For the first time Mum and Dad have mentioned our marriage. They
mention that Elsie and John were hoping to come down for Xmas and go
on to say "I know they went to come for your wedding". Believe it or
not, but that's the first time they've ever acknowledged the fact.
Last Xmas I wrote a longish letter, talking of my marriage, saying
that I was expecting to get married as I got home. I never got a
proper answer. Mum said something about she hoped I'd be happy in my
future life, which I assumed meant our marriage, but apart from that,
this is the first time that the words wedding or marriage in
connection with me have ever appeared in their letters. I can't make
up my mind whether they were just shy of it (The most demonstrative
phrase that has ever been in my mother's letters was "Hope to see you
soon") or whether there was something else bothering them. I'm
inclined to think that they're just shy of it, for once whilst I was
in the M.E. I decided to write a letter to Mum, that would break the
woodenness of her letters to me. I wrote a lot of things that I've
been wanting to say for years, explaining some things, apologising
for others, and generally showing that I do love her.
The answer I got was characteristic!
'My dear Eric, very pleased to get your letter dated -- which arrived
last Thursday. Glad to know the weather has cooled off a little and
that the food has improved. Pamela Pearce was
here....." And that
was that, the only difference from any preceding letter was the
introduction of the word "My". Maybe though, that was adequate from
such an undemonstrative person as my mother. Poor Mum, I expect the
unwonted demonstrativeness in my letter embarrassed her
We've no official news of our departure although we're hoping that it
will be during the next week or so. Don't bother, darling, to answer
this letter or write any more, after you receive this. By the time
you get this, any reply would miss me (I hope) and just chase me
home.
The order came through from 12th Army H.Q. today to proceed to the
Repatriation Camp at Rangoon forthwith. We haven't yet had an
interpretation of "forthwith" but it should be within the next four
days. It's 340 miles to Rangoon from here and if we go by road the
journey will take three days, but I believe that the railway down to
Rangoon has been patched up and if we go on that it will only take
two days. Then will follow a wait in the Repat Camp that might last
four days or might even be a fortnight, we just don' t know.
We're in the Repat camp at Rangoon! Instead of leaving on Friday, as
arranged, a rush order came through to get us away on Thursday
afternoon. We did eighty miles and stayed in the open at Tatkon for
the night. Of course, although out of season, it had to rain and we
got soaked with our blankets. We moved off at 5 a.m. and covered 180
miles to arrive at Nyaunglebin, 98 miles from Rangoon at 5 p.m. At
9 p.m. the same night a truck arrived from Rangoon, saying we
must move at once, as there was the possibility of our sailing on
Sunday. Within twenty minutes of that order arriving, although
practically everybody had got down to bed beside the trucks, we were
on the road again!
We reached the Repat. Camp at 4 a.m. yesterday morning, dead beat
from two nights without sleep (three in my case, I was on guard the
night before we left) but all very hopeful!
The hopes were dashed. We should have left three days earlier, the
local Area Command had not passed on the order and so we knew nothing
of it. Consequently, despite our last minute dash, we were too late
in the Camp to be documented and rigged out in time to get on the
boat that sailed this morning. You can imagine our harsh words re the
local Meiktilla Command!
Anyway, we're sitting pretty now and have priority for the next boat
that comes in. We're told that it's expected to dock early in the
week and that we shall be probably going on it at the end of the
week.
Most of us got our beds down as soon as we found out the situation
and went to sleep at mid-day yesterday and didn't wake up until this
morning.
The words I've been longing to write! Wish I could write them in
letters of gold with out of season strawberry as a full stop! Barring
accidents etc. we go on board the boat on Sunday afternoon and are
scheduled to sail in the early hours of Monday morning.
The journey is said on this particular ship to take 24 days, so as
Monday is the 17th that means we should dock somewhere in Britain
around the 10th of January. This will be my last letter to you until
I send the telegram announcing my arrival in England. As soon as you
receive the telegram I expect that you'll be arranging to come on
leave and I suggest that you send a telegram to 178 letting me know
when I can come round to you at 64.
I've had no luck getting anything in Rangoon and we've been told that
we won't be going ashore anywhere on the way home, so I've had it as
far as getting presents, clothing etc.
I don't know quite what to say now that the moment has arrived. My
stomach doesn't seem to belong to me and my mind refuses to do
anything except drum away with the thought that I'll be with you in
three or four weeks. Make any wedding arrangements for towards the
end of the second week of my leave. We'll need a few days to get
things straightened out.
Arrived Liverpool expect home Wednesday Love Eric.
NOTE We were married on Sunday, 27th January 1946 by Special
Licence at Wandsworth Town Hall. EMC
