Letter from Philip Jenkinson to his mother and father

Letter from Philip Jenkinson to his mother and father

From Stalag 357. Mentions upcoming repatriation and would telegram when home. Mentions arrival of cigarettes, sweets and other items as well as a travelling cinema. Writes about Germans leaving behind various types of transport which was used buy prisoners. Mentions weather and catches up with family news.

1945-04-21

One page handwritten letter with envelope

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SJenkinsonLP1316403v10055

F/Sgt Philip Jenkinson
British POW 507
Stalag 357
B.L.A.
Sat April 21 1945

My Dear Daddy & Mummy,
As far as I know at the moment I shall be leaving here about next Wednesday or Thursday so as soon as I get to England I will send you a telegram. At the moment they are sending about 300 P.O.W. a day home from this camp.
We have had a lot of comforts sent & distributed, including cigarettes, sweets, soap, tooth brushes & paste and best of all daily papers & picture magazines. Yesterday a travelling cinema came here, we saw ‘sensations of 1945’, a Mickey Mouse & Monty crossing the Rhine, the whole show lasted about 1 hour & ¾.
The Movie Tone were here taking pictures of how we had been living, most of us since we came back from the march made our own huts to live in.
When the Germans cleared out of the town here (Fallingbostel) they left cars, motor bikes and bicycles, but not for long. The P.O.W’s soon put them to good use, mostly for getting water.
We have been having really grand weather here just like summer, I hope it will be as good when I am on leave, which I expect will be about the end of the month or early in May. I am sure to be home for my birthday & we will have to have a really good 21st birthday party. May be Peter & Penny will be able to get home. James should not have much trouble in getting home from school.
In case you never heard I was shot down while raiding Munich 6.9.43 & captured nine days later.
Must end now,
Lots of love to all Philip