11 July 1942

11 July 1942

Dear Angela
Your letter arrived a few days ago having taken longer than usual to come. But the main thing is that it did arrive. I must thank you very much for the photo and I disagree with you when you say it isn’t very good, if the rest of the class looked the same as you it must have been a ‘super’ graduation day. I think I told you that we have no graduation days over here, we just leave the Secondary Schools without any fuss, just as if we were glad to be out of the place. We had a “speech day” before the war, when prizes were given for good work in each class of the school, and the school choir and orchestra rendered or murdered a few songs. Even if we had a graduation day it would not be very good as we have no mixed classes, and to make it a good day we need a few graduation dresses like yours, and girls in them like you. (I am now getting my own back to your mention of being formal, which is the last thing in the world I would like to be). In short – I think you look very charming – “short and sweet” as we say about any short sentence which states a fact plainly. I don’t know if you ever use “Master” in America, in England we use it for boys who are fairly young or who have the same initials as their father – perhaps I am not “fairly young” but I have the same initials as dad, but that doesn’t give you any excuse to use MASTER in inch high capitals or to use JUNIOR either – just keep to “Mr” – I have started my letter “stupid” because you finished yours “stupid”. The rest of my letter may be “stupid” yet – I don’t know!
I think I was preparing for an exam the last time I wrote, well the results are out and I am pleased to say that I have managed to scrape through, there were only 10 out of the 20 boys who sat that got through – I didn’t do so bad! I have had an interview with the “recruiting board” and my calling up papers will be deferred until after my next exam in July 1943 and perhaps later – on condition I remain in the Training Corps and make good progress at college.
We had the college sports about a fortnight ago and “Degree”, which was the section I ran for, won the championship. I am afraid I didn’t do very grand, I won the 880 yds and got 3 – 3rds in the 100yds, 220 yds & 440 yds. I then pulled in the tug-o-war team and as I had no time to train I was in awful shape and could hardly walk, so I didn’t run in the relay team but let another chap run in my place. There was a dance after the sports but my legs were in no state for dancing so I did not go – I had pains for about a week afterwards. I went into the sea for my first bathe this year but I was only in a few minutes as it was so cold. We are allowed on the beaches during certain times for bathing only, but it is not as good as before the war when we spent the whole day on the beach – however we can put up with it until after the war.
I am working now in the fitting shops for three months, and I am enjoying myself again in boiler suits and lots of oil and grease. This is perhaps the reason why my writing (?) is much worse than usual as I can hardly hold a pen after holding hammers and files.
You mention how peculiar it was in San Francisco without the wind, I suppose I have had a similar feeling to-night. Wet weather is part of an English summer but not weather like to-night, it has been pouring down to-night, the thunder was much louder than any bombs and it has been shaking the houses, lightening also had a large part in the show – and to crown it all hailstones the size of peas fell for about an hour. I am not sure if it is July or not.
You seem to have the same dreams as me, I want to take a trip around the world but I don’t think I will ever have the money. However I intend to get some engineering experience abroad and I may get a chance to look you up some day in the future.
I was at an aquarium about six years ago and I can still remember some of the fishes and crabs, a small octopus seemed to be the most disagreeable to me.
I will close on this sheet of paper in order to save paper. I hope you can read the above.
Lots of love
Harold (another hit at your formality!)