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Within weeks of arriving in England, David Hazzard's name was put forward for officer training. He wrote home to his wife about the entrance exams, and about his disapproval of the behaviour of some of the men. (The text has been abridged.)
Aldershot, England, Thursday Aug. 28, 1941
Dear Sweetheart,
Well our exam is over and it is now in the lap of the gods. I think that I made the grade but my head is still swimming. There were three different papers on general knowledge that were designed to win money and Encyclopedias from the Information Please gang.
In the afternoon we had a honey. The kind of thing that psychologists dream up in their worst moments.
When we came back from the exam we had a night route march and scheme. We got back around midnight and up again at six a.m. the next morning, Friday. So it is only now that I have had time to tell you how much I love you.
I am disgusted every time I hear about the way some so-called soldiers behave.
We have quite a number of this kind in our unit. They seem to think that the uniform gives them the right to insult any and all girls they see. They hoot and whistle out any girl they meet on the street and are generally very sloppy in appearance. I think that they have the idea that it is necessary to do these things in order to be tough.
But I've noticed that when dirty, hard jobs need doing it is the quiet lads who carry the load. The “tough” guys can't take it. Nor can they take an order or be depended on in any way.
On Monday night we have an invitation to go to some sort of a service dance in Reading which isn't far from here. I'll let you know what it is like later …
Cheerio for now. All my love to you, Anne, Karen and Nanny.
I am yours,
David K.
P.S. I love you
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