Winter Term 1945
Undated but must be first letter
I have arrived safe and sound and am quite happily settled in now. It is not so bad to be back and everything is looking very nice. My trunk and tuck box have not yet arrived here, but I am almost certain that they are down at the station. My bike is here. I had a very good journey here and I had an empty carriage to Reading. All the fruit was very good and has now all gone P.S. Trunk and box arrived and unpacked and all safe.
October 7th
I am writing this at an exceedingly early hour as I forgot to put my watch back last night. I got up nice and early to go to communion and then I realised what I had done. It is a perfect nuisance but it can’t be helped!!
There is rather a lovely rhyme about a blackbird in the Tennyson which I am doing for Higher Cert. and I am going to enclose it, as I think it will amuse you. (it was enclosed).
October 14th
All the week I have been doing more standards and I have run 440 yds in 60 secs, a ½ mile in 2.30, 100yds in 12, and 220 in29. That’s about all.
I went into Oxford yesterday and enjoyed myself looking round. I bought ‘Middlemarch’ by George Eliot, which I have got to do for Higher Cert., also ‘Jorrocks Jaunts and Jollities’ by Surtees, also my sweet ration and 55 .22 pellets for 3/-. Could you ask Pa if he could clean the air-rifle and oil it, and if he could get a new barrel for it, which I think he do easily, because it needs it.
Soames has fracture his arm and he can’t play rugger any more, which is rather bad luck.
October 21st
I have at last started playing rugger and last week I played five times. I am in second side, thus have a chance of getting into the 4th or 3rd XV.
I seem to be doing a lot more work this term than last; I am very happy. It is very queer when it gets dark so early nowadays and for some reason reminds me of the Chauntry!!
October 28th
The news of Dennis is marvellous and I am longing for him to come home. It is nice to know he will at least be home before Christmas.
There was a 3rd and a 4th XV match last week, but I only played in the 4th which means I am not much good, but better than quite a few people. We lost 38-3 against St Edwards, who usually beat us.
We have got a field day to-morrow and we are going to look over an aerodrome near here. It ought to be very good fun indeed.
I am afraid that the winder of my watch has come off again and that I have lost the winder. So I will have to send it to you…what I am going to do without a watch I do not know.
Posted October 30th
I expect you will be very surprised to hear from\ me so soon, but so much has happened to-day that I thought you might like to hear from me again.
As I told you in my letter it was Field-day to-day. Well we bicycled to the aerodrome at Culham which is an R.N. Air Station…..we proceeded to look over the whole aerodrome. The workshops were very interesting indeed and they had some amazing tools and they were all beautifully laid out and equipped.
We looked over the armament section and saw 20mm cannons of Firefly and Seafire. After that we went in a bus to\ the other side of the drome and looked over a Firefly and the Cockpit. Just before going over we had had a glance at a Firefly and bits of radar equipment and at some Seafires, one of which was in bits. It was extremely interesting indeed. We looked at Seafires and heard them being revved up and did they make a noise (2000 h.p.).
Then I found out that the thing I had been longing for was cancelled,\ namely to fly. I had been longing to do it and it was almost certain that we would, but the R.A.F. Met said it was going to cloud over and rain, which to my intense annoyance it did not, but got finer and finer.
November 4th
On Wednesday the 3rd XV had a match against the 2nd XV and I was playing in the 3rd XV, which was very pleasing, even though we lost about 21.0.
But the main happenings of the week have been the Don’s plays. I don’t think I have told you about them before so I will tell you. Every year at All Saints week-end they give a series of sketches and a pantomime. My first year they acted Alladdin, last year they ‘Dick Whittington at Radley’ and this year they did ‘Dick Whittington at Oxford’. It was very good indeed. As I was a stage hand , I was able to watch them 4 times, each time I enjoyed them immensely. On Wednesday there was the dress rehearsal, which was most amusing and very good fun. on Thursday there was a performance to the village, Friday to the lower half of the school and Saturday to the upper half of the school and to Old Radleians, as it is the week-end they all come down. We got off Prep on Wednesday and Thursday night and after each performance we had a magnificent feast which was greatly appreciated. We never got to bed till about 11. It was all immensely enjoyable.
November 18th
It was lovely to ring up, and to hear Dennis speak even though I didn’t recognise his voice. I ought to be with him for about a fortnight next holidays. At least I hope I can be.
I have played quite a lot of rugger, and I think I am the spare man for the 3rd XV. There was a 3rd match yesterday, but as the whole team was there I wasn’t playing.
I am going to take up Spanish next term instead of Maths.
November 24th
(The letter is full of details about travel arrangements so I can come home for the week-end to see Dennis).
The social has bought a machine very like an electrolux for cleaning our studies and I was using it today. It is a lovely thing called a Bylock New Triplex Vacuum Cleaner. It has got a tremendous suction power, and seems to clean very well.
Sunday: I have had a very good day to-day and all the social plays have gone off very well and it has been very enjoyable watching them, which I have been able to do in spite of all my hard-work behind the scenes. The social play that won was rather a dismal but well acted play, w2hich I did not enjoy very much. I have done absolutely nothing to day except be at the stage. The day has gone pretty quickly. The plays were judged by a certain Mr George Rylands who you may have heard of, who produced Hamlet for John Gielgud in London last year. Mr. Neville Coghill judged last year and Leslie Banks the year before.