Ogorje donje 18 of July 1945
Dear sister in law and brother, children!
After long four years of bloody war let me write you few words. I received a letter today (15 of July 1945), which surprised me. We are well thank God and we wish you the same, to you and all your family. Three sons of Josip are in the army and only Jakov was wounded, he was shot in the arm. We suffered during the war because of the (ukapistura – I think he means Fascists) and his collaborators Chetniks under command of Draza Mihajlovic and Ustasha under command of Ante Pavelic. Italians (Dalamatia was under the Italian occupation during the second world war) and Ustasha burned two of our houses in Svilaja on 13 of June in 1944. Chetniks planned an action in our village so we had to fall back with our army. It was not good to wait for the enemy they were burning houses, killing people or just beating them up. When I finally got back home, doors were broken and all our stuff that the enemy liked was taken. I was practically left naked but thank God, I didn’t have to suffer.
Dear sister in law write back as soon as possible how are you living, what is Jakov doing, how are the children are they going to school and is anybody we know with you. What is with Kalenica Nikola is he alive. Jandra, Marta and Cvita are alive and well. Nothing else is new to write about. Receive a greeting from all of us.
Your brother and uncle Mate Radja.
Please provide corrections as needed....
Researcher::
Jim Radja
Vienna, Virginia, US of A
