Evacuee Boys by John E. Forbat

influence.
    After the sport results, there followed a very nice radio play and as I felt that it speaks to me, I briefly write about its contents.
    It starts at a Hungarian countryside castle, where the Gentry together with servants awaits a son returning from America after three years away, with his wife. The parents buy a new radio and gramophone in their honour and immediately they try out an American record on which a singer called Ralph Wilton performs. While the record plays, the young newlyweds listen to the singer in the lounge taking them back to hearing her in the ship’s lounge. The woman who is a big American patriot and who had earlier taken her leave at the American freedom tower, from the shining stars, from her free country, the man reminds her that there is also freedom in Hungary . Enough to know that Ralph Wilton fell in love with the woman and while the husband lies down, he vows love to the wife and urges her not to remain in Hungary, but she should return to America with him after meeting in Hamburg. He kisses the girl and after this, the girl (a Hungarian speaking American girl) behaves strangely, because Ralph Wilton spoke strongly against the trip to Hungary. Finally they arrive in Hamburg and from there, the newlyweds travel alone to Hungary. At home, the girl likes it very much and after an adventure, she reveals the Ralph Wilton affair to her husband and though the husband at first says that a Hungarian must keep his promise, if the wife says that she is not expecting a baby, then he will let her off. It was very nice and I would have liked it if you could have listened to it with me. The interval, instead of piano music they played the first few notes of the Rákóczi.
    Perhaps now after this feeling of sensitivity, it is now time to return to reality and discuss our plans for the week.
    Unfortunately I cannot come to London because it costs 14/8, of which the Government only gives 6/9 (which means going by coach) and sending things by train is so expensive, that I went to Crooks, (the transporters on whose lorry we came to London last time) and he will certainly do it more cheaply. Until then send me money to get my laundry and enough for the total travel costs to be paid. In the meanwhile I hope to get my results, but it makes no difference, because they will send it on to me.
    I think that I have written everything, so I send a million kisses to all of you.

    Andrew

    P.S. Sorry that I am writing in pencil, but my ink has all been used up.

Notes
    1   3 d is 3 (old) pennies. Half a crown was worth 2/6.
    2   Our grandfather was visiting from Hungary.
    3   Granny, who we also called Noni, was Hungarian.
    4   Mariska was our Hungarian maid.
    5   Fasting for Yom Kippur.
    6   Mr Young was our Scoutmaster in Fulham.
    7   Tiggy was the cat.
    8   Our lodger, at that time, a young Czech.
    9   A Hungarian pastry delicacy.
    10   A pastry delicacy that translates as ‘Feminine Spirit’.
    11   Raymond Newnham was a friend from the restaurant in the basement of my parents’ house.
    12   A small Beigli was a loaf.
    13   A schoolmaster.
    14   The local lorry firm driver.
    15   A First World War soldiers’ song.
    16   A billeting officer.
    17   Zsuzsi was our cousin in Budapest.
    18   Uncle Arthur was sent to America, aged 18, in 1911.
    19   Manager at W.H. Smith.
    20   Uncle Eugene’s milk bar.
    21   Slang for shilling.
    22   Dad was expecting a job in Evesham with the BBC listening to German broadcasts and translating intelligence.

2
Alone in Melksham
    23 January 1941
    Dearest Mum & Dad,

    Thank you very much for yesterday’s letter & contents, which I shall find very useful.
    This time I have some very good news for you. The Cambridge results have arrived & they are even better than I expected.

    I passed with distinction in
    Mathematics
    French
    Shorthand

    I passed with credit in
    English language
    English literature
    History
    Book-keeping

    I failed