2110-5-6-8

338171 A/C Shaw R.A.F. Mount Batten

Dear Buchan

Many thanks for your second letter. I have also heard from Barrie about it. Please explain to St Andrews how it happened. Anybody who suddenly got a letter giving him an honorary degree would jump to the conclusion that his leg was being pulled.

Of course it has pleased me. Anybody, again, would be glad to be offered a degree from St Andrews, which is a wholly delightful little place. At the same time, I do want you to get me out of it. It's the offer which is pleasant: the taking the degree would be pure misery. I hate public appearances, and the awkwardness of them: and it would run me into trouble with the Air Ministry, however graciously they assured you that it was all right. I suppose I was touchy and silly when I was a jack-in-office: can't remember all that way back!

So please assure the unknown "they" (and Baldwin, if he's in it, too) that their offer was as nice as it was astonishing, and the only thing as nice that they can do now is to let me off it. Everything then, for all of us, will have been pure gain.

I've said much the same to Barrie.

It's a very nice thing to have happened. I'm most grateful to you.

Yours

TE Shaw.