Letter to Douglas Hudson from his parents

Letter to Douglas Hudson from his parents

Writes that it was two years since she received a telegram reporting that he was interned in Tunisia and mentions their reactions to the news. Did not dream that he would be interned for over two years. Mentions receiving cable and postcard. Looking forward to more letters and photographs from him, but they cannot send photographs as film in unobtainable. Mentions weather and that gardening for the year is nearly over. Catches up with family news and comments about father's work and duties.

1942-09-25

Two page handwritten letter and envelope

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EHudsonP-HEHudsonJD420925

Prisoners of War Post
[BY AIR MAIL stamp]
[postmark]
[postage stamp]
[inserted] 184 [/inserted]
755052 Sgt. J. D. Hudson
Interned British Airman
Camp Militaire
Laghouat
Algerie
Afrique du Nord
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From
Mrs Hudson
191 Halifax Rd
Nelson.
Lancs.
England
25/9/42
[postmark]
[inserted] 83 [/inserted]
[inserted] 13-11-42 [/inserted]
[inserted] On [indecipherable word] [/inserted]
[page break]
[inserted] 184 [/inserted]
[underlined] 83 [/underlined]
191 Halifax Road
Nelson Lancs.
England
Friday Sept. 25th/42
My dear Douglas.
It is just two years ago today that I was the happiest person in the world. Two years ago on a Thursday night at 10-30 p.m. a telegram arrived as follows “Your son 755052 Sergeant Hudson now reported interned in Tunisia. Letter follows.” You can imagine, can’t you, just what the message meant to us. I remember how, soon after the messenger had gone the Servians came in in their car. Dad hurried out to tell the good news to them & instead of going home they stayed with us until 1-30. We were all very excited & Mr Servian kept saying he didn’t recognize me. “Mrs Hudson, you look twenty years younger”!! And as I told you, the good news brought a new lease of life & ever since, I’ve just kept on looking forward to your return home. We didn’t dream that the time would be so long. Two years – which I know often bring you an almost unbearable feeling of frustration & uselessness. And we just keep on hoping & praying for peace & reunion & a return to a more normal condition of life.
Our last news from you was the cable received last Saturday. By post earlier the same morning came the post-card with the greeting from the “post-man” which gave us much
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pleasure, & on the previous Thursday we had the letter dated July 17th. I am eagerly awaiting more news & looking forward to having more snaps. I am sorry we cannot send you more photos at present, as I have told you previously films are quite unobtainable.
The sun is shining this morning & the countryside looks fresh & clean after much rain. Our gardening for this year is almost over – it’s just a case of tidying up for the winter & I keep doing a bit at a time. We have just got a few roses & lupins, & the chrysanthemums are in bud but I’m afraid they are not going to bloom [inserted] We have a few flowers [/inserted] I must have put them in too late. It is very bleak & cold up here. Vegetation seems to be two or three weeks more backward than in the South & the field of corn just across the way is ripening so very slowly & gives the impression that it will not be much use. Dad is working extra time for a few days & I always feel a bit worried when he has extra duties. He is very thin but keeps on saying he never feels tired, so he must feel better than he looks. He has become very vain & spends a lot of time admiring himself in the mirrors. He evidently doesn’t “see himself as ithers [sic] see him”. Poor man!!! Have got a good book just now, “Jerry of the Islands” – another dog story by Jack London. Strangely enough although it is an old book it is quite topical being a story of a trading ship engaged among the Soloman Islands. Conditions on the Islands were foul then. For the sakes of our men it is hoped civilisation has brought about some improvement. Goodbye now love A few days nearer the greatest day of all. As ever our love & thoughts & prayers.
Mother & Dad
755052 Hudson
Camp Militaire
Laghouat.
Algerie.