In Remembrance

" We are all hoping that Churchill keeps to his promise and gets us relieved sometime this year.  I notice that both his and Chamberlain's son keep getting home after a few weeks out in the Middle East..  I wonder what Lady Astor thinks of the Reservists who she said were 'basking in the Red Sea' now!

Well I am now one of Haw Haw's 'Desert Rats'.  The name he gave us has stuck and we all wear a cloth rat on our shoulders.  The prisoners whom we take back are all very envious of all who wear it.  They must think we are the ones who ate all the malt, especially when we drink their wine and eat the tinned food we have captured from them.  Poor blighters, they are mostly a pitiful sight and resemble the English tramp who is in a bad way for want of food and clothing.

We are now getting all the kit we want, tanks, guns, trucks and everything that we need thanks to the gallant women of England.  They are doing a man's job as well as any man and we intend to use it all in a way that shows our gratitude to our beloved country's women heroes.

I hope Fred is getting plenty of leave and that he's able to stay in England for a long time yet.  There are no laurels out here.  He's better to stay with the ones he loves so much, as I wish I could."

10th Armoured Division, Monday March 8th, 1942.  Family Archive.