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Last letter to home

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DUSTY

DUSTY Report 21 Nov 2016 20:04

Hi I was interested to know if you could access the last letters which a member of the armed forces would write in case they never made it home. my father died twenty years ago but was in the army during the WW11.

I did get his army records a couple of years ago to which I found them to be very interesting and finding out that he had two medals which he never mention to us.

do you think these letters are available ?

Pete

Researching:
Champion, Smith, Fleury,Turner,Page,Milburn..Custom House

Gwyn in Kent

Gwyn in Kent Report 22 Nov 2016 06:53

I have no actual knowledge of this, but would imagine that if someone survived a war / conflict then the letter would be returned to them or would be lodged with their Army record.

DUSTY

DUSTY Report 22 Nov 2016 19:52

Shame , because I have had his army records I do know that the first world war letters are available on line

Researching:
Champion, Smith, Fleury,Turner,Page,Milburn..Custom House

Andysmum

Andysmum Report 24 Nov 2016 12:05

A lot of WW2 ones are available on line as well, but only where the writer died during the war and the recipient or descendents have made the letter available for publication.

I agree with Gwyn. If the soldier survived then his letter was probably returned and then, I guess, destroyed. After all, if you've survived a major conflict, you're not likely to keep a letter that says "if you're reading this, it means I'm dead" or words to that effect.