An intriguing glimpse of a vanished military world: Myles Hildyard’s letters home from World War II provide an unusual and frank memoir of the period.

Myles Hildyard served as an officer during World War II. He saw action in Palestine, Crete — where he was captured and embarked on a dramatic escape — North Africa, Italy, the D-Day landings and finally Berlin in 1945. During this time Myles wrote extensively, mainly in letters home. For Myles, the war was not just the worst of times but also the best: he saw some of the great sights; he was tanned and healthy; and he made friendships that were to last a lifetime. Myles’s letters convey what it was like to be in the heat of battle, in occupied castles, in wartime London society, and in the ruins of Berlin. They also show a young man coming to terms with his sexuality in a clear-sighted, brave and intelligent way. Witty and profound, they are letters full of longing: for home, for news, to find God, and to find out what the war is all for.