I do hope that we shall meet again soon, and with all my love dearest Mama,
Ever your loving daughter in law
Elizabeth
20 August 1940 to Queen Mary
Windsor Castle
My Darling Mama
I am so sorry not to see you this week, and hope so much that you will be coming to London soon again.
I am staying here all this week (I hope), as I want to be with the children, and of course spend Margaret’s birthday with her. It is lovely here – delicious weather, tho’ too many air raid alarms! We refused utterly to descend into the bowels of the earth on Sunday when the sirens went at 1.15 [p.m.]! Having visited Uncle Arthur* after Church, we arrived home hungry & sore of throat with shouting at him & to be deprived of luncheon was too much, we felt! So we ate happily, whilst tin hatted Wardens peered reproachfully at us now & then. […]
What magnificent deeds our airmen are doing. They are certainly fired by the crusading spirit – do you not think so?
Everything very dry here, and the Park is quite yellow.
Poor Olav – he must be very anxious about Märtha & the children – it will be a great relief when they reach America safely. I suppose that the Germans are furious at them leaving Sweden, and are making themselves as unpleasant as possible in consequence. It is tragic that the Americans are not more united as a people – I suppose a country has to suffer to find its soul. Poor things.
With all my love darling Mama, I do trust with all my heart that you are feeling well under the strain of all these air battles. I do think you are brave.
Ever your loving daughter in law
Elizabeth
13 September 1940 to Queen Mary
Windsor Castle
My Darling Mama,
I hardly know how to begin to tell you of the horrible attack on Buckingham Palace this morning. Bertie and I arrived there at about ¼ to 11, and he and I went up to our poor windowless rooms to collect a few odds & ends. I must tell you that there was a ‘Red’ warning on and I went into the little room opposite Bertie’s room to see if he was coming down to the shelter. He asked me to take an eyelash out of his eye, and while I was battling with this task, Alec came into the room with a batch of papers in his hand. At this moment we heard the unmistakable whirr-whirr of a German plane. We said, ‘Ah a German’ and before anything else could be said, there was the noise of aircraft diving at great speed, and then the scream of a bomb. It all happened so quickly, that we had only time to look foolishly at each other, when the scream hurtled past us, and exploded with a tremendous crash in the quadrangle.
I saw a great column of smoke & earth thrown up into the air, and then we all dashed like lightning into the corridor. There was another tremendous explosion, and we & our two pages who were outside the door, remained for a moment or two in the corridor away from the staircase, in case of flying glass. It is curious how one’s instinct works at these moments of great danger, as quite without thinking, the urge was to get away from the windows. Everybody remained wonderfully calm, and we went down to the shelter. I went along to see if the housemaids were all right, and found them busy in their various shelters. Then came a cry for ‘bandages’, and the first aid party, who had been training for over a year, rose magnificently to the occasion and treated the 3 poor casualties calmly and correctly.
They, poor men, were working below the Chapel, and how they survived I don’t know. Their whole workshop was a shambles, for the bomb had gone bang through the floor above them. My knees trembled a little bit for a minute or two after the explosions! But we both feel quite well today, tho’ just a bit tired. I was so pleased with the behaviour of our servants. They were really magnificent. I went along to the kitchen which, as you will remember, has a glass roof. I found the chef bustling about, and when I asked him if he was all right, he replied cheerfully that there had been un petit quelque chose dans le coin, un petit bruit, with a broad smile. The petit quelque chose was the bomb on the Chapel just next door! He was perfectly unmoved, and took the opportunity to tell me of his unshakeable conviction that France will rise again!
We lunched down in our shelter, and luckily at about 1.30 the all-clear sounded, so we were able to set out on our tour of East and West Ham. The damage there is ghastly. I really felt as if I was walking in a dead city, when we walked down a little empty street. All the houses evacuated and yet through the broken windows one saw all the poor little possessions, photographs, beds, just as they were left. At the end of the street was a school which was hit, and collapsed on the top of 500 people waiting to be evacuated – about 200 are still under the ruins. It does affect me seeing this terrible and senseless destruction. I think that really I mind it much more than being bombed myself. The people are marvellous and full of fight. One could not imagine that life could become so terrible. We must win in the end. Darling Mama, I do hope that you will let me come & stay a day or two later. It is so sad being parted, as this War has parted families.
With my love and prayers for your safety, ever darling Mama, your loving daughter in law,
Elizabeth
PS Dear old B.P. is still standing, and that is the main thing.
5 October 1940 to Owen Morshead
Memorandum:
1.Have you the Plays and Sonnets of Shakespeare in a not too small print? I am in my room with a mild attack of influenza, & would like to browse in Shakespeare.
2.I see that there is a new book out about the King, by Keith V. Gordon.* It is very badly reviewed in the Times Literary Supplement – what a pity that any ignorant person may write trash about the Throne.
19 October 1940 to Queen Mary
Windsor Castle
My Darling Mama
Thank you so much for your two dear letters. We are now all recovered from our influenza, and have returned to normal life. So much happens each day, that one does not know where to begin, when writing letters. It was dreadful about poor Kensington Palace. I have not yet been able to go & see the damage.
A land mine exploded in St James’s Park on Tuesday morning early, & when Bertie & I reached Buckingham Palace that morning, there was not one pane of glass left in the front or in the quadrangle. Most of the window frames have gone, and it will be terribly difficult to keep the house clean. However, everybody, including Williams† & dear Mrs Ferguson‡ were perfectly calm (perhaps the calmness of despair!) and when we were there yesterday, the glass was still being swept up. It really makes one wild with rage to see all the insane destruction of beautiful & so often dearly loved buildings. To think that so much beauty should be sacrificed to Nazi brutality is horrifying. Yesterday we waited anxiously for some hours, as there was an unexploded land mine in St James’s Park, quite near the Palace. We trembled for our few remaining panes of glass! Luckily it was made safe, & we breathed again.
Bertie & I are now using the Belgian suite, and he the ‘44 room as a sitting room, with the furniture from his own room upstairs. It makes a charming room & the windows have so far survived. I talked to Williams last week about the silk on the walls of the little Chinese room, and tho’ a little torn, I feel sure that on a new back it will be quite sound again. It was a miracle that no more was destroyed, and indeed, darling Mama, we must plan to reconstruct everything after this war is over. It is very kind of you to suggest replacing the Chinese lantern – I do hope you & I will be able to restore much that has gone.
We felt so sorry about the windows at Marlborough House. I do hope & trust that all your lovely things are safe.
Yesterday Bertie & I went to see poor Great Cumberland Place where a land mine has wrecked all the surrounding houses. It is a sad & terrible sight, but thank God, very few casualties. We went on to Stoke Newington, where they were still digging people out from a block of flats which collapsed on top of them. They fear two hundred dead, owing to the fact that the water main burst, & drowned many. There were many amazing rescues – one man diving into the water through a tiny opening, & saving some
lives. I do hate these visits so desperately Mama. I feel quite exhausted after seeing & hearing so much sadness, sorrow, heroism and magnificent spirit. The destruction is so awful, & the people too wonderful – they deserve a better world.
With my love darling Mama, ever your loving daughter in law
Elizabeth
25 October 1940 to May Elphinstone
Windsor Castle
My Darling May
I was so delighted to get your letter, and to know that you have heard from John.* I wonder whether one could get any food or clothing to him through Paul of Yugoslavia? Shall I try? It must be done very anonymously of course, but it might be worth while to try. It seems ten years since I last saw you – it is so sad being cut off from the family, tho’ I occasionally see David who is very busy, and doing very good work I believe.
We are sleeping here at the moment, & spending the middle of the week in London, as we have practically not one pane of glass at poor old Buckingham Palace. However, they are getting on fairly well with the boarding up, but the house is very draughty!
The last ‘incident’ (that is the name for devastation) was a land mine in St James’s Park, which not only blew out all our windows, but the window frames as well! We have been attacked here 2 nights running, but don’t say a word will you, as we don’t want the Germans to know anything that might help them aim!, and it was the first time that the children had actually heard the whistle and scream of bombs. They were wonderful, & when I went to say good-night to Margaret in her bed, I said that I hoped she wasn’t frightened etc, & she said, ‘Mummy, it was just like when you take a photograph that doesn’t come out – all grey & blurred, & you see several hands and arms instead of one’, & it is so true, really very much what one feels like.
It makes me furious seeing the wanton destruction of so much. Sometimes it really makes me feel almost ill. I can’t tell you how I loathe going round these bombed places, I am a beastly coward, & it breaks one’s heart to see such misery & sadness. On the other hand, the spirit of the people is so wonderful, that one feels ashamed to mind so much for them.
I do hope that Andrew will go to India – it would be a wonderful change for him, & so interesting.
Please give Sidney my love & a kiss. I mean a X and not a ssssss of course.
Also to Elizabeth & Margaret – please tell E to write to me & tell me what she is doing.
A great deal of love to yourself
from your very very loving
Elizabeth
PS […] Have you got a PIG? We have organised a very successful collection of waste food for our pigs. It is amazing the amount of waste in the country.
31 October 1940 to Queen Mary
Windsor Castle
My Darling Mama
I do so agree with you in what you say in your letter received today, as to the eventual planning and rebuilding of London. So far, Bertie has insisted on seeing every big plan or scheme, the last being poor Wellington Barracks. Of course, by the time rebuilding comes, Lord Reith* may not be in command, but it is just as well to make the position clear to him, and to his successors.
Taste (especially in private building such as hotels) has been deplorable these last twenty years, and it is very important that it should improve after this War. I imagine that whole great areas of the East End will have to be rebuilt eventually, but I expect that the LCC [London County Council] will have something to say to that. Carlton House Terrace makes such a fine facade, that any rebuilding there, should certainly be in harmony. The poor Devonshires’ house is a sad sight, but of course it is detached, & therefore not such a problem. Oh why did they not drop a bomb on the German Embassy. I believe the interior had been made very vulgar by that horrible Ribbentrop, & it would have been no loss.
All those lovely Crown houses in Regent’s Park must be rebuilt in the Regency manner. Perhaps they will be able to combine beauty and utility for once! Houses like 145 Piccadilly are much more of a problem. We realised two or three years ago that the day was fast approaching when no private person would be able to live in them, and I daresay that the whole block will be rebuilt, in, let us hope, good taste. What great problems await us all! But first we must win the War, & tho’ it may be long, I cannot & will not accept any idea of defeat. I am sure that you feel the same darling Mama.
I wake rather early these days and spend an hour or so thinking in that early morning clarity, of all the blows & possible blows that have come to us, and tho’ we may have a few more in the Middle East, I do feel great hope in our ever growing Air Force and national unity. We have had to take such great reverses, as only a truly great people can take disasters, and possibly so much disappointment & horror will steel our people, & take them to great heights of sacrifice and courage. I do feel that material things like comfort, money and self were getting too much hold before the War, and it only shows how much stronger the human spirit is than anything else. In fact, the people are living a truly Christian life – being good neighbours & living for each other as never before; which, with the things of the spirit, seem to me to be real Christianity.
I went to see poor Xenia* last week, as they had had bombs all round them, & had lost their windows. She was so good, but rather shaken. We are thinking of offering her Wig’s [Clive Wigram] house at Balmoral as a temporary escape from all the noise & horror.
The poor wife of Andrew of Russia† was dying there, & I went in to see her poor thing. By ill luck, a piece of bomb had penetrated the roof, and hit her in the middle of the forehead. She was rather proud of this in a way, but one could see that she had not much longer to live. It is a mercy. I sent my car for Xenia this morning, to take her to the funeral, as really my conscience pricks rather. That someone who has been through so much should, at her age, be blasted by guns & bombs, seems very hard.
Bertie is away visiting troops, and I have been in London two days. It is most unpleasant, but everyone is wonderful.
With my love darling Mama, & so many thanks for your dear and interesting letter.
Ever your loving daughter in law
Elizabeth
7 January 1941 to Queen Mary
Sandringham
My Darling Mama
I am thrilled with the photograph of the lovely clock which you & the family are so kindly giving me. I can hardly wait until I return to Windsor to see it, and send you most loving & grateful thanks for such a perfect present. I am certain that it will suit my room in poor Buckingham Palace, when we can start living there once again, and I shall look forward to ‘placing’ it so much. We are all feeling much better for our quiet stay at dear little Appleton.* Mabel Butcher & Marrington† worked absolute miracles over carpets & lights, and every room has a carpet which fits perfectly, and even the furniture fits!
The drawing room here has new armchairs & sofas from the Hall at Sandringham, the radio, & the piano from the drawing room at Sandringham. It makes a very comfortable living room, and as I have my writing table in Bertie’s room, the lady can use the drawing room all the morning for writing.
The children are looking quite different already – I am afraid that Windsor is not really a good place for them, the noise of guns is heavy, and then of course there have been so many bombs dropped all around, & some so close. It is very difficult to know what is the best thing to do with them.
The weather has been very bad here, and snow lies everywhere. Bertie has shot every day possible, and looks much refreshed. All the people seem very well, and on Saturday the Women’s Institute’s tea party takes place! How I wish that you and Mary were to be there to sing & laugh – I believe there are to be patriotic ‘tableaux’ this year – I wonder who will be Britannia!
We went to see the Newfoundland soldiers who are living in the beautiful new Church School. They seem quite happy, but it is sad to see them there instead of the children.
It seems almost unbelievable that one can spend days here so like the good old pre-war ones. It is a real refreshment, and our own
visit to Sheffield seemed less of a burden in consequence.
Our Xmas at Windsor was rather tragic, because Lilibet & I both felt terribly ill for 2 days. It was a sort of internal flu, which Bertie had too, and made everything a great effort. It was disappointing too, because George & Marina came for 3 nights, & we retired to bed once before dinner, & also poor Alexandra* developed German measles, so that we were rather parted!
I am anxiously watching the children for signs of the first spots!
I am very sad at losing Dorothy Halifax† who is a real pillar of strength to me, but feel sure that the Americans will like and admire them both, as we do.
I am still enraged beyond words over the futile and wicked destruction of the City of London. The Guildhall one can never forgive, and I am beginning to really hate the German mentality – the cruelty and arrogance of it.
With all my love, darling Mama, and directly the days get a little longer, we shall hope to pay you another visit, which will be something to look forward to, indeed, for us,
Ever your very loving daughter in law
Elizabeth
14 January 1941 to the Duke of Kent
Buckingham Palace
Darling George
Mama has sent me a photograph of a lovely clock to be given to me for Xmas by the family. Darling, thank you so very much for your share, also Marina, and really I feel that it is too much after all your divine presents to us at Xmas. […]
We had a marvellous fortnight at A[ppleton]. Horribly cold, but somehow cleansing and upholding. […]
The drawing room (where you used to urge Aunt Maud [the Queen of Norway] round the room, whilst I bucketed round clasped to [Crown Prince] Olav’s tummy) was made comfortable & gay. The new chairs and sofas from the hall at S, a piano & a radio almost over-furnished it, & it was marvellously hot.
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