PASSED BY CENSOR No 621

On Active Service

Mrs. Kenneth Penman,
Maycot,
12 Commonside,
Keston,
Kent

Letter No. IV

The Guard House
The Gun Position
Nowhere

Oct 30th 1939 – 10:30

My Darling,

Thank you so much for your cheery letter and for the handkerchiefs. You’ve no idea how touched a pack of mail makes us. It’s really rather funny. Try and imagine 40 unshaven dirty, cold, bleary-eyed men and ten minutes afterwards, 40 fine fellows, bright of eye and light of step.

I have just completed a night’s guard. We were very lucky in having a fine night, moonlit but very cold. The last few nights have been foul.

It is customary after a night’s guard to rest during the following morning in front of the Guard Room fire. We have, as a guard room, a two roomed cottage which we discovered very near to the Gun Position untenanted except for rats. We have managed to make it very comfortable now however as it has quite a large fireplace!

Askolie returned to the fold yesterday. He told me that his wife mentioned in her last letter that she had met you and that you had consoled one another at the lack of letters. I do hope they are arriving more regularly now.

My French is progressing satisfactorily. Would you ask Wyn (as an accomplished linguist) why it is that one should be able to speak French so much more fluently in the evenings than in the morning?

Three French soldiers have just been in to scrounge some of our cocoa. One informed that in six months time I will speak the language “Tre bon”. One of them was a particularly villainous looking fellow, with flashing eyes and a jet black beard and white whiskers. Not at all…

…the sort of person to trust Wyn to work late with. I was very amused, by the way, at Jill’s comments recently.

I have not heard from Hampsted at all yet. You may be quite sure that I will acknowledge mother’s letter. In fact I will try and write tonight if I get time.

We are working very hard now, preparing our Gun Position and haven’t much energy in the evenings to write to anyone but you darling.

I had a letter from Daddy the other day in which he mentioned he had been up to see you. As you know I quite understand how you feel about the matter. I of course feel as you do.

7.45 the unusual “Café”

Vic is here. He and Mac arrived this afternoon. They have both been very lonely at RHQ. Vic is much better and it is very nice to have him with me again.

Mirabelle’s diarrhea is better and she has become an aunt (twice). Tulipe presented us with twin bulls yesterday, very sweet, Jill would adore them. They walked very early, about 20 minutes after birth. I don’t know how many teeth they’ve got so far.

I note what you say about leave. I think there is a very slim chance before Christmas. We shall of course get leave, I think within the next six months, Darling how I long for it. I adore you so.

You would laugh. We tell ourselves fairy stories about beds (with springs), white sheets and, well, as Michael Arlen I think once wrote “Dash it Dots!”

Blow it I’m getting so sleepy.

I was on guard last night for 2½ hours spells from 11 to 1.30 and from 6.30 to nine, so we only got five hours sleep each. Will you forgive me darling if I say night night.

God bless you and keep you safe my dearest one.

Yours very, very affectionately,

Kenneth.