Letter from Douglas Hudson to his parents

Letter from Douglas Hudson to his parents

Reports that he was very pleased with the arrival of nine of their letters as well as mail from other relatives and friends. As he is only allowed two letters a month and one postcard a week, he would not be able to reply to everyone. He writes that there has been some censorship of their letters and passes messages to some who wrote. He comments of their situation and the weather. Suggests that they send post by air mail which take three weeks as opposed to eight weeks for normal mail. Hopes they have received his some of the 12 letters and letters 8 to 10 postcards he has sent. Writes he will think of his mother on 19 January and goes on to comment on having plenty of dates and oranges from sympathetic outsiders. His French is good enough to get what he needs. Continues with financial matters and states that he is well and food is not too bad.

1941-01-10

Three page handwritten letter

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EHudsonJDHudsonP-HE410110-02

755052. Sgt. Chef. J. D. Hudson.
Camp de Sejour Surveille.
LE KEF.
Tunisei
Afrique du Nord.
10-1-41
My Dear Mother & Dad,
During this week I have received nine (9) letters from you, dated Nov 7th to Nov 27th, seven of which arrived here on the same day. I have also received a letter from Auntie Gladys, Uncle Jim, Eileen, Mrs Clayton, Miss Morton, and two from Vera. There is no need for me to say how pleased I am to have received these letters and I thank you all very much for sending them. As I am only allowed to write 2 letters a month and one post card per week you will understand that I cannot write replies to other people and perhaps you will explain this to them in due course.
I cannot comment on all your letters because space is limited, although I appreciate all that you have written. In all your letters only one small sentence has been censored. I very much appreciate the gesture on the part of the Vicar at St. Pauls. Please tell Uncle Jim that we do get plenty of dates out here. (to eat, I mean) & if some people are under
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the impression that we are free to go where we please, will you correct them. The weather since New Year has been warm enough to sit outside again, only during Christmas it snowed. The seasons are the same as England except the winter starts in late Nov. and now it is as warm as late Spring again, in fact very pleasant. Gets light at 6.30 am & dark about 6.30 pm. It hasn’t altered much since we arrived.
Slab chocolate would be welcome here, but I should not go to expense sending other things – well because we always live in hope. I suggest you [underlined] do [/underlined] write by Air Mail; letters have arrived here in three weeks that way, whilst ordinary mail takes from 6 to 8 weeks. I am also expecting a cable from you any time now, as suggested to you by the Red Cross. I sincerely hope you will have received several of my letters by now, I have written about 12 letters & about 8 to 10 post cards.
I realise only too well how you would feel during the four weeks I was missing. That is what worried me most of all, only I can assure you that everything is quite all right.
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I shall think about Mother on the 19th Jan. I will drink a special toast with my Vat 69 Whisky, remainder of my Christmas supply from well wishers in Tunis. We had plenty of dates and oranges at Xmas, all presents from sympathetic outsiders. My French is good enough to get me what I need her, but the Grammar is rough. It is not possible to learn good French because we are not in touch with outsiders. As for Arabic I do not know a word – it is a very difficult language.
I hope you still get my weekly allotment. You are allowed it, in fact I asked the American Consul to try & negotiate matters so that it could be increased. I doubt if he has been successful. I expect it will go to my credit if he has been unsuccessful.
There is not much I can say. I am still keeping well and our food is not bad at all, & I am by no means starving. Getting tea is a problem now however. Remember me to everybody. Best wishes for Mother’s birthday. I hope you are both keeping well. Shall write a p.c. now.
All my love Douglas