To Jessie from Harry Redgrave

To Jessie from Harry Redgrave

A letter and envelope from Harry Redgrave to Jessie. Harry writes about life at RAF Warmwell including the men being taken to Lulworth Cove for swimming, hitch hiking into Dorchester and suggesting Jessie could move to Minehead.

1940-06-09

Two handwritten sheets and an envelope

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Mrs H.C. Redgrave
c/o Mrs Peck
89 Hampton Road
Hampton Hill
Mdx. [Middlesex]

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Hut D,
R.A.F Station
Warmwell
Nr. Dorchester
Sun. Jun 9.

Dear Jessie,

Thanks for your letter of Friday and I must say you are trying hard to find a place down near me but you know all those places you [smudged] mention [/smudged] are, apart from Weymouth and Dorchester, quite small [smudged] places [/smudged] of just a few houses a church and pub, and as all these places cater for holiday makers their prices would be pretty stiff. The best thing you can do is to see if you can stay with Nellie until I leave here and go to a station where there is some chance of staying put.

You remember Horace Moody well his wife and little girl are at Minehead in Somerset for the summer and he has suggested his wife should look around and see if she can find a place for you and Pam. She is living down there with her sister and her sisters [smudged] baby, [/smudged] and Horace thought it would be nice if you all lived together. I am afraid you would find the place rather lonely and with little opportunity of seeing me but it would be safe and you would be with girls of the same age and children for Pam to play with. Let me know what you think of it.

Yesterday afternoon we had a swimming parade

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and two lorry loads of us went down to Lulworth and had [deleted] I [/deleted] a grand swim in most beautiful surroundings. We had to climb down the cliffs into a sandy cove where there was hardly anybody about and we were able to change into our gym shorts and vests after our swim. Last night, having very little money for fare, immediately after supper 6.30. Reg. Taylor and Butch Sadler who you met when you came up to the mill [inserted] and I [/inserted] started to walk to Dorchester about six miles hoping to get a lift. After about half a mile I stopped a car and we were taken right into the town where we strolled around had a couple of drinks and got back to the station and got singles to Moreton 6d. On the way back from the station to the camp I saw a gloworm. [sic] Have you ever seen one. [sic] They are wonderful and I would never believe they could make so much light. When I got back to the hut there was one on my tunic and in the darkness of the hut it was like a lamp on me. Today or rather this afternoon I am going to hitchhike to Weymouth and have a swim and sunbathe on the beach. Wish you were with me though. When this war is all over darling we will have lots of happy times together again. Give my love to all

From you ever loving
Harry xxxx

P.S. Please write me a good long letter next time darling.