Message 1 - Letters From the Battle Field
These are the two letters that Paddy / Pat sent to his younger brother who was serving in the war also at the time in the Royal Navy.
2390778 Tpr Ketteridge. P.
2nd Fife & Forfar Yeo R.A.C.
鈥淏鈥 Squadron
A.P.O. England
3-6-44.
Dear Den,
It seems sometime since I last wrote
you, and I believe I owe you a letter or so.
I heard from home today and so got your
new address, they say you don鈥檛 like it so much
as you were settled down on a ship. It鈥檚 a
blooming nuisance keep shifting you isn鈥檛 it.
I hope you are fit and things aren鈥檛
to bad for you, I鈥檓 well and doing about
the same.
It id difficult to find something to write
about, as news is so scarce.
Everyone at home is well, but I daresay
you鈥檝e heard from them.
What is the idea of leaving the ship, are
- 2 鈥
you on a further course, if so I鈥檒l bet you are
fed up with it, seeing as how you had just
got going on the practical side.
Well Den, I guess that鈥檚 about all, but
a few lines are preferable to none I suppose,
so cheerio, and take care of yourself, and I鈥檒l
be glad to hear from you anytime.
With love.
Pat
The next letter sent to Denis Pat had been promoted to L/Corporal on the 19.07.44
2390778 L/Cpl Ketteridge. P.
2nd Fife & Forfar Yeo .A.C. 鈥淏鈥 Squadron
B.L.A.
25th July 1944.
Dear Den,
Many thanks for your letter I received
recently, and am glad to hear you are well again.
I鈥檝e been out here for some time now, pretty well
from the start, and have been in action. Believe
me it is hellish, and I鈥檝e lost some of my pals.
The Germans I have encountered are mostly young
lads of 16-19, absolute fanatics, and to die seems
their least worry. I got a dagger off one prisoner
and am keeping it as a souvenir.
I think I鈥檝e experienced about everything
out here, and I鈥檝e had some narrow escapes,
having to bale out of my tank in one action,
but still I鈥檓 in one piece and cheerful.
The towns and Villages out here are an
absolute wreck, nothing but death & ruin in
these places. I saw the mass bombing of Caen
before the attack it was a marvellous sight and
it must have shaken 鈥淛erry鈥.
I don鈥檛 know whether this recent unrest
will amount to anything in Germany, but I
should imagine it is the beginning of the out,
I see some people complain about our
progress out here, but they want to see the conditions
out here, the weather has been awful, and this
country is dotted with orchards & woods so that
defence for him is easy, and as the front is
narrow he can concentrate on more armour than we
can in Russia owing to the huge front . We have
met the best of his armour and battered them,
some of them veterans of the Russian front. We have to
fight for every yard and it is 鈥渂loody鈥. I鈥檝e
seen our gallant lads fall and it is annoying
reading how people at home grumble. Still I guess
there will always be critics . Well I鈥檒l close and keep
where you are, I wish I had the chance
Drop a line whenever you can, always glad
To hear from you.
Very best wishes.
Love
Paddy.
P.S. I had a good crossing of the channel,
It was a beautiful day & I thoroughly
Enjoyed it.
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