letter #57

HMCS Iroquois
c/o GPO London
Dec 11/44

My Darling

Suddenly realized that today is Evelyn’s birthday (well, isn’t it?) and therefore imperative that I write. How did she celebrate it? You should have had a party for her and a cake with thirty candles! She’d have liked that. Tell her Many Happy Returns, from me.

Received my parcel yesterday, to my amazement. I had given it up as lost long ago. A letter almost as large as the parcel arrived too. Thanks a million darling, it was swell. A gift from everyone except Evelyn! How do you explain that? Even Nappie, the cat. It was a wonderful parcel. Im sorry to relate, however that your cookies did not survive! They werent smashed, but had got damp and musty. I ate a lot of them anyhow, after tasting them carefully they crisped up all right but still tasted queer. Not your fault, darling, Im sure they were delicious when packed, but they’ve been so long on the way. Dads cookies and Ritz were also limp but recovered without much change of flavor. Cake seems to be perfect, but I havent bit into it yet. I had such fun opening things, just like Christmas. Was it cheating to open everything? Nothing was marked “Do not open till Xmas” in the approved manner so I went right ahead and made a snowstorm of wrappers, Christmas seals etc in the mess. Fun!

Writing paper at last! As a reward you shall get a long jammy letter on same starting tomorrow. I sent you a registered letter too but this should get there first. It contains Evelyns document and a letter from My lords Commissioners of the Admiralty. Save it to show the grand children please! Theres also a photo of Marges two nippers, taken last September and a letter from me. Thats all, isnt that enough?

Your letter was super, 22 pages, I havent quite got it memorized yet but will by tomorrow night. After all, Ive only read it about thirty times, and its much longer than any Ive received yet. I think you churned out 24 pages once when I was on the Sally, but things were different then. You deserve a great deal of credit for this truly momentous feat! Permission to keep on loving you? Thanks.

Thanks also for all the detail on Evelyns routine. Im frightfully interested! Always tell me everything please, even the little things that dont matter (As if they didn’t!) Apparently her innards are all there and functioning! You changed her about six times during one letter! Is that good or bad? Im glad you like her though. Did my best, you know! Might improve with practise but she seems to be a pretty fair effort for a start. Something tells me I should have been socked for that but I feel safe for the present.

I dont like to hear that you are still feeling the effects. How long should that last? You’d been home nearly ten days too. I hope in your next letter you are a whole lot perkier. Cant have the girl I love feeling unhealthy! Hurry and get well, please! Maybe you need a tonic. A friend of mine, Mr. Phoenix, makes excellent tonic. I think he’s associated with Mr Silver Spring now, but the tonic is just as good. It comes in pint bottles and is very palatable. I recommend it highly. Matter of fact, I could do with a few bottles of it myself right now!

As usual, Im out of Airgraph before I get started. Well I’ll dig out your tablets and carry on. This will arrive first and warn you. Your no 39 letter postmarked the 2nd took only 8 days. Cheerio now and tons of love

Les

P.S William sent [letter ripped] why not Evelyn? Doesn’t she love her daddy?