Postmarked May 5, 1944
No Location
Dear Mother,
Just a line to let you know all well
& that I’m still kicking, well, with one foot anyway. I wounded
slightly in the left foot. Nothing serious just two cuts from flak so
don’t worry about it. I’m in a hospital & getting treated well. The
food’s good & we get lots of rest here.
I can’t send any address now but when
I get to a permanent place I’ll have one & will send it. That won’t
be long.
I guess you received quite a ?????
but you ought to know I’d get out. I sure hope you received my
flowers for mothers day on time. It sure would be to bad to miss just
because of a war. Be sure not to worry for I’m o.k. & the Germans
treat us well.
Tell everyone I said hello. & the
kids my love.
Be sure & tell Mrs. Boyle when you
get this & of course Ag and Jim but I don’t give a damn about anyone
else. You’ll still allotment so that’s o.k…Tell Mick his sone is
doing o.k. & is still a better man then his other son. Be sure & tell
Jim that. Well, so long & be patient till I get to writte again.
Love, Bill.
M.-Stammlager IX C
Arbeits-Kommando-Nr.: 670
May13,1944
Dear Mother,
Well, I hope by this that you’ve
received notic that I’m a P.O.W. & also my last letter. I can’t
remember whether I told yo where I’m wounded. In case I didn’t it’s
my left foot of course nothing serious just two cuts from flak and two
cracked bones. I’ll be on the go in about two more weeks. We have
good care. We have a English doctor and a German doctor also. So I
don’t want yo to worry about that.
I’m ata different hospital now of
course I can’t say where. But it’s alright. I’m in the room with the
Brititsh and Canadians. I hope you received the flowers fro mother’s
day which is to tomorrow if I recall right.
I hope the shock of the telegram of
me missing didn’t cause you to much grief & I also hope the other one
made you feel good.---Tell Jim I met a fellow who was in the cadets
with him. He came from ????the same time as he. He had Primiary with
Jim. Currie (sp) is his name he ????& tell Jim also hello. Tell Ag
& Joe hellow and give my love to Abey and Pete. Also tell anybody who
asked that I’m sorry I can’t write but I’m saving it till next week
?????? Give the Boyles and McMynes my regards also.
Love,
Bill
M.-Stammlager IX C
Arbeits-Kommando-Nr.: 670
May 24, 1944
Dear Mother,
Well, I’m just about all cured now.
My wounds are all filled in and I have a cast on ow. Just two cracks
to heal & then I’m ready to go again of course only to a prison camp.
The cast will come off in about 3 weeks I believe. Well give y
regards to all & my love to the kids. So long & write soon. Love,
Bill.
M.-Stammlager IX C
Arbeits-Kommando-Nr.: 670
June 15, 1944
Dear Mother,
Well , it’s your little Prisoner La
Guerre again. French in case your wondering for Pris of War. I
manage a little German and French also. It’s fun tryng to talk to the
French. How’s the Kids making out? I going to drop them a card soon
just for the funt of it. So long & ????? ????. Your Loving Son,
William
Stalag – 3
August 3, 1944
Dear Mother,
Just a line to let you
know where I’m at. I’m not at the hospital anymore but at a permanent
camp for the duration. I got July 1,
You’ll never guess who I bumped into
from No. 4 hill? It was Paul Zigler and also a fellow from Morse Ave.
in Simpson his name is John Volinski (sp). You know Ziglers don’t
you. He’s the same age as Ag.
I’ll sure be glad when this is all
over. You’d better have plenty to eat in house cause your going to
need it. We get red cross but I plenty sick of Spam & Corn Beef. So
you’d better not have any of that around.
Tell the Kids I said hello & give
them my love.
So long and I’ll be seeing you
Sometime.
Your Loving Son,
Bill
Stalag Luft 3
September 19, 1944 (Noted received November 1st)
Dear Mother,
It’s quite a while since
I’ve written, but there’s so little to write about. Zieglar got a few
letters and a package from home & I read those from his girl on
Belmont St. Give my love to the kids & that I’ll be seeing them.
Love, Bill.
M Stammlager Luft 3
October 6, 1944
Dearest Mother,--Well, I’m still looking for some
mail or a package but I guess I may as well give up. Tell Abie and
Pete I said hellow and give them my love. How does Abie like school?
Tell Ag I was asking for her & Joe. So Long & I’ll be seeing you
soon. Your Loving Son, William F. McMyne
M-Stammlager Luft –3
November 5, 1944 (date was written 1943 but
likely an error as shot down April 1944)
(March 12 is noted in what looks to be Grandma’s
handwriting, possibly indicating that the letter was not received
until that date of 1945)
Dear Mother, Well at last I finally received som
mail two from you dated ?? & 13th of Sept. & 2 from July &
two from Butch & Mrs. Boyle. I was beginning to think I was never
reported as a P.O.W. I wrote to you lst April & told you I thought
all but Twisdale & I were finished but I guess you never got it. So
Long. Love Bill.
Stalag Luft - 1
March 25, 1944
Dear Mother;- Just a line to say alls well. I
hope to be seeing you before too long. As yet I’ve never received any
of the parcels you’ve sent. I guess they won’t never get here now. I
sure wish they would I could sure use them. Not starving but sure
could use more. Well, give my regards to all & tell Mick he’s going
to lose chickens when I get there. Love, William.
Probably letter sent before learning that he was
liberated…and then returned.
March 21, 1945 (postmarked June 13 in New York,
NY)
Camp Name & No. Stalag Luft 3
Subsidiary Camp Stalag 4
Dear Bill
Well to-day is the first day of
spring. Not too bad a day either. Everyone in the best of health
here at home & hoope you are O.K. Are you still getting mail? I hope
so. Well John Foi???& Anna Mulholland are getting married at last
April 9 very quick wedding they tell me. Tom Kelly (Bu???)is just
about licked. Well Joe and Agnes are all upset again and looks like
he’ll be on his way soon but we’re hoping something may turn up.
Haven’t heard from Jim in about a month so don’t know how he likes his
new job. He get a streack every once in a while & don’t write guess
he is busy though. Abey & Pete fine she can write her name & all the
no’s up to ten not bad is it? Mrs. Boyle isn’t very well same old
trouble I guess. Kelly & Walter O.K. Mrs. Kelly thinks maybe Paul
will be home soon. Hows Zieglar..his Dad called they haven’t heard
lately. Did you ever get your cigarettes & packages? I have sent
four. Your Dad is getting 100 baby chicks & oh yes we have a new
kitten its quite cute only 1 month old yesterday. Well guess this is
all for now regards from all and maybe we’ll be seeing you. All my
Love Mother
Group I
Wing X
Barth, Germany
May 10, 1945
Dearest Mother,
Well after a year as a
P.O.W. we were finally liberated by the Russians on May 1st.
Since they’ve came we’ve had quite a time and I’m still raising hell
now. We’ll be all home shortly so don’t worry.
Tell Mrs. Zeigler (sp)
that Paul’s here and he’s ok. We’ll probably come home together.
“Twis” (sp) and I are
quite anxious to get moving so we can get out and raise hell.
Tell everyone I said
hello and that I’ll be seeing them soon.
Barth is the name of the
town and it was founded about 6 or 8 hundred…quite an old place…Some
beautiful sights…also “Frauleins!”
So Long &
Lots of Love,
Your Loving Son,
Bill
P.S. Tell Mick to kill the chickens and tell
Marty to start cooking…tell Jim to try and get a furlough sometime
about June 15.
