June 1945
Lez to Clare (22) |
A short note as he has to do some sewing of buttons. Expounds on politics and the difficulties of deciding who to vote for with such little info. |
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Clare to Lez (37) |
Has received some photos from Lez. Japanese war ‘hotting up’. Is going to the theatre tomorrow with Jim, Vera and Bill (Cufley). Describes the fantastic flower show in the Horticultural Hall. The Chelsea Flower Show had to be moved due to the damage done by rockets. |
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Lez to Clare (23) |
Letter of philosophy. He has no news, hasn’t been out of camp. Everyone is waiting for the monsoons. Clare has said little about her mum, surely she must be feeling stronger in mind now? Says they are up against her mind, not want of material things. Lez is not suffering from dysentery, puts it down to ‘a dose of TCP internally twice a day’. Is reading Forsyte Saga, loving it, knows it’s Clare’s favourite, suggests they buy a copy ‘for our library’. |
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Lez to Clare (24) |
Much happier. Spent the day in Bombay. Bought and had sent off some rugs. Has borrowed a camera from an Indian friend, Armand, and is taking snaps. Asks Clare to buy an album, stick in the photos and copy what he writes onto the back of each underneath. |
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Clare to Lez (38) |
Has just received photo of Lez in swimming trunks. Loves it! |
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Lez to Clare (23A) |
Will be paid on Saturday, so all going into Bombay. He’s going to an optician, needs glasses for all this reading, has been to the sick-bay for a chit, so he gets the specs out of the Navy. |
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Clare to Lez (39) |
Received Lez’s last letter only 5 days after posting! He seems closer. Went to the theatre with Jim, Vera and Bill Cufley. Enjoyable. Still can’t believe that the bombing has stopped. Edgar looking better, thin and pale, taking things very easy. Says noise troubles him. When he returns he hopes to go back to the Ft Lt’s job for which he was studying. Philip has grown, is a real little boy, still difficult to manage. Sunday afternoon at Cufley Towers. Saw Jim and Vera, the 2 babes were asleep, Pat and Hux turned up. |
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Clare to Lez |
cuttings from the Daily Telegraph including Mr Churchill’s speech. |
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Clare to Lez (40) |
Whilst at Cufley Towers Susan brought her book to Clare and said, “Me up”, and climbed onto Clare’s lap. Has met people discharged unfit for service and is thankful that Lez seems very fit physically and mentally, even if all that way away. Discusses poetry, as a way of losing despondency. The election is hotting up. Clare talks sensibly of the need for planning and controlling resources. |
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Lez to Clare (25) |
has just received the letter Clare sent listing carpets, and is pleased to find that she wanted light green and fawn, that’s what he bought!! The rains have not started yet. The optician, a French specialist said that Lez has a lazy eye, but his sight in the other eye is perfect and will not prescribe spectacles. Has enclosed some snaps. More to follow. |
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Clare to Lez (41) |
describes how the government are getting to grips with housing, including plans for 100,000 new permanent houses as well as prefabs |
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Lez to Clare (26) |
income tax: could Clare please look into it for him, is he paying what he should? He doesn’t want to pay double. Sends some photos of Bombay with descriptions. Still wants to have a home of their own as soon as possible |
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Clare to Lez (42) |
through the photos she has a much better idea of his life. Sends him a breakdown of his monthly salaries and deductions. |
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Clare to Lez |
Newspaper cuttings of Atlee's reply to Churchill's speech. |
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Lez to Clare (27) |
describes the photos he’s sent. Has received a letter from Vera with news of Tom’s immanent arrival in the UK, and from Harry who sounds ‘more cheerful now’. Has also received a stack of papers from Clare and Doris. Good to read something accurate. The rains have started. There will be fewer trips to Bombay and no outdoor shows. |
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Clare to Lez (43) |
Has been making curtains for their new home. Confident that something will come soon. Clare’s Mum is now happier and accepts that Clare will move out soon. Went to Plumstead. Joyce is pregnant. She has been asked to make the shawl. Reminds him of the times he used to stride in for Sunday lunch when stationed at ‘Pompey’. |
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Clare to Lez (44) |
Lovely day, she wished they could go down to the sea and go for a sail, picnic aboard and go swimming. Likes the pics of Bombay. Edgar says if he were away he would buy all the luxuries he could, pack them in his case and leave the kit behind. |
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Clare to Lez (44A) |
written in the castle grounds on Shooters Hill, the weather was too glorious to stay in. Lovely description of the gardens and the view of Kent in the distance. |
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Lez to Clare (28) |
Clare had mentioned bringing work home. Response: if you ever catch me doing that …hit me over the head with a rolling pin! He is not surprised by Blanche’s meanness. Certain members of his family, including father, have always ranked low in his estimation. He will hold to necessary family obligations but live apart from them. Wonders what Edgar will do when he leaves the RAF. Will they allow him to take the clerical exams he was studying for before the war? |
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Clare to Lez (45) |
not much news, just chatter. Lez will be awarded 4 medals according to latest news. His father is very proud. |
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Lez to Clare (29) |
The monsoon rains started last night. Very graphic descriptions. Hopes never to see another bottle of Roses Lime juice when he gets home, they are drinking gallons of it to replace salts and water lost through sweating. Has lost 2stn in weight since arriving. Now thinks the weight is still at 13st11lb |
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Clare to Lez (46) |
Loved the description of the monsoon. Had a visit from Clare’s mother’s family sister, ‘Uncle Bert’ and youngest son. Walked to see Joan. ‘Baby’, Leslie, toddles around with support. She is adorable. |
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Clare to Lez (47) |
very busy at the office due to changes of production and termination of some war contracts. She has booked her summer holiday: a week with ‘Mum’, Joan and baby in Hastings. Has read that they now fly all troops out to India, 22 to a plane, and there will be a plane landing every 10 minutes! Jim and Vera have a new, second-hand car, cream and black. |
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Lez to Clare (30) |
has received a letter from Cousin Charlie, who is in Germany, and one from Mike, who is still in the Med. Is irritated by lack of information about election, demob, tax etc. Is part of the committee organising a dance: hired hall, band, buses laid on. It’s going to be good. |
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Clare to Lez (48) |
wishes Lez could have had penicillin when his spots were near boils. Is very pleased with this English discovery. Has spoken to Edgar: he is getting better, but was very tired after visiting Plumstead last weekend. He reports back on Saturday. The gang went to a dance at The Embassy. Tom, Jim, Vera and Jeanette were there with her. Jim’s car is a Ford 10. Alludes to Lez’s car, a Ford but not a 10. Analyses love and happiness. |
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Clare to Lez(48A) |
Has found some of Lez’s first letters. Reminisces. The brick walls put up in front of windows and doors in Whitehall are being knocked down. Gradually changing the face of London back to its prewar beauty. |
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Clare to Lez (48B) |
Glorious weather, so she’s been walking. Reports on the postwar progress with housing. Reminisces about their wedding, and how white Lez looked at the altar. Dreaming of her own kitchen, picnics, going for a sail. |
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Lez to Clare (33) |
Pleased that the office is now closed on Sat afternoons, “it was always a farce in my day”. Tells Clare to take the radio to Albert if it isn’t working properly. Edgar and Muriel have both written to him. Edgar is worried about his position in the Clerical Grade exam. Could Clare please find out. Writes at length about the election and why he’s chosen to vote for the Conservatives. |
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Clare to Lez (48C) |
calls herself unsatisfactory for not having kept up with the numbering of letters! Has been doing much sewing. Went for a long walk in the sunshine. Joan visited bringing some pastry. The far east war is going well, maybe it’ll be over by Christmas. |
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Lez to Clare (34) |
the Admiralty are still not decided on demob strategy. He reckons the women of the naval men are pressing their case hard to prospective MPs and creating a bit of a storm. Well done. A letter dreaming of the future. Talks of the sort of camera he would like. His cabin have adopted a pet bullfrog! |
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Clare to Lez (49) |
Has visited Muriel (Westaway or Fisher?), so now it’s late. Will write more tomorrow. She will find out about Edgar’s chances in the postwar exams. |
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Clare to Lez (50) |
Clare lists Lez’s income and her own and how much tax he has already paid. The RN have not taken their tax, so Lez owes about £42. It was Muriel Fisher she visited. She is well. |
July 1945
Lez to Clare (35) |
The countryside looking emerald green, “amazingly colourful”, reminds him of home. Vivid description of the weather for the poor Indians. Descriptions of photos enclosed. Explains that he doesn’t want any medals because some more worthy people are not entitled, not because he’s not proud of his service. He refused the 1943 Red Star and was called in to see the Commander at Dover to explain. |
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Clare to Lez (51) |
has visited Cufley Towers. Roger is “getting a real whopper-taking after father”. Jim took her home in the new car. Describes the difficulty of shopping for shoes. Went to a Labour meeting that Atlee was addressing. Lists her reasons for voting Labour. Would not influence anybody who was giving it genuine consideration. She thinks her mother should not vote. |
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Lez to Clare (36) |
A letter of thoughts. He cannot abide the generally held opinion that men are superior to women. Also describes the difference between poor and rich Indians. Says it’s down to education. He wants to give their children the best education they can afford, so that they will be able to “distinguish right from wrong, truth from falsehood, and good from bad.” |
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Clare to Lez (52) |
chats about shortages of everything, including cameras and films. Will buy and send him Amateur Photographer as asked, and could he please send a few yards of elastic, it’s unobtainable in London! |
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Clare to Lez (53) |
She enjoyed her first game of tennis in 6 years with colleagues yesterday. Describes her visit to the dentist and outfit she’s wearing tonight to meet Muriel (Fisher). |
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Lez to Clare (37) |
He enjoys getting letters so much he suggests they should write to each other, as well as talk, even when he’s home! He wrote to Edgar yesterday. Edgar is very worried about his post-war prospects. Lez asks Clare to find out for him, he is sure Edgar could get into the higher grades of the CS, especially in Customs and Excise, where his officer status would shine through in a viva voce. |
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Clare to Lez (54) |
Has cast Lez’s vote in the election. She weighed herself on Saturday:8st 1lb, she hasn’t changed in 4 years. Joan has had a couple of teeth out and came round for company. Frank spends all his time on the car he is cleaning. |
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Lez to Clare (38) |
time is flying by. Payday and again they were paid less than expected. Describes bartering in the market. Things are improving: more messes, heads (sailors’ term for toilets), beer ration doubled, recreation rooms springing up all over the place, even talk of some musical instruments being supplied. Undoubtedly due to pressure from the forces |
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Clare to Lez (55) |
apologises for the short letter last time, Joan and Frank came round and were arguing about money, much to Clare’s embarrassment. Had a long walk, ending up on Shooters Hill. Nobody was around. Passed Tim Lawson on a bike with a girl. How did the dance go? |
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Clare to Lez (56) |
There has been an eclipse of the sun. She didn’t see it but is fascinated by the science that can be studied. The fraternization ban in Germany is to be lifted. Our boys will be able to eat at cafes, play football etc with Gerry, as the Russians have been doing. Jap war going well, but she hates the idea of the suicide pilots who have damaged three British boats recently. Describes how London is returning to normal: “it’s truly amazing how quickly the human mind forgets past horrors and just looks forward into the future with hope”. |
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Lez to Clare (39) |
Has had a letter from ‘Pop’ offering them a place to stay with him. Lez has strongly, but diplomatically told him that they would not live with him. Talks about government schemes for house building. Remembers vividly the day he went aboard the Glendower, realised that there was to be no let up til the end. This was when he realised what a blind fool he had been not to marry Clare a year ago. |
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Clare to Lez (57) |
gazed at the beautiful new moon tonight, was he also gazing at that shining crescent? The government have obviously decided that housing is the no.1 priority. |
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Clare to Lez (58) |
Has moved office and is whacked! Remembers the old days at Cufley Towers and how Lez would entertain them all, only stopping occasionally to down a pint. Leslie Ann is growing into the sweetest bundle, crawling a little and very inquisitive. |
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Lez to Clare (40) |
describes in hilarious detail how the dance went: he, and many others became so drunk that they passed out. He was helped home and was writing the letter in a fragile state. Lez still not heard about what tax he has paid and how much he might owe. Encloses a ticket for the Ship’s Dance. |
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Clare to Lez (59) |
Amateur Photographer very hard to find. Has heard that Smiths bookstalls have them in early on a Wed. She will catch the early train neat Wed and hope they still have one. The future of the Ministry of Supply is in doubt. She encloses the CS Society Bulletin. |
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Lez to Clare (41) |
has just read no.51, confirms that Clare has a goodly quantity of grey matter. Wishes to make clear that he is no Tory. Comments on Jim’s new car, says he wants to buy a car asap, but could hire one for weekend jaunts. More talk of the demob, and escaping from ‘this slough of despond’. |
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Clare to Lez (60) |
has started numbering the letters again! Describes the worst storm she’s ever experienced, started at 10pm and did not let up in intensity of thunder, lightning or rain til the small hours! Has been down to Plumstead. They all miss him, nobody plays the pianos any more. Has been give the wool to make the shawl for Joyce’s baby. It was thicker than expected so she ‘spent an hour in Higher Maths’. That explains the arithmetic all over letter40. Double British Summertime ended last night, and all the street lamps are back on. |
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Clare to Lez (61) |
Has been to the dentist for the first filling. It was fine, she vows to go to the dentist every 6 months in future. Has had Lez’s overcoat dry cleaned, as part of her mission to get all his clothes ready for his return. Tried on the coat: “my arms only came halfway down the sleeves and the hem rested on the floor!” |
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Lez to Clare (42) |
They have had 39inches of rain and the effects are showing: boots rotting; leather covered in mildew. Talks about his pay and income tax. A photographer came round, Lez was undressed, so in the photo the others look smart and he is in briefs! |
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Clare to Lez (62+63) |
Has sent him the ads from the Amateur Photographer. The quota of films and photographic materials produced has just been doubled. The Cufley’s drew up outside the flat last night and tooted for her, they all went to the cinema. Has received 1lb of tea. Thank you! Is going on holiday next week. |
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Lez to Clare (43) |
Lez is happy to buy elastic, says buying is no problem, it’s not buying that’s the problem- one careless flick of an eyelid and they’ve got you! Had a letter from Mike, he may be coming further east. Lez has been very low, thinking what a colossal waste of time this whole business is, he is lonely and thinks he will never find such a man as Mike out here to converse intelligently with. Describes in detail his thoughts on Indian society, the poverty and the wealth and explains what he means by civilisation. |
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Clare to Lez (64) |
She has acted as nursemaid (looked after) the Cufley babies and Joan’s Leslie this weekend and wishes she could go back to that age and receive the wonderfully healthy start they have had. Says that she, also, has very few people with whom she can talk and feel stimulated. Says; “don’t ever worry about your mind stagnating, I never knew such a creature as you for thirst of knowledge” |
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Clare to Lez (65) |
describes the lights: Lighting Up night in Piccadilly Circus was apparently like a mini-VE Day; “Welling street lamps blazing like a string of fairy lights….just one more sign that peace is here at last”. Jeanette (Kidd) was at the Cufley’s. Freddie (Kidd) has been chosen to swim for the Eighth Army team! She says, “I reckon your gang could make a pretty formidable water polo team”. Len Wellard and wife were here in Plumstead, she is a school teacher in Wales. A new order gives local authorities the power to requisition any property standing empty and spend without limit to repair and convert to flats. She will begin a serious search for a home. |
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Lez to Clare (44) |
No news, just a love letter |
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Clare to Lez (66) |
got 2 envelopes today, readdressed the one to Mike and posted it on. Played tennis again, has the length right now, thoroughly enjoyed it. Listened to Bob Hope on the radio. What a tonic! |
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Lez to Clare (45) |
his understanding of the post-E war is “the mess is straightening out in a straightforward manner”, people are beginning to forget, as they should, “forget the horrors but remember the lessons”. Has been I/C mess this week, talking pidgin-urdu to the orderlies! Describes the workers on the building sites in the base. |
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Clare to Lez (67) |
is preparing for her holiday in Hastings with Joan, baby Leslie and mother. Labour have won the election and Mr Churchill has resigned. Has enclosed the Amateur Photographer advertisement section. Hoping to get a photo of herself to send |
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Clare to Lez (68) |
arrived in Hastings. Lovely drive in a Flying Standard 12 that Frank had borrowed. Staying full-board in a guest house. |
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Lez to Clare (46) |
describes his visit to Bombay, shopping for a length of silk. Very funny. Hopes the holiday goes/went well. Is thinking of taking correspondence courses in English and trig and would like, if he can get a guitar, to take some lessons to “try to recapture some of the knowledge I had of the thing years ago”. |
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Clare to Lez (69) |
“this is heaven”. Loves the sea. Sat in the garden sunbathing. Has walked along the prom; taken tea and hot chocolate in cafes. Paddled. She is relaxed. “ it is wonderful to see everything coming to life again after all the blackness and secrecy of the war”. |
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Mike to Lez |
Full of news . He has had a poem published. The only places in Italy that can offer much are Rome, Florence, Milan and Trieste after war has swept right through Italy. Peggy seems to think he’ll be out by November. Says” I wish I were with you” |