Themes

The Navy at Home and Abroad

• Shore Establishments

• Humanitarian Relief

• Flying the Flag

• Letters Home

  • Staying in Touch

  • Delivering Letters

  • Censorship

  • As Historical Sources

  • Albert Farley 1915

  • Algernon Foster 1939 - 41

  • D. Arnold-Forster 1901

  • George Estcourt 1932

• Prisoners of War

Learning

• How to: Understand a Uniform

Algernon Foster 1939 - 41

• Introduction

• Wedding preparations

• The loss of HMS Hood

• Mabel's desperate search for news

Wedding preparations

Algernon and Mabel on their wedding day, 8 February 1941. (RNM)

Algernon married Mabel Mulholland on 8 February 1941 when he was 23 years old. A letter dated 22 January 1941, sent from Mabel to Algernon whilst onboard HMS Hood, describes Mabel making the final arrangements for the wedding.

'Well as soon as we received your letter saying when you were coming home, we have made lots of arrangements, it is definitely settled at the church for 2'oclock on the 8th and we have sent nearly all the invitations out as people have to reply and let us know if they are able to come or not so that we know how many to cater for, and also it is very difficult to get things we want so we have to give the trades people time to see if they can get them'

See the letter or read the transcript

Marriage certificate of Mabel Mulholland and Algernon Foster. (RNM)

Another letter from Mabel, dated 28 January 1941, illustrates her excitement at the forthcoming wedding despite the rationing in Britain.

'Only 10 more days and then 'The' day. Our rations have been cut down quite a lot, but we shall be able to get your rations wont we to make them go round a bit further. Everyone seems very excited about the wedding darling, even people I don't even know, know we are getting married and come to congratulate me at the office'.

See the letter or read the transcript .