Antwerp, Menuhin and Shaw- Tuesday 7th November 1944

                                                                                                                        As usual

Tuesday Nov 7^th

Chotie Darling,

                                    As I’ve forgotten what I wrote you in my last letter, I thought I’d better write you again.

            At the moment of writing this I’m listening to Mendelsohn’s Violin Concerto, which is being played by Menuhin and a very masterly performance it is*.  This probably accounts for my happy frame of mind.

            I’ve now settled down after my 48hrs leave which left me rather weak as you can well imagine.

            I had quite a happy time as there’s plenty doing there – shows, cinemas, night-clubs etc, etc, not to mention the Cathedral and several museums and art galleries.  Unhappily 48 hrs is all too short to really ‘do’ the town.  You need four or five days at least.

            I had the unenviable job of driving the party there in a three-tonner – a distance of about 120 miles each way on pretty grim roads.  However we made it – much to everyone’s surprise – including my own.

            The shops are fun and already very ‘Xmassy’ – though everything’s too dear for the local population.  Service men with plenty of money are lashing out as usual.

            Plenty of women’s services there – especially ATS.  Saw hundreds of them – and plenty of nurses, of course.

            Cafés are full of cream cakes, ice-cream and the inevitable acorn coffee.  Needless to say I made a complete pig of myself on this score.

            Spent a happy evening yesterday with the local Burgomaster** - sitting in front of his fire reading Shaw’s ‘Man and Superman’***.

            The countryside is very pleasant now – very autumnal with a pale wintry sun shining on the willows which line all the dykes.  I expect it’s very beautiful where you are – though it’ll be a bit nippy later on.  I had hoped to make the Black Forest**** for the Autumn….

            Must close here to get some work done.

                                    All my love, Darling

                                                            Dicker.

 

*see Yehudi Menuhin, the American (later British) violinist, playing Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto in E minor.

** the local chief magistrate.

***a play written by George Bernard Shaw in 1903 on the theme of Don Juan.

****a wooded mountain range in south-western Germany.

© Chotie Darling