Correspondence – Page 27

LH 4/13/42

Tol. Lieut.Robin White, R.N.
Re.-[illegible]

S38171 A/C Shaw
Lannoy Matten
Plymouth

17. X. 32

Dear White

I was up in London a while ago, finishing off my 1932 leave and Felon told me of you. I had thought of you in Malta.

Unfortunately my ser[illegible] on motor boats was cut short by a Sunday Newspaper article and I am returned here – for duty with motor boats. Only there is all the difference between looking after one, and embodying one’s ideas in new types. I’ve been at the building job for 18 months, and we have got out a new dinghy (speed 21 m.p.h. instead of the 8 of our old type) and a new stern torpedo (27 footer, speed 30 m.p.h. instead of 12 m.p.h., the old type) I had it mind a new car-selling boat; and then a new climatic 35 foot to do 50 m.p.h. and be an all-weather boat, instead of our present 14-knot 21-watchers).

You are more interested in books than boats, I expect, [illegible] as you are on a dangerous, which is one of the worst doings ever passed! But I have read little the last year, and that only filmy stuff. A tired man cannot read big stuff.

Now that I am in Plymouth I shall try to pick up arrears and read forward a bit. There is an interesting new poet called Auden, who publishes through Faber’s. I don’t know, yet.

My Odyssey is only pot-boiling stuff, Poor. I don’t think any Odyssey is very good – not even the original!

Yours ever

T E Shaw

Are you a Commander yet ?