Letter from Douglas Hudson to his parents

Letter from Douglas Hudson to his parents

Writes that it was a year since they left El Kef. Comments on a welcome drop in temperature but that flies were making themselves felt. Catches up on mail received. Writes that he is enclosing photographs including one of the cover of the camp newspaper and others of them working on its production. Mentions being inoculated again with more to come and comments that this is essential and no one refuses due to climate and conditions. Writes that those who have been there a long time look sunburned and fitter than new arrivals. He asks again for them to send soap, socks and towels via Red Cross as these are ridiculously difficult to get.

1942-04-22

Two page handwritten letter

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EHudsonJDHudsonP-HE420422

Royal Air Force. 755052. Sgt. J.D.Hudson.
c/o. Consul Général des États Unis.
Rue Michelet
Alger. Algérie
22-4-42. Afrique du Nord.

My Dear Mother & Dad,

It is a year ago today (by the day) [deleted] that [/deleted] [inserted] since [/inserted] we left Kef. for the brief respite of Médéa, and it is rather strange but after a spell of hot weather the temperature had dropped to the same as Médéa’s temperature at this time last year. It is very welcome and puts the summer off temperorily [sic], whilst at the same time it does not encourage the flies which were beginning to make their presence felt. In my last letter I acknowledged your telegram of April 15th which I was so pleased to receive and I sent a reply the same day. I also acknowledged four letters received on April 14th, nos. 21, 23, 25 & 26. So far I have received twenty-four of the first twenty-six you have written this year, the two missing ones being nos. 11 & 22. I also enclosed a photo of the front cover of an early edition of the ‘Camp Echo’ I hope it arrived. I have ordered several copies of other photos of this journal and when I receive them I hope to be able forward them to you. With this letter I am sending a photo of Raj, our little dog and the [indecipherable word] little fellow in the camp. Since this photo. was taken several of the dogs have been destroyed – a good move because there were too many and they were fast multiplying. The other photo I am sending is of me at work on the “Camp Echo” It was taken about 2 months ago, indoors in electric light. Taking this into consideration the result is not bad. This shows our old rooms but does not

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give much detail. I have been inoculated again today, being the third time in 2 weeks. The first dose was 10% fourteen days ago, followed by 30% last Wed. & 60% to complete, today. (Anti-typhus) The after effects of the 10% were the most unpleasant but I appeared to be more fortunate than the majority. I anticipate other inoculations at a later date for typhoid. As mentioned previously we all had two inoculations over 12 months ago at Kef, and as these followed up the four I had in England in June 1940 I imagine I shall be pretty well stocked up with serum. It is fairly essential to be done out here – nobody refuses. If you suffer any cut out in this climate it does not heal as in England, but goes dry & crusty and takes a very long time. A rather interesting point but true [deleted] e [/deleted] , the chaps who have been out here a long time compare more than favourably with the new arrivals for fitness and in the majority of cases they appear to be in far better condition. It does not pay me to say these things really, but if it is comforting to you to know I feel it is my duty to tell you. Of course a sunburned body appears far more healthy and pleasing to the eye than the white English nakedness and maybe this has something to do with it. I cabled a few days ago asking you to send via the Red X. soap, towels [symbol] and socks. Soap is ridiculously scarce and I changed [indecipherable word] cigarettes (also scarce again) for a bar yesterday. Being a Yorkshireman I have a small reserve; [deleted] but [/deleted] it does pay to have a little on one side. As soon as your cigarettes arrive I will cable if possible. I will bid you au revoir for the present and end as usual by sending you both all my love, thoughts and best wishes. Douglas.

[symbol] Tony recd. these last week from his mother.