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Letter 20 - We went to see the “Crumps” concert party. They are jolly good & very famous.

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A note from the Editors:

Oliver gets passed as fit, but is still waiting to be posted back to a Squadron. Also very difficult to read his review of the concert party without 'Blackadder' in the back of my mind.

Franked 3 SP 17
Mrs Chas. E. Pearson,
Hillcrest,
Lowdham,
Notts.
Letter No. 13

70 Squadron RFC BEF France
1 Sept 1917
Letter no 13

Dear Mother
Isn’t it rotten I haven’t been posted back yet but live in hope as other fellows are being posted to other squadrons flying the same machines but none go to 70.
I had a jolly fine time last night. I was mooning around in ----------- when I was hailed in a loud voice from a tender & there was my pal Smith Grant & lots of other 70 fellows all going to a concert so of course away I went with them. We went to see the “Crumps” concert party. They are jolly good & very famous. They have a chap who dresses as a girl who is simply fine. His (her) picture apeared in the Tatler or the Sketch for last week. Her name is Private Purkiss. (S)he is very swish & has nice ankles & a pretty face & not too muscley arms & a voice like that of many girls on the stage.

The whole show was jolly good & I met several old friends among the audience. I have also seen the Follies out here & they gave a show much much superior to any you would see at a variety theatre in London. One fellow had been on leave & heard a song in one of the latest revues & then heard a man, dressed as a girl again, sing it here & he said there was no doubt as to who was best there was no comparison at all. The latter fellow was dressed in evening dress & came onto the stage in the same way as an amature lady singer of repute would do. He also made up as some swish girl I can tell you.

After the concert last night we went back into ////// & I fixed up with Madame at the main Hotel, who is a great pal of mine, to give us a cheery supper as we had had no dinner so we had a most cheery supper & swapped yarns & reminiscences to a late hour when they motored me back here & then went home leaving me wishing I could be with them.

Partridge shooting begines to-day & there are fifty rounds of the best on top of the book case in the dining room. How I wish I were home to use them. The beastly Major person passed me fit without any trouble. He was a most cheery person. He laughed like anything when I told him that the only other two times I had been knocked out were boxing & falling out of a tree. He thought I must be some boy. Best love to all & many xxxx’s from

Your loving son.
Oliver Pearson.
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