This is the first letter to be examined by the censor (but nothing of a sensitive nature was found)!
8 Springfield T.E.
Northallerton
Yorks
June 11th ‘40
Dear Angela
I received your letter this morning but I should have got it earlier but I did not write home and mam said that she would not write until I did.
Tuesday is now my only free night in the week to do any writing - no I am not out with girls the rest of the time - I am trying to “swot” (or should that be “swott”?) My exam begins on July 11th and ends on the 19th. I have been looking over some old exam papers and I appear to know nothing. Excuse the writing but it is getting dark so I will put the light on and put the “black out” up.
We have had a heat wave for about a fortnight. It brought out some German bombers and we had two raids both at night. Bombs were dropped within 2 miles of us, most of the chaps have got pieces of them, we have a large piece between all in the house. The sun also had another bad point, I was out riding for 9 hours one day and I nearly went crazy with sunstroke. Most people think that I haven’t recovered!
If I remember I will enclose a view of Fountains Abbey, it is a lovely place with marvellous grounds. My sketch wasn’t too good so I bought some photos. Perhaps I bore you with all this old fashioned “stuff”, I may seem an old fashioned sort of chap, but I don’t think I am.
I suppose you will be on vacation now - you are jolly lucky. We do not finish until after my first public “ordeal”. Don’t be surprised if I write and say that I have failed, because I expect to - my excuse is the war. I hope your report was better than mine is going to be.
Thanks for the stamps, we have a similar tuberculosis stamp but with a different design. They had an open competition for the design, I didn’t enter but one of my pals did, but no luck, the rest of the country was too good. We have not the stamps to help the crippled but we have plenty of flag-days. These flag-days are a nuisance to me, as there is one girl who always “nabs” me, I don’t even know her to speak to (I would have done if I had wanted to, but I am trying to do some work). I got a correspondent for your friend, he will probably be writing soon.
Mrs. Larder (my hostess) was away for a day about a fortnight ago and we (Mr. Larder, Fred and the two little Larders - and myself) had to cook the dinner, you can imagine what it was like. We gave speeches for about 10 minutes and complaints for 1 week and 2 days afterwards. What a dinner!
I have had one or two bathes in the river but it is not as good as the sea.
I am afraid that I must mention the war as it is the only topic of conversation out here - other than films and girls. Dad is still out of it as he is too old and was in the last war. My uncle was one of the lucky ones to get out of Dunkirk and I think he is still whole. Italy has now joined it - but why I can’t see. We have been asked to cut down various things but no one grumbles in fact I am pleased for some things if lipstick and powder are short they will have to be used in moderation, to a great advantage also. The great moment will come when masters and education are rationed. Enough on war.
I have just seen the film “A Girl must Live” with Margaret Lockwood in it, I think it is a British film, if you have not seen it and want a good laugh - it’s just the thing.
Well I must close now
Your overworked friend
Harold
P.S. Please excuse this terrible letter but my only excuse is that all this work and sun stroke must have affected one. On re-reading it certainly is horrible.
Northallerton
Yorks
June 11th ‘40
Dear Angela
I received your letter this morning but I should have got it earlier but I did not write home and mam said that she would not write until I did.
Tuesday is now my only free night in the week to do any writing - no I am not out with girls the rest of the time - I am trying to “swot” (or should that be “swott”?) My exam begins on July 11th and ends on the 19th. I have been looking over some old exam papers and I appear to know nothing. Excuse the writing but it is getting dark so I will put the light on and put the “black out” up.
We have had a heat wave for about a fortnight. It brought out some German bombers and we had two raids both at night. Bombs were dropped within 2 miles of us, most of the chaps have got pieces of them, we have a large piece between all in the house. The sun also had another bad point, I was out riding for 9 hours one day and I nearly went crazy with sunstroke. Most people think that I haven’t recovered!
If I remember I will enclose a view of Fountains Abbey, it is a lovely place with marvellous grounds. My sketch wasn’t too good so I bought some photos. Perhaps I bore you with all this old fashioned “stuff”, I may seem an old fashioned sort of chap, but I don’t think I am.
I suppose you will be on vacation now - you are jolly lucky. We do not finish until after my first public “ordeal”. Don’t be surprised if I write and say that I have failed, because I expect to - my excuse is the war. I hope your report was better than mine is going to be.
Thanks for the stamps, we have a similar tuberculosis stamp but with a different design. They had an open competition for the design, I didn’t enter but one of my pals did, but no luck, the rest of the country was too good. We have not the stamps to help the crippled but we have plenty of flag-days. These flag-days are a nuisance to me, as there is one girl who always “nabs” me, I don’t even know her to speak to (I would have done if I had wanted to, but I am trying to do some work). I got a correspondent for your friend, he will probably be writing soon.
Mrs. Larder (my hostess) was away for a day about a fortnight ago and we (Mr. Larder, Fred and the two little Larders - and myself) had to cook the dinner, you can imagine what it was like. We gave speeches for about 10 minutes and complaints for 1 week and 2 days afterwards. What a dinner!
I have had one or two bathes in the river but it is not as good as the sea.
I am afraid that I must mention the war as it is the only topic of conversation out here - other than films and girls. Dad is still out of it as he is too old and was in the last war. My uncle was one of the lucky ones to get out of Dunkirk and I think he is still whole. Italy has now joined it - but why I can’t see. We have been asked to cut down various things but no one grumbles in fact I am pleased for some things if lipstick and powder are short they will have to be used in moderation, to a great advantage also. The great moment will come when masters and education are rationed. Enough on war.
I have just seen the film “A Girl must Live” with Margaret Lockwood in it, I think it is a British film, if you have not seen it and want a good laugh - it’s just the thing.
Well I must close now
Your overworked friend
Harold
P.S. Please excuse this terrible letter but my only excuse is that all this work and sun stroke must have affected one. On re-reading it certainly is horrible.
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