Letter from Douglas Hudson to his parents

Letter from Douglas Hudson to his parents

According to most recent letter from them, none of his mail has arrived with them for eight weeks and he does not know why. Mentions a problem with their address and French post office. Mentions a fellow internee called Eric Pickles (Fleet Air Arm) who also comes from Nelson and passes on address of his relatives. Mentions again that it is possible to send small airmail parcels, and that they had received Red Cross parcels, Suggests again they get a radio as their Christmas present from him. Writes of other people who have sent him letters and ones he has sent home. Reports making more date marmalade.

1941-11-21

Two page handwritten letter

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EHudsonJDHudsonP-HE411121

Royal Air Force. 755052. Sgt. J. D. Hudson.
c/o. Consul Général des Etats Unis.
Rue Michelet.
Alger. Algérie.
Afrique du Nord.
21-11-41.
My Dear Mother & Dad,
I don’t know what is happening to the letters. According to your news my letters don’t appear to have reached you for eight weeks, and my last news from you was also eleven days ago when I received your cable of Nov. 8th & letters dated Oct. 8th. 19th & 21st and one from Dorothy dated Sept. 30th. I replied to your cable immediately but received a telegram from Berne two days later saying my cable had got so far but could not be sent on because the address was not in their list. Words to that effect – it was all in French. Straight away I wrote a letter to the Post Master here at Laghouat explaining in French that Nelson Lancashire was the only address & the correct address. He replied by return & said that my cable was again on its way so I sincerely hope that by now it will have reached you. All unnecessary delay. I am continuing to write every four days, or so, & should be glad to know that you were receiving some of my mail. There must be [deleted] thirty [/deleted] about sixteen which have gone astray which I wrote fairly recently from Aumale. There is a fellow here, (he joined me at Kef, from the Fleet Air Arm,) called Eric Pickles, whose home town is Nelson, and he suggested you might care to communicate with some of his relatives at Colne as you are newcomers to the district. He gave me there [sic] addresses – Miss Mary Hartley, 18, Sutherland St. Colne (Aunt): Miss Annie Pickles, The Hartley Hospital, Colne. (Sister) & Mrs. Norminton, 19. Chapel St. Colne (Aunt). I gather he has written, or is in the process of writing to them all giving your address & suggesting they get in touch with you. It might be interesting. On several occasions I
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gave you Tony’s mother’s address – Mrs. L. A. Randall. 58 Sunny Road, Enfield, Middlesex, but I repeat it as it is so probable all these letters have gone astray. Tony in turn has given his Mother your address. I will also repeat that it is possible to send parcels by Air Mail here from England. They have been received in 12 & 18 days. Weight approximately 1 lb. postage 4s – 5d. If you could possibly send a little tea & soap I should very much appreciate it. We have received quite recently parcels from the Red Cross. Canadian Branch, also Scottish Branch, & I believe others are on their way. I hope so because they are tremendously useful, and we do appreciate them. I made the suggestion in my two earlier letters that if the wireless is still giving trouble you buy a new radio-gram and accept it as a present from me; as a belated Mother’s Birthday cum Christmas gift. I feel sure my credit will stand the strain, and should be very pleased if you would do this. I received a letter a few days ago from Mary by P. of W. post dated September 7th. Mary & Dorothy write to me fairly regularly and I am always pleased to hear from them and thank them for their letters. About two months ago I wrote a long communal letter to Calverley, addressed to Grandad, with the idea that it should be passed round. I am doubtful if it has arrived. The weather has not been very warm since we arrived at Laghouat. During the day it gets fairly warm but the nights are chilly & cloudless. To-day I have made some more of our date marmalade I spoke about a fortnight ago. It is made by straining & skinning a kilo of dates, making these into a pulp and adding the juice of four oranges. It makes quite a reasonable substitute for jam & keeps satisfactorily as long as we require it. Well I must say good-bye again until next letter. I shall be thinking about you at Christmas time & New Year, & send every best wish, also for Mother’s Birthday. As always, all my love & thoughts.
Douglas