Letter from Douglas Hudson to his parents

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Title

Letter from Douglas Hudson to his parents

Description

Catches up with letters and cable received. Says no parcel received yet but eagerly expecting the cigarettes they sent. Says he is asking in his reply cable for soap, socks and towels and gives reason for request. Notes other have received parcels with similar content from home via the Red Cross and asks them to try the same method. Catches up with news from home and mentions the latest weather. Writes that Red Cross ate still sending food parcels mostly from the Argentine at present and mentions contents. Comments on their latest living accommodation situation.

Date

1942-04-17

Temporal Coverage

Language

Format

Two page handwritten letter

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-HE420417

Transcription

Royal Air Force. 755052. Sgt. J.D. Hudson,
c/o. Consul Général des États Unis.
Rue Michelet.
Alger. Algérie.
17th April 1942. Afrique du Nord.

My Dear Mother & Dad,

On the 14th I was very pleased to receive four letters from you dated March 4th, 8th, 13th & 16th, numbered 21, 23, 25 & 26. The only letters I have not received of the first twenty-six written are Nos. 11 & 22, so I think you will agree with me that delivery has been really good. Ten minutes ago I was delighted to receive your cable of the 15th April acknowledging mine of the 8th (actually sent by me on the 2nd – there is always that annoying few days delay for some unaccountable reason, at this end). Your cable read as follows:- “Delighted cable eighth latest letter dated January 9th did parcel arrive. Grandad staying two weeks all well love” to which I am replying to-day:- “Delighted cable fifteenth latest letter dated March sixteenth no parcel received can you send soap towels socks via Red Cross well all love” It is too early to expect the arrival of the cigarettes they take months to get here via the ordinary route, but I assure you I am eagerly awaiting them and thank you for arranging to have them sent. The reason I am asking you in my cable to-day to send soap, socks and towels is because these are most difficult to obtain, and most essential. Tony & a few others here received parcels containing such items two days ago. Sent from home via the Red Cross & leaving London on December 22nd. I should be very pleased if you could arrange a parcel accordingly.

[page break]

There is no need for me to say how sorry I was to learn about Louis in your letter of March 4th and I am glad you sent my sympathies to Mrs. Murray. There is just nothing I can say, but I feel it nevertheless. I am sorry to learn that Uncle Jim has been ill with asthma and hope he will be better now. What a winter you appear to have experienced! We had a spell a few days ago of ridiculously hot weather, as close as late June last year. We are now experiencing a reverse in temperature – it is colder than it has been for about six or eight weeks, a pleasant interlude, and it is rather like English April weather, windy & clear but no rain. Yes the Red Cross continue to send food. At present most of it is coming from the Argentine. We had tinned sausages last night – the first I have tasted since coming to this country. The Argentine send these, & butter, steak, cornbeef [sic] , prunes, stews, & jam of excellent quality. They have a large community to cater for now as our numbers trebled a week ago. What a crowd now! We are working & living in our Orderly Room & “Camp Erks” Office (four of us) thank God. You say that “the days pass quickly away and age relentlessly takes it’s toll”. I suppose we must be prepared for inevitable changes, but as you add “our deep love will ever remain” This is true and cannot be altered. Nobody can destroy that. So you do not like the broad Lancashire accent? Wait until I get home and I will take you away from all that. I am away from that down here myself & doubtless it will sound strange when I get back. Enclose small photo of the “Echo” front page, earlier edition. Sorry space is ended & I must finish so abruptly. Good-bye until next letter. All my love & thoughts as ever, to you both. Douglas

Collection

Citation

James Douglas Hudson, “Letter from Douglas Hudson to his parents,” IBCC Digital Archive, accessed March 28, 2024, https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/collections/document/22669.

Item Relations

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