Re: Memories
Arthur Heartfield (aheart@MNSI.NET)
Thu, 14 May 1998 11:00:52 -0400
mary jo hangartner wrote:
> Dear Arthur Heartfield,
> I am an 8th grader from Turkey Valley School and we are doing a
> project for school about people that were in the war. So if you would be
> kind enough to answer a few questions, that would be great.
> ~What was your biggest problem during the war?
> ~Was there any other major problems on your way?
> ~Did your attitude change as the war went on?
> And if there is any thing else you want to mention.
>
> Thank you for your time,
> Sammi Vokaty
Dear Sammi, You will find three
messages regarding my experiences in the British Army during WWII if you
check the files. One big problem we all had was poor communications with our
homes and families from the far-away places we were sent to. Long-distance
telephoning was either prohibited or too expensive or just not available; our
only chance was to use the "Airmail Letters" which were issued to the troops;
these were flimsy folders allowing space for one page of small writing.
Before being sent, they were censored, then micro-filmed in bulk and flown
home; if the plane arrived safely there might be a reply to our remote
outposts in a month or six weeks with luck. This was the fastest way to get
news from home; ordinary "Sea Mail" could also be sent, but took much longer,
and of course, as the planes could be shot down, the ships carrying the mail
could be sunk. There was also the problem that the folks at home could have
been killed in an air-raid between letters. Usually this resulted in a
low-priority military message to the soldier's unit to notify him of the
death.
I hope this helps you in your studies, and wish you all the best.
Arthur G. Heartfield.