大象传媒

July 30 1941. Airgraph. MEF.
Dear Mother and Dad,
I haven鈥檛 had a letter off you for some two weeks now. It鈥檚 not long really, but for a few weeks after we returned from Crete, I had letters galore, and now things are more-or-less normal I think I am having a lean time with mail. A post card off Eve came yesterday, quite recent too, July 9th it was. I鈥檓 on guard again tonight. That鈥檚 three times in 8 days. I don鈥檛 know who figures these guards out, but I certainly get my share.
I put in for a transfer to the Home Guard, as you can imagine, it was rejected. I would give something to get back home and feel a few spots of rain. I鈥檝e almost forgot what it is like. The last time was in Greece about April 18th. And only once between that date and the date we left England.
Promise me you won鈥檛 laugh too loud when I tell you, I鈥檓 on a week鈥檚 course of learning to drive a truck. This is the fourth drivers course whilst serving with the forces, plus 7 or 8 years continually driving in Civvy Street. Do you know, if I carry on at this rate, I shall get a truck, even if it鈥檚 only to fetch my old age pension. I鈥檝e just had a spot of luck. The Post Corporal has just brought me a post card from you. I can鈥檛 quite make the date out. You鈥檝e put June 10, that鈥檚 about 5 days before I met Harry Burton. You must mean July 10th, if so it鈥檚 come rather quick.
I guessed Mrs Burton would visit you a time or two. It was rather unfortunate about Harry and me. He moved off very suddenly and I don鈥檛 know where he is now. We were only together a couple of days or so.
Say, did Harry have his photo taken by the Pyramids? Were they on the photo? I met him only a few miles from the old landmarks.
.
Well, Mother, I guess that鈥檚 all for now. I鈥檓 OK for money and everything. Remember me to all. Cheerio, Mum, Dad and Levi, your loving son, Alb. Xxx.

August 26 1941. Airgraph. MEF.
Dear Mother and Dad,
I鈥檝e just this very minute written a letter to Eve and sealed the envelope, and now I鈥檝e had a letter off you (July 16). Of course it wasn鈥檛 much use telling Ev because you will get this a few weeks before she gets her letter.
It appears your letters are coming through without delay or loss. I am pleased. There鈥檚 nothing like a letter from home to make life worthwhile.
. It seems as Mrs Burton has been telling you all about Egypt. I met Harry about 10 weeks ago almost under the shadow of the Pyramids. I couldn鈥檛 tell you where at the time, but it鈥檚 safe to say so now. I haven鈥檛 seen him since, but I鈥檓 living in hopes.
Weren鈥檛 you lucky the other day, experiencing a real good thunderstorm. I shall never again criticise the weather. An Egyptian told me that if it does rain in Cairo (I don鈥檛 know about any other part of Egypt) it will be for 2 days some time in November, and if it doesn鈥檛 rain then, it won鈥檛 rain until next November. out.
You talk about the mock invasion as though it was one big joke. No doubt it was for everyone except the common trooper or private as it would probably be. I was on a few stunts back in Blighty and they were one big bore. About all I learned was how much petrol was wasted. I鈥檓 afraid our time is 3 hours after you , when you listen to your 9 o鈥檆lock news, it is 12.0 here. It鈥檚 ages since I heard the news (midnight).
.
Funny you should mention the Post and Illustrated. I was only telling Ev that I鈥檒l send her one of our papers or our equivalent to the Post, 鈥淭he Parade鈥�, but there鈥檚 a risk of loss or confiscation. Anyway, I鈥檒l risk it very soon.
Talk about getting on the front line, I鈥檝e never seen a photographer yet - only once, I recall now. It was on the 鈥淏onadventure鈥�, a cruiser that took us to Greece. I saw the photos in this 鈥淧arade鈥� of ours when we came back to Egypt. Quite good they were. One caught us as we were lining up for our life-belts. I鈥檒l have to answer your letter more fully when I write again.
Good afternoon Mum, Dad and Levi, love to you all, your loving son, Alb. Xxx.

August 30 1941, approx. Airgraph. MEF.
Dear Mother and Dad,
I鈥檝e just had 2 more of your letters (Aug 13 and 29). That makes 13 letters and PCs in the last 6 days, a record I should think. I wrote you an airgraph last night, but I can鈥檛 get much on them. I don鈥檛 know whether you have to read a magnifying glass to read them.

I like the news cutting which Evelyn sent me. It would stir the old Home Town up a little. I hear off Eve that my old fisherman pal has passed away. You remember him, don鈥檛 you? Mr Barnes from Newcastle Garden Street. I do feel sorry. He was a real gentleman. I never knew he was ill. I dare say it was like Mr Perry, short and sweet. I do hope so being as the damage is done.
So you鈥檝e decided to send me a weekly 鈥淪entinel鈥�, well, I shall be very pleased. I have sent Eve 3 or 4 of our daily papers at odd times, more or less for curiosity. I suppose they will arrive with the Christmas rush (This year). I have a fellow townsman in our Battalion now. He鈥檚 from Stoke, Campbell Road, near to Campbell Tiles. Rather strange, his Mum鈥檚 brother is Mr Goodwin. Before he retired from Wedgwood鈥檚 he was our designer, known all over the firm. I鈥檝e got all the local news up to June 24 this year off him. (This pal of mine, not Mr Goodwin).
Well mother, remember me to all our relations and friends. I鈥檒l write sometime to them. Cheerio and all my love, your loving son, Alb. Xxx.

August 31 1941. Airgraph. MEF.
Dear Mother and Dad,
Excuse this queer ink, I鈥檝e had to mix red and blue. The blue is too pale and so is the red, so this is the result. I had your cable, Eve鈥檚 and Auntie Ethel鈥檚 all at once, also your letter (June 25), the one in which Prue wrote to me. They came last night so you can see it only took 3 days for the cables. I noticed 27th on all the cables and take it for August 27 when you sent them. Thanks very much for the surprises, I had completely forgotten it was my birthday. All I was concerned about was Eve鈥檚
I鈥檝e just sent Eve her telegram and a book. I dare say the book will arrive early in November. You will no doubt see it. It鈥檚 our periodical, 鈥淭he Parade鈥�, price 20 mills. An outrageous price for what it is, I think.
Thank Mr Barnes for his letter and the Minister for his. It鈥檚 a very good letter and plenty of advice. I passed it around to chaps in the tent but I don鈥檛 think it will have much effect. The Minister asks us to write home as often as we can, yet there鈥檚 actually one chap who throws away these precious letter cards and we only get one a week (sometimes). Incidentally this is one he鈥檚 thrown away. He鈥檚 married, has a child, yet has several girls out here. There鈥檚 some rotters in the army, more than I ever dreamed of. Still it鈥檚 their business. We鈥檝e just had a party of chaps to join us. Most of them were in Blighty at the beginning of June, and they鈥檙e the 34 age group. Getting on a bit, aren鈥檛 we.
Well, Mother, I should have liked to send a cable in reply to the three, I鈥檝e just had, but I can鈥檛 just manage it. Yesterday I spent my week鈥檚 pay on postal requirements, 6 10d stamps, 8 3d and a 2/6 cable. It鈥檚 a good job I saw Major X; he paid me what he owed me.
Did I tell you we鈥檝e left our RAF camp? We鈥檙e back on the same camp where I met Harry Burton; he鈥檚 gone away of course. Didn鈥檛 Churchill promise us some action on September 1st? I hope he keeps his word. I want to get home again right sharp, and don鈥檛 ever mention seaside holidays or I鈥檒l go mad. Sand, sand everywhere. Well, Ma, I鈥檒l be off. Cheerio. Love to all. Yours, Alb. Xxx.

September 7 1941. Airgraph. MEF.
Dear Mother and Dad,
I鈥檝e had my first card off Eve. It came yesterday. Not bad judgement was it? Saying it was posted in July. I see Prue was over for a holiday in June. Did she manage to get down to our house? Fancy taking her to the Mission Dance, of all places. She ought to have gone down Trentham or the Arcade, but still, as Will Hay says, 鈥淏oys will be boys. I hope you鈥檙e successful with the present off Mr 鈥淲hatsisname鈥�.
I鈥檝e been very busy this last week or so. A letter I have just written to Eve has taken me 3 days to write. I鈥檝e just this minute sealed it.
We should get one of these letter cards every week, but we鈥檝e had 3 issues this last 6 weeks. Goodness knows who has them. This is one I have rescued from a rubbish bin, thrown in by a chap who evidently can鈥檛 write. I told you about him in my last letter.
So I may be meeting Tom and Fred Rutter one of these fine days. Well, there鈥檚 lots of chaps coming out here. We鈥檝e had some come to this unit that were in Blighty at the beginning of June. What unit were Tom and Fred in?
It鈥檚 surprising, of all the thousands and thousands of chaps out here, I鈥檝e only met Harry Burton, although a Serg in our Battn comes from Golden Hill. He鈥檚 too fond of his beer and, I think, his women to appeal to me.
You know the knitted ware that Mrs Chipperfield sent me? Well it鈥檚 going to come in useful very soon. The nights are getting cooler, and occasionally cold. You would hardly believe me if I told you that when we were up the desert in February this year, we used to go to breakfast in full khaki battledress, cardigan, overcoat, leather jerkin, scarf, balaclava and gloves. It was bitterly cold until the sun showed up. Then we could cast off almost everything.
Well, Mother, I will be off now. Remember me to Auntie Ethel and family, Uncle Levi and family, Auntie Polly and family and all my friends. I鈥檓 as fit as a fiddle so don鈥檛 worry. Cheerio, Mum, Dad and Levi. Yours, Alb. Xxx.

September 12 1941. Airgraph. MEF.
Dear Mother and Dad,
I have just received a letter off you (July 31), the one where you asked me to tell you how long it has been on the way. Well, it looks like 6 weeks doesn鈥檛 it? That鈥檚 about the average, I鈥檓 sorry to say. The post has dropped off just lately. I鈥檓 talking about the speed and efficiency, not quantity of mail. I am pleased with what I get, I don鈥檛 expect too much. At the same time, I鈥檓 all ears every day when the Post Cpl is reading the names of chaps who have mail, disappointed if there鈥檚 none for me, and too excited to have my meal if I get a letter or card. I had Eve鈥檚 first airgraph yesterday. It came very quick, (posted Aug 17.)
I see you listen in to 鈥淕reetings from Cairo鈥�. It seems it will be all in vain. I鈥檝e never heard of this arrangement, only what I have heard off you, but still, when I make myself known, the ESB will be after me.
. Everything we buy is one piastre or multiples of one. Still we get over it. I didn鈥檛 join up to make my fortune.
Dad looks like being very busy once more. Was it voluntary or a necessity? The former, I hope, although I rather suspect the latter. These chaps who have just come in from Blighty tell tales of severe rationing. I guess it鈥檚 hit the business pretty hard.
You had a full house during August Bank Holiday week. However did you feed them? Turn them out in the field to graze I suppose.
What a shock for the Misses Thornton. I know how she used to be so concerned with the lightning switch in the window. I was consulted a few times to see if it was quite safe, and now an incendiary bomb. Yes, it would cause a stir in the old Homestead. Well, Ma, time鈥檚 up. Cheerio, love to you, Dad and Levi. Xxx. Alb.

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