A Family History of the Illustrious, Notorious and Eccentric Lloyds of Birmingham, Brigstock and Pipewell Hall - Flipbook - Page 166
Darling Mummie,
t note to let you know that I am OK.
tting in a vineyard outside my truck cooling off after a sweltering day. How lovely it is to relax and watch the dying
delicious smell of frying chicken is coming from the ditch where my faithful batman is cooking the evening meal. The
my headquarters are stretched around laying the 8dinner table9 (an old ammunition box), and cleaning their weapons
ct all is peace and quiet, except for the rumble of guns ahead. This is a moment of sheer happiness and tired
ment, and that one9s job for a few hours is done.
ay was an exciting day, as you will have seen by the news. Our advance has been held up by very stubborn resistance
a town in the Central Sector 3 now at last we have broken it, and my platoon entered the town with the first tank, a
eward, the main streets crowded with people shouting and cheering us. One woman climbed onto my vehicle, and had
moved by the police. Most embarrassing as the whole platoon were shouting 8Kiss 8er Sir9, 8ave a go Sir' which I did.
was well. The people threw us flowers, gave us bottles of wine, fruit, eggs 3 in fact everything. Not surprising when
nk of it, because now for them the war is over. The Germans have taken all the nice household goods with them, and
the food. When I think that this might have happened in England, I thank God that we were spared. The
ion of EVERYTHING is so appalling. Nothing is spared. Even churches are ransacked. The extraordinary
bout this war, is that in spite of all the dreadfulness, the feeling of comradeship and happiness between us is greater
could have believed possible. The men are terrific. There is always tea made if we stop for more than ten minutes. My
ut of the truck and made if we are certain of stopping for two hours or so, and when we do work for 48 hours or
without a break or sleep, they are cheerful, and never give in to fatigue. I am lucky with my platoon, I couldn9t wish
tter lot of men. How I hate the thought of losing them.
ws of Raleigh which is trying 3 If only I could get some sort of indication that he is alright it would be better maybe
I shall hear 3 Charlie Morpeth I am pleased to say has only lost one finger and was better yesterday I heard so that
w I hope the war will end soon 3 The destruction is so pointless 3 It must never, never be allowed to happen again.
are too many lovely things in the world to be seen and done, to waste one9s life on the battlefield in the course of
ion. I long to create something again. So I draw quite a lot, just little sketches of places and our doings but there is
time to do anything really satisfactory. Of course there will be time for that after this is all finished. Au revoir my
g Mummie please look after yourself and don9t worry about me. You can see by my letters that I am in the best of
everybody 3 Tell David I now have a 'Leica' camera 3 All my love Tim xxxxx"
