Mrs KENNETH PENMAN
MAYCOT
12 COMMONSIDE
KESTON
KENT

Abergavenny
3.7.40

Darling,

Thank you so much for yours of the 1st which I received at breakfast time this morning.

I am very glad to hear of Maycots arrangements with regard to paying. I don’t think that there are in any sense womans work. I think you must be an adorable “little warden”. What’s the hat like? Send me a drawing please.

Although South Wales seems to be entertaining Jerry quite often these days, we have not seen or heard any of these. By the way you will remember that the first of three of these raids, took place while I was at home with you. When I returned Mr and Mrs Ball had already left, I understand that Mrs Ball thought she should be there to keep the flag flying.

I believe the Beryls only came down for a long week end. Joan however is still in residence, I feel I’m going to regret even more than I do now, that I let you go home. I feel of course that Jill was missing you a great deal. Perhaps when we move, which can’t be too soon for me, if we are not too far away, I take the view that we can hardly be farther, both you and Jill can come and stay with Daddy, it would be deddy deddy nice.

The news about Brighton, Hove, Shoreham etc being militarised in the papers this morning is, I think, very revealing, is Auntie Sarah still living at Shoreham.

I was terribly glad to hear the news about Winnie. How old is he? What is his job? of and when is going to join the Army.

I note your “inside information” about our chances of fun and games on the coast here, our friend in the grocers shop in Chalybeate St. tells a lovely story about an old lady who lives in a solitary cottage on the coast here. She was in the habit of giving water and food to an old tramp who visited her quite often during the last war, one of her most treasured possessions is a letter from the submarine commander he turned out to be.

The news about Jersey makes my blood boil, the thought of our beautiful island being smirched with the presence of dirty Germans is too much. I hope the RAF makes it very hot for them there. I was talking to a man in another batter, the other day whose father was a parson in Guernsey, apparently the population was compulsorily evacuated at night at about an hours notice. Had Winnie any news of Mary or Mrs Milner? I think poor lady Houston would have turned in her grave, with her intense patriotism I can imagine her refusing to be evacuated, preferring to man Corps Castle with up to the minute machine guns.

University and Kings have “gone down”. I don’t know if this is the correct term for leave from Aberystwyth, they’ve definitely been away more than 48 hours.

Did you read about the big new Italian plane, it carries a crew of fifteen composed of pilots, assistant pilot, and gunner, parachutist and ten strong men, it is a twin engined plane, the ten strong men? Oh they’re to push the parachutist out…

I liked a bit in telegraph this morning about the Stock Exchange LDV squad, several of the squad have applied for half commissions.

I don’t know why it is but I feel much more lonely here than I ever did in France. I suppose just being in a different country made the difference, here without any guns or equipment I feel so useless and I can’t reconcile myself to being separated from you. Still perhaps this week will see us on the move. God bless you my dearest one, I love you so much. Yours Kenneth. PTO

(a present from Aberystwyth look you x)