Counting One's Blessings

by William Shawcross

  And I need not remind you, who set as much store by your home life as we do, how great are the difficulties which our housewives have to face nowadays, & how gallantly they are tackling them.

  I could continue the list almost indefinitely, so manifold is the service which our women in Britain are giving. But I want to tell you that whatever the nature of their daily, or nightly, tasks, they are cheered by the evidence of your thought for them. We like to picture you knitting on your porches, serving in your committee rooms, and helping in a hundred ways to bring relief to our civilian garrison here.

  Though I speak for us all in Britain, in thanking all of you in America, I feel I would like to send a special message of thanks to American women.

  It gives us strength to know that you have not been content to pass us by on the other side; to us, in the time of our tribulation, you have surely shown that compassion which has been for two thousand years the mark of the Good Neighbour. Believe me – and I am speaking for millions of us, who know the bitter, but also proud, sorrow of war – we are grateful. We shall not forget your sacrifice.

  The sympathy which inspires it springs not only from our common speech and the traditions which we share with you, but even more from our common ideals. To you, tyranny is as hateful as it is to us; to you, the things for which we will fight to the death are no less sacred; and – to my mind, at any rate – your generosity is born of your conviction that we fight to save a Cause that is yours no less than ours: of your high resolve that, however great the cost and however long the struggle, justice and freedom, human dignity and kindness, shall not perish from the earth.

  I look to the day when we shall go forward hand in hand to build a better, a kinder, and a happier world for our children.*

  May God bless you all.

  28 August 1941 to Queen Mary

  Balmoral Castle

  My Darling Mama

  We have been having a very happy time here for the last week, and Bertie is looking so rested and well. It is a great relief that it has been possible to arrange this little visit, as it is doing everyone good, especially the children, who look ten times better, with pink cheeks and good appetites! The past year has been so hard, and I feel so grateful for this break.† […]

  With all my love darling Mama, ever your loving daughter in law

  Elizabeth

  On 7 December 1941 the Queen heard on the wireless news of the Japanese assault on Pearl Harbor. She said afterwards that she realized at once what it meant – America would at last enter the war against fascism alongside Britain. As the US declared war on Japan, so did Britain. Hitler then declared war on the United States.

  America’s entry into the war was an extraordinary boost for British morale. But victory was still a distant prospect. While the King and Queen were in South Wales they learned that the battleship Prince of Wales and the battlecruiser Repulse had been sunk by Japanese bombers off the coast of Thailand. The loss of these great ships and over 800 men cast a gloom across the nation.

  9 December 1941 to Queen Mary

  In the Train

  My Darling Mama

  Thank you so very much for your charming letter. I do feel ashamed at not having written for so long – the days go by so quickly, & weeks pass before one has noticed. And so much has happened lately. Let us hope that the battle in Libya will turn in our favour, for tho’ our men always fight magnificently, we seem to have no luck. So far Hitler has had a lot, and the supreme advantage of years of secret arming. But we seem to be gradually pulling up, and if only the poor Americans keep calm & start working in earnest, we may get sufficient weapons to cope with the Germans.

  The Russians have done well, haven’t they? They must have got an enormous army. It looks as if the Japanese caught the Americans out rather badly with their sudden attack. I expect they will have a bad time, for the US is not well armed, & their pilots have no experience, and it does take a long time to learn total war methods, which those horrid Japanese have much used. I do feel rather sorry for them (the US), tho’ they have persistently closed their eyes to such evident danger, for they are a very young and untried nation.

  We are down in South Wales this evening, for a two days’ visit to the mining valleys & some industries, and I am writing in the train. I suppose that we are not so very far from Badminton.* How I wish that we could meet. Perhaps a little later on you will allow us to come down to you for a night, and some talk, for we have not seen you since July! […]

  My very nice footman Mervyn Weavers is missing – I am very sorry, for he was a particularly nice and well educated young man, and was already a sergeant pilot. He went off in a Wellington and never came back. I fear that there is little hope. Oh this cruel war, & the sorrows the German spirit has brought to so many young wives, for he was happily married. […]

  Forgive rather a dull letter, but I feel rather bemused after the shocks and anxieties of the last weeks,* and a little tired this evening.

  Hoping with all my heart that we shall meet soon, ever, darling Mama, your loving daughter in law

  Elizabeth

  28 December 1941 to Queen Mary

  Windsor Castle

  My Darling Mama

  I write to thank you with all my heart for the lovely rug which you kindly gave me with the family. It will be most useful, and I am delighted to have something so useful and so colourful. […]

  I expect that we shall have a very difficult time in this New Year, for the Americans have been caught out, and things must work up to a climax, but I do feel confident, don’t you Mama? Confident in the valour and good sense of the British people, & confident that good sense will prevail in the end.

  We send you every good wish for a happier New Year, and may it help to bring victory to our cause.

  With much love darling Mama, ever your very loving daughter in law

  Elizabeth

  19 January 1942 to J. P. Morgan [incomplete draft]

  Buckingham Palace

  My dear Mr Morgan

  I cannot tell you how deeply touched the King & I were, at your kind thought in sending such exciting & lovely parcels. They were opened with great interest, and actually they were the first personal parcels that we have received at all! What really created a stir was the cheese! If you ever send any more, the cheese is most gladly received as we do not have any ourselves, feeling that every crumb should go to the heavy workers in industry who need all they can get. But apart from the excellent contents, what really pleased us was the evidence of your thought for us in these terrible but glorious days.

  I wonder when we shall all meet again on the hills in Scotland? It will be some long time I think, but tho’ things are still very hard & difficult, & reverses abound, somehow the world seems to have balanced itself better with the United States in the fight against evil thinking & evil doing.

  We went through an unpleasant time last year being bombed very violently, and fighting back all we knew, and all through those long months, I don’t think that it ever entered anybody’s head that we might be beaten by that kind of low savagery. It was terribly moving when we went to visit & try to help all these poor people, who in one night lost everything, home, possessions & sometimes their children. But always one heard, ‘well I’ve lost all I had, but thank God they missed the factory’, or ‘I’m all right, but poor Mrs Jones next door is far worse off’ etc. I never heard a grumble, and indeed the good neighbour was uppermost all the time. Truly, one felt grateful for such a good & real Christian spirit. If they don’t go to Church, so many of them are living a Christian life, & it was wonderful. It is very terrible too, and we both felt years older after last winter.

  I do pray that America will not have to go through such horrors, tho’ I feel quite sure that if it does come, she will take it all in her stride and rise above it.

  It is a great sadness to us that the dear Archbishop* is resigning, for he has been, not only a great friend but a trusted adviser for many years. It is just like him
to insist on going before he gets too old. [The letter ends here.]

  27 February 1942 to Elizabeth Elphinstone

  Buckingham Palace

  My Darling Elizabeth

  I received your last letter in the train yesterday. Somewhere between——and——[sic]. Directly we arrived back in London last night, I rang up old Hitler, & quite politely asked him to make up his mind for once & all about his beastly old invasion. If he wasn’t going to risk it, well & good, but if he was going to come, well, for goodness sake he must decide – now. I told him that, apart from the trouble of having to mine the beaches, and the perpetual sharpening of the Home Guard’s pikes, my niece Miss E was having her plans held up, and she must really be considered a little.

  After a good deal of havering & evasions, I pinned him down to saying that the end of March was O.K., so that you will be able to come south with a clear conscience & no risk of being cut off from your hospital & kith and kin.

  Why does kin & kith sound wrong? And what, may I ask are kith? Are you my kith, or only my kin. Answer me that. […]

  I do hope that you will come down next month, and I shall look forward to seeing you so VERY much. I am afraid that London is rather gloomy, with nobody to ring up or to go & see. Sometimes one feels quite lonely, it is so rare to see a friend, but how very exciting when one dear old face turns up! […]

  Your very loving

  Peter

  5 March 1942 to Arthur Penn

  Buckingham Palace

  My dear Arthur,

  I wish that I could tell you how deeply I feel for you at this moment.* It seems like yesterday that I went through what you must be going through, and I know how useless words really are, for it is the separation which matters. But other things come, such as talking of a much loved mother with others who loved her too, lovely memories come crowding, and one must say thank you for a beautiful life like your own mother’s. But the hardest to bear, tho’ in my case the most selfish, is the lost feeling. To be loved by your mother is wonderful and so safe, a unique love different to any other. That ‘going home’ feeling, knowing that a loved person is waiting for you full of eager interest in the smallest of your joys or troubles, that is very hard to lose.

  Your family life has always been so perfect, and this loss must be almost more than you can bear. I do wish that I could help you, tho’ only time can do that, but I do send my most heartfelt sympathy, and my prayers that you may be given strength and courage during these days of sorrow.

  Yours ER

  10 April 1942 to Queen Mary

  The Royal Lodge

  Darling Mama

  Enclosed are the 100 coupons, and I do hope that if you want any more you will let me know.

  We were so very happy that you were able to come to Lilibet’s confirmation, and I am so glad that you liked the very simple little service.† I thought the Archbishop was wonderful, so straightforward and so inspiring, and it was sad to feel that it was his last appearance at a family ‘festival’. He has been such a good & wise friend to us both, and we shall miss his intensely human and sincere advice, given so simply and kindly at various moments of stress.

  I like the new Archbishop* too, but a great intellect sometimes dims the eager kindness & understanding which a truly wise simplicity is so ready to pour out, tho’ I am sure that he will be a support & friend in the future.

  We were so glad that Harry & Alice were able to come to us for a night when Mary was staying as well. George also came, and we were so happy to be together again.

  Bertie & I, & the children came here for Good Friday, & Lilibet went to her first Communion on Easter Sunday. It was very peaceful and lovely, just Bertie & she & I. The little Chapel was beautifully decorated, & we walked there on a deliciously clear early morning, & came back here to breakfast & Easter eggs for the children. It was so nice to be together & quiet after these years of war & turmoil & perpetual anxiety, for even a few moments of true peace.

  I have learnt that peace is only of the mind really. If only we can bring a true peace to this poor suffering world after this War is over, well, all the anguish & sorrow will have been worth while.

  We feel so much better for the week spent here – the first visit in two years! Everything has been very worrying abroad; but the rest has given us both more courage & ability to cope with the unending anxieties that arise every day.

  We return to London next week, and will be back at Windsor for weekends about the 21st April.

  Lilibet was so thrilled by the lovely jewel you gave her, it was angelic of you darling Mama, & I was enchanted too!

  Very much love, & so hoping to see you soon again, ever your loving daughter in law

  Elizabeth

  5 June 1942 to Doris Vyner

  In the Train

  My Darling Doris,

  I have just received your wonderfully brave and beautiful letter, and can only say how I am thinking of you all the time, and praying with all my heart that your great courage will take you through these terrible days, as it has the last fortnight.

  As you say, it is wonderful that Elizabeth* had her heart’s desire, and happiness and laughter, and that she will not know sorrow or despair – I know what you must feel about that, and also Doris, I know a little of what you & Clare must be going through. I feel somehow as if all this is part of myself, and if I can share your sorrow, I pray God that I may be allowed to share in the inspiration of your tremendous courage and hope and faith. Your letter was like a shining light in a dark world, and I feel absolutely confident that your great spirit will take you through all this.

  Darling Doris, if only loving thoughts could help. I am thinking of you & Clare & the boys all the time. Later on, let me know when you feel like seeing me, & I will come so gladly.

  With all my love & everything I have, Elizabeth

  9 July 1942 to the Hon. Sir Richard Molyneux

  Buckingham Palace

  My dear Dick

  Of course – Do prowl a little at Windsor, whenever you feel like it.

  It seems a long time since you came to see us. What about the weekend of July 18th. You can give a little much needed advice to Kelly† about my portrait. It is a great difficulty finding the time for sittings in these busy days, but he is painting hard (& well), I think.

  I bought 2 pretty gilt mirrors from Partridge the other day. Do let me know if you see any worthy Windsor or Buckingham Palace things to buy, for you know the right sort.

  I have given orders to the Grenadiers at Windsor to let off rifles, tommy guns, machine guns, Lewis guns & mortars at you, also the Bofors guns are keen to get a hit. I hope you’ll enjoy your little strolls. Yours ER

  31 August 1942 to David Bowes Lyon*

  Buckingham Palace

  My Darling David

  I was so glad to get your letter, and do hope that by now Rachel† has been able to find a house, and that your work is being congenial as far as possible. Do let me know how it all goes, and who you like etc. Don’t bother about who you dislike!

  If we could only have a real victory, even a small one, it would all help. It will come alright, but the waiting is hard. I don’t believe that anybody realises the ghastly difficulties & dangers of the last 3 years, or how magnificently our people have faced it all. They have sacrificed so much & so willingly – I do admire them.

  We came back here last week after ten days at Balmoral, for the funeral of poor George. It does seem such a dreadful waste, and he was doing such very good work, and becoming so helpful to Bertie. We shall miss him very much, for he was always gay, and in touch with such a wide circle – which to us is so important, and so affectionate. It really is terrible, and so few to do those sorts of jobs now.‡ […]

  Please give Rachel my best love, and do remember that just to be your own natural, polite, darling selves is the best way to help your work.

  Your very loving

  Elizabeth

  13 September 1942 to Osbert Sitwell

  Buckin
gham Palace

  My dear Mr Sitwell,

  It was most kind of you to send me a copy of Gentle Caesar,* and I have read it with great interest. […]

  It was also very kind of you to write about the tragic death of my brother in law. It is really a terrible loss, both to ourselves and to the country. He was much more like a brother to me, & I could talk to him about many family affairs for he had a quick & sensitive mind & a very good & useful social sense, & we had a great many jokes too. Some ancient ones which are always funny – you know the kind! It is terrible for his dear wife, for she was so utterly devoted to him, & leant on him for everything. She is very brave & the little baby is a consolation too.

  I saw Mrs Ronnie about 3 weeks ago. She was at Braemar & quite miserable there. She came over to Balmoral, & it was too pathetic to see this little bundle of unquenchable courage & determination, quite helpless except for one very bright eye. I had not seen her for a couple of months, & was very shocked and sad at the change. But with all her weakness there was just the same tenacity of purpose, & I felt full of admiration for such a wonderful exhibition of ‘never give in’.

  I hope that you will come to luncheon with us when you are in London. I am not there just now, but am returning next week.

  I am, Yours very sincerely,

  Elizabeth R

  27 September 1942 to Osbert Sitwell

  Balmoral Castle

  My dear Mr Sitwell,

  I am most grateful to you for your great kindness in writing to me about Mrs Ronnie’s last illness and her funeral.* I was very anxious to hear what had happened, and am so thankful that her spirit departed so peacefully. She had such a tremendous love of life and people, and was so obviously living by strength of mind alone, that I was afraid she might have fought to stay in this poor suffering (but I do not believe thinking) world.