Intelligence Sec., HQ company, 70th Dorsets
Branksome, Dorset.
My Darling Chotie,
Many, many thanks for your letter. I was very pleased you have struck it so lucky at Church Knowle.* I wish you lots & lots of luck in this new venture (does that sound too staid?), and hope you have a lovely time, as I'm sure you deserve it after all our troubles.
I'm glad Brinner saw you off as I always think it helps. He told me you met someone to travel down with, which I hope made the journey a little more pleasant, though as a rule this isn't the case.
I feel b----y awful at the moment, for no known reason, but I haven't felt too well since we've been at Branksome. I've got the devil of a boil on my shoulder-blade which Eric has been doctoring for a couple of days, without very much effect. He lanced it about an hour ago, which has caused my left shoulder to pack up for the duration. I can't even lift my wretched arm. However that's enough moaning in one letter.
This cottage of yours sounds most thrilling. I must try to get over as soon as possible - and whilst the weather holds. It's been rather dull here and cloudy all day.
I was very miserable until I got your letter, which had its usual cheering effect.
There's the devil of a lot of duties to do now, including keeping the gardens are up to scratch from 5 o'clock to 5.30! What a game! - and there's supposed to be a war on somewhere...
We had some excellent news today however - transfers have started again, and consequently, allowing for the usual lapse of time, (transfers take ages as a rule) I should be out of this punk crowd in a month or two. All of which has cheered me up considerably.
Incidentally, we are moving**! It's more or less settled, (I know that look in Ma’s eyes...) for the beginning of November, - just above a month, and once again it's going to be Herne Bay. I don't suppose I'll ever get leave up there but still these things must wait until after the war. We'll make up for every scrap of it then, never fear, Darling.
I went home yesterday and had a quiet evening in front of the fire, thinking about the move, etc. The doctor apparently told Pa that he couldn't possibly go on working or he wouldn't hold himself responsible for Pa's welfare, which has prompted the move more than everything.
Well, Precious I must close here to post this in time.
Please excuse paper but it's all I can get.
all my love, Chotie Dear,
Dicker
Xxxxxxxx
* where Chotie was living in the Land Army to work on a farm in Purbeck, Dorset. She stayed with Miss Grace of Churchknowle Farm in a little cottage tucked into the hillside at Cocknowle.
** Dick’s family left Poole in late 1941 or early 1942. Initial plans were for Herne Bay on the north coast of Kent but by the spring of 1942 they were settled at Pagham, near Chichester in Sussex.
© Chotie Darling
In October 1941 – filming of ‘The First of the Few’, a film telling the story of the Spitfire aeroplane, began near Christchurch on the Dorset/Hampshire border. It starred Leslie Howard and David Niven, both returned from Hollywood to support the war effort since 1939. Niven rejoined the Army and around this time was working for the General Headquarters Liaison Regiment (known as ‘Phantom’) as Commander of ‘A’ squadron, informing Army HQ on coastal defences and invasion risk, and happened to be stationed near Poole.
2nd October 1941 – Operation Typhoon begins, Hitler’s ultimately unsuccessful attack on Moscow.
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