Letter from Douglas Hudson to his parents

Letter from Douglas Hudson to his parents

Writes that he has received no new letters but had received latest cable to which he replied. Says he normally replies to cables same day but they are usually delayed by authorities his end. Writes that his parcels have still not arrived but many have for other internees takin three months. He lists his urgent requirements for socks, footwear and underclothes. Mentions that summer had arrived and describes daily weather. Mentions arrival of Canadian Red Cross food parcels but that they had no fuel to make tea and doubted whether they could get any wood in summer. Mentions the books that he had recently read and spoke of practising his French and possibly getting correspondent in England that he could write to in French.

1942-06-23

Four page handwritten letter

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EHudsonJDHudsonP-HE420623

Royal Air Force. 755052. Sgt. J. D. Hudson
c/o Consul General du Etats Unis.
Rue Michelet. Alger.
Algerie. Afrique du Nord.

23-6-42.

My Dear Mother & Dad,

I have not received any news from you since your letter No. 43 arrived on June 10th. Your latest cable dated June 6th arrived on the 8th and I explained in my cabled reply on June 13th that the five days delay on my part was entirely unavoidable. Generally I reply to all your cables the same day but there always appears to be a hold up at this end varying from four to seven days. I don’t know why. I am expecting another telegram from you and a batch of letters any day now. None of your parcels have arrived yet although a great many are being received in the camp. Parcels of cigarettes, parcels of books and parcels of clothes sent via the Red Cross. The latter take about 3 months and

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there doesn’t appear to be any restriction in the frequency of despatch. Some people have received two parcels at intervals of six weeks or so. I suggest you ask relations to cooperate in sending things out. My most urgent requirements are socks, footwear size 7 (seven) and light underwear including short underpants, soap toothbrushes etc. It is impossible to buy these things here. Do ask our relations to help. The greater part of the letters received nowadays are on the special P of W blue printed forms. Other ordinary ones are still arriving and I do not think it makes a great deal of difference. Summer is here now and the longest day is past. I am beginning to doubt if it will get a great deal hotter. I am certainly becoming a lot more accustomed to the heat. The peak temperature thee days varies between 100 – 110 F. It is quite cool

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between 5 am until about 10 am, but the evenings and nights are hot. Walking about the place barefooted is nearly too much the ground gets so hot during the day. A fresh consignment of food arrived the other day from the Canadian Red Cross, including butter, corned beef, tea, milk and marmalade. The first for nearly 3 months. Unfortunately we have no fuel to make the tea and I am uncertain whether we shall be able to get wood during the summer. The last three books I have read were – “Out[?] of Great Tribulation” by Vachell, an old fashioned book “The [indecipherable word] of Evangeline” and another old one called “The Associate Hermits” authors names I forget. I have before me now Thackeray’s “Vanity Fair” & “The Tale of Two Cities”. Whether I shall read these remains to be seen. We are running rather short of books now. I keep doing a little French and am beginning

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to write it fairly well. I should like to arrange a correspondence with somebody in England if possible. I think we are allowed to write in French from here, but I am uncertain about the rules on the other side. I am entirely self “supporting” when it comes to speaking the language but I want a chance to polish up. I cannot understand the French Radio – they speak far too quickly. At any rate we have no radio now. I am writing this letter to you at 9.30 am, sitting on my cell doorstep in the sun with a towel wrapped round my head. The perspiration is running down my arms but I am keeping sunburned. The beard[?] has been going for 3 weeks again. I will say good-bye to you now until next letter. My thoughts are always with you and it is useless to repeat I am only living for the day when we shall be together again. All my love & wishes. Douglas.