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| Archive Reference / Library Class No. | D4886/1 |
| Title | Letters to Joe Underwood chiefly from his fiancee, later his wife, Irene James, with some from his parents in Bramshall, Staffordshire and some from his grandparents in Chesterton, Staffordshire |
| Date | 1940-1946 |
| Description | Subbjects include family news, living conditions, social events such as visits to relatives, trips to cinema, etc. Irene also describes her feelings on conscription in 1942 and desertion from training camp in Leicester of other women who have been called up; boredom and camaraderie of army life; difficulties of frequent postings, travelling during short periods of leave; longings for end of war service and demobilisation; asks for silk stockings; sends cigarettes and chocolate; hopes and plans for home of their own in peacetime.
D4886/1/46 from Mrs V Shenton refers to hopes for the end of the war, his family and to Black [American soldiers] in Bramshall
D4886/1/50 from 'Mum and Dad' refers to improved trade [at The New Inn] due to the arrival of 'the coloured troops' seeing oranges in 1944 for first time since start of war
D4886/1/57, 77 Irene sends poems |
| Extent | 159 items (4 bundles) |
| Level | file |
| Repository | Derbyshire Record Office |
| Archive Creator | Joseph Leonard Underwood of Derbyshire (fl 1940-1946), Corporal, Royal Air Force |
| Term | African-American peoples |
| Black peoples |
| Second World War |
| Soldiers |
| Relationships |