4th October, 1939
[POSTMARK] Reading, Berkshire, 10:30AM 5 OCT 1939
Mrs Kenneth Penman,
Mascot,
12 Commonside,
KESTON,
KENT
60th City of London Regt.
R.A. H.A.A. (T.A.)
194 Battery
Section 4 6th
Poperinghe Barracks
6th Militia Depot
Arborfield
Nr. Reading Berks.
Wednesday 5 pm.
My Darling,
I’ve been so wanting a letter from you and to my delight this morning I received your second letter, and this evening your first.
I am writing straight away to tell you that I had my typhoid inoculation at 12:00 yesterday and after a large lunch (the food you will be glad to hear is very good) returned to bed.
After a nap I had a mug of tea at 4:00, and read until lights out feeling…
…very warm and the arm of course as though it had been kicked by a horse.
I had quite a good night awaking about 4:00 with a pain at the base of my spine which I was able to cure by getting up and walking about a bit. This morning the effects had got down to my tummy and I was feeling a bit weak thereabouts, but I ate a large lunch purely as a precautionary measure, and about 3:00 this afternoon had a grand hot bath and now I feel absolutely grand. The arm is still useless and dressing is therefore difficult but I feel fine in myself.
Excuse all these symptoms, I will try and get on to something more…
…cheerful. I have been very lucky actually and the boys say I ought to have had an extra large dose to make up for my age.
We were reviewed by the General in command of the Division and it is definitely FRANCE. He said we had a bigger job to do over there than we have here, and the so-and-so said he would be glad to hear that we had been bombed because it would prove we had been a nuisance to the enemy.
The advance Party is leaving at 4:00 tomorrow morning and we ourselves expect to leave on Saturday but rumor is a lying…
…jade.
I am going to close now to catch the post. I will answer your letters more fully as soon as I get a chance.
By the way, my remarks about your being good were meant quite in fun. I wish (seriously this time) I was as good as you.
Heaps of love and kisses to both you and Jill with all my love to you both,
Yours terribly affectionately,
Kenneth.
Wednesday 4th October, 1939
Today Hitler secretly absolves his troops of all crimes committed in Poland since the beginning of the invasion on September 1st. He claims it’s a logical response to “atrocities committed by the Poles.”
- H.A.A. stands for Heavy Anti-Aircraft. “Initially known as Anti-Aircraft Regiments, they added Heavy to their title when the Light Anti-Aircraft units were formed early in the war. Originally armed with the 3 inch 20 cwt Gun, they soon rearmed with the 3.7 inch Gun (mobile & static) and the static mounted 4.5 inch and 5.25 inch Guns.”—Source
- “Rumour is a lying jade” is an archaic phrase recorded in Strauss’s Dictionary of European Proverbs. “Jade” refers to a “disreputable woman”, which implies prostitution, and dates back to the mid. 16th century.
- Kenneth was born on Christmas Day 1908 and so is 30 at the time this letter was written. The “old man” in his unit.