Letter to Douglas Hudson from his parents

Letter to Douglas Hudson from his parents

Compares English weather with what he is likely to be having. Reminisces on past events. Writes of their activities over Easter holiday. Mentions the chocolate he asked for and they were not able to get it. Wrote to Red Cross to help. Notes they are not allowed to send tobacco, cigarettes or food. They would try and send he said he needed. Sends greetings for his birthday in 5 weeks.

1941-04-14

Two page handwritten letters and envelope

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.

EHudsonP-HEHudsonJD410414

[postmark]
[postage stamp]
[air mail stamp]
Prisoners of War Post.
35
755052 Sgt. Chef. J.D. Hudson
R.A.F. British Prisoner of War
[deleted] C/o The American Consul
Tunis [/deleted]
[inserted] Grand Hotel d’Orient
R. Gampetta [/inserted]
Afrique du Nord.
[inserted] [underlined] MEDEA [/underlined]
Alger [/inserted]
[page break]
From Mrs Hudson
6 Walverden Crescent
Nelson
Lancs.
England.
7-5-41
[page break]
35
6 Walverden Crescent
Nelson. Lancs.
Easter Monday. 14/4/41.
My dear Douglas.
This little holiday is almost over & I’ve been thinking of you so much & hoping you were able to be happy. I imagine that you will now be leaving real summer weather & I know how you will recall the different kinds of Easter weather we have enjoyed, or grumbled at, together. Do you remember our first journey, over the beloved pass, in the Riley? The wonder & the surprise of it! Surely the memory will always remain. Then 3 years ago you remember how you got the stone to make the rockery & the happy time Dad & I had in making it & you & John so happy at Church House Inn. The lovely weather, too, that helped so much. This must have been a stay-at-home Easter for most people, not only on account of war-time conditions, but the weather has been truly wretched. Rain! Rain! & more rain! Tho’ fortunately it is warmer now, & green buds are peeping here & there. I wonder if you have Springtime, like ours in England. I imagine your more luxurious vegetation may lack the daintiness & delicacy of our Springtime glory.
[page break]
Well love I’m wondering if I’ve said anything to you before about the chocolate you asked for. We are not able to get it in any quantity, but I wrote to the Red Cross last week asking if they could help me to get some for you & will let you know the result as soon as possible. No doubt you know that there are very very many things which we are not allowed to send, including tobacco, cigarettes, & food of any kind except slab chocolate. That is why we have not sent a parcel. We should be really puzzled what to send. But you know that you have only to express a wish & we will try to fulfil it. In about 5 weeks time it will be your birthday & so as to be sure of being in time with our wishes Dad & I send all the love, & all the kindest thoughts of you & for you. Many much happier returns of a birthday, happy as possible under the circumstances. It means so much to us to be able to be in touch with you & give you greetings. Dad has had a real rest during the weekend. We’ve sat reading for hours & tho’ times are not normal we are not by any means starving & tonight, for dinner, we’ve had your favourite pudding just as a special treat. Are you able to make it for yourself, I wonder. You used to say you spent some time cooking but you’ve not mentioned it lately. Your last letter was dated January 10th. All love to you from Mother & Dad.
755052 Sgt. Chef. J.D. Hudson
R.A.F. British Prisoner of War
C/o The American Consul
Tunis
Afrique du Nord.