Letter to Douglas Hudson from his parents
Title
Letter to Douglas Hudson from his parents
Description
Writes of poor recent weather. Mentions reading of terrific heat in Egyptian desert and presumes similar conditions in Sahara. Reports dispatching his parcel previous Monday and hopes to hear news of its progress from the Red Cross. Comments on his activities and writes of having broad beans for supper and cost of peas. Catches up with recent news and gossip. Mentions book she is reading and catches up with family news.
Creator
Date
1942-07-29
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-HEHudsonJD420729
Transcription
[inserted] 167 [/inserted]
[underlined] 66 [/underlined]
[inserted] 27-8-42 [/inserted]
191 Halifax Road
Nelson. Lancs.
England.
Wed. am. July 29th/42
My dear Douglas.
Most of my recent letters to you have told of cold & rain & here we are almost at the end of July & still the story is very similar except that it is now much warmer. But the rain keeps on falling, & this morning it is real Autumn, out-of-doors. Yesterday I read of the terrific heat in the Egyptian desert so I conclude that similar conditions are being experienced on the Sahara. My thoughts are always with you & I do hope it is not too unbearable. On Monday I got your parcel away, & am hoping with all my heart that it did not form part of the target during Monday’s raid. It was registered, as I told you, so no doubt I shall hear, soon, that it is in the hands (or charge) of “The Deputy Director” Foreign Relations Dept. It was two weeks before the last parcel was acknowledged so I know to wait patiently. It will be nearly Christmas when it does arrive. The days just pass quickly away here. I know it is not so with you but perhaps the “busy-ness” you mentioned in your latest letters will help a little & I do hope you have been able to resume your journalistic duties.
We are going to have broad beans for dinner today – the first this year & they are still 5d a lb. It is three months since your letter [deleted] arrived [/deleted] [inserted] was written [/inserted] telling that “broad beans are certainly better, cooked without pods.” Of course they have been on the market here for some weeks but I just would not pay the price. Peas yesterday were 6d a lb
[page break]
& I’ve bought scores of pounds at 4 lbs for 6d. The thrush is still singing away in the garden such a lovely “liquid” sound which gives me much pleasure. Do you remember the one on the gate in the Cheshire lane? On Monday morning my coal-man arrived with a special delivery of ten bags of coal which he had to tip on the garden path as the coal shed at this house is very small. So I spent an hour & a half building a stack of coal in the garden & very proud I am of the achievement & it doesn’t look too unsightly tucked away in the side of the rockery & will be a real standby. With such wretched summer weather it has not been possible to build up much reserve.
The latest book I’ve read, by Warwick Deeping, is not by any means up to his usual standard. “Blind man’s year.” One book you mentioned “The Exile” does not appear to be in this library.
I told you in Monday’s letter that Auntie Dorothy had just returned your cable asking for relatives cooperation & saying “we do not understand” Ask relations cooperate.” Does he mean ask us for some of our coupons.” In view of my letter written two or three weeks ago no further comment is necessary. We are still without any news of prisoners in Malaya. I can understand so well how Mr & Mrs Hole are feeling but they have been waiting four months. I waited only four weeks, not living, only existing & lost a stone in weight. Believe me love, we, & you have great cause for thankfulness & we just keep on looking forward to release & reunion. What a day that will be when we can all rejoice together again. Always all our love & thoughts & prayers “Chins up, & carry on”
Mother & Dad.
Uncle Kenn. 60 yesterday
755052 Hudson
Camp Militaire
Laghouat. Algerie.
[underlined] 66 [/underlined]
[inserted] 27-8-42 [/inserted]
191 Halifax Road
Nelson. Lancs.
England.
Wed. am. July 29th/42
My dear Douglas.
Most of my recent letters to you have told of cold & rain & here we are almost at the end of July & still the story is very similar except that it is now much warmer. But the rain keeps on falling, & this morning it is real Autumn, out-of-doors. Yesterday I read of the terrific heat in the Egyptian desert so I conclude that similar conditions are being experienced on the Sahara. My thoughts are always with you & I do hope it is not too unbearable. On Monday I got your parcel away, & am hoping with all my heart that it did not form part of the target during Monday’s raid. It was registered, as I told you, so no doubt I shall hear, soon, that it is in the hands (or charge) of “The Deputy Director” Foreign Relations Dept. It was two weeks before the last parcel was acknowledged so I know to wait patiently. It will be nearly Christmas when it does arrive. The days just pass quickly away here. I know it is not so with you but perhaps the “busy-ness” you mentioned in your latest letters will help a little & I do hope you have been able to resume your journalistic duties.
We are going to have broad beans for dinner today – the first this year & they are still 5d a lb. It is three months since your letter [deleted] arrived [/deleted] [inserted] was written [/inserted] telling that “broad beans are certainly better, cooked without pods.” Of course they have been on the market here for some weeks but I just would not pay the price. Peas yesterday were 6d a lb
[page break]
& I’ve bought scores of pounds at 4 lbs for 6d. The thrush is still singing away in the garden such a lovely “liquid” sound which gives me much pleasure. Do you remember the one on the gate in the Cheshire lane? On Monday morning my coal-man arrived with a special delivery of ten bags of coal which he had to tip on the garden path as the coal shed at this house is very small. So I spent an hour & a half building a stack of coal in the garden & very proud I am of the achievement & it doesn’t look too unsightly tucked away in the side of the rockery & will be a real standby. With such wretched summer weather it has not been possible to build up much reserve.
The latest book I’ve read, by Warwick Deeping, is not by any means up to his usual standard. “Blind man’s year.” One book you mentioned “The Exile” does not appear to be in this library.
I told you in Monday’s letter that Auntie Dorothy had just returned your cable asking for relatives cooperation & saying “we do not understand” Ask relations cooperate.” Does he mean ask us for some of our coupons.” In view of my letter written two or three weeks ago no further comment is necessary. We are still without any news of prisoners in Malaya. I can understand so well how Mr & Mrs Hole are feeling but they have been waiting four months. I waited only four weeks, not living, only existing & lost a stone in weight. Believe me love, we, & you have great cause for thankfulness & we just keep on looking forward to release & reunion. What a day that will be when we can all rejoice together again. Always all our love & thoughts & prayers “Chins up, & carry on”
Mother & Dad.
Uncle Kenn. 60 yesterday
755052 Hudson
Camp Militaire
Laghouat. Algerie.
Collection
Citation
P Hudson, “Letter to Douglas Hudson from his parents,” IBCC Digital Archive, accessed May 14, 2024, https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/collections/document/23733.
Item Relations
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