No. 7925934. Sgt. Greenwood.
British Army Exhibition
British Army Staff
B.L.A. Paris
12.7.45
Thursday Evening.
Jessie Mine: Another hot day… very hot. Let me tell you how I have spent it. Firstly… out of bed at 8.10 am! Breakfast about 8.35… Depart Hotel Mondial 8.55… arrive exhibition (via Metro) 9.10. Assist the remainder of the crew to clean up the tank (actually, just wiping off the previous day’s dust)… Depart for break 10.0 am. Adjourn to canteen reading room 10.30. Read newspapers… and listened to a radio broadcast of Wagner’s Tannhauser Overture and Venusberg Music. Left canteen about 12 noon and walked back to Mondial: lunch 12.30 pm. Had a wash etc… more newspapers… Went out at 2.0 pm – along Boulevard Haussmann to fashionable shopping quarter… Entered large store “Au Printemps”: went to second floor to see exhibition “Australia at Peace and War”: chatted with the Aussies in charge:- (they are staying here at the Mondial). Had a squint round the store… looking for a present for Barry among other things: Decided that prices are criminal…
Did a bit more shop-window gazing etc… and then walked back for tea… very hot. After tea… wash, shave… out again… more walking – and eventually finished up in the queue at Marigny Theatre… to see ‘French Without Tears’. And that wretched recital represents the ‘bones’ of my day’s activities. Hardly a day’s work, was it Jess?
I enjoyed the play: it is quite amusing, and the cast was very good – especially Rex Harrison. Do you remember him? He is the bloke who cracked that joke about a ‘treasure chest’ in the film version of ‘The Citadel’. I’m sure you remember the incident. He is a damned fine actor: much better than anyone else in the play. Anna Neagle was quite good, but not well cast. She is hardly the type to portray a heartless seducer of mere males.
On my way to the theatre this evening, a shower of leaflets came tumbling down from a plane over the Place de la Concorde. Am enclosing a copy: You will see that we are having a Nautical Fete, among other things, on Saturday. I hope to see some of these celebrations, and will do my best to tell you about them.
Now what else have I to tell you, my sweetheart? I don’t think anything else has happened today… But I want to say something about your letters. I was amazed and delighted to read that you had finished ‘Dragon’s Teeth’. I didn’t even know you had finished ‘World’s End’! It is grand to hear that you are managing to do some reading. But, Jess, what about “Between Two Worlds”? This is the book that follows ‘World’s End’. Have you read all three of them? And can you tell me dear, which of these books we actually possess? I want to have all of them, but am a bit confused. I think we have ‘Between Two Worlds’, ‘Dragon’s Teeth’, and ‘Wide is the Gate’… And now we have to get the latest in the series – “Presidential Agent”. Do you think you can get it Jess? Am enclosing a review from the current issue of ‘News Review’… please keep it handy.
Needless to say, I am jolly pleased to hear that you have enjoyed reading these books. I too found them fascinating… and like you, I think they could quite correctly be called “A History of our Times”. Incidentally, your suggested alternative title appears to be approved by G.B.S.-!!
And now to bed… to dream… I have to imagine our little son walking now… and occasionally pushing his own pram… with an indulgent and beautiful mummy giving him advice and help.
Good night, my love
Always,
Your Trevy.