1 D3642/B/8/51 5/6/16 My dearest Mother I have still
a number of arrangements
to complete for some
special work we have
to carry out tonight
so this can only be a
very hurrried little note
to tell you how happy
I am about my
engagement to Eileen.
I expect you got rather
a surprise. I told Eileen
how I felt before leaving
but left it at that as I
thought it would be
better to have nothing
definite till after this
awful war was
over. However this idea 2 has not worked out, we
just felt we could not
go on as it were pretending
& so it has been all fixed
up, only Mother dear
the engagement is to be
kept within the family
circle till I come home
again. I never realised
how much I cared for
Eileen till I was home
on leave. Don't you
think I am an extremely
lucky man — I am
sure we shall be very
very happy if only
this war was at an
end. I received
a letter from Kathleen
& Father yest. Please
tell them how glad 3 I was to get them.
I would write to both
but I simply have not
another minute as there
are too many serious
things to be done in
the next few hours.
Hope all will go well.
My fondest love to
all. Your loving son Jim 4 On Active Service Mrs. S. C. Davidson
Seacourt
Bangor
Co Down
Ireland