Letter to Douglas Hudson from his parents

Letter to Douglas Hudson from his parents

Reports arrival of numerous letters over the week. Mentions content of cables they had sent him recently. Catches up with family news. Says his spirits might have been low due to great heat and how weary he must be of monotony and seclusion. Reminds him that many who trained with him would never return. Catches up with news of freinds and other correspondence. Comments that summer is nearly over and he would welcome cooler days and freedom from flies. Concludes with comment on the weather.

1942-09-17

Two page handwritten letter and envelope

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EHudsonP-HEHudsonJD420817

Prisoners of War Post
[inserted] 171 [/inserted]
[BY AIR MAIL stamp]
[postmark]
[two postage stamps]
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
17/8/42
[inserted] 71 [/inserted]
[inserted] 15-9-42 [/inserted]
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[inserted] 171 [/inserted]
[underlined] 71 [/underlined]
191 Halifax Road
Nelson Lancs.
England.
Monday 8 a.m. 17/8/42
My dear Douglas.
I have just received your letter 2/6/42 making five of a new batch. We had 3 on Friday morning dates 19/27/28/ May & one Saturday [inserted] dated [/inserted] May 21st written on your birthday. I am so glad you had a good mail on your birthday. It is good to be remembered Strange that Mr Tatham’s letter of April 9th arrived on that day. Was it intended as a birthday letter? It was funny about the cables you telegraphed “delighted 3 cables from Calverley.” Meanwhile I had a letter from Auntie Maud saying she had sent birthday greetings to you. Uncle Jim & Auntie Gladys [deleted] said [/deleted] told Dad they were going to cable to you so naturally I thought those were the three you had received. [underlined] I wrote a letter of thanks to 106. [/underlined] Isn’t it funny? Auntie Una said she was sending a message. So now I must write a somewhat belated thank you to her. Well love my letter from you this morning is some-what “sad-making”. Spirits at Zero, evidently, when it was written. Probably the great heat was to blame. There is nothing I can do to help = only keep on praying that you may have wisdom & courage & patience. I know just how weary you must be of the seclusion & monotony but at least you [underlined] can [/underlined] keep on hoping for freedom & happiness again
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& when we remember that so many of those dear lads who worked & trained with you never will return we must try to be thankful that you have life & health. Last time Mrs Clayton was here (& every time we meet) she talked so much of the wasted years of our boys lives. Three years is a big part from youth. But perhaps the years are not really wasted for you must learn many things by such close contact with men of all sorts & conditions. My last letter from John, in response to my birthday wishes was a very happy one & at last he seems to be in congenial surroundings. Strange that he should have spent so much time in the Dales, which never made any appeal to him in earlier days. Well love the summer season is passing quickly away & no doubt you will welcome cooler days & freedom from the terrible flies. We read dreadful stories of the conditions on the war fronts in the desert where the flies live in clouds, not just mere hundreds. We think ours here are pretty loathsome. We have more in this house than anywhere before, - owing, no doubt, to the farm which is not very far away. We had heavy rain on Saturday after a very wet week but yesterday Sunday was a really lovely day for pottering in the garden tho’ not warm enough to sit out. This morning, strangely enough as your letter has just arrived mentioning it, the lake is once again rippling in the sunshine & the world in my immediate vicinity “looks very beautiful”. Now love Goodbye again. As ever all our love & thoughts & prayers are with you.
Mother & Dad.
755052 Hudson
Camp Militaire
Laghouat Algerie.