This is part two of a long letter written in World War II from a woman in Belgium to a friend in Australia.
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The letter surfaced in Newcastle when Carol Hugginson's nephew Thor came across "a very yellowed envelope" addressed to Clara Hugginson, of 25 Hubbard Street, Islington.
The letter, which contains a diary of life in WWII, was written by a French woman named Fernande Hackray, who was living in Brasschaat [near Antwerp] in Belgium.
As we reported on Monday, Carol has reached out to the Belgium Embassy in Canberra, which is helping her track down Fernande's family.
The letter was originally sent to Maisie Duffin. Carol's research found that Maisie lived at 42 Hubbard Street, Islington in 1943. The diary runs from 1941 to 1946.
Waratah's Max Moran said he believed Maisie originally came from the UK.
"I'm sure she worked as a housekeeper for the Hackrays in Belgium before she came to Australia," Max said.
Max had a typed copy of the letter, which he received from his late mother.
"Maisie Duffin was a really good friend of my mother," Max said.
PART II: On February 27, 1942, Fernande wrote to Maisie from Belgium: "This winter is horribly cold," she said, adding she had never seen one quite like it.
"I have very little coal. A lot of people stay in bed to keep warm! One day we had no fire in the house. I will never forget it. It is the worst thing I know. What suffering around us, Maisie. Nothing to eat, no potatoes."
On July 20, 1942, she wrote: "Summertime at last and still waiting for the end of war. We eat good vegetables from [the] garden."
On November 24, 1942, she wrote: "Now it is winter again, but not a very hard one like last year. My greatest fear now is to be without coal.
"My health is getting very bad. I have pain in the loins. The doctor said I should rest and lie down a lot, but I have not much time to do so."
She added that her husband Henri Hackray was "still going strong", while her daughter Janine was "well built and strong". Her other daughter Francoise was "very tall".
When the Germans invaded Belgium on May 10, 1940, Fernande and her kids fled Belgium for France and went to her sister's place.
On November 24, 1942, she wrote that she had not seen her sister for two years.
"The Germans occupy her house," she said, adding her sister was living elsewhere.
In January 1943, Fernande wrote that she'd been in bed for two months.
"I must lie down very flat. One of my loins is no longer in the right place. It fell down too low because I am too thin."
She was receiving a daily needle of insulin. "I must get fatter," she wrote.
Her 72-year-old aunt was helping to nurse her.
On March 4, 1943, she wrote: "I am a little better and fatter. I can get up now, but must lie down still a lot."
On May 31, 1943, she wrote that Francoise took communion for the first time.
"She is wonderful. We had a small party and good dinner."
On November 6, 1943, she wrote: "Another Christmas is coming. The last in wartime ... I hope."
On February 4, 1944, she wrote she had a wonderful happy time, spending New Year's Eve with her sister's family.
"They all got a passport - the five of them - and came here. We spent a very happy week together. And now what will happen? Will we still be alive to send you this letter when the war is over? God knows."
On June 6, 1944, she wrote: "They are coming: we cannot believe it. We are praying as much as we can for them. They have landed in France. Are we not dreaming? Our liberators are fighting. We are so excited we can hardly sleep or eat!!! Oh Maisie, will the war end this year for us???" [This was the Allies landing at Normandy on D-Day. The operation began the liberation of France and later western Europe. It laid the foundations of the Allied victory on the Western Front]
In August 1944, she wrote: "Paris is free. Did you hear what the people of Paris have done??? How wonderful!! How very French-like!! How proud I am!!!! I have cried with you!!" She referred to the people of Paris and the FFI [French Forces of the Interior]. The FFI were resistance fighters.
On September 1, 1944, she wrote: "Every day brings us new joys and excitement. They are coming - English, American, Canadian, French - near my sister's town near Belgium. Near us soon!!! [Germans were still nearby]
"We are not frightened. We are brave."
On September 15, 1944, she wrote: "Antwerp our town is free since eleven days. Since then, we are waiting for them (the English soldiers) to come into Brasschaat. We are only eight miles away, but there is the Canal Albert to cross.
"Last week, it was terrible. The shooting and guns and all. Now it is too quiet. We are encircled with the Germans. No more food, no electricity, no radio, no news."
More to come tomorrow. The ending is a tearjerker.
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