SACKETT-L Archives

From: "Chris Sackett" <>
Subject: Lillie.43
Date: Mon, 15 Jun 1998 14:05:30 +0100

Lillie.43

Aug 18th 1942

It is over two months since I wrote to you & much has happened in that
time. Our Radio Sets have been taken from us again, not as "a punishment"
but for Military purposes, so we are told. But, for all that, the news
filters through at times, altho' it is not so very satisfactory as having
it first hand.

We have been having a rather trying time of late. On June 27th, Tom Keyho
was taken to the Sanatorium with lung trouble once again. The following
Friday, July 3rd, Will collapsed entirely. He was alone in the house. In
trying to Phone to me he fell three times & when I got round to him I found
him in bed. I phoned his Dr who, when he saw him, said it was Gastric
Ulcers in the stomach & ordered him to the Emergency Hospital where he has
been for 5 1/2 weeks. He is now home again just a week & is staying here
with us. He & Tom were living together, you remember.

I've been kept going visiting him twice a week & Arthur & I between us went
to see Tom who was fortunately not far from the Hospital. Then, on Saturday
afternoon, I went to see Gladys. I'm glad to say there is a great
improvement in her &, if she continues so, I think she will soon be able to
get home again.

It does not seem probable that Tom will come back to live in St Martins
again, when he is free from the Sanatorium. I don't think he will be able
to carry on his work as "School Attendance Officer". The Committee speak of
finding him a post in the office, which is situate in the Grange, so he
will have to find lodgings near. There is some talk of him going to live
with Lydia & Douglas, but he has to get better first.

Arthur Sackett is still working in Alderney, so Will is quite alone apart
from us.

Our food situation is somewhat better now owing to the crops in the garden.
We have plenty of vegetables, & fish is more plentiful than it was, altho'
it is now two weeks since we had any. We had a meatless week lately, but we
are now getting used to having so little meat that we are able to manage,
but it is nice when we can get some. I see we have a meat ration this week
again.

It has been very hard to have plenty of fruit & no sugar to make Jam. We
had a ration of 1 lb per head for Jam making this year. That did not go
far. We have now no Flour, Barley or Oat ration, only Macaroni sometimes.
It is really very wonderful how we manage to keep going.

Lately, we are able to get a ration of Butter Milk. We have to queue up for
it. I have to go Tuesdays. We get two pints per head. I make Cream Cheese
with it which is very nice as a spread on our bread. I use the whey for
various things. It is good in soup, also in porridge when we can get it.
I've also boiled Mackerel in it & found that very good &, of course, for
mixing pastry & cakes there is nothing better.

Arthur has been able to get me some flour at times & so we go on. There is
a promise of a good Harvest. Our potato crop is very good & so are the
Onions & Carrots. We have two nice trenches of Celery in & also Leeks, so
we have promise of plenty for the winter.

It is wonderful how well I have kept despite all the hard work I'm now
doing. Perhaps that is why. I have no time to worry or brood & no
inclination I'm glad to say. Arthur is very much better. He has spent much
time in the garden & is very brown.

There has been much excitement today over the news which has filtered out
of the "Invasion of France". The troops here have been very busy doubling
their Sentinels everywhere. They do indeed look worried. Yesterday, we
heard the Guns all the day & sometimes our windows rattled very much. I
wonder what it will mean for us. Some release we are hoping.

We have had several messages lately from Mollie, Leslie, Tom, Laura, &
Yourself. How strange that Annie should have died in April, so soon after
Alfred, & in Laura's message of today she tells us of the death of Frank
Sackett's wife in India. She has been here twice on "Deputation Work" for
our Women's Missionary department. We liked her very much indeed. I'm sorry
for Frank. He will miss her very much indeed. She was so very helpful to
him in his work in India.

I suppose we must expect to have breaks in our family now. It is rather
wonderful that we have gone on so long without any.

Arthur's sister, Mrs E T Wheadon, is in a very bad way. Her tongue has been
paralysed for two years & it is now going right through her body. The Dr
has told her husband there is no hope of her recovery.

This thread:

• Lillie.43 by "Chris Sackett" <>