This is the only letter I have left from my father, Captain Mazzini Grimshaw RASC. It was sent to his married sister Annie Hesketh and her husband Joe. I have had this letter all my life along with his medals and Mention in Dispatches – his ‘Letter from the King’ as I used to call it as a child when he showed it to me.
After my father died I would, from time to time, ask relatives (including my aunt Annie) to keep any letters, photos, postcards or other World War II family documents should they come across anything. But despite that they threw them away when ‘clearing out’ and tidying up’ just not believing they were of value. I was so angry.
The letter is dated October 1945 – six months after VE Day and Dad was still in Italy. He eventually was granted compassionate leave to go home to see his father who was gravely ill. Sadly, Dad did not see his father again as he died before Dad reached home in December 1945.
The handwritten words at the end are: “P.S. When I look at this effort it makes me feel clever.”
