Saturday
Whitchurch
Dearest,
So sorry to have missed your Saturday letter but, as you know, the boss is away and I was up to my eyes in work until late in the evening. This morning I have been getting ready for the Admiral’s visit on Monday and have just finished scrubbing out the office and doing the windows!
It’s a pity the boss is away today of all days because the old man at Whitehall came on the phone to speak to him. Apparently ten of the lads from there have been drafted, which cuts Jackie’s strength down to about 15 and he is howling for me to go back. It seems he spoke to one of the P.O.s at the wireless station and from what he says there’s no doubt that I’ll have to go. If this had happened two or three days later I might have been alright because I think Grosset was going to see the Admiral about having me transferred to here permanently. So it is just possible that by the time you receive this letter I’ll be either on my way home on a week’s leave, or else I’ll be on my way back to London! Grosset is coming back here tomorrow, but won’t be back in time to do anything. The danger now is that Mylward will order me straight back to London without waiting for the boss to come back – which will be most unfortunate. If he does, there is nothing I can do about it. Another snag is that I might miss that list of things from slops which I’m so desperately keen to get hold of.
I’m going to be very interested to hear which of the lads have caught the draft and whether or not it means that leave has been stopped, as it might possibly do. Ten out of 25 is a big slice and Jackie will be tearing his hair I imagine. I must confess that I’m not by any means looking forward to going back to watch-keeping and especially to three watches!
Still, we’ll have to wait and see if there is a last minute change. There might, quite easily. On the other hand, if anyone wriggles out of the draft I might catch a place in it at the last moment and without a chance of doing anything. Still, I’ll try to let you know by wire what happens. If you don’t get a wire some time on Monday you can take it for granted that I am still here. Sorry to be so depressing on a Monday morning, love, but you have got to know what is happening.
Thanks for your letter, love, and congrats on the 7/- from the ’Daily Post’. Nice work and be sure to keep it up! Glad to hear that Wendy has been “converted” to journalism! Your reference to Thursday being just like a winter’s evening fills the bill here, too. We have had lots of wind and rain this week, and the leaves are beginning to fall, so that the ground has an early autumn look.
By the way, I have just had a word with one of the P.O.s and he says that my draft chit will come by post and can’t get here before Monday, so there’s still a faint hope. Anyway, keep writing here until you get some definite word.
Bye for now, angel. I do hope you are feeling better. All my love to you, sweetheart.
Ever your own,
Arthur X
Aug 281943