Evacuee Boys (19 page)

John

25
July
1941

Dear Dad,

I got your letter 26 minutes ago and I am glad to hear that Mum will be at Evesham and that I can see you and go home to London with Mum. Thank you very much for the 2/6.

I hope you will not be angry that I tore my new trousers. But I have been punished as I had to take money out of the savings to have it mended. It cost 1/- and it is done so well that you can hardly see it was torn.

I am very glad that I shall see you in less than 3 weeks time and I can hardly wait. I shall have to come on Thursday 14th August as Mum will most likely leave Evesham in the morning. I might have to come by train because they are stopping the busses I shall enquire and tell you details next time I write.

I hope you are all well. I have now news.

Lots of love and kisses from your everloving
John

P.S. Please send fares in good time as I want to make sure of a seat.

Undated

Dear Mum and Dad,

I went to Weston Super Mare on Friday with Mrs. Robbins and had a lovely time on the beach. We got there about 11.45 a.m. we stayed on the beach till dinner and for another two hours. Then we went on the pier where there was a fair I went on the dodgems and the were some machines where you have to put a penny in and have to fire a gun at a number of small objects. If you hit them all down you get your penny back I got mine back twice out of about eight goes. And I had a go at the moter boat dodgems. We got back home at about 9.50 p.m.

Please send me at least three pairs of socks as mine are very thin and get holes in them very easily. Please write more often for if you do not we may get worried because of the many air raids. How are you all getting on? I hope Noni is getting used to the air raids.

Congratulations to dad for the exam.

Lots of love for all
from John

4
August
1941

Dear Dad,

I got your letter this morning after an expectant wait for over a week please wrote more frequently.

Thank you very much for the 2/6. I don’t think the busses are not running any more to Evesham as they are not running to London or any long distances. So I’ll have to go by train the fair (half single) I believe is 7/9½. Please send the fares as soon as possible so that I can book up. I can hardly wait for the 10 days to go untill I see you.

We have got a holiday to-day. I have no more new. I am very well and I hope you are too. I hope you will enjoy being with Mummy.

Lots of love from your everloving

John

4
August
1941

Dear Mum & Andrew,

I am sorry I am so late in writing but I didn’t have any money till this morning when I got a letter from dad after a long wait of over a week. I can hardly wait till the 10 days are over when I shall see you. I am sending Andrew ‘Hotspur’ & ‘Champion’. I hope Andrew will write more. We have a holyday to day as it is bank holyday. I hope you will enjoy yourself at Evesham. I don’t think the busses are running to Evesham as there are no busses running to London or any long distances so I’ll have to go by train the fare of which is 7/9½ (half single). On Thursday the king and Queen came through Melksham and I saw them both. I hope you are all well. How is Noni. I am very well. There is no more news here so lots of

Love & kisses from your everloving

John

11
August
1941

Dear Mum & Dad,

Last Friday not beins sure wether the busses are running to Evesham or not I borrowed 4/- from Mrs. Robbins and sent for a ticket at Bath. But when I received a ticket from you on Saturday I was in a bit of a mess so to-day when received the letter from Bathe with a ticket I sent it back and asked for the money back. So I hope it will be all right. I hope you got my birthday-card. I wish daddy the best of luck and good health for life which I wish to be a lengthy one.

I am dying to see you but Thursday will come soon. I hope you are enjoying yourself together. I have no more news.

Lots of & kisses from your everloving

John

P.S. I can only put 1
d
on the envelope as that is all the money I have.

8
September
1941

Dear Mum,

I arrived safely yesterday and when I went to bed I felt as if I was lying on a brick wall after being used to your bed. I hope you are not feeling too lonely. I cannot write to dad to-day as I have not enough paper. There is a fair here and I am going there as soon as I have finished this letter.

When I told the boys that you wont let me swim in the deep part of the river they were surprised and rightfully laughed. Thad is further proof that it is not dangerous. I hope you will realise this and give me permission.

Please send my things after me soon as possible. I have no more news so I will say good-bye. Please write soon.

Lots of love
from John

10
September
1941
–
partly written in Pitman shorthand

Dear Dad & Andrew,

I arrived safely in Melksham on Monday and I was very sad to leave Mum alone.

Today I had my second inoculation. I hope you are enjoying yourselves.

I am sending the ‘Adventure’. Please send some money. Have you had any news from the ‘big shots’ of the B.B.C. wether they will keep you or not. There is no news here. I wrote to Mum on Monday. I hope to see you soon.

Will Andrew try to read the following:- [See the image below.]

John showing off his Pitman shorthand. (Author’s collection)

At that time the war was going on with full force in Russia. The Germans occupied Russia, apparently without resistance and the news was bad everywhere. I was optimistic concerning a final victory, but not optimistic about getting another job, and most importantly, maintain Mum in a relatively free existence, to free her from her heavy work. As always, she consoled and encouraged me, but it was the end of our time of happiness and her days off.

Andrew had a few days’ leave and he came down to see me in Evesham. He too slept in my bed; somehow we were able to get in together. He also awaited me with his bicycle at the bus station. He was 16 years old, a tall and lanky young man. I went to the club with him, played ping-pong and darts with him and he tried to teach me to ride a bicycle. That was unsuccessful; I sat on the bike on one side and fell off the other. In the BBC orchestra there was a very nice man, who had the reputation of being able to play the violin beautifully. I used to play ping-pong with him; when he made a mistake, he slapped his own face. I asked him to hear Andrew play, whether it was worth while his taking lessons again. We went to his flat, where he allowed Andrew to play the Minuet in G by Beethoven on his ‘cheap’ violin, and then he took his ‘expensive’ violin and played it on that. Andrew and I were both moved as we listened to a great artist. At my request, he then played Kreisler’s Rosemarie. He played so beautifully, that I had tears in my eyes. Later, I invited the young German lady who had an English husband, to the Crown Hotel, one of the best in Evesham, for lunch, together with Andrew. Somehow our friendship began. Andrew’s holiday ended a few days later and I was left alone once again. I was very depressed, without confidence in the future or looking for another position. I had a little money in the bank but that would only last a few weeks. Mum wrote me that as I would not be staying much longer, I should save money and not come home every week (or rather, twice every three weeks), but only once in three weeks. This hurt me a lot, but I knew that she missed me too.