Addressed as from "Lianokhladi and onward" [Lianokládhion]. Includes descriptions of the journey and of John’s companions (Radford, [Sylvia Benton], Mrs Hett) and their behaviour, giving his address in Salonika [Thessaloniki] and details of Heurtley's excavation (at Molyvropyrgos, Macedonia).

On headed paper from the School of Oriental Studies Union Society, University of London. Sending Hilda a document (relating to their forthcoming marriage), telling her he had bought camp beds [for their honeymoon] and asking her to get sleeping bags and a torch, asking her to decipher [hieroglyphs] and promising to "behave in and/or on the sea".

With additional annotations [in Hilda’s writing]. Subjects include: thanking Hilda for a telegram and letter; recounting walks in Eastern Crete whilst staying at, Tsermiada [Tzermiado], Neapolis [Neápolis] and Psychro [Psychron] (walks around [Mount] Oxa, Vrakhas [Vrakhásion], Trapeza Cave, Erganos, Viano [Archavianos], Amira, Arvi, Embaros); tales of John’s companions (Old George, Manoli, Mercy [Money-Coutts], the Squire [R W Hutchinson], Mrs Hutchinson, the Wolf, "the witch of Endor", Kosti and [Sylvia] Benton); Khronis [Bardakis’] mule; asking Hilda to get a review of the Tell el-Amarna [Amarna, Egypt] excavation translated from Dutch, and to run errands including getting glass eyes; John damaging his ankle; a trip to Dhia [Día, Nísos]; forwarding letters from Mohammed Awad and Hussein [at Amarna?]; plans to go to Mount Ida; pleasure that "the brats" [David and Joan Pendlebury] were well; a letter that John had received from "Little Arthur"; and asking if Miss Jones had plans back from Lovat Dickson and if arrangements were going well for an exhibition in September.

Apologising for not writing sooner but the weather had been bad, containing news about the excavation at Karphi (and Koprana) including details of finds, that “two old masons out of Chaucer” were building a hut, and that the hut and the fountain at Vitsilovrysi would have been finished [if the weather had not been so bad]. Telling Hilda that the Squire [R W Hutchinson] and Miss Benton had arrived (the Squire looking unwell) and had been to Toplou and Krista; Eleutheria was cooking very well; everything was quiet apart from “the usual casual rows”; they had 2 Albanian criminals (that had escaped during the Italian invasion, the police had “wished” onto them) and a sheep stealer from Arogeia working on the excavation; Petrou was visiting the excavation and John hoped for a visit from Lord Lloyd; John had gone to a dance evening of a the Youth Movement which started very late; that it was predicted that there would be earthquakes and volcanoes would erupt on the 16th; and comments on the village of Kera (Crete). John also asked Hilda tell Alan [?] that [Hugh] Last would like to go to Mycenae, and for her to send him a list of recipients for offprints of an article on Trapeza [‘Excavations in the Plain of Lasithi. I: The Cave of Trapeza’, Annual of BSA 36].

Thanking Hilda for letters and news; giving her news of the excavation including details of finds, that the weather had been very poor and volcanoes were predicted for the 17th [of June]; describing the house that had been built [at Tzermiado] including the furnishing and that they had held a dance on the roof; telling Hilda about his walk to Knossos to fill in/send an income-tax form and “old Louka” accompanying him on the return journey; and discussing a review of [‘The Archaeology of Crete’] by Theophanidus, John’s criticisms of an article about Tell el-Amarna, and receiving an article by James Strachey who John had met at “the Exhibition” [British School or Egypt Exploration Society Exhbition].

Thanking Hilda for letters, photos and forwarded items; giving her news of the excavation including details of finds; telling Hilda about an enjoyable lunch he had at Psykhro [Psychron] with Kasapes and 2 engineers that were staying at Psykhro [Psychron], where he told stories in Greek; asking her if she had heard Kasapes’ story about a Swedish archaeologist; informing Hilda that Dikaios was arriving at Tzermiado, “Portly Petrou” was there and that Zakhary was also there working on pithos; and telling Hilda that he had a letter from Frank [Thompson] saying that being in Tzermiado had been the happiest time of his life and he wanted to be an archaeologist.

Thanking Hilda for letters and a list of offprints sent; discussing reviews [of ‘The Archaeology of Crete’]; telling Hilda about Dikaios’ visit, a glendi they had on John’s name day, that they had been to the school prize giving ceremony, that Zakhary had to leave the excavation to go to another excavation at Agia Triadha [Agía Triáda] but John hoped he would be back; giving her news of the excavation including details of finds and that he thought they would finish Karphi that year; telling Hilda he had heard from Alan [Wace?] that there was to be an excavation at Knossos in 1940 that John would be asked to be part of, and that Schaeffer would be digging at Isopata; and John’s plans for finishing work and returning to [Cambridge] by the end of [June], and mentioning the tennis lawn and cat [in Cambridge].

Expressing concern that Hilda wasn’t getting his letters, hope that she wasn’t “overdoing it” and asking about her show [a play]; news of the excavation at Karphi including finds and that the site was looking excellent from Mikre Koprana; telling Hilda about the Kasapides going to lunch at Karphi and the men dancing afterwards, and plans for visiting the Kasapides’ [when the group leave Karphi] and to travel via Gerontomouri, Kastamonitza, Mokhos [Mokhós] and Khersonesus [Khersónisos]; asking Hilda to find copies of photographs used in [‘The Archaeology of Crete’] for Hans [Frankfort] to use in his lectures to be given in Chicago, and to send a note to George Sadly asking for Wroth’s catalogue of Cretan and Aegean coins; discussing a positive review [of ‘The Archaeology of Crete’] in Nature (journal) by Johnny Myers, and a book that John had ordered the previous autumn; telling Hilda that a branch of the Anglo Hellenic league had been founded in Candia [Iráklion], that John had been made a member of the committee and had been called to a meeting on the day of the meeting. Also thanking Hilda for sending notes by Stephen Glanville about Tell el-Amarna [Amarna], asking if Ron Jenkins was planning on going to Crete that year, sending love from Sphakianakes [?] who had returned, and including 2 poems [written by John] about an old wolf [possibly referring to Ron Jenkins] and Manolake [foreman at Knossos].

Thanking Hilda for a letter, newspaper clippings and notes; sending a report on “Stubbing’s treatise”, a job application “for Minn’s job” [Disney Professorship of Archaeology at the University of Cambridge] and a letter to the Master of Emmanuel [College, Cambridge], asking Hilda to get these items typed and sent; saying “Old Will” had asked after her and that John was going to see the Hills and Blegens [Carl], and that he hoped to go to Kimolos [Kímolos] and Melos [Mílos] with [Gerard Mackworth] Young [Director, British School at Athens].

Thanking Hilda for notes, letters and papers; informing her that he was going to Kimolos [Kímolos, Nísos] and Syros [Sýros, Nísos] for a week from the following day, and that he had been to Thorikos and Markopoulo where he was “embraced by a tight Agrophylax”; news of people he had seen in Athens (Hill, [Carl] Blegen, Marinatos, Karousos, Miller, “Peche Melba”, Emile); sending the Heurtley’s address near Stroud (United Kingdom); informing Hilda he was going to play hockey and that one of the [British School] students (Vronwy Fisher) knew her nephew Jim; checking that Hilda was sending out a publication proof that [John] Forsdyke had returned and asking that she let him know when she received his report on an essay by Stubbings and his job application for the Disney [Professorship of Archaeology at the University of Cambridge].

Thanking Hilda for news and forwarded items, wishing that her exam went well and updating Hilda on his activities: trip to Kimolos [Kímolos, Nísos] and Syros [Sýros, Nísos] with [Gerard Mackworth] Young including sites that they had found; that he was about to go to Naxos and Paros with Vincent [Desborough] and Mercy [Money-Coutts]; John’s lecture at the British School which the Royal Family attended; dining with the Squire [R W Hutchinson], the de Jongs and Horsfields after John’s lecture; that he had seen Mrs Hill, Mrs Blegen, Miss Swindler, “old Petrococchino” and Mrs Atchly at the lecture; seeing [Oscar] Broneer’s excavations on the north slope of the Acropolis; looking at [Christos] Tsountas’ library which was for sale; and playing tennis. John also states he is glad to hear about the school for Joan, that he hopes David enjoys Malvern and that she enjoys Hunstanton, not to worry about “the Island envelope”, that he had lost Hans’ [Frankfort] address to thank him for a book and that he had sent cards to [David and Joan]. John also asked Hilda to tell Keith [?] that Calder is looking for Christian inscriptions.

Thanking Hilda for letters and a telegram, hoping David is better and asking Hilda to give David his love, and updating Hilda on his activities and news: details of a trip to Naxos with Mercy [Money-Coutts] and Vincent [Desborough]; comments that Vincent was better when away from the British School on a trip; [Carl] Blegen finding a Mycenaean palace at Pylos [Pílos]; Mrs Hill and Mrs Blegen sending their best wishes to Hilda; Piet de Jong having had an abscess in his throat; Edith Eccles having her appendix out; John having been to the top of Hymettos mountain range [Imittós Óros]; hearing from Walter Heurtley [that he had got £25 from the BSA?]; John having been asked to contribute a festschrift [for Johnny Myers]; having seen Helen Negroponti; [David] Iliffe [head of Jerusalem Museum] having been shot in Jerusalem; and details of finances from [Herbert] Pendlebury.

Thanking Hilda for a letter and enclosures, expressing pleasure that David is better, and updating Hilda on his activities: looking at Perakhora scarabs in a museum and plans for Mercy [Money-Coutts] to photograph and draw sides of the scarabs; plans to go to Mycenae, Kalamata [Kalámai], Pylos [Pílos] then Crete; and that he had managed to get £25 more from the school [British School at Athens, for excavations in Crete]. The letter also includes: details of how John was dealing with enclosures that Hilda had sent him (sending letters and asking Hilda to forward money to Stokes and a note saying he would “join them at Colwell on August 15th”); news that the British School was quite empty (just John, Vincent [Desborough], Vronwy Fisher and Austen), that [Edith] Eccles was getting better after having her appendix out, and that Mrs Swindler sent her regards.

Hoping that Hilda had received a telegram announcing that John had arrived in Knossos and that [David and Joan] had cards from him, and updating Hilda on his activities and news: having received a mysterious letter from the French School [in Athens] containing a carol service programme from Pembroke College and a letter from a bank manager to Mr Bayley; his trip to Pylos [Pílos] and Mycenae; news about [friends at Mycenae] Helen, Agamemnon, Costa, and asking Hilda if she got a “party spirit post card” signed by old Gianoula; a trip to Kalamata [Kalámai] and Pylos [Pílos] with Vincent [Desborough] which included seeing [Carl] Blegen’s excavation of a palace at Pylos [Pílos]; details of Blegen’s excavations; travelling back to Athens from Kalamata [Kalámai] then on to Knossos; work done in the museum at Knossos; hoping to go to Grabusa with Mercy [Money-Coutts] and the Squire [R W Hutchinson], then on to Lasithi [Lasíthi] in a month; and seeing the tholos [at Knossos] and doubting the dating. John also asks Hilda for her original pottery notes and sends love from “everyone, particularly Manoli”.

Telling Hilda he had just got her letter from Hunstanton and she shouldn’t worry because if war did start then John would be in the best place, and if it didn’t then the excavation would continue as normal; informing her that he had answered Fairman [?] and that he would be “inclined to strangle the Sheikh’s wife over the nurse question”; sending Hilda an extract of a conversation at Mycenae which had taken place between the Italian ambassador, Helen and Orestes about an apple; updating her on archaeological work (sorting out finds from Karphi, Mercy [Money-Coutts] finishing drawing the corpus, Zakhary working at the museum); apologising for a “Caldy-Malvern misunderstanding” and mentioning that Robin [Mabel Dickinson’s son] was accommodating refugees and the house at Malvern was going to be closed up because of [Herbert] Pendlebury’s work in London; mentioning that he was writing a “rather good article” on Cretan topography for the Johnny Myers Festschrift; and saying that it was nice to have a letter from David “but don’t force it”. Also includes news that Little Sphakianakes (the school master) had left [Knossos], that George [Markogiannakis] had pneumonia, that John had arranged for an inscription on a pentelic marble slab for the fountain at Vitsilovrysi, that Kosta Kourales (who had been to Mount Ida with them) had died, and that [the excavations in Crete] had been given £25 more funding from the British School and £10 from London University.

Telling Hilda about a trip around Western Crete with Mercy [Money-Coutts] and the Squire [R W Hutchinson] (to Khania [Chania], Kiramos, Trakhila/Selli, Agios Sostes, Gravousa, Phalasarna, Platanos, Polysslenia, Rokka, Kolympari and Khomia). That Naxakes had joined them for part of the journey and had been “an extremely pleasant companion”, and that Mercy and John had been mistaken for spies. John also thanked Hilda for a review from [the Illustrated London News] and told her where a stub for a check for Rex was, informed her that “poor old George” [Markogiannakis] had died, and that he had enjoyed getting David’s letter.

Describing life in the training unit and the other cadets and officers training with John (particularly those sharing a room); telling Hilda that they were to start their training the next day and that the course was around 3 months with breaks at weekends and Easter; mentioning a possible course in Intelligence in Cambridge and that after that he had been promised an “action job”; asking Hilda to send him items forgotten, order trousers, meet him in London at the weekend and book a hotel and a theatre show, and not to “forget your marriage lines”.

Thanking Hilda for sending items, describing training, mentioning that there was now hot water, and that he was looking forward to [seeing her] on Saturday.

Comprises a letter, written whilst on guard duty, describing John’s training on horses, that he was feeling better and that it had been a good party at the weekend, and asking Hilda to send a shaving mirror and boots. Also includes mention that John was glad to get Hilda’s telegram, and asking her to let him know about train times to Cambridge and if she heard from Northampton.

Saying letters had begun to arrive, that all was well and there was “hope of quiet review”.

Asking if Hilda got his telegram from the 14th [of Sep] and asking her to send paper-back books.

Saying that a birthday telegram was delayed in London, and clarifying that it was a puppy that he had bought from [“the Old Krone”]. Stamped with “No 96, Censor”.

Comprises a handwritten letter headed “G.B. Sunday” describing a journey via the New Forest, Bordeaux, Cette, [Marseille], Ajaccio (Corsica), [Bizerte, Tunisia], Malta, Corfu and Phaleron (near Athens); mentioning people that John had seen in Athens ([George] Young, Helen Thomas, Frank Stubbings, Mrs Hasluck, Alan [Wace], “old blasted Will”) and that Vronwy Fisher had gone home; mentioning that it was strange being somewhere that was not blacked out, the weather, and that he hoped she had told [his father and step-mother] of his arrival; sending things for the R. G. S. [Royal Geographic Society] and asking Hilda to send a cheque book and stamps. Also includes a note (headed “Tuesday”) telling Hilda that he was going to be Vice Consul to Crete.

Thanking Hilda for his birthday telegram, apologising for hers being delayed and asking if any letters had arrived. Stamped with “No 79, Censor”.

Saying he was glad that letters had arrived, and that he was buying a horse for the daily trip to Candia [Iráklion].

Thanking Hilda for a telegram and stating that Greece was “behaving grandly” [in the war], that he was proud of Crete and that he had reverted to his “proper” [military] rank. Stamped with “No 108, Censor”.

Telling Hilda that he is glad she is better, all was well, and that the address was the same as before for forwarding post.

Comprises a handwritten letter and 2 typed copies of a letter with annotated corrections. John asked Hilda to forward the letter on to others as he was only allowed to write a one-sided letter. John wrote about: Greece’s role in the Second World War and Mussolini’s complaints about the use of the sword and bayonet and “savages from Crete”; his life in Crete being very busy and that he had been making speeches and was carried around on people’s shoulders; that old friends in Crete were well and the puppy called Satan had grown a lot; that he had to shave off his moustache after disease got into it; news of the Squire [R W Hutchinson] and “his dam” [mother]; meeting lots of people who had been to Winchester College and that he had had a dinner with them and some people who had been in the Officer Cadet Training Unit (Cavalry) at Weedon; coded messages, being told off by authorities for using the word “bastard” in a coded message to the Minister and that he thought the authorities were like Greek “grannies…apt to stand on roofs scolding people”; and his confidence that the allies would win the war.

Thanking Hilda for letters and telegrams, hoping that his Christmas letter gets home and saying all is well but sedentary. Stamped with “No 128, Censor”.

Wishing Hilda a Happy Christmas, telling her all was well and “not me on radio though present have reverted to army thank god”.

Thanking Hilda for a telegram, telling her that all is well there and that Khronis, Kosti, Manoli and Maria [in Crete] sent love to Hilda, David and Joan.

Telling Hilda he had only just received letters from her dated the 4th and 19th of December, and hoping that some of his letters had arrived.

Telling Hilda all was well there and that he had just received a letter from her which she sent in October.

Describing a short trip to Western Crete, and that Elliadi was instructing John how to be Vice Consul; telling Hilda he hoped to go to Lasithi [Lasíthi] with the Squire [R W Hutchinson]; stating that they didn’t get much news [about the war] but that “if England was overrun we’d fight from the colonies”.

Comprises a letter written in pencil telling Hilda that letters she had written in September and October were still arriving, and asking her to address them to the Military Head Quarters in the Middle East and to “Captain”; hoping that she had received his telegrams; asking Hilda to write to Westminster Bank about his pay as he should be on a Captain’s wage and thought that he wasn’t; telling her that he had blood poisoning; asking Hilda if ‘Karphi’ had been published, and how Little Arthur, Myres, Mercy, Marion and “all the vogues of yester year” were. John also wrote that: people asked after Hilda, David and Joan; that he sometimes managed to go to Villa [Ariadne]; that his [house] was run by the Krone; that he had started to keep a diary but “so much has for the present to stay unwritten that I gave it up after 2 months”; they seemed as safe in Crete as Britain, but that could change; and that he had nearly lost his fear of caiques but not of rowing boats.

Hoping that his letters were arriving more quickly to her than hers were to him (which were arriving from November, and one from January). With a handwritten note on the back “8.33, 8.49 Foregate St”.

Telling Hilda he had been on a trip and that’s why he hadn’t sent a telegram, and asking her to tell Mercy [Money-Coutts] “about thirty if allowed” [?].

Thanking Hilda and [Herbert and “Dickie”] for letters, and saying there was “no cable this week”.

Comprises a letter on “British Vice-Consulate, Candia” headed paper (started in Iráklion, then finished in Athens): telling Hilda that they had bought a puppy called Kaltsoni from “the old Krone”; that the Squire [R W Hutchinson] and “the old lady” [his mother] had been away for 3 weeks but were back that night; hoping that letters were getting through, that she got a telegram on their wedding anniversary and that everything was peaceful in Wales; telling Hilda that he had been to Vianos and Amira on their wedding anniversary, and that there was a heat wave; complaining that it was hard not having news of the war and that he was jealous of people in action in England and Africa; and describing an Italian skipper in Crete getting annoyed with people asking why he doesn’t leave. In the second part of the letter (from Athens) John says he had seen Will Miller and Petrocochino, gives Hilda news that Frank Stubbings was unwell and Nicholas [Hammond?] was in Palestine, and asks her to tell David he hopes he does well next term.

Sending happy returns for Sunday and asking Hilda to give books and stating he had “grand butty for Krone” [puppy from Krone].

Written from St George’s School, Broadstairs, Kent . Asking for a book, and telling Lilian that it was “awfully jolly” at St George’s School, about [playing football], learning Morse code and making a signal station, going into the playroom on wet half-holidays, and about Pat [?] biting his nails and stealing a pear.

Written from St George’s School, Broadstairs, Kent . Thanking Lilian for letters, asking her not to send ‘Chums’ [magazine] as it gets torn and not to send too many presents as there was not enough room, and telling her that every afternoon they went to the coastline where soldiers were digging trenches. John also mentions that they had thought that there was a Zeppelin warning when the telephone rang at the school, that he had a nice present from Aunt Lily, and that there was a fight going on (between the boys) as he was writing.

Written from St George’s School, Broadstairs, Kent . Telling his mother that he was happy at school (and that it was much nice than Mr Egerton’s school) and outlining the daily routine. John tells her that he has been in fights and only lost a few, that “nurse” was in a bedroom next to the boys’, several boys bite their nails and get [hit with] the slipper [as punishment], his telescope had arrived and his fountain pen was useful, he had recruited someone to the Navy League, they saw a lot of ships, and a mine had exploded near the shore [at Broadstairs]. John also asks for some seeds and bulbs for a garden he was sharing, some stamps, and a badge of the [Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders Regiment].

Written from St George’s School, Broadstairs, Kent . Comprises two separate letters written on the same piece of paper. John thanks Lilian for plant bulbs, tells her that he is learning how to signal Morse code with an electric torch that he had bought, asks her to send wool and needles to he can knit a scarf, tells her about playing football, that they had not been to the coastline for a long time as it was too cold, that he often sees aeroplanes and is recruiting people to the Navy League. John tells Herbert about playing football and that he finds Latin very easy.

Written from St George’s School, Broadstairs, Kent . Telling Lilian about a half term tea party, including the games that they played.

Written from St George’s School, Broadstairs, Kent . Apologising for not writing to her and Herbert, telling Lilian about exams, asking her to send some paper to wrap up plant bulbs that he wouldn’t have chance to plant, thanking her for puzzles and mittens, and telling her that he is getting on well with knitting. John also tells Lilian about translation of a French [poem or story] and that Mr Seal calls him Jeavers because his hair sticks up.

Written from St George’s School, Broadstairs, Kent . Thanking her for a letter and saying that [Herbert Pendlebury] should share her letters as he doesn’t have time to write to both of them; telling her that he is sending back plant bulbs, that it has been too wet to play football, that his telescope had improved, that they had been to Chapel, and that “Tubby” still plays “chus chus” [with trains]. John also tells Lilian that there is a monitor [Warship] just off the foreland, and they often see a destroyer [Warship]. The letter is finished with lots of kisses and a drawing of a hug.

Written from St George’s School, Broadstairs, Kent. Hoping that she and [Herbert Pendlebury] were better, saying that he had written to Granny to thank her for a [birthday] present, and discussing a lecture they had on Canada. Includes news about the weather; that they had seen boats, submarines, a wreck and two mines explode; and that they had watched a [football] match that Malcolm’s brother played in. John asks Lillian to send a book about the British Army, writes that “the Imperial [cat] has begun to scratch” (with a picture of a cat), and hopes that Dicky and the love birds are well.

Written from St George’s School, Broadstairs, Kent, shortly after Lilian had visited. Telling her about a lecture on Japan, a thunder storm and that the weather was still too bad to go out, that [a present she had given him] an elephant looked beautiful above his bed. John also asks Lilian to give his love to Nanny and tell her he had done his puzzle, to visit in the “twenties” of November if at all, and to “give Daddy a thick ear for me”.

Written from St George’s School, Broadstairs, Kent. Asking Lilian to send his Meccano so that he could make a rival fort to someone else’s.