Letter from John Valentine to his wife Ursula

EValentineJRMValentineUM440730-0001.jpg
EValentineJRMValentineUM440730-0002.jpg

Title

Letter from John Valentine to his wife Ursula

Description

Number 168-25. Writes he is getting use to new camp and describes advantages (can go anywhere in large camp) and disadvantages (overcrowding and limited facilities). Has place to practise violin but have had no mail or parcels for 2 months. Writes of fellow prisoner and that he is fit but lacking stamina. He was able to bring his photos and her letters from previous camp. Discusses mail problems and worry over 'new weapons'.

Date

1944-07-30

Temporal Coverage

Language

Format

Two page handwritten letter

Rights

This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.

Contributor

Identifier

EValentineJRMValentineUM440730

Transcription

Start of transcription
[underlined] STALAG LUFT III [/underlined]
30th July 1944
Darling Ursula: We are slowly getting used to the new camp. Its advantages are twofold firstly the view of the surrounding countryside which [inserted] is [/inserted] the best I’ve struck yet & secondly the privilege of being able to roam at will anywhere in the large camp instead of as heretofore, being coupled up in small compounds. The disadvantages are overcrowding, crude & limited toilet facilities & the incomplete state of the camp – eg we have no lights or facilities for cooking Red X food. However – it being summer we cope without much bother. I have a place in which to practice which is about the only thing I look for in a camp nowadays. Needless to say we have had no mail nor parcels since coming here nor do we really expect them – although I’d give anything for a few letters from my beloved wife – from whom I have had nothing for 2 months. I have met an Army Sgt who was with Leslie until Feb of this year & know him very well. His name is Jeans & he seemed to think quite a lot of Leslie. Jeans has been a POW since Feb & hasn’t had a parcel yet but as I had to leave all my spare kit behind at Luft VI I have been able to help him out only to the extent of some toothpaste. I’m keeping very fit but don’t think I have the stamina that I once had – any prolonged effort tires me & I’m usually quite exhausted after a day in which I’ve managed to do a fair amount of fiddling. Amongst the things I refused to leave at Luft VI were all the photos of you & F & all your letters – both of which provide me with refreshment when I feel in the need. I expect my mail to you will be suffering the same fate as yours to me but I shall continue writing in the hope that something may reach you. Doubtless youve [sic] being worrying about my fate during these momentous months in the East just as I’ve been worrying about yours since the menace of the new weapon reared its ugly head. Would that we could interchange telegrams to let each other know that all was well. Times must be exciting at home these days. I wonder if Peter is satisfied with the invasion – I remember him clamouring for one years ago. I expect Frances to be quite a big girl now. When are you going to send her to school? Give her my love & a big kiss. Keep well. dearest, Ever yrs
John
[page break]
168 25
[underlined] Kriegsgefangenenpost [/underlined]
[stamp]
An MRS U.M. VALENTINE
“FELMERSHAM”
[stamp]
Empfangsort: BOTTRELLS LANE
Strasse: CHALFONT ST. GILES
Kreis: BUCKS
Land: ENGLAND
Absender:
Vor- und Zuname: Sgt. John Valentine
Gefangenennummer: 450
Lager-Bezeichnung: Kriegsgefangenenlager Nr. [deleted] 6 [/deleted] [inserted] 3 [/inserted] der Luftwaffe
Deutschland (Allemagne)

Collection

Citation

John Ross Mckenzie Valentine, “Letter from John Valentine to his wife Ursula ,” IBCC Digital Archive, accessed March 29, 2024, https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/collections/document/19421.

Item Relations

This item has no relations.