61st Recce Regt
RAC BLA.
Tuesday (sic) Dec 6th
Chotie Darling,
Many thanks for your letter from home, which I received yesterday. Yes, Darling, you can come as my batwoman any time you like – though I don’t think I’d get much work done. Perhaps it would be better to wait until I get back to England, and I’ll apply for you then…. Let me know if you’re on, and I’ll start teeing-up the necessary formalities.
I expect Margaret’s baby has arrived by now. Give her all my best wishes won’t you Darling? I’ll try to write her if I can find time.
I was very lucky last night, hearing the whole of Beethoven’s ‘Fidelio'* – his only opera, in German from Munich. 'Turandot' was also on but of course I wasn’t to know that. Actually, I heard the last note – as I switched from Munich to the Home Service. It was the first time – believe it or no – that I’ve heard ‘Fidelio’ in its entirety, which was quite a thrill, as you can well imagine.
Well, my darling, I suppose you’ll be back again by the time you receive this. I expect you managed to have a pleasant, if lazy time (knowing you….). Don’t forget to let me know of anyone you happened to meet – though I don’t suppose there’s many of the old stagers about – unless they also happen to be on leave.
Yes, 'Fanny' is quite a good book**, but Sadleir has no need to write, as he’s rolling in money, anyway. The film, of course, was shocking – but then I expected that. Merle Oberon’s effort at George Sand*** will be equally ludicrous – she just hasn’t the ability to play that extraordinary woman.
Did I tell you I read HE Bates ‘The Poacher’? It’s a very fine piece of writing – which I can heartily recommend. I must admit I was sitting in front of a fire – always a luxury out here - with the old pipe, which may have influenced my criticism. Got a new battle dress**** today (a great thrill) but don’t yet know when I’ll be able to wear it to advantage. I rushed it to the local tailor (there’s only one in this wretched village) and got the lapels faced-up. He (the tailor) couldn’t speak any English and I can’t speak any Dutch so you can imagine the proceedings.
Ronnie has just turned-up with a bottle of ’29 Bordeaux, so it looks likes being a happier evening than I expected.
Two more days have elapsed since I wrote the foregoing – though nothing of any interest has happened.
I’ve moved once again, but still find myself in the inevitable farmhouse. The last one we were in was really ideal. Our usual practice was to do a week or so ‘in the line’ and have a week back at the farm in reserve.
The three Armoured Car Officers (Geoff Winzer, Eric (Schoolmaster) Macey and I) used to share a room, with the equally inevitable stove (no Dutch houses have open fires) and of course the radio. There was always plenty of work to do, especially on the cars, but we usually had the evenings free, and spent most of them with the Burgomaster.
The Rhine (they call it the Maas in Holland*****) flowed by, some hundred yards from the farmhouse, and there was a cluster of gaily-painted barges alongside the dyke. Had it been spring it would have been very pleasant – though I spent many happy hours wandering along the dyke road on the few sunny days we did have.
To come back to earth – I hope to get a bath this afternoon – the first for six weeks or more. Always a great occasion. Must close here to tee it up with the Squadron Leader.
Tons of love, Chotie Darling
Dicker PTO.
P.S. Do you think you could get me some leather buttons? About this size:- (drawing of circle 1.4 cms across) for utilizing battle dress? I need about 30. Also four of five big ones for great coat?
Let me know if there’s any chance won’t you?
Love
D.
*Thomas Mann, the great German writer, commented when Fidelio was performed in Germany soon after the war:
"What amount of apathy was needed [by musicians and audiences] to listen to Fidelio in Himmler’s Germany without covering their faces and rushing out of the hall!”
The music and theme of love, liberty and justice “for all men…will always represent an appeal to our conscience” (Wilhelm Furtwängler, German composer, 1948).
**the novel “Fanny by Gaslight” by Michael Sadleir.
***Merle Oberon, and Anglo-Indian actress, played George Sand, the French writer and Chopin’s lover, in a biographical film of the composer released in 1945 – “A Song to Remember”.
****’Battle Dress’ was the standard uniform in the British army made of woven wool (serge) with a short jacket that buttoned to high-waisted trousers.
*****Dick has got confused – the Maas is a separate river flowing east and then south of the Rhine.
© Chotie Darling
Eric Brewer wrote against 5th December that he:
“Moved to Ell, near Weert (south-east of Eindhoven and west of Roermund) in a civvy’s house. Having a good time.” (From ‘Beaten Paths are Safest’ by Roy Howard, Brewin Books 2004)
Dick was presumably at Mill and then at Ell, near Weert,
when he wrote this letter.
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