Southampton
Friday AM.
My Darling Chotie,
Is anything wrong? I haven't heard from you for years! If you have written, I certainly haven't had it. I hope there's one on the way, and everything's all right.
I'm afraid the main theme of this letter must strike a sad note, as I'm Orderly Sergeant for a week, which means I can't get off at all this week-end. I was hoping to get home, ---- it...
All 48 hrs have been cancelled owing to our move, which is to Gosport, or rather in between Gosport & Fareham. I understand it's 3 miles from anywhere, which doesn't sound cheerful. However, we must hope for the best.
This Orderly Sergeant racket isn't so good. You have to be the first up in the morning, - to get the Coy. up, and you're the last in bed at night.
I hope this will reach you before Saturday as I don't want you to think I may be coming, all the time, when it's imposs.
We are moving to Gosport on Tuesday - at least that's the orders so far. They'll probably be cancelled two or three times before then. That's the Army, all over.
How are you, Cho Darling? It seems such ages since I heard from you - whereas it's only about five days really.
John's just gone on Seven Days, lucky ------- ! He'll have to come back to Gosport. I haven't heard anything of Eric. I expect he's enjoying himself somewhere or other, with Jean. Another lucky ------ !
Never mind, Sweetheart, it'll soon be all over bar the shouting. And then ...
Don't you think it's worthwhile though? It's certainly something to keep us going. The more I think about it, the more I'm convinced that I'll always like the Army for one thing - it's shown me how much I do miss you, more than I ever dreamed. I love you such a terrible lot, Darling. I'm always thinking about you, and hoping & praying that you're safe and well.
In these horrible days, no one is really safe, what with bombs & land mines & things. Please, Tootsie, take care of yourself, you're so precious to me.
I hope this letter won't make you split your stays with laughing, but I just had to tell you how much you mean to me.
I'd better close here.
Bye, bye, Precious,
your loving,
Dicker.
Dick was based in Gosport until September 1941
© Chotie Darling
31st May 1941 - Germany’s Luftwaffe accidentally bombed Dublin (the Republic of Ireland was neutral during World War 2).
Collapse of the pro-Axis revolt in Iraq.
1st June 1941 – rationing began for cloth, clothes, footwear and knitting wool with 66 coupons per person, reduced to 48 in the middle of the war and 36 by 1945. See rationing on the Fashion Era website.
Chotie worked in fashion and would have been quite miserable about these restrictions although she became a very able seamstress, making and updating her own clothes.
Eggs also started to be rationed in June 1941 – people were allowed one egg per week but could usually only obtain dried powdered egg. Chotie’s family ran the Creekmoor Dairy in Parkstone and were often able to obtain fresh food from the farms.
Milk was not rationed but could be difficult to come by since many of the pastures for dairy cows were ploughed to grow crops during the war. See Rationing on the Home Sweet Home front website.
Recent Comments