Letter from Harry Massey to Barbara Massey

work. All meals are easier in the communal dining hall & so nobody has a house - but everybody & every couple has their own room. I went into the Mukhtar room & his wife came in too, & it was a very pleasant room, with a large divan bed, & chairs & flowers & pictures. Such people as these will never want a war, you know. They are quite happy & only want to be left alone to get on with their lives. I suggested to them that when you & I come to have a look at Palestine after the war, we would bring Maxie & I suggested leaving him in their nursery while you & I went round; they beamed with pleasure & asked me to promise to do that. At least, darling, if we do come here for a holiday, we can have a very interesting time, & there will be many people who will be pleased to see me again & to meet you, & who offer us hospitality in the settlements. The journey by train & boat, takes to long, & by air, it costs too much, unless the prices are brought near within the values of reason. There was no good film to see in Tel-Aviv, & so Burstein brought me back here, & I was early to bed. It was a very pleasant & interesting day. You know, darling, we really did very badly for ourselves about holidays, with the notable exception of our glorious holiday in France in 1939. And we must make up our minds to do better after the war. We are now good & straight financially, & with a bit over, & I am determined that we shall remain so. And then we must arrange ourselves into a standard of living whereby we are always building up some money for our next holiday. And I'm blowed if I am going to tie myself down to the idea of a bare 2 weeks holiday in the year. I think that our aim should be two holidays in the year. One, for going to places abroad, such as

Palestine, & Greece, & Italy & Egypt - & they must be hard working holidays in which we sightsee furiously & get to know as much as possible about the country & its people - & on such holidays, we shall both enjoy ourselves & improve our minds & our knowledge. And for the other one, we shall go to some small quiet place in Ireland, or Devon or the S of France - & this will be a pure pleasure holiday - lots of bathing, & walking & good food, & some drinks, & an untold amount of love. And on this holiday we shall also enjoy ourselves tremendously, in a lighter way, & improve our bodies & health - & forget all worries & troubles. Do you agree, darling? And as I have told you before, I am determined not to allow the works & commerce to rule my mind & our lives so completely. Birchall & the other reserved people can do a bit more work & overtime & worrying & more of the bloody detail [in real time ?] I hope to goodness will be out of the way, & I shall not have to keep an eye on him. I am perfectly willing to work hard - but I want to come home to you, at about 5-30, with an open & alert mind, & ready to take up our unusual interests. I still want you to take an interest in Norths as you always have done, & that will always make it more interesting for me. But I am determined to educate myself politically & historically, & we can do that together & help each other, & to take a direct active interest in politics & affairs in general - & we will see where that leads us to. And thank god, we can & there is every reason why we should, do this together. There will be no question of me going to my club, or to a meeting, & therefore you don't come too. I think that we both feel strongly enough in the same directions for us to be a great help to each other, & to be quite an effective partnership. I only hope that it will not be difficult

to find the means of doing something. Do you remember me talking about a man called Titterington? - he was the man with whom I had to deal in Trade Union matters. Well, he, I know, was prospective Labour candidate for one of the Bradford divisions, & he is a very sound, & sensible man, & rather an intelligent & well-read one too. He would be one good contact - & you will agree that it is so much better to have contacts, otherwise I should think one is apt to flounder about & waste time. It is all very speculative, but also very interesting. And I have a strong feeling that things will go well for us, & that our lives will be useful & together, more & more. It would be more than wonderful if I had a job which we actually did together - & still more so if we also had to travel. Just imagine being sent to Russia, America, the two of us. Pleasant dreams, darling - or shall we call them aims. And every where we go, we shall make love - on Atlantic liners, in Continental expresses, perhaps even on air liners. That is one lovely thing about us - we shall never be too busy or too important not to make love at every opportunity. No matter what is happening, our desires will be more urgent. Oh I [ do underlined] wish that lovesickness was a classifiable disease & then one could be sent home for it. I would have been on my way ages ago. I'm afraid this letter is very short of news, my darlingbut there is so little that happens & I can only chatter on - I do hope you still like my lettersyours are the breath of life to me - & so I always hope for the best about mine. But I pray for some good news to send to you - & I will always keep on praying. Love to our little Maxie, bless him - & dearest, deepest most passionate love to you my sweet Barbara XXX Harry

9.

There seems to be a hoodoo on my nights, I finished this letter & went to bed at midnight. It is now 3-20 & woke up to find myself being consumed by bed bugs. Blast them. Then I had no matches- & stumbled about the mess & kitchen & could not find any there. & had to go & see the N.C.O in the guard-room - then I hhad to go through all the business of lighting a high pressure. And I have searched my bed & pyjamas & found us bugs. So I have rubbed myself all over with lemon spirit, & am having a whiskey & soda & a cigarette & telling you about it. I have this bug business & don't know why it should happen, because only today my blankets & sheets & bed were aired from morning till evening & 100% flitted. Maybe it is a flea from Toby. He is wagging his tail

10.

now & looking very friendly. & I am thanking my stars that I have a dog again, to talk to on such occasions as this - but I also wonder if he is the cause of the occasion. I think I might train a flea to wake me up at 3-30 a.m. & bring it home with me. & then I shall be able to see that you are there &and we are together. & look at you. & kiss you when you are asleep. & even try to make love to you when you are asleep; or perhaps you might wake up too like me to. Oh darling - isn't this a miserable life. being separated perpetually alone - & always thinking & wanting & hoping, but never to any avail. I love you so much, my own darling. & I only wait to begin life again, with you. Love & kisses from Harry.