Letters from the Blitz

- Blurb -

... there is a German broadcast every night in perfect English, pretending to be London and giving the most awful lies as news. It says terrible things about England and the British. We all put it on so as to have a good laugh. When Britain stood alone against the might of Nazi Germany in the early years of the Second World War, Winifred Graville of Sheffield, a gardener, writer and speaker well known in her local area, wrote a series of letters to her American cousin in Penn Yan, New York. At a time when American public opinion was strictly isolationist, Winifred's cousin convinced the editor to publish excerpts from 150 letters hoping to influence public opinion in a small way. Miss Graville's letters vividly described the hardships and typical daily struggles her city experienced during the Blitz. At times poignant, often humorous, and always beautifully written and full of detail, they clearly illustrate the "Keep Calm and Carry On" attitude of the British people during that difficult time. AUTHOR: Rich MacAlpine spent his career as a teacher of American and World History, including Advanced Placement, for 33 years in Oneida High School in Oneida, New York 1968-2001. In retirement, he moved to Penn Yan, New York and became active in the Yates County History Center. Since 2008, he has been the editor and chief writer for Yates Past, the history centre's bimonthly publication. He has published five books. 10 b/w illustrations