1021 PORT   OPERATING  COMPANY R.E.   C.M.F. No. 17O

Dearest Heart, Three great bundles of Spectators and Listeners have come and a pair of XlXth. Centuries, with that delicious statement about writs for Libel re.  the Tito campaign.     Hooray.   But the papers are relished,   I put them in chronological order, and then read them one by one, and pass them around with special articles marked and we have a great time,   bless you.

I’ve been  busy on a  six or seven thousand word Thing which I’ve  sent you  by surface  mail, called LEAVE  IN ROME and its  aimed at the  Geographical, with a full  awareness  that  its  a  long  shot.  Send it off anyhow and dinna fret if it comes regretfully   back.  Its not very good Really. But it lends itself so much to pictures that she might like the title anyhow! I hope its not too long  in making  its surface way,  Postie  might  pop  it   in an aeroplane, he  does  some times with surface  mail  these days,   sort  of  saying,…”Oh, well….” Now I must do some more Things. Send me news of Posty-Guardian’s regrets or pleasednesses.    If they  take  them say  so  it  helps,   and if they don’t say  so it helps  me  to   find out what not to do.   Could you send me a list of what Posty and Guardian has returned?     Then I’ll know.  Or did I ask you this last letter?  Be brave and frank, tell me the worst.  It is   better so.

Not much going on here,  plenty  of work,  Docks  all  last night, bed this  morning,  Docks  all tomorrow daytime, and  so  on,   in  between I doodle  at  the  camp,   Orderly  Officer  and welfare,   preparing  two defences for Court-Martials,   and in  between that  I  sit  at  my  desk and write   or just   sit,   or  read  or  play Backgammon,   Heigh-ho

An income tax form has  come,  so I’ll fill in the claims and send it to  the Paymaster,   and you or Careless needn’t worry much. I’m claiming  for you and Richard,   for your Mother and for the insurance company  and for  my uniform upkeep  at   twenty  five  pounds  a year.

About moving south.  Yes, but not immediately, lets wait until we have got our first lump of real money, and can think about buying a piece of the south of England for   ourselves. Sort of make our money in the hard-headed Midlands and move south when we have.  But I am always willing to defer to your instinct and judgement, and I do admit that the South has something even our piece of Warwickshire hasn’t got. But moving is dear and so is living in the south.  I’ll make you some money, even if I have to work.

Start doing your pictures for our exhibition, I think that’s a splendid idea.  I’ll wear different disguises and poop about and mix with the crowd.   Tell Richard from me not to keep you from your painting. Oh dear,   I do think about that   small person. He   sounds   such fun. Do send me the overall dimensions,  chassis  size, tip to tip and wing tip to wing  tip sizes  and I’ll  mark them on the wall. What does he eat now,  rusks and gravy? Doughnuts? Fruit? Does he take beer? A spoonful of Jim’s Mild-and-bitter a day would be good. Elizabethans were   brought up on ale and just look at them.     He’d like it,   Inherent in him I think you’d find. Any “family” characteristics yet? Toe scrabbing?     Bathroom splashing?

I’m trying to find a reason for  a trip to Florence,  but its difficult. We’re so near, but perhaps Santo Antonio wants me to wait until I go with you. I’ve seen plenty anyhow.

Nice letter from D Sadgrove  yesterday, saying how  lovely you looked and the best dressed person there as regards taste and style with a little bunch of Autumn berries  tucked into your brown suit.  She also said that Arnold did not look his happiest in a morning coat and dickie. She is excited about Richard’s taking you up to see her for the day.  Good, A good person, D.  She has sent me some Lilliputs and things she says. Auntie Emmie  sent me an Adrian Bell book which is a well-meaning gesture,  and anyhow he is quite pleasant a man.  All about a farm in Westmoreland where the people  seem to be  earthy and  obstinate with a northern  stupidity which he sees  as virtuous,  but  don’t tell her  that.  It was nice of her. Did you remember, of the host of things I shower  on you to  order  Blunden’s  book  on cricket  for  me  please?   I’d so like to have it.  Mr.  Kelly might do something about it.

Mother said  in her last letter  that  she  had got  two rolls   of  films which  is good. Put Candy in some of the pictures, I’d hate her to be in any way out of the picture.     And put yourself in. Its good that you have established a bridgehead in the Jeavons campaign.     As  for  Peter,  he will probably  be  in uniform before  long,  he’ll  end up  in Japan I expect, where I might go for  all our expectations, so don’t  lets  be cocky. But I  ought to get  a week at home first. Hope so. Hope they think they can manage Japan without me. They might have a go.

Jimmy goes for leave today and Peter when he comes back. So we go on. My   turn will come round one of these days.  I don’t know.

I’m getting nice working drawings of the Hut.  And shall encourage  people  to watch but not to hammer in my nails  for  me.  You can hold things. Double walls, raised floor on brick piers, roof and ceiling, make it homely and snug. Wire it for Light, and lay on a house telephone if you like.

Plans, plans, plans! The faith of us mortals, especially those of us who are in love- as I with you. Ever David  X