A submariner’s correspondence during World War II
The inspiration for this website came from twenty letters in an old trunk. Dating from World War ll, they came to light after the death of Evelyn Roy in 2007. Margaret Roy’s research recounts how Evelyn, also known as Jim, and Hugh Whyte, a submariner, came to correspond. With the help of Evelyn’s meticulous archive of memorabilia and journals, a picture emerges of life on the home front on Merseyside and in a theatre of war at sea.
Please explore the website. You can click on the pictures below or use the menu at the top.
Read Hugh's Letters
The transcriptions retain original paragraphing, spelling and punctuation. Here, they are arranged by year.
Margaret's Narrative
The story behind the letters is revealed and brought to life with illustrations.
The Books
A shared love of literature sustained the correspondence. Margaret sourced many of the books and here speculates on their effect on Hugh and Jim.
Jim's Writings
Writing was one of her hobbies. Letters and essays recount even more about this courageous lady.