Maycot
12 Commonside,
Keston,
Kent.

2.11.39.

My Dear Kenneth,

I was very pleased to receive your second letter this morning (7 days after you had written it). You acknowledge one of mine, but I have sent you three so it would be a good idea in future to mention the date of the letters you receive from me. (Incidentally you don’t advise me regarding the Rates £10-10-0, nor whether you wrote to Wallace) Please try to answer points raised in my letters.

I was very glad to hear that you were now more comfortably quartered and Wyn and I were very amused about the cows–also Jacqueline–she should go far.

How did you meet friends of Robert and Helen’s over there and how did you know them? You don’t explain. I am so glad you are getting good food now.

Under parcel post I am sending you more writing paper and a pair…

…of gloves I have made for you. I am not very proud of the latter but I thought they would keep your hands warm.

I am waiting for Ghins to get in some more 4-ply khaki wool and, as soon as I can get it, will knit and send you a Balaclava Helmet. I think you need a proper one for the winter. You will wear it won’t you?

I was rather grieved again when going into the little shop up the road to be told that you left owing for two packets of cigarettes which I had to pay for.

Leslie (Baker) went off yesterday having joined the Royal Engineers. He was very amusing about his interview and medical exam. Jim is still stationed on Clapham Common.

When writing do let me know who you hear from as I’ve given your address to several people who were interested as I thought you would welcome as many letters as possible.

I am very happy to say that Dad has at last got an appointment—a government job at Newcastle inspecting…

…ships documents and papers in port—for which his linguistic abilities are very valuable. The screw is only £4 p.w. and he is only able to allow Mother £2, so they will have a bit of a struggle.

Wyn continues well and happy here, she is still working very hard. By the way Rice’s (A.R.P.O for Bromley) secretary is none other than Gwen Jones, the girl who took the part of Marie (very plain and the one whose car bought us home each time) in “The Street Singer”.

Jill and I went to tea at Iris’s last week. Iris is not however much good with children and Jill did not behave too well. She and Eric asked me for your address and you will no doubt be hearing from them. Incidentally her mother does not approve of her correspondence with various male acquaintances, apropos the men from Shell-Mex, and remarked to me that she thought it most extraordinary for a young married woman—particularly…

…a newly married one—to correspond with other men.

Actually she’s quite right and personally I don’t think I should have wanted to write to other men just before, and just after, I was married. I gathered from her Mother’s attitude that there had been a spot of bother in this connection.

Incidentally Ellis is the only one I now write to occasionally as I’ve not the time for wholesale correspondence. He is anticipating being drafted back to Portsmouth and if he has not gone there before this coming weekend he intends coming to see me Saturday evening. I shall be very pleased to see him as my evenings are always very lonely.

I am extremely sorry to hear that Vic has been unwell and do hope he will soon rejoin you. I won’t mention it to Tris in case he has not told her. Tris is, by the way, very good with Jill and has offered to come and look after her for me any convenient afternoon if I wanted to get out. It’s very sweet of her.

Jill spent an afternoon with Ella…

…last week whilst I went to the “flicks” – apparently she was very good.

Every time I go into Bromley I seem to meet Ms. Ferman with little Christine—she wishes to be remembered to you. Her husband is at Cranwell for another three weeks, after which he expects to be stationed somewhere in England permanently where Mrs Ferman and Christine can go to live. At present he comes home every weekend.

I also meet Mrs Ascolie in Hayes occasionally, and we compare notes regarding news from you and her husband. It seems that Battery 168 get many more letters home—two people I know received four each last week—one of these is someone working with Edie, and the latter expressed surprise that I did not hear from you more often. I don’t know what she meant to infer but I take it you write to me as and when you…

…feel inclined. Is your correspondence restricted? By the way the two letters I have so far received from you have not been censored at all (the censor has been Pearson) Mrs Ascoli’s letters have been censored by Mr Chappell and the last one she received has a part cut right out with scissors.

I must close now, and will write again when I next hear from you. Don’t forget to let me know if there is anything you greatly need.

I’ve written this with Jill playing around me, so please forgive any distractedness.

Remember me to any of the lads I know.

Gillian send you a big kiss and a hug. With much love from me and the best of luck,

Yours,

Terry.

Don’t forget to let me know if you receive the parcel safely. Have you received the hankies yet?