Send a letter but whatever happens please don’t mention the virus

There will never be a shortage of bad news and right now it’s all too easy to get caught up in competitive misery whenever we converse. So, like our war heroines, spread some cheer, urges Christine Manby

Can we start 2020 again? The bad news seems relentless. How can anyone be expected to remain optimistic in the face of endless apocalyptic headlines? Perhaps by refusing to spend too much time sharing and talking about them?

Earlier this year, I spent some time with Patricia Davies and Jean Argles (both nee Owtram), two wonderful sisters, now in their nineties, who saw service as young women in Second World War. Pat was in the Women’s Royal Naval Service and Jean was in the First Aid Nursing Yeomanry. Pat, who spoke fluent German, was an interceptor, listening in on the Kriegsmarine’s torpedo boats from various coastal “Y” Stations. She fed the Enigma code messages she picked up to Bletchley Park. Jean was a code and cipher officer, who was sent to Egypt aged just 18. Later she was posted to southern Italy, from where she sent and received coded messages for Allied agents imbedded with resistance groups in the Balkans.