Amanuensis Monday - letter from Bill Hudson to Peggy November 26th, 1941

My grandfather Bill Hudson worked as a prison officer in Hong Kong from 1921 to 1941. He was still in Hong Kong in December of 1941 when the Japanese invaded and occupied the colony. My grandmother Peg and my father Peter had been evacuated to Australia in July 1940. Peg kept the last couple of letters Bill wrote from Hong Kong prior to the Japanese invasion, along with the letters he wrote immediately after liberation.

Most of the letters are long, so I'm going to serialise them over the next few weeks.

This is the second letter - the first starts here - and was written on 26 November 1941, less than two weeks before the Japanese invaded.

Page 1 is here
Page 2 is here
Page 3 is here

Page 4

Well here is page 4, wish me luck in filling it. The trouble this way is still very [unreadable], I wish things would quieten down, we may have a chance of getting you back then, but not in these troubled times. I have got the telephone fixed up, only you see what they are doing with me, send me away from it.

Please you received the peticoat, and nothing to pay, it should be good at $12, Kiss me now.

What's wrong with Peter, tell him he must eat otherwise he will not grow to be a big Man.

A young Revenue Officer has just come inside, 15 months for demanding money, Scott by name, I don't know him, his wife is down in Australia. A big shock for his wife. Another P.O.D. head has just died, only 42, Bishop by name, the evacuation is the cause of a lot of this.

I can't write what I think in this letter, about the one who lives with you, I'll have to wait until you are safely back from Port Augusta, you do not say how long you are going for, will it be a fortnight. I'll try and write on Sunday, I'll see how things go on, I may come out here on Sunday afternoon, this furniture here reminds me so much of you, unlike the ? place I am going to and it's surroundings.

Good night Sweetheart, I do miss you more than words can express, if only I had you back I would not care. Nice double bed weather, any hopes Peg.

All my love Dear, kiss Peter for his Daddy, and tell him to eat more.

Always and Ever,

your Bill xxxxx