THE LETTERS OF RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS

The White Gates,
Dorking.
Tel 3055

Jan 10 [1945]

Dear Mr Bush

I enclose a letter which you can send to any one you like except a Newspaper.
I don’t think, if I did write to the ‘Times’ they would put it in.
If all the hard cases in the Army were the subject of letters to the Times there would be little else to read in that paper.¹
 Yours sincerely

R Vaughan Williams

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From R. Vaughan Williams,
The White Gates,
Westcott Road,
Dorking.

January 10 / 1945

Dear Sir

I venture to write to you about Private A. D. Bush R.A.M.C.  I understand that in May Pte Bush applied for admission to the Army Education Corps but that owing to some mistake for which he was not responsible, though he was accepted, his posting never went through.
I hear that he is now due to sail very shortly to a hospital in the Far East. As you doubtless know Mr Bush is a distinguished musician and in my opinion he is wasting his time as a medical orderly whose duties he doubtless does quite well but not better than hundreds of others, while his services to Army Education would be most valuable.  I believe that Mr Bush has already lectured to H. M. Forces and he has been described by the Regional Committee for Education as the best musical lecturer on their panel.
I much hope, before it is too late[,] his services may still be secured for this very important work.
Yours faithfully

Ralph Vaughan Williams

1.  Bush had written to VW on 9 January explaining his predicament over a posting and enclosing a draft letter which he asked VW to sign and send to The Times. The outcome is not fully clear from the papers. In his acknowledgement Bush undertook not to send the letter to any newspapers.