Dear Nostalgic

Like you, I often thought there ought to be, in book form, a pictorial account of events in Second World War Birmingham. I'd scoured the library shelves until my brown borrower's tickets fell into disuse and were replaced by a variation on the credit card theme, and all in vain. So, in the hope that this would please both you and me, my friends Gordon Stretch and Clive Hardy, my wife Jo, and yours truly, produced the labour of love that is this book.

As I visited homes, in search of that elusive photograph, people poured out not only the content of their attics, but also their hearts too, and for that I'll be eternally greatful.

This is a book for you to dip into. Use a magnifying glass on some of the pictures and you'll be amazed at the treasure that is yours for the finding. Above all, of course, say a silent "Thank You" to the people of the forties who made it possible for us to enjoy the present and the future.

Yours, in friendship

Alton Douglas