WW2 letter found in attic shared on VE Day

Isla Blatchford
BBC News, Guernsey
Archie Farmer
BBC News
BBC A picture of Penny holding a letter. She is wearing a black, red and white outfit and has blonde hair.BBC
Penny Lythgoe has shared the letter that she found in an attic

To mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War Two in Europe a woman has shared a letter which was sent to her family at the end of the war.

Penny Lythgoe, who previously found the letter with other war documents in a family member's attic, said her aunt wrote it.

Ms Lythgoe was born near the end of World War Two in England rather than Guernsey, as her family had decided to evacuate.

"It was a shock but it was so lovely to have the opportunity to understand how my family felt at the end of the war," she said.

A picture of the letter that is handwritten. It is a dark piece of paper with writing written in ink on it. It is date 08/05/1945
Ms Lythgoe said the letter stood out to her

Ms Lythgoe added that one letter stood out to her, one from her aunt to her parents written on VE Day in 1945.

Letters were few and far between for those who lived through the Occupation during World War Two.

Families who were separated were lucky to get 25 words in their Red Cross letters once or twice a year.

However, some people wrote longer letters, waiting until they were free to send them.

'We are free'

The letter headed 'Peace Day' said: "My dear darlings, at last I am able to write you a real underlined letter.

"At last we are free and easy, but up to 09:00 this morning we were not."

It added: "Tomorrow we get our Red Cross parcels, they are very welcome.

"Now old dears. I must wind up. At nine o'clock the King speaks, and after that we are going next door for a glass of wine, I'm providing.

"So for now, cheerio. Write quick. Lots of love to all - your loving sister Dot."

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