Alan and Nancy Hooper WW2 correspondence, 1945

[Incomplete letter]

[...] sheer joy & [...] so warm & sweet & fragrant, [...] kisses tasted as if all the flowers of a summer were on your lips. I'll come back full of love & high ideals, rejuvenated.Wait for these joys & love me all the while. I look on you devotedly as ever I did, I love you more than [...] words can tell. I adore you. I [...] is in your embrace. Good [bye] [...] darling, I'm all yours. Alan xxxxxxx

THIS ITEM HAS BEEN TRANSCRIBED BY STATE LIBRARY STAFF AS AN EXAMPLE

Scarborough St., Southport, 7th Jan, 1945

My Precious Husband,

I have your New Year letter in my hand it leaves me spell bound, the same as many other of your letters do darling. You feel you owe me so much Alan dear, don't think that, you have been far worse off than I have, you have suffered so much and been through such a lot, you are such a darling.

You still have hopes of coming home, seeing your request hasn't been refused there is still hope. You should know definitely any time now, unless the C.O. has forgotten about it.

Olive and I have been having some laughs here to-night, she has been at me to come to bed and it is only 7:30. The chap that did May's window breezed in about ten minutes ago and frightened the life out of us, he is such a queer looking bird. The front door was opened, the light off in the salon, he just walked straight through to the lounge, we didn't know who he was. Sunday night and he came to make a correction in his work. I am glad Olive is here, I would be frightened if I was here alone.

You make me feel ashamed when you tell me you would have appreciated a damper cooked in coals. Yes, I do think I should have baked your cake darling, will you forgive me, some day I will be able to cook anything you ask for I hope I will make up then for the times I have let you down. I will see what I can do about some shortbread.

Are you really sun-tanned all over, how exciting,

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unfortunately I'm not, I would like to bake in the nude, maybe you wouldn't like me tanned all over.

Alan darling, I am just in the mood for you to sweep me off my feet. Your letter is so beautifully written it brings tears to my eyes, two months holidays with you would be heaven.

Do you intend getting out of the army darling, I have just been re-reading your letter and it reads that way. It never dawned on me you may be doing that, it gave me a bit of a start, I am so proud of you in your uniform. Let me know what your plans are.

Olive and I cooked a tea to-night, it was good. Self praise is no recommendation I know, but I really did enjoy it.

We went to the beach for the day to-day. It was over-cast all day but the sun was good. The waves were so big they were frightening.

May and Stan are coming back tomorrow, May had to go up to see her doctor. I may go home for a couple of weeks for a break, just for peace and quiet.

Olive is in bed asleep, she is making me full envious, it wont be too long before I follow, bed is my best cobber lately.

Did you do anything exciting over Xmas, you didn't mention. I suppose you had your parties how are the W.A.C.S. treating you?

I am going to turn in now darling, I will write you a longer letter early this week. Good night dear.

Tons of love Nancy X X X.

Scarborough St., Southport, 10th Jan, 1945

My Precious Husband, Your letters are certainly few but one thing I will grant you is you make up for that when you write. I am sure you must spend hours writing a letter, you word them so beautifully it [...] like a tonic for me to read them. Maybe it is because you write that way I look for one every day. I havn't received anything from you since one written on New Years Day. I didn't mean to start my letter this way, I really don't want to complain or nag, and you know me darling, I will be nagging before I know where I am.

May and Ian came back last night, also Stan, I am not lost for company once again. I expected them Monday night and actually cooked a hot dinner for them but they didn't arrive. I was disappointed, because my tea tasted good, even although I say it myself darling. Ian was so pleased to see me, I was waiting at the door for them and as soon as he saw me he came dashing along the footpath with open arms and grabbed me and kissed me, trying to talk at the same time.

To-day Stan, Ian, and I went over to the beach for the afternoon. we all enjoyed the surf, it was a lovely day, Ian loves the surf.

I have been busy sewing and knitting, my sewing was mostly renovating, a thing I hate doing but which had to be done, tedious little jobs which take so much time. I am making some head way now so while I am in the mood will

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stick at it till I finish.

May was pleased to receive a letter from you. She diid tell me Mum said I was like Ralph and I couldn't do anything else but laugh, it struck me as funny, but I couldn't believe it. Later she gave me your letter to read, I had another laugh.

I wish I had been with you when you sang at the party, I am pleased to hear for once you sang for an audience, I know they must have enjoyed it. I went to see the "Great Waltz" over the week-end, the music was the best. Strauss waltzes, and all I could think of all the time was you singing "Silent Night." I have even gone so far as to review the words. I do think you have a lovely voice, you shouldn't be modest about singing for anybody.

You did have a good Xmas Alan, I am glad. I thought perhaps you would feel low and lonely, of course I didn't wish that, I wanted you to be happy and have lots of fun. I think I grumbled about my Xmas, but on the whole I had a good time, it was quiet, that is how I like it.

May met your mother and Col in Wynnum, she was very nice to her, didn't mention you or I, she likes May. Col is apparently on leave.

Alan you are the only man I have ever had implicit trust and faith in regards other way women, I have always trusted you. It is strange I trust you so much, because you know my opinions of men, I don't like to write about what I think of them on the whole. You told me once I thought that way because of the company I kept, it is not that, I have kept me eyes and ears [...], I know what goes on around me. I am still having my

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eyes opened. I say still, yes darling, by offiicers, and married men, couple of girl friends down here became involved. If anyone tried to tell me any scandal about you I wouldn't believe it, I couldn't. If sirens ogle and fawn and hint and even ask for dates I don't wonder they are refused, what decent man would take out a girl as cheap as that. You said if you let yourself go there would be no half measures, I am sure you didn't mean that.

You know darling I feel like grand mah to-night, I feel so serious. I am not tired, it is just my mood.

How gruesome finding those mummies in the bags, it must have givven you a start, the thought of them sickens me.

I am going to write a few lines to Freda so will close now, I received a letter from her on Monday. I think of you constantly.

Alan, and I do trust you, believe me. Good night my darling

Tons of love,

Your adoring wife, Nancy

Darling, I wish we had planned on a family when you were home last, I really mean that. I don't mind if I fall this time the very first day you come home, if not, I hope it [is?] not too long after. Don't think Ralph is my inspiration, it is just myself and you and happiness.

Scarborough St, Southport, 13 Jan, 1945

Darling Alan, I really don't know what to write. I am baffled darling. I don't know what you meant to do to me when you penned those thirteen pages on the third.

Your letter reads to me as though you are having a marvelous time, not that I begrudge you that, you deserve it, but you sound utterly disgusted with me for mentioning the Canadians. Alan I wish you had been with me, they were such nice chaps I know you would have liked them, they were only here a few days.

Your letter brings a lump to my throat and tears to my eyes, it is so beautifully expressive.

Your love isn't a thing I have taken for granted, not something I have pushed aside, it is something I feel, and cherish, yes darling, I do not moan in ecstasy and bend my knees for so much more. What a wealth of love and adoration you shower me with, money could never buy or bring such happiness to me, you make me feel like an angle [angel] darling.

You are so homesick my darling, please don't worry over me so much, I will be waiting for you no matter when you come home, believe that. Now that Xmas has come and gone I am reconciled to more waiting, I don't expect you till June, I know the army now. I want badly to get a job, as soon as I know definately [definitely] what you are doing I will know what to do. I am bored with

2xx doing nothing and am tired being nursemaid. I put in practically all of my day looking after children, that includes Ralph, he makes me so angry, I would like to get back to clerical work, I should never have stopped work, it was so silly of me. If I could have foreseen what was going to happen I would never have come to Southport.

I am not unhappy darling, I am disappointed, but I [unknown] had so many disappointments I can take it now. The only complaint I have now Alan is I am tired of doing nothing.

I know how badly you want to come home, I fear you are counting on your return and if your application is disapproved you are prepared to throw in your bundle. Don't feel that way Alan dear, if anyone deserves a break you do, but the army may not grant it. June isn't so far off now and I will still be waiting darling, you are worthy of such much more than I can give you. Some day Alan darling I am going to make up for every bit of unhappiness and worry I have caused you, I want to so much, I will try to make myself worthy of the great love you honour me with.

It is almost mid-night Saturday night. I started my letter this afternoon, had to break it off for tea and May Stan and I went to the Pier, not forgetting little Ian of course. The second picture was sad, you know how they effect me, I cried. It was a romance, true to life, present day conditions. Alan darling I thought of you all night, pictured you sitting along side me, holidng my hand, and cuddled ever so close. Remember the night we say "Wuthering Heights" I won't

ever forget it.

We lived and loved in those days darling, it is the love we shared then that has bound us all these years, we were as one. Remember the night you told me you were going to New Guinea, it was as if someone had stunned me, I cried so much that night, I felt sure my heart would break, and believe me I have shed many more tears over you since that night. Even [to?] night, after over four years separation, I am crying again, right now darling, if it isn't love, I ask you, what is it? I have never been so grief stricken as I was when you left me.

I am going up to Brisbane tomorrow with Stan, I will be staying a week. I am not taking Ian this time, it is too long to keep him away from May. I want to get some sewing done.

Alan darling I will say good-night now, I have been day-dreaming over my letter, which I am sure won't make sense to you, time has flown by and I must get some sleep. I will try and make you some shortbread this week up home, it will be a pleasure to do it for you.

Good night my precious one, please keep loving me always as you do now, I cherish it Alan dear. I love you my darling. Sweet dreams.

Your adoring wife, Nancy