Letter from Douglas Hudson to his parents

Letter from Douglas Hudson to his parents

Writes he is doing well and has been sunbathing and comments on the weather. Mentions he has sent a number of letters via the Red Cross but has had no acknowledgement that they had been forwarded to them. Asks that they cable him via the American Consul when they have received one. Continues with chatter and wishes mother happy birthday. Mentions playing bridge, solo whist and getting shoes mended. Wonders if he has appeared on missing list yet. Postscript that they should write by email to American Consul, Tunis

1940-11-15

Three page handwritten letter

This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.

EHudsonJDHudsonP-HE401115

755052 Sgt. Chef. J.[?] D. Hudson
Camp de Sejour Surveille,
LE KEF.
TUNISIE
AFRIQUE DU NORD

15-11-40

Mr Dear Mother & Dad,

Once again the time has arrived to write to you, and it is perhaps amazing how quickly the time doe actually pass.

There is not a great deal I can say, but I do hope that you are keeping safe & well & that business is still all right. I am doing well & have just completed a spot of sunbathing. During the last fortnight the weather has been quite good, although it gets rather chilly at night time. To-day would be ideal holiday weather in England.

I don’t know whether you have received any of my letters yet. I have written quite a number via the Red Cross & have had one acknowledgement from them saying an earlier letter was forwarded to you. I suggest that upon receipt of the letter that you send me a cable telling me how you are. Send it to me care of the American Consul – Tunis – North Africa. Maybe send it via the Red Cross, but perhaps you could enquire the best way in Manchester.

I am wondering if you still have my motor bike. Perhaps it will be advisable to keep it because I expect that one day the war will be

[page break]

over, and it will be useful again.

As it will take such a long time for the letter to arrive, I wish Mother a very happy birthday & many happy returns of the day. I shall be thinking about her even if I am still so far away from home.

I had a little bridge practice the other day but I am not particularly keen on the game. I much prefer Solo Whist which we play quite a lot here.

I had a pair of shoes mended in style of the Arab soldiers. They are pretty hefty & should prove durable if the soles don’t part company with the uppers.

I am wondering if I have appeared on the Missing List in the papers yet, & if so under what category.

I won’t write any more now. I think the less work I give the Censor the better. I will away & practice a little more cooking now (useful for when I return home)

Once again hoping that you are both well & safe & in good spirits. Don’t worry about me because I assure you I am quite all right, even though I should be away from home, & what wouldn’t I give to be back now.

I am always thinking about you both.
All my love Douglas.
P.T.O.

[page break]

P.S. Write to me by Air Mail, addressed c/o. The American Consul, Tunis, North Africa. One of our chaps has just received a letter from home this way.