Great news, we've now published the blog as an eBook and in the New Year will be publishing the paperback.
Letters from StalagVIIIB
I hope Arthur would be pleased with what I've done, and am very happy that his letters will never be lost and his history will carry on.
If you do decide to buy and read the blog, please leave a review on Amazon so that others will have an idea about the book.
Thanks,
Kathy, Arthur's daughter.
Showing posts with label Sojourn in Silesia. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sojourn in Silesia. Show all posts
Book of blog published tomorrow.
The book of this blog will be available on Amazon tomorrow we hope. Here is a preview of the cover meanwhile.
Thank you Ryan of Love Your Covers for the brilliant design based on a Red Cross Parcel.
Friday, 5th January 1945
My dear Mother & Father,
The above date tells you that we are well advanced into the new year. I didn't expect to see this year in these circumstances, however it can't be helped, we must just make the best of it. During the past few days I have received the following letters: Dorothy of 22nd Oct, Dad's of 14th, and yours of 15th Aug + 1st Oct.
In your Oct letter you mention of meeting chaps repatriated from here who seem to know everybody but me. Well that is quite likely for I do not go around much here and I spend nearly all my day at school; although I have lots of friends they are mainly Londoners or Colonials. I think the reason that so many know Jim is because there are such a lot from his unit here (there are 4 from mine) who live in the district. But there is one chap who you should have seen last September by name of Anderson, a CSM in Jim's unit, to whom I was speaking before he left here. He promised to visit you and Mrs Duffy.
Some more are expecting to leave here this month, and there is one chap who has promised to visit you by name of Bentley, from Port Sunlight. I realise how much it must cheer you up to hear from somebody who knew me here.
We hear you had a very cold Christmas and that the Mersey Ferry was stranded on a sandbank. It is also cold here, but not nearly as cold as it could be. I have received no parcels since July last year, but we know that at one period your were not allowed to send them.
Both Jim & I are in the best of health & spirits, I hope you are all well.
Your loving son,
Arthur
On this day:
In the Bonin Islands... Admiral Smith leads a force of cruisers and destroyers to shell Iwo Jima, Haha Jima and Chichi Jima. There is a simultaneous attack by USAAF B-29 Superfortress bombers.
In Burma... Shwebo is taken by the British 2nd Division of British 33rd Corps (Stopford) as the advance to the Irrawaddy River continues.
In the Kurile Islands... Admiral McCrea leads three cruisers and nine destroyers to bombard Suribachi Wan.
In Moscow... The Soviet government gives formal recognition to the Polish Lublin Committee as the Provisional Government of Poland. The USA and Britain declare their continued recognition of the Polish government in exile, based in London.
In Liberated Greece... The fighting between the British and the Greek Communist forces comes to an end in the Athens area. Field Marshal Alexander and British political representatives arrive in Athens for talks with the Communist leaders and the Greek government.
On the Western Front... In the Ardennes, the US 3rd Army reports reduced activity on its line while US 1st Army continues its attacks. There are German attacks just north of Strasbourg. Eisenhower's decision to divide command responsibility for the Allied defenses around the bulge between Montgomery in the north and Bradley in the south is made public.
Sunday, 17th October 1943
My Dear Dorothy,
This morning I received your wedding-photographs. You all look splendid. But you especially, take the praise, you look truly wonderful. How I wish I could have been there. You look really charming. Ken certainly knows how to "pick 'em"! Both Ken and his people look very pleasant & homely. Is that his little sister in front? She is very pretty. What pleases me most of all is how well & happy Mum & Dad look, although I know that practically all the time they were thinking of me, despite that however, they look really well & very happy. Bill & Anne too look quite pleased & well settled down to matrimony.
And now please settle and argument between Jim & I. Who is the girl between Mum & Ann. At first I was hopelessly puzzled, but after a long scrutiny it suddenly flashed through my mind that it may be Betty Evans. I am right? If so, she has changed considerably.
Well, I am very proud to have such a charming sister, and such happy and very healthy looking parents, long may they remain so. Thanks for your letter of 3rd July. And now goodbye for the present.
Love to you, Mum & Dad, your loving brother.
Arthur
My Dear Mother & Father,
Two letters to acknowledge from you this week namely 9th July &15th August. I also received a letter from Dot which I have acknowledged by the same post as this.
However, I must repeat myself and say how well & happy you both look, that means a lot to me. I am pleased to hear my photograph has arrived, and readily forgive the "insult" about the shadow on the lower part of my face; actually it is rather a good one, as far as moustaches go, but whether I leave it on for the great union remains to be seen! Your remark re me getting thinner caused loud protests from Jim, he reckons that at the moment I would top the scales at 14 stone!! What do you think of that?
It gave Jim a great deal of amusement to hear about he & his wife my try for a daughter when he comes home. Anyhow, he's told me to tell you it won't be his fault. He said, "it just shows how they talk about us", meaning he & I.
The January parcel containing the hold-all & slippers has not yet arrived.
All my love,
Arthur.
On this day:
On the Eastern Front... Soviet forces breakthrough the German defenses around Kremenchug. Other Soviet forces cross the Dniepr south of Gomel and capture Loyev.
In New Guinea... The Japanese mount another air attack on Allied positions in Oro Bay and sustain heavy losses in aircraft and crew. The Japanese counteroffensive around Finschafen continues to be held by Australian forces.
In the Pacific... The last operational German auxiliary cruiser,Michel, is sunk by the American submarine Tarpon off the Japanese coast. The German raider has sunk 17 ships during its cruise.
In Italy... The advancing US 5th Army takes Liberi and Alvignano.
Tuesday, 14th September 1943
My Dear Mother & Father,
I am very sorry to hear of Uncle Benni's business being taken (censor's date stamp obscures 3 small words)....suggest competition; still we did say his bark was much worse than his bite. I expect Uncle Jerry will be forced to hand over his soon - that's the worst of this chain-store affair. *
Yesterday was Burt's birthday and we celebrated to the best of our ability; it really is surprising what a good quality cake one can make from ground-up biscuits, raisins and a little margarine, and what a difference molten chocolate when spread as icing over the top! The appropriate refreshment was however conspicuous by it's absence. As Jim says, we will celebrate his next birthday altogether in the good old fashioned way.
I have had no letters from you for about 3 weeks but I am fully convinced that everything is OK. Betty Evans dropped me a line which I am answering today. Jim and I are in excellent health and spirits and hope to be with you in time for your (mum) next birthday. Hoping that both you and Dorothy are in the best of health.
Arthur
* Benni, is a referral to Benito Mussolini and possibly to this from Wikipedia
On 24 July 1943, soon after the start of the Allied Invasion of Italy, through the Ordine de giorno Grandi Mussolini was defeated in the vote of the Grand Council of Fascism, and the day after the King had him arrested. On 12 September 1943, Mussolini was rescued from prison in the daring Gran Sasso raid by German special forces.
Jerry refers to the Germans and one assumes that Arthur is hoping for the same outcome.
On this day:
| On the Eastern Front... The Germans announce the evacuation of Bryansk although fighting there continues. In the Caucasus, there is heavy fighting over the town of Novorossiysk in the Kuban Peninsula. In Italy... On the Salerno beachhead fighting continues. Allied air and naval support contribute to preventing a German breakthrough. To the south, the British 8th Army reaches Bari in the east and beyond Belvedere in the west. In the Mediterranean... Free French contingents land on the island of Corsica, harassing the German garrison that is evacuating. In the Solomon Islands... On Vella Lavella, American and New Zealand forces are advancing. Reinforcements are sent to the US battalion on Sagekarasa because of Japanese attacks. In Occupied Greece... At Cephalonia, the Italian "Acqui" Division continues to resist German forces. http://www.onwar.com/chrono |
Sunday, 16th May 1943
My dear Mother & Father,
What else can I write about other than my health & the weather. I don't know, however I will do my best to fill up this letter.
Both parcels and letters from England are few and far between nowadays, I myself have had no letters for, I think, 10 or 12 days. Of course we all know that you have been asked not to write more than once per week and that accounts for this present gap. I am confident that you are all in the best of health & spirits - the church bells should be ringing in England today.
Burt & I are both "in the pink" and in company of forty thousand others, are about to enter our fourth year of captivity, I wonder whether we will complete it?
I see the show in which Uncle Anton was engaged had it's final performance last Thursday to a record house- I would have given a lot to have been there last night. Did you know that Mr Alexander belonged to the same firm as I?
We are beginning to feel the heat of the sun - today however is cloudy. Looking back last winter was not winter at all compared with those of 40/41 & 41/42.
Well you have no need whatsoever to worry about Burt & I, I think we can both gain the scales at a good 12 stone & we are content.
Please give my love to Dot and regards to relations etc.
All my love,
Arthur.
The Amazon Kindle version of Sojourn in Silesia by Arthur Evans CBE will be free for the very last time between 11th and 13th May on Amazon. It won't be given away free again, so don't miss out!
Sojourn in Silesia has 5* reviews on Amazon and is also available in paperback. It was first published in 1995 and the 4th edition was published in July 2011 with some added extras at the front of the book.
The book will be free on all Amazon websites, UK, US, France, Germany, Italy and Spain. Here are the UK and US links below:
UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/
US: http://www.amazon.com/
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