Harry’s letter to my Grandmother is dated 5th December 1941, the eve of his departure on the troop ship Warwick Castle from Gourock.
This letter complements the letter from Major Dempsey following his death in 1949.
I have read that Churchill whose official residence had been protected during the Battle of Britain by the 79th AA battery had asked for the unit to be sent to Basra to support the 8th Army in North Africa. As the Warwick Castle headed south through the Irish Sea the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbour and the fate of Harry and his men changed dramatically. The War Office decided the 79th should be diverted to support Australia’s defence and the ship headed to Cape Town and then Singapore before transhipment of the troops and their guns to Timor to fight side by side with their Australian comrades before capture and imprisonment.
Harry of course had no idea of all this when he wrote “my sweetheart I will soon be back to you” – the characteristic and heartfelt hope of the departing warrior.
His letter is a most tender and beautiful expression of love and brings a tear on reading.
Friday Dec 5th
S/Sgt Lucas.H
No. 1456030
79/21st Regiment
c/o Army Post Office 1515
My Own Darling Wife
Well cheerio my Susan Darling. We are on our way, so be brave my sweetheart. I will soon be back to you. Always remember my Dearest that you will always be in my thoughts wherever I may be and always praying for the time when we can be together again for ever never to part again so cheer up Dearest, and take great care of yourself for me, and you can be assured that I will do the same for I shan’t run in to any trouble if I can avoid it. I hope you are fixed up OK now with your allowance and everything else. I’m sure darling it will come through alright. I know they are terribly longwinded. We move off some time to-night my sweet don’t know what time, I expect we will have to travel all night as that is the usual. I will write to you Dearest 2 or 3 times a week and more if I get the chance, and I know you will write to me often.
Don’t forget what I said about your job Dear and don’t work too hard.
I will save all I can out of my pocket money. I don’t suppose we shall have anything to spend it on.
Well so long my darling Love. I love you and love you with all my Heart and may God bless you and keep you for my return. All my love my Dearest and thousands of kisses.
I am
Yours for
Ever and Ever a Day
Your loving Husband Harry
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