大象传媒

The following make for a fascinating epistolatory insight into the final years of the war in Britain as seen through the eyes of American, and apparent anglophile, Bill Murchie.

The letters and pictures (of which more can be viewed at www.wymondhamlearning.org.uk)have been kindly provided by Bill's daughter Carol. Carol informs us that her father had trained in photo intelligence at Yale University (where they trained officers who would handle military intelligence and where the original group of what eventually became the CIA were trained) and his primary role while at the Hethel airforce base was to study reconnaissance photos of potential targets and brief the pilots and bombardiers before each mission.

This following was submitted to the 大象传媒 People鈥檚 War site by Wymondham Learning Centre on behalf of the author. The donator fully understands the site's terms and conditions.

Somewhere in England 24 Mar. 1944

Dear Folks,

By this time I trust my cable has informed you that I am no longer in the States and that all is well with me, as it most certainly is. We had a pleasant journey and I have and am enjoying myself very much [sic]. Naturally I haven鈥檛 been receiving mail as yet but they say we鈥檒l be getting it before too long a time. There is at the moment, only one thing I can think of that you might send and that is U.S. air mail stamps. I can use them here but they are somewhat rationed so if you can put a few in an envelope and send them along they would be appreciated very much, (don鈥檛 send V-mail forms as I can鈥檛 use them here鈥攏ot the kind you have there, that is).

Before I left, I wrote you giving a couple of addresses to which I would like to have some flowers sent; if, by any chance that didn鈥檛 get through, let me know and I鈥檒l repeat that set of addresses. They were in New Haven and New York.

My contact with the English has been limited and I can give little on my reactions to either them or England. Thus far, I must admit that I have seen little here that America hasn鈥檛, in quantity and quality, a definite superiority. I realize that they have been at war here a long time, but even yet, the fundamental definition of the country is still there. Surprisingly, (not to me exactly) enough, however, I鈥檝e noticed that I react fundamentally as an Englishman would so that two generations have not removed the traces of the thrice-seeded British blood I have鈥擶elsh, English, Scotch. There are many men of other temperments [sic} who can鈥檛 understand the studied reserve of the English, but to me it is just as I react myself.

I saw my first English pheasant this evening鈥攊t looked at a distance like a guinea fowl鈥攂ut his size and running ability were more game-like. Spring is just coming to England and the buds are beginning to look red and green on the thorns and shrubs.

I shall try to write fairly constantly and hope that I can make up for my silence of these past weeks. For the present then, my regards to anyone who may remember me鈥攁nd, be good now.

Love,

Bill

TWO

Sunday Morning [August 1944]

Dear Janie C.

This is just a note for it is quiet at the moment here but I don鈥檛 know how long it will last as such. I鈥檓 enclosing a chemical caricature which should draw a giggle from the crowd.

The happier days of the war seem at hand now鈥攊t seems almost impossible that at one time the Germans pounded the armies of Europe in pulp along the western front. Now we can see what lack of faith can do in all its horror. While on pass the other evening I had a chance to see one of three presentations鈥攁 stage play鈥攐f unknown quality鈥斺�淔or Whom the Bell Tolls鈥濃�攁nd 鈥淣one Shall Escape鈥�. I find myself embarrassed at stage plays for I am somehow conscious of the acting and if it is at all bad I suffer terribly鈥攕o I avoid stage plays. Ernest Hemingway I have never read but your description of his book decided me to boycott his movie鈥攖he point is that I didn鈥檛 know what was on at the last movie until it started. I guess most people who see 鈥淣one Shall Escape鈥� will feel like muttering 鈥減ropaganda鈥�. Yes鈥攎aybe it is鈥攎aybe. But as bad as it presents the story of Poland, it is probably not overly brutal to the facts.

The other day I read in an English editorial where the people of Britain should be grateful for not having the trials of the people on the continent鈥攖hat is a strange melody when things are as they are over here even.

Summer will soon be giving away [sic] to fall, Janie. You know, there is something very remarkable about living in a new climactic environment. Here, I鈥檝e watched the procession of insects, birds, flowers and days鈥攖he wings of butterflies are becoming a little more ragged鈥攖here are fewer fledglings鈥攖he blackberries are losing their petals now to swelling fruit鈥攂ut it all goes on without the one important gauge of passing summer鈥攖he cricket. No crickets here to speed the coming of the fall; of course, golden rod and iron weed always come before the frost鈥攖he milkweed turning to snow鈥攖he lightly coloring maples鈥攖he thinning of the tadpole swarms; the slow drift of the monarch butterfly to the south from Canada鈥檚 Hudson Bay鈥攁ll them told me mutely in their hour that fall was coming鈥攂ut the cricket鈥攈e sang all day to everyone鈥攁nd all night, too. Here, strangely enough, the visual signs of summer鈥檚 coming of age are appearing鈥攂ut I haven鈥檛 experienced fall here yet and so I don鈥檛 know what beastie is the chosen herald of summer鈥檚 end. I love the fall, perhaps best of all鈥攊t thrills me to feel it blowing through memories鈥攂ut I guess after thinking a moment, I love all seasons best when I can put my feet away from the sidewalks and paths of my fellow beings for a few hours.

This is short, but could it serve for now? Till later. Good luck and most sincerely,

Yours,

Bill

THREE

12 May 1945 England

Dear Folks,

The past week has been a hodge-podge if ever there was one. Actually, so much has happened that it is difficult to decide what stands out most. The end of the war came as something of an anticlimax to the 8th Air Force for our war had been over for about a week or more. We merely awaited the formal procedures to take place and then went back to a rather dead routine. Clyde spent a day over here and we went into Norwich for the evening. For a year now I鈥檝e avoided mention of where I am, but I understand from the 鈥淪tars and Stripes鈥� that it is possible to mention many things that here-to-fore have been restricted information. It was good to see a city with lights again鈥攈ow good you can never know until you鈥檝e lived in darkness. After 6 years of it, the first night must have been unbelievable to most Englishmen. It was a day or two after V-E day, but the crowds were like moths around the lights鈥攇reat masses of people, filling the streets鈥攇awking at the streetlights. Little kids from 6 through about 15 couldn鈥檛 recall having seen streetlights鈥攕ome even older ones couldn鈥檛 remember what it was like. They had imported search lights and it looked like a Hollywood premiere. To many people who I met last winter, I remember mentioning that they should look and never forget the blackout鈥攊t is a phenomenon that is indescribable鈥攁 state of mind really. After a time one gets to the point where he reacts to the slightest amount of light and you feel irritated if you see an uncovered window. Now, we are slowly getting used to not having to pull the curtains.

There is one point I may as well mention now鈥攖here will be rumors there, as there are rumors here鈥攁s to the future position and role of the 8th Air Force and from newspapers and various other sources, there may be people who try to forecast where I might be. I know nothing, and no one else does either鈥攖his is an army at war yet, and most talk is based on wishful thinking or 鈥渉ot rumors鈥�. Pay no attention to any wiseacres鈥攐bviously we will leave someday and go somewhere, but I would urge everyone at home not to raise false hopes or be pessimistic.

It is possible that I may go to Scotland tomorrow for a week鈥擨 haven鈥檛 decided as yet. That is one happy think about the army. You can make up your mind and get on the way about a 100% faster than in civilian life.

Writing seems very strange any more with so few people to write to. I鈥檓 practically at the point of throwing my address book away for all I have in it now. They tell me that when the censorship is officially relaxed we鈥檒l be able to send home letters that were sent to us over here. I鈥檝e saved a good many which will serve as something of a diary鈥攁nd I鈥檒l probably send them home. If you could, just put them away somewhere out of harm鈥檚 way. I鈥檒l probably send some more pressed plants along at the same time. I鈥檝e had little luck really, for the paper I use to press them is so glossy that they rot before they dry. Paper is a scarce article over here. However, it has given me something to do and something of an idea as to British flora. It also gave me an incentive to collect some American species鈥攖hat should be somewhat easier and technically more successful.

I鈥檇 sure like to tackle a day鈥檚 fishing somewhere this summer鈥攕ome of the boys went fishing up in northern England and picked up some trout. I don鈥檛 know how the fishing is over here, but if it [is] any way approximate [to] the possibilities of hunting, it shouldn鈥檛 be necessary to bait the hook. There are so many rabbits, pheasant and partridge that a slingshot and a couple of hours would be all required to get the limit. I鈥檓 sure that a 鈥�22 rifle could bring in a half dozen pheasant in a couple of hours鈥� time. You could get two or three rabbits on every shot.

The weather has improved again and I鈥檝e made a couple of rather long rides on a couple of evenings last week. It is almost too warm in the evening now鈥攆rom one extreme to the other, I guess.

Well, this much for now鈥擨鈥檒l write again soon鈥擴ntil later, then鈥擫ove, Bill

P.S. I鈥檓 on my way to Bonnie Scotland!!! B.

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