Hot Cross Buns

A topical letter with Easter just around the corner. Frank mentions Easter Day which was on 24 March in 1940. Indeed the Hot Cross Buns sent by his sister, Edie (my Grandmother), arrived on Easter Day – a nice reminder of home for him.
29/3/40

881937 L/Bdr.Faulkner
157th HAA Regt. RA
53rd HAA Battery RA
B.E.F.


Dear Dad,

I've sure got a lot of letters and parcels to thank you for. I have not finished everything in your first parcel; for instance, the fruit and cream is being kept until Rogers and I go to dinner or tea together. That has not been possible while the chap who helps me in the office is away. Actually he returned very early this morning and I'm glad to get some relief in the office.

I like to share my parcels with Rogers as he has given me carte blanche with his marmalade and we often have his tinned fruit between us. He frequently gets tinned marmalade from home, so for weeks now we have not been without for breakfast. (Hot x buns sent on Thursday)[Edies writing?]

Now, the buns went over very well. They arrived on Easter Sunday afternoon and I hesitated* (* I did open it, however and the buns were quite fresh) about opening the parcel as Rogers and another chap were waiting for me to go for a walk with them. We all had one in the office but I managed to get two for myself. Thanks for such a bright idea. You will have read my letter to Edie saying how much I enjoyed the ramble and the long break from work.

The picture of you playing darts is jolly good. Who did it? Shall I keep it for you?

Thanks for the letter from the Selwyn Club but it doesn't explain how they got Franklin's and my name and address. Did you send them a donation?

I was also pleased to get the autographed menu cards. They reminded me to write to Uncle Chris and I did so without delay. Do you see much of the Fowlers these days?

Am sorry to hear W.Bro. Fisher has been so ill. Will you wish him all the best from me if you are in touch with him at any time, please. You will understand I haven't time to write personally.

I've had parcels from Edie and Auntie Bertha during the last 2 or 3 days so I'm well off for stores. Edie's cake was started on in the office this morning and was commented on favourably - even by the B.S.M. So it wasn't such a frost/front(?) as Edie thought it might be.

It's funny you should mention Boscombe. I think I did the same thing when I wrote to Edie. I shouldn't mind being there now!

We still get parcels once a month from the G.E.C. with a letter enclosed and the Sales Dept. chaps hear either from Mr. Neville or Mr. Heather once a month also. But I've heard nothing from Mr. Heather re. the Commissions business.

Have you heard from Louise lately? As I told you before she promised to write to you.

Well I had to pack up this letter at that point and am resuming it at 10.30pm (not on guard).

This evening I've been to a show in the village. It was one of E.N.S.A.'s concert parties and was quite good. It was held in the E.F.I. (Expeditionary Forces Institute). You will know what that stands for when I write it in future. It's a form of N.A.A.F.I. and it's jolly useful having one in our village. One can get almost anything there and I treat myself to English beer there when they've got it.

It's been cold again the last two days. There was a terrific blizzard yesterday - the snow was driven down at a tremendous pace and stuck against tree-trunks, telegraph poles etc. It didn't stay on the ground long, though, and although the dose was repeated 3 times during the day it didn't lay.

Will you please give Jack Sharman a ring for me and tell him that I'm continually thinking of writing to him and that I will make a special effort to do so when next on guard (Monday).

That's all just now, Dad.I hope that you are keeping well and that all at "No.37" are better now. Anne sends me quite a lot of "letters" these days. She is getting on quite well, bless her.

Fond love,

Frank

p.s. Rogers and I shared and enjoyed fruit and cream this dinner-time.

An Army Marches on its Stomach - Boiled Beef & 2 Bottles of McEwans

A chatty letter making reference to the postcard written on 21 March 1940. Good to see our troops continued to get English cooking rather than any fancy French food!

22/3/40

881937 L/Bdr. Faulkner
157th HAA Regt. RA
53rd HAA Battery RA
B.E.F.

Dear Dad,

My card telling you this letter is going to be written shortly is now on its way. It was censored and went to the A.P.O. this morning.

Thanks for yours of the 14th - written the morning you had a heavy fall of snow.

So you are not going away for Easter - or at least not to Torquay. Today, Good Friday, is a perfect day and if it is anything like this in England it will be a good start for peoples holidays. It was last Easter, we were at Boscombe, wasn't it? It seems ages ago!

No, I didn't write re the Lodge Meeting. I thought about it quite a lot and would have liked to have been there to see Mr. Hunt made W.M.

Enclosed is £3 in Postal Orders which I would like you to put in the P.O. Savings Bank for me, please. With luck I hope to be able to do this from time to time. Some of the money I brought back from leave and I don't seem to be using it.

Have just had my dinner - boiled beef, potatoes and carrots and rice with currants in. Quite good. I had two bottles of English (McEwans) beer before, which gave me quite an appetite.

It was a very nice thought Jack Sulston's - the pochette case. I'm sorry I wasn't present whilst he was in the chair.

I have nothing to report re. stripes or commissions except that I've written to Mr. Heather on the latter subject. Shall let you know what he says when I get a reply. I wrote him eight pages like this when I was on guard last Sunday night.

Don't over do it with all the work; you should be taking things easier nowadays.

That's all for now but I shall be writing (to) Edie soon with any other news which comes to mind.

Shall be glad to hear how the operation on the cyst worked out. Let me know, too, if you hear from Louise.

Yours affectionately,

Frank

RAF Bomber Command reprisal raid on Sylt, NW Germany

This is a postcard from Frank. The Battery and Regiment are deleted by the censor in the address; this is standard procedure on all postcards. The postcard is post marked 22/3/40 Field Post Office 41. Censor stamp number 382. Frank makes reference to Sylt; on Tuesday 19/3/40 50 R.A.F. bombers [1 lost] attacked the Sylt seaplane base NW Germany [on the night of 19-20/3/40] in reprisal for a raid on Scapa, Orkney, of 16/3/40; little damage was caused by the raid on Sylt, but clearly it had a positive impact on morale.

21/3/40

881937 L/Bdr. Faulkner
------------------
------------------
B.E.F.


Dear D,

Had hoped to write letter today but have to resort to this. You appear to worry at home if you don't hear from me which is my reason for sending card. Will endeavour to write you tonight. Have one letter from you and two from Edie to acknowledge. Good stuff the Sylt business, eh?*

Am very fit and hope you are all, too.

Fondest love.

Frank

Money and Domestic Matters - letter home

Just a brief letter dealing with domestic and news from other letters Frank has received.

16/3/40

881937 L/Bdr. Faulkner
157th HAA Regt. RA
53rd HAA Battery RA
B.E.F.


Dear Dad,

Am attempting to write a brief line both to you and Edie. I think it's your turn for a letter but I want to thank Edie for her parcel, too.

Thanks for your letter of the 7th which I did acknowledge in a p.s. in my last letter, I believe.

Please thank the Bldg. Scty. folk for their kind enquiries. Am glad to know my subs. are mounting up and wonder what I shall do with all the money. Leave it there to make more, I suppose.

I shall be sending home some money soon for you to put in the P.O. Savings for me. I don't want (to) lose it and it and it might as well be making a penny or two in interest.

Louise wrote (to) me recently but she was home in bed with a severe dose of 'flu. Lost her voice and a bit unhappy with her lot since she planned to go to Eastbourne with Peggy for a week. She hoped to get there eventually and hoped to drop you a line from there.

I asked the Major about the books and he remembers receiving them some time ago. I was told the letter was acknowledged but can find no trace of it going out from this office. In the circumstances I am afraid I cannot press the point any further.

Another leave party is going this weekend including the fellow who helps me in the office so I can expect more work and less leisure. It's only for a fortnight though.

Thanks for looking after my savings, monsieur. With all your money coming in, particularly of late it would be a waste of time offering to lend you any, wouldn't it?

Fond love and all best wishes.

Frank

Shopping for the Sergeants Mess

This letter was written just after midnight whilst Frank was on guard duty.

10/3/40

881937 L/Bdr. Faulkner
157th HAA Regt. RA
53rd HAA Battery RA
B.E.F.


Dear Dad,

It's after midnight so I can faithfully record the date as the 10th. By this you will gather that I'm on guard again and awake at my post. It is a week since I did my last guard so I really must not grumble.

Thank you for yours of the 1st enclosing Summons but it reminded me that I had not sent greetings to the W.M. I feel rather sore with myself about it. It must have called for an extra effort on your part to sit down and address all those envelopes after an evening out.

I told Edie in my letter I wrote yesterday that the Lyndsells had sent me 200 "Players". Well, I received another 120 (I think) from Selwyn Club, Portland Hotel, Hove, with their compliments and asking me to acknowledge and state brand preferred. I did not have time to see how many were in the packet as I had to rush away to be in time for guard. I'm naturally very interested to know how they got my name. Do you know anything about it?

They say tea is good for the "droops" so will see if I can raise a cup to keep me awake.

********** ********** ********** ********** ********** **********

Had my cup-o-tea in the famous enameled mug but in the mean time my pen has gone dry and no amount of tea will revive it.

Just on 2 o'clock now - 4½ hours to go!

Have written to Dora Hunt tonight at long last. As a matter of fact this writing business is worrying me somewhat.

In the past I used to be able to scratch off a few lines over a cup of coffee in the village when I was off duty. It provided an excellent opportunity for writing, but now cafés are closed to us until 12.30pm so I cannot find a quiet corner to go to. That's no excuse for not writing, however.

On one or two occasions I have gone for a walk on my own in the morning. I have enjoyed it, particularly as the weather has been so fine.

The sun has shone all day today and has been quite warm. But there was a cool wind to remind one that we are not "out of the wood" yet.

Things are still quiet and there is not much excitement. Early in the week I went to a first-rate concert. I wonder if I shall get a chance of seeing George Formby who, the papers tell us, is on his way over here.

Went into town today for the mail in a light car driven by the B.S.M. We spent a short time in various Stores getting prices for crockery, cutlery, etc, for the Sergeants Mess. It was a change to go shopping but very hot plodding round in a great-coat.

I must try and find something about those books you sent. I will put a note at the end of this letter in the morning if I am able to learn anything from the Battery Commander.

It seems fairly certain that when the leave rota finishes in a few weeks time a second rota will begin straight away. At the rate time appears to fly with me my 2nd turn will soon be around - I hope.

That's all just now. Fond love to all and xxxxxxx for Anne. I trust she is quite better now. Is your head o.k. now?

Au revoir,

Frank

p.s. Unable to get information re. books today, so will not delay this letter any longer.
Have just received your letter dated 7th from N.W.D.O. but will reply later. Many thanks.

Chivers (Major / Censor)

Frank's letter from 10 March 1940