Description
Object description
A collection of letters and photographs sent to Miss Rawnsley, living in Bradford, by her boyfriend, Edwin ('Teddy') Booth, a private in 11 Platoon, 'B' Company, 1st Battalion Highland Light Infantry (City of Glasgow Regiment), serving with the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) in France, including: two ms letters (6pp plus envelope) both written in April 1940 from France, discussing his guardroom and sentry duty and his love for her, asking him to marry him if she will have him, but that he would like to wait until the end of the war as it would be unfair to her if anything happened to him, and thoughts about making wills; a Christmas card (1939); Valentines card (February 1940); and a birthday card (1940). Edwin died on 29 May 1940 near Arras after being wounded and taken prisoner in the retreat to Dunkirk. Together with: a ms letter (2pp) written to Irene by a friend of Edwin's, Johnny Berry, also from 'B' Coy, 1st Bn HLI, talking about the confusion about the situation in France, and how lucky she is to have Ted (April 1940); a ms letter (2pp) from Aircraftsman E Stanley Roberts, 16th Squadron, RAF Station Redhill, Surrey, commiserating with Irene over the death of Teddy, and saying how he himself had only just escaped from France (June 1940); five photographs showing Teddy in civilian clothes (1938/9), in uniform, with his Company, and with Johnny Berry (who was was taken prisoner); two photographs of Irene, in the uniform of a Sergeant in the Royal Army Ordnance Corps and at a Wings for Victory Week parade, Wharfe Street, Sowerby Bridge, West Yorkshire (1943?); photographs of Teddy's grave at Rexpoede Communal Cemetery, France, and of the town (1988); a letter from Jack Squire, a British Legion member living in France who placed a cross on Teddy's grave, together with a photograph (November 1988); two badges including Irene's RAOC badge; a brief ts biography (1p) written by her son, about Teddy Booth and Irene's relationship, and how when Irene later married Kenneth Birkby in 1945 Teddy's father Frank gave her away; and a brief ts history of Kenneth Birkby's father, Willie Birkby, and his experiences in the First World War (2pp), with photocopies of two photographs of Birkby, one showing him with Teddy Booths' mother, Mary.
Content description
A collection of letters and photographs sent to Miss Rawnsley, living in Bradford, by her boyfriend, Edwin ('Teddy') Booth, a private in 11 Platoon, 'B' Company, 1st Battalion Highland Light Infantry (City of Glasgow Regiment), serving with the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) in France, including: two ms letters (6pp plus envelope) both written in April 1940 from France, discussing his guardroom and sentry duty and his love for her, asking him to marry him if she will have him, but that he would like to wait until the end of the war as it would be unfair to her if anything happened to him, and thoughts about making wills; a Christmas card (1939); Valentines card (February 1940); and a birthday card (1940). Edwin died on 29 May 1940 near Arras after being wounded and taken prisoner in the retreat to Dunkirk. Together with: a ms letter (2pp) written to Irene by a friend of Edwin's, Johnny Berry, also from 'B' Coy, 1st Bn HLI, talking about the confusion about the situation in France, and how lucky she is to have Ted (April 1940); a ms letter (2pp) from Aircraftsman E Stanley Roberts, 16th Squadron, RAF Station Redhill, Surrey, commiserating with Irene over the death of Teddy, and saying how he himself had only just escaped from France (June 1940); five photographs showing Teddy in civilian clothes (1938/9), in uniform, with his Company, and with Johnny Berry (who was was taken prisoner); two photographs of Irene, in the uniform of a Sergeant in the Royal Army Ordnance Corps and at a Wings for Victory Week parade, Wharfe Street, Sowerby Bridge, West Yorkshire (1943?); photographs of Teddy's grave at Rexpoede Communal Cemetery, France, and of the town (1988); a letter from Jack Squire, a British Legion member living in France who placed a cross on Teddy's grave, together with a photograph (November 1988); two badges including Irene's RAOC badge; a brief ts biography (1p) written by her son, about Teddy Booth and Irene's relationship, and how when Irene later married Kenneth Birkby in 1945 Teddy's father Frank gave her away; and a brief ts history of Kenneth Birkby's father, Willie Birkby, and his experiences in the First World War (2pp), with photocopies of two photographs of Birkby, one showing him with Teddy Booths' mother, Mary.
History note
Cataloguer SJO