Last weekend I splashed out £1.50 on this 27th January 1917 Memo from Cranfields the Ipswich flour millers at an antique fair.
Mr Lowe lived three minutes walk from the house where I grew up.
When I had a proper look it proved to be even more interesting:

“Dear Mr Carter,...

1/

...I sincerely trust that both you & yours did not suffer any injury from the incident of Thursday night last.

It must have been a terrible & anxious time for you- even if the “affair” was of brief duration & I’m quite sure that the old proverb “Enough is as good as a feast”

2/

...proved itself only too true for the inhabitants of Southwold.

I shall hope to have the pleasure of seeing you again on Thursday next.

Yours truly
H. N. Lowe”

The “affair” was the shelling of Southwold on the evening of 25th January 1917 by the German Navy...

3/

...“The brief bombardment of the town by German naval vessels, including a submarine. Two star shells lit up buildings and 68 shells were fired. Many fell on the marshes but three hit buildings: the Police Station, Iona Cottage on Constitution Hill and Balmore.”

4/Ends