Letter from John Brittain to his mother

Letter from John Brittain to his mother

Writes that he has been flying 8 hours a day repatriation allied prisoners-of-war from Juvincourt near Reims in France. States that the civilian population is short of essentials and that anything can be had for a bar of soap, although as the Americans had been their for some time it was wise to retreat before becoming amorously involved. Sends regrets that 'boys' did not get to party because they were in own homes over 'VE' day.

1945-05-18

Four page handwritten letter

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EBrittainJTBrittain[Mo]450518

[RAF Crest]
Sgt. Brittain J.T.
Sgts Mess.
195 Squadron
RAF Wratting Common
Cambridge
Friday. 18/5/45

Dearest Mum.

Hope you had a good journey to [one indecipherable word] and that the weather is behaving itself as well as usual.

We have been very busy flying 8 hours a day since Tuesday!! We have been collecting Allied

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prisoners of war from Juvincourt near Rhiems [sic] in France. It seeems quite strange to [underlined] land [/underlined] over there as opposed to [underlined] bombing [/underlined]!!

The civilian population are terribly short of the essentials - soap, food, cigs and those things. We can get literally anything for a bar of soap - But as the Yanks have been there for some time it is

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wisest to remove oneself before they get too amorous!!!! Savvy??!!!!!! Many thanks for your letter which has just arrived. The boys send their regrets that they couldn't get to the party, but as you said they all stayed over the VE holidays at their homes.

What did you think of Auntie [one indicipherable word] news re Joy and the

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[page(s) missing]

think of anything else to say just now so
Cheerio
All the best
Have a good holiday.
Love
John.

[underlined] PS [/underlined] The parcel hasn't arrived yet!