Letter from Donald Baker to his mother

Letter from Donald Baker to his mother

Writes of lack of mail, but mentions his birthday. Writes of a South African who had just returned after a couple of months in hospital. Talks of pompous fellow English prisoner as well as catching up on other news and gossip. Mentions playing rugby and cricket when weather was better.

1943-04-28

Handwritten prisoner of war letter form

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SBakerDA19210428v20116

[underlined] Kreigsgefangenenpost [/underlined]
[inserted] MIT LUFTPOST AB KAIRO [/inserted]
[two ink stamps]
[censorship stamp]
[date stamp]
[three ink stamps]
An MRS. C. BAKER
Empfangsort: CHARLTON
Strasse: INYAZURA
Kreis: S. RHODESIA
Land: SOUTH AFRICA
[underlined] Gebührenfrei! [/underlined]
Absender: Vor- und Zuname: P/O DONALD ARTHUR BAKER
Gefangenennummer: 665.
Lager-Bezeichnung: M.-Stammlager Luft 3
[underlined] Deutschland (Germany) [/underlined]
[censorship stamp]
[page break]
28:4:1943.
My Dearest Mother, No mail from you since last writing but I expect some will come through pretty soon. Anthony has not heard for about 2 1/2 months. As you will see am writing on my birthday. We are not having a party, in fact I don’t think the rest of the room know. One of the S Africans in the room has just returned from a couple of months in hospital due to kidney trouble. Although he had good treatment & has been cured he has a good chance of repatriation if it ever is fixed up. Incidentally he was at Cedara Agricultural College, Natal so he has lots of farming “gen.” One of the English fellows in the room “puts on the dog” no end, & considers himself a pukka country gentleman & so causes the rest of us much silent mirth. He was trained in Rhodesia & his only comment on that was the “appalling lack of cultural activity,” in Rhodesia. However he’s so harmless that we can’t take offence at him but so pompous that it’s a wonder he came through 5 months in Rhodesia unscathed. Anthony had a very good portrait from England of Ollies wedding. By the photos Harry’s baby doesn’t look any different from other babies & I wouldn’t insult either of them by saying it looks like Father or Mother. But I guess he’s too young to develop characteristics either way. Am playing Rugger quite often & we are putting down a concrete pitch so should have some decent Cricket when the weather gets warmer. Am keeping pretty fit & keeping my pecker up & expecting great events this year from the Allies.
Well Cheerhio [sic] for now dear mother, much love to you all from your loving son
Donald.