[Corporal Robert Walter Miller, RAF.] 228 Autograph Letters Signed, 18 airgraphs and three telegrams to his wife, written while serving as a Second World War accounts clerk. With letters from Ralph Billings, Kenneth Hampton and Bernard Hollobone.

On his daughter's 1943 birth certificate (a copy of which accompanies the collection) Miller is descfibed as 'L/AC 1224106 Royal Air Force (accountants Clerk) of 40 Victoria Drive Eastbourne'. His 228 letters, 18 airgraphs and three telegrams are in good condition, on lightly-aged paper. Around April of 1944 Miller moves with 527 RCAF Squadron from RAF Snailwell, near Newmarket, Suffolk, to RCAF Digby in Lincolnshire, where he remains until the end of 1944. Thereafter he joins RAF SEAAF [South East Asian Air Force], serving in the vicinity of Calcutta, India. 76 of his letters (427pp., 12mo), dating from between May and December 1944, are from 527 Squadron, RCAF Digby, Lincolnshire, all on Salvation Army 'On Active Service with the Canadian Forces' letterheads. Another 96 Air Mail letters (282pp., 12mo) date from between December 1944 and February 1946. 33 of the letters, all from 1945, are in printed SEAAF 'Active Service' envelopes (26 'Green Envelopes' and 7 'R.A.F. Privilege' ones). A further 15 letters are in envelopes, with 9 letters loose. Also present are a copy of the 1943 birth certificate of the couple's daughter Janet Patricia, and Mrs Miller's 1954 driving licence. There are also a further 42 Autograph Letters Signed to Mrs Miller (mostly, from before the Millers' marriage, as 'Miss P. Batchelor') from four individuals: Brigadier Ralph Billings; Kenneth Hampton; Bernard ('Holly') Hollobone (of the RCAF); and 'Sylvia', dating from between 1940 and 1943, the correspondents all being part of a circle of the Millers' friends. Around a third of the letters are in their original envelopes, many of which are stamped by the censor. Censorship may account for the fact that there is very little operational information in the letters, which is mainly personal in nature, with affectionate expressions and discussions of family news. Topics include: recreations (village cricket, walks, tea), the weather, cinema visits, the radio, religious service, George Formby ('his songs are near the line. I don't know is song about "barnacles on his pinnacle"!'), health, washing, acquaintances, food, clothing, the progress of the war. Miller's natural reticence is exemplified in a letter of 8 October 1944, which begins with him explaining that he is sending 'A few lines as promised but I have no idea at the moment what I am going to write about. I only have the feeling that I must write you, to think about you without writing you is unbearable'. And while a letter of 31 January 1946 is accompanied by a press cutting from 'The Statesman', dating from three days before, reporting on a 'Token Strike by R.A.F. men at Cawnpore', all that Miller has to say in the letter is that he hopes it will be 'of interest'. On 30 July 1945 he writes that there is 'still quite a bit for me to do, helping to pass the days until it is my turn to make "rapid" tracks in your direction. Life is entirely different out here that I should hate to go back to India with all the red tape & restrictions. Of course there isn't any night life for us, but it is free & easy, though there are the rains & winds to fight against.' As the correspondence ends in 1946, Miller is in the Calcutta area, and he begins to write more freely. On 28 January 1946, from the 'India Command', he sends 'a slight impression of how these Indians travel on journeys by train. The three I travelled with lived for the whole day in their pyjamas, very often sitting up crossed leg on the seat. Everyone takes a bed roll with them and these three appeared to have buckets, containing water vessels etc. | One thing in India, the people are not shy of speaking and every time someone got in the others asked where he was going & other questions, then a long conversation commenced. I could not understand all of it. You would not get that in England. | Another queer thing which happened was a Moslem [sic] woman got in during the evening. She was covered from head to foot as is their custom so I couldn't see what she was like. I gathered she was young and was looked after by a young Indian. She also sat up on the seat crossed leg. Now I don't think that is right for a woman to go about without showing herself. If she has any beauty why shouldn't the rest of the whole world share it? | The Burmese being bhuddists [sic] allow their women to go about naturally, though they take care of them usually. There are brothels in India! The Hindus also allow their women more lattitude. Why some Moslem women do nothing at all, know nothing and never go out alone. I heard once that a Moslem was travelling with his wife & children. At one station he got off & the train left without him. His wife did not know where they were going & so he lost her & his children. I have left out the whole story but these are the main facts. You see how ignorant they are kept!'