Royal Navy

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With love from Jersey (1987)

with love from Jersey

Petit Port, St Brelade, Jersey  Dear Simon + Hilary Greetings! The …. are on holiday again; alright for some, eh? We’re staying with friends we met on honeymoon. Everything has been ‘just-so’…what a pity they can’t organise the weather equally well! Still we’ve been on lots of long walks and we are enjoying it all. Fingers crossed for our weekend with you in the Autumn – I just have to check with the Naval College that I’m not required (but it’s 99% o.k.). Will ring you soon. Looking forward to it. In the meantime, both fit, fat and well. Hope you are too! Love Graham and Sheila xx

Here’s Gra again with another chatty status update, this time from Jersey. They are expecting their first baby, hence the ‘fat’ reference.

The postmark is just visible as ‘JERSEY 14 AUG 1987 CHANNEL ISLANDS’ and the stamp is a 15p Europa.

We did indeed see Graham, Sheila and the new baby in the autumn, but we have lost touch with all of them now.

 

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With love from The Gambia (1991)

with love from the Gambia

Banjul, the Gambia 31.1.91 Dear Simon, Hilary and Talulah, The wandering nomad has discovered the richness of W. Africa and likes what he sees! This is such a rare place – desperately poor and under developed, yet so welcoming and very pro British from it’s historical background. It’s also VERY HOT! Yesterday I actually played cricket in 90°F heat against the national side…we very obviously lost (in fact the game was almost abandoned because it was so oppressive) I hope you are all safe and well. The war news is pretty dreadful and I am still a little concerned that my ship may yet get called upon. It’s unlikely, thank Goodness. Mandy will probably be in touch soon when details for our wedding firm up. Can’t wait! Take care now. All my love, Gra x

Gra continues to enjoy tours with the Royal Navy, but on this occasion the 1991 Gulf War overshadows events.

There is no postmark on the card, but Gra has helpfully dated it. The stamp is commemorating the artist Raphael, but I cannot find any other information about it – can anyone else help?

By this time Gra is looking forward to his second marriage…

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with love from Ft Lauderdale, Florida (1985)

With love from Fort Lauderdale

12 September 1985 Dear Si & Hilary. Hello from the States! We arrived here the 10th & leave the 15th (Hurricanes permitting!) Coming back home after that and my ship goes into refit in Devonport. Thanks for keeping in touch back home…. Sheila says she heard from you recently. Hope all is well with the new home. Look forward to seeing you sometime soon. Take care, best wishes Gra xx

This card is helpfully dated by the writer; the date on Ft Lauderdale postmark is not clear. The 11 cent stamp features Alden Partridge and is another from the Great Americans series.

Gra is obviously enjoying some down time in Fort Lauderdale while his ship is in the nearby Port Everglades.

Gra and Simon (my husband) were friends through junior and senior school. As an officer in the Royal Navy he sent us postcards from all over the world and was also Best Man at our wedding. We got together with him and his family from time to time. A few years ago Gra made some life choices that were hard to understand and accept, so the friendship has drifted and we are no longer in touch.