Tuesday
Skegness
Darling,
I’m afraid this is going to be a rather hurried and scrappy letter in which I’ll try to answer some points overlooked in your last letters. About notepaper. This is being written on the pad in the very nice letter pouch sent by the lads in the office. I’m alright for paper at the moment, but when I get settled in to my new address, wherever that may be, I’ll get you to send me some pads. That’s one point settled. Another one. About news. Don’t bother about summarising any bulletins, but if there’s any item of political importance – you know the way I used to keep an eye on the general trend of things by picking out small points – make a note and let me know. What I really miss is the Parliamentary debates. I used to keep a fairly close eye on the answers to questions in the House. Those dismissed in about five lines often give an enormous amount of information. Keep your political sense sharpened on these things.
While I remember. Just in case letters go astray when we move, it might be as well to keep them fairly prosaic!
This morning I am off to sick parade again. This time I want to see the chiropodist! I’ve an ingrowing toenail on one foot and a corn on the other. I’m afraid my boots are a bit small. Anyway, by going sick I avoid having to run “round the houses”. The only snag is that they may make me buy my new boots for being so stupid as to take such small ones when they were issued. Still, I’ll even do that because I can’t walk a mile in comfort. Before I leave here I will have been in every branch of sick bay. There’s only the Turkish baths and electric massage left! I’m fairly having my money’s worth. By the way, I only just went into that dental ward in time. They have closed it now and all the dental patients go into a big general ward, which is not half so nice. The old dental ward is being held in reserve as a measles ward.
Well, love, this is all for the moment. I’ll try to drop you a line tonight, although there will not be a lot of time as we are taking the Chief into Skeg for a few drinks. Just a few of the older ones – Percy, Gibby, myself and two other lads. Make a nice change, I hope.
Bye for now, sweetheart. I love you still!
All my love,
Arthur X
Mar 171942