Leamington man's fascinating letters written during the Second World War are returned to his family

William Horace Wosket died in Leamington aged 95 in 2018 and amateur historian Wendie Bryant tracked down the remaining members of his family to pass on letters, which had been sent to and from him while he served in India in the British Navy.
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A Leamington man's fascinating letters which he sent and received while he served in the British Navy in India during the Second World War have now been returned to his family.

William (Bill) Horace Wosket died in Leamington aged 95 in 2018 and amateur historian Wendie Bryant had contacted The Courier and Warwickshire World for help to track down the remaining members of his family so she could pass on letters to them.

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And she was soon contacted by Bedworth resident Tracey Read, whose mother Brenda from Coalville was William's cousin, and arranged for the letters to be sent to the family.

Tracey Read and her mother Brenda read the letters sent between Leamington man William (Bill) Horace Wosket and his parents during the Second World War, while he served in the Royal Navy in India. Wiliam, who died in Leamington aged 95 in 2018, was Brenda's cousin.Tracey Read and her mother Brenda read the letters sent between Leamington man William (Bill) Horace Wosket and his parents during the Second World War, while he served in the Royal Navy in India. Wiliam, who died in Leamington aged 95 in 2018, was Brenda's cousin.
Tracey Read and her mother Brenda read the letters sent between Leamington man William (Bill) Horace Wosket and his parents during the Second World War, while he served in the Royal Navy in India. Wiliam, who died in Leamington aged 95 in 2018, was Brenda's cousin.

Tracey said: "Bill's mum and dad were mum's aunty and uncle

"This is on my gran's side, who was also a Wosket before marriage.

"Mum was really emotional and excited when I showed her the family tree.

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"We both read the letters from and to Bill - I can't even begin to imagine what he was going through."

Tracey said that Wendie had inspired her to research her family tree on her father's side.

She added: "We are both very grateful to Wendie for putting the family tree together and giving us the original letters. We will cherish them and pass them down to my son as a family heirloom."

Wendie, who lives in Dorset, had a collection of 39 letters sent between William and his parents.

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William's funeral took place at Oakley Wood Crematorium near Leamington on Thursday December 20 2018.

Wendie would have given the letters to a museum had Tracey not contacted her.

She said: "I traced William's family back five generations but cannot see where he married or had a family of his own – although I discovered his uncle was killed in the First World War just seven days before peace was declared.

"Some interesting facts from the letters are that his father was in the Home Guard in Leamington and talks about Villa, Lockheed and how all the factory lads were being called up.

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"He also talks about local river pollution, D-Day, parcels from home, buzz bombs, the fall of [Nazi-occupied] Paris, how town the is full of people, girls throwing over their British boyfriends for Americans, the Warwickshire Home Guard's march of 3,000, how is name was read out on the Roll of Honour at church and how George Formby and his wife had visited the troops in India and waiting for the peace announcement."

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