(07/27/1944) Grady McMurtry to Aleister Crowley

1475th Ord MM Co (Avn) (Q)
APO 149, U.S. Army
27 July 1944
France

Dear A. C.,

In receipt of the package of songs. Will be happy to start handing them out but first must have one question cleared. Does the tune in any way resemble that of the present French national anthem? I must know as otherwise it is meaningless. Forward me a copy of the music as soon as possible.

If you wish I will send the nest {sic} money order to Germer. I don’t know exactly why I sent the last one to Jack except that I had just received a letter from him and Germer never even entered my mind.

It isn’t necessary to add “France” to my address. In fact the army censor might decide to get downright nasty about it. It is just that Army mail bags might fall into enemy hands and that is not a good idea from a security point of view. As you doubtless know it is raining quite about {sic} over here and as a result our mail is sometimes a bit damp when we get it. Lack of adequate housing facilities for the millions of mail bags. Anyway this has given rise to a common saying that our mail has “come in on the tide”. Which of course I suppose it has – only not in that sense.

Aha! So you finally received that “Convoy Rolling” piece of drivel? No wonder you looked puzzled when I mentioned it. Or perhaps you don’t remember. I was there one evening and asked you how you liked it, you nodded your head very sagely although with a puzzled look in your eye and I thought at the time that you must not have heard me aright. Anyway there is a certain satisfaction in rolling a 6×6 – “where the wheeling convoys roll” – but I suppose one has to have grease on the hands and ball bearings in the head to appreciate it. Someday I may write that thing over and do it right. On rereading yours of 6 July I notice that you had hoped to get the package to me before 14 July. No such luck.

Let me hear from you soon.

Yours

Note: Originally published in Thelema Lodge Calendar, August 2001.

(07/27/1944) Grady McMurtry to Aleister Crowley

Note: Thank you to William Heidrick for making this image available.