大象传媒

Introduction

This article is submitted on behalf of Mrs Frances McAlone (n茅e McGuinness) from Whitehaven, Cumbria. In February 1944 Frances鈥� father Sergeant Pat McGuinness was serving with the 7th Queen鈥檚 Own Hussars, Royal Armoured Corps. At that time Pat鈥檚 unit was based in the Middle East.

On 17 February 1944 Pat wrote a letter to his nephew in Britain, Private Hugh McGuinness, 1st Battalion Border Regiment, at that time based at Woodhall Spa, Lincolnshire. Pat had just completed two weeks鈥� leave in what was then officially known as Palestine. This is a transcription I have made of that letter. The terms of the 鈥淧eople鈥檚 War鈥� website have been read and understood.

Later in 1944, Pat鈥檚 unit went to Italy. Unfortunately Pat was killed on 17 July 1944. He is buried in the Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery in Ancona, Italy.

Hugh took part in the Arnhem campaign with the 1st Battalion Border Regiment. After some hard fighting, Hugh was taken prisoner and became a POW in Germany. Hugh survived the war and eventually returned to his hometown of Whitehaven.

Transcript of letter

(Military Airgraph Service authorized by Egyptian Postal Administration)
[Only minor editing has been done]

Addressed to:
PTE. H. MCGUINNESS 3597882
21 PLN 鈥� D COY.
1st BATT BORDER REGT.
WOODHALL SPA
LINCS
ENGLAND.

Written message:
3593603 鈥� Sgt. P. MCGUINNESS 鈥� B Sqn 鈥� 7th HUSSARS M.E.F. Date: 17/2/44

My Dear Hughie,

Many thanks for your Air Mail received yesterday. I am pleased you are back in 鈥楤lighty鈥�. You have certainly earned it. As a matter of fact I was going to write to you when you were in North Africa but I was told a lot of the Airborne Troops had gone home. I was hoping you would be among them.

Well Pal, I have just finished a fortnight鈥檚 leave up at Nathania leave camp in Palestine. I also had four days in Jerusalem, a few days in Bethlehem and also a run up to Nazareth and Galilee. I can assure you I enjoyed it very much indeed!

When I was at base a few weeks back, I met Bill Morris (big head). He was asking after you. I told him where I thought you were. You remember he used to be a bugler in the old 5th. He was helping to wrap up Christmas presents when I saw him.

Well Shipmate, I know just how keen you are to get cracking again and get this war business finished. Here鈥檚 wishing you all the best of luck and good hunting!

Give my regards to Charlie McCourt and any of the boys I know. Cheerio Pal.

Yours etc.
Pat

Conclusion

So far as I am aware, this is the only letter written by Pat that has survived until the present day. Pat鈥檚 handwriting is easy to read and it is a well-written letter.

I have used the spelling Pat wrote in his letter for the town where he went for the army leave camp (Nathania). There are different ways to spell this town and the best-known contemporary spelling is possibly 鈥楴etanya鈥�. The town is on the Mediterranean coast between Tel Aviv and Haifa.

Pat鈥檚 reference to 鈥榯he old 5th鈥� refers to the 5th Battalion of the Border Regiment. Both Hugh and Pat were in that Territorial Army Battalion in the early part of the war. A large number of men from Whitehaven and West Cumberland who were in the 5th Battalion Border Regiment were called up at the outbreak of World War Two in 1939. As far as I am aware, Allied soldiers often used the phrase 鈥済ood hunting鈥� around this time, possibly originating with General Bernard Montgomery.

It has been a privilege to submit this article. I would like to thank Frances for sharing some memories of World War Two. Finally I would especially like to dedicate this article to the memory of Pat and Hugh McGuinness.

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