The letter was among those my grandmother wrote to my father, who served in Burma in the 5th Special Wireless Session of the Royal Corps of Signals in the Fourteenth Army from 1943-6. She and my grandfather Will ran the shop in the village of Upper Weston just outside Bath.
On VJ Day, August 15th 1945, she wrote:
My Dear Sid
I fell I must write a letter on this wonderful day – how much we have to thank God for. Last night at midnight I heard people’s voices, and then I listened and heard the train whistles one after another, and then the factory sirens, so out of bed we god, threw up the windows, and the fireworks were going off.
Me and Dad came down in our night attire, switched the wireless on but missed the news, but a lovely service was on from the studio and most lovely prayers, so we knew it meant peace. Both me and Dad was dazed, didn’t know how to keep from crying from thankfulness, we said to each other ‘What our dear Sid thinks now, especially while on leave, how wonderful for you, to think when you return fighting will have ceased’.
And another thing my dear is so strange – five years ago, the 15th of August, Den (Sid’s younger brother) joined up. I was broken-hearted, also have faced a good deal since, but the one above has been wonderful to help me bear all those heavy crosses. Now I’m looking for that silver lining again. . Thank God He’s spared my two dear boys for me.
Down outside the Crown & Anchor a crowd gathered, singing and dancing, had a piano out the front, Bill Bray playing ‘You Are My Sunshine’ and ‘Knees Up Mother Brown’. They brought beer out in buckets, giving away. We didn’t return till 2 in the morning.
Now in the evening a service was held in church at 8 – good congregation, we all went. I got back at 9, listened to the King’s speech, he has improved so much.
Now my dear, I don’t think I’ve any more news, so God bless you and keep you,
From your loving Mam & Dad
xxx
