Letter to Douglas Hudson from his parents
Title
Letter to Douglas Hudson from his parents
Description
Writes of reply from Red Cross that it was not possible to send chocolate to him as no parcel post to Tunisia. However, telegrams were allowed. Also best way to communicate is through American consul in Tunis. Glad he can get cigarettes as shortage at home. Writes of housing and weather. List letters they have received.
Creator
Date
1941-04-25
Spatial Coverage
Language
Format
Two page handwritten letter and envelope
Publisher
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
EHudsonP-HEHudsonJD410425
Transcription
[post mark]
[postage stamp]
[Air Mail stamp]
Prisoners of War Post
38
755052 Sgt. Chef. JD. Hudson
R.A.F. British Prisoner of War
C/o The American Consul
Tunis
Afrique du Nord.
[page break]
From
Mrs Hudson
6 Walverden
Nelson
Lancs
England
24-5-41
[inserted] OPENED BY EXAMINER 4168 [/inserted]
[page break]
38
6 Walverden Crescent
Nelson Lancs.
Friday 11a.m. 25/4/41
My dear Douglas.
I have received a very disappointing letter from The Red Cross this a.m. about the chocolate, as follows. “We are sorry to tell you that it is not possible to send chocolate to your son in Le Kef. There is no parcel post to Tunisia, & the men there are not regarded as prisoner of war, but as internees in unoccupied French territory. We hope this will not be a great disappointment to you, but would like to tell you that you can write or telegraph to your son whenever you wish, by the ordinary postal service, we believe you have already been told that the best way to communicate with him is care of the American Consul at Tunis.” I do hope you wont be very disappointed. What a blessing you can get plenty of cigarettes & that you have been able to cultivate the taste for the strong variety. There is an acute shortage here & the price is now 3/8 for 50 Players. So far Dad has been lucky to get his usual supply & has taken to pipe smoking again. He was out all last night again & [inserted] on these occasions [/inserted] arrives home at 6-45 a.m. & leaves at 8-30. He seems to have got used to the [indecipherable word]
[page break]
now & fortunately he has very decent men for company.
We are still being “humm bugged” (doesn’t it look a funny word?) about the house in Halifax Road, Nelson. The Air Ministry commandeered it along with other & although they have decided not to use it they have not yet released it to the house agent. Mean while we continue to pay 35/- a week for this tiny dwelling furnished of course, or should I say partly furnished. There is no wardrobe & we hang the few clothes we brought here behind a curtain in a corner of the bedroom. This morning the sun is shinning & though the wind is bitterly cold there’s spring in the air & it brings a spirit of hope & quiet joy in the very present. We daren’t think of the future but just take each day as it comes & make the most of what pleasure it brings. It is more than 3 weeks since we had your last letter dated Jan. 10th & I just look forward to having more news of you. I have just counted all your letters received since you went away & they are nine, dated Sept 1st, 6th, Oct 3rd, 18th, Nov 1st, 15th, 29th, Dec 28th, Jan 10th & eight pc’s. Nov 23rd, 29th, Dec 6th, 20th, 28th, Jan 3rd, 10th, 17th. You might find it interesting to remember the dates. We feel that we have been fortunate to receive them safely. I must say a big thank you for all your kind wishes for my birthday & we send all our loving wishes to you now. You will probably receive this letter about the 21st but if you don’t you will always know how lovingly & thankfully we think of you & thank God for all precious memories.
All our love as ever
from Mother & dad.
755052 Sgt. Chef. J.D. Hudson.
C/o The American Consul
Tunis
Afrique du Nord.
[postage stamp]
[Air Mail stamp]
Prisoners of War Post
38
755052 Sgt. Chef. JD. Hudson
R.A.F. British Prisoner of War
C/o The American Consul
Tunis
Afrique du Nord.
[page break]
From
Mrs Hudson
6 Walverden
Nelson
Lancs
England
24-5-41
[inserted] OPENED BY EXAMINER 4168 [/inserted]
[page break]
38
6 Walverden Crescent
Nelson Lancs.
Friday 11a.m. 25/4/41
My dear Douglas.
I have received a very disappointing letter from The Red Cross this a.m. about the chocolate, as follows. “We are sorry to tell you that it is not possible to send chocolate to your son in Le Kef. There is no parcel post to Tunisia, & the men there are not regarded as prisoner of war, but as internees in unoccupied French territory. We hope this will not be a great disappointment to you, but would like to tell you that you can write or telegraph to your son whenever you wish, by the ordinary postal service, we believe you have already been told that the best way to communicate with him is care of the American Consul at Tunis.” I do hope you wont be very disappointed. What a blessing you can get plenty of cigarettes & that you have been able to cultivate the taste for the strong variety. There is an acute shortage here & the price is now 3/8 for 50 Players. So far Dad has been lucky to get his usual supply & has taken to pipe smoking again. He was out all last night again & [inserted] on these occasions [/inserted] arrives home at 6-45 a.m. & leaves at 8-30. He seems to have got used to the [indecipherable word]
[page break]
now & fortunately he has very decent men for company.
We are still being “humm bugged” (doesn’t it look a funny word?) about the house in Halifax Road, Nelson. The Air Ministry commandeered it along with other & although they have decided not to use it they have not yet released it to the house agent. Mean while we continue to pay 35/- a week for this tiny dwelling furnished of course, or should I say partly furnished. There is no wardrobe & we hang the few clothes we brought here behind a curtain in a corner of the bedroom. This morning the sun is shinning & though the wind is bitterly cold there’s spring in the air & it brings a spirit of hope & quiet joy in the very present. We daren’t think of the future but just take each day as it comes & make the most of what pleasure it brings. It is more than 3 weeks since we had your last letter dated Jan. 10th & I just look forward to having more news of you. I have just counted all your letters received since you went away & they are nine, dated Sept 1st, 6th, Oct 3rd, 18th, Nov 1st, 15th, 29th, Dec 28th, Jan 10th & eight pc’s. Nov 23rd, 29th, Dec 6th, 20th, 28th, Jan 3rd, 10th, 17th. You might find it interesting to remember the dates. We feel that we have been fortunate to receive them safely. I must say a big thank you for all your kind wishes for my birthday & we send all our loving wishes to you now. You will probably receive this letter about the 21st but if you don’t you will always know how lovingly & thankfully we think of you & thank God for all precious memories.
All our love as ever
from Mother & dad.
755052 Sgt. Chef. J.D. Hudson.
C/o The American Consul
Tunis
Afrique du Nord.
Collection
Citation
P Hudson, “Letter to Douglas Hudson from his parents ,” IBCC Digital Archive, accessed April 19, 2024, https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/collections/document/23160.
Item Relations
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