Letters of love from wartime

Jenny Hall, of Fisher Close, Southgate, found 200 letters in her mother Doreen Harris’s possessions following her death in 2006.

They told a tale of love and one brave man’s attempts to keep his future wife shielded from the horrors of war.

Jenny, 66, penned Desert Rat Entertainer – based around her father Ray Harris’s letters and the story of the Desert Rats – and signed copies in Waterstone’s last week.

She said: “Because my dad was not allowed to give very much away because of censorship, I did a lot of research and put the book in a Desert Rat framework.”

As well as being a military man, Ray was a forces entertainer, who shared jokes with legendary comedian Max Miller. Jenny said: “Max Miller used to send him jokes when he was in the desert and running out of material!”

She added: “The letters are so upbeat and he shielded my mum from so much horror and kept his comrades’ spirits up. He used to strum on the ukelele – not very well – but was brilliant at expressions and telling jokes.”

Ray died in 1999.

Jenny said: “He didn’t talk much about the war – I don’t think many of them did – and I think he would have been overjoyed with the book.”

And Ray’s favourite joke from Max Miller? A man walked into a greengrocer to buy some oranges but was told they were scarce and only for expectant mothers. The man says: “I’m on my way to see my girlfriend so I’ll pop in on the way back.”