Letter from Donald Baker to his mother

Letter from Donald Baker to his mother

Reports arrival of letter from Uncle Jack with photographs. Notes friend arrival and now sharing room with six others. Catches up with other news and comments that air mail does not seem to make any difference to length of time mail takes. Mentions he will be promoted to flight lieutenant in June. Writes about the future. Says all their parcels reached him eventually except for stuff taken out and changed by Rhodesia House. Asks for a pipe and had dropped idea of farming in Kenya.

1943-04-18

Handwritten prisoner of war letter form

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SBakerDA19210428v20115

[underlined] Kreigsgefangenenpost [/underlined]
[inserted] MIT LUFTPOST AB KAIRO. [/inserted]
[four ink stamps]
[censorship stamp]
[date stamp]
An MRS. C. BAKER
CHARLTON
Empfangsort: INYAZURA
Strasse: SOUTHERN
Kreis: RHODESIA
Land: S. AFRICA
[underlined] Gebührenfrei! [/underlined]
373
Absender:
Vor- und Zuname: P/O DONALD A. BAKER
Gefangenennummer: 665.
Lager-Bezeichnung: M.-Stammlager Luft 3
[underlined] Deutschland (Germany) [/underlined]
[censorship stamp]
[page break]
18:4:1943
My Dearest Mother, Since last writing I have had a letter from Uncle Jack enclosing the snaps of your Xmas gathering. They were all excellent & very welcome. The children seem to have grown out of all recognition. You and Dad are not very clear but I expect that is the enlargement. Anthony Parker arrived a few days ago and we share a room with six other chaps, 2 of them S. Africans. He received, via England, a picture of Allie’s wedding group. Everyone looks very smart. Ant. keeps pretty fit. He has had no mail from home for a while in fact Im [sic] about a month ahead of him. I dont [sic] think it makes much difference whether you send letters Air Mail or not as they all seem to take about the same time. Yes I shall be a Flt/Lt in June but have had no notification of any promotion from [indecipherable word] though I suppose if I asked it would be acknowledged. I dont [sic] mind yet as I am not likely to be burdened with any responsibilities, which are very thankless jobs here. Most of the fellows who were here before have been sent to another camp including young Francey whose friend was at Rusape. I note Dad’s advice about catching the first boat home from England. Yes all the parcels you send seem to reach here eventually, except for the stuff taken out & changed by Rhodesia House. Can you send a fairly decent pipe? Have more or less dropped the idea of farming in Kenya and it seems that the Govt at home are pretty keen to get us fixed up. The fellows from England etc who have asked for information have been informed that only when Rhodesian ex servicemen have been fixed, they are to be catered for. Cheerhio [sic] for now. Much love to all of you from your loving son Donald