David's eyes were tested on Friday last and the occulist says he must take to glasses as soon as possible as he is shortsighted.  This development the occulist says is not by any means uncommon between the ages of 11 and 16 and it seems that it has been taking place during the last two years.  It is a setback but there it is.  The Navy insofar as the executive is concerned is out of the question, and the engineering branch too.  However David would just about pass for paymaster!  I have talked the whole thing over with him and come to the conclusion that his prospects even for the paymasters branch are poor since the competition is just as keen as for other branches i.e.  I gather that just as high a standard is necessary.  Even if by good fortune he did well enough to get into the place list, I am quite certain that he would be marked down at the interview if he appears before the Board with glasses.  The occulist more or less hinted at that, and he seemed to know a good deal about it.  Unless you, since you have all the work of preparing him advise otherwise, his name will be withdrawn.  He is quite prepared to have a shot at the exam but I feel that courting failure is worse than courting doubtful success and can do him no good in any way.

As regards an alternative, here we are up against a real problem because they can be no doubt whatever that he will have to serve in one of the Forces at least for a time.  That will mean a break in his studies whatever he takes up, and by the time he resumes them his whole outlook may have changed and probably will have.  I think his heart is really in a Regular Army commission but even here I feel that glasses may have some influence since commissions will be given by selection and not by examination.  However that is in the lap of the Gods and it seems to me that his studies between now and his enlistment should be influenced by their value to him whether he goes into the Army or into civil life and I cannot help feeling that languages will help with either problem.  I should much like him to go for the Consular Service because I feel that he might do well in that sphere if he could weather the exam.  He has a wide choice of subjects and could choose those that suit him.  Here again the coming break in his studies will handicap him but as it will be the same for everybody it is possible that entry may be made easier because of that.  Neither of us think that it is any good tackling Forestry or Agriculture at this stage as David's mind is far from made up under this heading and he wants to tackle work which is going to be of value to him whatever line he takes in life.  We therefore suggest the following course for your consideration.  For the next two halves a language in extra studies.  This language to be either German, Italian or Spanish.  Any of these will be useful to him in the Army and also in his future career whatever it may be.  As regards choice I myself feel that everybody will get to know a certain amount of German before the war and its effects are over and that a knowledge of it will not carry the same weight as Italian all Spanish.  I feel that he a you or the careers master can help and David will therefore take your advice.  I feel that there is much to be said for Italian.  The foregoing will be in the place of maths extra studies.  David further, suggests that he takes French in extras and remains a science specialist i.e.  Taking physics, chemistry, and maths.

As regards his immediate future he will enlist in the army as soon as the time is ripe.  He would like to go into the 60th as he will no others in the Regiment and we have no family connection with a it, but for the duration of the war, assuming that he is otherwise acceptable this aspect or condition is not essential.  Later if he takes a regular commission and are no vacancies in the 60th he may get another regiment he likes.

I hope you will think that he has decided on his plans with some degree of wisdom.  I think he has.  Even if peace is arrived at this year I feel quite sure that youngsters of David's age will be kept on to serve for some years yet as those who have been serving the longest will be released first, and it will be left to the Regular Army and the younger soldiers to carry on until times are reasonably normal.

If you let me know your opinion of this plan I will then, if you agree, withdraw it David's name from the Navy Exam and he will carry on on the lines I have indicated in this letter.

Many thanks for yours all of Jan 2.  I shall be back up Eton on 10th, so do not bother answer before the weekend, as I shall not be able to affect anything till then.

Your plan for D is the status quo, apart from the substitution of a language for maths in ???: I have no objection to this, but I feel that (a) it continues his scientific education, which he does not like & which does not get the best from him & (b) the amount of Italian, or Spanish or German that is absorbed in two halves of 3 times a week in a very mixed division is not considerable.

I agree that he may as well abandon the RN: whether the marines have any lighter ocular demand I don't know, but the competition is smaller & it allows another shot.

If you want D to learn some languages, there is no objection to his being a language specialist for the two terms this entails 8 hours French, 6 hours German, 4 hours history and ??? ??? (which could be Italian or Spanish).

At present he knows no German, & if he is to learn any effectively, the grammatical part of it is far better done at school under discipline than left to chance.

I don't know if you have considered & rejected this, or if you thought it ???: But you don't allude to it.

I should like to know ???  work whether you you are attracted by this or whether to go on as you incline in your letter.

D must settle about KRRC next half or at latest in May: I don't think the enlisting will be stopped, & I believe everyone knows all about it, including Bevin.

Dear Marsden

Thank you for your letter of the fourth inst.  David's future has required a good deal of thought and may require yet more.  As far as it is possible in these uncertain times however I feel that I am beginning to see some ray of light.

His failure to reach the Navy standard has I realise wasted a lot of valuable time insofar as general education is concerned.  However one could not foresee that and that's all there is to say.  His sight however raises a new problem since it may affect many things.  We have as far as we can talked over things in much detail and have explored a good many avenues with their alternatives, and these are the conclusions we have arrived at.

a) David will try for a Regular Commission.

b) He will, during his period of service read for some other profession in order to have a second string to his bow in case he does not get the commission either by failure in selection or as the result of his eyes.

Taking (a) first:

Many thanks for your letter of Jan 10.  I have arranged for David to be a Language Specialist, and do Italian in Extra Studies.  This will be combined with 4 hours a week of history, probably some from European history; and he will have no maths nor science.

One or two things occur to me: is his sight bad enough to disqualify him for the army?

Again, I do not see him doing much reading for an alternative profession while in their ranks or at an OCTU: the surroundings and opportunities do not make this easy, or even practicable from what I hear of the life that they lead; nor is there much energy left off to a day's training.

There is nothing to be done at this stage about any training or examination for a solicitors job:

As regards the details of his immediate military career, if any: I understood that you wanted the KRRC, but you also speak of the University courses: these latter are for RA or RE or RAC, and do not apply to the Infantry.  I think that this must be resolved fairly soon, as entries for the October courses (if there is to be any, which is at present very nebulous: the W.O.  notice reads " in the event of there being..."), have to be in about April or May.  So as to clear the registration issue.  Again if the KRRC or RB is in view he must be excepted by the Rifle authorities, which means an interview: and he can't travel on both lines at once.

Yours sincerely