Issue to US Soldiers serving in Britain during Second World war. 20th Feb 1943.
Brittain may look a little shop worn and grimy to you. There's been a war on since 1939. The houses haven't been painted, because factories are not making paint they're making planes.
Brittish trains are cold because power is used for industry, not for heating. The British people are anxious for you to know that in normal times Britain looks much prettier, cleaner , neater.
Don't be misled by the British tendancy to be soft spoken and polite. They can be plenty rough too. The English language didn't spread across the oceans, mountains, jungles and swamps of the world because these people were 'panty-waists.'
Remenber that crossing the ocean dosn't automatically make you a hero. There are housewives in aprons and youngsters in knee pants who have lived through more high explosives than many soldiers saw in the last war.
If your British host exhorts you 'eat up-there's plenty on the table, 'go easy-It may be the family's ration for a week , spread out to show their hospitality.
Most British food is imported even in peace-time. To-day British seamen die getting convoys through. The British know that food represents the lives of merchant sailors.