Archives Record
Metadata
Catalog Number |
2022.50.220.3 |
Object Name |
Letter |
Title |
Letter, Nancy Ward to George Ward, 1943 |
Date |
4 July 1943 |
Year Range from |
1943 |
Year Range to |
1943 |
Description |
Letter from Nancy Felicia (Howitt) Ward to Major George Everett Ward, dated 4 July 1943. Three handwritten letters in blue ink on blue Air Letter To Armed Forces forms. The first letter reads: (.1) [Page] I Major George E. Ward, 8th Army Field Regt, Royal Canadian Artillery, Canadian Army from Mrs. Geo. E. Ward, 221 Woolwich St, Guelph, Ont. July 4th 1943 George My Darling - I don't know where to begin on this one Sweetie because I skipped on last weeks so should have twice as much to tell you. My reason for not writing till now was because I wanted to wait till I got your reply to my cable. Bernice brought it up to me when I was making the beds Friday morning Darling and my old heart did much flipping and flopping - my hands shaked so I could hardly open it & when I read "Best news I've heard yet" - I nearly swooned from excitement. Now this is how things stand just now re the Red Cross business. Betty Howitt about three wks ago made up her mind to give up her job at Sutherlands & try her damndest to get overseas - She & Aunt Bid every time I saw them said - "Nan, why don't you try?" - Well Darling you have known all the way along I have been dying to but didn't have your definite okay on it so hence the cable concerning this only; out of the blue. Betty has been down to Toronto two or three times in the past couple of weeks to gather what information she can about getting overseas with the Red Cross & has come home each time with very encouraging reports. This means we shall have to board in Toronto so we can be there to take lectures, drill and what not. We are going to try to stay at the "Sherbourne Club House" a nifty place which is run by a Miss Bollard and an old Guelphite at that - To stay there costs only $6.50 a week starting in the Fall - and $9.00 a week in the summer. I wish I could start right away on this but Aunt Grace is coming home from the hospital next month - 'the Morgan's' haven't a maid & Mum is expecting to be down there three quarters of the time looking after Aunt Grace & the house - Aunt Grace will have a nurse but she can't get the meals for the children too so I'll have to be at 221 to look after this fort while Mum is away. The way things stand now it looks as though I can't start in on it until the 1st of Sept. or late in August. You are probably wondering now Darling why I asked for your opinion "immediately" - well that was because I wanted to know before I made a toot down to Toronto this week - I am going to see Mrs. Garrow who has a lot to do with it - & put my name down - also make arrangements at the Sherbourne Club about boarding. Betty isn't going to "start in" until the 1st of August or Sept either so if we can do it together it will be much nicer. Mother seems very much for this Darling; as for Dad when I broke the news to him I think it came as a bit of a shock & he muttered something about I should train for a nurse to prepare myself for after the war - well there is a lot of truth in what he says but I know myself I'd make a hellova nurse - and I have no desire to train for nurse so if I couldn't go in for it heart & soul there is no point in my starting - when the time comes for me to away to Toronto I'm prepared for Dad to kick up a bit but he'll just have to get over it himself because I'm bent on it heart and soul. The Red Cross is voluntary Darling up until the time you are selected for overseas and then you are only paid 25.00 a month. But looking at it from all angles it is the best outfit to be with - and more than worth it. (cont.) The second letter reads: (.2) [Page] II July 4th 1943 I fully realize it is a colossal chance I take but Darling it is a darn sight better than just sitting back and not making a stir in one direction or the other - at least I'll be one step nearer in the direction I want to go and this will be a consolation in itself even if Lady Luck turns out to be not as kind as she could be. A girl I know and a great friend of Betty Quints was with the R. Cross Transport for a year and half - several months ago transferred to the Food Admin of the R.C. - Late in May a cable came through they wanted gals for the Food Admin - and over this weekend Miriam Curry left for England! - I don't care how they send me over as long as [I] get there & just hoping & praying I'll be lucky & not have to wait too long on this side - Betty Quint said if she didn't have "Elizabeth" - she would try her darndest too to get over. Darling wouldn't it be a spot of heaven on earth if all this business works out? If we could just see each other just every now & then it would still have loops over the way things are now. After my trip to Toronto & all the inquiring I'm going to do things should be more definite - because you are probably not able to make head or tail of what I have tried to tell you what I know about it now. But just keep your fingers crossed for me Darling & hope & pray like mad that plans will work out. Yesterday when I was opening a tin of tomato juice the opener slipped & I cut my thumb - just a tiny cut but the bandage I put on it!! - I can scarcely see the pen nib when I write - Hope my scrawl doesn't send you cross-eyed Sweetie. Last week read a very interesting book "I was on Corregidor" by Amea Willoughby - Roslyn Crowe's sister - her first book. Her husband was financial adviser to Sayer out in the Phillipines & the story on their escape was quite something. The Blood Donor's Clinic in Guelph was officially opened just three weeks ago Sweetie - it is only on Wednesdays from 8. AM 'till noon. My little job down there is to write up the books & the donors - name, address & No. of cc's. They take on between 60 - 80 a [illegible] mins. Some of the men get quite nervous and we have had a few dim out - when they dim out they give them a drink. When they get around to taking the women I'll probably keel too. Darling I hadn't realized I was so vague in my letters till I got your blue form dated the 9th I thought I had explained Helen Morrisons whereabouts clearer than that! Helen applied for a job with the British legation in Washington a couple of months ago - was accepted & is working for the Admiralty - likes her job very much too. Helen & Betty Charlesworth see quite a bit of each other. I can't remember Kenny Zinkham at our wedding Darling but I certainly remember him from away back. When I stayed with Snook Ramsay up at Southampton from the summers of '35 - '37 - Kenny, Tommy, Pete & a couple of others used to take us out for some crazy sailing after the dances at the Pavilion. Please say hello to him for me Darling. It was nice to hear he is with your Reg't. (Cont) [handwritten on outside edge] I got & love wonderful snaps of you Darling & the amusing cutouts from the magazines. The third letter reads: (.3) [Page] III July 4th 1943, Sunday 9.15 P.M. 15 min later - George Darling here I am in the third part of this and writing it over at Aim's! Aim has gone over to see Grace Roberts for a little while. It has done nothing but rain, rain all day and it is still horribly close - one of those days when you feel you are sticking to everything. Dr. Sheldon did a darn good job on my bridgework Sweetie - His initials are J.M. so I guess he is not the one you thought might be Alf's fraternity brother Darling. I am getting my $55. a month now and they made up for the mos. they slipped up on it Darling. I don't know Sam Donnelly but I know the gal he was more or less & mostly more engaged to before he left for England - Bernice Coldicott - Their romance has apparently gone up in flames since Sam met some English gal. - I think Berny took it very hard. Darling it is going to be 'awful' if these three blue forms bounce up at different times - hoping they will rate the luck my two of June the 10th had your weekend in London with Charlie Barber sounded very nice but when I came to the part where you told me you walked wham into Maj - Gen Stein at the Dorchester I cringed for you because I know how you must have felt. Lucky Ol' Stormy - jeezel, peezel what I wouldn't give to be over there too. Give her my love Darling & tell her to get hot on the pen because she should have ever so much more news for a letter than I. Did you talk this Red Cross business over with her? See if you can find out how I might be able to get over faster - than the way I am going to try Darling. It was nice to hear you have seen Ang please give him my love too Sweetie when you see him. Amy & Fiorenza were up in Southampton for a week with their children. Rusty & Diana are bursting with health & are as cute as the devil. Last Tuesday night I was in a small party down at the Juliana Mess and Wed was a big for all the Dutch in town - Queen Wilhemina arrived from Ottawa around 11 AM to review her troops. - We were in a box seat in the Winter Fair Bldg. - next to her!! It was [a] very impressive ceremony but at the same time sad too! She had lunch in the officers mess - and after lunch visited the sgts. & men's canteen - she spoke to every man. You can imagine what this did for their morale. She left around four for Toronto - then on to Ottawa. That afternoon Capt. Nitorink threw a peach of a cocktail party in the mess - there were about eighteen in the party - we had dinner up at the Country Club at 7.30 & stayed on to dance to the radio & gram. It must have been a pretty expensive party for Max because he footed the dinner chit too!! - along with this there was much "hootch" - I lost $2.00 because I had bet Max a couple of wks. before he wouldn't dance that night (he is the type who doesn't unless he is very well away) and my hat! He fooled me! This was a lot of fun & I think ol' Max surprised himself because he danced several times around the floor. Has that bottle of Scotch I sent over with Steen turned up yet Darling? Have you heard this one? - "A soldier returning to camp after 2 wks furlough received this letter from his girl. She had written this song for him: M - is for the many times you made me O - " " " other times you tried T - " " " tourist cabin weekends H - " " " hell that's in your eyes E - " " " everlasting lovelight R - " " " wreck you made of me Put them all together they spell MOTHER and that is what I'm going to be. The next day the soldier answered her letter & returned the compliment by dedicating this song to her. F - is for your funny little letter A - is for my answer to your note T - is for your tearful accusations H - is for your hope that I'm the goat E - is for the ease with which I made you R - is for the rube you thought I'd be - Put them all together they spell FATHER -but you're crazy if you think it's me -! "Got horribly crowded for space" Sweetie but hope you can decipher my scrawl - ALL my love, kisses & hugs to you Geo. Darling forever & always Your Nan [handwritten on the outside edge] I paid your insurance last month & R.M.C. Club fees Sweetie. |
People |
Drew, Fiorenza Johnson Dunbar, Amy Grace (Howitt) Dunbar, Angus Charles Oxnard Dunbar, Charles Howitt Stuart Howitt, Amy Brehart (Saunders) Howitt, Betty Saunders, Grace Tremain, Diana Dunbar Ward, George Everett Ward, Nancy Felicia (Howitt) |
Search Terms |
8th Field Regiment Princess Julianna Barracks Red Cross - Blood Donor Clinic Woolwich Street World War II |
Subjects |
COMMUNICATION - LETTER LETTERS AND MAILINGS VETERANS WORLD WAR II (WWII) - 1939 -1945 |
Collection |
Archives |