24th February, 1940
PASSED BY CENSOR No. 621
Mrs Kenneth Penman
MAYCOT
12 COMMONSIDE
KESTON
KENT
No 30 [letterhead]
Feb 24th 1940
Darling One.
Thank you so much for yours No 24 dated the 16th. You must forgive me if this letter is not very long and a bit illegible, I split the top of my thumb last night whilst on guard and writings not too easy; its nothing much, it just makes anything involving the use of my right thumb rather awkward.
I am glad you thought I looked fat, they were terrible weren’t they.
about the buses; are they very infrequent now? I don’t know whether I want anyone to bring me home, it never happens in the “game”, it is very sweet of Wyn and I should hate to hurt her feelings, what Darling do you think?
We went into madame’s…
…the other night and I noticed who was using the tea cosy. I am so sorry that I didn’t say what I thought of it, I imagined I had, I thought it was “definitely duchy”. I hope the cottage has been provided with one like it.
Its very sweet of you to suggest making me another pair of gloves, darling, aren’t they rather a fag? The fingers I mean; I may be able to wrangle another issue pair on the way home. Thank you for the darning wool.
Nothing of note has happened during the last few days; all our snow has gone and yesterday and the day before have been fine and sunny.
One of the men in our billet is getting married…
…a wedding present; four of us going to choose it yesterday. he should I think be very pleased with it, that is if he can get it into his pack.
Actually we got two things; one a bread board and knife in two different colours of natural wood, and the other an inkstand, both very modern.
This afternoon the battery played another unit soccer, they won 5-1. Apparently the changing rooms were an old prison, each man having his own cell.
Oh one piece of news, I nearly forgot, Jim provided us with a sort of chocolate trifle at dinner today. I don’t know how he…
…managed it, the like has never been seen before.
Much to everyone’s amusement I’ve brought 3 metres of American cloth edging for my shelves; its frilly like this [ILLUSTRATION], a metre of red, a metre of green and a metre of blue.
This letter is going to be a record, in that I’m not going to mention leave except just to say this, you wont get a letter telling you the actual date until about the 15th or 16th of next month and, as you know, I hope to follow very soon after and with that Darling I’m going to vent the old “firm”.
You don’t need me to tell you how I adore you and long for you; sometimes you seem so close to me; good night,
my dearest one,
Kenneth
24th February, 1940
- The foreign ministers of Norway, Denmark, and Sweden issue a joint declaration reaffirming their countries’ neutrality. They emphasize their intention to avoid becoming involved in the war and officially reject assistance to either side, or participation, that could draw them into the conflict.
- Fighting intensifies along the Karelian Isthmus as Finnish forces continue to resist the Soviet offensive in the Winter War. Despite persistent Soviet attacks, Finnish defenses continue to hold.