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L.C.3. Monday 15 Sep. Major J.H Massey 6 Palestinian Coy. The Buffs. M.E.F.
My own darling Barbara
I am writing this with the idea of it reaching you somewhere near to October 5th - the day when our darling Lisa would have been 5. It is also the day on which I left you last year to come out here. And so we are now coming round again to our succession of sad anniversaries. I do not know that I can do very much good by writing - but I wanted you to know that I shall be thinking of her & of you on this day. And remembering every minute of Oct 5th in 1936, when we first saw our sweet darling. And I shall look at your photographs & hers & tell her that we shall always remember her & love her as our darling Lisa, as long as we live - & no matter how many children we have & how happy we may be.
Try, sweetheart, & remember the happiness she had in those short 3 1/2 years, the joy she gave to you & to me -& do not torture yourself with her short illness & what might have been if only this & that had not happened.
But it is impossible not to think of her aged 5. What a lovely & delightful little person she would have been & such a wonderful little friend friend & companion to you & sister to Maxie.
It is difficult to write very much about her - I always feel like breaking down & so hopeless. And just that I want to lie down with you & hold you very close to me, & without saying very much.
As you were saying in your letter, there is no doubt at all that we brought her up in the right & only way. a young thing must have freedom to develope & make her own character & temperament.
Practically all chldren you meet are dull & shy & uninteresting, & so dependent on their mothers. Lisa
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have no stamp of you or I, but was just herself. And Maxie must be the same. Peter is something the same too - I have never trained him at all, but he has far more character than most dogs & is very fond of me & very friendly with me.
We were such terrific friends with Lisa, weren't we? Just all three together & no question of mother, father & daughter in the usual manner.
I do wish I could come home & get to know maxie the same way & make him trust me & grow fond of me naturally. It makes so much difference at that age.
She will always be our dearest darling & we shall always love her. And there will never be anyone like her. All my deepest & most tender love, darling. Harry.
Mrs H Massey. Carseland - Pillory Hill Noss Mayo Nr. Plymouth.