| Accession Number | PR05041 |
|---|---|
| Collection type | Private Record |
| Record type | Collection |
| Measurement | 1 wallet: 1cm |
| Object type | Diary, Letter |
| Maker |
Thomas, Owen Edward |
| Date made | 1941-1942 |
| Access | Open |
| Conflict |
Second World War, 1939-1945 |
| Copying Provisions | Copyright expired. Copying permitted subject to physical condition. Permission for reproduction not required. |
Thomas, Owen Edward (b.1918 - d.1975)
Description
Collection relating to the Second World War service of VX23004 Corporal (Cpl) Owen Edward Thomas, 2/12 Field Regiment. Comprises a pocket sized cloth covered diary kept by Cpl Thomas during 1942 whilst serving in the Middle East, and three original air mail letter cards written by Cpl Thomas to his mother during 1941-42. The diary has regular entries throughout 1942, the most poignant being during July in which he states "A day of real Hell on earth" (July 10) describing his experiences of the battles that occured around El Alamein. In the letters to his mother, Cpl Owen describes the weather, including unusually heavy snow in Palestine around the Christmas period, the parcels and letters he received, and he expresses concern for his mother's future financial security.