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do it, that was as much as I expected - but I wanted them to know what I was coming to see them about before I arrived. I shall wait until I hear about the other thing.
I must have supper & go to the concert.
Thursday, Nov 27th - You said in your letter, my darling, that you were afraid that I had been indiscreet in my cable to you about posting home. I don't think so, because in any case it would not have mattered if the contents had come to official notice because the request was a perfectly genuine one. And anyway, I do not think any spying is done on correspondence. Actually, not a single one of your letters has yet been opened. You told me that I had never given you this information & neither have you given it to me, darling!
This war does go on & on & on, doesn't it. It is really amazing. In your letter of 12th Oct you say the next two weeks will tell whether Moscow will fall or not. And here we are, 6 weeks later & the battle is more tense & furious than ever - & the Germans are nearer to Moscow I am afraid. And now it is my turn to say that the next two weeks will decide.
I have a feeling that the Russians will hold out & that it will be another turning point in the war. You notice I say "another" - I wish there could be such a thing as the turning point. I also have a feeling that Japan will back down. I really do think that America might have looked after the Far East - instead of our having to
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continually send troops & equipment & aircraft there & keep some Navy here & fight in the M.E. & be prepared at home. It is an awful strain on men & equipment & on shipping too.
More personally thought, I seem to be full of feelings at the moment based on small & perhaps rather silly things but all in connneciton with my coming home. For example today this Court Martial was held in the Pioneer Corps Depot & the first one I was on in Palestine was in the same place & it therefore gave me the feeling of full circle having been traversed. And then again, I had lunch in the P.C. mess, which is next to the P.R.T.D. Mess where I was in January - the two messes are complete counterparts of each other, but built the opposite way round & so I felt that I was now facing the other way, in other words home. And also everything seems to be coming to an end - my socks & shirts & pants & hankies are all getting worn out - my camp bed is creaking more than ever & seems to be near the end of its life - & the two papers which I use for the recording of my letters to you & yours to me, are very nearly full up. Even this writing pad is on its last few pages. I like to think this may mean something - & I pray that it does not just mean that I shall have to buy a whole lot of new things.
I have been frightfully careful with my clothes & I am always having little jobs done by the tailor to keep
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things going. In any case, it is all justification for Cole's high prices & Aunt Sarah's excellent knitting & yours too, my sweetheart.
The Eusa show last night was excellent. Delycia did not appear, as she had sung to about 2000 troops in the open air in Egypt & bust her throat up. But there were some nice legs, which the lads enjoyed a pianist from Henry Hall's Orchestra, & a zylophonist from Jack Hyltans - a Lancashire comedian who was a Welchman but had lived in Manchester for 44 years & various other people. And the drinks were on the R.A.F. which was good too. It all reminded me of the Leeds Empires - the sort of show you would not take your fiancee to. I hope Sandy is alright. I used to enjoy those evenings, didn't you darling? I mean going to the Empire - not out with Sandy. Though really all evenings with you were heaven. Never again shall I take them for granted - if ever I find myself doing so I shall punch myself & remind myself of this awful, ghastly, miserable period when there were no such things. I used to think of you all day, & sit every night & long & pine for you. Give my love to Maxie please darling - & put a pin in his nappies from me. And all my dearest love to you, my beloved lovely sweetest Barbara. Your own XXXX Harry X
