I found this the other day, when going through a box of letters of my Dad's.   It's from his twin brother, Uncle Gray, written to his twin, Harry, in 1943 whilst 'somewhere' out in the Middle East...and I thought some may enjoy reading it. Uncle Gray was in the Army and my Dad was a Navigator in the RAF.




"Dear Old Chap,

Thanks for your letter of 2 weeks which arrived several days ago. Forgive me for the delay which was caused through bullshit parades and inspections by Generals etc. We have had a pretty busy time lately and incidentally were the first tanks to get to Sfax as we were the first to reach Tripoli. We passed through Sfax and had a few days of rest, the town was out of bounds immediately afterwards and except for seeing it when passing through, I haven't had an opportunity of walking around. No doubt you have been through it yourself so I won't say anything about it except for the wonderful welcome the inhabitants gave us. We saw some real smiling faces and enthusiastic V signs. What a pleasant relief to get sincere thanks and a welcome after the sour faces in other countries.

Eggs have been literally showered on us and I am expecting an unpleasant aftermath if I continue to eat them on the same scale as I have for the past few days. Our mail has been held up somewhere but the last, received over a week ago, gave good news of all at home, even Ron wrote an Air Mail Letter Card and strafed me heavily for, as he put it, "scathing remarks" in an Airgraph. As a matter of fact, I didn't think that my remarks were out of place or at all scathing, but I have written to him and poured oil on troubled waters. Auntie Ada also sent an Airgraph stating that she had forwarded some more books, which is very sweet of her.

Jerry will soon be out of Africa, thank God, and perhaps we shall have the good fortune to spend a spot of leave together again.

Your feelings for Dad are similar to my own, old lad. I have often thought that if ever I am blessed with children that I shall be even half as good a father as he is. Even that proportion would make me a damned sight better father than most. Curiously enough I want to return to England more for his sake than Connie's and mine, that sounds a funny statement to make, but we have most of our lives to come yet, whereas his is at its 'sunset'. This blasted war has more bitterness for the older folk like Dad, people who have worked and worried damned hard, who deserve quiet, rest and happiness for the rest of their limited days; we younger people can remake our lives in the many years before us, they haven't the time, nor the strength.

Hiding our affections and scumming sentiment is a bloody silly thing to do, we have all been guilty of it, but I believe we are cured now. This war will have been worth fighting for that reason alone.

The post war years will be terribly difficult at first, for everyone, but the Government cannot afford to make the same mistakes as they did after the last war. Unemployment must be avoided at all cost, firms will have to work all out right from the first day of peace to regain our best overseas trade. The H.S.A. will also be forced to recuperate themselves and the hospitals until the Beveridge Plan takes form which may not be for several years, naturally they will require a staff including many new employees who won't require much training and who can get on with the job. Please don't worry, I feel in my bones that things will turn out alright.

Take care of yourself, old chap
All the best
Gray"



And that is part of the reason why I won't back down on things that have gone so wrong in my country...


The 'Ron' he mentions is Uncle Ron, their older, distant brother, who was sent to private school, the only one to be sent there, and who always felt himself to be 'above' his younger siblings.

Connie, is Auntie Connie, who Uncle Gray remained married to all his life. Sadly, they were never blessed with the children they so longed for, but they 'adopted' my brother and I, and were so very kind and loving to us over the years.

It was my Uncle Gray, at the worst moment in my life, when I was utterly alone, after a succession of terrible things had happened to me, who rang, 'out of the blue'...."Is everything alright, dear? I had this sudden urge to phone you, as if I *had* to". It was the weirdest moment in my life...and to this day I still believe that Dad was 'up there somewhere' making sure that Uncle Gray came to me at that time, knowing how I needed him ...and he kept me going with his love, long after my dear Dad had died.

He, just like Dad, died of Emphysema, but right into old age he attended every Army Reunion, every year after the war...Dad couldn't talk about his war, he buried it deep inside..but Uncle Gray found a camaraderie throught it, which lasted his whole life long.

And Grandpa?

Well, Uncle Gray needn't have worried about him! His 'sunset' last a very long time, for he lived to be around 92, spending his final years living with Uncle Gray and Auntie Connie. Granpa always wore a suit, a black suit..and in the pocket of his jacket he carried a beautiful watch....Always, he took that pocket watch out for me to look at, to hold, as it fascinated me as a child. He was a quiet man, a somewhat 'aloof' man, who never did get to share his feelings, as Uncle Gray had so hoped would happen...but his children knew he loved them, and that was the important part.