No. 7925934. Sgt. Greenwood.
‘C’ Sqdn, 9th Battn RTR,
B.L.A.
21.8.45
Tuesday
Jess Darling: I simply cannot settle down to writing these days… My mind is going round in circles thinking about leave and our re-union: It seems stupid to have so little control over one’s emotions – but I cannot help it: whenever I think of you – and the imminence of our meeting, something happens inside me – and I just go all haywire. So… please don’t be too harsh upon me when you see these miserable little letters: I will make up for them when I come home, and will talk plenty!
In case you are wondering how I am living here in Germany, I can assure you that I am reasonably comfortable, and not enduring any hardships. We are all in civvy billets – and we sergeants have a house to ourselves with our own cook, waiters etc. – and we have a German woman to do all the cleaning for us: she is known as Mrs. Mop! The houses are comparatively new – and the owners were ejected to make way for us. I don’t know where they are sleeping… but presume neighbours have provided shelter for them.
In this house there were two families, and they had 3 goats and 2 pigs – all under the same roof in a sort of annexe to the cellar. These animals are still here, and are looked after and fed by their owners.
Our village is quite small and consists of one or two farms and about two dozen houses – all with a patch of cultivated land and various kinds of live stock. The people are perfectly docile and seem only too glad to cooperate with us. This isn’t really surprising: we are only about 10 miles by air from Hanover… and I’ve no doubt that our villagers witnessed every air raid on Hanover. They must have had some pretty awful times – judging by the appearance of Hanover itself.
Jess… about leave. Here are a few more details: on the morning of Sept 1st, I go to a R.H.U. at Hanover and there join a combined leave party and travel by rail to Calais – arriving Calais some time on the 2nd – and then cross to England. I don’t know the expected time of arrival in England; I suppose this will depend on the weather. But I hope to let you have more definite information by wire from Dover or Folkestone or wherever we land. According to orders here, I am scheduled to commence my leave on Sept 2nd – so I will be in England on this date… barring further cancellations of sailings, of course.
Gosh! I do wish I were on the way home now: It is nice to be able to think about leave – but I didn’t bargain for such a severe dose of pre-leave jitters.
And now to bed…
Good night, my love
Always
Your Trevy