Letter to Douglas Hudson from his parents

Letter to Douglas Hudson from his parents

Writes they have had no letters from him now for twelve weeks and she has written 30 to him in that time. Comments on the December weather and says looking forward to spring. Mentions a book about Laghouat that she has read. Asks if they are able to take local walks and whether they have any musical instruments in camp. Mentions wishing they could send him cigarettes and concludes with chat and gossip.

1941-12-12

Two page handwritten letter

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-HEHudsonJD411212

[inserted] 95 [/inserted]
[inserted] 7-1-42 [/inserted]
191 Halifax Road
Nelson Lancs.
England.
Friday. Dec. 12th/41.
My dear Douglas.
I am just finishing my light lunch so will write a few more lines to you at the same time. It seems a very long time since we had a letter from you, twelve weeks tomorrow, & during that time I must have sent you some 30 or [deleted] many [/deleted] [inserted] more [/inserted] letters. They are mostly all about nothing, just tender little messages assuring you (if that is necessary) that you are ever near us in thought & prayer. We’ve had some poorish weather these past days but this morning has been beautiful, one could almost imagine a tang of spring in the air, & bright blue skies which have [inserted] not [/inserted] been seen for several days. And through just something bright & cheerful like this present December morning, our hopes are renewed & our faith strengthened. Soon we shall be seeing the new Spring life, little green noses pushing their way out of the dark earth then later the lovely Spring flowers (we hope) tho’ I doubt whether they give me as much joy as the first little green bulbs. In a previous [inserted] letter [/inserted] I’ve told you of the planting of the precious
[page break]
apple tree & it is still standing. I told you about the book “In Lightest Africa” & in it I read of the profusion of beautiful flowers which grow riotously in the gardens at Laghouat. I wonder if you have been allowed to resume the long walks which gave you so much pleasure. I do hope you are able to take this & games exercises. Have you any musical instruments in your camp? We get some very good entertainments from some of the training camps here. By radio I mean, of course.
Last night Dad came in with a presentation box of 100 Player’s cigarettes which one of the travellers had brought for him. “I do wish I could send it to Douglas” he said. How kind he is!! If only all other things were equal!! But what’s the good of worrying? It is very pleasant living here so high & fresh but we are somewhat crowded inside & seem to look upon this as a very temporary home. Well love there is absolutely no news for you so I must close my letter. Presently I shall wend my way to do my precious shopping (only meat, we live too far out of town for the butcher to deliver this “ration”) It takes me a long time as I often wander through the park which I love. Now love Goodbye once again. “Stout hearts & chins up” tho’ it is weary waiting. All our love & thoughts & prayers. A New Year as happy as possible.
Mother & Dad.
755052 Hudson
Camp Militaire
Laghouat Algerie.