1224/5 Shipworking Sections R.E. C.M.F.
No 212
Dearest Heart,
You can never know how I hold on to you, you make it possible to be steadfast when life is artificial and steadfastness seems to many to be too impossible to bother about. The thought of you and that child, wonder-child as he would be to us, and is also in his own right it seems, is often with me consciously and is always with me as the basis of living. Its more than the need of your company and all the rational love thereto attached, Its the need of having you, even apart. Really I am happy and busy about my affairs, and not often melancholy; but you are of greater value to my living than you can know. I am a fond fool, maybe, but proud of the foolishness of being so fond. And that babe of ours seems to be a gift from God beyond our expectations and, as far as we can reckon it, beyond our deserts. Lovely to look upon and with a sweet disposition. Your last letter came yesterday, never has there been such a week for letters, and it took only five days, and in it you say he is talking well and quickly. There is no problem, Daddy must miss what he misses and see the result whatever it is. He does seem to be expressing himself well for one who has been here only a year and a half. It is nice for him to be quick to learn, because we can always balance it by letting him run wild now and again among natural things. So long as we don’t force him to read or talk too quickly, but let his natural desire to learn always lead, and we only make available what we know and have, then he should be all right. It will be great fun showing him History and books, lives and ideas, as his mind develops. I’ll try always to give him afair picture and let him decide what was right and what was wrong.
He will find me a stranger for a long time I fear, but perhaps as I shall be willing to be friends and won’t be a distant and clever person we may get over that. Dear me, I do think about it all.
Today I am in Service Dress and very pretty. I had to take the Group Church Parade this morning, “Parade will March Past in Column of Route from the Right of Sections, No.1 Section Leading….” and all that. Rather fun, though we all pretend to hate it, yet in our secret hearts we all of us, me and the Sappers, thought we were rather good. Sun shone and it is a sign of the end of the war, all this. Otherwise its been an ordinary day, office after parade, Docks and to see JAG (Law) and a sleep till half past two because it is Sunday and then office and a quiet time with the In tray to the Out tray, and some telephoning and then here and awaiting dinner time. I shall write a Thing maybe this evening or some novel. I’m thinking of the new format. You were right, more people’s observations and observations of people and less just saying. Did you see Compton Mackenzie’s answer to Churchill’s “Democracy is not a harlot to be picked up by anyone with a tommy gun….””Neither is Democracy a Rich Man’s Kept Woman”. Neat I feel.
The New Statesman came from JGL today with a terrific article on the Greek affair, and one in the Times, too. I dont know. But from my observations whichever side you back in there foreign states its wrong, even apart from the hell of a time they’ve been having. They’re a feckless lot and bribery and bullying is in them all. That was a delicious little sketch you did of R.J.S.D. lying on his tummy, Shepherd’s Milne drawings aren’t nearly as good. It gives his proportions so clearly and his air. What are his tip-of-nose-to-tip-of-tail dimensions now? Can I alter the marks on the office wall?
Intercepted a letter from one of my men telling his father to buy a dead body, put it in his bed, call in the police and get him cabled for on compassionate grounds. Naughty boy. An idea though. Costing him 28 days Field Punishment tomorrow I fear.
I’m sending a picture of some of our blokes with Johnny Feaver in it. The crosses on the back mean the other company’s men, of mine I give the names. Sam Bebbington (next Johnny) is a good man and so is Johnny. He (Johnny) has two sons, 9 and 7 and they call him Beetle and he has droll comments on them. Lives at Epsom he does and is sound and reliable and sober and decent. Cottis, next to him is breezy and has been a rip but although he’s in 1222/3 I’m reforming him. He works quite well now.
Bowens jealous! Of course they will be, always you will have to be forbearing in life and very kind because people will always envy you and your happy charming son will make it worse. You are like a Princess, in gifts and manner and colour, and always the drab ones will be jealous. At public places with you I always feel so sorry for other men and want to be nice to them to compensate for my fortune in having your love. You will need to develop a seventh sense of charity to other people always because it is inevitable that you are envied. I don’t let on about it but I wonder and admire always. We both shall, Dickie and I, and we’ll jostle each other to be with you. I can jostle a damn sight better than he can, for a decade and more anyhow. Fond I am, proud to be fond I am. Bless you and thankyou f or this spate of grand letters. Ever your… David XXXX
Yes. I hope your Mama’s visit to Romsey will facilitate & not impede her projected sojourn there. For me, life with anyone in addition to you & RJSD &Etc (if any) is impossible, as it is for you. Have you had yourself properly pictured yet?
Dear you –
