Letter from Margaret Robinson to her fiance Tom Critchley 3.1.1942

Tom Critchley's son, also Tom, has been posted to Swansea to study radiolocation and radar. He arrived at the Swansea railway station in the fog, over-loaded with kit and slipped on to the track, arriving at his destination with cuts and bruises. Here is a letter from his fiance.

53 Buckingham Avenue, N 20

3.1.42

I was very pleased to receive that letter from you. I do hope the damage to you was not very serious. I gathered it could not be too serious, otherwise you would have been carried to your destination on a stretcher. Perhaps your powerful mind overcame all physical damage. Am I right? Anyhow I do wish you would not go throwing yourself about when I'm not there to look after you. Do look after yourself because I'd rather see you whole than in pieces. It was certainly a horrible experience to arrive at a strange place loaded and in thick fog, and so late.
Well, I did not firewatch after all yesterday as Miss Zuigg duly appeared on the scene yesterday morning. So as your mother and father required that Lamb book to be taken to the Library to-day, mother and I went to visit your people. I must say I hated going because you were not there and everything seemed so strange. However they gave me some elderberry wine to buck myself up. I showed them my letter as this time it was "alright', and they let me see their's. We do not quite understand whether you say you love the landlady and her daughter or your live with them.
The other soldiers at your billet are training for radiolocation too, I suppose in which case your billet will be filled again when they have left.
Today I am going shopping to buy shoes and perhaps other things. It is raining but as there is nothing to stay in for, I feel I must go. I feel perfectly alright at the office but immediately I go home, I feel I m waiting for something to turn up and that something never comes.
It feels so strange, so long, and so lonely. I sigh, sigh, sigh, sigh. But, somehow I feel, however hard that hill may be to climb, she might just manage it.
Well now, by this time, you can tell me all about your billet. How is the food? Daddy was most dismayed that you didn't mention food in your letter and wants to know if you had anything to eat between 7.15 and the time you went to bed. Your mother hopes you will be tidy, as having had the use of two houses for all your books etc, she is rather dubious.
This is just a short note as I want to catch the post this afternoon – the post is so slow and I would like you to have this on Monday. I expect the work you are going to do is very interesting and that just at present you will not get that Monday morning feeling.
Mr Sainsbury persists in calling me "Margaret". I don't know why, but Ethel is always "Miss Carmody". Anyway I think I might wangle some time off don't you?
I am thinking about the weekend I will come and visit you. As you finish as 11.30 on Saturdays, I think it would be best for me to have the Saturday morning off and beg for Friday afternoon & travel down then. That seems to me the best way of having a longish time together. What do you think?
All my love,

Margaret.

Margaret to Tom 23.2.42

23.2.42

You have been busy, thank you for all the enclosures, and we did not have to pay excess on the packet.
It was lovely to hear you again last night, as I always say it brings us nearer. Who could think you were 200 miles away. We didn't have so long as before did we? I knew it was not your usual operator, "it" was a girl.
Well, to begin with in case I forget, I have prepared the minutes, so if you will, just put all the flowery bit you can think of into it, and if you remember any points I have not included, perhaps you will put them in for me.
Our Mr Davies has now been promoted to staff officer. Her is going to remain in our branch as we have had a vacancy for some time. Of course he is very pleased about it and it dates back to Jan 9th. When I congratulated him, I said I supposed he didn't want to continue fire-watching with just C O's (clerical officers) and that he had better join Mr Sainsbury's squad. He said he'd rather leave than do that, so now they have to find some E O (executive officer) to take his place. There is some talk of D Jones coming along. I think he rather wants to. I have told you all about Donald Jones at Headquarters haven't I? He was the conscientious objector who eventually joined the Pioneers, took ill, and was kicked out of the army. Anyway i expect there are loads of people who would like to come if only they had the chance. They really do not know their fate. Fancy wanting to come here!!!!!
I am returning Bill's letter, at least I hope I have enclosed it. It's very interesting. I only hope he will always have the chance of such a quiet life while he is at Gibralta. Who is this Marjorie girl and why does she have to send her good wishes to you to Gibralta, only to be returned? You say he has not send his usual fond wishes to me, but what is that last sentence to the missus? Is that your mother or does he think that we will be married by the time you recieve his letter?
Yes, I know that Sir Stafford Cripps has been very much in the new lately. He has certainly earned his success. I often wonder where you would have been now if you had been one of his secretaries. I think, no doubt, you would have been nearer this social work than you are now. By the way, I expect you saw that Temple, Archbishop of York is now Archbishop of Canterbury (at least will be in April). He is 60 years old, but certainly a good deal younger than the other one. There is hope for England yet isn't there? The Daily Sketch mentioned that he and also the new Archbishop of York are very interested in social reform.
Whatever made you think of the "Parable of the tree"? I do hope that tree will not be yours and mine. It's good, but next time make it all new green leaves with buds just bursting forth in the clear spring sunshine. I'm collecting all these for our own "little book", so please continue.
Well now about the nursing. You are so insistent that I almost put on my hat & coat and walked out in the blackout. Well I will see what I can do, but you see, nursing in war time is so different, so many ugly sights creep into hospital life now-a days. But this you will say is merely an excuse, and I must get cracking, but I asure you I shall probably end up by being a patient myself.
Well I think I must close now so it is now 10.25 pm and I have to do some ironing before going to bed.
Tomorrow I am going to Mrs Hardings to tea. She wants to show me her lace or at least the head gear which she very much wants to lend me for our wedding. You can come under too if you want to hide from the World.
All my love & hugs and kisses.
(the last being from Shandy, very wet.)

PS My father is better thank you. Swollen knee is only rheumatism.

PPS It's very sad bout that fellow who was electrocuted. You will be careful won't you? I don't think you would do anything like that, but just in case, remember me. I am waiting for you.

PPPs If you can possibly do the minutes by next weekend, I should be pleased, I also have to prepare a secretary's report, so perhaps you can help in this please, oh, please do.

Margaret to Tom 27.2.42

Margaret to Tom 27.2.42

Would you believe it! it's the 27th already. Doesn't time fly?
We have just been paid "Oh, joyous day", said she breaking forth into song. But I shall not have that for long as I have to fetch my costume either tomorrow or Monday. I think I shall probably be able to get an hour off tomorrow if I make the time up and get it then. Then as Foyles is open until 6.00 on Saturdays & also during the week until that hour. anyway I have decided to spend Saturday afternoon there.
Thank you for your letter which has just arrived and for all the enclosures. Now I shall be able to get on with the good work.
No, I'm afraid I have not been working hard and studying all the nursing books I have at home. I have been very busy though. You see, all my mending, all my knitting and Shandy (the dog) takes up a good bit of my time nowadays. I can't think whatever we did when you were at home. The evenings simply fly. I have always got something to do, except work such as reading about nursing.
Well I have just arrived back from lunch and now I can settle down to this between working. I had to rush out just now again & buy Mr Bolt some cakes for tea today, as it is his Birthday.
To revert to the nursing. If I go in for Red Cross, I shall now have to give up some of my coupons for the uniform – just the indoor apron etc, but I do now know how many. I was talking to a girl who is doing this work at the sick bay across the road and she suggested I went into the civil nursing reserve which apparently only require an overall which is provided. Civil nursing is, of course, only practiced at the civilian hospitals , which might or might not be counted as war work. What do you think?
Are you running short of chocolate now? Because I have a little I can send you, but I have not been able to buy any this week.
This afternoon I am very busy, so I'm afraid this will be a very short letter.
I shall probably call to see your mother & father this evening. We have Ron;s letter to return and Nancy will be so mad if it is not returned by the time she arrives home this evening.
I shall look forward to hearing your voice on Sunday, if it is possible for you to phone. It brings us so near doesn't it?
Well, all my love, I hope the weather is fine for you to go walking this week end, so that you can come home with rosy cheeks – blossoms of spring to greet me the week after next,

Margaret