Letter from Douglas Hudson to his parents
Title
Letter from Douglas Hudson to his parents
Description
Writes that last two days were red letter for him as he received a cable and three letters from them as well as other mail. He replied to their cable immediately but does not know why his letters are not getting through to them. Mentions that they can send him books and small parcels by airmail. Writes that Canadian Red Cross parcels had arrived and notes contents. Says he is very grateful for the efforts of the Red Cross. Writes there was an issue of clothes, he got some trousers and tobacco. Comment on sunbathing and sandstorms that day. Suggests they get themselves a new radio for Christmas if old one is playing up.
Creator
Date
1941-11-11
Temporal Coverage
Language
Format
Two page handwritten letter
Publisher
Rights
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.
Contributor
Identifier
EHudsonJDHudsonP-HE411111
Transcription
Royal Air Force. 755052. Sgt. J. D. Hudson.
c/o. Consul Général des Etats Unis.
Rue Miochelet.
Alger. Algérie.
Afrique du Nord.
11-11-41.
My Dear Mother & Dad,
Since my last letter written to you a day or two ago quite a few small things have happened that are worthy of mention. Yesterday & to-day were quite red letter days for us, and especially for me. Yesterday I received your cable reading:- Delighted cable thirtieth eagerly await letters none for seven weeks Prestwick anniversary to-day all love” I also received three letters from you dated October. 8th 19th & 21st and one from Dorothy dated September 30th, all of these I was so glad to have. I sent a reply to your cable immediately as follows:- “Delighted cable four letters received to-day latest dated October 21st writing always delay unaccountable all love” I just cannot understand why my letters have not been arriving because I have written regularly twice a week. As you say it is very fortunate that we are able to maintain our cable link with letters from this end so uncertain. Perhaps they will arrive in due course, may be they are paying a visit to Germany for censoring. However, you do know now that I am at Laghouat, thanks to my cable of October 28th. You mention that Dad’s petrol lighter is very useful as matches are scarce. Mine has proved useful for a similar reason until about a week ago when the spring broke & I fear it is “hors de combat” until I get back to England now. Thank Auntie Lizzie for her p.o. You can send books out here, also small parcels by Air Mail of about 1 lb. in wt. for 4s 5d. If you would care to try this means I shall stand the expense. Soap & tea if possible would be most appreciated. I cannot answer all the points in your letters, but the jackal of Aumale disappeared when still a baby ages ago. We
[page break]
have two dogs now and several dog visitors. Yesterday parcels arrived from the Canadian Red X. splendid ones. We have three packets of tea, two large tins of powdered milk, jam, salmon, meat, butter etc. between four of us, besides other items such as sugar, raisins, dates chocolate & cheese & biscuits. In so many of my letters, which apparently you have not received, I praised the parcels we have had from the Red X. I shall never forget their efforts, & we have good reason to believe that others will arrive in due course. You have no idea how we appreciate tea with milk and the opportunity to eat bread with butter, this latter is certainly something new. In your last letter you say “what joy when you are home again to share the results of my culinary labours”. As you say what joy, & believe me I shall do more than justice because I have an enormous appetite and am capable of eating anything The orange season is here thank goodness and in this respect we are better off than you. The Tangier clothes you read about, also arrived yesterday, & I have secured a pair of blue trousers which formerly were part of a lounge suit of good quality. They go well with my uniform jacket & are in good condition. We also received a few Capstan, Gold Flake & Craven A. cigs from Tangier, all of which are much appreciated. To-day’s weather. Sunbathing from – 2.30 pm: 3pm – 5pm sandstorms: 6pm – 8pm rain: Amazing isn’t it? By the way if the old wireless set is still giving trouble with its cracklings etc. I should be very pleased if you would chose [sic] a decent new one (get a radio-gram) as a combined Christmas cum Mother’s birthday present. I am sure my credit will be sufficiently good & I should derive a lot of pleasure to think it would provide a present of that sort whilst I am out here. I realise what a comfort the radio is to you these days. I am dead serious and do hope you will accept my suggestion. It would really please me. Space again dictates so I must say good-bye until next letter. Every good wish, for Christmas, New Year & Mother’s Birthday. All my love & thoughts
Douglas.
c/o. Consul Général des Etats Unis.
Rue Miochelet.
Alger. Algérie.
Afrique du Nord.
11-11-41.
My Dear Mother & Dad,
Since my last letter written to you a day or two ago quite a few small things have happened that are worthy of mention. Yesterday & to-day were quite red letter days for us, and especially for me. Yesterday I received your cable reading:- Delighted cable thirtieth eagerly await letters none for seven weeks Prestwick anniversary to-day all love” I also received three letters from you dated October. 8th 19th & 21st and one from Dorothy dated September 30th, all of these I was so glad to have. I sent a reply to your cable immediately as follows:- “Delighted cable four letters received to-day latest dated October 21st writing always delay unaccountable all love” I just cannot understand why my letters have not been arriving because I have written regularly twice a week. As you say it is very fortunate that we are able to maintain our cable link with letters from this end so uncertain. Perhaps they will arrive in due course, may be they are paying a visit to Germany for censoring. However, you do know now that I am at Laghouat, thanks to my cable of October 28th. You mention that Dad’s petrol lighter is very useful as matches are scarce. Mine has proved useful for a similar reason until about a week ago when the spring broke & I fear it is “hors de combat” until I get back to England now. Thank Auntie Lizzie for her p.o. You can send books out here, also small parcels by Air Mail of about 1 lb. in wt. for 4s 5d. If you would care to try this means I shall stand the expense. Soap & tea if possible would be most appreciated. I cannot answer all the points in your letters, but the jackal of Aumale disappeared when still a baby ages ago. We
[page break]
have two dogs now and several dog visitors. Yesterday parcels arrived from the Canadian Red X. splendid ones. We have three packets of tea, two large tins of powdered milk, jam, salmon, meat, butter etc. between four of us, besides other items such as sugar, raisins, dates chocolate & cheese & biscuits. In so many of my letters, which apparently you have not received, I praised the parcels we have had from the Red X. I shall never forget their efforts, & we have good reason to believe that others will arrive in due course. You have no idea how we appreciate tea with milk and the opportunity to eat bread with butter, this latter is certainly something new. In your last letter you say “what joy when you are home again to share the results of my culinary labours”. As you say what joy, & believe me I shall do more than justice because I have an enormous appetite and am capable of eating anything The orange season is here thank goodness and in this respect we are better off than you. The Tangier clothes you read about, also arrived yesterday, & I have secured a pair of blue trousers which formerly were part of a lounge suit of good quality. They go well with my uniform jacket & are in good condition. We also received a few Capstan, Gold Flake & Craven A. cigs from Tangier, all of which are much appreciated. To-day’s weather. Sunbathing from – 2.30 pm: 3pm – 5pm sandstorms: 6pm – 8pm rain: Amazing isn’t it? By the way if the old wireless set is still giving trouble with its cracklings etc. I should be very pleased if you would chose [sic] a decent new one (get a radio-gram) as a combined Christmas cum Mother’s birthday present. I am sure my credit will be sufficiently good & I should derive a lot of pleasure to think it would provide a present of that sort whilst I am out here. I realise what a comfort the radio is to you these days. I am dead serious and do hope you will accept my suggestion. It would really please me. Space again dictates so I must say good-bye until next letter. Every good wish, for Christmas, New Year & Mother’s Birthday. All my love & thoughts
Douglas.
Collection
Citation
James Douglas Hudson, “Letter from Douglas Hudson to his parents ,” IBCC Digital Archive, accessed April 26, 2024, https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/collections/document/22569.
Item Relations
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