Encoded for for the Veterans History Project, October 19, 2020.
All letters in the Ellsworth Dewitt Hill collection were digitized.
The following letters were transcribed from the handwritten originals by Veterans History Project staff. No alterations to this transcription has been made, although spelling errors are indicated with [sic]. Any special emphasis (i.e. underlining) is presented *between asterisks*.
April 17, 1944
Dear Florence- Perhaps it is drawing it is a bit fine to expect this to arrive by your birthday- but if it gets there a bit late at least give me credit for remembering your birthday was in April. For some time I have been trying to get you some silver salt and pepper sets that see in the window of a little shop I pass frequently- but Lord knows when he is open for business for no matter what time I pass the place is locked up. And most every other kind of shop just has bear shelves. Silverware is about the only thing there seems to be anything of.
The first two cartons of cigarettes arrived to-day and also three letters, one from Nancy and your Mother as well as yours. Your mother suggests that as I ride them the country I stop at the letter I was and ask for Devonshire cream because the English maids
used to be so pretty with their pink cheeks. Well in the first place you can’t get any Devonshire cream, they have’nt even got milk. I mean the [fresh?]. I have’nt seen anything but powdered milk since we have been here.
You will find enclosed the measurements of Mrs Dartford and her daughter which you asked for. They must be correct because they were given to me by Major Dartford himself. Of course if you could send those to me, I will in turn give them to Major Dartford and he can bring them up home the next time he has leave. I think there is some limit in the size package you can send- but they might be packaged separately. You can check the details of that at the Post office at home.
Did your mother tell me about the Masquerade? I received a note from D. A. saying you had spoken to him about Time and he would arrange to send me the “export” edition. That is very nice but I don’t want him to go to that trouble. You see the print in that edition is very small. They reduce the regular edition to about the size of the readers digest- and it is hard to read.
The lighting here is very poor. In order to save electricity they have low watt bulbs in all the fixtures. What I really wanted was the regular copies of Life and Time. I don’t care if they are a month old. I’m at least that behind times anyhow. So the regular copies that come home are alright after you and Barbara have finished reading them.
Nancy says that she took part in the meet between the maroon and the greys, so I guess that she must be all over the flu. It is too bad that her side did’nt win, but if she had’nt been sick right before, it no doubt would have come out differently. Tell Nancy I was having the most wonderful dream the other night- all about Laurel and Hardy who were in a bakery shop. In the case were delicious pies and cakes and pastry. Everytime Laurel slide the door back, to take one out, the alarm would go off. Finally Hardy said he would show him how to do it, and pushed the door back with a bang. Then I woke up and the air raid sirens were blowing great [guns?]- and there were popping off with the A. A guns not so far away.
To-day the weather has turned cold and disagreeable again. After about a week of good
Weather. It would work out that way because effective Aptil 15, the use of coal is tabooed, ^until October 1^ at least in England- in Scotland I think that the “no coal” decree is about the first of May. I have been thoroughly chilled all day but it is my own fault on account of I sent me coat to be dry cleaned on the strength of the no coal idea.
Tell Sandra I am taking very good care of the cat and that soon I will send it to Oxford to get some more education. From your mothers note I gather that Dana will leave soon for training at Paris Island. Be sure to send his address and I will write him.
Your mention of the snap shots suggest that maybe I should have my picture taken while in Merrie Old England. I might have thought of that for your birthday. Maybe I will, but don’t get your hopes up too high, because maybe I cant.
Give lots of my love to Barbara and Nancy, and all of you take good care of yourselves- You may all be sure I miss not being with you!
Dewey