DEVIZES author Simon Evans is celebrating the publication of his new book based on heartfelt letters between a Marlborough couple, separated in the Second World War.

He has spent five years going through over 300 letters that devoted husband and wife Jim and Pam Maurice penned to each other while thousands of miles apart during the battle, which lasted from 1939 to 1945.

Mr Maurice, who is originally a GP and from the well-known Maurice family who have served as GPs at Marlborough Medical Practice since 1792, became an RAF doctor based in the Middle East, while Mrs Maurice stayed with their two young children, spending her time in their Wiltshire home and London.

The letters have been brought together by Mr Evans, who is their son-in-law, into a compelling and insightful ebook called With Love and a Huge Cocktail – a phrase the couple often use to sign off their letters.

The book shows how they coped during their three years apart and the immense changes happening in their world at home and abroad.

Mr Maurice found some distraction training racehorses while also travelling to remote parts of Egypt, Libya and Yemen to provide medical support. Mrs Maurice describes the changes happening back home, from rationing to air raids, and how they affected herself and the people around her.

The ebook is now available for Kindle from independent publisher Dilliebooks.

Mr Evans, who is part of the Devizes Writers Group, said: “As soon as I saw the wartime letters of my in-laws I thought they were interesting. It looked as if editing and publishing them would be a challenge I could tackle.

"What made it exciting was having both sides of the correspondence, which is very unusual. I did not think I would live with them for five years though.”