26th November, 1940
Mrs Kenneth Penman
Maycot
12 Commonside
Keston
Kent
[Postmark: BIRMINGHAM 32 9:30 AM NOV 40]
Gunner Penman 1440280
354 Battery HAA.
Welsh House Farm.
Tennal Rd.
Harborne.
Birmingham 32
Nov 26th. 1940.
My Darling
I’ve hoped for a letter from you, but as you have probably perceived from the above we have left our nice little village of Wexford. Upon our departure, we, not knowing our destination, were only able to give Fernbank House as a forwarding address, so letters are likely to be a bit delayed.
As you may imagine we have been very busy the last few days moving equipment and settling in generally, were we annoyed at being shifted, I’m especially…
…heartbroken as it means our plans for Christmas are now impossible, damn the war,
The place where we are now is a gun site (2. 4.5’s) manned by conscripts (4 months old) very green and not very efficient. We have huts however; the same hut as was previously occupied by cuckoo blokes, it’s called the Nest, the Ben Traversish derivation is quite amusing I think.
I was amused, darling the other day, at a little tale in the D.T. about the drinking preferences of the respective navies. Apparently the American sailors drink whisky, our navy thrives on rum. The Italians however stick to port, whichever way you look at it they would.
We are having some little difficulty here on this…
(3)
…site with leave; unfortunately I shall not be with you dearest on the 1st as I had hoped, but if nothing unforeseen occurs on the evening of the 6th. The trouble is these guns are so undermanned that the rank and file have little or no leave, and their officer (a twit) thinks that we should follow suit. If we have any more of his impertinence, we shall get in touch with the Brigade Major.
As you have probably gathered from the papers, B’ham has had a couple of very bad nights since I have been back. All the damage has been to house and shop property however, this site is…
…like most gun sites on the outskirts, so we are, you will be glad to know, quite safe from Jerry’s attention.
Just behind us in a large house where are billeted a bomb disposal squad. I was out yesterday afternoon for a bath (how I missed my Dreft) and I met some of these fellows in the public bar there, one of them had a gold medal presented by Oscar Deutsch for removing a D.F. from one of the Birmingham Odeons. It had an inscription on the back saying that the owner should be admitted to any Oden…
(5)
…theatre at any time, for all time.
Well dearest you may be very sure I’m looking forward to the 6th and seeing my dingle again.
Take care of your darling self and give Jill her Daddy’s love, and say I hope she’s getting on well with her sewing.
Yours absolutely
Kenneth.
World War II events between Wednesday 20th November, 1940 and Tuesday 26th November, 1940:
- Wednesday 20th November, 1940—Hungary accedes to the Tripartite Pact, aligning itself with Germany, Italy, and Japan.
- Saturday 23rd November, 1940—Romania formally joins the Axis by signing the Tripartite Pact, reshaping the strategic landscape in Eastern Europe.
- Sunday 24th November, 1940—Slovakia becomes the latest nation to align with the Axis, adding another signatory to the Tripartite Pact.
- Monday 25th November, 1940—Greek forces secure Korçë (Koritsa) from Italian occupation, exemplifying Allied resistance amid the Greco-Italian War.
- Tuesday 26th November, 1940—Luftwaffe bombers renew their assault on British cities, including major ports, challenging Britain’s adaptive civil defenses and radar-directed intercepts.