Letter Transcribed, 2012
From The Original Held By G.P.Wyer
“This letter was to my mother who was in Simla following the evacuation via Calcutta with my baby brother. The “Alan” referred to here is my father, Arthur Alan Conway.
Pls. note: I have had to guess some of the names as they are very not clear from Wilfred’s writing.”
Letter from Wilfred [GREY]
Steel Brothers & Co. Ltd
28.5.42
Dear Pamela
Ben Whitecutt told me last night he had seen Alan (Arthur Alan Conway) 108 miles from Dimapur well away from trouble. I expect you will have heard from him but mails are so uncertain these days that you may not have.
Our people are coming through well. Lockley, Purdie, Ranger arrived on the Mogaung Road & Percy, West and Dart are believed to be hard on their heels. Godwin, Scott & Lowe are on the way. I am a little anxious about Goodwin who will find the road very trying now that the rains have broken.
Nobly Clark is mucking about somewhere but appears to be all right. Paul, Tommy Harris & I came though Jannu ? fairly well arriving 10th/15th.
Valerie [Grey] was flown out from Myitkyina on 3rd. Cut it very fine but is safe in Assam somewhere.
W. Sack & Royds, Fairclough, Nelson, Williams and Valentine & Bathgate flew out between 28th April & 5th May.
All our Army lads appear safe though - Hope has shell shock & Slater head wounds.
Our anxiety is Pani Waters. No news of him.
Bill Hodge & Tiny Carrier are being carried out, rather sick men. Donald Price is believed to be with them. North Surridge has not been heard of for some time.
We have all lost a lot of weight & look rather badly dressed ghosts but are lucky to have got through so well. If there is anyone else you want to know about, drop me a line.
Hope the brat is flourishing.
Wilfred
Wilfred Grey – surname deduced from reference in letter of 29th Nov. 1945 to his wife, Valerie Grey.
Published 2014 by The Anglo-Burmese Library. All rights reserved