Been too tired to do any more letters yet, will get to grips with them again when I can concentrate properley.

( I have copied my Fathers letters with spelling & punctuation etc. as they were written)

1521794 A.C.2. BYRNE. P.J.J.

 FLIGHT 10, 54 INTAKE, B Squadron

AVENUE CLOSE

LONDON N.W.8.

6-7.42.

My Darling Wife.

Just a line to let you know I arrive OK at 4 O’clock on Monday morning.  The two other fellows & myself wandered around London trying to get something to eat until 7 O’clock then we gave up, and arrived hear at 8 O’clock.  Since then we have not had a minute to spare until 7 O’clock pm, and having had any sleep during the night you can tell I am just about to go to bed at 8 O’clock to try & get some strenght back.

We have been isssued with all our kit including the white flash for our caps.  The tailor came this afternoon & took our uniforms etc to make them fit properley.

I was a bit upset on Sunday night & I hope you are not feeling so bad now, one day has gone already before I come home for 7 days, they wont allow us out yet here, when they will I dont know.  Anyway we have the best corporal we could possibly have.

They have told me you will have your pay book through in about 10 days.

I wont say anymore now until later in the week except I love you very very much.

With all my love & kisses

Pat

P.S. It will be OK for you to write here as we will be here for 3 weeks my love. X

The hopes and dreams of too many young men ended abruptly during the course of World War Two.  A great many families were to lose the love of someone they held dear, a love that could never be replaced.

I have compiled these letters for my sons Alasdair, Ian and Michael (Foxx) so that they can learn a little about the Grandfather they never knew.

The memory of his hope and his courage deserves to be kept alive for the grandchildren he would have loved had he been given the chance to know them.

Catch me a moment

Wrap it around my mind

Catch me a moment

But not one too unkind.

Catch me a moment

The nicest you can find,

Catch me a moment

Don’t leave it behind.

Trap it in my memory

So it won’t come undone,

Trap it in my memory

To shine like the sun.

Trap it in my memory

So we become as one,

Trap it in my memory

Until my day is done.

Jo Halleron 1992

Today was a much more reasonable day.  The sun shone, I had somebody working with me and everything seemed to go very smoothly.  The day passed quite quickly actually.  Now it is the start of my Bank Holiday, and tomorrow I am going to make a proper start on the letters from my Dad that my Mum received during World War 2. Maybe nobody will ever read any of them but that doesn’t bother me, it will just be my way of paying tribute to him.

Nothing much to write about today.  Would have been a good day I suppose, except for all sorts of niggley little things going wrong. None of them my fault (I don’t think) but they do have a rub off effect.  Suppose I am just tired which is why everything seems to have gravelled my ass and made me want to emigrate!  Ah well. I suppose tomorrow will be more reasonable, it better bloody well had be!

T

So a Bank Holiday has come round again….Hmm…  After writing about Ulverston & Cumbria yesterday I wish I was going there, but I aint.  I am working on Sat so I shall be spending Sun & Mon recovering.  In other words being bone idle.  I will have the house to myself so I can do whatever I choose.  I suppose I could even have a picnic in the living room if I wanted to.  Now there’s a thought.  A fully grown adult sitting on a picnic blanket, on the floor, having a tea party with jelly and ice cream and not a child in sight.  I know, I know, I really should grow up. But WHY?

Ulverston is one of my favourite places.  I have spent many happy hours there over the years.  We had a static caravan which was based in Ulverston and the location of the van meant that we were within easy access of the Lake District. I don’t know what it is about Cumbria, it just sort of grabs you by the throat and won’t let go.

I think it is the space (out of season of course) the silence and the smells, they all combine to make you feel unreal, as if you are on another planet. I love the feel of the rocks, the sound of the water and the sight of the hills.  For some reason they always make me feel over emotional.  If anybody asked me, at the time to describe my feelings, I couldn’t.  Cartmel Priory for example is one place that really gets to me, there is something about the atmosphere of the building that seems to seep into my bones.

THE PRIORY

The air outside is heavy and humid,

inside all is cool and calmly peaceful.

Quiet whispers explore the solid walls,

the feet of modern man walk the floor of history.

Some kneel to seek solace, while others do so

to give thanks for favours granted.

Silent tears are shed for lives gone wrong,

or the hurt caused by pain and illness.

The solemnity of the marriage service,

the joyfulness of a baptism into faith,

and the burial of God’s children when

their lives have reached their conclusion.

All these and more have taken place

inside this building, built with  care by

men with hard and workworn hands.

Reflect on this and share the peace.

“it gets worse every day”.

What does?

“What does what”?

What gets worse every day?

“Who said that”?

You said it.

“What did I say”?

That it gets worse every day.

“Oh, does it”?

Now listen, you said

“It gets worse every day”.

I said what does,

You said “What does what”?

I said what gets worse,

“You said “Who said that”?

I said you said it,

You said “What did I say”?

I said that you said it

gets worse every day,

You said “Oh does it”?

So come on, what gets

worse every day?

“My memory, I think”!

The following is something my Father 1521794 Flight Sergeant Patrick Joseph John Byrne wrote to his wife Doris between the sixth of July 1942 and the first of November 1944.

“It is indeed a strange life when a man who loves a woman as much as I love you darling, can’t live with her and and that they both can’t do as they please, all because a man named Hitler started a war, believe me my darling he is going to pay dearly for all this, and I shall be there to give a helping hand when that day comes along. It will be one of the greatest pleasures of my life-time.  I may go down doing my best to knock hell out of him, but believe me my darling, there are plenty more fellows waiting to step into my shoes and carry this job of ours to a successful conclusion, and have no doubts darling we are going to do it, we must, to make this a decent world to live in, and so that everybody, apart from us darling, can live in peace and go their own particular way about life.”  

KEEP READING, THERE WILL BE MORE!