Tuesday
Aberdeen
Sweetheart,
Don’t get all “boiled up” over a letter on Tuesday night. I’m just making a start on this while I’m at night school, not that I will get a great deal done I suppose, because already there is a great argument raging on the ever popular subject of leave. And as the instructor has come down to our end of the room to intervene in the interests of Morse, I’m afraid I’ll have to leave you already. Sorry!
Wednesday
Actually that interruption yielded some good results. It was our own instructor who was on duty and we offered a few mild – and some not-so-mild – criticisms of his sending. We have been experiencing considerable difficulty with some of his stuff, particularly in figures, and when he sent our S.B.X. on Monday, the other class in the room also took it for practice. They openly gave him the bird and our own results were so bad that we had it again on Tuesday. Even then he had to send one lot of stuff a second time. It’s alright for some of the lads who are “hot” and who know his sending well, but I found it very hard going and have dropped back to 56%. Since last night’s experience, however, I feel more confident and can get the plain language, French and jumbled letters quite well. Even in this short time I feel much more confident with the figures and mixed figures and letters – on which I have dropped 25 marks in the last week or so. Harry Forman, who went down into this class just before me, has been sent back to his base and I don’t want that to happen to me so I spoke to our fellow today – Smith is his name – and he said he’d have a word with the great white chief if that looked like happening. Myself, I feel much more confident and am sure I can make the grade in the time at our disposal. The feeling of confidence is worth a lot and gives peace of mind which is a great comfort.
I was glad to hear of the projected trip to New Brighton and I only hope the weather was as good at home as it was here yesterday. A real scorcher, the first for ages and apparently the last, for it has gone quite cold again today. Perhaps the children will write and tell me about it? Anyway, I hope you have a nice time and I appreciated your point about Mrs Gardner being your “generation”. If she doesn’t move away again she should make a good pal for you, although you will probably envy her for the amount of leave her husband gets.
Before I should forget, and just to forestall a question, I got the golf balls etc safely. Many thanks, love. Tell the children I’m using the case of tees. They’ll be interested.
I had quite a long letter from Hughie today. He sends his kind regards and threatens to write you. They apparently received the kippers OK and were glad of them, although they say kippers are a bit more plentiful in Liverpool now.
We are expecting more invasion exercises this Sunday and next so it’s not going to be too good for the next two weekends, but I’ll do my best to get my usual Sunday letters away to you.
It’s good to hear that the children are doing so well now. You’ll feel a good deal more free now and if you can get out into the plot the fresh air will do you the world of good. Try to take things fairly easily, especially until the next vapours are over. I have been to the dentist twice in the last week so should soon be getting my “plates” and will let you know when I do. Those visits made me wonder if you have done anything about your own teeth. Have you? Don’t let them go too far, will you?
Well, darling, I must be off now. Bye, my precious, and take care of yourself until I’m home.
All your own,
Arthur X
P.S. Did you send that cable off? If not, do you think it will be long before you can? If it looks like being a week or so, let me know and I’ll try to send it from here.
Jun 231942