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Letter No 56 Tuesday July 1st Major J.H. Massey 6 Palestinian Coy The Buffs Middle East Force My darling sweet BarbaraI am so tremendously happy + relieved again because I have had two p.c. s from you today from May 30th + June 2nd I could hardly believe it my darling when I realised that I was actually reading your own writing written by you after the safe arrival of the baby And that you are really well + that every thing went off so well + that you did not have a ghastly time -I'm sure from the way you write that this is time + that you are not saving my feelings And that he is a lovely boy + fat + contented + that you love him + are very happy How marvellous + wonderful after all these months of worry stress + strain misgiving + forboding - that all should be over + so beautifully + happily I pray with all my heart that this may now be the end of your unhappiness my darling that your health + peace of mind may be uninterrupted + perfect + content + that the boy will thrive + cause you no worry And you must not fret about me sweetheart I shall as always + more + more be miserable + watched away from you but I shall remain in perfect health my whole life will be wrapt round you just as much as if I were at home I shall be alright + the only doubtful part is when I shall be home + with you And I pray too that the cottage in Devon will be
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2 all you could want + that you will be able to stay happily there until I come back And I am so glad too that his beauty + all about him have killed your disappointment + that it was not a girl it was bound to do of course because being your child he must be lovely- but it was good to hear you say so yourself you can imagine how I long to see him + pick him up + do things for him like I used to do for Lisa + how I long to be with you + to hold you right + thank God that you are safe + well You are very wonderful my darling Very few people if anybody else at all could have suffered what you have in the last two years + through the last nine months + still be as you are a brave + wonderful + beautiful woman There must be a reward for scuh bravery + character + I hope to be the one who can bestow - that reward + make you happy + content + give you all you want + need in all the years to come I began this late + must stop soon + write an Airgraph to tell you I have had these [?] how happy I am + about his names I will cable about this tomorrow too I am really not here at all today darling I feel so relieved + happy it is four weeks less one day since I had Joan's cable + I have been expecting more news every day since then Each time the
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3 post came + brought nothing for me it has been such a blow And every day I have hung around waiting for the post The last few days my digestion went completely west but now today my [?] is miraculously in order again And this has really been going on since May 8th so I have suffered too + you have been sweet enough to realise that + sympathise in youe letters + p.c.s. Goodnight my darling own Barbara + God bless + always keep you Dearest love to you + to Max + kisses to you both----------XXXX Harry
Wednesday July 2nd I had a letter from my ma today posted on March 15th, but by sea mail. It was a very sweet letter, but rather trailed on all that business about you a strong healthy gitl etc & that she had written & told you so. I suppose they will be delighted to have a grandson, but I haven't heard from them yet. I rather expected a cable. I'm afraid she had only had one letter from me at that stage - but she will have had more now & airgraphs too. She said how proud they were at me being a Captain. I should think they will have swelled to bursting point on heairing of my Majority. I expect Dorothy Carson will be a bit acid about it. It was very kind of Aunt Sarah & Hilda to send £5 & £10. Every little helps our war effort to have a good start when it is all over. I will write Aunt Sarah a nice affectionate Airgraph. And it was very good
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4/ of you to send off those pcs to Jessie + Norths + Peter's wife they will have been delighted to hear from you I'm afraid that Frank Macaskie is dead killed in action in Crete Its a tragedy isn't it? I'm afraid it must be Kane Among the various things of which I am in charge here is the Detention Barracks + I heard yesterday that there were 3 soldiers from the Leicesters there So I sent word to the Police N.C.O. to ask them if they knew anything about Frank + they told him this He asked them them were they sane because it was the Major who was enquiring to a great friend of his - + they said there was no doubt they knew him well + had all liked him + thought what a fine chap he was I feel a tremendous loss here my darling I think I must have conveyed to you in my letters how very fond of him I was + quite apart from perhaps meeting him for leave out here I was looking forward to having him as one of our very best friends after the war at home There is no doubt at all that you would have liked him tremendously + that the three of us + I expect his poor unhappy girl friend too would have had very much in common On thinking of Frank the last few weeks + though I only knew him for 3 1/2 months I feel certain that I liked him more than any man Ihave ever known including Vernon + Frank + Gordon + all of them He was very
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5/ good fun + as you know we had some marvellous drinking parties together But over + above that + so much more important of course he was such a fine chap- so very intelligent + sensible + so well read + educated + so very interesting to talk to + listen to. And he was so bloody pleasant + unselfish + so kindly + sympathetic + understanding. And yet very stren in his outlook + character in many ways. And dear old Frank he was so genuinely fond of me + interested in me + would have done anything for me. And he was looking forward, just as much as I was, to all the fun & interest we would all have together when we were home again. I feel dreadfully depressed & dejected & angry. He was such a dear fellow, old Franck & you know how difficult I find it to make friends & he was one if a million & quite irreplaceable. I got to know him slowly & as you know I prefered Rex for some time. But I don't really mind whether I see Rex again or not, but I shall remember & regret Franck for a very long time to come. I will tell you much more about him when I come home. And I will write his mother a long letter. I'm sure she will be pleased to hear from somebody who knew him well out here, who was so found of him. Otherwise, she will only get a rather stereotyped sort of letter from
