大象传媒

I was born in April 1942 in Rochdale, Lancashire; so my memories of the War are vague. My father was a Royal Engineer stationed in India and Burma and my mother was a Nursery Nurse.

My father wrote to my mother as often as he could. When I was a year old I began to receive my own letters - I no longer had to share with my mother - I was an early reader but not this early!

The following is an extract from the first airgraph I received, my father wrote it whilst he was in transit, on his way to India.

"Being as you are now 1, I will write to you on your own, but will still include you in Mummy's letters. I am sorry that I had to go and leave you and Mummy, but you will understand one day, why I had to go, when you grow up."

The airgraph added to this story was sent when my father was at the Arakan Front at the beginning of the 2nd Arakan Campaign
(December 1943 to July 1944).

Reading these letters today makes me realise what a very difficult time the Forces and their families had during WW2. Neither knew for weeks, months or even years what was happening to their loved ones or even if they were still alive.

Also, I realise how lucky I was to have such a loving father who loved both my mother and myself so much; to have received these messages of love from India and Burma; and that in due course he returned home safe and well.

My father's story "The War Diary of a Royal Engineer with the Forgotten Army" has been submitted in 2 parts and can be found at A6955815 and A6990069. My mother's story "Keeping the Home Fires Burning" can be found at A7045814.

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