大象传媒

February 3 1945. Sat 7.0 pm. BLA.
Dear Mother and Dad,
There鈥檚 nothing startling to report, we鈥檙e still in the old place and enjoying it. The mail has been awful again this week. I forget when I last had a letter off you. Still, it won鈥檛 be always now. I see Joe is ever nearer Berlin, but it won鈥檛 finish when he鈥檚 there. They鈥檙e a stubborn heap this time, but they won鈥檛 forget this war in a hurry.

It鈥檚 surprising out here. The sanitation and similar facilities are very poor. I鈥檝e only ever seen one house with a bath in it, and that belongs to the lady鈥檚 brother who is coming tonight, and even then his bath is in the living room. I imagine they have to vacate the house if anyone wants a bath.
The last time I went there I touched him up about having a bath, but he said it was heated by gas and gas was only on for one hour each morning. I was unlucky, that鈥檚 why I鈥檓 not keen on seeing him, although he gave me a small bottle of scent for Madam when I left. Still I am a bit particular these days. I have an invitation for dinner tomorrow at a former billet. On Thursday night I went to hear a radiogram recital. It was very nice indeed. They played The Barber of Seville, New World Symphony and a few odds and ends. The radiogram was a huge affair almost as big as a sideboard, with two huge speakers and the undistorted volume was enough to fill the Victoria Hall. It was just like listening to the real thing.
Then on Wednesday night I was on guard, very uneventful.
Tomorrow I pay my weekly visit to the local cinema. I don鈥檛 know what鈥檚 on yet, but if it鈥檚 as good as last week it will be a treat.
The old Inoculations are due again. Everyone鈥檚 got to have anti-typhus. Gee, I鈥檒l be a pincushion yet. It will make me 15, I think, and a vaccination. The snow has completely vanished and today has been a real treat, brilliant sunshine all day, fantastic for very early February. It was light until 6.30.
I鈥檓 in Talbot House writing this. It鈥檚 ideal. I have a small room which only a few know about, and even if everyone knew about it, it will only hold about 9 chaps. There鈥檚 an electric fire and all writing kit.
I haven鈥檛 any further news about leave. It keeps on altering slightly. What with no sailings when it鈥檚 bad weather and chaps leaving the unit and getting crossed off our lists and fresh chaps coming and having to be inserted. I can鈥檛 judge it all, but the very latest is that up to 132 chaps have gone, or will have had it by tomorrow. I鈥檓 334 so we want two more hundred to hurry up and get it over; then I鈥檒l be getting excited.
The rumour is that the allotment for February is to be raised from 47 to 60, but whether or not, it鈥檚 not much advantage. That鈥檚 the trouble, we don鈥檛 know the coming month鈥檚 allotment. For all we know March鈥檚 may be 60 again, and if April is the same, I shan鈥檛 be home until May. But we hope the same goes on in March as in January, and that means 111, which will bring me down to 50th on the list for April. I鈥檒l bet any money I鈥檒l not be able to give you any warning, but as far as possible I鈥檒l let you know the progress in every letter, so don鈥檛 forget old 334, will you? Just think of your number 346, and you can鈥檛 go wrong.

No-one has crossed my path whom I know yet. I often wonder how Alf Hyton is; his unit is at Ypres, and quite some time ago I asked several of his fellows where he is, but no-one seemed to know him. I don鈥檛 wonder at that, because if his unit is the same as ours, it鈥檚 80% new since Aldershot. Honestly, when I sit at the mess table, I look around and see scores and scores of chaps who I don鈥檛 know. They鈥檙e all strangers to me, and I鈥檓 afraid if we found out how many chaps in the unit were out in Greece with us, the total would be about 30 I think.
Eve gave me the full story of Lt Houses鈥檚 speech. It must have been very interesting. I sent her an account of our ramblings, written by a war correspondent. I know she has had it and I asked her to show it to you.
Well, when is it going to end? By the time my leave is due or before. If only Joe鈥檚 brakes won鈥檛 hold, we shall see the end in 3 weeks time. It must be terrific out there, but they can have it. It鈥檚 all very interesting to read about, but there鈥檚 heaps of dangers lurking round the corners.
Yesterday I found a woman who would do my washing and was I pleased. The last time I had any done was at Mettet, around Christmas Day. I have given her something to think about today, some 15 articles, but I will see her all right. I鈥檓 pretty flush with every mortal thing I still haven鈥檛 written to anyone outside the family for quite a few weeks now. But still. Why worry? We鈥檙e winning and it won鈥檛 be long before I鈥檓 speaking to them.
I guess that鈥檚 all this time thanks. Remember me to everyone.
Cheerio and love to you all, yours ever. Alb. Xxx.

February 4 1945. Toc H Club. BLA.
Dear Mother and Dad,
I鈥檓 here again. These letter cards are so small I wish I鈥檇 started an ordinary letter, but never mind, I guess you will have them both together.

So Harry is down with diphtheria. How strange. Has he missed many of those horrible inoculations? It strikes me he鈥檚 missed them all. I鈥檓 due to go again in the morning for an anti-typhus this time. I wonder if they really do any good. It鈥檚 hard to say, cause nothing鈥檚 happened. I鈥檓 remarkably fit though, so they can鈥檛 do any harm.
I was invited out to dinner today, a swell affair at one of my former billets - 2 eggs, a mountain of chips, pork chop, salad, piccalilli and a pint of beer. And after all that I went to work. Gee! What a 鈥渄o鈥�. I don鈥檛 like to go really, but they get as much pleasure as I do, so we鈥檙e evens. (Same billets as Jan 26.)
I鈥檓 glad Sam is having things easy. I was hoping he wouldn鈥檛 be on the road to Mandalay. We鈥檙e doing well everywhere, aren鈥檛 we?
I don鈥檛 seem to be able to write to other people yet, so tell them I鈥檓 keeping fine. Cheerio again. Love to you al, yours ever, Alb. Xxx.

February 4 1945. Toc H Club. BLA.
Dear Mother and Dad,
Your Jan 25 letter arrived this afternoon, only a couple of hours after I posted your letter.
I guess all the snow and ice has gone now. It鈥檚 been a beautiful day here, just like summer. It was the same yesterday too. I notice the wireless is repaired at last, good show, but the volume won鈥檛 suit you, especially if Levi is at the controls.
I cut the cake this morning. It was marvellous. I鈥檝e often asked you and Eve who made it, but it appears to be a secret, or shall we blame it on the slow mail service. It certainly is very slow these days.
We can get as many apples as we want, but bananas are scarce. No, mother, please don鈥檛 send any fruit. I never eat it and I don鈥檛 think I shall need another parcel before I come home, providing leave is never cancelled. As near as I can judge it, I may be home about April, any time from 1st to 30th, but even that is liable to be all wrong. We can鈥檛 form an opinion yet, not until another 200 have gone. No 132 has gone today. I鈥檓 glad the car is A1 again. I hope you drained the rad when it was frosty or I鈥檓 afraid we shall need a new car. I think I have to say Tra here. Cheerio and love to you all, yours ever, Alb. Xxx.

February 7 1945. Wed. 7.0 pm. BLA.
Dear Mother and Dad,
Your parcel has beat your letter. I haven鈥檛 had a letter off you since I last wrote to you, and that鈥檚 almost 9 days ago.
Well, strange enough I wrote to Eve on Monday because she suggested there was a parcel being made up for me. I told her to tell you to save it for when I come home if that was the case, so we must ignore it. You see I was calculating I would be coming home about 21st and I reckoned you would send the parcel some time this week and it would arrive just as I was leaving for home. Well the parcel is a fortnight earlier and I am to go on leave a week later. Of course, it鈥檚 all my own calculations. I may be wrong again, but I think if everything goes according to plan I shall be home about March 28th.

Did I tell you I had a letter, a card and 2/6 PO off Aunt Polly Brum? I wrote back last Sunday and sent her my last photo.
We鈥檝e been very busy until this weekend, and now we鈥檝e slackened a little. I work alternate nights until 7.30 pm and alternate Sats and Suns. I wonder how long we shall enjoy this.
Well, what about the war now? Things are looking up, and most amazingly without the old 3rd. It鈥檚 quite a treat to hear the news and sit here in peace and quietness. I think we鈥檙e due for Berlin though, and it wouldn鈥檛 surprise me when my turn comes for leave, I shall have to come from Germany. Do you want anything from there?
The party which go on leave tomorrow include number 270, and I鈥檓334. They send 28 men normally, so I鈥檓 thinking I shall be in the third party after tomorrow, or in 20 days time. Still, we can鈥檛 judge it at all. It may be cancelled when we move, and they certainly won鈥檛 send 28 if we鈥檙e in action, so we must hope we stay here for 3 more weeks. That鈥檚 doubtful, because there鈥檚 signs of moving next week or there-abouts. How are we fixed for petrol coupons and licence for my leave? My mate, Lofty, the newsagent from Halifax, went on leave a week ago. Previous to going on leave he went with an officer to Rhiems to a big champagne factory for the officers鈥� mess bar. He said there are millions of bottles lined up there. They brought a nice load back.
I have been down to Armentiers a few times. It鈥檚 not a bad place. Very interesting ride from here through Ypres. There鈥檚 plenty of the last war trenches and gun emplacements, and of course cemeteries. This place is almost one big cemetery.
There鈥檚 a shortage of choc, fags and biscuits around here. The Talbot House and Belgian Red Cross canteen haven鈥檛 had any for 3 weeks, but I have my own private supply. I checked up on my cigs the other day. I still have over 900, and now this parcel. You鈥檒l have me signing on for ever. It鈥檚 all very good of you and I thank goodness I have a lorry to carry it. I don鈥檛 know what I would do if I was in the Infantry. Guess it would have to be eaten the day it came. I鈥檓 glad you didn鈥檛 send anything else but 鈥済oodies鈥�. I have stacks of everything, certainly enough to see this war out.
, I鈥檒l bet your letter comes tomorrow. Tra. Love to you all. Yours ever, Alb. Xxx.

February 12 1945. Monday. BLA.
Dear Mother and Dad,
I鈥檓 sorry I haven鈥檛 been able to write to you for a week. We鈥檝e been so busy working until 7.30 every night this past 8 or 9 days. I think we will have everything under control by the weekend. Your 500 Craven As arrived over 3 days ago, and your letter came on Sunday. Thanks a lot for everything, and I have endless cigs now, something like 900 at a guess.
The latest number to go on leave is 150, almost half way to mine. And if they can get up to 220 this month, I am almost a certainty for the very beginning of April. But if it slackens off, I think I shall be home about Mother鈥檚 birthday. Anyway it鈥檚 only 8 more weeks.
I have come straight from work to the Talbot House to write this, so I can鈥檛 answer your letter; it鈥檚 in my billet, I went to the cinema last night. It was a real good laugh. I wonder if you鈥檝e ever seen the film, 鈥淢y Sister Eileen鈥�. It鈥檚 a long time since I laughed so much.
The gram concert was the attraction on Thursday. That was good too, they played my favourite tunes by my favourite artistes. I really enjoy Thursday nights.
An amusing incident happened on Saturday. I took my suit to be altered and all the odds and ends to be sewn on a few days before. The tailor said, call on Saturday and it will be ready. So Saturday came and I called, very hopefully, and all I could see had been done was the alterations. So I asked him where the chevrons and etc were.
He searched frantically for some minutes, said he was sorry and he would have them on in 30 minutes. So, I returned in the half hour, to find the chevrons down on the elbow, the bulls a little higher and so on.
He said 鈥�50 francs, please鈥�. I said, 鈥淲hen you鈥檝e taken them off and put them where they should be鈥�. So a further 30 minutes was suggested, and I returned gain. It was much better this time and I enquired the price again, expecting to have to pay more. He said 鈥�40 francs please鈥�. I gave him a 100 note. Then the change came, 鈥�20 and 10 is 30, and 20 is 50, and 50 is 100. Good day, sir鈥�. Well it appears it went down every time I asked him. I got away with it for 20 francs in the end..
My laundry is all up to date again now. She鈥檚 a good woman who does it. She always darns and sews where and when it鈥檚 needed, and we can get a good bath every week. It鈥檚 like heaven now it鈥檚 organised.
.
How鈥檚 the weather these days? Just right, hey? No snow or ice. It鈥檚 the same here, just a little rain at times. By the way, I had a letter off Eve today. It was only written and sent on Friday afternoon. That鈥檚 only 3 days ago. It鈥檚 a good show, isn鈥檛 it.
.
I鈥檓 keeping fine and fit. Don鈥檛 worry. So cheerio and best wishes. Love to you all. Yours ever, Alb. Xxx.

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