Wednesday
London
Dearest,
I pulled a fast one on the P.O. in charge of stand-by watch this morning so have an unexpected half hour in which to scribble you a line, though I don’t expect it will be very snappy as I’ve had very little sleep. I asked to be called at 8.15 so as to have time for breakfast and a shave before coming on again. I had this on my mind when I turned in and so woke up to find the light on in the corridor and had a hazy feeling that I’d been called and had turned over. I got up, dressed, shaved and found it was – 6 a.m.! I’d been asleep little more than two-and-a-half hours. So back I went to the bunk-house and laid down in jersey and trousers and did manage to get another hour.
I couldn’t get hold of McKeckron [??] yesterday and there will not be any chance today so it looks as if this business is drifting along again. Quite honestly I’ve lost all interest and hope now for it has been dragging on for five months despite my personal contacts. I am chakka with that subject.
Your letter of yesterday is in the office so I won’t attempt to answer it except to say that I thought your article on allowances very good and the sort of thing the ‘Dispatch’ might use. A good market for this sort of thing is the ‘Sunday Pictorial’ – the ‘Mirror’s weekend companion and they have a good reputation for giving unknown people a break. In fact they are the sort of people who might easily give you a run with a series of “service man’s wife’s problems”. Could you do, say, half a dozen crisp semi-political articles on this line with a definite “left” tendency? Think it over and let me know. Have a talk to Rees and ask for his help on looking at the wartime wife’s life from a medical point of view – if you like, medical and moral dangers. Another article might be on the theme “give us good baby allowances now”, pointing out that many people in the services now in their thirties will never come back to civvy life prepared to start a new family and that therefore Britain is now laying the foundations of a new childless generation. Here could be advanced a fresh plea for more regular “passionate” leave, calling it that and challenging the authorities to recognise it as such. Quote Germany as a nation which did all in its power to encourage its soldiers to put their women in the family way while on leave. After much scornful propaganda we followed Germany’s lead in a scrap-iron drive; after fighting Germany because she fouled the minds of her children in her youth organizations, we “direct” our children into youth organizations. Why not follow in respect of a problem which is causing concern to the whole nation. Then cite the case of the Navy shore personnel getting leave every four months and no weekends. Finally add that I, as a naval rating, have lost all civil rights and cannot voice my grievances, but there is no law to prevent you from doing so. Why not go through my letters and write an article on the odd scraps you can collect from them – either political, cultural (ahem) or just comment on pieces of interest? Some of the things in my letters have been deliberately written with an eye on this sort of thing and I’ll do more of it if you can find a market for it. From all of which you will gather that the content of your letter did not bore me – quite the contrary and if you can join the Townswomen’s Guild so much the better, but – wave propaganda at them.
Incidentally, I tried to get hold of a coy of the ‘Pictorial’ on Sunday for you. There was an article giving the name and address of a couple who have had a test-tube baby after four childless years. It was the husband’s fault for he was fertile but impotent so they injected his seed! I’ll have to get me a needle!
I should rewrite the party article altogether; make references to both the children’s birthdays, quoting the all-boy all-girl experiments; but stick to either Michael’s or Wendy’s party when relating anecdotes. Set 1,000 words as your limit for ‘Housewife’, but don’t eliminate one actual episode. That will make your style crisper. I like your idea of a broadcast.
If Harold does come up to London I might have a beer or two with him, without encroaching on his time, which I know he will find all too short. Still, if he wants a theatre ticket and cannot get here in time himself, or does not know the ropes, I might be able to help if he dropped me a warning line. I don’t want to butt in on any hurried visit he may make to the big smoke, but if I can help at all I will. I hope you will manage a show while he is on leave for it would make a nice change for you.
We had a raid last night I believe, but I didn’t know anything about it! I see they have released the story of mobile rocket guns which so put the breeze up Jack and some of the other people here while I was at work one night. I believe they didn’t know what the hell was happening when these things opened up as they were standing at the front door! I can imagine what a jolt it gave them, too.
Well, love, this letter has turned out much longer than I expected. Thank you for two nice letters during my three days and I’ll forgive your neglect on Sunday!
Leave is some way off yet and I wouldn’t be surprised if it was held up for some time. At least that seems to be the theory here, though one bloke who has just come up from barracks says that people there are now getting double leave – 14 days foreign draft leave for instance! What’s more he said there’s a definite buzz that all shore service personnel are to get four lots of leave a year, but I’ll believe that when it is actually promulgated.
Now I must be off, love. Bye for now and take care of yourself. All my love to you.
Ever your own,
Arthur X
Mar 221944