大象传媒

My father did not talk about his experiences in World War Two very much. It was only after my mother's death that I found a letter she received, from a woman in the Netherlands who had billeted my father and his small unit.

I find that this very moving letter always reminds me of the dreadful reality of the war, as well as the extraordinary courage and humanity of some of the men and women who lived through it.

I would be very interested in finding our more about my father's war, and would be very pleased to donate the original letter to an archive - perhaps the Irish Guards - if they would like to receive it.

This is the full text of the letter:

Hees by Nijmegen 26th June 1945

Dear Mrs Kyne

In the month of April we had with great pleasure your husband billeted in our house. One day the captain came and asked if I could billet some officers and two batmen and one cook, as they were forming one unit together of five persons. As we were sleeping still in the cellar then, I had room enough upstairs, and so they moved in. Your husband and the captain had also a sitting room downstairs, I was so extremely sorry I had no coal to light a fire there in the evening because in the beginning it was rather cold some evenings. So I asked the officers some nights if they would come into our room, as our stove was lighted with wet wood, so it was not quite warm, only it kept the chill away.

We had some very agreeable chats and meanwhile listened in at the broadcasting and studied the map of Germany. We learned that your husband was an Irishman and were greatly surprised and grateful too that he who had no business to be in the war, yet had enlisted and helped to liberate us, especially as the major was not a young man. Moreover the officers were very busy, I think they had a strenuous job. My husband happened to talk at the roadside with some more Irish soldiers; some said they were in it "just for the fun of it".

One say my husband and I dined with the major and the captain in their room. Charley the cook had prepared a nice dinner and Fox the batman served us. Your husband and mine played sometimes chess. We got on very well and I thought it was such a pity they had to leave for Germany, the war was nearly ended and they could have stayed with us very well and from here return to England and Ireland. I hope the major will soon be demobbed; some of our military friends will go home before Christmas they tell us.

When the major left us he made us a very useful present, it was so kind of him and we liked it very much.

All the time the major stayed with us, it was very quiet here, there were no shells any more and the last flying bomb went over in the end of March. Perhaps we'll see the major again before he returns home as there is a big leave camp in Nijmegen.

All the allied officers and men were without exception very kind towards the children, that was one of the things which struck us most when the allies arrived here. Of course the children got sweets and moreover they were allowed to climb on the tanks, in jeeps and ducks, it was very amazing to see how friendly the soldiers were towards and with the children.

We are so glad the war is over; sometimes we are surprised we are still living, what with the bombing, the shells, the V. bombs and planes that fell down around here. There is much work for us to do, but all is very difficult, to begin with there is no coal and no transport. The electric light is cut off again for some hours now and then. One good thing is that the Germans will have to clear away all the mines with which some of our country are littered.

Doubtless, Mrs Kyne, the major wrote you all things about his stay here, but I thought you would like to hear it from our side too.

Now when the major comes home, will you assure him again of our deep gratefulness, that he came from Eire to liberate us and many thanks to you too, madame, who have been parted so long from your husband. With many greetings from us all.

Yours sincerely

A.B. van der Made Van Barneveld

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