Letters to America

Sunday, September 10th, 1944

Darling Joan,

We are getting excited over the good news and making all sorts of plans. Next Sunday will be a great day, for most of our black-out(1) will come down after more than five years. It will be wonderful to look out into the streets and see LIGHTS! They must still be dimmed with curtains, but you cannot imagine how wonderful it will look to us. Next Sunday too, my Mummy is coming over to stay with us for a couple of weeks. She is too old now to get about much, but enjoys the change of air and the chatter of the children. Uncle Dick will bring her over and I shall take her back when she goes.

There is a fair in the recreation ground and all last week. John and Anne worried me to take them on the “bumper cars”, so yesterday, after doing some shopping in Harrow, we went on them. First I took Anne and then John. They were both rather scared and I let them both drive and sat in as the passenger. John bumped his mouth against the wheel and cut his lip. After that they had a swing and a round-about. Then home to tea.

In Harrow we bought them both winter coats. They grow out of their things now so quickly, as you can probably see from the snaps I sent you last week. They had great games in the garden with Betty, our WAAF(2), before they went to bed and I imagine their screams of enjoyment could be heard in the next street.

The kitchen is nearly all redecorated now. I shall have finished it in time for Grandma. It looks swell.

Lots of love, Joan dear, from your
Daddy
xxxxxxxxxxxx

  1. Blackout regulations were imposed on 1 September 1939, before the declaration of war. These required that all windows and doors should be covered at night with suitable material such as heavy curtains, cardboard or paint, to prevent the escape of any glimmer of light that might aid enemy aircraft. External lights such as street lights were switched off, or dimmed.
  2. WAAF = a member of the Women's Auxiliary Air Force.