No. 7925934. Sgt. Greenwood, R.T.
9th Battn. R.T.R.
B.L.A.
4.12.44
Monday evening
Jess Darling: Before I say another word, I must deal with your letters… two of which have arrived today… I recall your detailed account of ‘Barry and the Rusks’: it made me laugh… I fully appreciate the bother and anxiety you must have suffered when he had to be up-ended to make him disgorge the chu-chu thing… but – well, you have a way of telling a story!
I have some hazy recollection of babies once upon a time being given a solid rubber dummy to chew when they were teething. Have these now been discarded as unhygienic? If so, can’t you let our nipper chew something which even his vice like jaws cannot crack. The handle of a tooth brush, for instance: it is hard and strong… and easily cleaned. Or am I treading on dangerous ground here? I think I am… I will desist.
The carpet business is a bother, and I wish I could offer some advice… But I will have to leave it to you dear. I cannot offer any more sensible suggestions than the one proposed by you. Please let me know how the matter progresses.
Later
This house is a mass of humanity, Jess… interruptions are inevitable. I have been considering your comments apropos Ediswan’s (RTG’s pre-war employer) request for details of my present pay. My increase since becoming a sergeant is certainly a snag… but our failure to disclose it is as much my fault as yours… After all, I only informed you weeks after it became effective. I fear that mention of this increase in my letter to the firm will simply draw attention to our lapse… and it seems fairly certain to me that they will then request the date of this increase.
What I propose to do is simply send them details of my present daily rate, omitting particular increases etc: this will fulfil their request. If they notice the discrepancy, and request details, I can then make up a suitable story. Unfortunately, I cannot yet send the required information because my pay-book is still in the office… But I expect it back in a day or so and will then write. Meanwhile, I will retain Ediswans’ letter. I hope this arrangement will be O.K. to you, dear… but in any case, please don’t hold yourself responsible for our little ‘lapse’:- whatever happens, you will not be out of pocket.
I am sorry you have not yet received the parcel… but am not really surprised by the delay. I read a press article recently in which it was confirmed that parcels are now taking the sea route. In addition to this, there have been an enormous number of Xmas present parcels sent by the troops, and this won’t help matters. But perhaps you have received it by now… I hope so.
Darling… I have had such a lazy day today. Firstly, breakfast in bed… and then more sleep… and then a coffee… then the M.O. came… then more coffee… Lunch in bed… more coffee… Eventually I got up about 4.0pm… partly because I was sick of being in bed… and partly to prevent this good lady here running herself to death on my account. Because I am “seek” she won’t let me do a darned thing for myself… and she seems to have been attending to me all day. She even made two bowls of soup… a thin veg. soup… and they have so little food themselves. Fortunately, we have some spare grub on the tank and will be able to repay her with interest.
The M.O. did the usual things… tested my temperature and lungs… the former is going down… and the latter “much clearer”… so everything is O.K. I have to remain in bed again tomorrow, and that means another lazy day. Unfortunately, I cannot write in bed because it is too cold outside the bedclothes… but I will get up after the M.O.’s visit and hope for less disturbance. And now I’m going back to bed… to dream about my sweetheart and her ‘sweetie pie’.
Good night, darling Jess
Always
Your Trevy.