Correspondence – Page 16

To Major General A. P. Wavell.

338171 A/c Shaw
R.A.F. Caernarvon
Plymouth.

31. 3. 29

Dear Wavell

I wonder if you are still on the Plain : your tour of duty with that armoured unit must be nearly over, or quite over. Perhaps this note will be sent on.

Many people noticed my rather noisy (and unnecessary) return from India. The Indian Government put it in the papers, to try & win grace in the eyes of Amanullah and the Soviets. I don’t think they won it! Hope not.

Now they have vested me here. We live on a spine of rocks, almost at sea-level, jutting out across Plymouth Sound. It should be a dream of a summer station. For the moment they employ me at clerking in the orderly room, which is short-handed through the holiday season: afterwords, the rumour is of something to do with motor-boats. Ordinary seaman, I suppose : or is it deck hand?

Week-ends are after duty Saturday till midnight Sun-day – not a generous allowance – but I still an excellent motor cycle, a very excellent motor cycle, and could reach the plain some Sunday midday, if you were still there and available. Put in the hot weather (if any) please. Since February 2, when I landed, I have shivered and shrivelled. The last two days were not so bad : but today it’s winter again. That’s the great snag about England.

Yours
T.E.Shaw

If you reply, do tell me your decorations. Your name looks naked on my envelope.