THE LETTERS OF RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS

The White Gates,
Dorking.

May 14 [1944]

Dear Armstrong

I was hoping up to the last minute to hear you do my tune¹ – but we had a concert in Dorking that afternoon. I arrived home just not in time – a great dissappointment² as I sh^d have liked to hear that tune again which I have not heard for years.
My wife listened & said it went well – as well as a choral work ever can sound over the air.
Yes, I heard of your loss – we remember him well at Danbury & what a delightful little boy he was – we can hardly spare all these fine young men for the future.³
Yrs ever

R. Vaughan Williams

1. Possibly a work performed at the Westmorland Festival (Kendal) which was broadcast on May 11 and included choral music conducted by Gibbs.
2. sic.
3. Armstrong Gibbs had lost his son David (1919-1943) who was killed in action in Italy in November 1943.