{"id":1319,"date":"2012-03-14T19:04:45","date_gmt":"2012-03-14T19:04:45","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/trevorgreenwood.co.uk\/tg\/?page_id=1319"},"modified":"2019-09-09T16:56:56","modified_gmt":"2019-09-09T16:56:56","slug":"letter-14-5-45","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/trevorgreenwood.co.uk\/tg\/may-1945\/letter-14-5-45\/","title":{"rendered":"Letter 14.5.45"},"content":{"rendered":"

No. 7925934. Sgt. Greenwood, R.T.
\n9th Battn. R.T.R.
\nB.L.A.<\/p>\n

14.5.45<\/p>\n

Monday evening<\/p>\n

Jess Darling: There were two letters for me today… I knew there would be! There never was a man more faithfully served by his dear lady than I. You seem to have accepted the news of peace… particularly V.E. day… very much as I did. There was too much anti-climax about it, Jess. It was the same with Hitler’s death:- it came too late. Had he been killed in the ‘bomb-plot’ last year, his departure would indeed have been a sensation… But as events turned out, he died unsung, and un-missed… almost like a rat. Perhaps it was as well…<\/p>\n

And with V.E. day… it would have meant far more to me had it come before the amazing surrender of the Germans in the north…<\/p>\n

I agree with all you say about our post-war lives:- it is so easy to become bitter and soured, isn’t it dear… particularly when there are so many people at home who have prospered… at the expense, perhaps, of the soldier. I suppose it is best to accept the inevitable philosophically… and make the most of what life has to offer us. For myself, it will be forever difficult to tolerate certain types of people, but I will have to make the effort. In any case, I have so much to be thankful for, that I ought to find it very easy to cease grumbling and being jealous of our prosperous aquaintances… for I am convinced that jealousy is the parent of most of our bitterness towards others.<\/p>\n

I have often ‘preached’ that tolerance is a rather rare but precious virtue… particularly in its larger scope involving politics and human affairs. And now I am going to have to practice what I have preached… It may not be easy, but I have a feeling that we are going to help each other in this direction, Jessie Mine. Goodness knows what I will be like as a civilian… but I think it is inevitable for all soldiers to have deteriorated as human specimens, after active service… Please don’t think I am making excuses, Jess… but I do want to spare you any needless worry… and to this end I fear I may need your help… It will, for instance, be essential for you to tell me if I look like becoming a confirmed grouser. And you may have to remind me fairly frequently that I am no longer in the army… particularly if I forget the disappearance of my three stripes and start attempting to order you around… You will smile at this… but don’t forget that I have<\/strong> been ordering people around for a long time now… and such petty authority has been known to warp one’s outlook. (…)<\/p>\n

You tell me you are not yet free from worry… not until I am home… And to that, I don’t really know what to say:- it pleases me… and it distresses me… I would not be human if my wife’s anxiety for my safety caused me no pleasure:- it is only one of the many manifestations of her love… And any man who professes to love his wife, cannot possibly be reminded too often that his wife loves him too. But… it is not pleasant to know that one’s absence causes needless worry. And I feel now, Jess, that your worry for me may be largely needless. You once gave me permission to worry a teeny-weeny bit on your account… And now, I reciprocate… You too can worry for me… but only a teeny-weeny bit… or even less… Please try not to allow my absence to cloud your life any longer, dear Jess… We are going to be so happy… in the near future… and I think it would be a good idea if you started right now trying to anticipate that happiness. I am trying at this end: no doubt my efforts only result in more day-dreaming than ever… but they are lovely dreams, Jessie Mine… so lovely…<\/p>\n

We have left our river-side camp today, and that has involved some work… Also, I have been helping to clear up an indescribable mess in a nearby mansion which we are going to use from tomorrow. Will tell you more about it later… meanwhile… it is bed-time… the time for me to enjoy more dreams about my love… and her little lover…<\/p>\n

Jess – my Jess- you are so lovely<\/p>\n

I like you… some… but I can’t say how much…<\/p>\n

Always<\/p>\n

Your Trevy.<\/p>\n

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