My uncle served in the Royal Engineers and was posted to Hong Kong in 1937.  He was prevented from returning by the outbreak of war.
He set sail on HMS Dunera, a passenger ship, repurposed as a troopship, and this letter details his last sighting of England.
He was captured after the fall of Hong Kong in 1941 and died aboard the Lisbon Maru in 1942.









                                                                                                           H.M.T. Dunera 
Dear Mother & all,
            It is now Wednesday morning.  The sea is fairly calm but the vessel is rolling a lot in a heavy swell.  I have been quite alright up to now but we enter the Bay of Biscay this afternoon.  I expect that I will feel sickish then, up to now though, apart from a slight touch this morning while getting breakfast I have felt fine.  We sailed at half past two.  It was not bad watching England grow dimmer [insert in margin: you liar, it was lousy, nobody spoke].  After we passed the Needles in the evening  we  soon lost sight of the land.  It is great fun sleeping in hammocks - we had to wait until one of the seapigs (sailors) showed us what to do.  I crawled in mine though & had a lovely sleep.

Another chap and myself volunteered to be Mess orderly.  We fetch the grub from the galley & wash up after meals, we have to scrub tables forms and floor & clean all the tins for capt’s inspection at 10 am but we do not go on parade nor do we have any guard or other duties.  I don’t mind the hard work, it keeps me occupied.  Half the other chaps are sick.  Weird to see them lean over the side & then nip into the galley for the messes food.

I hope to get ashore at Gib & get some snaps.  I will post this letter there.  At present we are edging towards the Bay, The seas are starting to run high but I packed a whopping big dinner away with bags of fruit so I am quite happy.  How you all getting on? I will write a big letter when I can but at present I have only seen the sea.  I will enclose a photo of the ship, it is white with a blue band.  Another ship, before we sailed ,all pressmen & movietone & universal newsreels were snapping us.  Perhaps you may see them but I doubt if you will spot me.  The fellows lining the deck are just a few - there were 3 troop decks.  I am on 3 lower, this is the most comfortable but one has to climb 2 flights of stairs to reach the galley & slop bins, wash houses, latrines, etc.

Just before we sailed Hore-Belisha* came round with about 20 officers & inspected us.  He came round nodding & smiling like a small boy on his first day at school.
 
Well, I must close for the present.  I wish you all the best & look forward to the furlough I will receive when next I come to England.
With my love to Mum & the rest
From Frank.
PS. I already roll about like a pukka seapig.

*Hore-Belisha was an MP who became Secretary of State for War in 1937.  As Minister of Transport (1934-7) he introduced the 30mph speed limit in built-up areas and the Belisha beacon was named after him).

The following is a transcript of a letter sent by my uncle, Frank Crookes Pepper, to his three brothers.  It's a glimpse into a past life & a past way of life.  Frank was in Hong Kong when it fell during WW2 & died as a POW aboard the Lisbon Maru in 1942.

Postmark:      Rochester & Chatham, 6pm, 2 Apr 1936
Royal Engineers crest on paper
                                                                                                            Sapper F. Pepper
                                                                                                            202 Part A.Company.
                                                                                                            Chatham
                                                                                                            Kent.
 
Dear Dib Dob, Hettypots & Mug,
Soon I will be enjoying 5 days’ leave for which I will be paid 2/9- a day. This I draw on the day I leave .  I have also been banking a little for a special reason.  I have a nice cab badge for Dib Dob & lots of love for the other two stick-in-the-muds.  Contrive to have all the work done at Easter, don’t stick any on me.

What you think of Sheff. U.  Poor old Arsenal.  I’ll bet it’s a close game.  It’s now 2.15pm. I’ve just been to the Doctor’s for medicine.  I collected the parcel this dinner-time & am overjoyed to find the dates & pomfret cakes in.  Of course the sweet cakes come first (and go first).  How’s the Jowett?  How far has she run, now?  How much milk is Arthur selling, any more?  What are you on with now, on the land?  How are the cows, horses, hens doing? 

Tell Mother the potted beef was grand as was the buttered cake.  I didn’t keep it long enough for any of it to spoil, tell her.  Which of you sent those jokes? There was only 1 I hadn’t read, but the boys enjoyed them.  That announcer looks some guy.  Freddie boy you make me laugh!

When I think of all the work I did on the farm & now compare it with a soldier’s lot I gurgle with glee.  You must be putting some hours in these days.  Soldiers finish work at 3.45pm but for polishing etc (when training only).  After training they get weekend leave, etc. etc., & every week we get Saturday noon & Sunday off.  We go to church Sunday morning, only marching to the band.  Never mind.  If you won’t take my word you won’t.  The N.C.O.s are chums.  We have pillow fights with the Lance corp. next door.  We made him a Spanish bed the other day & he tipped ours over after lights out then came & threatened to put us under charge for being out of bed.
​
Well so-long till next Thursday
from Frank.