Evacuee Boys (15 page)

1
 
3
d
is 3 (old) pennies. Half a crown was worth 2/6.

2
 
Our grandfather was visiting from Hungary.

3
 
Granny, who we also called Noni, was Hungarian.

4
 
Mariska was our Hungarian maid.

5
 
Fasting for Yom Kippur.

6
 
Mr Young was our Scoutmaster in Fulham.

7
 
Tiggy was the cat.

8
 
Our lodger, at that time, a young Czech.

9
 
A Hungarian pastry delicacy.

10
 
A pastry delicacy that translates as ‘Feminine Spirit’.

11
 
Raymond Newnham was a friend from the restaurant in the basement of my parents’ house.

12
 
A small
Beigli
was a loaf.

13
 
A schoolmaster.

14
 
The local lorry firm driver.

15
 
A First World War soldiers’ song.

16
 
A billeting officer.

17
 
Zsuzsi was our cousin in Budapest.

18
 
Uncle Arthur was sent to America, aged 18, in 1911.

19
 
Manager at W.H. Smith.

20
 
Uncle Eugene’s milk bar.

21
 
Slang for shilling.

22
 
Dad was expecting a job in Evesham with the BBC listening to German broadcasts and translating intelligence.

23
January
1941

Dearest Mum & Dad,

Thank you very much for yesterday’s letter & contents, which I shall find very useful.

This time I have some very good news for you. The Cambridge results have arrived & they are even better than I expected.

I passed with distinction in

Mathematics

French

Shorthand

I passed with credit in

English language

English literature

History

Book-keeping

I failed in

Art

Thus with three distinctions & four credits I am exempt from taking Matriculation so long as I pay the fee. The failure in Art does not matter because it is my spare subject.

I am afraid I shall not come home till Sunday, because Saturday’s bus is full up. I shall arrive at Victoria at the usual time i.e. 4.25 p.m. if I remember right. I am sending the bulk of my luggage by Crooks, the rest I shall carry. The bicycle will go by Crook’s too. We can give the driver a tip when we meet the lorry at Olympia.

There is very little else to say. Mr. Redfearn will give me a nice testimonial, but you will see that yourselves. I shall leave about 1/- for John before I go, I cannot spare more. I shall not write any more now, & I am posting this right now so that you can get the results soon.

Lots of love from

Andrew

This final letter from Andrew in Melksham marks his return to London, to pursue a career along lines discussed in his letters. I was now left in Melksham alone – for what was an unknown duration. My letters are more sporadic than Andrew’s were, misspelled and much less erudite, if, perhaps, laced with more humour.

The business began to do well and I was holding my breath waiting to see if I would get the job with the BBC. Early in 1941, Andrew came home from Melksham for good. He matriculated at 16, and a friend, an elderly stockbroker, got him a job in a firm of stockbrokers. He was paid around 30 shillings a week and proud to be a wage earner. He was first in his class at matriculation and his teachers gave him an exceptionally good letter of recommendation. Poor Johnny had to stay in Melksham alone.

Andrew was a big, tall and lanky boy, modest and sensible. He was very active with the Scouts, where they liked him and he became a Patrol Leader. He joined the group of firewatchers in the apartment block and he had to go to the roof of the house twice a week. Sometimes it was impossible to get home at night because the air raid was so heavy. Those times, we slept in the Pop Inn. Sometimes English friends came in for dinner and played bridge because they could not go out either. One night a tremendous explosion shook us all. The house opposite the Pop Inn was hit, the windows in the Pop Inn were broken and one of the counters fell over. We worked till the morning to get some semblance of order, so as not to have to close the restaurant. Next morning we heard that the owner of the restaurant opposite us, had gone home with his wife, thinking they would be safer there. Indeed, the windows of his restaurant were broken, but the house where they lived got a direct hit and they were dragged out of the rubble dead. My sweetheart wife, your Mum, how often she said that she would be very frightened if I were not at her side, but when we were together, she knew no fear.

24
January
1941

Dear Mum & Dad,

I hope Andrew has arrived safely I am very sorry I could not see Andrew off. I got his hat and gas-mask but by the time I got back Andrew was gone with the wind. I will send it back as soon as I can. How are air-raids? I hope everything is O.K.

John’s original letter of 3 February 1941. (Author’s collection)

I am not getting on too badly and I hope I will soon get used to being alone. Have you heard from the B.B.C.

I am very proud that Andrew has passed the Cambridge so magnificently it was a wonderful effort, and I shouldn’t be surprised the by the time he gets a firm of his own, he will earn about 10 pounds a week. I am sending the ‘Hotspur’ for Andrew. I could not get ‘The Scout on Saterday’ so I de-ordered it. Please write and send me some money and as soon as possible.

Lots of love from

John

P.S. Dear Sir (Mr. Oscar Forbat
23
)

You were a silly twerp to forget your hat and gas-mask but I’ll send it as soon as I get some money.

John

3
February
1941

Dear Mum and Dad,

I took my shoes (the ones Helen bought last year) down to the cobblers to have them mended, and they said that it can’t be mended. So now I’ve only got one pair and I am shure that they wont last long as I had then at Christmas 1939 and the leather at the sides is getting very thin. So will you send me a pair as soon as you can. I take size fives. Please send me some money too please as I am nearly broke.

I am sending Andrew the ‘Hotspur’ and ‘Champion’ and ‘Adventure’.

How are your getting on with the air-raids? I am getting on quite well. How is Noni and the rest of the family? Write soon.

John

Dear Oscar,

I just saw Dev Hills today and he asked me to remind you to write to him.

I am sending your three boocks so you should be satisfied.

Love from John.

P.S. My pills are getting low.

6
February
1941

Dear Mum and Dad,

I got your letter with the 2/6 on Tuesday, thank you very much. Have you got the gas-mask and hat? I sent them as soon as I got your letter. Please send me some shoes as soon as you can as I have no change. I need a jacket for school, as this one broadly speaking is almost in rags. Andrew can tell you that.

I am going to Trowbridge & the pictures tonight with Dev Hills.

My watch will be ready next Thursday wich will cost 4/- to 4/6, and I will have only a few coppers left when I come home from the pictures.

Please don’t be angry that I am wanting a lot but I just can’t help it.

Has Andrew got a job yet? And have you heard from the B.B.C.? I hope our are all well and the air-raids are light. Give Noni my love and 1,000,000 kisses. I hope to see you soon.

Lots of love and kisses from

John

P.S. Send Dev Hills his 1/-.

12
February
1941

Dear Mum & Dad,

I am sorry that I am so late in writing, I was going to write yesterday but I forgot.

I received your letter on Saturday and I am very glad to hear that Andrew has already got a job. I told Nick Redfearn
24
about Andrews job and he expected you to get a better job than that but it is only for a start. I told Mr. Marty
25
too and he is sending his kindest regards and congratulations. I could not tell Charlie
26
yet as he is not at school. Have you heard from the B.B.C.? Easter is coming soon and I hope I can go home for the holydays. Andrew wants me to imagine him as a fire-watcher, it is impossible. My watch is due to be ready to-morrow and I an nearly broke please send me some money

To day we had a history test and I got 25/25 full marks.