Authors

Mary Metcalfe

Document Type

Personal Letter

Transcription

[Transcription begins]

1.

May 19, 1944

Dearest Mommie,

Well, here we are together again after a mad week of rushing around.

On Monday morning I went into headquarters + found that I had nothing to do but wait until Tues. morning to see Mr. Normand with the rest of the girls in the unit we were to be in. Had lunch with Jane Phillips + Anne Ferguson, both of whom have been on a crew with Mary Pitcairn. Went to the PX + picked up my week’s rations + purchased another barracks bag. As I was trying to collect my belongings in my room Mon. afternoon I looked out the window + there was Mary Pitcairn. She + another girl had just driven their Clubmobile in from someplace. She said she thought she had the measles (the 3 day type which everyone seems to be getting now) + was about to go to the hospital.

2.

Leslie + Bibbie both arrived Tues. morning. We all went over to headquarters + discovered that we were to leave at noon driving in convoy about 125 miles to the place we would have the big presentation of our unit the next day. We rushed back to where we were staying, finished packing + brought all of our luggage to our place.

Our convoy consisted of 8 Clubmobiles, 4 GMC trucks, + 5 Hillman Cars (1) + one jeep which ran back + forth all day along the convoy all the way. I started out driving one of the GMC trucks. It soon bogged down as there was something wrong with the fuel line. I rode the rest of the way in a Hillman with Ginger Roberts, a member of one of the other crews.

3.

We were late getting started and we stopped for tea on the way, arriving at our destination at about 8 o’clock. Had sandwiches + coffee at the R. C. Club there, then to the rooms provided for us for the next couple of nights. Bibby + I had a room together on the top floor (3rd fl.) of some house. It had one of those gas heaters which you put money into to get heat out of it.

The next day we went out + cleaned up our Clubmobiles + looked at all our equipment to see what we had + what was missing.

In the afternoon we had the big ceremony of the presentation of our Clubmobile unit to the 1st Army. I am sending you a copy of the program so you can see how fancy it was. All of our equipment of Clubmobiles + trucks, + Hillman cars, plus a couple of generators + eight trailers (small carts) were lined up on one side of the parade ground. We were all attired in white scarf + gloves with our battle dress, + stood behind Gen. Bradley (2) + his staff + all the R. C. bigwigs while the program was in progress.

4.

This program shows Mary Pitcairn as being on one of the Clubmobiles. She + her crew are not on one of the Clubmobiles now, but they will belong to this unit eventually. Only four of the Clubmobiles we brought were actually equipped, + the other four were taken back to be made ready the day after the ceremony. We have the Clubmobile “Santa Fe” which it shows by the program that Mary + her crew were to have. After the ceremony our Clubmobile + the “Sioux Falls” were brought out on to the field + we served coffee + doughnuts to everyone. I was supposed to be part of a big publicity stunt, handing a St. Louis paper to Gen. Bradley since we are both Missourians, he from Moberly + me from St. Louis. Someone forgot to bring the paper though, so we didn’t do it.

After serving coffee + doughnuts, Gen. Bradley had a magnificent buffet supper for us. He has a beautiful house + grounds where he + his staff live. We even had place cards at supper.

As we were having cocktails before dinner, Gen. Bradley came looking for me (imagine a 3 star Gen. looking for me) so we could discuss Missouri.

5.

I wish I had known something about Moberly but we found that we both knew very little about Mo. He said he hadn’t been back there for 11 years. He is really nice, plain as an old shoe, + talks just like a back woods Missourian.

I spoke to Mr. Normand + told him that I had some relatives who knew his sister. He said he had a daughter who goes to Rosemary. After supper Mr. Gibson, Mr. Normand + Lady Chesham had to drive back, but some of us stayed + chatted with the Gen. + his aides. They took us for a walk around the garden + there was a sergeant who came + played the piano + we all sang.

The next morning we set off for our destination which is here where our Clubmobile is to be based. This is beautiful country all around here. It is a typical English town, narrow streets up + down hill a very old town. We live just on the outskirts of town.

6.

At present Bibbie + I share a room which is to be our sitting room next week. When a couple of people leave we shall have two other separate bedrooms. The room we are in now has a lovely view. We look out onto fields where cows + horses are grazing. Leslie’s room is adjoining to this one + has the same view. It is so nice for all three of us to be living together. Another delightful thing is that aside from the Clubmobile, we have one of the little Hillmans to run around in. It is a small English car, right hand drive, kind of like a station wagon. We call it our toy. It is such a cute little thing to drive, especially compared to our huge GMC Clubmobile which is going to be something to manage in these narrow + winding streets + roads.

We haven’t started operating yet but expect to start the 1st of the week. We are not sure of how many places we are to go, but our supervisor is coming tomorrow + we shall get everything settled.

7.

We have spent the past couple of days finding laundries, cleaners + getting acquainted with the different services of the army here who can help us operate.

All the officers + boys here seem very nice + they are thrilled at the idea of the Clubmobile + are more than willing to help us in any way. Unlike our last place these are engineers we are serving. There seem to be quite a few Jewish boys in this outfit. We have noticed quite a lot of colored troops around. Our own boys say that the girls go out with the colored soldiers all the time. That is supposed to be true all over the British Isles. I can tell you more about that after we have been here awhile.

We live with a Mrs. Taylor. She reminds me of a slightly younger version of Mrs. Harry Laugenberg. She has short grey hair which flies out in a wild fashion + she talks in a vague sort of way as we have learned the English are inclined to do.

8.

I’m not quite sure I shall ever get this letter finished. It is now May 22nd, my birthday. Life here seems to be so confusing, we don’t know just what we are supposed to do + it is difficult getting started. The equipment on this Clubmobile is different + we have to learn how to operate with it + try to get under way serving as fast as possible. This is slightly difficult to do with GI’s under foot all the time.

Mail came to us here today for the first time + wasn’t it nice that I came home + found all my birthday cards + letters here. There were 7 cards, a letter from Jane of May 9th, yours of May 6th with Davie’s letters enclosed, one from Carter + one from Farlines, my ward boy at the hospital, a priceless letter – no punctuation. There was also a telegram wishing me best wishes + congratulations for my birthday from Amer. Red Cross in London.

9.

There is a Mr. Mitchell who lives here – a definite character. He is an artist - at present pinch hitting as art master at a boys’ school near here. He keeps a bee hive or two out in the yard. The other other (sic) day as we were finishing tea, he completely surprised us by saying, “I have a queen bee waiting for me upstairs. She came by the post this morning.” Mrs. Taylor always calls him “Mitch” so we all do. He is a very good looking edition of Roland Young. That is the best description I can think of.

There is so much that has happened + so much to describe that I don’t know where to begin. Also everything, our clothes, our living conditions, our schedule, our GMC + equipment is in such confusion right now I can’t get my mind on writing a letter. We are all three in this state. We feel there is so much to write. Still we just collapse exhausted at the end of the day + can hardly get ourselves washed.

(forgot to write on this page)

10.

It is now almost one o’clock + we have to get up at seven to get started so we can serve everyone.

I am going to end this now + mail it – when a sane moment arrives I shall try to write some details.

Please thank everyone for me for my birthday letters + cards. I loved May’s card + hankie.

This setup is so different, in such a small town, like being in a goldfish bowl. We have an officer, G.I. problem on our hands in addition to everything else + must handle both with kid gloves. We are the only American girls they have seen since they came over + they love us but they also have to get used to what to do with us. The boys just look at us + want to hear us talk, it doesn’t make any difference what we say, + they all want to take pictures of us. I must go to sleep now. Lots + lots of love to you + all,

Chi-Chi

(1) Hillman cars were British RAF (Royal Air Force) staff cars

(2) Omar Bradley was a distinguished officer of the U. S. Army who later became the first Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff who served under Presidents Truman and Eisenhower

[Transcription ends]

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