1224/5 Shipworking Sections R.E. C.M.F
No 199

Dearest…
CHARGE
Against No. 1, Sapper Scott Daniell R.J. of Rosemary Cottage Great Alne, Alcester,
Whilst On Active Service did, at Great Alne, on 8 December 1944 at 0800 hrs, in contravention of Section 8 Section 2 of the Army Act offer violence to his Superior Officer in that he did Strike Over the Head with a Spoon his Mother. Witness, No.2 Corisande of Cantlow.

And that would cost fourteen days C.B. and seven days Pay in my orderly room, or for an offender as hardened as the Accused, maybe fourteen Days Field Punishment.     Just shows.  Poor you.   I never hit you over the head with a spoon.   Maybe it was done friendly like.

I sent a particularly dull letter to you yesterday, because I had not heard for about a week and the inspiration had ebbed.   Now I have a letter and could write for pages and pages and find it hard not to. Your letter was about the spoon; Richard’s vocabulary, Eileen and you in Stratford and selling cards to Ireland, the horse problem and so on.   Yes he shall have a horse in due course, for the feel of a horse’s neck between your young knees and the scent of him and the creak of the saddle and the rhythm of trot and canter and the ripple of the walk, and the lovely view of fields and hedges from a horse’s back is very beautiful.   Encourage him to like horses.   I’ll ride with him and make him ride well, and we’ll canter too, and tend the horses after and come in with hunters appetites, and you shall ride.   Damn it; Sarah and Mary and Mother Anne shall ride. And I would like a pony and trap someday. A shiny varnished trap whose wheels will flash in the sun.   And I love his vocabulary.     Bless us all, I’m silly taking any notice of one insignificant child, there are millions about and its nothing to make a song about…. much. A lovely letter, really charming, came from Marjorie, bless her heart.   I know how hard it is for her to find time and energy to write, yet she has. She says of your son, “…I think he (Richard) is the most perfect baby I have ever seen.   Christopher was a good specimen but Richard beats him…….. you have every reason and right to be a proud father.” That from her is shattering.    And she is so nice about Christopher and thanks me for writing to him when its I thank him for his very fragrant and touching   friendship,’   She is sending him to Bedford Modern next September and is anxious about his getting in – examwise.   I’ll tell her they’ll take Christopher if he was dumb and stupid.   It is character and kind of person a good school wants, mere academic proficiency is necessary only for fee catching scholarship hunting places.   I’ll write again and second my recommendation and get an assurance that he can go.   I’d like to be there to take him myself.   I am fond of that boy and if our son is at all like him, candid and with Faith, then we can be happy.   I am writing to Marjorie.

I love the Troy Horse, you and J.J.H. are planning.   I wonder what the great mystery is at the Croft.    Oh; have you seen the Emmet drawing in the Punch Annual for 1945 of the wrapped up engine! What about a rocking horse with spots on for Richard? The teeth plan is very impressive, a fine array of biters, the but the poor dear, how they must make him want to hit people with spoons. Your last paragraph is about the book, and I am now encouraged to go on. And shall do so. Johnny, always difficult over titles and Penguins doesn’t like Parrots and Monkeys. Think out another, he has such a high standard for us, demure and sort of Oxford University Press. He is a Good Influence I suppose.     A letter from Bertha too about the play-book.    Coming from Jonathan it might please Harrappy more.    I think we’ll go on with them. Bertha is very helpful and enthusiastic.    I don’t think she wants a cut out of them, she made good business from them on the stage out of all proportion to the fees she paid, she admits that, and will get advertisement out of them.    She’s sent a charming preface for my approval.    She says she’ll drop out of the dedication In favour of Richard who deserves it better. Nice of her.    Nice of everyone. Letter from Jack Lawrence too, nice and chatty and Kiplingesque almost.   He’s changing into an Imperialist I think!      I love you and your son and all about us.    I’ll do more book now your letter was so nice and encouraging and I believe it.    Bless you and happy may this Christmas be for you and all of you.     Bless us all, write often, your letters make me thrice the man I am without them.

I wondered if that first chapter was not too narrative.     but perhaps it is best to start that way, make me a soldier first and then play about. I want to keep it from being narrative and make it chatty.    This and that. I’ll go ahead, bless you.   And richard-Dick shall ave is orse. Cloppity-clop. And Christopher at Bedford Modern will be nice.   He’ll do well and like the sane balance between scholarship and citizenship which is the secret of a big school’s success.   And you and I shall weave tales and tell them. Bless us all.

                                             Ever David.

I am sending final copies of Preface, dedication & Introduction. Don’t send anything off yet! Also I may send some Bertha Waddell alterations to two of the plays. Silly I am, you can’t have all the plays yet! ! !