Free Handsome Brute: The True Story of a Ladykiller by Sean O'Connor

going to start now (at least I’m no hypocrite) – but if there is any God, and I know you believe in that sort of thing, you both deserve all the love He can bestow on you.
Let Mick profit by my mistakes. Help him to get airborne and make a success of it. If there is anything he wants to know Ralph will help him. His address is First Officer Fisher, BOAC, Central Flying School, Aldermaston, Nr Reading, Wilts.
I’ve nothing else to say except cheerio and thanks for all you’ve done for me.
In spite of Near’s pleadings, I have decided not to see either of you. Please understand won’t you? My thoughts are with you and you have all my love always.
Let’s carry this thing through to the end with the quiet dignity that we’ve shown all through.
Goodbye and bless you darling Mother,
Always yours,
 
Nen
Pentonville Prison
Tuesday, 15th October 1946
My dear Mick,
Just a short note to let you know for the last time that your writing is abominable and your spelling even worse.
I won’t be seeing you again but perhaps in the days to come you’ll feel a friendly Gremlin ease your aircraft out of a sticky position. You may recognise the touch.
You’ll shortly be going into a damn good service. Your future is up to you. Don’t make the mistakes that I’ve made. If you get any urges in the wrong direction just say to yourself ‘Christ, I’ve seen the result of those’ and open your throttles and go round again. You know what I mean.
Use King’s Regulations and Air Council instructions as your Bible and stick to it. If you do that you won’t come unstuck. I’m more qualified to give advice than anyone else I know because I’ve learned all the lessons – and how! Now you take advantage of them. Ralph will always help you, never be too shy to ask him, so will any other Air Force pilot who knew me. You’ll find Air Force friendships mean something and they’re not easily broken.
Get your ‘A’ licence and go ahead. You can do great things, it’s in you and it’s up to you to do something to make Mother and Dad proud of you. By doing that, you’ll be helping me as well.
Cheerio Mick and very many happy landings. Don’t you bloody well let me down or I’ll haunt you, and I’ve a feeling I can be a most unpleasant ghost.
Ever yours,
 
Nen
Pentonville Prison
Tuesday evening, 15th October 1946
My Dearest Mother,
First of all very many thanks for your cable and also for Mick’s. I’ve written several letters to my friends and one more to Elizabeth, but I’d like the last to be written to you. I can’t say more than I said in my previous letter but I meant it wholeheartedly.
I shall probably stay up reading tonight because I’d like to see the dawn again. So much in my memory is associated with the dawn – early morning patrols and coming home from night clubs. Well, it wasn’t really a bad life while it lasted, and I’ve lots to think about.
Please don’t mourn my going – I should hate it – and don’t wear any black. I really mean that. Just wear your gayest colours and refer to me quite normally – that is the easiest way to forget.
So now I’ll leave you. Cheerio, my dear, and very many thanks for everything.
All my love is with you both always. Forever yours,
 
Nen 1

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
    I would like to thank the staff at the libraries and archives around the United Kingdom and in South Africa who have assisted me in my research. I am particularly indebted to the staff at The National Archives in Kew who have responded with patience and diligence to my many requests to have the various files relating to the case made available to study for the first time.
    I am grateful to the London Metropolitan Archives, the London Library, the British Library, the British Newspaper Library at Colindale, the staff at the Archives of the Imperial War Museum, the RAF Museum at Hendon, the Museum of Wimbledon, Melvyn Foster at the Association of Wrens, Charlotte Burford and Julia Collins at Madame Tussaud’s,