Homebound - S. Gilchrist, Oct 1946

9 Langstile Rd.

Glasgow S.W.2.

Tue. 8th Oct. '46

My Dear Ni,

     As you can see by the adress I am at home & was therefore in a position to personally recieve your letter from Quebec, which last I must say certainly took its time getting here.  I think they must have sent it over on a sailing ship, & a damn slow one at that for I only recieved the letter this morning almost a month after you posted it.

     I have been on an extended, & I may say an undesired leave for a spell now, but I expect to back if not on the ocean, at least on a ship within a week.

     I haven't been doing a great deal lately, which is just as well or I would be in debt, instead of just plain broke.  Incidentally, they are sending some of the American ships we have been running back to the States, so I may see you again soon.  That would be just swell.

     Since Ina went to London I have been on my own most of the time.  She has had a lot of bad luck recently.  She was in the Royal Air Force for about 3 years during the war, but she was discharged Dec '43 with Tuberculosis.  She was in a sanatorium for a spell, but when I met her she was getting well enough to consider taking a job.  All the time she was in Scotland she was fine, but she had no sooner gone back to London that, bingo!, she was banged back into hospital.  She was really ill too.  She sent for me asking me to come down, but when I went she was unconscious, & being banged in & out of an oxygen tent.  She is a bit better now, but they have collapsed one of her lungs & she will have to be in the hospital for many months to come.  It's a damned shame, she was such a pretty, lively kid.

     You seem to have hand quite a time to yourself north of the border.  My old man was in Quebec many times & was quite intrerested in the pictures, especially the Chateau Frontenac.  I guess it must have been one of his haunts when he was a gay young sailor.

     The big girl is back with us again for a spell, running up & down the blyde to see how fast she can do it.  All the engineers I know shake their head & say she's no good, but inside they're just bursting with pride.  Anyway, they wouldn't be satisfied until they have her airborne.  I cut the pictures out of the papers last night to send to you, so it wasn't really a surprise to get a letter from you, this morning.  She really is a beauty.

     There is little more I can tell you now that would be of any interest to you.  So goodbye for now, Ni, & the usual good luck!  I'll write again soon.

Be seeing you.

Gil

Adrift Again - S. Gilchrist, Feb 1946

S.S. 'Samshire'

Liverpool

Sun. 17th Feb. '46

My Dear Ni,

     As you can see by the above address I have changed my quarters since I last wrote to you.  I spent about a month in the 'City of Lancaster' but I was brassed off there so when I got the chance of a seagoing job again, I grabbed it with both hands.  And this is it the S.S. 'Samshire' built in Baltimore & a sister ship to the 'Torch' & the 'uta' of beloved memory.  I like these type of vessels, for they are very comfortable.  I am alone abaord tonight, except for Smoky the ships Persian cat, for I lack both the inclination & the hard cash to allow me to dash ahore & indulge in bitter beer & badinage with the barmaid.  I do not like cats, & I do not like Smoky, but she is very beautiful & I must need admire her.  What is more, she does not possess the disgusting habit of most cats of assuming that the 'world is her toilet'.

     We shall probably be in Liverpool for a few weeks yet, which is bad, for I loathe the bloody place, but they have pretty good orchestral concerts once a week, & I may take a couple of days off & run up to Manchester & see Tommy Pallas.  The rest of the time I shall stay aboard, smoke, read, remember & cheat myself furiosly at cribbage, all of which are well loved diversions of mine.

     It is quite a long time since I heard from you, & I could not help but wonder if you had come to the conclusion that you had had enough of my tedious prattle & had finally decided that you would call it off.  I could not blame you if you have, but I would be sorry; sorry indeed.

Should you, however, feel like continuing our usual correspondence, my address is as usual i.e.

'Eng'r Officer S. Gilchrist

S.S. Samshire'

Ellerman Associated Lines Ltd.

Tower Building

Liverpool

     That is really all I have to tell you at present, except that they're playing 'Clair de Lune' on the radio, & I like it & I bet you do too.  Goodbye, & Good Luck, kid, I'll write again soon.

Yours Ever,

Gil