The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1940-10-10


James Edwards, London Town
ship. has a letter from her sis
ter in England which she values
highly because she says she fears
she may not have another In some
time. The sister has been house
keeper in the home OF an army
officer and has raised a mother
less little boy to manhood. He is
the Bernard" mentioned in the
letter.
Mrs. Edwards. her husband and
daughter Gwendolyn visited Eng
land, their old home in 1887, on
the northeast coast OF Yorkshire,
which has been receiving a severe
bombing. The particular town
where Mrs. Edwards lived was in
Saltburn-by-the-Sea, a summer re-
sort and 1t lies between large
shipyards. Three brothers still
live on the northeast coast and
she has nephews in the service.
The sister. Bess, mentioned In
the letter live near Nottingham
where lace factories are located.
These factories are probably mum
Itions plants now Mrs. Edwards
believes as that was the use put
to them in the World War.
The envelop in which the letter
was sent had a white sticker on
it on which was pasted in bold
black type Opened by Examiner,
No. 1851. but apparently nothing
had been deleted from the clearly
written pages.
Although the writer Is, OF course,
going through a trying time she
asks twice concerning the health
Of the family here in the states
and clearly plans to visit here
someday. In spots the letter
sounds like propaganda and one
must keep in mind that II was
written by one sister to another
with no idea OF its being publish
ed.
This is the letter:
"My dear sister:
81 am sending this letter by air
mail, so that you are more sure
Of getting it for l fear some of our
letters have got lost, also | am
putting on Bess' address because |
have left London and am at pre-
sent staying in Maidenhead. (Bess
is another sister,.
my old Boss (the army officer)
has died so that my address In
London is no more. | shall be go
/ ing back again when things are a
little quieter. Nan and Mick are
still there but really We are hav-
ing a dreadful time just at present.
| We are hardly ever in bed. This
place is just 20 miles out OF Lon
don. The Germans are trying to do
their worst this week and they
seem to love bombing the poor
women and children-also any
hospital they can hit.
''Do not believe all the lies you
hear from Germany. We are not
starving, or likely to, also our
health is quite good. Hitler will
not beat us We will fight TO the
last man and Mr.. Churchill is just
marvellous. The only man in the
world who can put fear into a
man like Hitler. What that man
will have to answer for.
Our air boys are wonderful
and above all they fight clean.
Most of the German pilots are
really pleased to be taken prison
ers, to be out OF it
"My Bernard (the child she
raisedD is an officer in the Royal
Berkshires. At present he is on
the Yorkshire Coast You would
hardly know our coast towns such
as Whitby Ga fishing village) and
Scarborough "a resort. Most of
the people have left to come in
land. Their homes are now the
Battlefront. We are all soldiers
in this war. | do hope you are all
keeping well and do not worry
too much about us. do not know
when | shall ever come and see
you now but tell Gwen Ga niece)
l shall come one day II we are
all alive to tell the tale after this
is over. / was at the grave Cher
mother's) in June. Hannah and
Fred "a sister and brother-in-law)
are both looking very well but
you will have heard how very Ill
Fred was last winter Have you
any little English children billet
ed on you. or do they not come
as far out as you are2 Poor little
Riddles. They all run about here
with their gas masks on their
backs. They will never forget this
war.
"Bess "a sister, and Harry "a
brother-in-law) and Moll "a niece
spend most of their nights in an
air raid shelter. Poor Harry feels
1t the most but Sam Ia friend)
still looks comfortable and keeps
| his fat tummy I started this letter