No. 7925934. Sgt. Greenwood.
British Army Exhibition
British Army Staff
B.L.A. Paris
11.8.45
Saturday
Jess Darling: At last we have some definite news. Here is the immediate programme: Tomorrow (Sunday) morning, all tank crews report to the vehicle harbour to load tanks on the ‘transporter’ – the latter having arrived this afternoon – and that’s all for Sunday. But on Monday, we are scheduled to depart at 7.0am. The tank crews will travel with the transporters to Brussels (not Antwerp) and there hand over the tanks… And from Brussels, we disperse to our various units. I still think the time-table given in my letter yesterday will hold good, apart from our departure from Paris being a day earlier.
I will do my best to keep writing during the journey… altho’ I may not be able to post a letter on Monday evening because we will be en-route to Brussels and may halt for the night on some desolate stretch of roadway miles from anywhere – But we will see.
I feel quite excited about this journey – not because I am fed up with Paris, or particularly anxious to re-join the 9th – but I do want to see you, darling – and I feel that I am already on my way home. It’s a grand feeling.
As you know, I am completely out of touch with unit affairs and do not know what has been happening about leave. It is just possible that I will be sent on leave as soon as I reach the 9th – in which case it would be useless for me to write:- Therefore, your first intimation of my homecoming would probably be a telegram from Dover or some place en route. I know you will understand the situation – and not be alarmed by the arrival of a telegram.
I haven’t done much today… but the weather has been hot and sunny again, so I have been out of doors – seeing a little more of Paris… I walked myself to a standstill, so went to a French cinema this evening and saw a fairly decent picture. The dialogue was in English, with superimposed printed sub-titles for the French, so I understood it alright.
The later editions of the French evening papers are announcing that the Allies have accepted the Japanese surrender offer… but I feel a bit sceptical somehow. I think the ‘doughboys’ do, too, because I have seen no obvious signs of rejoicing. We will see what tomorrow brings.
The newspapers are still printing many stories about the future potentialities of atomic power… and I confess to feeling a bit depressed about the future of this ‘weapon’. If its manufacture is not controlled – well – don’t let’s think about the consequences. I wonder how the moneyed protagonists of the “private manufacture of arms” are going to re-act. Perhaps they will advocate an international control commission, with armament kings comprising the commission-!!
But, seriously, it would appear that this new atomic bomb… and the atomic “V2s” which are bound to spring from it – is going to be a first class headache for the arms manufacturers. It demonstrates, more forcibly than anything before, that private profit derived from human slaughter has got to stop – for ever. It may therefore prove to be a discovery of world shattering importance – er – in the metaphorical sense-!! Otherwise – well – the enclosed cartoon seems to speak louder than words. It did tickle me Jess – in spite of its awful implications.
And now I’m going to do some sorting out of kit etc… Must have everything ready for departing.
Au revoir, my love –
Always – and forever
Your Trevy.
P.S. Am enclosing a few more snaps: have written details on rear.
T.