In war news at this time on the 15th October the Allied bombardment of Aachen in Germany continued, the first major battle on German soil. On the 16th the Red Army and Yugoslav partisans under the command of Josip Broz Tito liberated Belgrade and the Red Army forces were also in East Prussia. On the 18th Hitler ordered a call-up of all men from 16 to 60 for Home Guard duties and on the 21st Aachen in Germany was occupied by U.S. First Army; it was the first major German city to be captured. The 23rd to the 26th saw the Battle of Leyte Gulf: The United States Third Fleet and the United States Seventh Fleet won a decisive naval battle over the Imperial Japanese Navy in the Philippine Islands. On the 23rd October the Allies recognised General de Gaulle as the head of a provisional government of France.
B-29s were now using Tinian Island, in the Marianas, as a base for the systematic bombing of Japan and Soviet forces in cooperation with Tito’s Partizan forces, liberated Novi Sad in Yugoslavia. On the 25th Romania was fully liberated by Red Army and Romanian troops.
In this letter Raymond is John’s brother-in-law, Raymond Creswell, coincidentally also an optician. Rosie Warren was the receptionist at John’s optical business, Cranmers Opticians
As usual
25th October 1944
Janie my darling,
Just your usual mid-weekly letter to tell you I love you and things like that.
You know I forgot to tell you last week’s sensation. It still is a sensation as far as I’m concerned. You see we had been making improvements to the Motor Transport workshop and I was up on the roof of this home made structure. It’s about 18 feet height the front and 10 feet at the back. well, I wanted to get down so I dropped between two rafters intending to grasp the one in front of me and swing on it and drop to the ground. Unfortunately it turned in my hands and I dropped 12 feet on to my bottom. Of course it knocked all the wind out of me and I felt a bit sore but apart from that I have suffered no ill effects.
Phyllis James wrote to me the other day about some of my men that she is taking for their leave and she mentioned that her sister Evelyn had been in touch with you as regards digs in Minehead. She was also asking about Anthony as she always does and if he liked his new school. I’d told her I expected he might go in September and she’s interested as her son Paul is coming back from Darjeeling from his first term at school.
I’m starting to do a bit of studying from the optical periodicals that I get from Miss Warren. I’ve also written to Raymond for the latest standard textbooks. I told him to send them all to you. I’m hoping of course that I shall be able to get some intensive study in between the time that I’m re-patriated and demobilised so as to cut to a minimum wasted time on leaving the army. If I’m stationed near London that will be perfect as I shall be able to spend a certain amount of time at reg London Refraction Hospital. While I think of it, will you send a £10 donation to the Refraction Hospital fund at Christmas to assist in the re-building? I should have done it ages ago.
Rosie Warren told me the “nuptial news” and says she’ll try and wait till I get back. I hope to goodness she does. Perhaps you don’t realise how much that girl does and how loyal she is to me. She lets me know all that goes on.
And so sweetheart, five years ago tonight our wee baby was just on the brink. How brave you were even though so frightened. I shall never forget that night as long as I live and the beautiful days of realised ambition that followed the advent of the little son you gave me into this world. Not a very nice world it’s true but maybe it won’t be so bad in the future. Do you remember darling that he wasn’t at all handsome at first but how wonderful after a week or so..
Then again the vivid memory of a year later when we lived at Bury how he used to look forward for me to play with him on my return in the evening, sitting there on the floor.
Happy days sweetheart, now so long ago. But there are others now fast approaching.
All my love to you both,
God bless you.
Your own adoring,
John xxxxxxxx
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