PoW penpal who captured my heart

GROWING up, my eldest brother Jack had a best friend called Chris Maher. He was always in our home. When war broke out, Chris was sent to Dunkirk to hold the Germans back. He was captured and sent to the PoW camp Stalag VIII-B. My brothers were in the Army — Jack somewhere in Europe and Sid in Africa — and I promised I would write to Chris, confined in the camp. This I did as often as possible with the help of the Red Cross. Chris managed to escape from Stalag VIII-B after four years, but got caught and was severely punished. He was sent to another PoW camp, and eventually came home to England in 1945 to live with his parents in Sunningdale, Berkshire. Some weeks later, Chris came to our home in Shepherds Bush, West London, to thank his mate’s kid sister for writing to him. He was met by a beautiful young lady — me. Four months later we were married. We were wed for more than 50 years before he died. I am now 94 and still have all the letters Chris sent me from Stalag VIII-B. E. Peggy Maher, Watford, Herts.