Telegram from an RAF Pilot - but from where?
I have received the following enquiry:
The Postal Museum Archives suggested that I should contact you as they were unable to help. I wonder if you can help me solve a family mystery. In May 1943 my (now late) mother was living near Woodford in Essex and received a birthday telegram which we think was from her fiance who was a WW2 RAF pilot who died in the war. (It was saying he was sorry he couldn't be there and he would see her ASAP). As you may know, at that time civilian telegrams began by stating the place where they were sent from and they were postmarked with the place that received them. This telegram starts with the reference (Prefix 296) PE/T 22, finishing with the reference CT PE/T 31 and appears to be postmarked HANDEL. Have you a list which might say which RAF base that (code PE) might have been sent from? (The T part of the reference is the method sent.) Having searched on the internet I have found copies of two other unrelated telegrams from the early 1940s, where the RAF base code is SKE which appears to be RAF East Kirkby. If you don't know, please have you any idea whom I could contact who may be able to help me? Many thanks.
I have asked if they could send me a scan of the telegram.
Sorry for the delay in downloading a copy of the telegram - too busy with other aspects of the Society and hobby! Now attached.
James A. Mackay published a book in 1981 "Telegraphic Codes of the British Isles 1870-1924" but these were largely three letter codes. There are two letter codes before each three letter series and PE is shown as Peterborough. He also refers to the SKE code as relating to RAF East Kirkby. However, Mackay's book shows it to be Skegness - both in Lincolnshire. It could be that telegrams from RAF East Kirkby were handled by the GPO at Skegness, but I would have thought Spilsby as it is closer.