(1) At sea somewhere,
22-10-41
Dear Mum and Dad,
I’ve no idea when this is likely to reach you, but in any case there’s no harm in trying to get away an early note.
I have an idea that in my last letter I forgot to mention a couple of things – in the first place to thank you for the telegram (I was going to send a reply, but missed the chance) and in the second to say that I nearly rang you through Mrs Knuckey’s on Sunday night. I rang Joan, and was thinking about the Hastings call but decided it would be a good deal of trouble for all concerned to get around to answering it.
As one would expect, many things about our little trip are still very hush-hush, so I can’t tell you, for instance, what ship we are on. However, I see no harm in saying that it’s quite a luxury liner and that we have splendid accommodation. The cabin I am in was meant for two, but even with two extra camp stretchers included we have plenty of room. The food is, without exaggeration, marvelous; you would be staggered if you saw the menu. We’ll miss the attention we are now receiving when we at length get back to real work, but in the meantime even several hours of lectures a day still leave this quite a pleasure cruise.
If we are good boys we may get shore leave at quite a few places of interest on the way – none of which I suppose I can mention in the meantime. Personally, I shall endeavour to be very good. The officer in charge of our little trip says, “Work hard and you can play hard” – which will suit me very well.
We are in our khaki outfits to-day, as it is rapidly becoming very warm. Whatever extra weight the sea air may give me will almost certainly be lost if this heat continues. Last night before dinner I walked two miles round B deck, but don’t feel inclined towards making a similar effort to-night.
At Auckland we received an advance of pay in dollars, which are negotiable on board. You should see the fun the chaps are having trying to convert dollars and cents into ₤.s.d. Thanks to your coaching, Dad, I now know all about nickels and dimes.
There is a picture show on board every night – up-to-date films, too – and every day there is issued a news sheet dealing with overseas news received by wireless, so if, while we are still out of sight of land, Moscow should fall, we will know as soon as you.
There has been nothing more than a gentle roll to disturb anyone so far, and this afternoon we have been sailing over a sea almost like glass. It must be very gratifying to anyone with a tendency to sea-sickness.
Thomas, worse luck, has been parked in a different cabin, but we have a good deal of spare time together and he is now in the next-door deck-chair engaged in a similar occupation.
Love from
P.S. – I have numbered this letter 1, and think I’ll keep it up in case any go astray.
P.S. – Thos sends his regards.