Letter to Douglas Hudson from his parents

Letter to Douglas Hudson from his parents

Reports arrival of two cables and news that a parcel had arrived safely with him. Glad he wishes them to start pre-paid cables. Reports arrival of latest letters. Catches up on news and gossip and mentions flowers in garden. Mentions books she is reading. Reports recieving a card from him sent to the Canadian Red Cross. Notes he had not had any Red Cross food parcels since Christmas and hope that he would now have received arrears of parcels. Attached are two newspaper cutting of cartoons about 'The Rubber Problem'.

1942-08-24

Two page handwritten letter, envelope and two newspaper cuttings

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EHudsonP-HEHudsonJD420824

Prisoners of War Post.
[inserted] 174 [/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
24/8/42
[postmark]
[inserted] 73 [/inserted]
[inserted] 22-9-42 [/inserted]
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[inserted] [two newspaper cartoons] [/inserted]
[duplicate page]
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[inserted] 174 [/inserted]
[underlined] 73 [/underlined]
191 Halifax Road
Nelson. Lancs.
England.
Mon. a.m. August 24th/42
My dear Douglas.
It was a great joy to have two cables from you on Friday. One in the morning dated Laghouat 18th announcing the safe arrival of your first parcel & asking us to revert to prepaid reply cables the other about 7-30 p.m. dated 20th acknowledging our message to you on the 15th. I couldn’t describe my feelings when I learnt of the safe delivery of your parcel. I felt that you had some little pleasure, and I hope you are able to get water to enable you to “wallow” in the parcel’s contents. Now I shall look forward to hearing that you have got other things too. I am glad you wish us to start the prepaid telegrams. It feels so much more satisfactory to know the things are paid & done with, apart from any financial advantage. Hope to send a message towards the week-end. Last Monday morning I had a letter from you dated June 3rd making five of the small batch I had previously received one Saturday & 3 Friday. In my cable I acknowledged “four letters today” meaning Friday and Saturday, to save words Now I am looking forward to another lot.
I have just received a post-card from Elsie Tilley who is staying at Colne with Rev. & Mrs Jones. She would like to come out to see me one afternoon & I am suggesting Thursday & hoping it will be fine & clear so I
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can show off my view. The garden is looking quite nice too with hundreds of roses & calendulas, golden rod, lupins, chrysanthemums & other bits & pieces. I’ve had some lovely pansies just in front of the dining room window & they’ve always reminded me of our happy journeyings to Pennyffordd. You remember those beautiful bigs [sic] ones we brought from Mr Newbrook? Am reading two books at present. Nothing more extreme could be imagined “Bomber Command” & “Dear Mother”. The former title speaks for itself the latter prefaces a series of letters from a raw recruit. My sense of humour must be wrong. The work is too silly to be funny – reminds me, somehow of the “funny”? men on the radio who have to laugh at themselves, just to show their audience what is required of them.
Did I tell you that last Monday we received from the Canadian Red Cross in Ottawa the card you sent to them on [deleted] on [/deleted] November 12th/41 acknowledging receipt of a parcel. File A. Parcel No 6. Do you remember it. Your last letter mentioned that you have not had any Red Cross food parcels since Christmas. We are very sorry about this & do hope you have by this time received arrears of parcels. We learnt from the papers that there had been much delay in delivery of all Prisoners of War parcels. It is not surprising really. The marvel really is that so much does get through. Hope these funny pictures from Saturday’s Guardian are allowed to reach you. Goodbye now love for a short while. Always our love & thoughts & prayers from
Mother & Dad.
755052 Hudson
Camp Militaire
Laghouat Algerie.