Initial training at Levin

Hannah Teale
Apr 3, 2020
2 min read

Updated: May 3, 2023

Above: Linton in front of a tiger-moth in his flying gear.

"I hate this place as I have never hated any place in my life before, probably because being here keeps me from seeing any of you for at least three months."

This is what Linton wrote in one of his first letters home after arriving at Levin for his Initial Pilot's training.

In another letter Linton details the daily routine of the camp:

"And what are you all doing at home? Up here we have settled down to work, and believe me they keep us busy. We have to be up by six o'clock to sweep our tents out, polish two uniforms and a great coat, fold our blankets etc, clean all our boots (3 pairs) and be on parade by ten to seven."

Below is a photo of the camp at Levin for new entrants, in which Linton would have stayed.

Passages from other letters Linton wrote while at Levin:

"There was a dance in Levin, run by the Levin Girls Club in our honor. I paid 1/6 and looked in the door, and remembered all the good dances at home, got homesick and came back to the station."

"We had to parade this morning, and hoist the flag, and at 4.30 this afternoon lower it. I could listen to the trumpeter play all day. Tonight I had to wash all the dishes, and believe me it was some job! Although I enjoyed it, I had about twenty girls to talk to and they made me some supper."

"We had a big exam last Thursday, and have another tomorrow night. Today has seen another big inflow of trainees. I feel really sorry for them, wandering around like lost sheep. I will never forget my own reaction to it."

"Today up here has been beautiful. So much like home in fact, with it's brilliant sunshine that I felt homesick. Tomorrow we all go into khaki shorts and shirts with half sleeves, so you can imagine my hairy limbs catching the morning sun."

Below: Linton on the farm, 1941. (Note the aforementioned "hairy limbs")