Authors

Mary Metcalfe

Document Type

Personal Letter

Transcription

[Transcription begins]

5.

March 10, 1944

Dearest Mommie,

I haven’t written for some time and it’s just because I don’t seem to be able to say no. You know how I am when anyone says let’s go someplace; I’m out the door before the sentence is finished.

I shall start with Feb. 28th a week ago Mon. We didn’t work all day as the Clubmobile needed some fixing. That night Bibbie + I went to the St. Nicholas Hotel + had a couple of beers, thru to the R. C. Officer’s Club for a snack at about 10:30 + played some records. Didn’t do anything special on Tues. Andrew + I shined all my shoes Tues. night.

Bibbie left for Edinburgh for her weeks leave on Wed. I went to the R. C. Officer’s Club with a Lt. Carson. A terrible blizzardy night. The orchestra didn’t show up so we just sat in front of fires + talked. This Carson is kind of a crazy little guy, but funny.

I am now the owner of some fleece lined flying boots so my feet are warm. One of the boys in Tech. Supply found me a second hand pair. They are huge but with my WAC field shoes + my battle dress trousers tucked in them they are fairly well filled up.

On Thurs. as we were driving home we picked up Lt. Appleton. He asked us to come to his house for drink. Leslie didn’t want to go, but of course I went + enjoyed it immensely. That night I went to the Officer’s Club for dinner + wrote Tantie that night.

On Fri. Bud + Johnnie asked Les + me to go to the movies. Les bogged down on us, but the three of us went to see “White Captive” a terrible movie, but the coloring was lovely. The movie was so cold that I made each of the boys hold hands with me to keep me warm.

Sat. was our day off so I went to Carter’s father’s town + had my hair washed, had lunch there + went to see “Holy Matrimony” in the afternoon, picked up the Clubmobile at a garage there + drove back to the R. C. Officers Club + had dinner with Les. Johnnie joined us + Bud + a Lt. Barnett came in. We played Gin Rummy + fooled around.

Worked all day Sunday, and had a special serving at 7 o’clock so it was about 8 o’clock when we finished. Bud + Johnnie turned up where we were serving + we all went to the Officers Club for something to eat. Les went home after eating. The rest of us stayed + played records, then walked home along the water front. It was a beautiful night. When I got home I went in to the downstairs lounge + talked to Mr. + Mrs. Andrews, Andrew, Mrs. Osborne, + Capt. Lambert who also lives at the Drumneil. (that’s where we live)

On Mon. we worked all morning, went to Officer’s Club on the base for lunch, then cleaned the doughnut machine all afternoon. Drove back to the O. C. Club on base to leave some things to be cleaned. Bud + Johnnie came in about 5:30 and said stay + have dinner. Les said she wanted to go home + get cleaned up but I stayed. After dinner we had a drink in the bar + played the slot machine.

We then drove to the movies (where I had my hair washed on Sat.) Bud is a liaison officer + they have a lovely buick which Bud gets sometimes when Capt. Pennington the other officer with him is away. We went to see “Behind the Rising Sun.” Went to the R. C. Club for snacks after the movie. When we drove home we sat + had a cigarette in the car just as though we were at home.

Tues. morning we all started off again as Bibby was back. Had tea at Drumneil, took a bath, had supper + talked to the Andrews.

Wed. was the beginning of all sorts of upheavals. Eva Christiansen the supervisor for our Clubmobile had wired she was arriving by plane Wed. evening. Wed. morning we received word that our Clubmobile, the Nevada, was to be sent elsewhere + they were sending us a Greenliner (1) with a driver. We closed up shop at noon and spent the afternoon cleaning out the Clubmobile. When we arrived home to dress before going to meet the plane, there was a message that all three of us were to report as soon as possible for Ranger duty, the same as the other two times I was called away. Naturally this was very upsetting to us with a new Clubmobile arriving. However we decided that only two of us could possibly go. We took Eva to the R. C. Officers Club for dinner + she was catching a 9 o’clock train to London. After putting her on the train Bibby + I went back to the Officers Club where we met Bud + Johnnie just leaving. We went back to their house for supper + we sat + talked.

Yesterday Bibby + I had to take off for here. We had lunch at the R. C. Club (the enlisted men’s club was closed last Sat.) We caught a 2 o’clock train to go to Mrs. Chivvis’s. While there we went to the PX where I bought an officer’s rain coat which has a wool lining. We had our pictures taken in kilts + can’t wait to see how they turn out. We had dinner there + caught an 8 o’clock train arriving at about 9:30 last night. When we arrived here at the Sinker Club we had a message to call Leslie. She talked to hdqs. + they said she was to join us + that a Clubmobile was not being sent to us, but they would let us know here what our next move would be. We are so afraid that this means there will be no more Clubmobile where we have been + they will probably split us up + send us around to different places. The worst part is not knowing what is going to happen.

We worked today + talked to Les again tonight. She still doesn’t know what is to be done but we are all keeping our fingers crossed that they won’t close out the Clubmobile there. We have been having such fun there + we would hate to leave. One of the best things about being there is the laundry. I have never seen things done more beautifully than they do them there. Shirts + blouses come back looking like new.

Received a nice long letter from Bill Weld on Wed. He says he is trying to keep alive that pipe dream of mine of a trip to London. He says he has written to Frances to tell her that Mimi is in her vicinity. He said he paid a visit to Mme. Tussaud’s Wax Museum + looked for me in the cellar but for some reason they didn’t have me down there. They have the chamber of horrors in the cellar, as you might guess. He said to send his love to the Madam.

I received your letter of the 22nd of Feb. + one from the bridge club girls enclosing a letter from Chivvie.

How amazing about Jimmie + Ginnie. I think it’s grand.

It sounds as though you are fixing the apt. up mighty pretty. I can’t wait to see it. Tonight when I talked to Les, she there were two letters + a package there for me. I think that Bibby + I may go back to our real home Sunday night as we don’t think we have to work Mon. We want to get our laundry off + attend to a few things.

I shall write you as soon as I find out what they are going to do with us.

I have been writing this letter in the lounge with all sorts of confusion going on. I hope it makes some sense anyway.

It is too crazy the way the four of us talk. Most of the time the boys talk to us as though we were a couple of boys. They call Bibby, Joe, and when I first arrived someone introduced me to someone as Miss Murphy. Now they never call me anything but Murph. Such foolishness, but such a lot of laughs.

I must go to bed now. It is getting late (I was thinking some golf balls might be nice for my birthday) but now I may not be where I can use them. (You might send me the hat to my suit.) I think that would be a nice birthday present. I really don’t need anything. (Fruit + candy are the two things I should like most.)

Lots + lots of love to you + everyone.

Chichi

(1) Greenliner was the original Clubmobile made from the London Green Line buses.

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