Chotie Darling

A light in the darkness - Wednesday 25th December 1940

Corsham, Wilts

Christmas Day

My Precious Darling,

            I had to write straightaway, to try to thank you for the lovely lighter you sent for the 25th. Darling, it lights! Nothing can stop it lighting - not even a young hurricane. I've used it on guard - and believe me the wind howls round here - and it lights first time every go!

            Darling, it's just what I've wanted for years. You know how many matches I use! Thank you ever so much Cho, Dear. Remind me to give you a big kiss when I get home. When.………..But I'm still hoping.

            I thought about you all over Christmas Darling. It made me so mad to think that I couldn't send you anything, not even a Christmas card. Poor Eric's in the same boat and Pete. We haven't seen a shop of any sort for nearly three weeks. I've been to Bath twice since we've been here but each time the only thing open were the pubs.

            The latest is that all passes to Bath have been stopped as the Chief-of-Police has banned us from the town! The same applied to Chippenham. The Boys beat up every town we get near!

            I've been on guard all day (Christmas) and come off tomorrow morning. It's now about 9.30 pm., and as usual I'm writing this by the lamp in the Guard Hut. I managed to wangle Eric on this guard so I've had his company all day, which is a relief. We had quite a good dinner, which included Beer & Cigarettes.

            Pete has been in bed for 2 days with a so-called gastric stomach! He's really no more ill than I am, but you know what he is! Needless to say however, he made a rapid recovery on Christmas Eve.

            Owing to present conditions I can't say just what's going to happen to me. Let me explain. Out of the whole battalion (A,B,C,D & E Companies.) which is approx 850 men, there have been over 250 deserters in the last fortnight! Which only goes to show what the conditions are like!

            Now, everyone over 20 can get a transfer to another Regiment - and believe me, there are plenty over 20 who have put their age down to 18.

            Lieutenant White our Officer in Charge is being replaced as from tonight by a Captain. This means I have to start all over again as regards a commission! What a life!

            The Orderly Officer has just come up with Beer & fags (!) so I have altered my opinion of the Army since writing the last sentence.

                        Well, my precious, I must close soon as the Ord has to be accompanied around.

                                                            Darling, I must see you soon as I love you so madly that I just can't go on without you.

                                                                            Goodnight, Cho Darling

                                                                                Your adoring

                                                                                                Dicker

 

© Chotie Darling, 2010

 

The War at Sea – 567 Allied ships were sunk by U-boats in 1940 (almost 3 million gross tons of shipping) although only 24 U boats were lost -World War 2 Timeline .

Long nights on guard - 19th and 20th December 1940

Corsham, Wilts

Thursday evening

My Precious Darling,

            I must beg forgiveness for not having written before, but to tell the truth (for a change) I simply haven't had ten minutes to myself for three days, during which I've had only three hours sleep. I hope to spend my first night actually in bed for about six days.

            Well, Precious I won't bore you with my troubles, but will write you a lovely long letter to make up for not having written before.

            Darling, it makes me so wonderfully happy to know that you still love me, that I'd go through Hades quite cheerfully, knowing that you'd wait for me at the end, and that we can really begin again after all this.

            I don't know how blokes exist in this hovel without anyone to think of in the long hours of guard at night. I know I'd soon pack up if I hadn't you to think about, and worship all the time. No matter what I'm doing, Darling, I just can't forget you for one moment. You mean so much to me now that I'd forget all about Commissions or anything else just to be near you and to hold you in my arms again.

            Cho Dear, we must never let anything let anything part us - ever. Whatever happens we must do our best to face it, as I know my only happiness lies with you.

            Please don't think I'm raving or tight or anything. I'm perfectly sane (as much as usual), and, as it's Thursday, perfectly sober. It's just that I've reached the stage when I don't care what happens so long as you still love me.

            I'm afraid I've a disappointment for you, Darling. I can't get leave for at least a fortnight. There is no leave for senior NCOs all over Christmas. I hope I'll get a 48 soon after Christmas. I think everyone is going to get one then.

            I'm also afraid I won't be able to get a present to you before Christmas as, of course, there's nowhere to get anything. I managed to get to Bath for a couple of hours last Monday, but since it was about 8pm all the shops etc were shut. There’s no prospect of getting there again before Christmas.

                                Well, Darling, I must close here, as I’m wanted by the Company Sergeant Major.

                                                                    your adoring

                                                                                            Dicker.

 

            Well, Darling, it's now Friday night, and once again I find myself on guard, and again a 24 hrs one. I had to go on again this morning as my Old Friend (?) Sergeant Gurd went on a leave and has not returned as yet. He's overdue and has been marked down as absent.

            This means that he'll be busted, I fancy. He's been playing merry hell here for the last month or two since he's been busted to a Sergeant. I expect this will mean he'll be back where he started all over again. He's been made up to a Sergeant four times this year, including a CSM, and been busted again. He's a first-class soldier, but far too egoistic for my liking.

            Just try to picture me now, Darling, sitting in the Guard Hut, writing this at the Guard Table with the hurricane lamp burning away and spluttering like an old Colonel.

            There's a raid on at the moment, and Jerry’s dropping hot iron around. It's rather a job here when there’s a raid on as all the Guards have to be doubled and extra ammo dished out, etc. However, I expect to get through it is usual.

            I was almost on a Court Martial the other day because someone or other pinched five pounds of ammo. I went scrounging round the Sergeants however, and managed to replace them. But it was a close shave for all that.

            It's pitch black tonight. I've just been out to change my guards and walked bang into a Spitfire much to the general detriment of my nose.

            Gurd is scared stiff of going out to change guards as they all have their rifles loaded, and many have threatened him in the past. You only get two warnings here and then you're fired at. A bloke was shot here about three days ago. Luckily it wasn't on my guard as it's rather a gruesome business.

            What a morbid subject! My mind must run in queer channels!

                            Well, Cara Mia, I must close now as the Orderly Officer is coming (he is a -!)

                                                                        Goodnight, my Darling

                                                                                    All yours

                                                                                                Dicker

© Chotie Darling, 2010

 

20th December 1940 – Allies drive Italians out of Egypt.

In the mud - Wednesday 11th and Thursday 12th December 1940

Corsham, Wilts

My Darling,

            I must apologise for not writing before, but quite a lot has happened in the last few days.

            As you will see from above, we have moved in the Bath direction, and are now doing guards at an Aerodrome in this vicinity.

            The place is really undescribable. We are now in wretched little huts, which are stone cold. The mud is feet thick. Prepare for it, there is no water! That's quite literal. All the water in the cookhouse (I don't know where it comes from) has to be boiled before use. I haven't washed or shaved for three days. It's criminal to say the least.

            There is no village or shops within 3 miles, Bath being about 5 miles away. The NAAFI here sells only Beer & Cigarettes, no chocolate or cakes. We do 24 hrs on guard (ie no sleep) & then 24 hrs off. Well, when I got off my guard, I got no dinner and in what should have been my 24 hrs I had to supervise trench digging in pouring rain! What a life!

            Darling, it's now Thursday and I'm sitting outside the Guard hut out in the wilds, in front of a log fire. I came on this morning at 9 and end at 9 on Friday morning, (24 hrs). It's a marvellous day, frost early but now in glorious sunshine.

            I was very pleased to hear about your new job*. I hope you'll like it and get on very well there, but remember eyes off the boys in the display.

            Darling, it seems such ages since I've seen you. We're supposed to be on this job for a month, which means I'm afraid no leave for that long. The South Staffs, whom we relieved when we came here hadn't had any leave for over nine months. It's a bad case but that's the Army all over now.

            Incidentally, Eric has had a shocking letter from Jean. Apparently she has been ogling someone else in his absence and has the nerve to ask Eric for permission to go out with him as she is lonely! What a woman!

            Please Cho Darling, don't ever run out on me now, as you're the only thing that makes this wretched life worthwhile.

            Eric is in the hell of the stew and hints at suicide & desertion etc. I don't blame him, I'm only too sure I would.

            Lets talk of more pleasant things. It seems now that this show won't last so very long. Wouldn't it be marvellous if it would end in a few months? It would seem too good to be true. But as Dumas says we can only wait & hope.

                                                                   Well, Darling, I must close now as I perceive the Orderly Officer on the horizon.

                                                                                            Your adoring & ever devoted

                                                                                                                                Dicker

                                                                                                                                    Dieu te garde***

P.S. Address is:-

‘A’ Company (‘A’ not ‘L’)

70^th Dorsets

CORSHAM

Wilts

 

*Chotie: “I was working at Beales in the Window Display Department (after F W Collins). Colleagues Enid Cooper, later to become very big in the fashion world, Arty (the artist) and two others – I cannot recall their names. Miss Boyle, the manageress, was a dragon (she had sued her boyfriend for breach of promise.) At night we had to do firewatch duty. Later on Beales was mostly destroyed by a bomb.”

From ‘Grandma’s Story’ written for Chotie’s grandchildren.

** “Until the day when God shall deign to reveal the future to man, all human wisdom is summed up in these two words,--'Wait and hope'.” Quotation from ‘The Count of Monte Cristo’ by Alexandre Dumas.

***'God keep you'

 

Dick was based in Corsham, Wiltshire,

until January 1941.

© Chotie Darling, 2010

 

16th December 1940 – first RAF ‘reprisal raid’ for the Blitz on a German town (Mannheim).

18th December 1940 – Hitler confirms plans for ‘Operation Barbarossa’, German invasion of the Soviet Union.

To Corsham Aerodrome - 7th December 1940

Chippenham, Wilts

My Darling Chotie,

                                                                I must reply immediately to your letter for which many thanks.

            Cho, Darling, I'm terribly sorry about this weekend. I didn't know you missed me so much.

            The trouble is, we are moving on Monday, and I'm probably going on a Vanguard which will be on Sunday. All leave of every description has been stopped. We shall be there for a month, doing guards at an aerodrome. The name of the place is Corsham. It's a few miles from Bath. Whether there will be any leave there, I can't say.

            I know it's terrible Darling, but we'll make up for it one day.

            I saw the Officer in Charge of our Company today, about a commission. He said he'd recommend me to the Colonel, at his first opportunity. Whether he will or not however, is another thing.

            Incidentally, I was told that a young officer was asking for me at the ‘On Duty Room’ a couple of days ago. Unfortunately, I was out, and missed him. I believe it must have been Toni. I was mad as I'd loved to have seen him.

            Another point of note. This company is now ‘A’ and not ‘K’ as previously. I've also got a new battledress, which I think is about time as we've had this for 6 months.

                                Well, Darling, there doesn't seem much more to tell you, except I still adore you and still pray to see you soon.

                                                                    Bye, bye, Cho, Dear,

                                                                                                your adoring

                                                                                                      Dicker

 

 

Dick was in ‘A’ company of the 70^th Dorsets

for the rest of December 1940

 

© Chotie Darling, 2010

 

8th December 1940 – General Franco declares Spain will not enter the war.

9^th December 1940 – commencement of Allied counter-attack on Italy in the Western Desert called Operation Compass.

11th December 1940 – British victory over the Italians at Sidi Barrani in Egypt.

We're moving - 5th December 1940

Letter posted on Thursday 5^th December 1940

Chippenham, Wilts

 My Darlingest,

                                         I must write to let you know that I'm afraid I won't be able to get home this weekend.  We're moving and consequently my pass has been cancelled.  It was a hell of a blow Darling, just when every thing seemed so rosy.  Don't be too disappointed Sweetheart, I’ll be home the week after, one way or another.

           I don't yet know where we're going to.  One hears so many rumours that you simply can't believe anything you hear.  I have every reason to believe however, that the move will be local.  I only hope so. 

         At present, I'm in the Y.M.C.A with Eric who’s writing to Jean.  He arrived back from leave three days overdue, but with customary brilliance got off the charge.

           I was amazed to learn from Eric last that he’s 22!  I always understood that he was 18!  No wonder he's fed up and after a transfer.

            Clive Gammage, one of the gang, reverted at his own request, (i.e. handed in his stripe) yesterday.  He got so utterly fed up, that he felt justified in doing so. 

             I must tell you Darling, that I went to the office on Friday last to revert, but the new CSM wouldn't hear of it and went all fatherly towards me.  Perhaps it was because I'm the youngest Cpl. in the Battalion now.  One of us is crazy, and I feel all right.

                             Well, Darling, I must close here,

                                                   All my love

                                                                    Dicker

© Chotie Darling, 2010

'Rebecca' in Chippenham - Sunday 1st December 1940

Chippenham, Wilts

My Darling,

                                                                        Thanks a lot for the letter. I wasn't expecting to get one so soon, so I've stuck myself in a respectable pub and started to write to my Darling little Cho-cho.

    Dearest, it seems so long since I saw you.  If all goes well I may be home next weekend.  I don't want you to back on it, Honey, as it's only a possibility.  All 48s has been cancelled as everyone here is due for seven days.  As I've had one, however, I may be able to get just one little 48.

     If only the C.O. knew how much I adore & miss you Darling, I know he'd give me 21 days, as no one has ever loved as I love you.  I never dreamed I'd miss you so much.  Perhaps I didn't love you as much when I joined up as I do now.  I feel that I don't care what promotion I get or what happens, provided I can get back to you when it's all over.  Nothing can ever, or will ever, stop me loving you.  Please, Darling, write & tell me that you really do love me, and that nothing can ever part us.

    If only this wretched war would end I could come back and try to make you happy.

     I saw ‘ Rebecca’ twice this week as I liked it so much.  You must see it, if you haven't already done so.  It was wonderful.  If only I could write like du Maurier!

 I'm in the best of health, but worry about you a lot.  You must take care of yourself all the time, as I couldn't live without you now.

                                                            Goodnight my darling,

                                                                                    Dieu vous garde,*

                                                                                                your loving

                                                                                                            Dicker

* “God save you.”

© Chotie Darling, 2010