Letter to Douglas Hudson from his parents

Letter to Douglas Hudson from his parents

Comments on cold weather and their health. Writes of working in garden and of shop in Manchester where they bough bulbs. Likes their new home and surroundings. Six weeks since they got a letter from him and they would be very anxious except for cables. Mentions letter from acquaintance and passes on news.

1941-11-05

Two page handwritten letter and envelope

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EHudsonP-HEHudsonJD411105

Prisoners of War Post
[postmark]
[crest AIR MAIL PAR AVION]
[postmark]
[four postage stamps]
Kriegsgefangener Post
755052 Sgt. J. D. Hudson
Interned British Airman
Camp Militaire
Laghouat
Algerie
Afrique du Nord
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From
Mrs Hudson
191 Halifax Road
Nelson
Lancs
England
[stamp 17]
[postmark]
[inserted] 9-12-41 [/inserted]
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191 Halifax Road
Nelson Lancs.
England.
Wed. 5/11/41
My dear Douglas.
I will write a few lines to you whilst I try to thaw after my freezing duties upstairs. Winter has come with a rush & as you know I don’t care for it very much. Already I’ve got a nice little chilblain on [underlined] top [/underlined] of my [indecipherable word] toe & its not very comfortable. Dad’s cold is now practically better & I’m at the stage when my head feels like a balloon & my teeth many sizes too big for my mouth. But don’t think I’m ill with it – just one other little thing sent to try us. Well love yesterday afternoon was lovely with bright sunshine so I spent 3 busy hours tidying up the garden & planting strawberry plants & bulbs. The plants were got in Nelson on Saturday but Dad & the weather were neither of them fit for gardening so yesterday was a nice opportunity to plant them with lots of hopes but not a great deal of faith – the plants look very shrivelled little things & its difficult to believe that they [underlined] may [/underlined] produce fine luscious fruit for next summer. The bulbs we got at Yates’s when we were in Manchester nearly a month ago. I think it is the same firm from which (or whom) you bought guano about 3 years ago, but its not the same
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shop. That shop just isn’t there but Manchester is still very dear to my heart & I’ve wondered many times if we made a mistake to sell the house at Moorside Rd. Dad & I are quite happy here – the house is so high & we do love the open surroundings but some how I cannot visualize you here at Nelson. Of course there’s the house at Worsley – at least we hope it will be there if we want it, but one never knows these days! Well love I know just how sorry you will be that we are not getting letters from you at present. It is six weeks last Saturday since the last one arrived & if it were not for the precious cables we should be very anxious. I do hope we shall soon have cheery happy news from you.
A letter from Mrs Clayton invites us for this weekend but I don’t want to go, for many reasons. Can you imagine Dad & Mr Clayton enjoying a week-end together? On the back of the envelope is written “John home on the 13th. Wants you to come then”. We wouldn’t spoil his precious bit of leave if we knew of it. Poor lad! I feel so very sorry for him with all his hopes & ambitions apparently wasted. Perhaps it will turn out for the best in the end. Now love I must resume my household duties (ironing this time) so Goodbye to you once again.
With all our love & thoughts & prayers from Mother & Dad.
755052 Sgt. Hudson
Camp Militaire
Laghouat
Algerie
Afrique du Nord.