7.12.41
Dear Angela
I received the very welcome birthday-card just over a week ago - it has taken “ages” to come, but thank you very much. I am hoping that this reaches you before you add another year to your score. You may pick some tips on swimming from the card. I suppose it will be after Xmas by the time you receive this, I am going to have quite a busy time during that time. I have a Chemistry exam in a fortnights’ time, and a week intensive training with the Training Corps during the vacation. We are going out all day, on rough country executing an attack scheme drawn up by one of our officers. I will also have to do some swotting during the vacation as we have to cover about two years work in one. Up til now I have not even been invited to any parties and I don’t think there will be many this year because of the rationing etc. Mam says we will have to do without Xmas dinner and the usual excess of good food - she says it will do us no harm - well I don’t suppose it will.
You had “hard luck” in the tennis tournament to be matched against the probable champion in the semi-final - however I can’t say that you did extra well in the doubles - but who cares it’s all good fun. I hope your swimming and life-saving class is going strong and that you pass the tests. If the Life Saving tests are the same as I got, your Red Cross training will be helpful in the theory. I have very little time for sport now - we have a Swimming Club at college but I haven’t time to go, and I have been asked to run in cross-country races, but I have to go to Training Corps instead, mam is glad of this as she says it is too far to run.
I must say that you are doing a good deal of work at school, I was never any good at English which seems to be one of your main subjects, and Civics - well I have never had a lesson on it in my life. I am just managing to keep up with my work; and I seem to suffer from the same complaint as you - handing in essays each week, - I usually have two each week and they are on such dry subjects as – “special types of engines” – “design of machines etc” - but I suppose it is my job and I had better do it.
Dad has just gone to bed and I must follow suit soon. He has to go on fire-watching at work at 4.00 o’clock this (tomorrow) morning - I suppose you will have heard all about our fire-watching system.
We have had no air-raids since the last time I wrote - but the moon is full now. I used to look upon the moon as a romantic thing which appeared at certain times and made the world very romantic (if you were of a romantic turn of mind) - now it is looked upon with almost hate as it usually (not always) brings at least one raid - I must “cross my fingers” or “touch wood” as he hasn’t been this moon - yet.
Well so much for the war and situation over here - as for the situation over there and in Japan, it is beyond my depth - or perhaps I just don’t understand it.
I must close now wishing you a very happy birthday.
Yours sincerely
Harold
P.S. If you can’t read this I will forward the code on application! I hope the envelope manages to hold together, it is the strongest I can get, and the white ones are very thin - rationing again.
Dear Angela
I received the very welcome birthday-card just over a week ago - it has taken “ages” to come, but thank you very much. I am hoping that this reaches you before you add another year to your score. You may pick some tips on swimming from the card. I suppose it will be after Xmas by the time you receive this, I am going to have quite a busy time during that time. I have a Chemistry exam in a fortnights’ time, and a week intensive training with the Training Corps during the vacation. We are going out all day, on rough country executing an attack scheme drawn up by one of our officers. I will also have to do some swotting during the vacation as we have to cover about two years work in one. Up til now I have not even been invited to any parties and I don’t think there will be many this year because of the rationing etc. Mam says we will have to do without Xmas dinner and the usual excess of good food - she says it will do us no harm - well I don’t suppose it will.
You had “hard luck” in the tennis tournament to be matched against the probable champion in the semi-final - however I can’t say that you did extra well in the doubles - but who cares it’s all good fun. I hope your swimming and life-saving class is going strong and that you pass the tests. If the Life Saving tests are the same as I got, your Red Cross training will be helpful in the theory. I have very little time for sport now - we have a Swimming Club at college but I haven’t time to go, and I have been asked to run in cross-country races, but I have to go to Training Corps instead, mam is glad of this as she says it is too far to run.
I must say that you are doing a good deal of work at school, I was never any good at English which seems to be one of your main subjects, and Civics - well I have never had a lesson on it in my life. I am just managing to keep up with my work; and I seem to suffer from the same complaint as you - handing in essays each week, - I usually have two each week and they are on such dry subjects as – “special types of engines” – “design of machines etc” - but I suppose it is my job and I had better do it.
Dad has just gone to bed and I must follow suit soon. He has to go on fire-watching at work at 4.00 o’clock this (tomorrow) morning - I suppose you will have heard all about our fire-watching system.
We have had no air-raids since the last time I wrote - but the moon is full now. I used to look upon the moon as a romantic thing which appeared at certain times and made the world very romantic (if you were of a romantic turn of mind) - now it is looked upon with almost hate as it usually (not always) brings at least one raid - I must “cross my fingers” or “touch wood” as he hasn’t been this moon - yet.
Well so much for the war and situation over here - as for the situation over there and in Japan, it is beyond my depth - or perhaps I just don’t understand it.
I must close now wishing you a very happy birthday.
Yours sincerely
Harold
P.S. If you can’t read this I will forward the code on application! I hope the envelope manages to hold together, it is the strongest I can get, and the white ones are very thin - rationing again.
No comments:
Post a Comment