Finally and at last I'm finding time to drop you a few lines. How about a pat on the back, old casualty number one? How are you now? In the thick of things I imagine, I hope not. I told Dad his pen was no damn good for holding ink. We're going up to see him again today. He's a lot better now since they tapped his lungs, the doctor said he would be home soon.

Did you lose any more money on dog races? Tut! Tut! Be like me lose it on taxes, they clipped me for $37 in taxes. Ah well, if they gotta, I guess they gotta. We went to a dance with some friends last night, and boy did Ingabard and I have fun. We picked up two army guys (Strictly scruff, but the only things available, no airmen, and ditto for fleet) and laugh, I thought I`d die, and half the people wish we would have. What a jerk-water town, not water, and plenty of jerks, the disapproving glances we got, better we should have brought a bar of soap with us. The floor was very slippery, and some guy told me they used invisible ball bearings. I was stunned because that on top of brandy, and whiskey, hit me as very funny.

I got two airmail for you as I'm sending them in a parcel, I asked the guy at the post office how many he would give me, and he said five, cause that’s all the stamps I bought. So I said "Heck, I want them for my brother overseas" and he gave me 14, nice of him I must say. I've been collecting gum, and chocolate bars too, so you ought to get a fairly decent parcel sometime.

We haven't heard from Curt for ages so I guess he's out again. I didn't go to work on Friday night because my appendix were raising a rumpus, and that I cannot afford to happen, my paycheck is what keeps the house going round. Next Saturday I have a date with Pat, I hope. Very busy girl you have for a sister. God old dear, I haven't the vaguest idea when I'm getting married, or if. Think I`ll stay single and make them all happy, I`ll let you know the decision after next Thursday.

The kids were out and picked some of the loveliest strawberries this morning. Well I got to write a few more letters, and I get tired when I think of throwing manure around. A very monotonous job, and you know monotony and me, course I guess everything is that way nowadays. Till later, I bid you adieu, and for gosh sake take care of yourself as well as you can.

Love,Sis

Return to Sender - 3 Aug. 1944 - from Rose, 2nd letter

Dated the 12th of June, this letter arrived back in B.C. in the first week of August 1944.

June 12, 1944

Dear Clair:

Hi old dear, we got a letter from you this morning, so everything is jim-dandy. Glad to hear you had an o.k. time on your leave. Gee only two letters waiting for you when you came back, Eee god I'm slipping, but good, best I should get cracking. Ah heck Clair why didn't you let me dream, or else along with the picture you should have sent the case history, of course to keep up with Mike's you'd need a teletype. Know wonder they had that gunnery turret on display, if anyone wanted to borrow it, they would get the rotten end of the deal, ah well I enjoyed talking to the guy.

Lorne is cutting out a sailor from a piece of plywood, and he's not doing a bad job of it, that's the only kind of sailors we get around here. How in the devil could Gunnar get married? He is already. Which fella from course 60 did you see? Did I meet him? The only reason you didn't meet anyone interesting on your leave is there isn't anyone to meet. Now take us Canadian gals for instance, yeah I wish somebody would, we're lonesome. God these relatives of Cliff's don't sound good because they might be good and you'll marry one of em, if you meet them often enough. Course I could always reform their English ways. I am talking about the interesting femme fatale you saw, or is she married, or maybe she's got an Officer up her sleeve.

Saw a Sgt. A.G. on the strut the other day, and almost went up and shook his hand, wish I`d obey my impulses once in a while, he was Kee-ute. He also had lots of dark hair, and dark eyes, so has Pat, but he's a mere L.A.C. and Sgt`s are my weakness. We got a letter from the states today with bad news. Junior, Hilda`s boy drowned on the 3rd of May, he was buried a week ago Saturday. Poor kid, he would have been 13 on May 4th. It really shocked all the aunts because they're so worried about the cousins overseas, they forgot that anything could happen to the ones at home.

We haven't heard from Curt yet. Betty and I are going into Vancouver tomorrow to get my boat ticket, and a pair of shoes, and anything else we can find. They just have to be nice and strictly non-walfish, nice thought anyway, even if the young kids walf now. I put a rose in a letter to Curt that I picked in the garden. Hope it still smells nice when he gets it, a Talisman, Rose if you know what kind that is. It looks like it is going to start pouring out pretty soon, and me with no permanent, oh well, I`ll survive. Well I guess I had better drop my other brother, and my future a line. Anyway I'm running out of space and gab, if there was a man I`d be running out after him.

Till later,

Love Sis