Sad Shops and Terrible Women, May 16, 1944

Editor's Note: Here, Glenn writes about German propaganda,a shark hunt,a flood in Topeka,horses at the farm,a watch in need of repair, wanting the local newspaper sent, pistol-shooting practice and hunting plans for when he gets home, a vivid description of the English countryside,its sad shops and "terrible" women -- and a not-so-complimentary comment about Texas.

Around and About England, May 16, 1944

Dear Folks –

Received your V-mail of Apr. 24 to-day. It’s the first mail the ship has had for over a week. You’ve no idea what an effect that hold-up of the mail has on the morale of the ship.

Sorry to hear of the flood – hope it didn’t do too much damage. It isn’t as if you all didn’t have anything else to worry about right now.

What is the horse situation now – still have the Percherons and black gaited mare? That Arabian would probably have financed the farm if he’d had a little lineage.

I may send my watch home – I can’t get anything done to it over here – I can’t get anybody to even look at it.

I’ll be sending some money home, too. I haven’t been ashore for two weeks and there’s nothing you can buy when you do go. As soon as I draw another pay I’ll send a batch home.

I’ve been doing a bit of pistol shooting with my .45 auto. Gov’t furnishes plenty of cartridges and the gun so I might as well have the fun and experience. I’m going hunting with Cozy when I get home.

The propaganda the Germans throw out over the air is so thick a knife won’t cut it. I can’t see how it can do any good – it’s so heavy – it just disgusts me. You can catch a bit of German in the English (not American) they broadcast in – it’s rather an amusing mixture – not that it’s a poor job of English – it just doesn’t ring quite clear.

I guess I told you about the big shark hunt the other day. That was really fun – they’re all gone now – I think they come in only a couple of times a year or something.

You ask about the country here – It’s very pretty – the fields are small and fenced with shrubbery and trees, and being rather hilly it presents a pretty picture. They have some beautiful horses and cattle around here – not many, but nice ones.

The soil, cliffs and all have lots of color. The villages are quaint – very narrow streets and sidewalks and small old buildings. None of the buildings have central heating so they have one or two chimneys with about four flues in each one.

That’s about all I can say. The stores are sad and the women are terrible (--to look at – that’s as far as I can get).

Did you ever subscribe to the Daily Capital for me?

My Co – Small Boat officer and I, being from Texas and Kansas, respectively, have the big arguments a bout our states – Don’t you think Texas stinks?

Write.
Lots of love,
Glenn