Mrs Kenneth Penman
Maycot
12 Commonside
Keston
Kent

Gnr Penman 1440280
Right Troop 194/60 HAA
% GPO Sutton Coldfield
Birmingham

Oct 13 1940

Darling,
I was so glad and relieved to get your letter last night, I cant help worrying about you, it’s beastly reading every day about the raids and letters taking such a long time in transit. I’ve missed you more than I can say during the last week, I always feel like this after having you near me even for a little time. I think the wrench will always be rather awful for the first week or two after coming back, it seemed worse this time than last March when of course I wasn’t worried about your safety. I think your arrangement in the evenings is the best you can manage under the circumstances, its a great pity Wyn cant get in any earlier, did we say any thing further about the idea of Dickie coming to Keston for his evening meal? Its the horrible discomfort for you Darling of changing from cottage to shelter and back again and carrying Jill that gets me, does…

(2)

Wyn come down to you to give you a hand when she gets in?

Darling about leave, you remember I told you that this would restart next Tuesday or Wednesday when the others who are on seven days returned. It seems that we shall only get 24 hours once a fortnight or the alternative of 48 hours once a month; my inclination is to try and get home to you darling, a little and often, anyway if at the commencement the quantity of 48 hrs involves waiting a month I shall definitely take 24 first. I want to see you darling again so much, actually of course 48hrs means three times as long with you because of the travelling time, what do you think about it?

We are still very free from raids here, although, last night, one or two bombs were dropped on Coventry (17miles) and the Ack Ack put up a barrage. There is a Brum joke to the effect that our immunity is due to the fact that Adolf has decided upon Birmingham as his capital and therefore wants it preserved fairly intact!! Have you heard the slightly rude tale about the crew of a Heinkel 111 which crashed over here recently, the crew were…

(3)

…saved. Although, injured and suffering from shock they were afterwards removed to hospital and placed in adjoining beds, the nurse in charge had a lot of trouble with the pilot who every few minutes sat up in bed shouting “Spitfire! Spitfire!” after about two hours of this she got thoroughly fed up with it and decided to report to the matron, the matron was a little puzzled at the nurse’s attitude saying that it was only delirium after which and was to be expected. The nurse said she knew that and she wasn’t worried about the pilot, it was the observer and air gunner on either side of him that who were causing all the trouble, she’d had to change their sheets three times already that morning!

Did I tell you that on this Gun Position we have a Billy Goat, he’s only 4 months old and is quite sweet, his owners—the mechanical ‘Ear ‘ole boys—have enamelled his horns and hooves bright scarlet, you can imagine he looks quite gay trotting round the guns…

(4)

I note what you say about leave, darling, I think I’d write and say that owing to the unpleasant nature of the raids on Keston and the presence of time bombs within 100 yards of the cottage you’d had to evacuate it for a month and that you had only just returned, but you would (send) them some money as soon as possible. You may perhaps mention that the front room windows has been broken by blast and the framework loosened. Also one or two slates on the roof are broken. I dont think I should send them anything, until you are more or less straight with the gas coal and milk wallahs, I think they are the more important.

I was very amused at Jill’s experience at the dentist, I’ve never noticed that the drill tickles very much, he must have been very gentle, its very good to know that she wasn’t frightened, did not Mr. Latham comment upon the name of his small patient?

I dont know whether you’ve noticed my writing is worse than usual…

(5)

…but for the last two pages Ive been holding a telephone receiver to my ear and setting bearings on an aerial with one hand and writing with my pad balanced precariously on my head with the other — we’ve got an abortive raid on. I don’t expect it will come to anything. I don’t know whether I’ve ever told you but the telephone communication between gun positions (Gun Control as it is called) is quite thrilling to listen to, it goes something like this — “Hello, Hallo! Johnny site – Johnny site speaking – There is a DO17 at X flying Nth westerly direction’ then about two minutes later — “3 Spitfires have taken off to engage DO17 X Sth Westerly” then perhaps a quarter of an hour after that you get “Johnny site, Hallo Hallo please erase from your plot DO17 previously reported, was shot down by Spitfire at Y” that has happened twice during the time Ive been writing this letter—X and Y are sometimes 200 miles apart.

Have you thought of…

(6)

…popping down to Oak Lodge occasionally now mother is away, Daddy is usually in by 5 o’clock and I know he would be very glad to see you and I do expect he wouldnt want to give you some vegetables. It would help you Darling in your house keeping, and they have heaps more than they know what to do with, with Mother away.

Thats one thing Darling, before I close down, will you let me know Aunt Beths’ telephone number as I should prefer to that if it ever became necessary for me to ‘phone you, as it sometimes is.

Well Darling bye bye for now, take care of your dear self. Remember always I adore you and wish I were with you always,

yours,
Kenneth