Alan and Nancy Hooper WW2 Correspondence, 1944

Q52

Lieut. A Hooper Angau N.G. Forces New Years Day

A Glorious Happy New Year Nance Darling.

I want to begin the new year by writing to my cherished wife and that gives my heart more happiness and pleasure than anything could in this soulless place. You evened the score pet by writing on the 21st. The letter reached me today - a matter of 10 short days.

I look hopefully into the new year praying, longing for the fulfillment of those dreams of Peace and the most cherished of all Chapter II in the life of Mr & Mrs Hooper. How lovely to do as we want to, instead of the humiliation of applying for a short lease to love. Our life is ahead of us my sweet wife. What experiences we've enjoyed enough to remember were only a prelude to the future.

There's some moonlight tonight and the sky is worth gazing at. The whole scenery takes on a new aspect now the fighting has ceased. The harmony of nature seems accentuated. From my telephone head-set comes music from the radio at the switchboard. A welcome innovation. I can hear a string orchestra playing 'Silent night' and

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CE Hooper Lieut

actions seem to me. I don't envy your plight. Do you really believe I have a heart devided [divided]? The only way that could happen is by a broken heart, and that's a remote possibility while you care as you do.

Yes pet I have only the three premiums. Thanks for paying them.

I'm terribly sorry your watch has been of so little service to you. We'll scrap it when the war shortage is over. The Jap doesn't leave them about as they used to.

I would really like to spend a few days or even a week at Lismore Nancy, but can we travel interstate now?

I am of the opinion Jeff may be coming this way soon. My only wish is that I'm to stay put, instead of starting into yet another campaign. Ralph is probably back here again but I've been too preoccupied to write either to him or Jeff.

"Do you think I remember how you looked when you smiled? - Only forever, that's putting it mild." I know these words by heart. I think they're lovely. I have most of the snaps and your medallions in front of me as I write pet. They're a thrill in themselves, I can't stop admiring them. Keep up your fine spirit darling and let me send you all my deepest love and unending devotion. I pray for you & do hope you are well. Oceans of love, Your loving husband, Alan xxxxxxxxxxx

Brittania Street Manly 5th Jan 1944 My Own Darling Husband It is ages since I received a letter from you & naturally I am worried. I pray Alan dear you are not ill. You see I have been anxiously awaiting a reply to the letter I wrote you about the 12th Dec telling you I had lost my rings. May didn't know about it till I came home & that was a week later & she has already received a letter from Jeff saying how sorry he was to hear it. I thought at first you might be too mad to write to me, but I know you are too big a man at heart to act like that. I know my Alan. I will say once again how sorry I am, believe me I am still a little bewildered, and annoyed at myself for not waiting till I was out of the water. I had a muddled dream last night darling. I dreamt you and I were to be married and I was on my way to the church in a train, of all things. There were people with me and they were all astonished because I had no wedding spray. I was telling them all the bride-groom had forgotten to send me a spray (which, by the way he doesn't do), and I wasn't going to buy my own. I was cool, calm & collected, but my friends were acting as if the ceremony wouldn't be just right

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without it. I am perfectly well my darling, just a strange old dream. I am reading a lovely story, "East Lynn" written by Mrs. Henry Wood. Have you read it? I am not half-way throught it yet, it is a book I could sit reading all day, until I finish it. Aunt Lou & Dick are here to-night, came over for [...]. Aunt Lou wishes to be remembered to you. It is very hot in Brisbane, everyone looks washed out in the city in the middle of the day. I have been extra busy at work, I am doing Jays work as well as my own, he is away for 11 days with his girl friend, they have gone to Noosa. Our section has expanded even since Jay left, we have 15 working there now. Jay left on Sat. and on Monday our Sgt. was taken to hospital, he has a spot on the lung, so we were more or or less left in the lurch, but we can get along without them. He is not a strong chap so I hope it is not serious. I am going to the pictures to-morrow night with Monica to see "Hatters Castle", rather a weird thing I should imagine. She has read the book & would very much like to see the picture. I will tell you all about it in my next letter. My darling husband, this letter is short & sweet, my days are so uneventful I have no interesting news. I am saying good-night now. I pray you are safe & well my cherished one. Tons of Love, Your loving & faithful wife Nancy xxxxxx

Brittania St., Manly, 7th Jan. 1944.

My Own Darling Husband, I received two letters from you last night, both written on the 29th of December. Your previous letter was written on the 14th, and I was beginning to wonder what was the matter. I had a feeling you were ill, I hope you are well by the time this letter reaches you. I do hope darling you will be able to write more often now, your letters are all I have and I feel it when they come so far apart. Life seems ever so empty for me then.

You were right Alan, no part of Love can be bought, sold or lost. You say my taking it off on special occasions hurt more than my loosing it did. Actually Alan, it was never off my body, I always had it with me wherever I went. I thought I had lost it once before in town on night, I was fumbling with it and dropped it in the half light on the footpath. I just shook all over, I really thought it had gone as I couldn't see it, of course it was there all the time, but I got such a shock I couldn't find it. It made me feel sick then to think I could have lost it, you can imagine how I felt when I dropped it in the surf. It happened so quickly and my chances of finding it were so hopeless, I felt terrible, it spoilt my holiday as I couldn't stop thinking about it. I felt I never wanted to see Kirra beach again as long as I lived, and I would never care if I never had a holiday on the coast again, to the mountains every time with you I was going. I mastered that feeling, you know how I love the beach and the surf, I am afraid I could never stop away from it altogether.

I sent the parcel of soap you are thanking me for almost four months ago, about a fortnight after I sent the first lot. I thought you must have got that months ago, still it couldn't have arrived at a better time. It wasn't intended as a Xmas box.

I went to the Majestic with Monica last night, we saw "The Hatters Castle". It was a weird picture Alan, the kind that would give one a nightmare. You may have xxx read the book, the father was a maniac, an Irish man through and through. He looses his daughter, wife and son through his selfishness and in the end burns down his old castle commiting suicide. I will tell you all about it some time, if you care to listen, I guess I should think of better stories to relate to you though, this is a blood-curdling one. I am half way through East Lynn and between the book and the picture I had a heavy heart. It is as if I am living this book, Mr. Carlyle reminds me of you darling, he is a noble character, and the things he does are the things I can imagine you will do in time. His wife was so jealous of him, she thought he had changed his heart for a girl that had lost her heart ot him before they were married. This troubled her so much she listened to the tales of a scoundrel they had staying with them for a couple of weeks xxx and she ran away with him as his mistress for revenge. She was a Lady, her father being Earl Severn. Her husband had loved her insanely all the time

2. but that disease known as jealousy led her to do the dreadful thing she did. She lived with the Earl for a year and to make matters worse she had a child with him. Of course Mr. Carlyle divorced her, and the Earl inherited a fortune just before the child was born and didn't want to marry a divorced woman so deserted her. It is now she sees her folly as she learns her husband never loved the other woman, but as far as I can see it is too late now as she is a tainted woman. I have only read half way through the book. It is a tragic story, I will tell you more about it in the next letter darling.

The plantation you spoke of sounds like a golden opportunity Alan but I want to be with you. Were you planning when you were thinking this over to take me with you. I couldn't bear to be a grass widow for another five years darling. I wouldn't stop you doing what you wish though.

You have all you desire waiting here for you. I am waiting with loving arms to embrace you and the most passionate lips to kiss you my darling husband. I love you now and always so never doubt me. Good-bye for now my darling.

Tons of Love, Nancy xxxx.

Britannia Street, Manly, 11th Jan., 1944.

My Own Darling Husband, It is Monday and I have hurried through my work this morning so that I could write to you my darling. For some unknown reason I have been living the happy times we spent at Burleigh and Sandgate over and over again this morning. I remember you told me once how you felt when we walked through the woods over Big Burleigh, how romantic you felt being there alone with me. Did it really affect you that way Alan darling? If so just think what a glorious time we are going to have at Binna Burra, I am all yours now Alan, wholly and soully, to have and to hold till death do us part. The night we spent at Sandgate is on my mind to-day, I can picture the skating rink so clearly, we sat there for a long time watching them, you holding me close and kissing me, I do wish you were here now Alan darling. It is now lunch time, and I have the peace and quietness of the office, I like it like that when I am writing to you.

I finished the story East Lynn, I was telling you about it in my previous letter. If I remember rightly I had read to the chapter were Mrs. Carlyle (Lady Isabel) had been divorced by her husband and deserted by Mr. Levison, the chap she ran away with. She had three children to Mr. Carlyle and one to Mr. Levison. After finding out what a rotter Mr. Levison was she refused any help from him and wouldn't take a penny of his money. She had to make her own living and support his child, so she got a position as a governess, as she was a talented woman in more than one way. She never stayed in one place long, as she was always meeting old friends of theirs, she didn't wish to be reminded of the past as she realised her folly only too well. On one of these journeys she was involved in a teriffic train smash, her baby and his nurse were killed and Lady Isabel was so near to it, they gave up all hope for her. A nun was there trying to console the wounded, and knowing there was no hope for Lady Isabel asked her to write a few lines to someone while she could and she would forward them on. She did so, wrote to her uncle Lord Severn of the train smash and how she was about to be taken and to tell her husband how she had repented and and all the sorrow and heartache she had suffered and asked for his forgiveness. This letter was forwarded on to him and the announcements were put in the papers. Lady Isabel didn't die, she read of her death in the paper and she thought it better to let the world think her dead. After a couple of years, Mr Carlyle married again, he married the girl who had always loved him, the one Lady Isabel had been so jealous of. She imagined her husband to be in love with her at the time she left him, so went with Levinson for revenge, it was just insane jealousy that made her do it, as Mr. Carlyle had never loved anonther. He knew Barbara loved him, the whole of West Lynn knew it, but he loved only his wife. She never gave any reason for leaving so he didn't know till this day it was because of Barbara. Lady Isabel a time after happened to hear the Carlyles were wanting a governess for her children. She took the position as Lady Vine, her face was so badly disfigured from the accident and she wore dark spectacles the whole time so there wasn't any chance of them rec-

2. ognising her. She went back to East Lynn to find her eldest son didn't have long to live, his lungs were diseased. She also found she loved her husband madly and it broke her heart watching him shower the love, which should have been hers, on Barbara. Little William died, that chapter was sad, she was saying good-bye to him and couldn't tell him she was his mother. She told him mother would meet him in heaven soon, it wasn't long after his death she was taken. She asked to see Mr. Carlyle before she died, and it was on her death bed he found out who she was. It was so sad I cried when I read it. She told him how much she loved him, the sorrow and tragedy of her life, of how she would wait for him in heaven where all her sins would be forgiven and they could love again. She would wait with William and he could come with the other two little ones later on. She died of a broken heart, the story left me with a heavy heart. I hope I am not boreing you with my story, I have only just given you the brief outline, I am not capable of explaining it in full detail, let your imaginiation run riot with you darling, and you will have an idea what the book is all about.

I went down to Olives for the day yesterday (Sunday), I had a lovely day. I took my bicycle down on the train and rode out to the farm. Olive is being married this month, she can't be sure of the date even at this late hour, she has had a lot of worry as she hadn't heard from Trevor for eight weeks and there was a misunderstanding between them as to the correct date. All is well now as she had a phone call from him on Sunday and it will either be the 22nd or the 29th. Audrey has grown lovely and is far the prettiest, she is the one with the golden hair and blue eyes. She has a boy friend, he is a Melbourne chap, from their actions I would say they were very much in love. Elaine is engaged, she is the one next to Olive, and Margaret, the youngest, has a boy-friend too, Mrs. McFarland will be loosing all her daughters if she doesn't watch out, Elaine will be married on her fiances next leave. Trevor won't hear of Olive working with the Americans, he just revolts at the idea like you did about my joining up again. If I can work here till next June twelve months, I will be able to save three hundred pounds, yes, I have worked it all out. Frank Pooley blew in during the afternoon, also two Americans, so you can imagine the house full. The girls are all very nice, but for one thing, they are all giggling Gerties, and that is one thing I can't stand, I couldn't stand too much of them all together. Olive had her top teeth out, you wouldn't know unless you were told, they look natural. I am going to a dance with Olive and Margaret next Sat. night over at Wynnum, I hope my wedding ring arrives before then as I am wearing an old one of Mays turned around, it serves the purpose, but I would like our wedding ring as soon as possible.

You may wonder darling why I write to you at work sometimes, I have so much sewing to do and so little time to do it in I write you whever I can at work, so that I can sew at night. I am trying to make some dainty things for when you come home, so don't ever judge me harshly. I very seldom go out, on an average I would say about once a month, you may find that hard to believe, but it is perfectly true.

Have you any idea when you will be down, as soon as you know will you let me know, because if I leave here at a minutes notice they will be left in the lurch. If you don't get down till June, I will have a

3. fortnights leave due to me then, and may be able to get another two weeks on compassionate grounds. I am taking the month anyway, even if I have to resign. I will get another job easily enough. I don't think they would have me resign, they have been good to me, that is why I don't want to give them a minutes notice.

Jay is coming back to-morrow thank goodness, I have been doing his work for him, he did mine while I was away. You see, I am supposed to be his understudy, I do all the work though. Remember you asked me when I first came here to work did the boys impose on the girls and leave all the work to them, I told you no then, I have found out different now. If I did as much work as they did in a day I would say I had an excellent job, but such is not the case, I do the work and Jay gets all the thanks for the wonderful job he does. Why worry though, I am happy, if I don't get another rise soon though, I will want to know why, I am due for it, and expect it.

I am going to close now Alan as I see a stack of work coming my way and will have to get stuck into it. Good-bye for now darling, I love you ever so deeply. I pray you are well and happy.

Tons of Love, Nancy. xxxxxxx

Q52 Lieut A E Hooper Angau New Guinea Forces January 12 1944 My Loving June Bride, I send you not only my love with this letter I send my cherished token, one wedding ring. Until I am ready to mail it my sweet it stays where my eyes can dwell on it - below the medallion you gave to me. I'm loathe to part with it but it belongs to your finger. Wear it while you love your husband, & may that be so long as you have breath left in your body. I am quickly becoming used to soldiering the easy way. I have most home comforts, and live easily, and danger is conspicuous by its absence. Yet,