Letters from Arthur Seaforth Blackburn to his family, 1941 - Part 1

Lt Col. A.S. Blackburn
SX6962  2/3 MGBn
AIF. Abroad.

My darling little Margie
I was very very glad to get a
letter from you last week and to hear all your news.
First of all what a lovely report you got! Wody sent
me a copy of it and I was very thrilled. Geography
seems to be your hardest subject doesn't it dear.
And what a nice remark at the bottom of your report.
How is the tennis going? My word how I wish I
could be there to see the under 13 doubles this year &
to see you & Jo win. I was sorry to hear that Miss
George is in hospital. I do hope she is well again
by now. Your description of the cartoon "The Lonesome
Stranger" was delightful. I will try to see it if it comes
here. It seems ages since I wrote to you but I
suppose it is only three weeks at the most. I
am back with the Bn now & we are bivouaced on
the sea-shore. It is usually quite warm - often hot -
during the day & nearly always cold at night now.
I am sitting in my office writing this & although I have
my thick woollen pullover on I am not too warm
We sleep under tiny little bivouac tents. They are
7 ft long - about 6 feet high wide & 3 feet high & have a

2
mosquito netting end at each end. A canvas cover can be
laced over this to keep out the rain if it is wet. They are
supported by a small pole 3 ft long which is upright at
each end. One crawls under one end & drops the netting
behind one & climbs into bed. Mosquitoes are very bad
here & malaria is very common so we all have to
sleep in these tents to keep the mosquitoes out. They
are really very cosy but then I have one to myself.
The men have one between each two of them & in
it they have to keep all their belongings & their rifles
& everything so it is pretty crowded when they
crawl into it to sleep at night. I go in for a
bath every morning before breakfast - in fact usually
before the sun is up because I like to get a bit of
work in before breakfast. The water is always warm
here even early in the morning. It is remarkable
how quickly the water changes. Nearly every
morning it is quite calm at daybreak and then
it gets calmer & calmer until about midday when
it usually becames absolutely glassy it is so smooth.
Then soon after midday a breeze comes up &
a few waves appear & it goes on getting rougher
& rougher until sunset when the wind drops &
it begins to get smooth again. This happens nearly

3

every day. The other day it varied a bit & a big wind blew
up in the morning with the result that by midday it was
really rough with "white horses" showing as far as you
could see & real surf with quite a big undertow. Then
the wind suddenly dropped & by sunset it was absolutely
still & calm! Since writing the above the weather seems
to be deciding to have a complete change. It is still
quite sunny - or rather has been up to tonight but is
now becoming very overcaste - and the sun is quite
warm but the wind is becoming stronger and the
sea much rougher. It is no longer a gentle,
friendly breeze. It is like a wind which is
gradually getting angry over something. Every
now & then a sudden sharp gust comes &
blows everything about & the sea roars & the
wind throws itself at you as if wanting to
blow you off the beach; and then it calms
down again with only occasional puffs as
though to say "well, I have warned you. You
had better get out or I will come along &
blow you right away". Anyhow we are taking the
hint and are moving off the beach tomorrow
into our winter quarters so tomorrow morning
will be my last bathe for sometime I expect.
The house which I am going to live in for the

4
winter has a marvellous view. On one side it looks right
down onto the sea far below and on the other it
looks right up to the very highest peak of the mountains
in these parts. Alongside the seashore runs a main
road & from my window we are so far above
it that motor cars running along it look like
ants crawling along; and yet I am nowhere
near as high as the tops of the mountains. They
tower far above us and already are nearly
always covered in clouds. The rain has not yet
started, although we have had a shower or two
but I don't think it is very far off. The place
where I will be for the winter has a mean
rainfall of 40 inches & it nearly all comes in
three months, so I imagine it will be pretty
wet. I have been very interested lately in the way
the olive crop is collected here. Near us are miles &
miles of olive groves & now that the picking season
is here it is a wonderful sight. Everyone who is
available is employed as a picker - men women &
children. Each of them carries a long bamboo &
a basket - quite a big basket deep & narrow &
circular. They stream past our bivouac on the
beach on their way to the olive groves soon after

5
daylight. They go from tree to tree in a body ie, there will
probably be 20-30 all told around one tree. They very seldom
spread anything out, like a mat or bags, under the tree but
just gently tap, tap, tap at the foliage & boughs & twigs & the
olives fall off & onto the ground, which is usually kept
well ploughed & cultivated. When the tree is finished they
all go down on their knees & pick the olives up & put them
into their baskets & then move onto the next tree & repeat
the performance. At 9.30 all work ceases & everyone lays
down in the dirt, just where they are & in about a
minute or two all seem fast asleep. At 10 o'clock one of
them, a sort of foreman shouts out, & up they all get & go on.
At 12.30 they stop again & have lunch - a bunch of grapes,
a few dates, some native bread (sodden black stuff) & a drink
of water. At 1.30 off they go again until 4. Then another
half hours siesta & then work again until about 6. It is
getting dark by half past six & many of them trudge past
here long after dark. They are seem fairly happy, even the
little children, and I understand they receive about
1/- per day. How would you like to work as long as that
every day and only get 1/- for it!
Well, my dears, this is my last sheet for this letter. Look after
Mummy particularly well now she has a bad hand & is a
bit rundown won't you dears.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx with lots & lots of love
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Your affectionite father
Arthur S Blackburn

Those are all kisses for you all & a special lots to give
Mummy from me. AB
Arthur S Blackburn.