by Vicky Unwin
The next day I had to return to Alex, but I visited Ann’s new office which I liked tremendously, and we had coffee in the famous Groppi’s.
Since I have been back here, John has been staying here on convalescent leave, and eventually, after seeing him around the place, we did meet. The trouble is, in a nutshell, that he wants to become engaged to me now, and I feel it would be a silly thing to do, we have been engaged, on and off, several times now, and at the moment I’m not at all sure how things stand, but he really is so temperamental it rather frightens me. I really feel the best thing to do is to wait till the end of the war and see how we feel. Another thing is that he’s probably leaving this country and going miles away, which wouldn’t entirely help matters would it? Anyway, at the moment, we are the best of friends.
I was told this week by the P.P.O. [Principal Personnel Officer] that he had recommended me for a 2nd stripe but not to bank on it as all promotions have to come from home. Well, I just know that I won’t get it, or really deserve it, in view of the far senior people there are out here, and anyway, feel it must just have been a matter of routine as you have to give an assessment of everyone’s ability at the end of the year. So I never expect or even want to rise and think of the jealousy it would cause. All I feel pleased about is that I have been recommended, so please don’t breathe a word to anyone – and will wait and see. You see, to get 2 stripes restricts you terribly. You can only do jobs which are worthy of your rank!
… I suppose you haven’t heard or seen any more of Paul! He is still in your waters, I know, and I have had no mail from him for some time. We have lost a tremendous amount of mail lately, and I just hate to think of all the letters of mine which will have gone missing.
So no more, with tons of love to you both and many happy new years,
Sheila
In the Musky.
The next few letters describe the ups and downs of her relationship with John, and she is still hankering for news of her old boyfriends, Jaap and Paul. It must have been hard for Sheila with so many of her friends getting married or engaged and seemingly settling down. Nevertheless she is determined to make the most of life, seeing the sights of Cairo and Alexandra, while shopping and having fun – riding, singing dancing – just like any normal 22-year-old. She finds time to send parcels home as well, and voices her disapproval – again – of her sister’s activities:
C in C Med 19/1
My dear Ma – … Well, this week I have sent off a parcel containing 2lb sugar, 2lb marmalade and 1lb butter, which I hope you will get all right. We have at last found a shop which can send sugar, and I will send you some as often as I can. I have also packed up very carefully a necklace which I bought ages ago for you, but didn’t know quite how to send it and a bracelet I bought for R. Today I found some Velouty [perfume] which I know you like and am wondering how I’ll send it. I think it is better to send things separately, as if they get lost, it’s only one article … Yes, I think it would be a very good thing if R could get her commission quickly, as I thoroughly disapprove of going about with this and that just for the sake of a ‘good time’ (if you call it such). We never did when we were Wrens but then of course I always had Jaap in the background which completely kept me going. What is all this about promotion after being commissioned a year? We’ve heard nothing of it out here – if it’s true, then nearly all of us automatically jump up.
I have been busy this last week, as John has been spending the last week of his leave here. He has gone away now, and really I think it’s quite a good thing as he was getting more and more worked up and we seemed to do nothing but argue and argue each time we went out. Pity, as he can be so nice. In all fairness to us both I couldn’t promise to marry him, as he is such a jealous person I should have been expected to immediately retire labelled ‘property of J.F.C.P. keep off’. Every time I went out with anyone he at once imagined I was violently keen on them and it wore me out having to account for my every harmless action. When one is at home and there’s no war, it’s slightly different, but out here with everyone away from home naturally a bit more lonely. It’s too much to expect one to stay in the whole time. And I’m not an awful gadabout. I had an awful fright because he calmly told me one evening he had announced our engagement in the Egyptian mail – all without having told me. Sure, at one point I had agreed to marry him, but not till after the war and I saw no point in making it public with him going away as it wouldn’t be a good thing for either of us. This was too much for me, as I felt it was all a way for keeping me safe so I rang up the paper and cancelled it. We had a frightful row, and then were terrified that it would appear, because he’d entered it in the Cairo office and I’d cancelled it at Alex. However, it hasn’t appeared yet so I presume all is well. I suppose it may have seemed queer but I don’t think you should announce your engagement unless you’re quite certain it’ll come off and with him going away for perhaps years, anything might occur to either party. So he said he’d see me no more, or write even. It seemed a pity after all the good times and fun we’ve had, but what could I do but agree? However, the day he left, my favourite pink roses appeared with a note saying we couldn’t part thus, which means, I presume, we will be writing as usual. Oh the trouble one has! Diana [Booth] and Mary [Henie] have been advising me all the time and we’ve come to the conclusion it’s better this way. Somehow having fallen hard once, it’s difficult to fall again in a hurry.
Mail has been shockingly bad and I know we have lost a lot. Promised letters from other people haven’t arrived as well as yours. It is so disappointing. I am going riding this afternoon, then on duty. But to dinner on Thursday and Saturday, singing on Thursday and Friday and riding again on Thursday. My singing is apparently progressing very well. I certainly enjoy it and am now allowed to practice by myself. I do hope you get all the parcels I have sent off. If you don’t reply that you’ve had the food one in nine weeks, the dealer with send another free!
Sheila
With heaps of love (please keep my story QUIET. I should hate all the family to discuss this).
C in C Med 20/1
My dear Ma – … It is really awfully cold (not freezing but bitter in comparison to Summer) and we are all in greatcoats, have extra blankets and hot water bottles and just shiver. These houses are so vast and airy, with no central heating and we only have one fire – you can’t imagine how chilly it is. I am thankful for my winter dressing gown and wish I had brought more warm clothes. I am a lucky girl – a big bunch of roses and asters has just arrived from John, asking why I haven’t written. I didn’t know I was expected to! Anne Halliday has just become engaged to a marine. She is still in Cairo and another girl we need to work with has also announced her engagement. Seems to be the fashion. I have just been to a singing lesson which I enjoyed tremendously. Mme Vegdi is a dear and strange as it may seem, is very pleased with my voice. Unfortunately it takes 2 or 3 years to fully produce it, and I’m sure we won’t be here for that length of time! As for riding – well, I am still very much in love with it, but I went on Sunday and had a typical riding school horse, which wanted to walk the whole time and always tried to take the short cut home. He was terribly obstinate and we kept going round in circles – in the end he fell down a water hole and I was terrified that he’d break his legs, but he was alright. I had to jump off and pacify him, but found it awfully hard to get on again as he was so tall. One really needs spurs for such an obstinate brute … Did I tell you I had a contretemps with the C/O. resulting in my having my hair cut. It wasn’t frightfully long (some of the others are far longer and haven’t been told) but she was with a Rear Admiral, who remarked on it, so poor old Mills got a bottle! Within 15 minutes I was in a gharry and off to the hairdressers, where I had it cut and permed. Actually it really looks quite nice, tho’ it felt a bit strange at first. I haven’t sent off the necklace yet, but will do so soon, and you should get it within a month, anyway I love it and have one like it.
With heaps of love
&
nbsp; Sheila
C in C Med
9th February 1943
My dear Ma – I haven’t heard from you for some time but mails have been awfully bad lately. I sent off another food parcel last week with 2lbs sugar, 2lbs butter and 1lb marmalade. I do hope it reaches you all right. Unfortunately we are only allowed to send 2lbs of sugar at a time or I would send more. I have just returned from a couple of days in Cairo. I went up on Saturday morning and returned last night Sunday. I met John, and we spent all the time together, on very good terms. I have told him definitely I won’t be engaged now, and he accepts the fact and we seem to get on very well in spite of the fact. We ate an enormous lunch where we gazed at Cairo from above – a wonderful sight, mosques, domes and minarets rising above the houses, the pyramids in the distance and the sun shining on it all. It is very much like being in Edinburgh castle and looking over the city. Well, we then drove through the Dead City, which is nearby and out of bounds really. There is a part of Cairo which had plague very badly 600 years ago and which was closed. People were buried just where they were and consequently there are tombs in houses, tombs everywhere. I longed to get out and look at some of the mosques, all is old and interesting but of course couldn’t. Then we went to have tea at Shepheards, the very famous hotel everyone goes to when in Cairo … After a prolonged tea, John went to have a bath (being in more or less desert, baths are scarce) and I to change and then we went back to Shepheards to dance, me in my new blue brocade evening dress which was quite a success. The following day we were only able to have lunch together and I had to catch the 4.30 train back. … Our pay isn’t bad at all, and tho’ things are terribly expensive it’s easy to manage if one’s careful. For instance I spend most of my money on singing and riding, 2 things which are structurally beneficial and I try and buy as many useful clothes as I can, as I know how hard they must be to come by at home. Just to show you the prices out here, my short time in Cairo cost John £10 – do you know that 2 Pimms No.1 cost 40 piastres, or 8/- isn’t it fantastic? The weather is so pleasant here now. Warm and Spring-like, and not too sunny. It was lovely in Cairo yesterday afternoon. We walked to the Nile and looked over one of the bridges near Kasr el Nil Barracks, with Gezira Island to the right of us, all trees and green. Today was a rest day because the King has been here. Great arches were erected in Rue Fuad and banners, flags were flown from all windows. Soldiers lined the streets and there were bands making an awful din. On top of all this, tho’ I was out and I missed the King. Apparently, in Cairo he drives about in an enormous car escorted by 90 motor cycles, fore and aft all going very fast at about 40 mph. We are enjoying the strawberry season now – oh they are heavenly. Oranges, tangerines and bananas are at their best. I’m even rather tired of them! I think probably your Xmas present to me has gone down, as it hasn’t arrived yet.
With very much love to you both. Sheila
17/2/43
My dear Mama – I’ve at last had some mail – 10 letters in all, including 3 of yours It was a lovely surprise … I have had John down for the weekend, but he has gone back now and I know not when we’ll meet again. I asked Eve and Clement [Barber, Alexandria residents and riding friends] to meet him and their opinion afterwards and one was that I’d be a fool to marry him as they think he is too serious and old for his years for me. However, I’ve told him definitely no for the moment, but what will happen in the future I can’t tell. He won’t change, that’s the one thing certain. We went to the Union Club dance on Saturday night, and I wore my new blue brocade dress. It’s a deep deep blue with gold flowers on it in shot gold, and is made plain with low neck, short sleeves and a split back. … No, I didn’t hear the broadcast from the Wren who has been to Casablanca. But did you hear Anne Halliday broadcasting home to her mother from the M.E. the other day. Just before the end she squeezed in ‘John Pritty of Prestwick sends his regards to his people.’ Quite illicitly for John, and we are wondering what it sounded like. They get all the luck working in Cairo! No, I am still in the same job and still a 3/O. There are dozens of others of greater seniority then me in the same boat. I certainly won’t get promotion. I am going to ask for a move tho’ so that I can get more into the war. It’s getting rather backward here and I’m tired of the people I have to work with … I had a letter from Dundee who mentioned Jaap is now a Lieut. Commander. With all this loss of mail I feel very discouraged!!! But I haven’t written either, for ages. And still no news of Paul too … I’ve got so used to being out here that I often wonder what it will be like returning to UK. Tho’ I often long to be back among the green fields, trees, hills, and sea, especially when we have weather like this mild and sunny, not too warm – rather like May at home and everywhere rather misty and dewy in the early morning. Naturally I want to come back and see you and Daddy but having come this far, I want to go on and see more though of course with a war you can’t do everything you want to. I don’t feel for a moment that we shall return before the end of the war and I don’t think that given the chance I would accept it! I am going to learn to ride from a new master, who is going to teach me to do exercises on the horse, lie down while it is trotting and all sorts of tricks to make one feel confident on the horse whatever he may do. I have my first lesson tomorrow with Eve. I must get up now. My clock gets fast and so I found myself up and about at 0700 instead of 0720, hence writing this now.
Tons of love to you both. Sheila
Having been the longest-serving Wren officer in Alexandria, she is devastated when the office is demoted from C-in-C Med to C-in-C Levant – and so feels more than ready to move on:
C in C Levant
C/O CPO London
27/2/43
My dear Daddy –
… As you will see, we have now changed our address and are now C in C Levant – a very great come down! I have been in the office longer than any Wren and more than most of the men, so now I’m agitating for a move. I have 2/3 definite places in view, which I can’t of course mention here. The C/O says I am selected for accelerated promotion, but whether that will even come to anything I can’t say. No I should guess, really. However, as promotion is NIL in the service and I’m happy as a 3/O, I don’t mind a bit. It’s really rather difficult working with men, as they get the promotion automatically and after 6 months you’ll find a sub/lieut. you know and trained as a raw recruit from King Alfred is then a Lieut and your boss. It makes me rather cross!
However, life is really quite pleasant. Alexandria, unlike Cairo, is a quiet spot. Everything closes at midnight, and it’s more like a provincial town – like Bournemouth or similar places. I should say, I simply adore Cairo, and try and get up there as much as I can – once a month if possible at the moment. John is stationed there and it is great fun going up. I’ve explored the Musky, Citadel, Blue Mosque, Dead City and Pyramids, but I want to go to Sakara and see the Pyramids there as they are meant to be much older and more interesting. Whenever I shall have time to do all this I can’t say, as I only have one day off at a time, and it’s rather a wangle going anyway. It’s really rather a blight working in C in C’s office, as we’re the only people who haven’t had leave. All the other Wrens have had a week and been up to Palestine and even Syria – places I long to visit! I want very very much to go to Luxor and Aswan – one member of my watch has been and I’ve seen his photographs – the Egyptian remains there are wonderful, only have to be seen to be believed, and you know how I love old buildings and tombs!
There is very little of that kind of thing in Alex – we have some catacombs, which I’m afraid I’ve never yet seen, but will do so some day. Alexander the Great is reputed to have been buried in Rue Nebi David, but as it’s under the street, nobody seems quite to know. We also have a big pillar attributed to Pompey (!!) [the name of their cat] but nothing is left of the Pharos as its foundations are now under the sea beyond Ras el Jin.
In spite of all those interesting things, I feel a move on is indicated – one gets stale in one’s work and I’m just a little tired o
f the men I’m working with! When it will come is debatable, but I hope it will be quite soon.
… It’s terribly English to talk about weather, but really it is heavenly just now – very cool, yet sunny and perfect for all sports, even swimming, tho’ I haven’t swum since last October!
… So au revoir, camera films are almost nil here, otherwise I would have sent you some.