When my dad George (Tony) Woods died, during the COVID pandemic, we found this in his bedside drawer. On the front of the envelop was written ‘Dad’s first letter home from prison camp’. The photo is of him (my dad), at home in Liverpool. He was the eldest son of Edward Anthony (Ted) Woods, a merchant seaman whose ship was torpedoed at the start of the war.
The effects of war are far-reaching. George was profoundly affected by his dad being a prisoner of war and by the war itself. He took on the responsibility of looking after his siblings whilst his mum had to work 3 jobs to keep them clothed and fed as she was refused any financial support. Like many children in Liverpool George was also evacuated from Liverpool during World War II. Granddad never talked about the war or his time in the prison camp. He only came back home at the end of the war.
