The picture below is of John walking through the streets of Malines with Karel Denckens, the keeper of the Museum, with whom John struck up a great friendship. As I grew up, he told me what lovely people the Belgians and Dutch were, something that was confirmed for me this year during two visits to Belgium.
Dearest Mum
Quite
fittingly, I received your parcel this evening, & would like to say how
much I appreciate your kindness in including so many things that will help to
enliven what is now a very quiet sort of existence. Never thnk, for a moment, that your parcels
could ever be “poor”. Your taste is too
fine, your heart too full. Regarding the
“Alexanders”, you may always send me things you feel led to send. I’ve got a good hymn-book here “The Psalms
& Church Hymnary”, published for the Church of Scotland, & hardly think
I’m entirely cut off from religious contact.
Nevertheless, Alexanders brings back pleasant memories of former
days. The toilet bag arrived in a very
sticky condition, possibly due to its late incarceration in the parcel. I hope exposure to air will correct the
stickiness. The diary was only slightly bent & is now in “working order”.
This has
been a quiet Xmas, quietly enjoyable. I
lay in bed this morning until half past nine, the Sgt-Major & Sgt Griffiths
bringing my breakfast to me. I was
washed & shaved at 12 o’clock! This
afternoon I tried on some skates but quickly found that skating was an art
which would take me a long time to master, as I constantly inclined towards to
prone position. There were about a
hundred skaters on the frozen lakes & flooded fields, & I must say the
picture looked very Christmassy with frost-whitened fields & tress as a
background, & a clear sun above. One
or two children had wee toboggans & were colourfully dressed (the girls at
any rate), some wearing clogs. All very
sweet.
We had our
Xmas dinner at half past three, which included tinned Turkey, pork, Xmas
pudding & an orange, besides the usual things. It was quite good, but hardly up to the old
pre-war home standard! Another thing
totally lacking this Xmas is the wireless.
We have several in the unit, but the unit is dispersed in many
buildings, no wireless set being in this one.
The broadcast of carols gives one the Xmas spirit like nothing else.
The bag,
please make it shoulder type. White
string will do famously.
Your
recital of the amateur sweep’s efforts to dislodge his brush & rods reads
like a comic opera, but I guess you didn’t laugh an awful lot when the soot was
circulating around & you were shivering.
Anyway, I hope that no tools were lost in that operation.
I thought I
remembered one of your letters indicating that Pansy might accompany Dad to
Hereford. Apparently I was mistaken.
You must
let me know what can be done regarding my expected leave in Jan (21st). Do you think that you can conveniently travel
to Colchester? Surely it’s not seeing so
much activity round that part lately?
And now I’m
growing a wee bit tired, so rather than bore you with a load of junk I think
I’ll shut up.
I hope
you’ve had an excellent time with Dad
From your
one & only
John xxx
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