Letter from John Valentine to his wife Ursula

Letter from John Valentine to his wife Ursula

Number 106(49). Reports arrival of two of her letters and that she will not hear from him for a while as they leave the next day. Mentions music exams he taken. Says he will keep up his violin, his study of agriculture and Dutch. He writes that he is often moody but he keeps himself busy.

1943-06-09

Two page handwritten letter

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EValentineJRMValentineUM430609

Start of transcription

9th June 1943

My Dearest Ursula. I was delighted to have your 57/58 today & feel much refreshed by them. As we leave tomorrow I shall probably not hear from you for weeks. You too will suffer delay in mail from me, I fear. I hope Ba enjoyed her holiday in Wales. What part of Wales did she go to. I have sat the 3rd music Exam but fared poorly. I expect to pass 1 of them (Grammar) 1 of the Harmony papers is [inserted] a [/inserted] doubtful pass & one a certain failure. I don’t intend carrying on with the study of Harmony. Sorry to hear that you were worried about my foot - you certainly need not have done so. I’m very sorry too, to hear of that wretched thumb of yours. I wish you could get it properly healed. I note your remarks about study & heartily agree with them. My intentions at present are as follows. My fiddle I shall keep going at all costs & devote [insert] to it [/insert] as much time as I can afford without sickening myself. Agriculture as a subject for abstract study I find, frankly, boring although I like reading books of a general or descriptive nature I therefore don’t intend swotting regularly. I would like to make Dutch my second subject for I am really keen (but oh so shy) to master a foreign tongue & if I can secure a grammar I’ll bully Louis ben Boer into giving me regular help. That will take all my time but there is a possibility that our Harmony Instructor will branch out into musical history at the next place & I’ll follow that for amusement only for it fascinates me. As for my changed outlook, I don’t think I am any more cynical than I was nor, I hope, am I less cheerful but I feel changed more resigned, given to moods (fortunately not often) & possibly a little soured. However I don’t think you need worry. I always keep myself very busy I make a point of doing so even if the effort is great & I’m sure my outlook will revert to normal just as soon as I become a free man again. I am so proud of Frances judging by her photos & your description & I love you both
Always your John.

[page break]

106 (49)

Gable End
Priors Marston
Nr Rugby


[underlined] Kriegsgefangenenpost [/underlined]

[post mark]

An MRS U M. VALENTINE

[deleted] LIDO [/deleted]

Empfangsort: [deleted] TENTERDEN GROVE [/deleted]

Straße: [deleted] HENDON [/deleted]

Kreis: LONDON N.W.4

Land: ENGLAND

Landesteil (Provinz usw.)

[post mark]

[underlined] Gebührenfreil [/underlined]

[post mark]

Absender:

Vor- und Zuname: Sgt John Valentine

Gefangenennummer: 449

Lager-Bezeichnung: M.-Stammlager Luft 3

Deutschland (Germany)