Letters from Leslie Cairns while on Parachute Regiment training, and then on transfer to the SAS Regiment training in Ayrshire, 14 November 1943 - 8 June 1944 ; January 1948

The letters include details of Leslie's parachute training such as "carried weights, swung on beams and parallel bars, jumped ditches [...]" as well as long runs, a ten-mile forced march, and an assault course; discussions of their wedding and honeymoon; reflections on time spent together on leave; a decorative Valentine's day card; and discussing his first practice balloon jump. This folder also includes a letter from "J. Brook" sent to Irene J. Young written on the back of a card with a black and white photograph of "Corpl. Harold Brook" stating he was "Missing after "D. Day".

There are also letters sent while on transfer to the SAS Regiment training in Ayrshire. Leslie discusses his physical training, including a 27 mile march which took over 9 hours; a trip to the pictures; his hopes for a holiday together with Irene; he states that since marriage, he finds it "harder than ever before" to be away from Irene; on 8th June Leslie tells Irene he will no longer be able to write to her but that he can still receive her letters, he also informs her that he has given her power of attorney for him which he calls a "useful, though probably superfluous precaution," he also leaves her in charge of his bank accounts and his mail. This folder also contains a copied letter addressed to Ronald Carnon ("R") sent from Leslie in 1944, informing him that he will not hear from Leslie for some time as well as a letter written from Ronald Carnon to Irene, sent in January 1948 about her remarriage to Reginald Brown and also states that he is engaged.

Additionally, the file includes various printed material (5 sheets) including: photocopied newspaper cuttings about the marriage of Irene J. Young and Leslie G. Cairns; two photocopied wedding photographs at St. Cuthbert's Church in Edinburgh, 29 December 1943 with annotated hand-written notes on the back; a photocopied graduation photograph; two photocopied portrait photographs of Leslie; and a photocopied photograph of Irene J. Young in the garden in Wiltshire 1943, the photograph that went with Leslie to France. The original photographs are in Irene's souvenir album (Coll-1657/4/1).