But it means I shall, for at least a while, be even further away from you, my darling Kath, the love of my life, at a time when you most need comfort and support. I am so sorry, but there is no way of refusing this posting, I’m afraid.

Know that my heart will always be yours, however far away, and that we will be together again just as soon as this bloody war allows it.

I leave on Friday, and will send my address as soon as possible. Your letters are a lifeline.

I love you,

Vic

Dearest Vic,

I’m pleased for you, of course, but how I wish you weren’t going to be so far away. Please travel safely and go on writing as often as you can. I miss you terribly.

There is still no news from Mark. And I’ve just heard that my best friend Joan’s husband has been killed. He was a Quaker, and defied his parents to go and fight. What a bitter irony. Joan is devastated, of course, and has been given leave from her ambulance driving. I try my best to support her, but despite the lovely weather and encouraging progress across the Channel, everything here seems very bleak. Please write soon.

Your loving

Kath

Dearest Vic,

I haven’t received any letters from you for two months now. I keep trying to persuade myself that this is perhaps because you are moving around so much, so I have also sent copies of my letters to HQ hoping they might forward them and find you that way.

There is good news, of a sort. We have heard at last from Mark. He is in a PoW camp somewhere, which is probably quite horrible, but at least he is safe. Apparently he managed to get out of his stricken plane that night and he and two surviving crewmates were rescued by a German gunboat after floating for forty-eight hours in an inflatable dinghy. All three of them were injured. I cannot imagine the agony of wondering whether you will ever be found, or will simply die of starvation and thirst in the middle of the North Sea.

I am so relieved that he wasn’t in that ‘straggler’ plane. And you must now stop worrying about any part the IFF problems might have played that terrible night.

Please write. Please, please.

Your loving

Kath

Dearest Vic,

I hope you receive this. I’m getting desperate. I have not heard anything from you for four months. Please write and let me know your current address.

Your loving

Kath

Dearest Kath,

I’ve still not received any letters from you, and am utterly miserable. We have moved labs, twice, but I have left forwarding addresses each time and also checked with them by telephone, but they say there’s been no mail for me.