61st Recce Regt
Rac
BLA
Friday 1st Dec.
Chotie Darling,
Many thanks for your letters, which I received rather late as I had no mail whilst in Belgium – some six or seven days in all. Sorry to hear you don’t think much of the area you’re in. Personally, everwhere north of the Thames stinks as far as I’m concerned. There are exceptions of course, but they’re few and far between.
I had a very happy time in Belgium, though I was only there for five days as it took some time to get there. I managed to get to Audenarde (the town I liberated 6th September) and met the Gervaert family. It was Madeleine who gave me, or rather lent me the Balzac’s and the Mozart. They were very surprised and pleased to see me and made me very welcome. It was Sunday afternoon so of course all the family were there.
They speak Flemish when at home but French among their friends, - and of course when I’m there. It’s very odd to be completely bi-lingual, as I’m sure they carried on in French after I left, and probably didn’t revert to Flemish until the following day.
I’m afraid there’s little news to tell you, owing to censorship, but hope to have some for you in the near future.
I spent a night on the way back in Malines (Michlin*) which is one of the pleasantest towns in Belgium. The only snag there, are the flying-bombs, which, although not intended to land there have the annoying habit of failing short on occasion.
I saw two go over the following morning, the first I’d seen. I heard them whilst some distance away, and watched them pass right over us which was quite a thrill as we were sweating on them dropping on us.
There are some first class cafés in Malines – full of beer and ice-cream creations. I had a most wonderful one – with martini and grated nuts – quite a work of art.
Had a letter from Brinner with yours telling me he was in the Isle of Man! Apparently he’s there on an Infantry course – before returning here again.
He managed to get home for a couple of hours and Mother of course got such a shock on seeing him that she was bad all the afternoon! As it happened Dad was in London visiting his father who was 79 that day, and of course he missed him. He’s going to try to get some more leave after the course has finished.
Had two letters from mother, about sixty of these pages I should think, full of news. My Uncle Tom (mother’s younger sister’s husband) was blasted by bombs in London and again in Canterbury – and three doctors and a couple of Specialists say he can’t last more than another two months, as being blasted has brought out a latent tubercular germ.
I’m sorry I can’t write you a more newsy letter, Darling, but it just isn’t ‘on’. I should be able to give you something more definite in a week’s time.
Must close here, Precious.
Goodnight, Chotie darling
Yours always
Dicker
P.S. Ronnie is still worrying me about that polyfoto!
*Mechelen (Malines) between Antwerp and Brussels.
During the German occupation Malines or Mechelen was a Nazi transit camp. More than 25,000 Jews from Belgium were transported to concentration camps including Auschwitz death camp. Presumably Dick knew nothing of this recent history…
© Chotie Darling
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