Thursday, 26th April 1945 (Stalag 383, Bavaria)

My Dear Mother & Father,

Here is the letter, for which you have waited so patiently, for five long years.  At 3.30pm last Sunday afternoon one of General Patton's flying columns overran the camp and released us.  Once again I am a free man!

According to latest information, we will be transported from here by lorry or bus within six days to an airfield, and then flown back to rest camp in England.  There we will be cleansed, medically examined, re-clothed and, possibly within 48 hours, sent home on six weeks leave.  I hope this reaches you in sufficient time to give you fair warning.  Do your best to lay in a good supply of fresh fruit & vegetables, also some fish; I am absolutely fed-up with tinned stuff.  I should be with you about May 4th.

The last time I heard from you was last December when I received a letter dated first week in November, therefore I do not know how you are at home.  I do hope you are all well, for we have some wonderful months ahead of us.  I shall soon be making acquaintance with Dorothy's husband, and my nephew, and re-newing it with Anne.  Tell the relations I shall visit them all, I hope they are all well.  Dorothy had better visit the hairdresser and lay in some summer frocks, I shall be taking her around a lot - until I find somebody else, that's going to be a most difficult piece of work.  I would like Dad to try and get his holidays during May, we can all go away somewhere.

I am afraid I have no news of Jim, we were seperated last January (23rd) when the Germans forced the main camp onto the march, I was excused because, at that time, I was employed in the camp hospital.  We were evacuated by train 3rd March, after living for 6 weeks  10 miles from the Russian front-line!

And now, dear parents, cheerio until you receive the telegram announcing my arrival in England.

Love,

Arthur

On this day:

On the Western Front... The British 2nd Army completes the capture of Bremen. US 3rd Army units take Regensburg while other elements enter Austria. In the south, the French 1st Army reaches Lake Constance.

On the Eastern Front... In the continuing Soviet advances in the fighting in Berlin, the Dahlem and Seimensstadt districts are captured. Other Soviet units take the port of Stettin on the Baltic coast and Brno in Czechoslovakia. 

In Italy... US 5th Army units head north from Verona toward the Brenner Pass and west toward Milan. The British 8th Army has crossed the Adige River and moves northeast toward Venice and Trieste.

In Liberated France... Marshal Petain is arrested when he crosses into France from Switzerland.

In the Philippines... There is a further American landing on Negros, this time by units of the Americal Division in the southwest of the island. The troops advance well inland before encountering Japanese resistance.

In Burma... Armor of the British 14th Army capture Toungoo in the drive south from Meiktila to Rangoon

.

In the Ryukyu Islands... On Okinawa, the US 24th Corps attacks the along the Japanese held Maeda Escarpment (Shuri Line). American armor reaches the reverse slope.

http://www.onwar.com/chrono

Sunday, 7th January 1945

My Dear Mother & Father,

For a change I have something exceedingly interesting to write to you about this week.  Last Tuesday Jim & I saw our first "talkie" in over 4½ years!  It was entitled, "Life Begins for Andy Hardy", and starred Mickey Rooney, Judy Garland & Lewis Stone.  As a picture it was quite average - but as a sensation for us hermits it was simply stupendous.  It was shown in the camp theatre on a projector presented to us from, I believe, the YMCA.  We hope to see 2 new pictures per month.

Your letter dated 29th Oct I received yesterday.  I am very pleased to hear all is well at home. Both Reg Tomkins and Arthur Clough are both regular writers, they both appear to be quite content with life - I am sorry to hear that Arthur has lost a brother.

You won't realise how keen I am about becoming a shopkeeper - I hope, that after you have got over the first shock you will both be just as keen as I am.  On hearing of this Jim's only criticism was, "It isn't a job for a single man"; I told him that would soon me remedied.  At the moment I am discussing Building Societies with a solicitor. 

All my love to you both & Dorothy.

Your loving son,

Arthur

On this day:

In Italy... There are some limited operations by British 8th Army to complete the Allied hold on the south bank of the Senio River. San Alberto is captured by British and Canadian troops. The wet weather and a lack of reinforcements and extra supplies prevents the Allied armies from launching any large scale offensives at this time.

On the Western Front... The attacks of the US 8th Corps of US 1st Army, along the line of the Ourthe west of Houffalize, record progress around Laroche. German attacks in Alsace also continue with some success south of Strasbourg in the area around Erstein.

On the Eastern Front... In Hungary, German forces capture Esztergom, some 25 miles northwest of Budapest in their attempt to relieve the German led garrison in the capital.

In London... Stalin, in response to Churchill, indicates that the Soviet timetable for a new offensive will be no later than the second half of January.

http://www.onwar.com/chrono

 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0033832/

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.

http://www.onwar.com/chrono/

Thursday, 28th December 1944

Dear Dorothy,

Another Christmas has past and gone for me without the charming accompaniment of wine, women and song.  What a lot I have to make up for!  Our Xmas [holiday/meal?] was quiet for us this year, maybe because we had to to tighten our belts for some weeks before, but luckily parcels did arrive on the 20th and we all received half a parcel.  Usually we commence putting little things to oneside some weeks before, but this year we couldn't do that.  On the other hand, I think all of us expected to be with you again, but of course news was just the reverse.

School is taking up a lot of my time these days.  In two weeks time I sit for a preliminary examination in advanced German, and in four weeks time I am to take the Royal Society of Arts exam in advanced German.  IN February, I am going to start doing a little less German but more French with the addition of Bookkeeping.  The latter, of course, is in connection with my proposed future occupation mentioned in my letter of 10th inst.  I am very keen about this venture indeed, and do hope I can find an openiing somehwre.  I am not labouring under the illusion that it is an easy life and that one just has to stand behnd the counter and watch the money roll in!  On the contrary, I am prepared to work hard & long.  I am also aware that there are plenty of pitfalls for the beginner, but I am being put wise to a lot of things now.  I would like you to write to me as much as you can with ref. to the above.

Love to Mother & Dad & you,

Your loving brother,

Arthur.

On this day:

In Italy... The US 5th Army, fighting in the Serchio valley, has pulled back from the town of Barga in response to German counterattacks. 

On the Western Front... AEF Commander in Chief General Eisenhower meets with British 21st Army Group command Field Marshal Montgomery to coordinate the counteroffensive in the Ardennes.

Over Germany... About 1200 B-17 Flying Fortress bombers, escorted by 700 fighters, attacked Coblenz and other targets. Late in the day, Bomber Command bombs Cologne.

On the Eastern Front... In Hungary, Soviet forces report the capture of additional outlying areas near Budapest. 

In Athens... British Prime Minister Churchill agrees to recommend the establishment of a regency to the King of Greece. 

 

In the Philippines... Mindoro airfield becomes fully operational.

 www.onwar.com/chrono/

Sunday, 10th December 1944

My Dear Mother & Father,

After 4½ years of thinking and worrying about a future occupation for myself, I think I have at last hit upon an idea, which I will be in a financial position to carry through and to which, I am sure, I can reckon with your support.  My original idea of becoming a policeman I gave up quite a long time ago, chiefly owing to my age: 26 is the age limit for the force.  Fortunately, in this place one meets chaps from all walks and classes of life: from bank managers to safe breakers; from goldminers to ranch owners.  But I do not intend to become any of these!

During the past few weeks I have made the acquaintance of a chap, who at 30 years of age, owns three shops and a motor transport business in Charlton (London).  He tells me that for £150 to £180 I could purchase the “goodwill” of a sweets.tobacco.newsagent business, including perhaps a further £30 for interior fittings and existing stock; in all a layout of £200.  This would be a one- window, high street shop, with two or three living rooms; the rent should be about 35/- weekly, according to the site.  My idea is not to buy a new concern in some new housing-estate, that would be too risky for a beginner, but an old established business that has been in the same hands for a number of years, this alone is proof that it is a paying concern.

[I will continue this on another letter- I hope Mr Censor keeps them together!]

2

[This is a continuation of another letter-I hope you get them both together, otherwise you won’t know what I am talking about].

In view of the fact that Dorothy (from whom I expect much help) is already in trade, I wonder if she would check up the facts I have given with her employers, and write and tell me what class of a business I can expect? 

Of course my figures are 1939 peacetime.  Naturally, I am fully aware that in order to make a success of this it calls for long hours and hard work on my part, but the fact that I would be doing it for myself is a great consolation.  My savings at the end of this year (1944) I estimate at £400.  Please let me know, when you answer this letter, once again how much money you have banked for me.  I shall be receiving a statement of my army account from my paymaster shortly, so I shall be able to calculate an accurate account.   Well, so much for that!

I received an old August letter from you during the week- the mail service is bad, but we have been informed that our mail will now be sent from England to Switzerland via France, perhaps that will bring an improvement.

Both Jim & I are in excellent health & spirits, and I hope the same is the case at home.  Many happy returns to Dad & Dorothy, all my love to you, your loving son.

Arthur

On this day:

In the Philippines... On Leyte, the US 77th Division captures Ormoc, the main Japanese base on the island. Japanese forces are now mostly concentrated around Palompon.

On the Western Front... The US 7th Corps (part of US 1st Army) launches an attack west of Aachen directed at Duren. To the south, US 3rd Army continues to defend its bridgeheads on the Saar River.

In Moscow... Following a recent visit by the leadership of the French Provisional Government (including de Gaulle, Bidault and Juin), representatives of the French and Soviet government sign a treaty of alliance.

www.onwar.com/chrono