Object numberM2009/082:018
DescriptionHandwritten letter on two sheets of paper from Lieutenant Edward Lane RNVR in London to his wife Kitty in Penshurst, Australia, Sydney, 9 April 1942. Addressed "My darling Kitty", Edward writes that he has just returned from Pesach leave after traveling for 28 hours by train and air. On his return he found a giant stack of mail consisting of 30 letters and two parcels (mainly from Kitty). He writes that he is back on night watch which has been fairly quiet. He has read all of her letters but not the rest. He states that there is so much in her letters that he will have to re-read them. He tells Kitty that to send a cable it takes 14 days not a matter of hours as a result of the censor. It is possible to send E.F.M messages all of the empire but it costs more. During his 10 day leave three of them were spent traveling. He spent it with Sadie in Surry. He had a seder with Ben Joelstien (sp?) and family. He talks about his mother and visiting friends and relatives.
Edward Alexander Lane (1902-1984) was born in London’s East End. He gave his birthday as 3 April 1901 whereas it was actually 3 April 1902. Most likely because he was only 17 years old when he enlisted in June 1919 (post-war enlistments continued for the ongoing protection of Britain) and he was required to be 18. In 1918, aged 16, he ran away from home and joined the British Merchant Navy, serving as a baker’s apprentice aboard the troop ship Wyreema. At the end of the War Lane came to Australia aboard the Wyreema. Not being able to secure employment he joined the Royal Australian Navy, serving on was the first HMAS and the Encounter. He remained in the Australian Navy until the mid-1930s at which point he started a business, Lane’s Fibrous Plaster Works in Hurstville.
Edward met Catherine Jonas (known as Kitty) while still serving on the HMS Sydney. They married in 1925. In the late 1930s, he took flying lessons at the Royal Aero Club of NSW and attained his pilot’s licence. At the outbreak of World War II, motivated by the sentiment "Jews don't fight", Edward enlisted in the Royal Australian Navy in 1940. In 1941 he was shipped to England where he was commissioned as a pilot in the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm, flying combat missions off carrier ships, leaving his wife and three children behind. In 1942 he was promoted to Lieutenant in the Fleet Air Arm. It is documented that whilst at the Royal Navy Air Station at Sparrowhawk, Scotland, he crashed the plane. He was transferred to Royal Navy Air Station Hatston (also called HMS Sparrowhawk) in February 1942 as Assistant Aerodrome Control Officer and in late 1942 onto HMS Heron (a ship of the Royal Navy) where he was injured on 8 November 1942 - a colleague fired a Pistol too close to his ear, resulting in permanent hearing loss in one ear. Discharged in January 1946, Lane returned to Australia.
His strong Jewish identity can be inferred from an article he wrote for a special issue to The Hebrew Standard, 3 July 1925. The article was to encourage other Jews to join the Australian Navy. “There is no sign of religious bigotry, so it is not necessary to hide one’s religious affiliation. The observance, for instance, of Jewish holydays is always permissible – the captain grants permission without fuss. The trips to foreign parts are valuable and useful experiences…Whilst the Navy is no nursery – every man is cared for.”
Edward Alexander Lane (1902-1984) was born in London’s East End. He gave his birthday as 3 April 1901 whereas it was actually 3 April 1902. Most likely because he was only 17 years old when he enlisted in June 1919 (post-war enlistments continued for the ongoing protection of Britain) and he was required to be 18. In 1918, aged 16, he ran away from home and joined the British Merchant Navy, serving as a baker’s apprentice aboard the troop ship Wyreema. At the end of the War Lane came to Australia aboard the Wyreema. Not being able to secure employment he joined the Royal Australian Navy, serving on was the first HMAS and the Encounter. He remained in the Australian Navy until the mid-1930s at which point he started a business, Lane’s Fibrous Plaster Works in Hurstville.
Edward met Catherine Jonas (known as Kitty) while still serving on the HMS Sydney. They married in 1925. In the late 1930s, he took flying lessons at the Royal Aero Club of NSW and attained his pilot’s licence. At the outbreak of World War II, motivated by the sentiment "Jews don't fight", Edward enlisted in the Royal Australian Navy in 1940. In 1941 he was shipped to England where he was commissioned as a pilot in the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm, flying combat missions off carrier ships, leaving his wife and three children behind. In 1942 he was promoted to Lieutenant in the Fleet Air Arm. It is documented that whilst at the Royal Navy Air Station at Sparrowhawk, Scotland, he crashed the plane. He was transferred to Royal Navy Air Station Hatston (also called HMS Sparrowhawk) in February 1942 as Assistant Aerodrome Control Officer and in late 1942 onto HMS Heron (a ship of the Royal Navy) where he was injured on 8 November 1942 - a colleague fired a Pistol too close to his ear, resulting in permanent hearing loss in one ear. Discharged in January 1946, Lane returned to Australia.
His strong Jewish identity can be inferred from an article he wrote for a special issue to The Hebrew Standard, 3 July 1925. The article was to encourage other Jews to join the Australian Navy. “There is no sign of religious bigotry, so it is not necessary to hide one’s religious affiliation. The observance, for instance, of Jewish holydays is always permissible – the captain grants permission without fuss. The trips to foreign parts are valuable and useful experiences…Whilst the Navy is no nursery – every man is cared for.”
Production placeEngland
Production date 1942-04-09
Object nameletters
Materialpaper
Dimensions
- letter width: 210.00 mm
letter height: 202.00 mm
envelope width: 133.00 mm
envelope height: 110.00 mm
Language
- English
Credit lineSydney Jewish Museum Collection, Donated by Reuben Lane