Letter to prisoner of war John Valentine from his wife Ursula

Letter to prisoner of war John Valentine from his wife Ursula

Writes that she has heard he has been moved to another camp but no official notification. Continues with family and local news and mentions daughter mistaking grandfather for him.

1943-06-13

Two sided handwritten letter card

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EValentineUMValentineJRM430613

[inserted] A 20/7 R 9/7 [/inserted]

WRITE [underlined] VERY CLEARLY [/underlined] ON THE LINES TO AVOID DELAY IN CENSORSHIP

DATE 13th June 1943

Johnnie my darling,

I have had news from Grandpa this week that you have been moved to another camp but as there is no official gen from you on the subject I thought I had better continue writing to the old address & hope that my letters will get sent on. I have dropped a line to the other address too, just in case you’re really there! How I wish you were safely back home where I can keep a check on your movements – o not only for that! Somehow the arrival of my parents has shaken me up a bit & made me realise more acutely than ever just how much I miss you & need you. We had a flag-day for the Red Cross this week for which I sold for a hour in the morning but I don’t think I scooped in much money because there were so many sellers out & everyone had flags already! I’ll have to be very careful when Frances is about not to call my father anything but Grandad. The other day Mother & Frances were in the garden when Daddy came back from town & Mother called out “Oh here’s Daddy” & Frances jumped up & ran to the house calling “Daddy, daddy” & turned away quite disappointed when she saw it was only Grandad, so it shows she has some idea about you & looks forward all the time to you return. Every

CONTINUE IN BOTTOM PANEL OVERLEAF

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[underlined] IMPORTANT: [/underlined] FOR A PRISONER IN GERMAN HANDS THE PRISONER OF WAR NO. MUST BE CLEARLY SHOWN. IT MUST NOT BE CONFUSED WITH HIS BRITISH SERVICE NO.

[underlined] PRISONER OF WAR POST [/underlined]
KRIEGSGEFANGENENPOST
SERVICE DES PRISONNERS DE GUERRE

AIR MAIL PAR AVION [postmark] [postmark] GEPRÜFT 32 [/postmark] [postage stamp]

RANK & NAME: Sgt J.R. M. VALENTINE

[postmark] PASSED P.W. 3310 [/postmark] PRISONER OF WAR No: 450

CAMP NAME & No.: STALAG LUFT III

COUNTRY: GERMANY

FROM Mrs JRM Valentine
Lido, Tenterden
Grove, Hendon
London NW4

[underlined] BOTTOM PANEL [/underlined]
night before I kiss her goodnight she says “Goodnight, Mother, Goodnight ‘Fahder’.” You & she will be tremendous pals, I’m sure – she has certainly inherited rock-climbing tendencies from you, she makes the most perilous assents [sic] & utterly scorns assistance from nervous bystanders! We all send you our love, & hope to hear soon about your address.

Yours for ever,

Ursula.

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