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THE
DAILY MONITOR AND N.H. PATRIOT AUGUST
6th , 1940
Another Letter From England
Feel
None Left To Let Them Down
ANOTHER
LETTER
(This
letter was received by Dr.Arthur I. Andrews of Lower Warner the past week.)
It is
strange that we are still quietly confident.
We have had shock after shock, disaster after disaster but it has in no
way shaken our morale or our confidence. We
had worried for weeks. (My husband for months expected France to give in) about
France giving in, but a few hours after the shock—we felt there was no one
else to let us down, we had only ourselves—and many of us felt relieved that
our men could fight in our country. It
was then we appreciated
your natural reluctance to go to war and send your men so far away.
It
was such a relief to know our men would not be outflanked and surrounded as had
happened so often is France.
We
have our colonies, and our splendid friends in America—none of these will
hinder us—so we all feel we know exactly how we stand and can plan
accordingly.
It
is, as if Providence is being kind to us—most of the bombs that have dropped
have missed their mark. (This is
not journalist report!! It is quite true.) John and I went to see one of our
local scenes of bombing and I came back feeling much happier.
A bomb in a fairly narrow road only broke window glass.
I have just been painting all the windows in this house with some
Anti-Splinter material and we have filled boxes with earth and sand outside the
door of our collar. John has a camp
bed in the cellar that he gets into as soon as the warning
Siriol
will be a guest of one of the girls until school starts in September and then we
pay the school fees here and our 1/50th share of the salary of two mistresses
that went, so we are pleased it was arranged.
We
are really well fed and have no worries about being blockaded. We could do with
far less, and are willing to do so.
Our
last worry has gone except Ireland now we have the French Fleet.
We are grateful to our wonderful American friends for the way they are
doing everything to help us. Apart
from aeroplane and guns etc. your moral support has done us good.
It
has become almost a crusade, and we are determined to fight until we win.
Please thank Mrs. A. for her interest in Siriol.
Kindness helps us such a lot these days.
It keeps our faith in people when so many have let us down.
We
are thankful to have a man of courage, foresight and one who can make a quick
decision. We were tired of waiting: Chamberlain did his best but it was not good
enough.
July 10
“We
have all read the cuttings you so kindly sent us, with great interest.
It
does us good to know we have such splendid friends and that sentiment is on our
side. We shall win but it is going to be a hard and long fight, and we shall
need moral as well as military support.
Siriol
will be delighted to receive your Magna Carte cover and the one received today
of Waterloo as well as two parcels of cuttings for us.
Yesterday
we had a daylight raid on a port near us. My
father saw part of the fight from his window where he works.
Unfortunately six were killed, otherwise the raids have not been very
successful in this district.
John
is attempting to write a letter to you. It
is a bit of an effort for him so please excuse it.
I
am surprised how calm we all are, even Gareth’s dog, who was nervous at first
is getting quite used to noise of firing.
----_
THE
SPEAKER, NEW LONDON, N.H.. August 29th,1940
ENGLAND
SET FOR
WAR
TO A FINISH
A very good
picture of the general attitude of the English people is shown in the following
excerpts from a letter recently received by Dr. Arthur I. Andrews of Warner.
England,
Aug. 7, 1940
I
am enclosing the American Clipper covers (seven covers) which I had put safely
away in Barry. We got rather tired
of getting up nearly every night and spending one, two or sometimes three hours
in the cellar—so John and I returned with camp beds, and it is really lovely
to be able to forget aeroplanes and to spend peaceful nights again. Our turn will come for disturbed nights later on I expect!
Fortunately
at my home there was very little damage, but the Docks were too near for us to
be happy about
John. Everyone was cheerful there.
We all know that the war has not really started for us yet hut we are
quite prepared for it when it comes. We
spend most of our time boasting about our gardens!
People have done wonders in their flower gardens and we are quite used to
seeing cabbages grow in formal and well-kept gardens!
I am amazed at the way we recovered from the shock of France deserting
us. We can rely on our own
efforts— and Churchill is a born leader, fearless and he instills in us
complete faith and courage.
Siriol
writes such happy letters. We are
glad we were able to send her to Canada. I
am hoping that John can join her later. Please
do not think that any of us underestimate the danger by being cheerful.
The fact that we part with our children is a sure sign that we know what
we are in for and are willing to put up with anything until we win.
We are grateful to you for your planes and for your sympathetic loyalty
to us. I hope the embargo on
Aviation spirit will be lifted where we are concerned, as your Aviation spirit
is the best, we are told. I have
kept a new slogan cover for you but all this moving about and being in three
different homes, upsets one’s packing! We
manage splendidly on our rations and are really well fed, cheerful and
confident. The only complaint to be heard is that, the Budget—was not stiff
enough. We are a funny people!
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- - -
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ARLINGTON ADVOCATE
-
ARLINGTON,
MASS., THURSDAY, DECEMBER 26, 1940
British
Mettle
Shown
in Letter
From South Wales
The
following letter from a British correspondent of an Institute of Foreign
Relations member was sent to the Advocate by Professor Arthur I. Andrews, whose
home was formerly on Gray Street.
South
Wales
November
18, 1940
Dear
Professor A.
Thank
you very much for “The Speaker.” I
always feel that any letters are too dull to send so I am pleased they were of
sufficient interest. When one is
always busy in the home, one gets an Inferiority complex!
This
is going to be our wartime address, unless it becomes dangerous for John to live
in. So far we have had warnings
daily but have become so used to nothing happening that we really feel safe
here. It is the route for more
important places—there is nothing here of value, except our lives which I
nearly forgot about!
My
home in London has had its several very bad shakings and one land mine (there
were three in back of gardens near) finished off all the glass. Ceilings are now
down - roof partly off and chimney pots down and doors blown in, cracks in walls
6in wide; but fortunately all this happened the week those poor children were
torpedoed in the Atlantic, and the house seemed so trivial when I had John safe
and sound, that I haven’t worried, a bit.
Besides. I squirm when I think that the French couldn’t fight for their
Paris – to me and that is most of us London is far finer in ruins and I am so
proud of the way the Londoners are sticking it, day and night. My husband sleeps in the shelter next door.
He was the only one left in our road but now two sisters have come back
to one house—so you can see the extent of damage in our road.
Londoners
go home from work, have a meal, then prepare for the night; make a thermos of
coffee or milk, and hot water bottle and get their oil lamp or stove ready and
settle down early in shelter. My
husband comes here for a rest every fortnight.
He sleeps most of the time he is here.
In spite of severe damage to my district I am surprised that fruit and
vegetables are half the price in our London shopping centre (market stalls run
by cockneys) and yet in this quiet seaside and country town tomatoes are 2/ and
only 1/ in London though ruined shops are all around and transport can not be as
easy as it is here.
My
husband gets his milk, bread and paper delivered as usual daily, and gas, water,
and electric lights are still on, though for a few days he had to turn the
electric heater on its back and boil a kettle and fry bacon that way—but all
the services were all right in a few days after that first bombardment.
(He has boarded up the kitchen and one room.)
Plenty of Good Meals
I
often feel ashamed of the way I really enjoy good meals when I think of poor
people abroad! We have plenty of
everything, and I am thankful that I have seen no trace of nervousness or poor
feeding anywhere, in children or grown ups.
Boys, are of course, thrilled with, aeroplanes and no child seems
conscious of the terror of war, except of course those who have actually been in
intense bombardment.
We
hope you and Mrs. A. are well. We
are all so very grateful to you for what you are sending us and for your moral
backing. We like a little praise. I
think we deserve it after what we went through in June, many countries would
have gone under but we just pulled ourselves together, and refused to even think
of defeat, and we never once lost confidence, though everything seemed against
us, except our colonies and you all in America.
The
only complaint my husband used to hear in London was the fact that we were too
careful of hitting military objectives—people considered civilian morale
should count indirectly as a “military objective,” and they wanted the
people in Berlin to suffer the same inconvenience of sleeping in dug-outs, etc.
We
all disliked the closing of the Burma Road; we dislike anything in the nature of
appeasement and are relieved that the Burma Road is now open.
We
were all delighted that we leased you bases.
We were accepting too -much from you and so eagerly that we gladly
welcomed this gesture.
No One to Take
Churchill’s Place
Poor Chamberlain! We
were all sorry at his death as he did try hard, but there was no-deep feeling of
regret. We all agree that there is
no one to take Churchill’s place.
The
King and Queen are really wonderful. They
work harder than anyone, and do such a lot of good.
My
husband
tells me the cockney humor is still as keen as ever.
One shop whose windows were boarded up and place in ruins had “If you
can’t see what you like—step inside.”
There
are a big number of evacuees here. We
are trying to form a club for them meet and have tea.
My
husband complains of the loneliness of London now; he was the only one living in
our road until this week and he says
after work he only sees the baker and the milkman who call daily.
Most of his colleagues have evacuated.
November 19th:
I
received such a kind letter from Mrs. G and will reply in a few days.
All the good wishes we receive do help us—-we seem to thrive on
kindness.
We
are very upset about Coventry. In
spite of very heavy casualties only, 2: percent are willing to leave their city
to homes found for them. This war
has taught us to appreciate the simple things of life, our homes a very dear to
us, and yet there are no regrets when those homes are unfit to live in.
I am proud of the way we are defending London.
A cup of Tea Put Them
Right
The first home we had when we married had a bomb in the
front garden and the two old people we had sold it to, years ago, were dragged
out, and all they wanted to put them right was a cup of tea—though their
neighbor was killed. Our next home
(No. 70) had a bomb in garden, and it too, is only just standing, like No. 88. .
We are astounded at the few people killed in our district, miraculous escapes.
We
feel very lucky, our furniture is here and our children are safe. It is
impossible to get furniture out of London for three months or so—big waiting
list for vans.
The tide has
turned and we see our way clearer than before though it will be a long time we
feel, before the war will be over.
Last
June we wanted the children out of this country.
We wouldn’t admit it -before, but we were so afraid they wouldn’t be
well fed—but I wish you could see John he is called “Tubby” in school!
We also felt that we should get much more severe bombardment everywhere,
and that very few places would be safe. Now
my mind is quite at ease, I don’t even worry as I did at first when the sirens
went, and I am so thankful John is still in this country.
Siriol is very
happy in Canada. It is fine
experience for her.
I
worry more about the sailors than I do the Air Force, especially when we had a
terrible gale last week, and yet we get everything we need, thanks to our
sailors, arid with few exceptions (onions and lemons are not plentiful—tho’
we grew our onions in London—have some left) we get everything we want.
Our flower bed in London produced about 100 lbs. of tomatoes, they are 2/
a lb. here, as well as carrots and onions and peas.
With best regards to Mrs. A. and many thanks to all
Americans.
Yours
sincerely,
E.
L.
P. S.—At the
Womens Voluntary Service meeting I went to -this afternoon, the speaker said
amongst other kind remarks about you in America, “The highest tribute should
be paid to the American Red Cross.” She
said that bales and bales of -clothing had come for our evacuees.
There were several very useful garments with the mark “American Red
Cross” on them.
We
are going to form a club for Evacuee Mothers to meet and have tea and sew or
read, and another club for children under five, so that their mothers can have a
rest occasionally, and we may start, or attempt to, a communal kitchen.
Many mothers with young children have had to leave their homes suddenly
in the clothes they were wearing, and same of them are not the type who have
many interests, so I am afraid it is dull for them out of surroundings and homes
that they are used to. We feel we
could lighten their lives a little perhaps.
I always forget I am an evacuee myself, but it is quite different when
you have your own house and own furniture and plenty of work to do! Our tenants
have left so we have the whole house, it is really lovely after living in a.
bed-sitting room in this house for four months, but I paid S.iriol’s passage
to Canada by doing this.
We are really
grateful to you all for what you are doing for us, and we do appreciate your
kind thoughts.
We
watched your Election with great interest though we knew too little about
Willkie to be disappointed.
E.L.
Securing informative letters
is part of the work of the Institute of World Affairs. Answers are invited and should be sent through Arthur I.
Andrews, Secretary, Warner, New Hampshire.
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- - -
THE
SPEAKER, NEW LONDON, N.H.. February 20th,1941
ENGLISH
EXPECT
A LONG, HARD WAR
Dear
Professor A.
Thank
you very much for your two letters, and the stamps which John was delighted to
receive.
My husband
writes to say that his part of London has had a very quiet time—gunfire of
course goes on, but very little bombing there.
This to us is a good sign, since the Germans now concentrate on one city;
if they were superior in numbers they would surely attack London
simultaneously,- but no—their method is one huge effort at wiping out the
centre of one city, with wave upon wave of bombers coming over.
We have yet to learn to stop this night bombing.
Their planes come at such a height that this is a difficult task.
They are
expecting a big attack on that lovely city of ours in Wales, as the Germans are
very systematic even in their madness. As
you know, some of our English cities have had a very severe time.
One of the chief dangers is the lack of water, not only for
fire-fighting, but for drinking after such raids where water mains may be
bombed.
Most of us feel
annoyed that there were no deep shelters built in vulnerable areas. For the size of the bombs used these surface shelters are
only of use for protection from splinters and shrapnel from gunfire and blast.
Professor Haldane in his book on A. R. P. (Air Raid Precautions) that I
read long before the war, advised shelters that were at least 60 foot deep and
he had worked out his scheme for these on practical experience gained in Spain,
Barcelona, etc., and also on scientific calculation (so many feet of concrete,
so many of earth). In spite of
warnings in the press that the danger from invasion is not over, none of us
worry about it. Very few of us
apart from politicians and the army really thought it possible, and if it were,
we felt secure as our air force and anti-air craft men would never let Germans
gain a landing place. They are
probably trying it now at Southampton. I
think our soldiers would welcome invasion just to have a shot at the Germans. “Let them come” is the prevalent feeling and has been all
along. We are a good match for
them.
We are so very very grateful to
our sailors. We try to help them by
using as much home-grown food as we can. We are keeping our tinned vegetables until we use up the
garden produce as we shall probably need it in January and February when our
vegetables are always scarce. We
hope, though we are confident that you will not do so, that you will not send
food to France. In the long run it
will be kindness not to send, as we want to shorten the war.
We
were discussing a remark that war would be over this spring and we all agreed
that it would be far better for the war to go on until spring 1942, much as we
all hate war. If we had finished
the last war properly, this war would never have started.
Men who fought in the last war have always thought this, and we all agree
that the war must be brought right to the German homes.
They can’t stand up to it as we can, though they have had better
training for hardship. We have had
easier lives, but looking back we value all we have had, and it is worth
fighting for. It is a miserable existence, sleeping in a dugout night after
night, but I have heard no complaints, except about the waste of time.
We
hear so often, “America is fine”. We
are so deeply grateful. I don’t
think any of us expect you to wage war, but - we do need all your help and we
are so grateful for what you send us.
We
are all splendid.
Yours
sincerely
E.L.
Note: This material furnished by the Institute of World
Affairs, Lower Warner, N. H.
-----
THE
SPEAKER, NEW LONDON, N.H.. May 29th, 1941
BRITISH
THANKFUL
FOR AMERICAN
AID
South
Wales, March 22, 1941
Dear
Professor A.
I
have so little to write about that I am copying part of my husband’s letter.
He was going to write to you but spent the whole weekend “digging for
victory” and was so tired and stiff he wasn’t in the mood for letter
writing. We have planted vegetables
(parsnips and leeks) that will be ready next January, so you see how we all look
ahead as January, February, March and April are the difficult months where
foodstuffs are concerned. I am
thankful we have come through these months so well—but it saddens us to hear
of our shipping losses. Our sailors
risk their lives to feed us so we have all tried to help by planting and eating
as many vegetables as possible. Your
Aid-to-Britain Bill heartened us all. We
are overjoyed and encouraged.
We
are grateful to you all for what you are doing.
The press is full of praise for all you are doing for us.
The president of the Board of Trade, Captain Lyttelton, described the
United Status Lease-Lend Bill as “the most generous gesture ever made.”
“No Englishman should ever forget what the United States has done for us in
1941.” “I sincerely believe
that the memory of
this help will survive and have a lasting impression upon the relations
between the two countries. It is
upon those relations that the future of the world and of peace depends.”
Several
bombs dropped in a park near my parents’ home.
I hope they nave quiet night this Wednesday, as it is their fortnightly
(it used to be a weekly duty!) duty to fire watch.
My sister and aunt watch for incendiaries up to 1 a.m.—and then my
parents (ages 72 and 73) watch from 1
a.m. to 6 a.m. This is, of course, if there is an “alert” on.
Several houses join together and take turns in fire watching.
I
am sorry that I cannot get friends to write. I know very few here—except those
I share duty with at the Evacuee Club. My
husband suggests I write to DAILY TELEGRAPH asking for letters to be sent to
you, especially from those who can describe the damage to historical buildings.
We
are so pleased that the damage to Guildhall is not as severe as at first
thought. The roof is completely gone but the walls are intact.
I
am ashamed to send my letters—they are usually so hurriedly written, but they
give you the ordinary busy everyday average housewife’s outlook on life in
general. We are longing for summer,
even if it does mean attempted invasion.
The
winter with blackout regulations is a dreary affair, though nothing could be so
depressing as last June—yet we have come through it all.
We feel now that the worst is over, though we know we have severe tests
in front of us, but we can rely on all our friends and on ourselves while we had
the worry of France giving in to contend with last summer.
At
the “refuge shelter” meeting last week they spoke of the help America was
giving—parcels for the bombed, etc. The
1st Aid Post keep “sweetened tea” ready to give people suffering from shock
in the event of a raid.
The
children I have met do not mind the siren sounding, as it means they can leave
their lessons and do just as they like, within reason, in the shelter.
They have sing-songs, or read magazines and books provided for and “alarm” or “alert”, or knit, and
they can talk as much as they like so that the “alert” period is quite a
pleasant time. My sister is
Headmistress of a Secondary School (like your High School, I presume) and she
has often heard sighs of regret when the “All Clear” goes and they have to
return to work and order. Most
teachers believe in letting the girls sing and enjoy themselves during an
“alert”; otherwise, the “alert” periods would be irksome and a strain
and a period to be dreaded. They
time the girls getting to the shelter. I
think my sister’s school can be cleared (450-500 pupils) in three minutes.
Yours sincerely,
E.L.
------
THE
SPEAKER, NEW HAMPSHIRE JUNE 5Th, 1941
BRTISH
TO FIGHT
WAR TO BITTER END
April
17th, 1941
South
Wales
Dear
Professor A.:
Letters
to Canada sent from here March l7th-23rd are presumed lost and I have an idea I
wrote a very long rambling letter about that time—probably the U.S.A. mail
goes by same route. It really is
good of you al to think of writing to Siriol. If it is convenient to you I am
sure she will be delighted to come, but she will, I know understand it your plan
has to be postponed until next year.
I
will use stamped envelopes and will try to get some used King George V stamps. I used to collect all stamps for hospitals but a few weeks
ago I gave a big envelope full away so it will be some time before I can collect
any.
I
can’t go there (her London home) for a few weeks—for two reasons—it
hasn’t been very safe for John (last week especially) also John has chicken
pox—but is quite fit and busy now I am planting vegetables.
We
are feeling sad at the war news and do hope we shall have better news soon.
London
had it very badly last night. I am thankful my husband is still here on holiday.
I wonder if my house is still standing but I am not going to worry about
it—bricks can be replaced! We
have great hopes in the Australians—they are fine fighters and have a splendid
reputation.
The
Czechs are supposed to be the most popular of our allies in this country and the
Poles the best fighters—They have cause to hate.
The stories going round about the Poles may not be true but they show up
their fighting spirit. One story is
that Polish Air men have to have their petrol rationed else they would be over
Berlin—another tale is that when the Poles do their training in the air a
Britisher has to go up to see that they do not fly straight to Berlin! We admire
their spirit.
On
the Dutch Queen’s birthday last year all the Dutch soldiers wore orange button
holes, most wore marigolds as these were plentiful.
The
letter sent Air Mail to the Williams arrived March 3rd—Monday though it was
posted Saturday, March 1st—I repeat myself as I think a letter or
two has been sunk.
The
news that your ships were coming to the Red Sea cheered us up at time when we
needed a little cheering.
I
don’t know what we should without your help. I think we realize how much we
owe to you all. We always knew that
the majority you thought as we do.
I
have at last obtained a copy “Battle of Britain” for you and one
for Mr. D. which will be sent to you this week.
I am not allowed to send them myself but a news agent allowed to. I hope
you will receive it.
We
received today our pamphlet on, What to do
in a Gas Attack. Even the wireless programme was interrupted over and over
again last week I remind us to carry our gas masks.
I have just got used to wearing my mask now.
I used to dread wearing but it isn’t so terrible after all! The pamphlet says “We can beat gas attacks if we know what
to do and do it.”
We
await the news anxiously these days, we have no doubt of final victor but it is
terrible to have to prolong the war and lose more of our fine men.
I
am afraid France is very quiet and too well behaved.
We shall have little inside help from them.
They haven’t the spirit of
the Poles or Czech.
April
28th
I am sorry I have left this letter so long. I have been
fairly busy.
Although
we have had to leave Greece we all feel that we were morally bound to fight in
Greece and we would all have been ashamed had we left no forces and help. We hay
lost prestige we know, but it is what we
ourselves feel is right that counts. Shame
does not help us in any way—but we can always recover prestige and we shall do
so.
We
can see no end to this war—But one thing we are certain of and that is that we
go on fighting to the bitter end and that we shall, with your wonderful help,
and our stubborn unconquerable spirit win in the end.
We
met a naval officer who was a Narvik and I asked him whether our attempt in
Norway was in vain! And he said “Definitely no—we did enough damage to make
certain places unfit for use of the Germans for six months at
least and in some cases for duration of war.” He was full of praise for t
he Poles “really fine men” he said.
I
wonder what France will do. We cannot rely on them.
I have tried hard o forgive them but some things can never be forgotten
when lives are involved.
Yours
sincerely,
E.L.
Institute
of World Affairs, British Correspondence, contributed by
the Lower Warner group.
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