Joe’s Letters, WWII: “Wishing You Many Happy Landings”

One of my Uncle Joe’s letters will be posted to this Blog each and every Friday until they are done. Please see below for a link to Joe’s full story and the other letters in this series so far.

Joe and crew have experienced their first bombing raids over Germany, the first of which ended in disaster. Joe is now back at Chedburgh, following emergency leave, and it is New Year 1945.

 Letter from Mum; 1st January 1945

Letter transcript:

“Saturday night, at home.

Dear Joseph,

By the time you get this I suppose the new year will be well and truly started so I’ll start by wishing you all the best in life for 1945 and many happy landings.

Yes, you guessed right, we did have a good time at Xmas including Jean – plenty of good grub, drinks and friends so what more could we ask! I wonder Jean didn’t have foot an mouth disease after all the good work that was put in under the mistletoe. She didn’t go back ’til Friday and I don’t think she would hve gone then if her mother hadn’t wired, I only hope nothing was wrong at home.

We naturally spoke of you many a time, and wondered how you got on for Xmas, but in any case it’s all over now and may you be safely home for good by the time the next one comes round.

I hope you have received your cardigan by now, I should have sent it before but didn’t discover it ’til we were ready to go out on Sunday. The kids have been out sliding nearly all day, but the weather is not so bad as last week when we were in the coldest spot in England, according to the paper.

By the way, did you ‘swipe’ Denis’ blue socks? I have had to buy him some utility ones, I simply don’t have time to knit anything these days.

Well son, how’s work going on these days, I expect you are as busy as ever. I suppose I must get my nose back on to the grindstone in the morning, what a life!

So I’ll wish you good-night and say God bless you through the new year and always.

With love from Mom and ‘nibs’ xxxx”

Olive must have been treading a fine line, between telling Joe about the family antics at Christmas, whilst also making sure it doesn’t upset him even more that he couldn’t be there to join them. In a clearly reflective mood this New Year, the warmth of Olive’s motherly love for Joe shines through in this letter.

To read more about Joe’s letters please follow this link. There you will find the full selection of letters to date, as well as more information about his fascinating yet ultimately tragic story. He was our family hero. He IS our family hero. If I knew how to complete an effective RAF salute, I would salute you now, Joe. Long may your memory live in our family stories. I hope to post a new letter from Joe’s correspondence with his Mother here every Friday until they’re done. It will be a turbulent and heart-wrenching journey. Subscribe to the Blog to make sure you don’t miss any of it.

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