Friday · Dec. 25, 1942
Christmas Day, 1942.
On a blanket by the blue Mediterranean.
Dec 25th, 1942
My Darling Wife
It is now 1:30 P.M. and a gorgeous day for Xmas. The sun is out and nice and hot. I am laying on a blanket on the terrace in front of our quarters. I don’t know whether I will ever be able to adequately describe the view in front of me. I have seen many pretty sights—or views, but this is about as pretty a one as I will ever find. You have heard of the blue Mediterranean. Well it’s even bluer.—and it is as calm as a pond. The rest of the picture I cannot describe—defendu—I’ll try to get a colored photo of it that I can bring home with me.
Yesterday was a day of …
… excitement. Admiral Darlan was assassinated in Algiers. As a result all leaves were cancelled and everyone was kept at his post. It ruined countless Xmas Eve celebrations. and Xmas Day Dinners. My chance to go to eat with the French troops was called off so there is nothing for me to do but sit out here and write. Mail posted around Dec 10 on the East coast came in but I didn’t get any. They say there is more coming today.
Incidentally, of the three French officers I have seen today, all merely said “tres bien” as to Darlan’s death. They feel as I do that he was too close to the Germans and was too much of a fair weather friend
This evening the officers are having …
… their Xmas dinner, Turkey dressing sweet potatoes, soup peas, corn, pickles, olives, wine, cake etc. It sounds like a real feed. The men had a pretty good time last night in their beer garden. They had all the beer they wanted, and the dance orchestra played for them all evening. At midnight, the band got outside and played Christmas Carols—very nice. This morning the catholics have been going to mass at the churches near by. Two old catholic priests who speak a little English come to our barracks and hear confessions for the men. They are lovable old fellows with their white goatees.
I still haven’t received that picture of you honey and I do want it so badly. If it doesn’t get here soon you better get another one made and air-mail it. It’s awfully nice to be able to look at …
… Linda and it would be ever so much nicer if you were there with her so that I could feel that you were both close to me
When you get time, please write and list the various things you have sent me—No of cartons of cigs, etc. I can then tell what is missing. At present everything but your swell Xmas gift is missing—and the Newspress
I’m sorry you and Linda can’t be here on the blanket with me to enjoy this wonderful lazy afternoon. At this time you and Linda are probably just getting up and she will have her fun with her new toys;—I’ll bet she is all excited.
Am running out of gab honey so will close—again as always I love you very much—.
All my love
Your John
About this letter
Christmas Day, 1:30 P.M. John lies on a blanket in the sun and writes home, while his wife and daughter are just waking up in California.
ADMIRAL DARLANFrançois Darlan, the Vichy French commander who switched sides after the landings, was shot in Algiers on Christmas Eve. All leaves were canceled.
READING CLOSELY
“You have heard of the blue Mediterranean. Well it’s even bluer.—and it is as calm as a pond.” He couldn’t say where he was: “The rest of the picture I cannot describe—defendu.” French for “forbidden.”
“Tres bien” is French for “very good.”
“The Newspress” is the Glendale News-Press.
The Big Picture
A hard Christmas
On Christmas Eve, Admiral Darlan was shot dead in Algiers by a Frenchman opposed to Vichy. Darlan had made the deal that brought French forces over to the Allies. On Dec. 27, Gen. Henri Giraud was named to replace him.
The same day Darlan died, Eisenhower called off the attack on Tunis. On Christmas Day the Germans retook Longstop Hill. Mud would stop any new attack in the north for about two months.
The race for Tunis was lost. But Hitler was now sending troops and planes to Tunisia that he needed elsewhere.
Where he was
Near Oran, Algeria, now on the 3rd Battalion staff as intelligence officer (S-2). The 1st Division was still training around Oran while British, American and French troops held a line in the hills west of Tunis, more than 500 miles to the east.
In this letter. Darlan had made the deal that stopped French resistance after the landings. His killing on Christmas Eve is the likely reason the celebrations were canceled.