Letter from John Valentine to his wife Ursula

Letter from John Valentine to his wife Ursula

Number 151-8. Reports arrival of 4 letters and all the news about new home and provides much advice on gramophone and financial issues. Mentions health issues and wishes for the end of winter.

1944-02-27

Two page handwritten letter

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EValentineJRMValentineUM440227

Start of transcription
STALAG LUFT III
LAGER “A”
27-2-44
Darling Ursula: Tuesday was a marvellous day for me bringing 4 letters from you 5th & 29th Dec, 2nd & 11th Jan. I read again & again all your details of the home, carefully studying your sketches & generally enjoying the thought of having a home to my name. Delighted to hear of the labour saving & apparently economic system of heating & cooking & glad to know that electrical appliances figure to a certain extent. Of course there are gaps in the letters (non arrivals, I mean, not erasures) but I gather youve [sic] contacted D. Halls for odd items of furniture. Try to get as much from him – let cash be your only bar if rationing can be overcome. You seem to have scrounged a gramophone. If its that old one of my peoples it isn’t much good BUT my wireless has a couple of “plug ‘oles” for a pick up. Would you therefore try to acquire either [circled 1] an electric “Pick Up” arm or [circled 2] Complete electric unit ie motor turntable & Pick up arm. If you get the former it merely replaces sound box & arm of gramophone & we continue to wind up the clockwork motor for each record but get sound from wireless, if latter we take clockwork motor & turntable out of gram & replace with electric unit. They are relatively inexpensive, especially former so its worth while getting a good quality one. The reproduction will be incomparably better than that of the old machine. I know these devices wont be plentiful but A.S.T. or Freeman (through one of GATs connections) or Peter might be able to get one. Let GATS handle Property tax. Hope Frances enjoys dancing lessons. Good idea anyway. This month has been our coldest yet but not exactly unbearable. I’m not feeling too bright my last cold lingers, taste of course, gone & nose bleeding a lot. However I’ve escaped the [censored words] In my room every single man had had either flu or bad cold. [censored sentence] We long for the end of this wretched winter & hope for big events in the spring & summer. Hope you & Frances got rid of your colds & have kept fit since. Fondest love to both. John
[page break]
151 – 8
[underlined] Kriegsgefangenenpost [/underlined]
[stamp]
An MRS U.M. VALENTINE
FELMERSHAM
BOTTRELLS LANE
[stamp]
Empfangsort:
Strasse: CHALFONT ST GILES
Kreis: BUCKS
Land: ENGLAND
Absender:
Vor- und Zuname: J.R.M. VALENTINE
Gefangenennummer: 450
Lager-Bezeichnung: [deleted] Kriegsgefangenenlager Nr. 6 der Luftwaffe [/deleted]
STALAG LUFT III
LAGER “A”
Duetschland (Allemagne)