Letter from Douglas Hudson to his parents

Letter from Douglas Hudson to his parents

Reports arrival of mail with photographs and cable to which he would send reply that afternoon. Discusses problems with sending cables. Glad that many letters including snaps had arrived with them. Wonders what their garden would look like. Wonders if in future he would appreciate more what he saw and whether his current life would affect his desire to travel. Philosophises on life. Comments on photographs he had received, agrees to selling something and on books.

1942-07-21

Two page handwritten letter

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EHudsonJDHudsonP-HE420721

Royal Air Force. 755052. Sgt. J. D. Hudson.
c/o Consul Général des Etats Unis.
Rue Michelet.
Alger. Algérie.
Afrique du Nord
21.7.42

My Dear Mother & Dad,

Today, I was very pleased indeed to receive two letters from you, nos. 53 & 55 together with three snaps, & at lunch time, when we were doing our best with the Red Cross prunes & milk, I was delighted to receive your cable dated July 18th reading:- “Delighted fourteen letters latest date May 9th thirteen snaps cable dated July 16th both well all love” to which I am sending off this reply this afternoon – received to pay - “ Delighted cable eighteenth received today July twenty first also letters fifty three and fifty five with snaps pleased my letters reached you well all love Douglas Hudson” Nowadays we have to put Christian names on these cables and the one I sent on July [underlined] 6th [/underlined] was, apparently, the one you referred to as July 16th. It was returned to me to append my Christian name & this caused several days delay, which of late has not been uncommon. Well as my message states, I was really delighted to learn that another 14 of my letters reached you together with 13 snaps. This is very encouraging & it now would appear that the great percentage of mail is getting home although taking rather a long time. I was very pleased to receive three snaps today, two (one of you each sitting in the deckchair in the garden) & one of Dad complete with pipe in front of the neighbour’s tree. They are excellent photos and they will go with my collection of which I am becoming proud. I can visualise what

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your garden will look like and it makes me wish more than ever (if possible) that I was back and able to share it with you. I wonder if in the future I shall appreciate more what is before my eyes, & be less anxious to rush around the countryside? I often ask myself the question “Will this life make of me a real home bird or will the desire to travel have received the necessary stimulant to make me wish to conquer pastures new? I feel, and in this – very strongly – that the old pastures will hold me for a long time. I’ve got to get the sand out of my hair & my eyes lest it penetrates my soul. Not so good grammatically the first bit, but true. Mother looks the picture of youth in her photo and the smile has caught the camera, even if it was retaliation for being called a ‘black woman’. Yes, she certainly does look young & happy. Dad looks a little more staid but the photos are good, & he looks well although his face is a little strained. At a guess I should say he has put on weight. The sports jacket fits tightly enough but I have a feeling I should experience difficulty in getting it to button. Our typewriter is a Remington – French Keyboard. Please yourself about the chair, it should fetch a reasonable price now; I should imagine it would be a good time to sell. [indecipherable word] ‘Woman at the Door’ & Heyers “A Blunt Instrument” are not in our library. “Martin Eden” was but I did not read it. Have just finished Thackeray’s “Vanity Fair” and am reading the French version of an easy crime novel by Percival Wilde called “L’Acusation du Mort.” English authors translated into French are not too difficult. Well, it’s my turn to make the tea now – outside, & the temperature well over 100˚F. All my love & thoughts as ever.

[underlined] Douglas {/underlined]