A 'lost' postcard from 1943, sent from a D-Day hero to his family in Liverpool in his first week of navy training, has been delivered after 78 years. 18-year-old Bill Caldwell was deployed on a mine sweeping ship for the famous operation in 1943 when he mailed the card to his uncle Fred informing him about his first week training but the card was never delivered. But on February 15, Friday, the card was delivered to its address, 77 years and seven months later.
The message reads, 'Dear Uncle Fred, Well here I am in blue at last. I did not think it would be like this, you don't get much time for yourself do you but I like it alright. I will write a letter to you all when I get half a chance so will you hold on a bit.I have 19 weeks here yet. Give my love to everyone. Love, Bill.'
The card was received by a relative, Jack Elomaa, living at the given address in Liverpool, as both Bill and his uncleFred have passed away.
One of the six daughters of Bill, Elizabeth, 58, while talking to Daily Mail shared how thrilled she was when she received the news over the family WhatsApp group forwarded by her sister from her cousin Dan, whose stepson lives in the given address and received the card. Bill died in 1996 and loved telling stories but didn’t write unlike their mother who wrote letters and postcards, she said.
He shared how beautiful it was to see his handwriting and how special it felt to get a little message from their dad.
The card is still in good condition and features photographs of soldiers marching at HMS Raleigh in Cornwell, where Bill was stationed for training.
Royal Mail states that the reason for the postcard to take decades to arrive is unknown to them but they claim that it may have been posted recently by a person who would have found it.
The card arrived at the time when the family is grieving with the death of Bill’s granddaughter Fiona Braidwood, who died in a car accident in March 2016 aged 17.Elizabeth explained how the card holds emotional significance for the family as they approach Fiona’s death anniversary.