30 July 1942 - A Load of Prattle!
30 July 1942
Dear Angela
Your letter arrived two days ago Diane’s arrived yesterday and Tommy has replied.
At present I am on a weeks holiday from work and the weather has been very kind to me, it rained every day for three weeks and when my holiday started the sun came out. I had better not say too much or it may start to rain. I am obeying the “posters” and having “a holiday at home”, I had a day at Newcastle with mam; I went to Wolsingham on my bicycle on Tuesday – it is just a nice ride, about 30 miles – through Durham with its Castle and Cathedral, then Brancepeth which has a lovely old castle in its own grounds, and then up the Wear valley to Wolsingham which is a lovely little village in the valley. I stayed there about two hours and got a very rough sketch of the village. Yesterday I spent at the sea-front and I am fairly well sunburned by now. Mam, dad and I intend to have a day at Durham tomorrow, this will mean dad and I rowing a boat on the river while mam goes to sleep – however a holiday at home would not be complete without a visit to Durham.
I think I am beginning to be searching for something to say already, because very little has happened in the last week or two –it has just been bed and work for me –there has been one or two “alerts” but no bombs dropped.
You said that you do not get many English films in America – if “Dangerous Moonlight” ever comes I advise you to see it, I admit that most English films are inferior to the American but not this one. It is the film in which the Warsaw Concerto is the theme.
You will have heard about “sweets” being rationed over here – we are allowed 2 oz a week, and as yet I have not decided whether I should have 2 oz of chocolate a week or have a half pound once a month. Another trouble is that both mam and dad like chocolate and I don’t seem to have much hope of having more than my ration.
I am afraid I will have to resort to your method and “prattle” for a half page or so in order to prevent myself from closing at the top of a page. However I don’t think it is a sin to prattle.
“Poor prattler! How thou talk’st” – so said Shakespeare via Lady Macduff in Macbeth, and as far as I can remember there was a choice piece of prattling (or p’raps “prattellation” sounds better) in the scene with L. Macduff and her son who was of course Macduffs son – but “father’d he is and yet he’s fatherless”
If you can’t understand the above I would not worry, unless you hear a “prattle” of thunder.
If you can understand the above “you’re a better man than I am Gunga Din” and you had better see a doctor.
If by any chance you can read any of the above you should see an eye specialist or become a language expert–but why worry even blind men go to see eye specialists.
And now having avoided finishing at the top of a page I will close with
Love and prattle
Harold
P.S. I am sorry I have not found more to write but I am absolutely “on the rocks” for news – hoping you don’t mind the crazy last page
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!)
16 May 1942
16.5.42
Dear Angela
I am surprising myself by answering your letter almost immediately, at present I am “fire watching” at college and I have taken the chance to write to you. I don’t think you will have anything like fire watching in America, I am on about once a week.
We had plenty of “your” canned fruit before the war but I don’t think I have seen any since the war started. All canned and dried fruit is rationed over here, in fact there are not many things which are not.
Mam almost fainted when she heard about you refurnishing your room, there is very little new furniture made and the prices are fairly high. Other things which are very scarce are pots, pans, kettles, cups, tea pots, etc – dad and I are always hearing about the lack of various things from mam. Next month chocolate and sweets will be rationed – I wonder if they will ever ration homework?
You must excuse me if this letter is rather dry and muddled. The reason is that I have an exam in two weeks time and I am so full of formulae and proofs that I can hardly think about everyday things. After the exam I am going to work in the Borough Engineers Office and I hope to have a rather easy time compared to college.
I cannot say much about the war as it is still changing very quickly. You will about the Augsberg and Lubeck raids by the R.A.F., well we were all very pleased when we heard that one of our pals was in both raids. It also made me think about how little I was doing just swotting at college, however the Government seem to think that we are quite alright where we are.
I hope you got my letter about Diane’s correspondent, I enclosed his address and if she has written it will be alright, if not I will tell Tommy to write after your next letter arrives (i.e. after Diane’s letter would have arrived if she had written). – I hope you can understand but I doubt it! I have also got a correspondent for Virginia, he is one of my fire watching pals on fire-watching with me now and he is about 17 years old.
The novelty of your design had a great appeal to me, I must admit I have never tried to ‘stylize’ anything in your manner. I have made landscapes of castles into designs in pen and ink and they seem to give a very eerie touch to the scene. However I must admit that your design is much better than any of mine. The exhibition in town at present is of the 1941 Royal Academy Exhibits and some of the water colours and a pencil sketch are marvellous. Do you have many art exhibitions in America?
Well I will leave the letter for a while as I seem to have “dried up” for the present.
Well I am afraid I am still hard up for news – every time I try to think I remember the amount of Maths or Physics I don’t know and in order not to prolong the agony I will close now.
I hope, as usual, that you can read the above and perhaps get some sense out of it – I shall be in a better frame of mind when I write next (after the exam).
I remain
Yours sincerely
Harold
20 April 1942 - Durham Castle
20.4.42
Dear Angela
Your letter arrived two days ago having taken about five weeks to get here. I was quite surprised to hear that you had started work - you seem to have a good deal to do. I don’t think I would feel very keen about starting work at 7.15 am - I suppose it will be a matter of - ‘Early to bed - Early to rise’. I used to have plenty trouble in getting to work at 7.30 even when it was not very far away, and, I think you must have some will-power to get out of bed so early.
I hope you manage to win a scholarship to college. What subjects will you take? Would you please explain a little about you College and University system in America - about the American degrees etc - I am still a little perplexed about the American systems. You said that the colleges would be run on three terms a year - over here it is the normal procedure - 3 terms
Dear Angela
Your letter arrived two days ago having taken about five weeks to get here. I was quite surprised to hear that you had started work - you seem to have a good deal to do. I don’t think I would feel very keen about starting work at 7.15 am - I suppose it will be a matter of - ‘Early to bed - Early to rise’. I used to have plenty trouble in getting to work at 7.30 even when it was not very far away, and, I think you must have some will-power to get out of bed so early.
I hope you manage to win a scholarship to college. What subjects will you take? Would you please explain a little about you College and University system in America - about the American degrees etc - I am still a little perplexed about the American systems. You said that the colleges would be run on three terms a year - over here it is the normal procedure - 3 terms
Michaelmas Oct - Dec
Epiphany Jan - April
Easter April - July
We have just started Easter or Summer Term and I have my University Exam in six weeks time exactly. I did not do too bad in the college exams - two tops, three seconds and a third - I feel quite pleased with these results.
I have just returned from a week at Durham with the Training Corps. We lived under infantry conditions - rise 6.00, breakfast 8.00 etc. I don’t think I have ever polished boots or cleaned buttons etc so much in all my life. We all came back feeling fit but a little tired. We dined in the Castle - I will send a view if I can find a large enough envelope - I think you already have a view of the Cathedral.
I have registered with my age group for National Service which means that I am liable to be ‘called up’ any time, unless I get time allowed in order to pass my exams. I think I once mentioned a pal who was in London during the air raids - he is in America now with the RAF and he seems to be having a grand time - don’t be surprised if he calls on you sometime as he may get near to you.
You mentioned shortages of various things but I still envy you because, if all I hear about California is true, you will never be short of fruit - however things could be worse and we are willing to go short to win the war.
You asked me to get a correspondent for a young friend of yours - Miss Diane Read - the little boy next door wrote before Xmas but he has had no reply - if she did not get the letter and wants to write the address is
Master Thomas Moffat
55 Bond St
Sunderland
Co Durham
He is usually called ‘Tommy’ and is about 12 years old.
I often wonder if most of the 19 year olds and over, are away in America as they are in England. Nearly all my pals have been called up and there are only a few 18 year olds left, and nearly every girl you meet is joining up or wants to join up. We will have a grand time when this war is over. If your brother should happen to be sent over here when he is drafted, ‘he must not forget to look us up’ as mam puts it.
Well I must close now for the simple reason that I can’t think of any more news.
All my best
Harold
Epiphany Jan - April
Easter April - July
We have just started Easter or Summer Term and I have my University Exam in six weeks time exactly. I did not do too bad in the college exams - two tops, three seconds and a third - I feel quite pleased with these results.
I have just returned from a week at Durham with the Training Corps. We lived under infantry conditions - rise 6.00, breakfast 8.00 etc. I don’t think I have ever polished boots or cleaned buttons etc so much in all my life. We all came back feeling fit but a little tired. We dined in the Castle - I will send a view if I can find a large enough envelope - I think you already have a view of the Cathedral.
I have registered with my age group for National Service which means that I am liable to be ‘called up’ any time, unless I get time allowed in order to pass my exams. I think I once mentioned a pal who was in London during the air raids - he is in America now with the RAF and he seems to be having a grand time - don’t be surprised if he calls on you sometime as he may get near to you.
You mentioned shortages of various things but I still envy you because, if all I hear about California is true, you will never be short of fruit - however things could be worse and we are willing to go short to win the war.
You asked me to get a correspondent for a young friend of yours - Miss Diane Read - the little boy next door wrote before Xmas but he has had no reply - if she did not get the letter and wants to write the address is
Master Thomas Moffat
55 Bond St
Sunderland
Co Durham
He is usually called ‘Tommy’ and is about 12 years old.
I often wonder if most of the 19 year olds and over, are away in America as they are in England. Nearly all my pals have been called up and there are only a few 18 year olds left, and nearly every girl you meet is joining up or wants to join up. We will have a grand time when this war is over. If your brother should happen to be sent over here when he is drafted, ‘he must not forget to look us up’ as mam puts it.
Well I must close now for the simple reason that I can’t think of any more news.
All my best
Harold
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