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7th. 1st June 1944. Monday, 8.30 pm. Returned to UK December 1943 Training with 11th Armoured Division.To France June 6 1944.
My dear darling,
I wonder if you’re observant? Did you notice the post-mark? Yes, Eve, I think it will somewhere around Stafford.

Frank and I were just finishing tea when a chap came to us, and said to me “You are on a nice trip tomorrow, Alb, you are coming with me and a driver in a truck to fetch the colonel’s new staff car.”
Phew, knock me down with a feather please.

I saw the L/Cpl who was going and he gave me all he knew.
It appears the destination is secret until 8.0 am tomorrow. I have to report to the main office at that time and pick up my marching orders. If it’s true then I have to wangle to get in early, do my business, then borrow a truck and come home for the night. I do hope I can manage it..
If I can’t get home, Eve, I shall post this letter, you will at least have the pleasant thought I was so near.

If you’re half as excited as me, then all your passengers are travelling free. .
What a break though. There’s a big Generals’ inspection on Wednesday and tomorrow they’re all on a rehearsal. I am hoping to be away from it.
I’ve got everything packed up except my bed, I can be off in half an hour after I get up.

I do hope I can get home. I’ll do my very best, rest assured.
If I’m not home, you’ll know I’m too far away or we’ve got in very late, or we’ve been ordered back right away. I’ll close here and pray hard.

All my love, yours ever, Alb. xxxxxxxx.

June 18 1944. Sunday. (Letter form, first from France) 3RTR, APO, England..
Dear Mother and Dad,
Take no notice of the address. I don’t know when they will change it. We’re in France anyway, and it’s not too bad, certainly not bad enough to worry about. I thought they wouldn’t get me abroad again without leave ,
and here we are. Still it may be our last, when Jerry’s finished. We had a good crossing, the old boat swayed a lot, but I’m used to it now. We travelled about 20,000 miles on the old sea, so it’s trained me a little.

What do you think of our letters? It’s like the MEF, isn’t it, except we don’t need stamps. Now don’t worry about me going short of anything. There’s a bit of organisation around here. I’ve had more chocolate since I came here than I’ve had since I’ve been in England.
Well, Mother, I must be off. I’m OK and don’t worry.
Cheerio, all my love, Alb. xxxx.

July 5 1944. Very faint photocopy; airmail paper. BWEF.
Dear Mother and Dad,
I’m a bit late in writing this week, but really it’s been a bit too exciting at times and I couldn’t concentrate. I received your letter some days ago. I think the mail has quickened up a lot now.
Today is our first fine day in ages. I’ve never known it rain so much. I’m sure it’s the gun fire that causes it.
Eve sent me 100 Craven A, they came very quick and just when I needed them. I was on my last few.
I’m OK for a month now. Eve is sending me some more in the near future. They should last me the duration when they come. I’m all right for food and almost daily whilst we’re in this particular spot, we go down the farm and get a gallon of milk; of course we boil it first.
I get lots of choc too, a bar a day in our rations. This army is much better than the Middle East. We never saw choc from one year to another, and then had to suffer those horrible V cigs for years, whereas here we get all the leading brands gratis, 7 a day per man. I’m keeping fine, will write again soon. Cheerio, God bless you all. Yours with love, Alb. xxx.

August 4 1944. Friday 8.0 pm. BLA.
Dear Dad,
I’m just catching up with my mail. I’ve had scores of letters recently and often no chance of answering them, but things are quieter today. The weather is perfect today, just typical Isle of Man weather. I hope it continues. It will make or break our advances. The other week it rained when we were on the south-east of Caen and taking the supplies up to the tanks we were bogged several times, once for half an hour; then five minutes after we got out, a shell landed a few yards off the spot.
He shells quite a bit, but we send about 60 over for every one he does. A couple of secs ago he sent a batch of “moaning minnies”; the multi-barrelled mortars, if you remember them. And our 5.5s and 7.2s have just gone to town on them, a quick 100 rounds, just to tickle his backside.
I’ve been to see an ENSA show, and it’s the nearest any show has been to the front line. We were just out of shelling range and, as for his aircraft, well it doesn’t exist in the daytime. So we were quite safe and ready to enjoy ourselves. It’s been a good show indeed and I admire them.
How’s Norman Richardson getting along? Before he joined up with me at Tidworth he worked at one of the cheap Ultra Radio Repairs in Hanley. He used to tell us in the barrack room at Tidworth he worked as much out of office or work hours than I earned during work hours. I’m putting you on your guard for fear he suggests repairing your radiogram. I’m glad you’re packing one of your jobs in. Its far too much; to cope with the shop alone is one man’s job. I suppose you’ll be happy when you take your last takings in.
.
I’ve just received your July 30 News of the World, July 29 Sentinel and the book, Tunisia. They’ve come very quickly and thanks a lot. But I think I’ve told Mother not to send any, because we get them the day they’re published. It’s all right sending books and the local.
I had Mr High’s farewell letter yesterday. I hear he’s retiring, doctor’s orders. He’s been working too hard. I’ve often how he’s managed to write so many letters and do his job at the same time. He says he’s written some 60,000 letters since the war broke out. It must be a record I’m sure. I haven’t seen a single person I know yet. Alf Hyton, by the way, is in another unit, the Fife and Forfar Yeomanry. The unit is in our Brigade but it’s rare I see a chap belonging to it. I don’t roam around much, there’s too many mines and booby traps for my liking and apart from that the unit may move during my absence. I prefer to stay put.
Well there’s not much news I can give you. The papers and wireless are up to the minute so we can’t comment on the war situation.
I’m going on fine and finding it much better than the old desert.
I hope old Joe gets to Berlin soon. He’s sure to be there first. Then we may hope to be home by Xmas. I must be off for a bit of supper now. Cheerio, love to all Alb

End of August 1944. Letter starts at p 5.
Well, Eve, I reckon this will reach you for your birthday, and I may not have a chance to write again for a few days, so here’s wishing you a very happy birthday.. I’m sure it will be our last birthday apart and let’s pray we shall be able to celebrate our wedding anniversary, even if it’s only a week’s leave. I to hope and pray it will end on Oct 29th.
.
I’ve given all my choc and sweets away to the kids along the way, they are so pleased and happy. I was asking one Mother how long it was since they had any choc, she says three years. I get more pleasure out of it than eating it myself.
We’re in the buzz-bomb country and we asked a woman this morning if she had seen them. She aid Yes, they come from over our right as we face northwards towards Belgium. She’s heard scores go over until we arrived. Now it appears those launching sites are finished, and soon we shall finish them all off. We’re near to Dieppe. I knew weeks ago it would fall our lot to fix the buzz-bomb areas up. I’m glad though, when I think that they’re gradually going and soon our England will be free again.
We’re off again in 20 mins, Eve, so I’ll have to leave you. I’m sorry, Eve, but it’s all for a good cause. Tra, Eve. Sat. 11 am.
Stopped again, Eve. We’re near the Belgian border. We had a tremendous welcome coming through Amiens. We by-passed Arras and I saw a very big war cemetery of the last war, it was beautifully kept. There were 1,500 graves in it, and all about 1916 they died. Yes, Eve, we are in the last war country, and names such as Somme, Arras, Amiens, Picardy, Cambrai, Flanders and Armentieres are all around us. I hope we shall be in Germany and Berlin.

We’ve had a wonderful reception from everyone and everywhere. The Maquis are simply terrific. They’re rounding up Jerries all over the place.

How’s the buzz-bomb trade now? I suppose it’s nearly over. The Canadians have captured Dieppe and all the other places are cut off. Well, Eve, I’ll post this before we run into another day.
Happy birthday, my darling. It’s the last one apart, Cheerio, Eve dear. All my true love. God bless you always.
Yours ever, Alb. xxx.

September 30 1944. Sat, 5.0 pm. 84th. Same again BLA.
Hello Eve dear,
I wish the weather would clear up, it’s rained all day again.
I had 2 letters last night, one off Mother and your 89th. I feel certain that’s 2 89ths you’ve sent me. I wonder how many more. It is two, Eve. I’ve just looked up your last letter but one.. You haven’t noticed that you’ve written 2 89s. Ha - you must be in love.
Do you know I have got quite a lot to write about, but most important, I got half a loaf this morning and over my logman’s fire I did myself quite a lot of toast. It was delicious. It’s the first I’ve had for many months, the last time I was home for certain.

I’m glad you’ve had up to my 81 letter, Eve, but I’m worried that there’s only 2 now on the way. I shall have to work the old pen a bit harder.
I want every written word to be yours. I always think that I’m wasting valuable time if I’m writing to anyone else.
There’s some Yankee artillery in the next field and I’ve been across to speak to them. The first question they asked, how far is Jerry away. I said “Let’s see er 5, 6, 6000 yds away”. “Oh, my goodness” they said. They thought I was going to say 5, 6 or more miles away.
They’re new fellows and yesterday was their first day of action. They are quite decent chaps too and the expressions they use make me roll with laughing. You know, they always wear their tin hats and they said “I can’t weigh you lads up. You stroll about in your little black berets even around these parts. Are you ever afraid of Jerry pushing some dirt over?” I said “We put them on when the time comes”.
They refer to guns going off as “doors slamming”. It’s quite right too, they do sound like doors. And one fellow says “You fellows, when you hear these doors slamming, it’s time you were earthbound.” They are new to the game and don’t compare with us for food, canteen, pay days, and such things as a bivouac or sheet to make a tent, or dixie or kettle to boil a good brew. They’ve been across here 3 times for a kettle of boiling water. They’ve no petrol stove either, no bread, and they looked pretty raw when I went across this morning. It was raining and they were just standing in it trying to make chips with some fresh spuds we gave them on a tiny bit of fire. I guess we have learnt by experience through the years.

I guess you’re at Ramsdoor. Hoi, Ramsgate. Have a good time, Eve.
Cheerio, darling. God bless you always. I am yours for ever. All my love, Eve. Xxx.

October 5 1944. Thursday 5.30. 86th letter. BLA.
My dear Eve,
Sorry I couldn’t write yesterday. We’re so busy when we rest. Ha, don’t think that’s a joke. The word “rest” means we’re not in contact with the enemy, and this is the 3rd day too. I only thought it was going to be 48 hours.
I hear from an ardent admirer of Lord Haw-Haw that the Jerries call this Division “Churchill’s Butchers”, so we’ve all attached our bulls to zip fasteners, for fear we get in the “bag”. Then we can zip them off before Jerry leads us to the slaughter. Cute, hey?
So you don’t know where we are. Well, we left the Antwerp area weeks ago and 6 miles on my right is Germany. Now you don’t know whether it’s France, Belgium or Holland.
Yes, Eve, the war is hard slogging now. Old Jerry is bound to fight like a demon on his own ground, but if he has any sense, he will realise he can’t possibly win. We’ll just have to keep at it and hope for the best.
They’re long nights now, Eve, it goes dark before 7.0 pm, and somehow there seems little to do but go to bed.
It’s a proper farmyard round here, pigs, and one has just had 10 nippers. They’re really beautiful and silky. I’ve picked one up but the mother didn’t seem to like it. There’s cows, hens, dogs and everything. There seems no shortage of food, but of course it’s in the country and folks are almost independent of industry.
.
I heard Monty has said again we shall be home by Christmas. I really don’t know how he will do it, and if he does he will be the finest man in the world. I’m just hearing the 6 o’clock news and it said a thousand Fortresses went out again. They came over us and what a height. All we could see was vapour trails high up in the sky.
Evie, I do love you. I wish I was home. I wish there was some definite date of me coming home if only they would say “Every man who has done 5 years service can get out”. I wouldn’t mind that, it’s only 6 months to go and we could plan on it.
Well, Eve, only short, but better than nothing, isn’t it?. Don’t worry. Cheerio, God bless you, precious. All my love, yours ever, Albie, misty

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