Evacuee Boys (5 page)

It will be either Thursday night or Friday night. I shall have to see Mr. Crook first. However, I should be grateful, if you would enclose in your next letter, which I hope you will write as soon as you get this one, a Postal Order, in which you let Mrs. Kelly have some money as well as me. I have not asked her whether she wants 10/- or only 5/- a week in future, however short the future may be.

Now I shall go over to John to put some of his writing in here too.

Until my next letter, countless kisses from

Andrew

P.S. Do NOT worry about John. He will be all right.

19
December
1939

Dear Mum & Dad,

I went to Mr. Crook
14
& asked him of I could go on Thursday night, & he said that he cannot undertake to take me at night, as there have been a number of accidents lately, & he would be worried to death if I were to go. He advised me to go by rail, & then I shall be safe. I have no time to write all that must be said now, but I can assure you that it is not his fault.

I went down to the Rly. Station & asked how much it will be for both of us to go down & it will be 16/10
d
return for both. So PLEASE send £1 as soon as you get the letter so that I may travel on Friday morning. I shall just get it in time, if you post it as soon as you receive this letter.

Thanking you in advance,

Andrew

P.S. We shall arrive Friday morning. I do not know when yet. Thanks for your card this morning.

6
January
1940

(Dear Ma, I’m having lots of fun I’m sending you the Siegfried Line
15
to hang your washing on.)

Dear Mum & Dad,

Thank you very much for your letter of yesterday morning. I should like you to send me some money if I cannot present the cheque, as after having posted this letter our total fortune will be 1½
d
, just enough to write another letter.

I have seen Mr. Clark
16
again & he said that he will do his best to move John from that place as soon as possible.

We were having quite a good lot of entertainment this week, including film shows, lectures, 1 party & dancing. John has been to pictures twice this week & I once – I should appreciate, that if you send money, you would state how much belongs to me and how much to John. This pleasure is not going to last much longer, as next week school proper starts again & I shall have to study hard for the Cambridge [School Certificate].

I can hardly think of any other news, so – lots of love from

Andrew

14
January
1940

Dear Mum & Dad,

Thank you very much for the money received on Saturday. I received our telegram too, which you must have sent shortly before my letter arrived, as I posted one Friday morning. I am sorry I caused you worry really there was no need for it.

Rosemary had a party yesterday, we had some nice things to eat. John was there too however I had to leave after tea, as I had to go to a Scouts party, where we had a lot of games. I had a nice present too from Mr. Kelly – everyone got something – an aeroplane constructing set. John had one too.

We are getting quite a lot of homework now, & I am sure we shall have more later on.

John has not been moved yet. I shall have to see the billeting officer again to-morrow.

I cannot think of anything else to write (oh yes! I sent you the bill for my watch instead of John’s guarantee. Please send me one back. Also please send my shaving brush, and 2 collars I left at home. Hope I can cash the cheque soon, as I want socks, handkerchiefs, Scout trousers, watch repairs money, & other things too that I cannot think of just now). John has been to pictures twice this week & I have not been at all. His landlady wants him out of doors most of the time. That’s why he gets the money to go to pictures. (He always has to go for nice long walks.)

I don’t think there is anything else so lots of love & kisses & don’t be angry – from Andrew.

… continued in German

Dear Noni,

Thank you for your letter. I have not had such a good time on New Year’s Eve as you. I was in bed. I did not celebrate the New Year at all. One can do nothing about it. Be calm, I think about you when I don’t write. I am just too lazy and I have homework to do as well.

Your Andrew

21
January
1940

Dear Mum & Dad,

I hope you received John’s letter on Saturday so that you did not worry over the weekend. Thank you for the 2/- as well for which I did not have a chance to thank you yet. I had 9
d
left to see ‘The Spy in Black’ with John tomorrow. I am sorry to say but money does not seem to last long. I hope I can cash the cheque soon, as I want some socks, handkerchiefs, Scout shorts, a spare pair of trousers, mending wool, bicycle repairs, shirts for Johnny etc. rather badly. Please send a little more next letter.

I have talked enough about money so I shall leave that for a while. I have arranged for John to be able to have a bath at Melksham House every Thursday for 3
d
. Starting next Thursday. That will be his first bath since we came back from London. I do hope he will be moved soon, or alternatively that you will bring him back to London, as he does not seem to be happy in that place. He says that it makes his heart ache when he comes to get some current bread at the bakers. Nevertheless, I beg you not to ask Mrs. Kelly to take John back, as she cannot be expected to do it & she will not do it. – John was here this morning & he got a cup of tea just before he went out. He said, he did not enjoy a cup of tea for a long time like he did this one.

I think it was one of our coldest days this morning & all the pipes froze up. Mr. Kelly had to warm them with the blow lamp, so that we could have a little water.

The first part of John’s scholarship was on Thursday, in which he thinks he passed. The second part will only be open to those who passed the first one & will take place in the middle of March.

All masters are back from their holidays now, & I expect to have a lot of homework now onwards. I shall have to work jolly hard if I want to pass. I am sure I don’t know what I am going to do if I do pass. Shall I go to a University, & if so, what line shall I take? I have not made up my mind upon this subject yet.

How is Mummy’s fountain pen writing? I hope it is all right – apropos, it is Mr. Kelly’s birthday next Sunday the 28th when I hope to see you and I hope you will write me in time when the bus arrives.

Mummy please bring us some nice cakes on Sunday, & get some sandwiches for yourself, as I did not ask Mrs. Kelly to get a meal ready for you. Of course, now we know that you can go to the King’s Arms, for a cup of tea. Oh boy, I
am
looking forward to next Sunday, & I guess so are you!

How is all the family getting on? What did Granny say when she heard the explosions? I guess she was scared stiff thinking that they were bombs. How is Grandpa doing? Is he going back to Budapest?

Hoping that nothing intervenes to stop you coming next Sunday.

I remain yours lovingly,

Andrew

P.S. I have no more stamps so please send money. Send my watch ticket back please, as I can’t get my watch without.

8
February
1940

Dear Mum & Dad,

I received your card this morning, telling me about your enquiry. I personally think, that you are right in waiting for another week or so, as there is a good possibility of him being moved shortly now, as I think Dr. Cavell (my class master) has found him a billet, & probably I shall soon hear about it. Mr. Redfearn yesterday told me that they do not want John taken back, as really he will get the best education he can get at all in Melksham. I should prefer John to stay, as I feel I shall miss him having no one to take care of, & being here quiet alone, but John, I think wants to go home, rather than get moved. If I were you, I should keep him here, unless it is absolutely necessary to act reversely.

Yesterday, I went in for the Ambulance Badge at Scouts, & successfully passed it. This is a very important & useful badge. I am very glad I’ve got it.

Thank you very much for your 2/-, it was not enough to buy all the clothes & things I wanted, but still we have only 3
d
each left, after having bought some soap & toothpaste, stamps & little sweets. My torch is still without a battery, & my shoes want mending badly, & I have to wear my new pair now. John had his shoes mended, but he says they are too small now.

I think John is writing a letter to-night as well. He said he was going to complain that he is fed up, & that he won’t stand for it any longer, but I should not take him too seriously. I think he is just annoyed by the fact, that the other boy had a fight with him for apparently no serious reason, & being older than John, he proved stronger. I promised John that he would not stay in that place long now.

I am getting quite a lot of homework each night now, & am getting on well. To-day we had drawing, but as the drawing teacher has retired, we had the girls’ mistress. I think she is much better than Mr. Williamson. She does some explaining, while he tells you to get on with it. I was told that my English essays are all right, & the history master said (after marking a history essay of mine) that my English has improved tremendously. I suppose that is because I always speak English now.

In consequence of the homework I get, I cannot do much knitting, but I have reason to believe that the jumper will be finished this weekend, unless I am overworked with homework.

I am very sorry to hear that Grandfather went back to Budapest yesterday. I think that he should have stayed. The weather is not suitable for him to travel now either. I only hope I shall see him again next summer. It is a pity too that business is so bad. Really there should have been some improvement with the time of the year – This reminds me – when can I cash the cheque? I need the money!

What is the weather like in London? It is quite mild here, & today for the first time the pavements were nice & clear. Owing to the thaw that set in, the river & the canal have flooded, but I do not think that any serious damage has been done.