Jane Hersimenko has been documenting the life of her grandfather, Hugh Blackwell Layard Dowbiggin. Thanks to Jane for sharing her family history with us.
Sample pages
((Letter written by Hugh Blackwell Layard Dowbiggin to his son Richard from Camp Stanley.))
Room 11. Block 15, Internment Camp Stanley, Hong Kong
Monday afternoon 3rd September 1945
My dearest son,
The most recent news from you was your 25 word letter written from very near Calcutta on 2nd March 1944!! Which I duly received here on 5th Feb. 1945. Since when your older letters of 11/10/42 (arrived 9/5/45) and 15/8/43 (arrived here 13/6/45) have turned up.…
((The letter is dated Tuesday, October 18th, 1945, which is when the first part was written. The later part was written a few days later on the 23rd.))
HMCS Prince Rupert
My Dearest Hilda -- Well, I have been in this nice ship with a good lot of fellows as officers since pm 29th September - the same night I was taken ill. The kind surgeon Lt. Com. Jack Hackney immediately took me in hand - had a temperature of 105 - and next day I was moved from his cabin, which I was…