Letter to Douglas Hudson from his parents
Title
Letter to Douglas Hudson from his parents
Description
Reports arrival of fourteenth letter of week. Mentions letters did not arrive in sequence and lists dates sent. Describes stamps on some letters. Writes of confusion over cables he sent possibly caused by delays to some. Mentions books she is reading. Writes she is glad so many of their letters have reached him. Comments on the weather and reminisces over past events. Mentions shopping for the underwear he has asked to be sent.
Creator
Date
1942-07-20
Spatial Coverage
Language
Format
Two page handwritten letter
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-HEHudsonJD420720-01
Transcription
[inserted] Tues. a.m. Delighted to get another letter May 5th & p.c. of Laghouat this morning 15 letters in this latest batch. [inserted]
[inserted] 164 [/inserted]
[underlined] 63 [/underlined]
[inserted] 13-8-42. [/inserted]
191 Halifax Road
Nelson Lancs.
England.
Monday July 20th/42
My dear Douglas.
On Saturday morning we received the fourteenth letter for the week & again it brought a great deal of pleasure. The fourteen letters did not arrive in any sort of sequence. The first batch of seven brought the earliest March 19th (no, second earliest) & the latest May 9th. The earliest of the batch is dated March 16th & has on the envelope one of the blue stamps mentioned in my last letter. The “potentate” I am told is Marshal Petain. It is a pretty stamp & I am glad we now have a good copy [deleted] now [/deleted] as well as the one spoilt by being cancelled heavily by pencil. The stamp is for one franc (1F) Algerie. In your letter March 16th you say “I cannot quite understand your yesterday’s cable because I did not send a cable on the 14th.” There is often a very long delay in your cables to me. A recent one took 3 weeks to reach me. But that they do arrive is the most important thing. One message I had from you the same day Laghouat 8.30 am. delivered here the same evening I was very thrilled but it is some time since that happened. I have not read the book by Ethel Mannin. “Women also dream.” She is a very modern Miss (or Mrs) & I don’t think she will make much appeal to me. This week I’ve been reading “Martin Eden” by Jack London & liked it a lot. Very controversial.
[page break]
Dad didn’t like it. A very versatile writer – Jack London -. I just loved his “White Fang” = A tale of a Dog = many years ago. Some of your letters go a long way round to reach you but it is really wonderful that so many of them do arrive. This is Mid July & the weather today has been just like October – very heavy mist last night & this morning & we thought we shall have a lovely day, but no a few gleams of sunshine but a cool breeze & now this evening a fine mist – like rain is falling. Always I wondering [sic] if you are experiencing terrific heat [deleted] of [/deleted] [inserted] & [/inserted] drought.
Tonight brings many memories. As I write, “Monday night at eight”, is being relayed & just at the moment there’s the new version of “Inspector Hornleigh investigates”. Do you remember how we used to enjoy trying to solve the mystery? In your letter of March 27th you mention the long time your letters have taken to reach us & hope for improvement as the Consular route is open to you all again but I think it must have been closed again immediately. But now [deleted] I [/deleted] that I know there is a long delay then a lot of letters together, I don’t worry so much but just keep on looking for my precious letters. On Saturday morning I went into tow to get your light underwear. It is “Celanese”, sleeve-less vests & short pants (trunks [deleted] ) [/deleted] do you call them?) very soft & comfy to wear & I do hope you will receive them safely & find them just what you want. Another day nearly over & a month since the longest day, the time just slips away but how we all just long for the end of the terrible war. All our love & thoughts & prayers from Mother & Dad
755052 Hudson
Camp Militaire
Laghouat Algerie.
[inserted] Hope to send your parcel this week. [/inserted]
[inserted] 164 [/inserted]
[underlined] 63 [/underlined]
[inserted] 13-8-42. [/inserted]
191 Halifax Road
Nelson Lancs.
England.
Monday July 20th/42
My dear Douglas.
On Saturday morning we received the fourteenth letter for the week & again it brought a great deal of pleasure. The fourteen letters did not arrive in any sort of sequence. The first batch of seven brought the earliest March 19th (no, second earliest) & the latest May 9th. The earliest of the batch is dated March 16th & has on the envelope one of the blue stamps mentioned in my last letter. The “potentate” I am told is Marshal Petain. It is a pretty stamp & I am glad we now have a good copy [deleted] now [/deleted] as well as the one spoilt by being cancelled heavily by pencil. The stamp is for one franc (1F) Algerie. In your letter March 16th you say “I cannot quite understand your yesterday’s cable because I did not send a cable on the 14th.” There is often a very long delay in your cables to me. A recent one took 3 weeks to reach me. But that they do arrive is the most important thing. One message I had from you the same day Laghouat 8.30 am. delivered here the same evening I was very thrilled but it is some time since that happened. I have not read the book by Ethel Mannin. “Women also dream.” She is a very modern Miss (or Mrs) & I don’t think she will make much appeal to me. This week I’ve been reading “Martin Eden” by Jack London & liked it a lot. Very controversial.
[page break]
Dad didn’t like it. A very versatile writer – Jack London -. I just loved his “White Fang” = A tale of a Dog = many years ago. Some of your letters go a long way round to reach you but it is really wonderful that so many of them do arrive. This is Mid July & the weather today has been just like October – very heavy mist last night & this morning & we thought we shall have a lovely day, but no a few gleams of sunshine but a cool breeze & now this evening a fine mist – like rain is falling. Always I wondering [sic] if you are experiencing terrific heat [deleted] of [/deleted] [inserted] & [/inserted] drought.
Tonight brings many memories. As I write, “Monday night at eight”, is being relayed & just at the moment there’s the new version of “Inspector Hornleigh investigates”. Do you remember how we used to enjoy trying to solve the mystery? In your letter of March 27th you mention the long time your letters have taken to reach us & hope for improvement as the Consular route is open to you all again but I think it must have been closed again immediately. But now [deleted] I [/deleted] that I know there is a long delay then a lot of letters together, I don’t worry so much but just keep on looking for my precious letters. On Saturday morning I went into tow to get your light underwear. It is “Celanese”, sleeve-less vests & short pants (trunks [deleted] ) [/deleted] do you call them?) very soft & comfy to wear & I do hope you will receive them safely & find them just what you want. Another day nearly over & a month since the longest day, the time just slips away but how we all just long for the end of the terrible war. All our love & thoughts & prayers from Mother & Dad
755052 Hudson
Camp Militaire
Laghouat Algerie.
[inserted] Hope to send your parcel this week. [/inserted]
Collection
Citation
P Hudson, “Letter to Douglas Hudson from his parents,” IBCC Digital Archive, accessed April 26, 2024, https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/collections/document/23729.
Item Relations
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