Letter from John Valentine to his wife Ursula

Letter from John Valentine to his wife Ursula

Number 47. Still no letter from wife but her parcel has arrived. Has now got all the clothing required just needs socks. Thanks her for included rug for which he is very grateful and would like another if he is there for another winter. Mentions other letters and sends thanks for pipe which he is enjoying smoking. Reports ability to taste is improving. Mentions 'Prisoner of War Magazine' photograph of ice hockey and that Red Cross parcel situation improving. Still continuing with violin.

1943-01-31

Two page handwritten letter

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EValentineJRMValentineUM430131

underlined] NUMBER 47 [/underlined]
[underlined] 31-1-43 [/underlined]

My Darling Ursula: I am still awaiting mail from you, but I have at least seen your precious handwriting today – on the list of contents of my 2nd personal parcel. Thank you very much for everything you sent dearest – I am now completely equipped as far as clothing is concerned & shall be for some time to come. Apart from anything I have asked for to date which you haven’t been able to send yet, please don’t send any more clothing except (say) two pairs of socks in each parcel. You see I have had 2 clothing parcels from your Mother & any more would be an embarrassment. The piece de resistance of your latest parcel was Ba’s rug. Will you please give her my very, very grateful thanks. It is a grand article, beautifully warm & yet so light. It represents a tremendous amount of work & I really am most grateful. Should I be here next winter I’d love another, if you could find anyone willing to undertake such a man sized job. I actually had a letter today too (my 1st for a month) from your Mother – together with a snap of herself & in the background a most opulent looking edifice which she termed a “bungalow”. Please thank “my old man” for his pipe, which is a beauty & smokes excellently, As a result of my period of tastelessness [?] (which is much better now) I still have quite a lot of tobacco left & am enjoying it in my new pipe. Probably as a result of the drier climate here, my tastelessness has been much better than in Britain & apart from the blank months of Nov & Dec I have tasted most of the time here. I have no news for you – nothing ever happens, unfortunately, that is the main curse of this place. I understand that a recent news of the POW magazine contained a photo of ice hockey here. It must be a remarkable photo for there was no skating here until about 2 weeks ago. We have good news of Red X parcels – apparently transport problems are easier & we expect an early end to the present period of short [one indecipherable word] which isn’t too bad anyway. I shall plug away at the fiddle but am getting no assistance at all from my professor who has ignored me for 9 weeks now. I’m very unpopular with certain people as a result of my practice in their vicinity. All my love darling & Francis. John.

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[reverse of letter]
MRS U. M. VALENTINE
“LIDO”
TENTERDEN GROVE
HENDON
LONDON NW4
ENGLAND

[/reverse of letter]

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