The letter is written from my uncle Ben Sawyer who as he landed on the beaches of D-Day was “celebrating” his 21st birthday. He wrote the letter to my father, his brother, John Sawyer who was recovering in hospital after being injured south of Monte Cassino after landing in Sicily as part of the 8th Army. A third brother, Charlie, was captured in Italy by the Germans and held at PoW camp in Austria. My gran received 3 telegrams within days, but all 3 survived the war. In the letter he says on landing on the beach he was shot in the leg and describes this as the “best 21st birthday present” he could have received and would like to thank the German who shot him. In other words although injured he was going home alive, many didn’t.
The letter was kept in a box of photos, medals, passes, Christmas cards and ID card by my father and I now have them safe. I was a history teacher so used the artefacts for many years to try to bring the events to life.
Photos of letter included and photo of my father John Sawyer who received the letter from his brother Ben Sawyer. Both lived in Warrington.
