Sunday, 23rd May 1943

My Dear Mother & Father,

Your letter dated 17th April arrived the other day, and today I see I have a cigarette parcel; parcels however are not issued on Sundays so I will not know until tomorrow whom it is from.  As regards clothing parcels, I am not really short of anything thanks to you all at home, so in future parcels (I too hope that there are not many more) only send toilet requisites, + of course chocolate, socks, razor blades, bootlaces + polish, slippers or sports shoes, and sleeveless vests. 

Please keep writing to RHQ re badges + designations, I expect the staff nowadays is mostly female, hence inefficiency!  Chevrons can be purchased from the local Army & Navy stores, please send 3 pairs.

Dorothy and Ken, I expect, are married by now - you didn't mention the proposed date in your letter.  Burt can't get over it.  He still pictures Dot as a schoolgirl with long legs and black cotton stockings.  Don't forget  send plenty of photographs.

I was carried into Bolougne hospital 3 years ago today. I have just this minute noticed that your letter is date marked Rhyl, so I take it you're having a rest at Aunt Nells. We are now enjoying perfect weather, very hot indeed.

All my love to you both + Dot and best regards to everybody else.

Arthur.

On this day:

Over Germany... The Battle of the Ruhr. More than 2000 tons of bombs are dropped on Dortmund in the heaviest RAF Bomber Command raid to date. On the Eastern Front... In the Caucasus, the German 17th Army continues to counterattack. Soviet forces continue to hold the offensive. In the Aleutian Islands... On Attu American forces make some progress along the Clevesy Pass. In the United States... Mississippi river flooding continues. In total, 150,000 people become homeless. In Washington... The Trident Conference continues.