大象传媒

May 22 1941. Airgraph. MEF.
Dearest Eve,
the mail keeps on rolling in. I鈥檝e just had two Postal Orders off Wedgwoods, a 5/- and a 7/6. It鈥檚 keeping me busy answering all these letters. The latest letter I鈥檝e had off you was 25 March and the latest off Mother is 30 Jan. I know it鈥檚 not your fault at home, but I thought I would just let you know how things are.
The post has decidedly improved these last few weeks and it won鈥檛 be long before I shall be able to get a reply to a letter within 3 weeks.
Well, Eve, I鈥檝e got myself fixed up in the way of personal kit. I鈥檝e bought some hanks, toothpaste, brushes, etc, and as you see, a pen. I鈥檓 rather disappointed in it though, it writes too thick and I鈥檝e tried many a time to get a fine nib, but the old Arab who sold it to me only has a very limited stock. I shall have to persevere until I get this spot of leave. The old watch is keeping up its reputation, in spite of the terrific heat and dust it keeps correct time. I鈥檓 so glad I have it. I鈥檝e been lost without the time.
Those Craven A were delicious. It鈥檚 nice to smoke a cig that has come all the way from home and been packed by you, Eve.
I鈥檓 a regular film fan now. Since I鈥檝e been here I鈥檝e only missed once. There鈥檚 a fresh show every night. All the films are at least 10 years old so there鈥檚 no doubt as to whether I鈥檝e seen them or not.
It鈥檚 terribly hot just now. I鈥檓 bathed in sweat although I only have a pair of shorts on, and the flies are the biggest pest I鈥檝e ever known. They almost walk in one鈥檚 mouth or on one鈥檚 eyes and regularly up our noses. I suppose we shall get used to it before this lot is finished with.

How are things at home? Can you still meet the endless bills? Are you busy at the shop, and is Jerry troubling you much. We get plenty of decent grub, perhaps too many 鈥渃ackleberries鈥� (eggs) but I鈥檓 easy. This weather it鈥檚 too hot to argue.
Well, Eve, one more letter less. Give my love to Mum and Dad and Kathy. I hope Kathy is quite settled to her new job now.
Good afternoon, my darling. God bless you and keep you safe always. I love you, dear, yours for ever, Alb. Xxx.

May 29 1941. Airgraph. MEF.
My dear Eve,
I鈥檝e just come back off leave. We had six days instead of five. It鈥檚 been wonderful. Every day I鈥檝e had at least 3 choc eclairs and numerous others of my favourite cakes. It鈥檚 been a holiday of eating and sleeping, plus swimming, cinema going, souvenir hunting and, I may add, a football match, an Egyptian one. It was comparable with our 3rd Division football and I quite enjoyed it.
Yes, Eve, I鈥檝e ventured to buy some more souvenirs. I hope I can hang onto them, and I have a dozen photos of myself. I鈥檒l send one or two at a time, just to make sure of you getting most of them. I suppose you are curious as to what I have bought. Well, I may briefly tell you: an embroidered cushion cover of my hat badge; a wallet, old Moroccan leather; a crepe-de-chine thingamee, you know, I think - I鈥檝e seen you wear one on your head; and a few beads and postcards.
There were two first class Services鈥� Clubs down town; both had radios, games rooms, spacious lounges and they served up some wonderful meals. I spent quite a lot of time there. I was presented with 4 letters when I got back to camp, but 3 were ever so old. Two off you dated 14 and 15 Nov 1940, one off Aunt Lily (Jan 1st) and lastly one April 9th off you.
It was heart-breaking to read your November ones where you were expecting me to come home on leave at any minute, and I need not remind you that I was on the boat at that time. Well, all that鈥檚 over now. The next time I see you this war will be finished; then we can get down to business.

Well, Eve, from what I can gather, old Jerry is fairly lenient with the old Home Town and you are able to get a fair share of sleep. I thought this bombing would be less after Christmas.

Eve, could you send me a snap of yourself. I鈥檓 without one now you know. I suppose some dirty old Jerry has our photos. I hope you and all at home are keeping well. Give my love to Mum, Dad and Kathy, and you can have all the rest of my love. (Sand, sand, sand). Bye-bye, darling. God bless and keep you safe, yours for ever Alb. Xxx

June 4 1941. MEF.
My Darling,
I feel I must write at every tiny opportunity, although I shall probably spread this letter over a few days or maybe a week. Eve, please note the new postal address, only a slight alteration, but enough to make my mail a few days later. I鈥檝e been transferred to 鈥淎鈥� squadron this morning. I always have faith in God and I feel that it is His way of going about things. Don鈥檛 worry Eve, about this slight change. I will slip across to HQ every day to get my mail I don't know just how many letters you have sent, but I somehow feel that I鈥檝e had the vast majority. I told you about me having your Christmas cards in my last letter. Well, since then I鈥檝e had two more letters and a Post card off you, duck. The letters are the 19 and 26 April, the PC believe it or not, May 13, only 19 days old. I feel like a king and I鈥檓 so very happy. I love your photo, duck, it鈥檚 extremely beautiful. I just have to keep on looking at it. It鈥檚 rather strange, and I鈥檓 sure it鈥檚 more than co-incidence, but when I write and ask you questions, the answers come before you get my letters. I asked you for a snap; a day after I get a photo. I鈥檓 just itching to get your letter with all the news in about this conductor鈥檚 job. I mustn鈥檛 ask what route, how many hours, what pay etc, because I鈥檓 sure all that鈥檚 on the way. It must be very hard work, Eve, I do hope you get on all right. I love you and I鈥檓 extremely proud of you. You鈥檝e certainly got some pluck..
You know those Air-mail letter cards? Well as soon as they came to the office, I bought 12, and ever since then I have been unable to get any. I can鈥檛 understand why there鈥檚 such a lack of them. I鈥檝e just got one left, and I鈥檓 taking care of that; it鈥檚 for you some day. Now these green envelopes are free; they are for private matters and personal affairs. We should get one issued every week, but we鈥檙e lucky if we keep to system. I managed to get four in Greece, and I just have one of those left. I shall have to send ordinary mail if things don鈥檛 improve. I鈥檒l tell you who I鈥檝e written to since May 17th. This is 6 and a cable to you. 3 to Mother, 1 and 3 postcards to Wedgewoods, Mrs Locke and Jack Cashmore, Uncle Ted, aunt Ethel, Uncle Levi, Bob Bills; that鈥檚 20 isn鈥檛 it? I just have 2 more I simply must write to; there鈥檚 your Aunt Lily and Jimmy Daniels. They wrote to me about Christmas, but it鈥檚 only a few days ago that I received their letters.
I didn鈥檛 tell you much about Greece, did I? I dare say it will be OK now. (There was a cut coinage arrangement. 鈥淒rachmas鈥� were the coin used, and up to 50 were of metal (I won鈥檛 say silver). After 5 came 10, then 20, 50, 100, 500 and so on. All these were paper notes, a drachma was worth 陆d and a 500 note was approximately 拢1.what would you think if you dealt in coins valued at 1/10 of an 陆d? Well, they do in Greece. I have a few of them. Just imagine a coin in England valued at 1/20 of 1d. Goodness knows what was bought with them, although I got some in my change on a bus.
I was lucky enough to get down to Athens a time or two. It鈥檚 a beautiful place very modern, and yet for a capital city it was only a flea-bite compared with our London. There were scores of examples of old Grecian examples of architecture. I can鈥檛 remember their names, only one, and that is the 鈥淧arthenon鈥�, one of the 7 wonders of the world. I have a post card of it and 3 other post cards of ruins which I was able to get from a Greek newsagents when I was on leave. I got all my post cards replaced at this shop, you know the ones I lost in Greece. Athens was about all there was in Greece. I never saw any other town that would compare. Lamia. Larissa, Kozani, Florina and lots of others; even if they were all put together, they wouldn鈥檛 be able to hold a candle to Athens. (Mistakes, Ev, that鈥檚 with joining in a friendly argument. I love you.) the villages were very poor. We could have bought a village for 拢1. The local store would have had about 10/- worth of stock and the only other place would be the 鈥減ub鈥�, which would have perhaps half a bottle of home-made wine and absolutely nothing else. It would be sold by means of tiny finger glasses at a cost of 1 or 2 Ds. Yes darling, I have tasted these naughty drinks. I hope you don鈥檛 think I鈥檓 going on the downward trail. You will be worrying for nothing if you do. I鈥檓 still exactly the same boy that left you over 13 months ago. I know you trust me, Ev, all I live for, and all I shall ever live for, is you, precious, and our home.

Looking at this writing it appears that a kid of 5 has been about; the trouble is, Eve, that the heat is so terrific that a fountain pen dries up before one can write the next word, and I am constantly dipping it into the old ink pot, resulting in very thick words at first and almost invisible words late. It has been hot today. One is soaked with sweat, even if only lying on the bed. Shan鈥檛 I be glad to get out of this country when the time comes. It鈥檚 far too warm for me, and so desperately dry. The drinking water supply is warm, never cool or cold. People in England don鈥檛 know what the word 鈥減est鈥� means, but they would do if they were here. I鈥檓 meaning the flies. I never thought such a little thing could be such a nuisance, and some have little and very sharp stings. Then there鈥檚 a number of mosquitoes getting around now. There were thousands of 鈥渕ossies鈥� in Greece. I think for anyone interested in flies, butterflies, moths and insects, Greece would be their paradise. There鈥檚 millions of varieties of colour and shape. I began to take a keen interest, but was rudely interrupted (naughty Jerry).
Ev, darling, I could go on writing forever, but only to you. I sometimes feel as though I am telling you my experiences, not writing, and you are sitting close to me, but when I stop and look up, it鈥檚 the same old scene of khaki and sand.
Eve, I had to give up rather suddenly yesterday. The old Major sent for me and I was with him rather a long time. It鈥檚 Thursday tomorrow, so I will send this letter by the next post, because I do believe we鈥檙e on the move again before weekend. That鈥檚 the best of this battalion, we鈥檙e always on the move. I don鈥檛 think we spend above 14 days in any one place. It鈥檚 just what I like; there鈥檚 nothing like a change.
Do you know how much this writing pad cost? 7陆 piastres (about 1/7) and the last letter I sent you cost almost 2/- to send. The cost of living here is very dear, it seems much more expensive since we鈥檝e come back. I was going to buy a couple of boot brushes of poor quality, but when the NAAFI bloke asked for 12 piastres, I just passed out; fancy 2/6 for a couple of 3d brushes. Then there鈥檚 the camp cinema, a wooden and canvas affair. We go in the very cheapest seats at 3 piastres. Honestly, I don鈥檛 know why we patronise the place, but every night finds it full. The morning paper is 1 piastre. I think the Gypoes think that our money is equivalent to a piastre for that鈥檚 how we have to pay for things. I鈥檝e told we have 50 cigs, and now the Major gives me his, I get 100 a week, and pay is about 18/- a week, with colonial and 2 lots of proficiency pay, things aren鈥檛 too bad, are they?
I did tell you about these green envelopes, but I never told you the most important purpose of them. You see, every scrap of mail that leaves the squadron, no matter whether it鈥檚 air-mail or surface mail, letter, post card, letter card or cable, it will be censored definitely by your own officer; in my case it鈥檚 my boss, Major Wilson. These green envelopes do away with that. They probably get censored at a base. I say probably, because they may even escape it. Anyway, it鈥檚 not too nice to know the chap I work with reads all my mail, so, Ev darling, if you think, and I know they are, that my sure-to-be-censored mail is a bit cold, you will understand a little better now. Darling, every word I write means love, although it doesn鈥檛 spell it. I do love you. I try to dream about our happy home and family, but as soon as I go to sleep, it鈥檚 just a blank until reveille. Well, Eev darling, I will unwillingly draw to a close. Give my love and best wishes to Mum, Dad and Kathy. My best love to you, precious, God bless you and keep you always safe. Your ever true and loving hubby, Alb, xxx.

June 14 1941. Airgraph. MEF.
Dear Mother and Dad,
Back to the old squadron again. I feel mad that I altered my address now, but still it鈥檚 been done. As soon as I got to this camp, I was told I was going into the old squadron again. We鈥檙e on the move again in a couple of days to yet another camp. That will be 4 moves inside one month. I did hear our Regt referred to as 鈥淭he Royal Tourist Regt. (RTR)鈥� very appropriate I must say.
Yesterday I had a telegram off Eveline. I told you I had one off you about a week ago. Now today I鈥檝e just had a letter off Eveline (April 29th) and still there鈥檚 none off you. I wonder what can be wrong. I had a terrific surprise when I was having dinner yesterday; we鈥檙e messing with the RHA (Royal Horse Artillery) and I noticed a chap sitting opposite. I thought I knew him but I didn鈥檛 like to ask. Then he would look at me and simultaneously we greeted each other. It was Harry Burton; you know him I am sure. He used to live at 17 Garibaldi Street. You could have knocked me down with a feather (I鈥檓 not that tough). He鈥檚 the first chap I鈥檝e seen since I joined up, that has come from the old Home Town. It was good to see him, and now look what鈥檚 happening, we鈥檙e moving again. Just my luck. If you see his see his Dad off to work (he passes the shop) or his mother. You will no doubt mention it. We are both in the best of health and spirits.

We鈥檙e getting a variety of good cigs out here; Craven A, Players No 3, Major Dapkins Greys, Capstan Full Strength, etc. You can see we鈥檙e not too badly off, and as cigarettes form the main part of a parcel, that almost cancels parcels.
Eveline seemed surprised when she knew it was bitterly cold in the desert at night. Well, that鈥檚 only in the few months of winter around Christmas. At this time of the year it鈥檚 pretty near stifling, and we strip and lie on top of the bed
Well, Mother, time鈥檚 up again, remember me to all. Don鈥檛 worry. I鈥檓 OK in every way. Love to you, Dad and Levi, your loving son, Albert. Xxx.

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