Rye Cottage, Marine Parade W
Lee on Solent, Hants.
My Own Darling Chotie,
Many thanks for your letter received this morning. I was just embarking on a 24 hrs Guard and was consequently feeling rather depressed, when along came your letter like a breath of Spring. Darling, your letters have a wonderful effect on me. Like morphia* they soothe my somewhat jaded nerves... - and like morphia too, they raise me from the depths of despair to heights of ecstasy.
This is a tolerably decent Guard Room. There's no fire as the place is electrically heated. There's also electric light, & so for about the first time on Guard I am able to write in almost what may be termed comfort.
In King's Regulations (the Laws which govern Army Life) it says that any man may ask for a pint of tea or cocoa (free of charge) which he has during the night if on a 24 hr guard. By reason of this most noble law, I am now enjoying some steaming hot cocoa, which even if it doesn't taste like cocoa is at any rate hot...
A man is also allowed a pint of beer, but needless to say this luxury comes from his own pocket!
It's now 20.30 hrs (8.30) Tuesday evening and I am faced with the dismal prospect of staying awake all night until we dismount at 10 o'clock tomorrow morning.
I've just finished a very good book. It is called ‘Magnus Merriman’ and it's by Eric Linklater (of ‘Juan in America’ fame). You must certainly read it if you get the chance! I was just reminded of it because I remembered where:
“The girls who had been sitting on the sailor's knees, and had now returned to those warm seats began to sing: -
‘Morning never comes too soon, I can face the afternoon, But Oh! Those lonely nights!’ “**
I had to admit the truth of those lines. It deals with the life of a poet, from when he joins the army during the last war, to when he finally ends up in a marriage of convenience. It is brilliantly written in the usual Linklater style.
I also re-read ‘Rebecca’ (Daphne du Maurier) - in my opinion the best novel of the last five years or so. You should see the film if you get the chance as I know you'd love it.
(Lengthy pause whilst I fill my pipe).
Remember in ‘Impatient Virgin’ whenever Ruth (the heroine) walks out of a room she always left behind ‘the blue tobacco smoke mingled with the scent of dried roseleaves’! Perhaps my mind’s wandering...
How's the Guardsmen? You'd better go careful you know. I may turn up and catch you in the act – and 6ft 3 or not he's going to hit the deck mighty hard. You can take that from me.
Good to hear you had a good time at the ‘Haven’***. It's not a bad place is it? The only snag is that they can always chuck you in the sea to sober you up.
Well Sweetheart, I must close here, as the Orderly Officer is due round.
I'm afraid it's no good me trying to tell you how much I miss you. It's so much more than words can convey. I still love you with all my heart Cho Dear, as I know I always will. I think it would kill me if I ever thought you were unfaithful - but I trust you, Darling as I hope you trust me.
Goodnight Precious
Your ever loving
Dicker
* morphia – another name for morphine, a powerful narcotic painkiller.
** from ‘Happy Days and Lonely Nights’, a love song by Fred Fisher and Billy Rose.
*** the Haven Hotel, Sandbanks, Poole
© Chotie Darling
Telegram on Saturday 18th January 1941 from Lee on Solent
BARBARA HOME TONIGHT = RICHARD
18th January 1941
Dick and Chotie’s first meeting since October 1940
19th January 1941 – Allied troops advance into Eritrea. Mussolini accepts German aid in North Africa but not in Albania.
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