Letter from Harry Massey to Barbara Massey

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Letter written by Harry Massey from the No. 6 Palestine company at the Bluffs to Barbara Massey.

This is a scanned version of the original image in Special Collections and Archives at Middlebury College, Middlebury, Vt.



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3. save a vast amount of cooking stoves & ovens & fuel & utensils used in these messes.

But it will not be done in this war, & if I were ever to suggest it, I would be either ignored or else relieved of my command. there is no doubt at all that an officer's position & way of life is altogether too privileged - & also that the differnces in pay are much too big. As you say, if things were evened up the people who would receive & work for commissions & promotions would be the efficient ones, who were willing to work hard & take responsibility - & all from higher & real motives, instead of for more money, greater comfort, & less work. And the same applies to business & government.

Tuesday, May 26. I must now make this letter into 8 pages & send it off this afternoon. The posts are awfully bad & irregular again, & I never have any confident expectation of a letter. Except that it always seems to happen that on the day that I really think I must get one, I get one by sea mail from some quite unimportant person. A few days ago, I had one from Joe Ashworth - who said I must be dying to get back to England - & Norths! isn't it an amazing outlook? - I never even consider either of them - coming home to me means you & Maie, & anything & any body else is entirely incidental, when you say, darling, that you are missing me almost beyond endurance & bearing - I know exactly how you feel. if you feel as I do about you, The last few days, the feeling has been one of pain & agony & every nerve & feeling in my body aches for you. It is cruel & horrible, & I do not believe that there are another two people in the

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world who feel as we do, or have the reason to, that is why I hope & pray that I may be allowed to come home I said earlier in this letter that I would not write about it any more, but I must tell you that I really think of nothing else at all, all day, during work, & all the time I am awake. You can imagine how restless it makes me feel, & unable to settle down & write & still less read. I can sit for an unlimited time & think about you & what we will do & what we will talk about, & when & where & how we will make love. And also about making the acquaintance of Max & making him used to me & realise that I am his father & your husband & a permanent part of the family. I think he will understand quickly that I love him & that you & I love eachother. But I shall always wish that I had known him during this last year & also that I had been able to hold you in my arms & against my body, & make love to you both when you were carrying him inside you. You know darling one, it has been very wonderful the way we have always loved eachother & been anxious to make love, under all circumstances. All the time during your pregnancy & then afterwards, when I was wanting you very badly & you were not ready, you used to want me, & you satisfied me in sweet & comforting & loving ways. And you never wanted to send me away or into another bed - & I always loved you & admired you just the same, didn't I? I somehow feel that such things are indications that our love & even our passion will survive all changes which the years may bring, It is wonderful how our passing still lives, & even burns brighter & hotter than ever. Love & respect & admiration & dependence on eachother - those qualities & feelings happen & continue often enough, I think -

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but to have those & a marvellous burning bodily & mental passion as well - that is a miracle & must be very rare. We must keep it always - will that be your aim as well as mine, darling?

About you, my sweet & pretty, Barbara, I always & always have the feeling that we have still to reach the peak of passion & thrill & excitement & wonder - & though I know you so well, there is always more of you to know & discover & every time we make love it is new & splendid & I feel gloriously happy. You are a wife & a woman fit for a god, my sweetheart, & always I shall be trying to keep you as my very own .

If only it were possible for me to do something to assure the success of my application. All I can do is to hope, & pray all the time & those things I do do. And try my best to have faith - & believe that some ruling & deciding destiny will look after us, & see that of all people on earth, you especially, & me too, deserve the blessed reward of being allowed to be together & to cary on our lives - & not to have to go on living in misery for goodness only knows how long. We shall never be ungrateful - & we will always do our best to lead good & useful lives, as well as happy ones.

All my love forever my darling so beloved Barbar - & love & kisses to Maxie, & loving kisses to you - Harry.

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May 23 42

78 Lansdowne Rd London W.11

Mrs Barbara Massey c/o Mrs Jenkins 6 Bulstrode Gardens Cambridge

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J H Massey

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