Letter to Douglas Hudson from his parents

Letter to Douglas Hudson from his parents

Writes that spring perhaps was not yet on its way as she stated in last letter. Mentions only getting cables as no letters since 31 January. Quotes from content of his last cable which arrived very quickly. Mentions death of friend and then two lines blacked out. Catches up with news and gossip of friends and acquaintances. Mentions correspondence from Red Cross and that apart from a parcel of cigarettes they have not sent anything else. Many of the things she wanted to send like a fountain pen were not allowed.

1942-03-06

Two page handwritten letter and envelope

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EHudsonP-HEHudsonJD420306

[inserted] 122 [/inserted]
[BY AIR MAIL stamp]
[postmark]
[four postage stamps]
Prisoners of War Post.
[postmark]
755052 Sgt. J. D. Hudson
Interned British Airman
Camp Militaire
Laghouat
Algerie
Afrique du Nord
[page break]
From
Mrs Hudson
191 Halifax Road
Nelson
Lancs.
England
6/3/42
[two stamps]
22
[inserted] 19-5-42 [/inserted]
[postmark]
[page break]
[inserted] 122 [/inserted]
[underlined] 22 [/underlined]
191 Halifax Road
Nelson Lancashire
[missing words]
England
Friday 8 a.m. 6/3/42
My dear Douglas.
Dad has just set out into snow which comes above his Wellington’s [sic] & as the bus service appears to be suspended he is walking to town where he hopes to get another bus to the works. Last time I wrote to you – on Wednesday morning – I fancied myself the herald of Spring but believe me the illusion has now vanished & winter’s [indecipherable word] grip is strong around us. And always I am wondering how it is with you. Your last letter written November 25th arrived on January 31st. Since then only the precious cables to bring reassurance & comfort. The one this week arrived on Wed March 4th at 11-30 a.m. from Laghouat 4 p.m. “ 3rd which is good isn’t it & always such a joy & relief to have your recent messages. The previous one seemed to have got itself a bit mixed & was marked “corrected copy from Laghouat” & was as follows E. J. Hudson 191 Halifax Rd. Delighted cable thirteenth love thoughts reciprocated await parcel [underlined] lated [/underlined] letter received January fourteenth writing always. Hudson.” I take it the message should have read “latest letter received dated Jan. 14th” & we are so thankful you get my letters quickly Your Wednesday cable told of latest [underlined] letter Feb 4th dated [/underlined] which is good. The letter wrote on Wednesday (before
[page break]
your cable arrived gave you the distressing news of Louis’s death. [censored sentence] I know you will be very troubled by the loss of a very dear friend. It does seem such a waste of precious life & outstanding ability. Did you know that his engagement to Barbara was broken off some time ago – Mrs Clayton told me the news when she was here. I consider her information about as reliable as Dad’s. You understand what that means don’t you & believe me these days of war & wholesale disturbance have brought no improvement. I used to wonder what our future together would be like without you (never for a moment imagining the future so near) & now I know. It all seems so futile! And Mrs Clayton babbles of Dad’s boundless influence!! Yesterday I did a bit of cleaning up of papers & came across all kinds of communications from the Red Cross & they reminded me that beyond the parcel of cigarettes despatched from the State Express Tobacco Co. in London we have not sent you a parcel. But there is nothing we can send that you really want. I wanted to try to get a fountain pen to you but according to the Red X that is not allowed. Nor can we send any kind of food, not even slab chocolate if we could get it nor tea cigarettes etc. Soap we could send but as I have told you in previous letters it is very severely rationed 4 ozs each per week for all purposes & as I understand that the Red X send it regularly now I have not done anything about it. Now Goodbye love once again All our love & thoughts & prayers are ever with you.
Mother & Dad.
755052 Hudson
Camp Militaire
Laghouat Algerie Nord Afrique