Dick’s 1945 diary reads:
29 Mon January - Received tobacco.
3 Sat February – Dined with Sintobins, Ronnie and Brian Coote.
Sandy Handley’s story continues:
“February ’45 I had 9 days leave. We went over the Hook of Holland to Harwich then by train to Dover. I can’t recall so much of that leave.
Of course, the war was still on and we couldn’t really relax. It was still bad in Dover and I think the children who had been evacuated were beginning to come back and I think there was no more shelling from the other side (Calais). The streets where our home had been, both Limekiln Street and Bulwark Street, were mostly in ruins.
My nine days were soon gone and I recall both my mother and me were quite tearful when it came to saying goodbye – as I said, the war was still on and we didn’t know how much longer. My father and me shook hands saying “Look after yourself”. I remember him saying once: “If you can’t wash your feet at least change your socks when you can”. Good old Dad.”
On 4th February 1945 Belgium was reported to be completely free of German troops. (From WW2-net Timelines.)
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