Letter from Donald Baker to his mother

Letter from Donald Baker to his mother

Reports arrival of seven letters which took just over a month to arrive. Hopes she had recovered from illness. Commiserates over loss of friend and mentions how lucky he was. Mentions other Rhodesian arriving and that he had stopped playing rugby. Would start cricket when some balls arrived which like all sports equipment took some time to arrive. Mentions monotonous diet but they keep healthy so do not notice. Contemplates when war will end.

1943-06-28

Handwritten prisoner of war letter form

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SBakerDA19210428v20120

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[ink stamp] Mit Luftpost Par Avion [/ink stamp][underlined] MET LUFTPOST AB KAIRO. [/underlined][underlined] Krieggsgefangenenpost [/underlined] 25 PFGS.

[ink stamp] GEPRÜFT 44 [/ink stamp] An [underlined] MRS. C. BAKER. [ink stamp] U.S. CENSORSHIP EXAMINED By 187 [/ink stamp] [ink stamp] kings crown PASSED DE/3 [/ink stamp] [postmark] CHARLTON [ink stamp] Taxe perçue …… D.M. 25 Pf. [/ink stamp] [postmark] Empfangsort: Straße: [underlined] INYAZURA [/underlined] Kreis: [underlined] S. RHODESIA [/underlined] Land: [underlined] S. AFRICA [/underlined] Landesteil (Provinz use.)

[underlined] Gebührenfrei! [/underlined] Absender: Vor- und Zuname: [underlined] P/O. DONALD A. BAKER [/underlined] Gefangenennummer: [underlined] 665. [/underlined] [ink stamp] U.S. CENSORSHIP EXAMINED By 187 [/ink stamp] Lager-Bezeichnung: M.-Stammlager Luft 3 [underlined] Deutschland (Allemagne) [/underlined]

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28.6.43

My Dearest Mother, At the beginning of this month I received about 7 letters from you, latest dated 22nd April so that took just over a month to reach me. Very good I thought. Was very surprised to receive another one today dated May 9TH. The latest one was written after you had been ill so I do hope you all recovered completely long before now. It is so sad to hear about John B.C. but it seems that fellows like me are really very lucky. No sign of Joe Bland. A chap from Salisbury, John Launder, arrived a few weeks ago. We are keeping pretty fit but very impatient. Stopped playing Rugger a few weeks ago & we are going to have come Cricket if some balls arrive. of course we depend entirely on the Red Cross for all sports equipment so replacements take a long time to arrive. Fortunately R.C. parcels continue to arrive regularly & we have a slight reserve. It is a pretty monotonous diet but as we all seem healthy enough we don’t notice it, Anyway provided we aren’t hungry the only real interest we have is when the war is going to end. It looks now like another Xmas here. Some chaps have done nearly four years already. This Summer has not been nearly as sunny as last & we are having a lot of rain. received a few letters from Somerset. A few more babies there. Cheerio for now dear Mother. Much love to you all Donald. [ink stamp] U.S. CENSORSHIP EXAMINED By 187 [/ink stamp]