Foreword written by Vicki Sorensen
My father, Frank Sorensen, immigrated to Canada from Roskilde, Denmark with his family in August 1939. He volunteered in the Royal Canadian Air Force in March 1941 and trained to become a Spitfire fighter pilot. He was shot down while serving with RAF 232 Squadron, over Tunisia, in North Africa on April 11, 1943 and became a prisoner of war at Stalag Luft III. He was an active participant in the tunnel digging operations that was later known as The Great Escape.
After my father’s death February 5th, 2010, when he was 87, I came into possession of letters written by him to his parents during the war that they had saved and given back to him. Along with the letters were numerous photos and service record documents. There were 174 letters in total which start from C.O.T.C., 1940, #1 Manning Depot, #3 Initial Flying Training School, #2 Elementary Flying Training School, #11 Service Flying Training School; all in Canada in 1941 to #17 A.F.U. (Advanced Flying Unit) and #53 O.T.U. (Operational Training Unit) in England in 1942. Then, his service from 1942 in RCAF 403 Squadron, in England, transferring to RAF 232 Squadron in Scotland, then to North Africa. Numerous letters are from 1943 and 1944 from Stalag Luft III, and then a handful from 1945. There were only two short letters from the long march from Sagan to Lubeck – one in March letting his parents know he was still all right, and one in May when they had just been liberated.
August 19, 1945
On Leave
384 Earl Street, Kingston, Ontario
Dear Dad & Lilian;
A couple of days ago I wrote to Mr. Wolff at Guelph telling him that I had in mind to visit Guelph and that I’d like to have a talk with him. A quick reply followed to my satisfaction. He asked me to let him know when I will be coming so that he could meet me and make arrangements at home.
Well, I’ll be reporting back from leave in Toronto the 30.8.45 so I intend to leave Kingston a day or two before time and visit Guelph first, or I could also report the 30th August and then go to Guelph. I might find that I’d like to meet Mr. Wolff first so as to have a better idea of Queen’s and Guelph before I make any decisions in Toronto. I doubt if I can get my discharge before the autumn term begins, but then Mr. Wolff will be able to give me some advice on that point other alternatives I have, in case I don’t get discharged in time for this fall term, and take on any kind of manual labour, preferably logging or farming when discharged, or stay in the Air Force until they kick me out. I won’t be making another $8.50 for a long long time. I could say that I intend going to college next summer or winter and meanwhile I’d be out of a job. However I’ll know more about it all after I have reported.
I bought IE a tennis racquet last week, thought it was about time she got out in the fresh air for exercise. She is a little slow picking it up but then I am comparing her to Wif who seems quite good at it already.
I think you would like to know that I now have $5500 in war bonds besides about $1000 in deferred p. account and $1700 which Mother still owes me. I have told her that there is no hurry in paying back, as I will not need it for the next 4 or 5 years.
I would like to do my lumbering in B.C. but now I must consider the cost of the train journey. I would also like to have a look around for a suitable spot for you to retire on. I cannot recommend the Kingston area, I never did like it. Before I went to B.C. I think I would take drive around the Eastern townships once more. Lovely country there and the climate is not disagreeable. If I get to B.C. what’s the use me trying to look around without a car. We learnt that lesson when we arrived in Montreal in ’39. I’ll get a car as soon as ’46 models appear on the market. I’m afraid of anything second hand after so many years of war. How I long to step into one of these new models. They are a dream. I don’t blame Mother for hoping against odds to win a car some day, I even bought $1 worth of tickets myself in the last car raffled away here in town.
Do you think they will open the office in København while we still have to find jobs for service men here in Canada. I would not be surprised if they intend to keep you in London for the next couple of years. What do you think. If that is the case why not start a new home in England and have Mother and Eileen join you. Wif and Benny can look after themselves for I don’t think they’d want to leave. You would not need a larger home than the one you live in now. Except for Wif and Benny your £ to $ worries would be over. The only draw back as far as I can see is the high taxation in England; but then would it be very much lower here in Canada? Mother’s objection could be lack of electrical conveniences, food rationing and other inconveniences as a result of the war which are more strongly felt there than in this country. However, you might find another year or so in England bearable under the present conditions and wait till the Copenhagen office reopens.
At the present I can’t see how your settling on the land would solve the problem for you would have to sell this house in order to buy your small holding which would mean long journeys for the kids every morning, besides the improbability of your getting pensioned off with $60 a month at the present time. Once the kids are old enough to go to college I think Mother would be only too pleased to retire on the land for she knows you can always depend on me for lease-lend as far as the kids’ education is concerned. Mother might not admit this but the happy days she spent in Brome proves my point. Yes she’d be happy alright on a little place, what with $60 or more coming in every month. I see no necessity for making a farm of it, but as a hobby certainly. As far as Mother’s work goes she would get so bored doing nothing that you’d find her puttering around the garden or barn if you have one. What Mother can’t get out of her head or rather into her head is the fact that you would not have to depend on marketing your products for an existence. Not suggesting of course that marketing the products of whatever hobby you choose, as long as it doesn’t put Mother to any extra work, would not be an excellent idea. You bet she’d be happy, you’d have a nice, radio, car – all the electrical help Mother now has. Her hobby would be hens, I’ll bet.
Benny seems to be set on an academical training, just what I’m not sure, neither is he I don’t suppose, but I’d want to see better result from him in high school before I’d back him on that. He might improve the last 3 years of high school though. Excepting Benny’s shyness for expressing his affection for the family like omitting Mother’s good night kiss or his signature of letters, I find Benny ok. I’m sure he doesn’t really mean it, it’s just that he thinks he is too grown up right now. He’ll realize later how silly he is acting now.
I thought Mother was going to finish this letter but today we are leaving for Toronto so I’ll let it go now. We received your with photo. Hope the parcel arrived ok.
Love Frank
My handwriting is terrible – I’m not used to writing with pen and ink.
These photos were taken in the summer of 1945 and in August 1945.
Frank Sorensen’s arrival at the train station in Kingston (August 1945)
Frank dating Betty whom he would marry later. (August 1945)
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Flight Lieutenant Frank Sorensen 