69 LAA Reg RA w/s section REME
SOUTH EAST ASIA
29th November 1944
My own darling Janie,
Two nights ago sweetheart I had the loveliest letter from you. I didn’t open it it’ll I got in bed and I read it there. There is nothing special in it sweetheart but you sound much happier and that makes a tremendous difference to my happiness out here.
I do so love fussing and caring for you darling and tending to your happiness and I have been helpless these last three years to do anything and then when I see from your letters that you were so unhappy I am miserable too because it’s my fault and I can’t do anything about it. Ever since I received that letter a trim little vision in green slacks and a yellow shirt, green shoes and a scarf around her hair has been dancing in front of me. You know that she has some grey hairs and I found them most attractive. I do wish I had a photo of this vision. It could hardly fail to be a very pretty picture.
Describe yourself again my sweet as you sit writing to me.
Oh yes, darling I had a letter from Winifred Taylor the other day and she told me all she saw of Anthony. She said he was very tall and looked strong as well but she also said that he talks too fast and does not bother to pronounce his words. Now she’s the third to tell me that and I am a little concerned about it sweetheart. I do hope that you are getting him over this stage sweetheart, say by pretending to be hard of hearing and making him repeat everything slowly and carefully.
Yes darling I recollect seeing large coloured advertisements of the shoes you mention and they really must look most attractive. In fact, as I have already observed, my wife must be an exceedingly smart piece.
I was over in the direction of the Kilburn’s place last week on business and of course looked in for tea. Jan made a great fuss of me. She is a little darling. At one time she had to be persuaded to sit next to me, now she has to sit on the same chair and on my knee. And I now have the honour to be differentiated from all the other uncles by being “My Uncle” even though I am getting stricter and stricter with her. Nathalie would laugh if she read this as she maintains that Jan is as good as gold until I appear, which I tell her is a pretty poor excuse. They are dears and make such a fuss of me. They seem to treat me quite differently from anyone else.
Local tea plantation owner Jack Kilburn’s wife Nathalie with their daughter Jan
I still love you terribly, more than ever, and I still want to be
Your Johnnie xxxxx
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