Mrs KENNETH PENMAN
MAYCOT
COMMONSIDE
KENT

No. 11

Chambre de Cuisine

S.I.F.

30.11.39.

My Darling,

Merci bien pour votre lettre numéro trois (so sorry, the language is getting me down). It was six days ’tween that and the one before! Do you think I might have made a mistake in the dates?

I am so glad I am forgiven though actually my correspondence is getting me down a bit. I love getting letters from you and it is nice to get others as well. It has been my practice to reply immediately to any letters I get. It is absolutely hopeless if one lets ones correspondence get out of hand. I find as we only have the evenings in which to write, and it is not very convivial if one spends every evening thus, I think I shall have in future to leave a few days before replying to family letters and only write to you…

…darling by return.

I am so glad that you were able to get Jill some fawn leggings, you will be amused to know that on the day I received your letter we were all issued–by a benevolent government–with a natty little pair of webbing gaiters to wear with our slacks. They are rather like those the marines wear but not, of course, white.

I don’t think I have mentioned that once a week we get sent to us a new publication called “Blighty”. It is sponsored by different English firms each week and is issued only to the BEF. The make up is similar to the old “Humorist”. One of the cartoons recently was a closed hotel bedroom door with two pairs of shoes outside. Issuing from the door itself was a balloon with the words “Don’t let’s bother darling, it’s only an air-raid siren”.

I am very surprised to hear that you see so little of the Hines. You don’t think that they perhaps sense you would refuse any…

…offer to look after Jill?

I think we probably have Pat to thank for Edie’s attitude anyway, she is certainly becoming a poisonous little person, it was probably she who mentioned that Vic had a return of his rheumatism.

You will know now of course that he is on his way home. I do so hope that he brings Tris to see you. Please give him all my best wished and tell him that I ask him to let you know everything that I can’t. I know you will treat it all in the very strictest confidence.

We may grumble about the censorship but it really very necessary. There is a yarn current that [CENSORED] in his visit lately to the country arrived at [CENSORED] about seven o’clock one evening. His adjutant had managed to arrange billets for him very shortly afterwards and at nine a German station in its news broadcast the number and road of the actual house he was staying in. It probably isn’t true but it points a moral.

Will you thank all those at Keston, and…

…also Hugh, for his good wishes. I am so glad he was able to spend another weekend with you. Does he progress at all on the Wyn front? You may tell her that it makes me very happy to know that she is with you. I think it would have been too much to have gone away and left you entirely alone.

I expect I shall hear in my next letter all about your visit to Mwowhah, I am sure she loved having you both.

I have been spending the last two days in the cookhouse. It has been quite good fun and certainly a relief from the bordom of the eternal hole in the ground. Perhaps I shouldn’t have used that adjective. I hope to join you darling in the other place, I trust that lacking my good influence you are doing nothing to endanger the loss of “votre place”.

I note your remarks about special army allowance. What is this? As I have heard nothing about it.

We have been issued during the last few weeks with chocolate which looks exactly like Bournville in packing and color, except that the paper covering over the silver is white without any printing matter whatsoever. Its taste was a little curious and its effect even more so. I was very much reminded of Winnie’s efforts in the same direction when I discovered that it was a kind of Ex-Lax. Unfortunately I had eaten six bars before it became apparent.

There are still many rumors current regarding leave. One being that we shall not start it at all until April 1st (significant date). It is very difficult to shut ones ear to rumors especially when it is something pleasant (weak word in this case). It doesn’t seem, however, that if and when leave comes it will be in time for Christmas.

It seems much worse having once considered it a possibility. When I kissed you good bye darling I didn’t expect to see you again for quite a long time. I think it needed quite a bit of fortitude…

on both our parts. I know it did on mine.

I’m afraid I’m getting a bit involved here. What I want to say is that it would have been bearable to just carry on, but the hint of Christmas leave which now seems improbable has proved to most of us so unsettling that it is rather like having ones parents down for half term and feeling homesick all over again.

Well darling I seem to have been writing this in odd bits all day and it is now two minutes to lights out and I haven’t made my bed yet. It seems to be quite alluring though not anything like as much so as it might be. Would it be rude if I said I would have to give my imagination free rein? So cherie by Darling,

Yours (very much yours),

Kenneth.