Olive Kirby to her husband Harry Arthur ‘Bert’ Kirby
Sent by: Olive Dora Kirby (nee Korten)
Sent to: Harry Arthur 'Bert' Kirby
Sent from: Stepney, London E1
Date of letter: 11 December 1940
This letter, dated 11 December 1940, forms part of a large collection of wartime letters I have inherited from my Aunt Olive (my father’s sister).
Bert and Olly were married in April 1938 which means they were separated for the duration of the war within 2 years of their marriage. Bert joined up in July 1940 and they went on to write hundreds of letters to each other.
Bert served in the Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment of the Royal Artillery and this example from the collection was probably written while Bert was still in Britain being trained.
Their first (and only) child was eventually born in the Spring of 1946!
I have chosen this particular letter because Olly talks here about the experiences of the family during the London Blitz which had started about 3 months earlier. Their home was in the East End of London and a member of the family – Olly’s uncle who lived with them – was later killed during an air raid.
