A CASUALTY OF WAR
Tregethlan Manor,
Trevow,
Portglas,
Cornwall.
14th July 1944
My dearest Tom,
I was so concerned to receive the telegram yesterday informing me that you had been injured. I have been most anxious for further news, so it was of some relief to have the Chaplain’s letter this morning telling me that you are now safely back in England.
My poor darling, I am so terribly sorry to learn that you have been hurt though very thankful to know that your surgery has apparently gone well. As soon as you are well enough to do so, I hope that you will be permitted to come home to convalesce. It would be wonderful to have you here and we would do everything possible to make you comfortable.
We get so very little news of what is happening over in France although I gather that things going well and the Allies have the Germans on the run. This is tremendous news and everyone is very hopeful that the war will soon be over.
I have passed on your address to your mother and sisters and I am sure that they too will be writing to you.
In the meantime, just try to relax and concentrate on getting better. Everyone here sends their good wishes for your speedy recovery: Betty, Henk and the other Dutch officers, the Byghans, Greatwood, Cook and even dear Emily who was most concerned to hear of your injuries.
Edward and I both send you our fondest love and very best wishes,
D
xxx
111 General Hospital,
Copthorn Bks,
Shrewsbury,
Shropshire.
21st July 1944
My dear Diana,
Thank you so much for your letters – they have been an enormous morale boost. I am so sorry that it has taken me so long to respond but today I am feeling a lot better and able to put pen to paper. In fact today is my first day out of bed and I am sitting at an open window enjoying the sunshine and birdsong. I have received quite a number of letters besides yours – a couple from Mother as well as others from Phyllis, May, your mother and William. I have even had one from Ken Byghan which was most appreciated. Please give him my thanks and tell him that I will reply in a day or so.
I believe Peter Davies wrote to let you know that I was transferred up to Shrewsbury a couple of days ago. It is unclear how long they will keep me here but I have been given to understand that in due course I shall be allowed home to continue my convalescence since I am of damn all use to the Army in my present condition.
The docs seem to be reasonably content with my progress. I am told that my shrapnel wounds are healing satisfactorily and that I should make a full recovery. It is just so damn frustrating to be stuck here doing nothing when I should be with the Btn[1].
I have no idea how they are getting on since I left France. We were involved in some pretty fierce fighting in the couple of days just before I was wounded and suffered quite heavy losses. The previous day, old Mike Didcot was killed which is a great shame as he was a terrifically nice chap. A couple of days earlier Graham Masters was wounded and carted off to the field dressing station. Presumably he is back in this country now.
I trust that Edward is behaving himself. If I get home before the end of the summer holidays I think I need to speak to him about his latest school report. I fear that you are far too lenient with him my dear. Perhaps as you say, young Emily will have a good influence on him and encourage him to work a bit harder at his studies. Mount House is all very well as a prep school but I think that once he goes to Charterhouse he will need to knuckle down. From what I can gather he is, I fear, a bit too keen on cricket, sailing and outdoor life generally. This is all very well, but he needs to understand that in due course he will be expected to take on the duties and responsibilities of running the estate and that means he needs to start concentrating on his schoolwork.
Are Captain van der Laan and family still at Tregethlan? I thought he seemed a thoroughly good chap when we met. I am sure he will have a good influence on Edward. How old is their small daughter now? By my calculations she must be 4 or 5 and due to start school soon? Is she a good child? Do give me all the news of Tregethlan and the village when you next write.
It was good to get the update from Ken Byghan about Home Farm. He seems to have managed splendidly in my absence but I fear old Greatwood is getting very long in the tooth now. It’s high time he was able to put his feet up and hand over the reins to his son. We need this war to end so we can start sorting the old place out.
Well, my dear. I have just been informed that it is time for me to retire to bed and in fact I am feeling remarkably weary after an hour sitting up in a chair. Sleeping seems to be all I ever seem to do at the moment. I will write again in a day or so when I am feeling more the thing.
Tom x
joined up writers 