Chotie Darling

Messerschmitts and Paris hats - Tuesday 4th July 1944

 

July 4^th (?)

61^st Recce Regt RAC

BW87

Chotie Darling,

                                    All my mail has finally turned up, so yesterday I had twelve letters dating from 30^th May.  Many thanks, Darling for all your letters and wishes on my behalf.  They do make one realise that we are fighting for a cause, and not throwing lives away needlessly. 

            Things are going very well here, especially well for me as I have a day’s rest in a fairly ‘safe area’, and hope to get organised again after a rather sticky time.  Not having a batman here I have to do all my own washing, etc, which is really rather funny – if you can appreciate the humour of it.

            I’m in an orchard (I usually am) at the back of a Chateau – a beautiful place surrounded by a moat, and apart from the occasional hedge-hopping ME109 or the odd mortar bomb we’re having things cushy.  It’s very fine today after weeks of almost continuous rain and everyone’s in the best of spirits.

            I spent some nine hours at the nearest large town** a few days ago and browsed round the shops.  Cafés have strictly limited hours to Allied forces and have little to offer.  I managed, however, to get some coffee and two rolls & butter, which is the first bread I’ve tasted since I’ve been here.  If bread were the staff of life*** (as it’s supposed to be) I’d have been dead a fortnight ago. 

            I saw a shop full of the latest Paris hats – fabulous prices (some were 1,650 francs ie £8).  Wonderful looking things.  Nothing else worth a damn.  The book shops are pretty thinly lined – and rather obscure authors at that.

            Must close here, Darling to get some work done.  Even a day’s rest means plenty of work to a poor subaltern….

                                                            All my love        

                                                                                Dicker

*The Messerschmitt Bf 109, interchangeably called the ME 109 was a German fighter plane.  More ME 109s were produced than any other fighter aircraft in history.

**Presumably Bayeux.

*** “Here is bread, which strengthens man's heart, and therefore is called the staff of Life” Matthew Henry, 17^th/18^th century Welsh Presbyterian Minister.

© Chotie Darling

 

Eric Postles also visited Bayeux in July 1944: “One day we went back to Bayeux for a bath and change of underwear at the RAOC mobile bath unit.  There were a number of showers heads in the tent.  The water came on then went off while you soaped yourself and then came back on to swill off the soap.  You had to be quick or you missed out.  Our clothes were liberally dusted in DDT which after the war was banned as dangerous to use. 

We bought Camembert cheese in the town, which made our biscuits more acceptable.  It was also encouraging to see soldiers with formation signs we had not seen before who were arriving from England.  We also heard that 43 Division Recce Regiment had lost a squadron when their ship hit a mine off the beaches. 

I was going deaf and had to go to RHQ where the sergeant medic syringed my ears and I had no problems after that.  It was the only time in my 5 years’ service that I had to report sick, which was quite remarkable considering the conditions we lived under and the low standard of hygiene.  It was not unusual for all of us to wash in the same water.”  (Extracts from ‘My War Years’ by John Eric Postles ISO used by kind permission of the author.)

 

Eric Brewer was also recounts a struggle with his washing in his letter of 5^th July (censored by J. Petts):

"Dear Mum Dad and all

I have to keep stopping to see if my washing is going okay which so far it is.  The first day I tried it I put shirts, socks, handkerchiefs and underwear all in together and the socks came out shrunk….. and the rest came out brown but have overcome the difficulty now and everything is proceeding as planned, I hope.  

The lads have just come in with some La Burr …(in English butter).  Also about a gallon of milk -  that is about all these French seem to have plenty of.

The… French are funny people - we were at a certain place and a big battle was going on… loads of tanks and infantry and the artillery was having a smack at targets. I looked down the road and there was a Frenchman with his donkey and cart cutting a path through the corn and carrying on just as though nobody was about and there was no war on…they seem to have seen so many battles that they don’t care a damn what happens as long no one interferes with them. If they do they start to speak it’s as though they were on piece rate but some of them are okay and give you nearly anything…."  (Extract from letter included by kind permission of Derek Brewer and his family.)

 

The Advance of the Allies

3^rd July 1944 – Soviet forces capture Minsk (now the capital city of Belarus), trapping the German 4th Army between the city and Berezina.

Japan finally calls off the Imphal offensive in India.  Matagachi's 15th Army has lost 55,000 men (half due to starvation or disease).  Allied casualties from the battles of Imphal and Kohima amount to 17,587 killed or wounded. (From ‘The Second World War’ by Antony Beevor, published by Weidenfield and Nicolson 2012)

In Italy French troops with the US 5^th Army take the city of Siena and forces of the British 8^th Army capture Cortona, both in Tuscany south of Florence.

In Normandy ‘The Battle of the Hedgerows’ begins as the US Army edge south through Normandy’s dense bocage country towards the strategic crossroads at St-Lô, losing many men.  After heavy fighting 82nd Airborne take the hill of Monte Castre near Haye-du-Puits.

 

Not only hedges blocked the Allies' progress. Anthony Rampling of Dick’s No 5 troop, ‘B’ Squadron, remembers:

“As we approached a cross road before Caen the whole road was blocked with dead horses in their carts.  The Germans did this to make it difficult to get past.

One horse with a broken leg, still alive, was standing among the debris.  I tried to shoot this with my Sten gun, fired several times but didn’t kill it.  This upset me – still does.” (From Anthony Rampling’s account of 61^st Recce - pers comm.)

 

Eric Brewer got back to base on 4^th July and wrote home that he was “sending on these two French notes which were issued to us on Invasion day.  We are getting issued with different ones now so perhaps you would like these two for souvenirs...”.  (Extract from letter included by kind permission of Derek Brewer and his family.)

Bread and Death

“By the last days of June the Battle for Normandy had taken on the character that it was to retain for the two months that followed: a struggle involving more than 1,000,000 men pitted against each other on a front of scarcely 100 miles.”  (Max Hastings in ‘Overlord’, Macmillan 2016 edition.)

30^th June 1944 - Since D-Day, the Allies have landed 630,000 troops, 600,000 tons of supplies and 177,000 vehicles in the Normandy beachhead. They have suffered 62,000 dead and wounded.

The remaining 6,000 Germans in the Cherbourg peninsula surrender. (From Chronology of World War II and WW2-net Timelines.) 

The German II-SS Armoured Corps, now assembled around Villers-Bocage, continue to receive the attentions of Bomber Command. Low intensity fighting persists south-west of Caen for the next nine days. (From 'The Drive on Caen, Northern France 7^th June -9^th July 1944’, a 60^th Anniversary booklet.)

 

Eric Brewer was still back at base and had just got paid: “Went to local farms and obtained 1lb butter and about 1 gallon of milk. Had a couple of chickens from bombed house - not so bad. Gun fire tonight is heavy. Weather not too bad. Bags of aircraft flying about place called Therobrot.” (From Eric Brewer’s Diary by kind permission of Derek Brewer and his family)

The extra food would have subsidised the ‘Compo’ pack rations “lightweight wooden crates, each containing rations for six men for a three day period.  The contents varied little, but the favourites contained bully beef or Spam, rather than the alternatives of stew or oxtail or haricot.  All packs contained greengage jam, cheese, greasy bacon, powdered milk, powdered egg, salt, sugar, hard tack biscuits, boiled sweets, cigarettes, matches and three pieces of very rough toilet paper per man.” (From ‘Beaten Paths are Safest’ by Roy Howard, Brewin Books 2004.)

 

Eric Postles remembered: “We were issued with 14 man compo packs consisting of tinned food and hard tack biscuits.  The latter often contained messages from the girls who packed them.

The compo packs were labelled A to G on the end of the box so you knew the contents.  The best held steak and kidney pudding, the worst ‘harricotted’ oxtail which seemed to have more bones than meat.

We used our stoves and Benghasis, cut-down non-returnable petrol cans filled with sand soaked in petrol for heating the food cans, washing ourselves and washing clothes.  For a bath you put one leg in the water at a time.  When the petrol sand went out you refilled it but if the sand was hot you would be surrounded by a cloud of white vapour.  We heard of people being badly burned if it ignited.  It never happened to anyone in our troop.”   (Extracts from ‘My War Years’ by John Eric Postles ISO used by kind permission of the author.)

 

According to Anthony Rampling cooking was done in a biscuit tin with a hole in the side. They filled it with earth, “poured petrol on it, set fire to it and cooked on the top.” (PLEASE DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME!)

“Trying to exist was hard. Up front you couldn’t cook anything. We were given biscuits and chocolate you couldn’t bite – solid like rock.  We had tins of meat but no vegetables. We lived on tea - made in a bucket with Ideal milk and sugar all mixed in.  The biggest thing we missed was bread":

The stench of death

“Going on to food- one food we missed very much was bread.  There were no bakehouses going and I think it was three weeks before we got any bread at all and then not very much.  And going back about Normandy, with all the cattle and the dead and the bodies the stench from the beaches to Caen, the stench of death was horrific and it took a long while for it to leave you, really.”

 

Eric Brewer seems to have written two letters home that day (the cinema show may have been a re-assuring fiction?):

Friday 30^th (written on NAAFI letterform)

"Dear Mum Dad and all

Well here I am still at base taking it easy and hope you and all are keeping fine. What do you think of the Yanks taking Cherbourg? We should soon have the supplies pouring in now then the war will soon be over I hope. They say that there is a cinema show for us tomorrow, which I hope to go and see if lucky…

Got paid this morning the first time for four weeks but have no need to draw it over here, as there is not much to spend it on….

Your loving son

Eric XXXX

PS Are these stamps any good to you as I don’t need them out here and you do know that you do not have to put stamps on my letter just (ON ACTIVE SERVICE)"

 

30^th  (written on NAAFI notepaper in a NAAFI envelope marked on active service, postmarked 3^rd July 1944)

“Dear Mum Dad and all

Just received your letter glad to hear you are alright but wish you would not send me any cigarettes as I have more than I will ever smoke and if I want any they only cost 4p for 10 so it’s a waste of time you sending them to me so please don’t send anymore…..

I just stopped writing to go and see what the roar was and blimey there was so many planes going over that you can have no idea of the amount. They were as far as the eye could see going over for about 20 minutes; must have been about 400 – 500 planes. Makes you thankful that you are British, poor old Gerry, and now the artillery have started opening up on Gerry’s position….

Your loving son

Eric XXXX”

 

A Quiet Time - Wednesday 29th June 1944

61^st Recce Regt RAC

BWEF

Chotie Darling,

                                    Have just received your letter dated June 5^th so you can see what a state the mail situation is in.  Hope it sorts itself out pretty soon.

            Having a quiet time at the moment doing Liaison Officer to a Brigadier – quite cushy in fact.

            Glad to hear you had a letter from mother – and that she appears to be in the picture concerning us.  She suggested in one of her recent letters that you must think rather a lot of me.  Is this correct? 

            I’ve been soaked through about every three hours for the last two days.  Hot sun alternating with heavy rain.  You appear to have had a good party but alas – no tenors.  I certainly don’t know “Sammy” – though I seem to remember Sammy Someone at Bealesons*. 

            Enclosing cuttings mother sent of old Headmaster (Sidcup**) where Brinner and I went as kids.  The other cutting of auction at Sevenoaks.  Sounds too good to be true.                                                          Must close here.

                                                                                    All my love, Dear

                                                                                                                        Dicker

 

*A Department store in Bournemouth.

**Dick attended Sidcup County School (now Chislehurst and Sidcup Grammar School) from 1931-35

 

Three-quarters remain

29^th June 1944 – 43^rd (Wessex) Division defend the east side of the Operation Epsom Corridor while the 15^th Scottish Division defend the western side assisted by a Royal Navy bombardment from offshore.  

The Allies advance is then withdrawn on intelligence that the German II SS Armoured Corps is about to launch a major counter-attack and the Allies pull back from Hill 112.  Operation Epsom is closed down.  VIII Corps has lost 4,020 men and Caen remains in enemy hands.

Allied aircraft cause considerable destruction to the II SS Armoured Corps tanks and vehicles assembled around Noyers-Bocage (south-west of Grainville-sur-Odon) so they only succeed in securing a forward position between Rauray and Grainville-sur-Odon. (From  ‘The Second World War’ by Antony Beevor, published by Weidenfield and Nicolson 2012; ‘Overlord’ by Max Hastings, Macmillan 2016 edition and 'The Drive on Caen, Northern France 7^th June -9^th July 1944’, a 60^th Anniversary booklet.)

Eric Brewer, now back at base, learns that according to the Officer in Charge 25 of their men have been killed and 12 injured. He writes that, since they landed in France, about one eighth of 61^st Recce’s ‘B’ Squadron have now been killed and another eighth injured.  They have lost Sergeants Wallace (died 19^th June) and Whitehouse (died 10^th October 1944), seven corporals and the rest troopers. (From Eric Brewer’s Diary by kind permission of Derek Brewer and his family and 61st Reconnaissance Roll of Honour.)

Digging in

There was little chance for true Recce work on the enclosed battlefield of Normandy. What few opportunities existed were seized but the regiments carried out many other tasks.  Recce units went into action alongside the heavy armour, and took similar heavy casualties during a campaign of attrition as harsh as the Western Front of 1915-18. (From ‘The British Reconnaissance Corps in World War II’ by Richard Doherty, Osprey Publishing 2007)

 “Gradually as resistance to the Bridgehead’s expansion stiffened, reconnaissance gave way to holding the line.  It was several weeks before the line included some of the spots our troops had reached in the first fortnight.” (From ‘A Reconnaissance Regiment in the B.L.A.’ by Lieutenant-Colonel P.H.A.Brownrigg D.S.O.)

 

Up the front

 “I think this was one of the worst, most difficult parts of the war – getting from the beaches to Caen, which they originally thought was going to be taken in the first day or two and it took about 40 odd days.  Every day we were up the front, living in slit trenches.” (Anthony Rampling’s WW2 account, personal communication.)

On 23^rd June Trooper Eric Brewer was “still at Granville x roads. Hope to move tomorrow. Things rather quiet - only a few mortars, getting use to dodging them… hope they stay far enough away to cause no harm. This trench digging is just about getting me down. Think I’ll be a grave digger after this war as all I seem to be doing  …” (From Eric Brewer’s Diary by kind permission of Derek Brewer and his family.)

 

61^st Recce Roll of Honour includes the following who died on this day:

          Sergeant Thomas Abbey (age 34 ) of Oldbury, Worcestershire.

Sergeant Abbey, who was Roy Howard’s Troop Sergeant (7 Able troop, ‘A’ Squadron), is laid to rest in the Hottot-les-Bagues War Cemetery (south of Bayeux, south-east of Tilly-sur-Seules). 

(See 61st Recce Roll of Honour, courtesy of Recce Mitch .)

We will remember them.

Camembert, Cider and Boiled Sweets - Wednesday 21st June 1944

As usual

21.6.44.

Chotie Darling,

                                    Received your letter of the 8^th or was it 9^th a couple of days ago.

            I’m still having quite a happy time here, as we’ve been pulled out for a day’s rest I’m taking the opportunity to write you a few lines.

            Actually there’s so little to write about – I can’t tell you where I am, and I haven’t seen enough of the countryside to write graphic descriptions of it.

            I went the rounds of the local cottages this morning and procured some Camembert cheese and a litre of cider (about 2½ pints).  Cost me five francs (sixpence) which wasn’t bad going.  Apart from that I haven’t had the chance of getting anything else, and that represents the only purchase I’ve made for over ten days.

            The people are shy but very friendly – and only too willing to converse with you especially if you speak any French at all.

            Most of the fields of corn and oats, and the many orchards are untouched but the villages have suffered terribly.

            As I write this there’s a little boy staring at me intently with one finger in his mouth.  He’s wearing the traditional black Smock – gathered at the waist I believe you’d say – with ridiculously large wooden clogs on his feet.

            Says his name’s Raymonde – I’ve given him one of my boiled sweets – and now he’s very pleased.

            His sister has just turned up.  I seem to have started something.  She’s Denise.  If any more come along I’m packing up.

            I must close here as I have to get a grip on my troop.

            All my love Chotie Darling.

                                                                        Dicker

PS.      Send my best wishes to all your family won’t you?

© Chotie Darling

"Up and Ready"

20^th June 1944 – the naval Battle of Saipan, in the west Pacific, ends with a decisive victory for the US fleet.  Although the Americans lost about 100 planes the Japanese lost 400 planes and three aircraft carriers. (From ‘The Second World War’ by Antony Beevor, published by Weidenfield and Nicolson 2012)

The 8^th Army take Perugia in the centre of Italy as the Allies advance north continues. (From WW2-net Timelines.) 

Russian Army attacks on the Leningrad and Karelian Front (Finland) divert attention from the huge build-up of forces for Operation Bagration.

 

Eric Brewer’s diary for 20^th June reads:

“Leaving Granville* as Div 7 attack is going in. Went back to rear position to be reinforced, also some Gerry plane knocked down. Have at last found a farm to obtain milk. Things seem to be quiet - only thing we have to worry about is Enemy infiltrating through our front line but everything has been quiet...had a bath in the stream a change to get this dirt off of us.” (Included by kind permission of Derek Brewer and his family.)

*Grainville-sur-Odon

 

Anthony Rampling wasn’t so lucky.  He remembers moving nearly every day in Normandy, on constant alert, living in conditions that were "almost as bad as the war".  They went 40 days without taking their boots off!  Even so they were encouraged to shave as they were meant to look ‘up and ready’ for the Germans.  The Sergeant –Major ruled the roost and would bellow “Get a shave boy!”.

Stunk like foxes

“We didn’t even take our boots off, or clothes off, didn’t wash, and we stunk like foxes.”  (Anthony Rampling’s WW2 account, personal comm.)

 

Eric Postles writes for 20 June 1944:

“We were still patrolling in the Tilly area but the tactics changed by providing a tank or self-propelled gun to trundle along behind us adding to our fire-power.  We had to admire the Military Police controlling junctions often under enemy shelling.  A number were killed particularly at the busy Jerusalem crossroads where they lie in a small cemetery made and cared for by locals. 

We did long stops for infantry attacks.  It was sad to see the wounded coming back in jeep ambulances.  On advance patrols we sometimes came across snipers from the infantry operating on their own in no-man’s land. German snipers were a menace and got short shrift when caught*.”  (Extract from ‘My War Years’ by John Eric Postles ISO used by kind permission of the author.)

*”Snipers were detested and feared as much for the strain they caused to men’s routine movements in forward areas as for the casualties they inflicted… Both sides habitually shot snipers who were taken prisoner.”  (From ‘Overlord’ by Max Hastings, Macmillan 2016 edition)

 

On 20^th June Don Aiken had run into trouble near Caen:

 “As my armoured car now had no commander, I was sent back to Squadron H.Q. and given the job of 'shotgun' on the 3 ton truck which was used to bring ammunition from the dump near the invasion beach.

On 20th June we set off on our first journey. The truck was driven by a Trooper Docherty and the passenger seat was occupied by a Corporal.
I was sat in the back of the soft-topped lorry; armed with a rifle. Now that the weather had improved to become quite hot and dry there were signs nailed to posts along the road-side saying DUST MEANS DEATH; indicating that rapid movement by vehicles along the roads would create swirls of dust which would immediately attract the enemy guns and mortars.

We picked up our full load of ammunition without problem, the other members of the crew being obviously used to the procedure, and we set off to return to our H.Q. Now I was sat on 3 tons of ammunition.  It wasn't long however before I realised that our Corporal had lost his way, as we did a couple of reverses in cul de sacs etc.. Then the surroundings began to change from rural roads to rubbled streets, and we did the sharpest reverse of all when we found ourselves in the middle of a street fighting scene, which was no place for a lorry-load of ammo. We had arrived in the besieged town of Caen - a long way off our course.

Eventually we recovered our direction and as we bowled along through a little village I suddenly heard a loud bang and our truck came to a sudden halt. A detachment of infantry was positioned in the village, and there were loud shouts and frantic gesticulations in my direction. I hesitated, not knowing what could be wrong. I didn't hesitate for a second longer however when my Corporal appeared, running rapidly past me and wildly waving for me to follow.
After we had sorted ourselves out, and the Corporal had told me what he knew, we went back to our truck to arrange the next move.

What had happened was this: A lone German fighter plane had spotted us making our way down the road, had turned round facing towards us and fired off a single cannon or rocket. This had hit the truck immediately in front of the driver and had blown a hole in his middle, killing him instantly. The ammunition, with me atop, had been separated from the driver by a thin wooden partition.

I was then returned to my Squadron, as a new Corporal had been found to command my armoured car. He was a Welshman named Evans, a reticent type, who never became very friendly or communicative.

The next few days continued to be quite eventful, although I have forgotten most of the detail and the sequential order of events. Some of the village names still spring to mind; although they lack any substance. - Tilly, Hottot, Caumont, Grainville.”

(Extract  republished from 'establishing a foothold in Normandy' by kind permission of Don Aiken)

 

61^st Recce Roll of Honour for 20^th June includes three of those mentioned as lost by Eric Brewer on 19^th June and Don Aiken’s truck driver:

          Trooper Arthur Cole (age 29) of Peckham, London

          Trooper Matthew Docherty (age 31) - he was in Eric Brewer's B Squadron Assault Troop

          Sergeant Kenneth Ekins (age 20) of Grimsby, Lincolnshire

          Trooper Frank Kershaw (age 21) of Ashton-under-Lyme, Lancashire

All are laid to rest in the Bayeux War Cemetery except Trooper Docherty who lies in Ellon churchyard, between Bayeux and Tilly-sur-Seules.  Eric Brewer mentions his death in his entry of 21^st June.  

(See 61st Recce Roll of Honour courtesy of Recce Mitch.)

We will remember them.

Tilly-sur-Seules

19^th June 1944 – the Battle of the Philippine Sea begins in the western Pacific between the Mariana and the Philippine Islands.  An aircraft carrier battle, it was nicknamed the ‘Great Marianas Turkey Shoot’ due to the disproportionate losses of Japanese aircraft.

19^th June  1944 - The US 1st Army capture the town of Montebourg, near to Valognes, and start attacking towards the critical strategic port of Cherbourg, at the north end of the Cotentin Peninsula.

On the Normandy coast a great storm rages until 22^nd June wrecking the Mulberry Harbour constructed at St Laurent (Omaha Beach), damaging the harbour at Arromanches and costing the armies 140,000 tons of scheduled stores and ammunition.

Intense fighting continues in the vicinity of Tilly-sur-Seules.  By evening the 50^th (Northumbrian) Division have finally succeeded in taking the town, which has changed hands 23 times during the ‘Battle for Tilly-sur-Seules’ (8^th to 19^th June 1944).  76 civilians, one tenth of the local population, have been killed during the fighting.

"Tilly with its main road junctions finally fell to our division on 18th July.  It was bitterly fought over for a month and after changing hands over 20 times was left a heap of rubble.  The civilian occupants suffered high casualties.  A familiar sight in the area were the dead German tanks knocked out by night-time PIAT patrols with our red TT Division sign painted on them by the infantry units that knocked them out."  (Extracts from ‘My War Years’ by John Eric Postles ISO used by kind permission of the author.)

*Projector, Infantry, Anti-tank = and anti-tank weapon used by infantry at 100 yards or less range.

 

Anthony Rampling visited Tilly after the war:

Tilly-sur-Seulles

"Tilly-sur-Seulles was taken and re-taken by us and the Germans I think about twenty times and it finished up just brick rubble but after visiting it, after the war, it's a lovely little town - really recovered and there's a graveyard there with several of the Recces, which I visited and the museum."

 

Eric Brewer wrote home re-assuring his parents on 19^th June

19th Sunday (sic – no month on letter but content fits June) 8 o’clock

“Dear Mum Dad and all

Well here I am back at base….back of the front line … where you rest for a while and do nothing except sleep and please yourself what you do with the rest of the time. We have just finished our tea and the lads are getting into bed or writing. We have just been issued with cigarettes a gift from ‘Monty’ for the lads who were on D Day and by the daily ration and free NAFI issue we are all smoking ourselves to death so don’t even think of sending me any cigarettes will you…..

…There is no need to put any stamps on my letter just write (ON ACTIVE SERVICE).”

However, he lost five comrades on 19th June:

"Went out on another Recce to find force in the Granville area. We were advancing after finding out Gerry's forward O.P. (Operational Position?), also machine gun site, when we were opened upon by Mortar and Spando while we were taking up defensive position. It was decided to try and pin point the Gun - on trying to we lost 5 men Sgt EKINS, KERSHAW, COLES, GRESTY, GARDENER (found out on July 7^th that Gresty was wounded and taken prisoner). We were again forced to withdraw."  (From Eric Brewer’s Diary and letters by kind permission of Derek Brewer and his family.)

 

61^st Recce Roll of Honour includes the following who died on this day:

          Corporal Harry Cooper (age 23) of Ambergate, Derbyshire

          Corporal Eric Humphries (age 21) of Salford, Lancashire

          Sergeant Cecil Wallace (age 30) of Horton Heath, Hampshire

All are laid to rest in the Bayeux War Cemetery.  (See 61st Recce Roll of Honour courtesy of Recce Mitch.)

We will remember them.

Always in Front

Eric Brewer’s diary records:

18^th June: “Shifted on to Granville*. Met stiff enemy opposition. Arks** and Carriers went in to try to find all positions but 88*** opened up and we lost heavy Ark, also a couple of Carriers - total loss in men is 12. We were forced to withdraw as the 88 could pick us off like coconuts but later on tanks went in followed by artillery and mortar fire which knocked out 88; also killed approximately 200 Gerrys.” (From Eric Brewer’s Diary by kind permission of Derek Brewer and his family.)

* Presumably Grainville-sur-Odon, between Villers-Bocage and Caen

** Arks = Armoured cars

*** The Flak 88 was the legendary German very high velocity anti-aircraft gun that could also be used successfully against tanks and infantry.  “The unforgettable lightning crack of an 88 mm remained implanted in the memory of every survivor of the campaign.” (From ‘Overlord’ by Max Hastings, Macmillan 2016 edition)

 

“Recce in Normandy meant driving down a road until something fired at you.” (From Recce Armoured Assets.)

 

Sandy Handley's armoured car was always at the front - he wasn't very happy about this:

“The one thing what I was upset about was for that first three weeks (?) our car, the Light Humber, would always lead the Heavy Humber if on recce patrol. When the other half of our troop arrived and it came to a recce patrol our car was always leading, then the 2 Heavy cars, then another light car at the rear.  Our job as recce was to patrol to a point - and a lot of times in front of our Infantry - until we reached a certain location or unfortunately got fired upon by the Germans, in which case we reversed out the way quickly. Sadly our Regiment had its share of casualties.

It wasn’t always recce text book fashion.  Before a recce patrol operation, officers of the troops would attend an O Group, that is a plan of battle.  No 10 troop - that would be four cars and sometime four Bren carriers would go up one road.  No 5* (that was my troop) would go up another road, four cars and Bren carriers behind.  On some of the narrow roads if anything nasty cropped up it was difficult for the cars to turn about; better for the Bren carriers, they could turn on their own axis.  Our job wasn’t to start a battle, we went to get the low down where the enemy was.”

*Dick’s troop.

 

Sandy in front

“In my troop we had two light Humber armoured cars and two heavy Daimler armoured cars.  I was in a light Humber car and my friend Sandy Handley was in a light Humber but he usually led the troop. He complained to Lieutenant Williams “Why do you always send me in front?”  Lt. Williams said “Do as you’re told Handley.”

"I think I looked very young and Sandy was 5 years older than me.  I think that was the reason he was in front.”  (Anthony Rampling’s WW2 account, personal comm.)

 

Eric Postles recalls 18th June 1944:

“We moved back a few miles and were joined by the remainder of the regiment from England alongside a heavy gun battery which was regularly firing at the enemy.  By now we were so tired that the noise from the guns did not disturb our sleep.  We got our first mail since Nightingale Wood and among the letters was one from Gladys which I replied to the same day….”  

There were regular parcels from home containing among other things cake, which we shared out.  Dad also sent the Ormskirk Advertiser every week.  The first mail we had sent had been field postcards dated 8 June on which you crossed out the appropriate parts to say whether you were safe and uninjured.  Later our letters had to be unsealed for censoring until we got green envelopes which could be sealed and not necessarily censored. 

The days were long and tiring.  Stand to was about 4am and stand down at 10pm.  In addition we took turns of night guards.  Dawn and dusk were the times of expected German attacks and most mornings we would be shelled or mortared.  Apart from a couple of thunderstorms the weather was hot and traffic caused white dust everywhere when disturbed.  The Germans would then shell the area and notices told you “Dust means death”. 

Apart from in Bayeux civilians were rarely seen.  The farmers had abandoned their farms turning cattle out into the field where many were killed and lay smelly and bloated with their feet in the air.  Those alive were in pain from not being milked.  Apples on the trees were red and looked delicious but on tasting were bitter and were only used to make cider.  Most farms had cider vats and prized finds were small barrels of Calvados (apple brandy), which proved an effective remedy for sleeping off “Bomb happiness*”.  We never had anyone sent back with it.

Storms at sea broke up the artificial harbour at Arromanches on 19^th June and artillery shells were in short supply.  During German attacks the Navy was called upon to break them up, the shells going over us created a noise like an express train.”

 (Extract from ‘My War Years’ by John Eric Postles ISO used by kind permission of the author.)

*the soldiers’ nickname for shell-shock.

 

18^th June 1944 – a V1 bomb striking the Guards Chapel, near Buckingham Palace in London, during a service kills 119 people.

A Pliable Animal - Sunday 18th June 1944

                                                                                                                        As usual

Sunday June 18^th

Chotie Darling,

                                                Well, Sunday’s come around again, though it makes no difference at all as every day is exactly the same here.  I’ve put the 18^th above but it’s only a guess.

            I hope to be able to write you more fully here, as I expect to have the rest of the morning free, though we never know when we’ll be called.

            Had quite a good night – four or five hours solid sleep – the first since I’ve been here.  It takes time to get acclimatised to sleeping in the midst of the terrific artillery racket that goes on nightly.  As Dostoevsky says ‘Man is a pliable animal – he gets used to anything in time’*. 

            Weather isn’t up to much at the moment – cloudy, though quite warm.

            I manage to get quite a bit of conversation with the local peasantry.  They speak a very pure tongue – slowly and with much careful thought.  The equivalent of the West Country in England.  So far I have had no difficulty in understanding them, or they me.

            My friend Jimmy Waddell is just walking over here.  He’s been out all night and looks a little tired.  Appears he’s been sniped at once or twice but got back OK.  It’s an endless source of amazement to us to see the people going about their lawful business with a total disregard to what’s going on around them.  I even saw an old farmer milking his only cow while a local battle was being waged for his farm!

            My relieving people have just arrived so will continue this later.

 

            Just had a go at an ME 109** with the old Bren.  No luck.  First I’ve seen for days.

            Must close here as I have to move.  Give my best wishes to your people won’t you?  And tell them I’m having the time of my little life.

                        All my love, Chotie Darling

                                                                                    Dicker

 

*From the Russian writer Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoyevsky’s novel ‘The House of the Dead’.

** a Messerschmitt Bf 109, a German fighter plane.

© Chotie Darling

Chalky, Sammy and the Carrier Crew

By the 15th June 50th Division had moved south of Bayeux and was centred on two bases; one near Ellon and the other nearer the River Aure (from Frontline map in Library of Congress).  For the 61^st Recce things could seem pretty disorganised in those first weeks in Normandy:

 

Sergeant Chalky Wells

Anthony Rampling:

“I always remember a particularly outspoken Sergeant - Sergeant Wells.  He stood up in his armoured car one day and he said this in front of officers and everybody:

          “Never in the field of human conflict have so many been f…ed around by so few in such a short time.”  (Paraphrases Churchill’s famous speech ‘The Few’ praising the fighter pilots of the Battle of Britain.)

 

‘Chalky’ (Charlie) Wells was the particularly outspoken Sergeant who Tony remembers. Roy Howard’s book (Beaten Paths are Safest) has an account from the Newsletter of the Old Comrades Association of how, on 15^th June, ‘Chalky’ and Trooper Sam Benson of ‘B’ Squadron were on forward Recce, crawling through grass on their stomachs, when they came face to face with two Germans doing the same. Hurrying back to warn the advancing infantry of the German presence Sam was shot.  Charlie carried him to safety and they met up again at a reunion dinner 26 years later. (From ‘Beaten Paths are Safest’ by Roy Howard, Brewin Books 2004)

Sgt Wells was awarded the Croix de Guerre Bronze Star (given for mention in despatches at regiment or brigade level) for his “conspicuous” defence of the vital high ground of Point 103 during the period 9^th to 12^th June, his rescue of a wounded comrade on 15^th June and his troop command in August 1944 after his Lieutenant was wounded.  (See 61st Recce battle honours.) 

Don Aiken was involved in the incident:
    “We continued to probe along the byways making contact with the enemy and reporting to base. On the morning of 15th June, when my car had been leading the patrol along a particularly nasty stretch of road for a long stretch of time, it was decided to pass the job over to a Bren-Carrier Troop. We pulled in to the side of the road to let them pass through us. The leading Carrier had gone less than a hundred yards when, as I understood at the time, it blew up on a land-mine.

Now, 60 years after the event, I am informed by our Troop Sergeant Charlie Wells (see above) that in fact the explosion was due to a string of our own mines, being carried in the Carrier, exploding accidentally when a German prisoner lost his balance and fell onto them. All the crew and the prisoner were killed.

We then diverted onto another road which led up to a cross roads near Lingevres*, where there had been a tank battle during the previous day. As we moved cautiously along this narrow country road, sensing danger, we came across a knocked out tank which was blocking our path. Charlie Wells decided to scout on foot along the ditch, with the commander of my car Corporal Sam Benson. They had crept along for a hundred yards or so when they ran into a machine-gun ambush hidden behind the hedgerow. After a short exchange of fire Sam Benson was badly wounded, his stomach having been ripped open by a stream of machine gun bullets. We decided to pull back out of the situation, and I gave covering fire from my Bren gun while Sam was brought out and carried back to safety on the front of a Bren carrier."    * a village just west of Tilly-sur-Seulles

(Extract  republished See Don Aiken’s account of Corporal Black’s death from the BBC People's War website by kind permission of Don Aiken)

 

Eric Postles recalls the same incidents, attributing the carrier explosion to road mines:

“10 Troop were told to recce a village (since identified as Crauville*) in the Tilly area and in the morning we moved through the infantry positions.  My carrier was in the lead and we went some distance before being fired on and were then told to turn off into the village but otherwise it was silent and deserted. 

We returned to the carriers and after removing the road obstacles proceeded to drive through the village.  Sgt Griffiths’ carrier reached the first building where there was debris on the road when there was a huge explosion and the carrier was blown several feet into the air and crashed down.  Burning and exploding ammunition and fuel made it impossible to get near to it.  We found one body, Trooper Webb, who was very badly injured.  We gave him morphine but he died.  Sgt Griffiths, Joe Collier and Jack McHugh all died.  The latter two were called up with me at Carlisle.  They are buried at Hottot Cemetery. Joe Collier was on Bolton Wanderers books and goalkeeper for the regiment’s football team.  It taught us a bitter lesson about mined roads and to take care if there was foliage or unusual debris on the road.  Another lesson we learned was to recognise by the smell whether Germans had occupied a building and to then be aware of booby traps.”

17^th June (sic): “We had to recce the same area with 12 Troop armoured cars but this time met up with the enemy.  Corporal Benson (12 Troop) was hit by a maching gun bullet and badly wounded in his stomach while on foot recce with Sargeant Charlie Wells. We recovered him and took him back to the Queens Brigade medics.  It was a “Blighty” wound (one which needed treating in England) but thankfully he recovered and later returned to the Regiment. 

The village proved costly to the Regiment as a heavy and light armoured car of A Squadron were also destroyed with loss of life.  Later we heard that the village was heavily mined and booby trapped.  We entered some of the buildings on our foot patrols so we had perhaps been fortunate not to sustain more casualties.”  (Extracts from ‘My War Years’ by John Eric Postles ISO used by kind permission of the author.)

*Crauville lies between Hottot-les-Bagues and Caumont-l'Éventé.

Two of the three carrier crews in Eric's troop had now been lost.

 

Eric Brewer's diary for 15^th June reads:

 “Moved to 103. Came across Gerry Bikes abandoned (with) everything on them. Found 1 mortar.”

 

61^st Recce Roll of Honour includes the following who died on this day:

          Trooper Joseph Collier (age 22) of Bolton, Lancashire

          Trooper William Griffiths (age 26) of Londonderry

          Trooper Ronald McHugh (age 26) of Shaw, Lancashire

          Trooper John Webb (age 25) of Handsworth, Birmingham

All are laid to rest in the Hottot-les-Bagues War Cemetery, south of Tilly-sur-Seulles

(See 61st Roll of Honour courtesy of Recce Mitch. Their gravestones are shown in Roy Howard’s book.)

We will remember them.

First letter from France - Wednesday 14th June 1944

As before

Wednesday evening

Chotie Darling,

                                    Have a few minutes to spare so here goes.

            Firstly everything is fine – I’m in the pink and very happy here.

            The countryside is beautiful – very much like the Cotswolds – very homely and the same grey stone.

            At present I’m staying the night in the grounds of an estate – a titled Frenchman, I can’t give his name.  He’s very charming – wears plus fours and boots.  I’ve just been talking to him.  (I’m desperately tired not having slept since Sunday, and I’m going asleep on the job.)

            We’ll come here after the war - it’s lovely.  Is that a date?  I must close here as I just can’t write any more.  All my love, Chotie Darling

                                                            Dicker

© Chotie Darling

 

15^th June 1944 – the Battle of Saipan begins Operation Forager, the Allies’ Marianas Campaign to retake Guam, the Northern Marianas Islands and Palau in the western Pacific from the Japanese.  20,000 men had been landed on Saipan by nightfall and the US Fifth Fleet, the largest in the world, faced almost all the Japanese warships in the Pacific.

The US Fourteenth Air Force, based in China, begins a series of heavy raids on the home islands of Japan.

The RAF launched heavy attacks (600 bombers) against Le Havre and Boulogne on the north coast of France.

(From ‘The Second World War’ by Antony Beevor, published by Weidenfield and Nicolson 2012 and WorldWar-2.net).

 

VIII Corps of Dempsey’s Second Army was activated on 15th June

and included the now re-united 61st Reconnaissance Regiment with the 11th Armoured Division.

Normandy

Chotie Darling

Dedicated to the memory of my mother

and all those who hold the forever young of war in their hearts.

 

Part 4        Only the Enemy in Front   

 

Chapter 11          Normandy

 

 

Dick landed in France on 13^th June 1944 (D+7)

 Dick, Anthony Rampling and the remainder of 61^st Recce still in England were supposed to head for France on D3 but the sea was very rough and so they went on D7 (June 13^th).

 

Anthony Rampling tells his story of arriving in France:

"As we prepared to embark they were taking the wounded off the boat on stretchers. The only comfort you got going over was lying on body bags.

    We landed on Gold Beach towards late afternoon. There was a hurry to get off the beach.  We missed one of the signs to find our regiment and carried on into the countryside."  Tony remembers saying to the Corporal: “If we go much further we’ll be at the front line.”

Tony arrives on D Day plus 7

“On D Day part of the regiment went and I went on D7 – originally I should have gone on D3 but in fact of the troop of only four armoured cars two went on D day, two went on D7, which I always thought was a bit weird, splitting a troop of four cars up. 

    So we met up with them.

    We came off the boat on the beaches of Gold Beach and as we came off the boat we should have followed the regimental signs, which we missed, turning left instead of right, going into the country.

    By this time the evening was drawing on; it was getting dusk and we parked up cos we were scared of getting too near the front line.  There were several Durham Light Infantry chaps milling around us and they gave us a mug of tea each and we sat all night peering out of the armoured car in case any Germans came.”

An Unpleasant Sunday

51st Highland and 7th Armoured Divisions are sent in to attack around Caen, from the north-east and south-west respectively. 12^th Battalion Parachute Regiment finally take the village of Bréville, near Pegasus Bridge, at huge cost.  7^th Armoured attempt to secure Tilly-sur-Seules without success.   

50^th Division’s 69^th Brigade (the Green Howards) seize Ducy-Sainte-Marguerite, a village west of Loucelles, but their attack towards the village of Cristot (north-west of Tilly and St Pierre) is delayed after the 47^th Dragoon Guards reconnaissance reports little resistance.  Panzer Lehr hold the villages of Chouain, Audrieu and Brouay and 12^th SS Panzer move in to the apparent gap. The Green Howards are forced to withdraw with 250 casualties.  “By nightfall the Germans were counter-attacking towards the British start line on Hill 103” (from ‘Overlord’ by Max Hastings, Macmillan 2016 edition).

Brigadier Cracroft’s account of the events of 11^th June ends: “Altogether an eventful and unpleasant Sunday” (from ‘The 8^th Armoured Brigade Break-Out from the Normandy Bridgehead June 7^th – 12^th 1944’ by Brigadier HJB Cracroft , Commander.)

See Map of the front line 11th June 1944.

Eric Brewer’s diary records “Left 103, made patrols in village. Came across machine gun post and wiped it out, then found dead Gerrys - one had a good ring on him so Lacy went and took it off and was immediately opened up on by snipers but luckily he was missed.” (Extract included by kind permission of Derek Brewer and his family)

Around this time Don Aiken recalls a less serious event:

“One event still comes back to me. We were ‘harbouring’ in a large field which belonged to a typical large chateau. Our armoured cars had occupied dug-out emplacements which had previously been occupied by German tanks. Most of the cattle in the pasture had been killed and the accustomed stench of dead animals pervaded the air. Adjoining the field was a large wooded area in which was positioned a heavy artillery battery which had been engaged in shelling enemy positions for a considerable time.

Suddenly I heard the rumbling drone of a German heavy bomber which was seeking out the artillery position and immediately dropped a bomb very close to our vicinity. Taking cover, along with my companion, I dived under the armoured car and waited there until the bomber had dropped all its bombs and the sound of its engine died away in the distance.
As we crawled out from under our cover I felt a trickle running down my knee. Clutching at my ominously sticky pants I said to the other Trooper; “I think I’ve been hit!”. We both closely investigated the area of the ‘wound’ until - the smell hit us — I had dived into a cow-pat.”     (Republished from the BBC People's War website by kind permission of Don Aiken)

 

Parties - Saturday 10th June 1944

Same Address

Saturday

Chotie Darling,

                                    I hardly know what to write about as I’ve had no mail for some time now – which cuts out that particular source of inspiration.

            I’m enclosing my remaining coupons – for what they’re worth.  If you’re pushed to find a use for them you might send Diller some (par Mary, if ever you should write….) and she could forward any surplus to Brinner.

            Weather here hasn’t been up to much for some time now – expect it’s the same with you, which has finally eliminated any further chance of swimming.

            Had a lot of parties lately – out every night since D day, but now, I steadfastly refuse to smoke whilst drinking which enable me to stay perfectly sober however much I take.  I drove the party back last night in a jeep.  I shall never know how I made it as about seven people in the back were trying to push me out.  Damn funny.

            Hope you’re “still” being a good little girl no C.B. and no ‘Roll me over’* episodes.  One of these fine days I’ll meet someone from your Battery and learn the real truth about you.

            The invasion show seems to be going OK though it’s early yet.  Anyhow that’s a subject I’d prefer to leave alone.

            Hope you got that book safely.  I should really have registered it but I hadn’t time.

            We had Gertrude Lawrence* at our camp last week – quite a good show.

            Been playing pontoon all the afternoon – lost steadily, and again early this evening.

            Heard anything of Eve lately?  Let me know any news won’t you?  I shall get about a hundred letters all at once pretty soon, I suppose.

            Must close here for dinner(?)

            All my love, Chotie Darling – hope to see you before very long.

                                                                        Dicker

 

*'Roll me over in the clover' was a very popular saucy song in 1944. 

** Gertrude Lawrence, a famous English musical comedy actress, had recently arrived back in Britain from the US and performed for the troops just before D day. She was also one of the first to entertain the Allied troops in France.

© Chotie Darling

French soil

9^th June 1944 – the Russian Army launches an offensive against the Finnish forces north of Leningrad and by 20^th June has smashed their defences and captured Viipuri (now Vyborg) near the Gulf of Finland. Viipuri was the second largest town in Finland but was ceded to the Soviet Union as part of Finland’s war reparations.

 

In Normandy the RAF fly from French airfields for the first time since 1940 and two Mulberry harbours have been constructed at Arromanches and Omaha beaches (the harbour at Omaha is wrecked by a storm on 19^th June but ‘Port Winston’ at Arromanches is in use for eight months).  Dick Williams and Tony Rampling were meant to follow the rest of the 61^st Recce Regiment to France on D-Day+3 but the sea was too rough to cross. They eventually arrived on D-Day +7.

US V Corps capture Trévières, west of Bayeux.

“The British 50^th Division with the 8^th Armoured Brigade had advanced south from Bayeux, but they had come up against violent counter-attacks from the Panzer Lehr Division round Tilly-sur-seulles and Lingevres (west of Tilly).” (From ‘The Second World War’ by Antony Beevor, published by Weidenfield and Nicolson 2012)

The elite 130th Panzer Lehr Division, having driven from Chartres, move into position west of 12^th SS Panzer.  The formidable Panzer Lehr “fought superbly to hold the ruins of Tilly, the little town in a valley south-east of Caen, which was to be the scene of some of the most bitter fighting of the campaign…The infantry were deployed in ditches and ruined houses alongside tanks employed as mobile strongpoints, meticulously camouflaged.”

“For the British 50^th Division the lyrical name of Tilly-sur-Seules became a synonym for fear and endless death.” (Extracts from ‘Overlord’ by Max Hastings, Macmillan 2016 edition)

 

On 9^th June 8^th Armoured Brigade (including 61^st Reconnaissance Regiment) succeeded in taking their objective, Point 103 - La Belle Épine.  This was a hill that “dominated the surrounding country to the East and South and overlooked Juvigny and Tilly sur Seules, which was the hub of the German opposition: Pt 103 was thus an extremely important feature.”.  They also attacked the village of St Pierre as well as columns of Germans moving north of Tilly sur Seulles towards Bayeux and east along the Juvigny-Fontenay road towards Caen. “We had a heavy day of fighting and had succeeded in stopping all further enemy movement Northwards and Eastwards.”.”  (From ‘The 8^th Armoured Brigade Break-Out from the Normandy Bridgehead June 7^th – 12^th 1944’ by Brigadier HJB Cracroft , Commander.)

Trooper Eric Brewer, of 61^st Recce's ‘B’ Squadron, recorded in his diary that “Gerry had put in a counter attack on hill 103 so we returned back. Large tank battle between us, must be about 1,000 tanks (found out later that it was 1,500 tanks, British, in this battle), lots of snipers active, bullets going everywhere and SSM*.” (From Eric Brewer’s Diary by kind permission of Derek Brewer and his family.)

*surface to surface missile?

 

Eric Postles account of 8^th to 14^th June includes: 

“The tanks entered Villers but a German counter attack by the Panzer Lehr Division drove them out and heavy fighting ensued at point 103. 

Our three carrier crews were holding position where two tracks crossed near a farmhouse and having exchanged fire across a field with German troops we had to retreat under fire to a ditch where the Sherwood Ranger tanks were.  There were tanks exploding and on fire before a heavy barrage from our guns, and a sweep through by the Durhams restored things and we regained our position and retrieved our carriers, which luckily were undamaged.  There were a number of dead Panzer Grenadiers in the area. 

We decided that tracer bullets gave our positions away and removed them form the Bren Gun magazines, relying on the incendiary bullets for markers.  Because of jamming, the Bren magazines had to have a reduced number of rounds in them.

We moved back to the Tilly-sur-Seulles area and Villers Bocage was not taken again until 5^th August.  The Bocage country consisted of small fields, thick high hedges surrounding them and sunken tracks to pass along.  It was ideal defensive country and resulted in many British casualties.”  (Extracts from ‘My War Years’ by John Eric Postles ISO used by kind permission of the author.)

 

Don’s account of this time also describes fighting in the Bocage:

“The following days were almost as chaotic as we tried to tie everything up together. We seemed to be tearing around the countryside without much particular purpose; although I suppose it all had some plan behind it. We were making forward patrols along country roads which were lined with trees, hedges, ditches, or raised banks; all of which were ideal cover for the enemy guns. Every now and again we would make some contact with the enemy and a skirmish would ensue. Then there would be a push forward, with our troops moving through the cornfields amongst which I remember the sight of dozens of our Self-propelled 25 pounder guns blazing away to soften up an unseen enemy.

7th June - Break out to Tessel Bretville.
9th June - Recce Jerusalem
10th June — Tilly-sur-Seulles
13th June - Villers Bocage"    (Republished from the BBC People's War website by kind permission of Don Aiken)

 

Don mentions that on 9^th June 1944 61^st Reconnaissance were at ‘Recce Jerusalem’ (near Chouain). In his book Roy Howard explains where this is:

‘South of Bayeux in Normandy lies a very small village by the name of Jerusalem, and at a farm just outside the village there lie a number of men killed in a battle for a German strong point.

          After the war, the War graves Commission went to the location to remove the bodies for reburial in an official cemetery.

The farmer who owned the land refused to permit it saying -

“These men fought for my land, died on my land, and they shall continue to lie in my land.”

Friendly Fire

Don Aiken continues our account for Wednesday 7^th June:

"We made some progress on the following day, passing through Bayeux which had already been liberated by our infantry. The German opposition was stronger than we had anticipated but we advanced some distance towards Villers-Bocage before we were eventually given the order to 'harbour' down for the night and we drove into a tree-lined field, concealing the vehicles around the perimeter.
I had no idea what our position was, and what the situation was around us.

We laid out the large waterproof cover from a Bren-carrier and a couple of troops bedded down underneath it. I assume that every-one else did the same. Sentries were posted at various intervals, armed with Bren machine guns. A foot patrol consisting of Sergeant Robert Black (a Scotsman), a Corporal and 5 men was sent out to reconnoitre the surrounding area.

We were jolted awake in the pitch black of the night by the sharp rattle of a nearby Bren gun and loud, frantic shouting. Everyone grabbed their weapons and made for the commotion. What had occurred was this:
whilst we were on board the LST we had been given a Password with which to challenge anyone in the expected confusion of the situation. The Password was 'Handle' and the Response was 'With Care'.  This seemed quite sensible although we had never used such a method before.

The sentry who had been posted near to us was a Yorkshireman from Leeds. He had been sat behind his gun, on his own, in the dead blackness, scared stiff (as we would all have been) when he heard the stealthy scuffling noise of someone creeping up. Panic must have set in because, instead of the password, he shouted out the normal challenge of 'Who goes there! ' This threw the approaching Glaswegian Sergeant of our recce patrol (now returning to us) right off his stride. He responded the best way he could - "Onnle (handle)wi' kearr!(with care)- Onnle wi' kearr " ! he shouted in his broad Scottish accent.

The guttural strange sounding cry must have sounded like Adolf Hitler himself to the panic stricken sentry, so his fingers jerked at the trigger - killing the Sergeant and wounding the Corporal in the foot."

(Extract  republished from the BBC People's War website by kind permission of Don Aiken)

 

Anthony Rampling also recalled the accident:

Shooting of Robert Black

“This incident I remember very well – In the early days we had blanket passwords.  On this day it was ‘To have and to hold’. And the Corporal was going round the camp in the night, seeing that everything was OK.  And a soldier in my troop*, George, he said ‘Halt who goes there?’  And this Corporal had quite a guttural accent (he was Irish) and he didn’t understand and he fired his Bren gun. And as he was dying his last words were ‘Good luck boys.’  That was very sad.”

*Dick’s troop.

 

Corporal Robert Black was from County Londonderry, Northern Ireland but Don must be right about the passwords since they’re shown in his Sergeant's notebook).  The awful shot was fired by George Ingram, a butcher from Yorkshire.  (Later in the war Tony remembers George finding food for the troop including a goat which he killed.  They cooked and ate it out of ammunition tins.)

 

Eric Brewer heard the sad news over the radio:

June 7th:  “Still not able to find rest of squadron so we tried to make contact but could not find them, soon loads of Gerry prisoners and in among them are ????? , they look consumptive…, Found out today that Blake (sic) had been killed, also 1 man injured in troop. Staying in harbour for night and hope to find squadron tomorrow.”   (From Eric Brewer’s Diary by kind permission of Derek Brewer and his family)

 

61^st Recce Roll of Honour includes the following who died on this day:

          Corporal Robert Black, B Squadron (age 26) of Coleraine, Londonderry who is laid to rest in the Bayeux War Cemetery

          Trooper Leslie Douglas William Dymond (age 26) of Chesham, Buckinghamshire, laid to rest in Chesham.

(See 61st Recce Roll of Honour  courtesy of Recce Mitch.)

We will remember them.

Me again - Tuesday 6th June 1944

As usual

Tuesday 6^th June

Chotie Darling,

                                                I managed to get hold of a copy of ‘Me-again’ so I’m enclosing it with this letter.  Hope you enjoy it.

            Weather here has brightened up after a serious relapse of some five days or so which were pretty miserable.

            I’m up to my neck in this wretched audit board at the moment adding up masses & masses of figures, which never was my strong point as well you know.  They say things are sent to try us – and they’re not far wrong.

            I’ve also had to bust a couple of sergeants this morning for absence – and that’s not a very pleasant job either.

            Hope you got the cheque OK – I expect to get some mail before very long, so I’ll have to wait.

            Must close here, Darling, as I’m really rather busy as you can well imagine*.

                                    All my love, Chotie

                                                                                    Dicker

*Dick realised Chotie would know about the invasion by the time she received his letter

© Chotie Darling

Walking in the Woods - Monday 5th June 1944

As usual

Monday June 5^th

Chotie Darling,

                                    I’m afraid I can’t acknowledge receipt of any of your letters for the simple reason that I haven’t had any.  I can, however, still write to you – what little news there is to write.

            We’re still having quite a good time here*, all things considered, though there’s very little to do and time is apt to hang rather heavily at times.  Unfortunately the library here is practically non-existent, some fifty volumes only and these are almost always out.

            I seem to spend most of my spare time walking in the woods.  And what delightful woods they are!  Not the finicky little trees one meets too often, but massive oaks, quite the largest I’ve ever seen, their great boles casting grotesque shadows even at noon.  I expect to meet Rosalind and Touchstone or even the melancholy Jacques walking up the path towards me….**

            And these woods are full of wildlife.  Yesterday I saw pheasant, partridge, rabbits, squirrels and in the evening a baby fox-cub.

            I found an excellent swimming pool (open-air) some few miles from here, so I usually take the boys there whenever practicable.

            I have read a couple of books lately – Alfred Neumann’s ‘Life of Christina of Sweden’***, and Naomi Jacob’s ‘Me-again’.  The latter I heartily recommend.  I’d read the original ‘Me – a story of other people’ but this later autobiography is even better.  I’ll try to get you a copy and send it to you as soon as possible. ***

            I’m just waiting for an audit board to start – a miserable job this weather as it means sitting in a tent for 48 hrs doing nothing but check invoices, bills etc.

            I was going to see ‘Fanny by Gaslight’ but after reading James Agate’s criticism***** of it I decided to give it a miss.

            Must close here for this audit racket.

                                    All my love, Darling

                                                            Dicker

 

*Dick had moved to the Aldershot area at the end of May.

**characters from Shakespeare’s play ‘As you like it’, which is set in a romanticised version of Shakespeare’s local Forest of Arden in Warwickshire.

***Alfred Neumann was a German writer who became a US citizen after his books were banned by the Third Reich.

****Naomi Jacobs was an English author, actress and broadcaster. Her first memoir was called ‘Me: a chronicle about other people’.  Other volumes including 'Me - again' continued her autobiography.

*****The drama critic for the Sunday times.

© Chotie Darling

White Bread and Burial Blankets

Neither Dick nor half his troop (including Bren gunner Tony Rampling) were to go over with the first wave on ‘D Day’.

As Don Aiken explains :

“The assault units of the invasion Army were in fact only at half their normal strength - the troops that were to land on 'D' Day were now being loaded, and the 'build-up' of the remainder would take place as soon as possible after the invasion. It was anticipated to be completed about 6 days afterwards. - In fact it took about 16 days because of the inclement weather that followed 'D' Day.” 

“Eventually we arrived in Southampton and I was surprised to see how many of the local people seemed to realise that this was for real, evidenced by the unusually warm waves we were given. The embarkation organisation was wonderfully efficient, and it didn't take very long for us to be installed on a U.S.A. Landing Ship Tank (LST).”

“The entire docking facility as far as the eye could see was jam-packed with shipping of all shapes and sizes, and as most of them sported their own anti-aircraft barrage balloon. I foolishly felt a kind of festive air about it all.”  (Extract  republished from the BBC People's War website by kind permission of Don Aiken)

 

Operation Neptune was underway.

"Over the last few days of May and the first of June, vast columns of men and vehicles began to stream south into the assembly areas - the 'sausages', as they were known, because of their shapes on the map - where the invaders were briefed and equipped before being loaded onto the fleet."  (From ‘Overlord’ by Max Hastings, Macmillan 2016 edition)

 

Sandy Handley takes up the story of 61^st Recce’s role in ‘the longest day’:

 “Now it was 1^st June 1944 and we were all detailed to get on our Armoured cars, Bren Gun Carriers, etc. We were on our way to Southampton, about five miles away but so slowly, so many Army vehicles edging down to the docks. Military police (red caps) were waving us on -I thought ‘Better you than me mate’. 

After a long while we arrived at the landing craft (LST*) a ship with an American crew and were loaded in a position with other vehicles. I made my way on deck to view the scene in the dock area.  We were issued with Mae West** life jackets - just in case I thought!!  We were told ‘put em on and keep em on’.  These life jackets were a simple affair, a tube more or less, which in case of emergency we had to blow up (that’s if you were still capable of blowing it up). 

After loading we moved slowly out to the Solent - what a sight! We saw so many ships (ships to the left of them, ships to the right of them); I’ve never seen so many.  One thing I thought - we weren’t the only boat doing the invasion. 

Sometime later, a chap came round and we were issued with two blankets to sit on or lay on. Of course there were no bunks - may have been for the officers but not for us.  These blankets were in fact burial bags.  ‘That’s a good start we haven’t got there yet.’ 

While we were finding our way around the LST craft we were handed a foolscap size notice to all troops from General Montgomery*** it read ‘You are about to liberate the Continent of Europe’ etc. and at the end it said ‘Good Hunting’ or something like that! 

We found where the lavatories were or heads as they were called by the matlows (sailors).  I made my way down to the loos and was advised by a Yankee sailor who said ‘You must use the portside heads, it’s only crew use the starboard side heads’.  I thought at the time ‘Who cares?  Port or starboard!’  However, as I’d spent three years with Trinity House pilot cutters before the war I knew my port from my starboard. 

The amazing thing on that LST was how they served up our meals - we just filed past the galley and held our mess tins out. We certainly didn’t go without food anyway, and a big surprise White Bread!  Something we hadn’t seen since 1939.” (From Ex Trooper S Handley’s ‘61 Recce - Memories of Normandy 1944 – 1945’)

* LST = Landing Ship, Tank

**Mae West was an American actress known for her bawdy double entendres and her curvaceous figure. ‘Mae West’ was rhyming slang for breasts and the inflatable life vests that resembled them. 

***See Montgomery's message to the troops. Eisenhower also sent a message:

 

Eric Postles remembers:

“We drove to Southampton Docks with security guards at various points along the route.  We embarked on an American crewed tank landing ship (LST). My carrier would be the first vehicle off at the disembarkation so it was the last to go on the ship. 

We moved into the Solent towing a Rhino (a self-propelled flat girder structure) used for taking vehicles ship to shore.  An LST is very basic and because of its flat bottom had an uncomfortable motion when moving. 

We slept where we could and I chose to be on deck in blankets that made sleeping bags and used a blow up lifebelt for a pillow.  The food was good (including white bread – which was a war-time luxury) for those who felt like eating but many were seasick.  We found the ship’s emergency ration stock and although some of it was not to our taste we took it to supplement our rations.  For the next two days we stayed in the Solent.”  (Extracts from ‘My War Years’ by John Eric Postles ISO used by kind permission of the author.)

 

Eric Brewer had already experienced the luxury of white bread.  His Assault troop also seems to have been spared two of the nights aboard ship since he did not board until the 4^th of June:

2^nd June 1944: If people only knew the date of the 2^nd front

3^rd June 1944:  Had briefing and have been told all about Second front

4^th June 1944:  Boarded ship at Southampton still in dock. Had final briefing today.

(From Eric Brewer’s diary, courtesy of Derek Brewer and family)

 

 

We Anchor in Hope - Tuesday 30th May 1944

This letter was stamped with censor number 10199 instead of the 14529 Dick had been using in Nightingale Wood.

As usual

Tuesday 30^th May

Chotie Darling,

                                    Very many thanks for your letter.  Sorry I haven’t been able to write you before this, but I’ve been pretty busy as you can guess.  However, things are much easier now, and I have plenty of spare time.

            I’ve just been to the local baths to get things teed up for the boys this afternoon.  Envious?

            You seem to have enjoyed the ‘Fair’ ‘do’ – even though working under forced labour, as it were.

            The leave question is off I’m afraid – as I can’t get off at all at the moment – ‘we anchor in hope’, as the prophet has it.

            Diller sent me a film book cutting of ‘San Luis Rey’.  Akim Lamiroff is having a crack at Uncle Pio.  I also learned quite by chance that the book won the all nations Pulitzer Prize Novel of 1927, which doesn’t surprise me in the least.  I think Uncle Pio is one of the fullest-drawn characters in modern literature.  It was also filmed in the silent days with Lily Damita, etc*. 

            Haven’t had the time to read much recently – only Rutland Boughton’s ‘Bach’, which I found good if only because he places this extraordinary genius in his proper place in the history of music and avoids eulogising him to excess**.

            I’m afraid I forgot all about giving you the train fare on our last meeting so I’m enclosing a cheque which I hope will cover it OK.  I’m sorry I can’t send cash but I simply haven’t got it.

            Don’t seem to have had a letter for ages – but then I can’t grumble, being such a poor correspondent myself.

            No news from this end, of course.  The old security racket, again.

            Weather here has been really wonderful of late.  I’m beginning to get quite brown again.  I imagine I’ll get brown enough before I’ve finished this Summer.

            Well, Darling, I’d better dry up here.

            Hope you can cash the cheque without too much trouble.

                                    All my love, Darling

                                                            Dicker.

 

* ‘The Bridge of San Luis Rey’ – film made in 1944 starring Lynn Bari, Akim Tamiroff (as Uncle Pio) and Francis Lederer. A rope bridge over a gorge in the Peruvian Andes snaps, sending five people plunging to their deaths. A priest sets out to find out more about the life of each of the victims.  The 1929 film was directed by Charles Brabin and starred Lily Damita and Don Alvarado

*’Bach, The Master’ by the English composer Rutland Boughton, written in 1930.

© Chotie Darling

Sending a parcel home

Sandy Handley’s story:

“As the time drew near to the end of May ’44 our camp was sealed off, no one was allowed out or in. That was about 10 days before we were to go.  We were detailed to post our personal items home, like anything we wouldn’t need - letters and so forth.  I can’t recall whether I sent much home at all.  I remember my Mother saying after the war that she got upset at seeing this small bundle, mainly rubbish, I’d sent home to Dover.  (From Ex Trooper S Handley’s ‘61 Recce - Memories of Normandy 1944 – 1945’ unpublished, pers comm.)

 

Corporal Eric Postles explains:

“Those men and vehicles not on the assault moved back to the Aldershot area. 

Lt Soul, Sergeant Griffiths and myself (by now a corporal) commanded the 10 Troop carriers.  Just before leaving camp we loaded ammunition, filled Bren gun magazines, primed hand grenades, phosphorous grenades and Piat shells.  Anti-tank mines were primed with detonators and 2 inch mortar bombs went into leather panniers that clipped onto rails in the carrier.  In addition we had a spare section of track, a spare bogie wheel, jerry cans of petrol and water, first aid kit, cooker, thermos flasks, a coil of barbed wire, mine detector and Number 18 wireless set installed in the Troop Leader’s carrier.  A Number 38 set was in Sgt Griffiths carrier.  We had a camouflage net and tarpaulin.  We were issued with 24 hour ration packs, mostly dehydrated food, a flat tin of emergency chocolate and survival pack which fitted in the inside pocket in our blouse.  It contained water purifying kit, high protein sweets and amphetamine tablets to keep you awake.

General acceptance was that the division would suffer heavy casualties.  There was a lot of discussion about what conditions would be like as some of the troop had been at Dunkirk.  Some copied the Americans and shaved their heads in case of lice.” (Extracts from ‘My War Years’ by John Eric Postles ISO used by kind permission of the author.)

 

Dick moved to the Aldershot area

 with the half of the Regiment not participating in D Day.

After this show - Saturday 20th May 1944

Usual address

Saturday

Chotie Darling,

                                    Just a few lines to thank you for a very happy, though all too brief, 24 hrs.

            I managed to get back with ten minutes to spare and just made the afternoon parade.  I hope you managed to get back without too much trouble – I hate the thought of you scrubbing floors all night*.  What you would do for me, Darling, is a constant source of amazement to me.

            I’ve just finished censoring the mail – a man size job tonight as unfortunately no one else bothered to do yesterday’s for me, with the result that I’ve had two days to do at once.

            I regret to say that the 24hr passes have stopped but there may be a chance of some leave a bit later on – three or four days, I imagine.

            I went to the naffy** and imbibed a little beer earlier this evening with the result that I keep running outside.  Sorry….

            All the other officers (both of them) went to the cinema tonight to see “Bombers Moon” – some punk Yank film, but I just couldn’t have stood it so I stayed here, in my little tent and wrote you, my Darling, which seems infinitely preferable.

            After this show, Chotie, I reckon we’ll take a few months off – sheer rest – and forget all about the wretched life we now lead.  Walking in Provence or somewhere like that.  We could find a little hotel every night … and when we’re married things will be different….

            I intend to come out of this business, darling, if only to take the chance of making you very happy, which is what you deserve.

            I must close here, Precious as I have to write a few lines to mother – not having written for some time.

            Goodnight, my Darling – I love you very, very much.

                                                                        Dicker

RKWilliams

 

*Presumably an ATS punishment for going AWOL (Absent Without Leave).

**Slang for the Navy, Army and Air Force Institute’s canteen and recreation building. Officers weren’t meant to frequent the NAAFI as this was an intrusion on the private lives of the Other Ranks.  The Commissioned Officers had their own ‘mess’, sometimes separated into Junior and Senior, and the senior NCOs had theirs, known as the Sergeants Mess. 

Eric Brewer’s diary reveals he was working in the Sergeants Mess (“not a bad job”) from 22^nd to 30^th May (From Eric Brewer’s Diary by kind permission of Derek Brewer and his family).

© Chotie Darling

 

20^th May 1944 – the Allies’ bombing of strategic military targets and infrastructure in northern France and Belgium continues with a record 5,000 bomber raid on railways and airfields. (From WW2-net Timelines.)

 

23^rd May 1944 – the Allies begin to break out of the Anzio beachhead in Italy and by 25^th May were successful, linking up with Allied forces to the south, who had penetrated the Gustav line near the coast.  However, instead of trapping the German Tenth Army, as planned, they followed US General Mark Clarke’s order to head for Rome.  (See The Drive to Rome)

Waterproofing and Wild Driving

Eric Brewer on the left with Corporal Polwin (photo and diary entries courtesy of Derek Brewer and family who have copyright).

17^th May 1944 – the diary of Eric Brewer, of ‘B’ Squadron’s Assault Troop begins with the entry:

“Water proofing armoured car.”

This crucial activity, preparing the vehicle for landing on the Normandy beaches, continued for a few days according to the diary. 

 

Sandy Handley gives a little more information:

“Soon the vehicles were to be waterproofed. A Dunlop compound* was pressed into the joints of the engine and an extension fixed on the exhaust for the sea water landing.  The vehicles were chocked up and wheels off for this water proofing.

I asked Don Polden, the corporal of our car (which hadn’t been waterproofed yet) if I could have a go at the driving a little.  I got in the driver’s seat quite low down and was peering through the visor (slit).  I started the engine into gear, pressed the accelerator and drove around like a madman.  The ground was quite uneven and my vehicle clouted one of the cars being waterproofed, one that was chocked up and no wheels. My vehicle knocked it off the jacks – was my face red!  I thought I’m in for a right telling off, but all I got was the troop officer, Lt R K Williams, telling me not to worry about that.  I was relieved but still anxious about my driving** – I was hopeless.”  (From Ex Trooper S Handley’s ‘61 Recce - Memories of Normandy 1944 – 1945’)

*the British devised vehicle waterproofing compound was made from grease, lime and asbestos fibres (from ‘Overlord’ by Max Hastings, Macmillan 2016 edition)

**all the crew in an armoured car were meant to be able to cover each other's roles in case someone was injured or lost.

Lt. Joseph Meredith's MBE was partially earned by his role as Technical Adjutant for HQ Squadron, preparing the vehicles for D Day.

 

17th May - Merrill's Marauders in northern Burma capture Myitkina airfield and are joined by Chinese forces but the Japanese ward off attacks against the town and strategically important river port until 3rd August.

18^th May 1944 – the success of the Admiralty Islands campaign (Operation Brewer), north east of New Guinea, completes the isolation of the strategic Japanese base at Rabaul - as planned in Operation Cartwheel, a major Allied offensive in the South West Pacific Area.

The Haunch town - Monday 15th May 1944

61^st Recce Regt RAC

APO

England

 

Monday 15^th May

Chotie Darling,

                                    Just a few lines to tee up the leave question.  I can get next Friday off from 2 o’clock in the afternoon until the same time Saturday afternoon ie. 24 hrs.  If this is any good to you will you write back at your earliest?  I imagine we could fix up somewhere to stay in the Haunch town*.  If something unexpected should turn up and cancel my pass I’ll write you at the earliest possible time.

            I’m just about up to my eyes in it at the moment, working from ‘first light’ until it’s dark – and writing this by candlelight in my tent.

            No news to tell you of course.  I was going to send you a copy of “San Luis Rey”, but I’ll keep it now and bring it along on Friday.

            Haven’t heard from Brinner yet – though it’s almost certain he’s at a depot somewhere.

            Must close here as I’m falling asleep.

                                                                                    All my love

                                                                                                            Dicker

PS Write instanta!

 

*Salisbury (The Haunch of Venison) 

© Chotie Darling

Catching fish - Tuesday 9th or Wednesday 10th May 1944

61^st Recce Regt RAC

APO

England

Wednesday 9^th (sic) May

Chotie Darling,

                                    Many thanks for your letter, which I didn’t receive until yesterday as the mail is pretty slow getting here.  It did get here however, and that’s the main thing.

            The Adjutant kindly condescended to give me the afternoon and evening off on Sunday last so I rushed out of camp helter-skelter and promptly hitch-hiked home.  It was a lovely day – very cold in the morning but coming out beautifully sunny later in the day.  On the whole I was very lucky and managed to make it in a few hours.  They were very surprised to see me, likewise Michael, who, naughty dog, had eaten a rabbit and a starling that morning!  I regret to say I slept most of the time there.

            How nice for Eric & Eve to have a baby son!  I feel almost envious – almost …. I must write him now, and tell him I think he’s awfully clever.

            As regards leave.  We all hope to get a day pass sometime during the next week, so just as soon as I know definitely when it will be, I’ll send a wire and just see if we can manage to meet at the ‘Haunch’* station.

            I’d forgotten all about ‘Love went a–Riding’** though I remember it well eno’ now.  I know I enjoyed it for its disparity from the common run of novels.

            Hope you came out of your inspection all right.  Sounded awful.

            I’ve managed to get rid of this Squadron Leader racket which I’ve had now for some ten days or so.

            Once again I find myself duty officer, which accounts for this letter, having been rushing about madly all day for the C.O.***  He’s quite cheerful tonight as he caught a fish in the local river, having been vainly trying for the past three weeks.  He bore it proudly into the mess at dinner as much as to say to all and sundry: “Look what a clever C.O. you’ve got!”  That stroke of luck should save us all from his usual bleak look for the next 48 hours.

            You seem to be doing nothing but dance these days.  What a life!  Hope you’re being a good little girl.

            Glad to hear you got the cheque OK, but you don’t mention your ability to cash it.  Is it all right?  Barclay’s are the best people.

            Must close here, Darling, to turn out the b_____ guard.

                                                            Love & kisses, precious

                                                                                    Dicker 

 

*The Haunch of Venison in Salisbury.  Co-incidentally the small bar there is said to have been used by Churchill and Eisenhower during the planning of the D-Day landings.

**A novel by Richard S. Blaker (the title is from a poem by Mary E. Coleridge).

***Lt-Col Sir William Mount Bart, TD (the former Prime Minister's maternal grandfather).  The local river was probably the Test, an important salmon river.

© Chotie Darling

 

11^th May 1944 – the Allies again attack the Gustav line in Italy in an attempt to capture Monte Cassino.  Finally, on 18^th May, after ferocious fighting, the Germans retreat from the stronghold and a troop of Polish cavalry erect the Polish flag on the summit. The Battle of Monte Cassino had lasted for four months and left 74,000 casualties. (See Monte Cassino Society.)

Chinese Nationalist forces cross the Salween River into Burma but are badly compromised by Japanese decoding of their communications.

 

12th May 1944 – the US Army Air Force begins attacking German synthetic oil plants (petrol, oil and lubricants produced from coal by IG Farben IG Farben) successfully halving oil production by the end of June 1944 (from ‘Overlord’ by Max Hastings, Macmillan 2016 edition).

 

13th May – the Japanese U-gō campaign front retreats from Kohima in India.

Chotie's 'little circle' - Saturday 6th May 1944

Sorry no ink!

61^st Recce Regt RAC

APO

England

Dearest Chotie,

                                                Well I’m Orderly* Officer again, Darling so here goes.

            Received your letter this morning – and very welcome it was.  Seems ages since I’d heard from you.

            Was glad to hear you’d managed to get home – if only for a short while, and that your little circle are OK.  I bet you’re excited about your sister Margaret** – ‘fraid I haven’t any reciprocating news re Diller, and as far as I know Brinner isn’t likely to do anything in this particular line.  Though you never know with Brinner.  You’ll notice I’m keeping quiet about myself….

            There’s simply no news from this end at all.  The chances of getting a pass all very thin – too thin to entertain – at present anyhow.

            At the moment I’m engaged in the worst part of this Orderly Officer racket – viz. sitting in the Orderly Room (Tent) all the evening and sleeping there at night – during which time I have to pay the Guard a visit – usually at about three in the morning.  A particularly thankless job.

            I’ve been reading ‘The Bridge of San Luis Rey’ for the umpteenth time.  If you haven’t read it yet, I’ll send it on in my next.

            It’s been very hot here lately though we’ve had a few showers today which have freshened things all round.  I managed to take a party to the local baths (indoor) yesterday and had quite a good swim myself.

            I’ve got a little pub teed up here.  It’s about three to four miles away cross-country – there’s no other way of getting to it, and I try to get out there whenever I get time off.  It’s a very pleasant evening walk and the quality justifies the effort.  I’m still running the Squadron though I’ve got a grip on things now and manage to de-centralise most of the work in true Army fashion.

            There seems no chance of your leave starting again?  I haven’t heard a thing.  I’ve no desire to see ours start again as it only means postponing the attainment of our ultimate goal.

            I hope you’re still being a good girl, Darling.  I’m being very good myself as there exists no opportunity of being anything else….

            I think I’d better go to bed now, Darling as I have to be up with the proverbial lark. 

                                Wish you were here with me ….

                                                    Goodnight Chotie Dear

                                                                                    Dicker

 

*Orderly as a military term means a soldier assigned to attend and perform various tasks for a superior officer.

**Chotie’s elder sister Margaret was expecting her first child.

 © Chotie Darling

  Chotie's 'little circle':

 

 

That night Eric Brewer went absent without leave from midnight to 7.00am.  His service record shows he was caught out and fined three days’ pay, possibly by Dick (RW).

(Eric Brewer's Service Record, copyright of Derek Brewer and family)

 

7^th May 1944 – US Air Force launches a 1,500 bomber raid against Berlin. (From WW2-net Timelines.)

On 8^th May Eisenhower made the decision that D Day would be on 5^th June 1944.  The original target date in May had been shifted because of the need to provide sufficient landing craft.

9^th May 1944 –With the surrender of the remaining 25,000 German and Rumanian troops the Russians capture the Crimean city of Sevastopol, a major port on the Black Sea. (From ‘The Second World War’ by Antony Beevor, published by Weidenfield and Nicolson 2012)

Eisenhower visits 61st Recce

General Eisenhower visited 61^st Recce at the beginning of May 1944.

“Beginning of May, General Eisenhower, the Supreme Commander, came round to visit us.  He came quite close to me and I thought for a moment, he was going to see if the bow on my beret was tied properly.  What General Eisenhower didn’t say to me was "You know what to do when you get over there Sandy!  Give ‘em hell”.  I was shaking in my boots at the thought of what was to come.  The majority of us hadn’t seen any action at all so far."  (From Ex Trooper Sandy Handley's ‘61 Recce - Memories of Normandy 1944 – 1945’)

 

Eric Postles remembers:

“An American Ranger Battalion* shared the camp area with us while we waited for the invasion.  Regular briefings in a marquee took place about the D-day landing sites showing RAF air reconnaissance films.  On our beach they recorded a fisherman’s horse and cart going down our beach exit track, which showed it was not mined.  They also indicated a white house which was our main landmark by the beach. 

We had our last exercise in the New Forest near Bournemouth.  The regiment’s role was revealed.  A and B squadron would provide the assault element with RHQ support.  Each troop would consist of 3 carriers with 4 crew, instead of the normal 3, and one light and one heavy armoured car and the assault troop (about 30 men) on bicycles (which were later replaces by their normal half-track vehicles).  C Squadron would provide signal links and support to 47 Royal Marine Commandos for the attack on Arromanches*. 

We waterproofed our vehicles with canvas and Bostic and fixed metal plates to increase the height of the carriers for when they were going through water.  We also lined the floor of the carrier with sandbags in an attempt to reduce the effects of land mines etc but as later showed this did not offer a great deal of protection.”  (Extracts from ‘My War Years’ by John Eric Postles ISO used by kind permission of the author.)

*the American Rangers https://www.historyonthenet.com/rangers-d-day (History on the Net website) were an elite commando unit destined to play a critical role on Omaha beach and taking the landmark promontory of Pointe du Hoc.

*47 Marine Commando landed near Asnelles-sur-mer at 09.50 on D Day “the worst time possible for mines, sea conditions and congestion in the water and on the beach” (from 47 Marine Commando Association website).  Five of their landing craft were sunk and the beach was a shambles but they moved quickly off and looped round inland behind Arromanches to attack Port-en-Bessin (north of Bayeux between Omaha and Gold beach) on 7^th June.  “Nearly half the contact patrols with the assaulting infantry were killed or wounded on D-Day, either on the beaches or before reaching them.” (From ‘A Reconnaissance Regiment in the B.L.A.’ by Lt-Col P.H.A. Brownrigg D.S.O.)

Caruso and Countryside - Monday 1st May 1944

On 1^st May 1994 Dick became a full Lieutenant

(see Recce Mitch’s post in WW2 Talk)

 

61^st Recce Regt RAC

APO England

Monday 1^st May

Chotie Darling,

                                    Caught once again for Duty Officer I find the usual consolation in having time and opportunity in writing you.

            I was very sorry I couldn’t make last weekend, but I’m afraid it was just impossible as I was out the whole time.

            I’m still doing Squadron Leader* and finding it a little cushier having got the hang of things now.

            Managed to get out a few nights ago with a friend - a recently joined officer who used to be in the M of I** and has all the scandals re Brendan Bracken and Churchill*** at his finger tips, as it were.  He’s an MA, amongst other things,  with a very keen appreciation of beauty in its many forms, and we spent a very pleasant evening walking cross-country to find an unspoiled pub some four or five miles away.  The countryside has never looked better, I’m sure, the meadows full of rabbits (lots of baby ones) and the woods full of pheasant.

            Heard Caruso’s recording of 'Celeste Äida'**** half an hour ago so I’m on top of the world.  (Also heard the second act of Äida a few nights ago – Eva Turner gave a particularly brilliant performance.  I think she’s still improving.  I heard her ‘Turandot’ when I was in Scotland which is her best, plus  I ‘m now beginning to think she ranks after Cancellia & Ponselle.)

          Came across Bruce Segler’s name in a copy of ‘Frabreo’ the Jewish Club’s Magazine of which the Adjutant has a copy, so I suppose he’s still alive and kicking.  That man had quite a good sense of form apart from a Tchaikovsky mania.  He practically refused to acknowledge the existence of Mozart.

            I’m enclosing a cheque with this letter, which I trust you’ll have no trouble in cashing, and a few coupons.  I would have sent cash, but I just can’t get any here myself.

            Hope to hear from you soon.

                                    All my love, Chotie

                                                                       Dicker

RKWilliams

 

*Senior officers involved in the D Day Assault were taking part in Exercise Thunderclap – Montgomery’s preparation sessions using a huge relief model of the battlefield to work through potential issues and outcomes. (From ‘Overlord’ by Max Hastings, Macmillan 2016 edition)

**Ministry of Information - the central government department responsible for publicity and propaganda during WW2.

** Brendan Bracken was a close friend and supporter of Churchill. From July 1941 to May 1945 he was Minister of Information.

****Enrico Caruso, the famous Italian tenor who died in 1921. (Listen to Caruso’s recording of 'Celeste Äida' from Giuseppe Verdi’s Egyptian opera.)  Eva Turner was an English soprano most famous for her title role in Turandot, Giacomo Puccini’s opera set in Asia. (Listen to Eva Turner’s recording of ‘In Questa Reggia’ from Turandot.)  Rosa Ponselle was an American operatic soprano.

© Chotie Darling

 

1^st May 1944 – Commonwealth Prime Ministers meet in London at the ‘Imperial Conference’. (From WW2-net Timelines.)

A Bren gun on a bicycle

Preparing for D day

61^st Reconnaissance were to play a critical role on D Day and preparations would have begun while they were in Nightingale Wood.  As the Commander of ‘A’ Squadron, Major Philip Brownrigg (later Lt.Col. Brownrigg) describes:

“Our task for the invasion was twofold: first, to provide contact patrols with the assaulting battalions, working back to a control set at divisional Headquarters; and second, to land a skeleton reconnaissance regiment.  This meant reorganising the Regiment.  ‘C’ Squadron found the contact patrols and some carriers with their crews to act as ammunition ferries for 47 Marine commandos at Port-en-Bessin.  The assault reconnaissance regiment consisted of ‘A’ and ‘B’ Squadrons and Regimental Headquarters, all at about 40% of their full strength.  The remainder of the Regiment was scheduled to land within the first month.  For our special task we were allowed to choose much of our equipment, and so acquired a great number of half tracks, which were useful throughout the campaign, and lots of bicycles…”       (From ‘A Reconnaissance Regiment in the B.L.A.’ by Lt-Col P.H.A. Brownrigg D.S.O.)

 

Anthony Rampling was a Bren gunner in the assault troop of ‘B’ Squadron – a Bren was a light machine-gun. One in twenty gunners were Bren gunners like Anthony, others had rifles or Sten guns (submachine guns) while the officers carried pistols.

 “The standard reconnaissance unit carried twice as much firepower as its infantry counterpart.” (‘Only the Enemy in Front , Every other beggar behind… - The Recce Corps at War 1940-1946’ by Richard Doherty, Tom Donovan Publishing Ltd 1994)

Bren Gun on a Bicycle

“First of all I was in the Assault Troop and just prior to the Normandy landings they were talking about issuing us with bicycles and being a Bren gunner I didn’t fancy this very much. A Bren gun weighed about 24lbs and it was a bit awkward to carry and I thought it would be a disaster on a bicycle.  I asked for a transfer into the armoured car troop, which I got fairly immediately and my officer in charge was Lieutenant Richard Williams.”  (From Anthony Rampling’s account of 61^st Recce, pers. comm.)

So Tony joined Dick’s troop. Tony’s transfer could have saved his life – assault troopers had to walk up to the hedgerows in Normandy to flush the Germans out and many were killed.

 

Squadron Leader - 27th April 1944

61^st Recce Regt RAC

APO

England

 

Thursday

Chotie Darling,

                                                Just a few brief lines to let you know I can’t make Sunday.  It’s the devil, but there’s just nothing I can do about it.

            At the moment I’m Squadron Leader, which is no picnic as I haven’t had enough experience of the admin. side to make things easy.

            If by any chance I can make it I’ll send a wire.

            I’m just about up to my neck in work at the moment and will remain that way for some time yet.  The unfortunate part of this job is that I have to censor some fifty to sixty letters every night which takes a surprisingly long time.  Normal letters wouldn’t take long, but these people write an astounding amount of pure drivel, especially the married ones.

            The fox cub* has just been bathed – he’s almost nude now as his baby fluff is coming off and giving place to real fox hair.  He’s still very babyish and finds the greatest difficulty in walking a straight course.

            There’s another subaltern censoring letters on this rickety table and every time he sticks the letter down he rocks the whole auction.

            No news from this end, nothing I can tell you anyhow.

            Brinner’s lost his leave I think, which means he will have to join his unit straight away** – very unpleasant.

            The CO’s just arrived looking a bit bleak***.  I’m trying to look as though I’m censoring mail just to impress him.

            Must close here.

                                                All my love Darling

                                                            Dicker

RKWilliams

 

*see Foxcub letter of 13^th April 1944 (insert as link)

**presumably this is the leave Brinner was due at the end of OCTU before joining his new troop as an officer.

***Lieutenant Colonel Sir William Mount, Bart, TD (grandfather of the former Prime Minister, David Cameron).

© Chotie Darling

 

The Regiment had four squadrons – ‘A’,’B’ and ‘C’ were the fighting squadrons and then there was the HQ squadron for back up, including a mortar section and the anti-tank section.

Each fighting squadron had two troops of armoured cars, two troops in carriers and an assault troop. 

The Armoured Car Troops had twelve men each – an officer (Lieutenant or Captain), a sergeant, a Corporal and Lance Corporal and eight troopers.  The sergeant for Dick Williams’ troop (No 5 Troop, ‘B’ Squadron according to Sandy Handley) was Wheeler and the Corporal was also a Williams.

They travelled in two heavy cars (one carrying the officer) and two light armoured cars (also known as Light Recce Cars or LRCs), which went in front.  Each car had a driver, a commander and a gunner. Sandy Handley was a Bren gunner in one of the light cars.

From Anthony Rampling's account of 61^st Recce (pers comm).

 

Sandy Handley described training in the camp:

“Mainly the next month April to May was spent on reconnaissance routine, vehicle spacing and radio work.  All our four vehicles were netted up by radio to other vehicles of the Squadron, which in turn linked up to our Squadron HQ.  As well as the radio operations we had a machine gun (Bren) and smoke dischargers to know about.  The two heavy Humbers also carried a 37mm cannon.  All three men in each car had to know one another’s tasks, so if any of us came a cropper in action, we would know what to do.  If, say, the driver got knocked out, one or the other would have to take over the driving job.  Heaven forbid it (and I am glad to say it didn’t) ever happened. I hoped not – mainly because I was hopeless at driving, especially in an armoured car with just a small slit visor to look through.”

(From Ex Trooper S Handley’s ‘61 Recce - Memories of Normandy 1944 – 1945’)

(See photos of heavy and light armoured cars 61st Reconnaissance Regiment and The British Reconnaissance Regiment.)

Ghost Stories - Friday 21st April 1944

61^st Recce Regt RAC

APO.

England.

Friday 21^st April

Chotie Darling,

                                    Many thanks for a very welcome letter, and programmes enclosed.

            I’ve already broken the sad news about that wretched photograph*, and I’m enclosing it with this if only to get rid of it.

            You seem to be seeing quite a number of concerts – just one of those things which completely pass me by here.  Glad to see it was the old L.P.O.** who gave them.  They’re exceptionally good and very courageous as they’ve been fighting financial troubles ever since I’ve first heard of them.  There’s a very interesting book been written of their story – I believe by one of the ‘cellists, though the author and title eludes me for the moment. 

            I expect Benno*** was in good form – he’s playing better than ever these days.  I personally would place him among the first five pianists in the world, today.  He plays Rachmaninoff to perfection – certainly better than Sergei**** himself.  The last time I heard any of the Leonard overtures was in Folkestone some four or five months ago – in fact apart from leaves, I’ve heard very little music at all since.

            As regards leave, I expect I could get next Sunday (30^th?) off, when I could perhaps meet you in the neighbourhood of the ‘Haunch of Venison’*****.

            Isn’t there any chance of your getting your full leave?  That of course would be the ideal thing as I could meet you practically every evening.  We must try next weekend however, if nothing better offers.

            Having quite a peaceful time here, though I’m working pretty long hours.  The main advantage nowadays is that it’s not so cold when you get up in the morning. 

            Haven’t read much lately – only James’ ‘Ghost Stories of an Antiquary’† which I’ve read in bed in the middle of a wood – quite the right atmosphere.  Also Graham Greene’s ‘Brighton Rock’ and ‘Ministry of Fear’.  I think the opening chapters of his ‘England made me’ are some of the best stuff I’ve read in years.  I think in fact the only thing to beat them, is Gabriel Chevalier’s ‘Clochermerle’.  But as usual, I digress.

            They’ve got some beer in the bar now (mess) so life is all rosy once again.

            Have you heard from Eve yet?  Let me know all news of the dear little thing, won’t you?

            There was a film show in camp last night – Jane Eyre††, but as I wasn’t in the mood (I should say the Brontë  mood).  I went for a long walk among the hills and found some pukka Queen Anne Cottages, which more than made up for it.

                                                All my love Chotie

                                                                                    Dicker

RKWilliams

 

*see photograph on banner above. 

**The London Philharmonic Orchestra gave concerts all over the country during World War 2, depleted by the call-up and using instruments donated by the public following the destruction of its base (the Queen’s Hall) during the London Blitz in 1941.

***Benjamin Britten?? – the composer, conductor and pianist had returned to Britain as a conscientious objector in 1943.

****Sergei Rachmaninoff – Russian composer, pianist and conductor who lived in the US and Europe from 1918.

*****The Haunch of Venison at 1 Minster Street, Salisbury is an ancient inn dating from the 14^th Century.

†M.R.James’ first collection of ghost stories.

††The 1943 film of Charlotte Brontë’s masterpiece, ‘Jane Eyre’, starred Orson Welles and Joan Fontaine.

© Chotie Darling

 

22^nd April 1944 – the Allies’ Western New Guinea campaign begins with amphibious landings on the northern coast of Japanese held New Guinea.  Although these were successful, fighting continued in Western New Guinea until the end of the war in the Pacific.

 

23^rd April 1944 – the harbour installations at Bristol (where Chotie was stationed) were again  targeted by the Luftwaffe as part of Operation Steinbock.  117 planes were sent but they missed their target - no bombs fell on the city, instead being scattered over Wessex; presumably with the Düppel anti-radar foil used to confuse the Allied radar defences.  (See The Baby Blitz, Bombing in the Bristol Area and Last venture over Bristol.)

 

25^th April 1944 – Luftwaffe commences a series of night attacks on Allied shipping concentrated at Portsmouth and Plymouth. (From Chronology of World War II.)

 

27^th April 1944 – Exercise Tiger, a rehearsal for the D Day landings using the west coast of Devon near Slapton Ley, resulted in tragedy when German E-boats attacked.  The operation was also marred by casualties from ‘friendly fire’. In all 946 were killed - mainly American Army troops preparing for the Normandy landings on Utah beach. (See Exercise Tiger.)

Cycling home - Monday 16th April 1944

61^st Recce Regt RAC

AP.O.

England

 

Monday

Chotie Darling,

                                    I’m afraid I haven’t written you for some time, due to divers reasons – partly due to pressure of work and partly due to the fact that I took the opportunity of having a day off yesterday to go home for the day.

            To say I had the day off is a slight exaggeration as I was working up till midday – and not trusting to buses & trains, owing to the state that these things are in, I decided to cycle*.  When I was half way home it started to rain and I rode the remainder in a torrential downpour.  However it cleared during the brief time I was at home and I cycled back in comparative peace.  It took me four hours each way, so I only had some three hours at home.

            I’ve given my greatcoat to Brinner as I won’t need it any more – coupled with some pretty sound advice on how to ‘go on’ when commissioned.  He’ll gladly accept the coat – though not the advice, I fancy.

            No more news from this end – things are going as per routine.

            I managed to buy a pair of fleece-lined boots – knee-high black ones.  Cost me a fortune but they’re the only thing.  I don’t fancy lacing up army boots and anklets on a cold morning, a thing that has always offended my sense of having things cushy.

            Have just heard Schubert’s 8^th (unfinished), the best thing that has happened to me for weeks.

            At long last they’ve got some beer in the mess (?) so tonight I intend to imbibe a little.  I shall have to break myself in gently as I haven’t even smelled the stuff for over a week.

            Went to the flicks with Geoff** last Sat.  We both thought that ‘The Lodger’ was on and went gaily in, to find that it was on next week.  What we saw in actual fact was ‘Bees in Paradise’….***  Geoff said it was the best leg-show he’s seen in years, but apart from that, it stank.  I bitterly endorsed his words.

            Are you reading Captain Foulenough’s résumé of his life story in ‘Beach-Comber’s Column in the Express?****  I never miss it.  I’m trying to get a grip on two films at the moment ‘Heart of a Nation’ and ‘Le Jour se lève’, (Gabin)*****.  Both seem out of the question, though I could have seen the former at the ‘Academy’ when I stopped in Town on returning from Scotland.

            Well, Darling, how are you these days?  Cheering up with the Spring I expect.  As I am.  The countryside around here is beginning to look lovely now, though it’s still a little early.  There is also an abundance of thatched cottages in this area.  I’d just love to get to work on one or two of them, as the whole place is almost completely unspoiled.

            It’s really a very pleasant spot, and I’ve always gone for primroses….

            Must close here to relieve the Adjutant ‘cos he wants his dindin – the rat.

                                                All my love

                                                            Chotie

                                                                                    Dicker

P.S. No signs of leave?

P.P.S.  The photo I had taken is absolutely shocking.  I’m sending it on…

RKWilliams

 

*Some 40 miles between Nightingale Wood and Pagham!

**Presumably Geoff Winzer.

***’The Lodger’ is a 1944 horror film about Jack the Ripper while ’Bees in Paradise’ is a musical comedy with ‘scantily clad warrior women’.

****Captain Foulenough was a character in the entertaining ‘Beachcomber’ column. (See Beachcomber.)

*****’The Heart of a Nation’ is a French drama film made in France in 1940, which escaped the Nazis be released as a dubbed version in 1943 in New York.  ‘Le Jour se lève’ (Daybreak) is a French poetic realism film made in 1939 and starring Jean Gabin.

© Chotie Darling

 

17th April 1944 – the British Royal Navy and Bomber Command begin intensive mining of the approaches to the English Channel to protect the D-Day invasion fleet. (From Chronology of World War II .)

18^th April 1944 – in Exercise Smash), practice for the landings on D Day, is the largest live ammunition exercise of the war.   Staged at Studland in Dorset (not far from Chotie’s home in Poole) Eisenhower, Churchill and Montgomery watched from Fort Henry.  The exercise showed the vulnerability of the floating Duplex Drive Valentine tanks – some are still wrecks in the bay.

19th April 1944 – Ichi-Gō offensive by Japanese aiming to eliminate the airfields used by the US Army’s Fourteenth Air Force.  Advancing in north-east China they reached Honan province where the local peasants, starved and looted by their own troops, turned on the fleeing Nationalist Army. (From ‘The Second World War’ by Antony Beevor, published by Weidenfield and Nicolson 2012)

The Allied Fleet begins their attacks on Japanese bases on Sumatra in Operation Cockpit.

 

 

Army Post Office

Address card inserted with 13th April 1944 letter envelope.

 

 

16^th April 1944 – the Russians capture Yalta, a coastal city on the Black Sea in Crimea. (From WW2-net Timelines .)

 

The Foxcub - Thursday 13th April 1944

2/Lt RK Williams

            61^st Recce Regt

NB!                             A.P.O.

            England

 

Thursday 13^th April

Chotie Darling,

                                    Just the few odd lines to let you know I’m still alive at any rate.  Having quite a good time here, despite poor living accommodation and even worse food.  Weather is excellent, pukka spring – including cuckoos, damn them.

            As regards leave of any sort, I’m afraid it’s out of the question – however I will try to get down to your place sometime during your leave, and you should be able to get here, somehow.  I’m afraid I can’t give you anything more definite as, for all I know, I may easily be out on a scheme throughout your leave.

            I’m very tied up here as regards communications – no telephones or telegrams.  Luckily I’m able to censor my own letters, but unfortunately have to censor some forty or fifty letters every evening, which takes time.

            We’ll manage to meet somehow, never fear.

            My neighbouring subaltern came across a fox cub the other day and we’ve kept it ever since.*  We procured a very wee kitten from the Quartermaster (they always have hundreds of kittens) and they live together very happy.

He, (the foxcub) is very small and covered in light down, with a very funny little face.  He keeps on going “TWEEK!, TWEEK!”.  ‘Formidable!’, as the French say. 

“That’s all for now, Kiddies – The Zoo man will be back again, etc, etc”….

Have managed to do a little sun-bathing so far, but not eno’ to worry about.

            I’ve just managed to get rid of a Sergeantt from my troop, who’s been giving me a headache for months – a very poor type.

            Must close here for dinner (?).  (So called)

                                                            All my love, Chotie

                                                                        Dicker

RKWilliams

*The fox became the Regiment’s mascot accompanying them as far as the Ardennes.  Trooper Ernie Brobbin of ‘A’ squadron gives an account of finding the foxcub in ‘Beaten Paths are Safest’  by Ron Howard (Brewin Books 2004):

          “One particular morning as dawn was breaking, another chap and I were on motor transport guard when we heard a ‘baby’ crying and went to investigate.  The ‘baby’ turned out to be an abandoned fox cub.  The poor thing was crying after it had been left on its own.

            Neither of us had come across a fox before, as we came from mining areas.  We picked it up, took it back to camp, fed it on milk, and then made it a cage from saplings.

            The cub prospered and eventually we decided to take it with us as a troop mascot.”

The cub was adopted by Lt. Compton Bishop who kept it in his armoured car and took it to France.  (See painting by Sandy Handley of the fox on a lead with 61^st Reconnaissance Regiment. The original painting is held by the Tank Museum at Bovington, Dorset.)

© Chotie Darling

 

A letter from Trooper Eric Brewer from about this time is stamped no 14529: Lt. Dick Williams’ censor number but the stamp is overwritten ‘Truman’ (possibly Lieutenant Philip Benson Truman who earned the Military Cross at Amay-sur-Seulles later that summer). 

 

Address same as usual

Sunday eight o’clock

Dear Mum Dad and all ….

“Have been doing training and expect to be doing it all next week; plenty to do and little time to do it”….

“Had some white bread for tea today; first piece for three years and isn’t there a difference between it and the present day bread… Also are receiving pears and peaches so the war must be as good as won”…

Eric Brewer went home on leave to Grays, Essex in April, returning just before 25^th April 1944.

 

14^th April 1944 – the SS Fort Stikine, a freighter loaded with mixed cargo including 1,400 tons of explosive, catches fire and explodes in Bombay (now Mumbai) docks.  She takes with her 13 other ships. Approximately 750 people are killed, many more wounded and extensive further damage sustained to cargo and shipping. (See Bombay Explosion.)

 

Primroses - Saturday 8th April 1944

 

2/Lt Richard Williams

NB.  ->               61^st Recce Regt

Home Forces

 

Saturday 7^th (sic)

Chotie Darling,

                                    Many thanks for letter.

            I must begin this with an apology for having omitted to congratulate you on your successful action*.  In actual fact I had already guessed that it was your crowd who did it, as heard about it even before I got your letter.

            Ref. leave.  At the moment all leave is cancelled and I don’t entertain much hope of getting away.  However you could meet me in Soton, at any rate, for a few evenings.  Failing this I could come over to P’stone I expect.  At the moment I don’t know how things stand.  We’ll simply have to wait and see.

            We’re under canvas at the moment – I have a tent of my own, luckily, as I preferred to erect my own bivouacs rather than sleep four or five in one.  The liability side shows shocking food, etc, but there are some lovely clusters of primroses in the woods to help the assets.

            Having quite a good time here though there’s no beer for miles round.  Must close here as there’s no more note paper – Junior’s pinched the last.

                                                            All my love

                                                                        Dicker

    RKWilliams 

 

*Presumably the defence of Bristol against the 'Baby Blitz' raid of 27^th March 1944. 

**Southampton, a major port on the south coast.

***Parkstone, Poole – where Chotie’s family lived.

****Ronnie Jury

© Chotie Darling

Spring woodland flowers (primroses in centre surrounded by dog violets, wood anemones in background). Copyright Martin Warren.

Eric Postles’ troop (10 Troop, B Squadron) had managed to secure leave:

“We moved by rail to Romsey, then into tented camps at Nightingale Woods on the Romsey-Southampton road.  Special permission was given for our troop to go on leave before the area was sealed at midnight.  While on leave I first met Gladys Dandy, my future wife, who was the guest solo singer at Burscough Methodist Chapel on 10 April 1944.” (Extracts from ‘My War Years’ by John Eric Postles ISO used by kind permission of the author.)

Eric remembers his troop was the last to go on leave – the special permission had been obtained by Colonel Mount - and he arrived home unexpectedly.  Once back in Nightingale Wood there were a couple of exercises in preparation for D Day, one of them finishing up on Bournemouth beach*.  (Eric Postles pers.comm.)

*the other was possibly Exercise Fabius II, the rehearsal for Assault Force "G" (elements of the British 50 Infantry Division and attached units, which were to assault Gold Beach).  This took place between 23rd April and 7th May.  The force marshalled in areas C and B, embarked from Southampton and Lymington, and landed on Hayling Island between Chichester and Portsmouth.

Eric Postles wearing Reconnaissance badge

 

10^th April 1944 – Soviet forces capture Odessa, an important Ukrainian city and port on the Black Sea.  The Germans escaped by sea.

Nightingale Wood

Chapter 10          D Day and preparations

 

‘The ever-shifting sea, now soon to bear

Armada on the ebb of Hitler’s tide.

Then are the hosts in canvas camp confined,

Some in a wood called Nightingale: but where

No bird sings to the restless men at night,

Who fancy seeing ravens in the sky.’

 

(From ‘On the Eve’ by Major Frank Harding MC,

in ‘War echoes over thirty years’ published by Arthur Stockwell, 1970)

 

In early April 1944 the 61^st Reconnaissance Regiment

 moved to a camp in Nightingale Wood, near Romsey, Hampshire

 

Don Aiken, of 11 Troop B Squadron, takes up the story :

“Finally we moved to a tented camp, in ‘Nightingale Wood’, close to a small village named Romsey, about 10 miles from Southampton.
It soon became obvious that everything was being assembled and prepared for the invasion of Europe; the long awaited Second Front.   All around us were similar camps containing troops of all persuasions. British, American, Canadian and smaller units of many other nations were all crowded into encampments that seemed to be everywhere in the fields and woods around the borders of the New Forest.
A news blackout was enforced on everyone and all leave was stopped.All mail was strictly censored.
I had received news from my brother Arthur that he had been stationed just on the outskirts of Southampton - his section of the Corps of Signals was engaged in running telephone lines between all the multitude of units which were moving in. We both managed to get a few hours of compassionate leave, and we met in Southampton one afternoon. He took me back up to his section quarters where we had a cup of tea and a chat before we bade each other farewell.”

 

Nightingale Wood lies at the edge of Southampton, just beyond the M27 and is partially occupied by Romsey Golf Club.  In spring 1944 this was D-Day Marshalling Area Camp C16 and C17 (camp capacity 3,250 personnel and 465 vehicles).  (See Airfield Information Exchange and The D-Day Sausage Camps.)

“By the spring of 1944, all of southern England and much of the rest of of the country had become a vast military encampment……In the assembly areas great tented encampments were created equipped with water points, field bakeries, bath facilities, post offices, each one camouflaged with the intent of making it indistinguishable from 10,000 feet.” (From ‘Overlord’ by Max Hastings, Macmillan 2016 edition)

 

It was no picnic as Anthony Rampling remembers:  

Nightingale Wood    

“We were in Nightingale Woods, under canvas – it wasn’t very nice at all, what with the rain etc and some of the conditions were quite bad with mud, and cos the rations weren’t very good either so nothing was nice about it.”

There was an infantry regiment alongside us in Nightingale Wood and their job was making crosses to take over to Normandy ready for the people that got killed.”

 

Anthony Rampling and 61st Recce were in Nightingale Wood for two months 'waiting to go’.  Anthony’s friend Sandy Handley joined 61^st Recce soon after they had arrived at Nightingale Wood.

“On April 2^nd 1944 I had my marching orders to report to the 61^st Reconnaissance Regiment (50^th Division).  The flash on our sleeves was (TT) which was Tyne Tees, quite a few men from the Newcastle area.  There I was again on a train, this time to Romsey, Hants.  You can imagine…

When I first joined up (17^th July 1940) I was 20 years old in the Royal West Kents, men mainly all from Kent.  I had got to know most of our company – some from Dover (Sandy’s home town).  Now here I was alone, I didn’t know a soul.

On arrival at the camp between Romsey and Southampton all were under canvas below the trees of a wood (Nightingale Wood) quite near the famous Florence Nightingale home, although I never saw it.  Also near to Romsey was Broadlands, the home estate of Lord Louis Mountbatten.  I didn’t see that either, just the trees.

I reported to the C.O. Colonel Mount who asked me if I could shoot straight.  I said ‘yes’, but afterwards I thought it would have been better if I had said ‘no’!  The Colonel said “You have come to the right place!”  I made myself known to my new friends in my troop.  I was now a gunner/operator in a Humber Armoured Car Mark 3.  I soon got to know the twelve men in the four armoured cars in No 5 troop B squadron 61^st Recce Regiment.”

(From Ex Trooper S Handley’s “61 Recce - Memories of Normandy 1944 – 1945”)

 

Dick was the officer for No 5 Troop 'B' Squadron,

61st Reconnaissance Regiment.

Mixed Batteries - Saturday 1st April 1944

2/Lt Williams RK

61^st Recce Regt

RAC

Home Forces

 

Saturday 1^st April

Chotie Darling,

                                    Just received your letters and enclosed, for which very many thanks, Darling.

            Arrived back safely from Scotland on Wednesday last and have been up to my eyes in work ever since.  Things are pretty hectic at the moment.

            You’re quite right about the sopranos – I’m quite enamoured with several – Maria Cancellia, Rosa Poncelle* etc, though unfortunately they’re still in Italy I believe.

            I shall be able to see you on your leave – at least I hope so.  Prepare for an FFI – you naughty girl.

            I had to go to Leicester yesterday to take some vehicles there and managed to see Diller for some few minutes.  Unhappily it took me nearly an hour to find her, and I was pretty pushed for time.  However, I chased around on a motor bike and eventually found her.  Brinner spent last weekend there on a 48 from OCTU and had quite a good time I believe.

            I’ve just had a break for lunch.  I had a pretty cushy time in Scotland.  There was a singular lack of any show of organisation with the result that they didn’t really know we were there for three days or so.  I had one day in Glasgow on the weekend.  No much of a town – yet the Scots refer to it as the ‘Second City of the Empire’.

            There was every amenity to be found locally – skating, swimming, golf etc, so I didn’t need to travel abroad.  The only snag with the whole place was that all the pubs shut at 8.30 in the evening and very few opened at all on Sundays.  We could drink in the mess until 11.30 though, so things were not too bad.

            (I’m just going to fight for the coffee – Got it…)

            The Lieutenant I went to Glasgow with was once in a mixed AA Battery** – gave me all the dope.  He said he had to chuck it as every time he choked off*** some poor girl she burst into tears, which used to shake him.  He was a bit crazy anyhow.

            Geoff Winzer’s sorting out kit and holding a young auction sale this afternoon so I’m going round to buy it all up (perhaps..)

            You evaded my reference to baritones – I think you’ve got a couple teed up somewhere in Bath.

            Incidentally Eric and I always used to drink at the ‘Christopher’ which is just opposite the Abbey.  It used to be quite a place.  That was where, on one memorable occassion I called for two pints and we found we had only got sevenpence between us.  Happy days ….

            And please, Chotie, no more presents.  You really can’t do it.

                                                All my love, Darling

                                                            Dicker

 

*Probably Rosa Ponselle, an American soprano

**The mixed (male and female) anti-aircraft batteries had a quite scandalous reputation in some quarters. The women serving alongside men had much more freedom to socialise with the opposite sex than other military units for women.  (See also The History of the ATS.)

***’choke off’ - bring the relationship to an end

 

****The Christopher's Inn is now a backpackers’ hostel.

 

 © Chotie Darling

Were these the women who defended Bristol?

 

 

1^st April 1944 – Salween offensive by China attacking the Japanese army in Yunnan Province which lies on the NE border of Burma (Myanmar).  They eventually reached Burma on 22^nd January 1945. (From World War II database.) 

The US Air Force accidentally bomb Schaffhausen in northernmost Switzerland and offer $1million in reparations. (From WW2-net Timelines.)

 

3rd April 1944 – Germany’s huge battleship, the Tirpitz, is attacked and damaged in Operation Tungsten, a bombing raid by the Royal Navy’s Fleet Air Arm in Alten Fjord in Norway. (From Chronology of World War II http://www.onwar.com/chrono/1944/apr44/f03apr44.htm.)

With Hungary now occupied by the German army the US Army Air Force and the RAF bomb the capital Budapest.

 

4th April 1944 – De Gaulle becomes head of the Free French forces in place of Giraud (from Chronology of World War II). 

The US Army Air Force bombs Bucharest, the capital of Romania (from WW2-net Timelines).

 

5^th April 1944 – Siegfried Lederer, a Jewish inmate of the concentration camp and killing centre at Auschwitz-Birkenau escapes to Czechoslovakia.  Two days later Rudolf Vrba and Alfred Wetzel also escape successfully.  They write a report, providing some of the first reliable eyewitness accounts of the camp, which is published worldwide from Switzerland in June 1944. (See United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.)

Britain closes the telephone service to Ireland (a neutral country in World War 2) and stops newspaper distribution to there and Gibraltar.  (From Chronology of World War II.)

 

6^th April 1944 – the Japanese lay siege to Kohima, about 60 miles north of Imphal, a supply depot at the summit of a pass offering the Japanese their best route from Burma into India. The hill-station was bravely defended by a small force of Indian and British troops.  Although the siege was relieved by 15^th April, fierce fighting at Kohima continued until the end of May when the starving Japanese withdrew. The 2^nd Division Memorial at Kohima bears the famous epitaph

"When You Go Home, Tell Them Of Us And Say, 
For Their Tomorrow, We Gave Our Today".

 

Army List April 1944

Extract from the Army List for April 1944 - Dick is mentioned in middle row, 6th from top (from WW2 Talk -  see Recce Mitch’s post of 7^th June 2013.) as a War Substantive 2nd Lieutenant.

The British Army List is a list (or more accurately seven series of lists) of serving regular, militia or territorial British Army officers, kept in one form or another, since 1702.

Ayr - Friday 24th March 1944

Ayrshire

Scotland

Friday

Chotie Darling,

                                    Have just received your letter of the 19^th inst. which has been forwarded up from the unit.

            I was very pleased to see that Eric had replied to your letter and that I now have Eric’s address once again.  No excuse now, eh?

            Having a very pleasant time here doing absolutely nothing, as there seems no organisation of any sort here, and nobody worries about you.

            I’m in a very cushy mess of practically every Regiment in the Army, though I’ve only met one bloke I knew before.

            I took the afternoon off and walked to Irvine* some three miles along golden sands** in glorious sunshine.  (I omitted to say that I had some three hours sleep in the afternoon on the beach.)  I then had a beer or two in Irvine and bussed back.

            Went skating on Tuesday and a dance in Ayr last night so I thought I’d have things a little quieter this evening, as I spent this morning up to my neck in the sea.***

            I’ll enclose some coupons in this letter.  If I remember that is.  What are they worth to you?

            All the pubs up here close at 8.30 pm except one in Ayr.  Unfortunately the barmaid there became much too friendly for my liking so I stay clear now.  She was a very charming little thing but obviously didn’t know her own mind.  So now I have to drink in the mess – very unsatisfactory. 

            How are you behaving these days?  Being a good girl I hope.  Write and tell me all about him won’t you?  If he’s under forty I’ll be jealous, and if he’s over forty I’ll spank you.

            Must close here, Baby

                                                            All my love

                                                                                    Dicker

 

*Irvine is a town in North Ayrshire on the west coast of Scotland. A couple of Combined Operations WW2 camps were situated to the south of Irvine – HMS Dundonald trained all three services in signalling procedures to and from landing craft and the use of navigational aids to assist small landing craft find their way to designated landing places on hostile beaches.  HMS Dinosaur focused on tank landing craft training. (From Combined Operations WW2 website .)

**Barassie beach

© Copyright Ian Mockford.

*** “For the landings to be successful and for breakout from the bridgehead on the French coast to be achieved the men of all three services not only had to be equipped they also had to be trained.  It was to be training like no other, rigorous, realistic and relentless and much of it took place in Scotland.”  (From The Scots at War Trust.) 

© Chotie Darling

 

26th March 1944 – 10,000 German troops and French militia attack the 465 Maquisards gathered on the Plateau des Glières  in Haute Savoie. The Maquis retreat and disperse although one third, unable to escape, are killed.

 

The 'Baby Blitz' on Bristol.

On the night of 27^th March 1944 139 Luftwaffe planes flew to attack the harbour installations and fighter airfields at Bristol with high explosive bombs and phosphorous oil incendiaries. Chotie’s heavy artillery anti-aircraft battery was part of the port’s ground defences. 

This was the first bombing raid on the city since 1942 and the Luftwaffe had not been able to carry out daytime photographic reconnaissance over the city since then. Poor target marking by the Germans as well as the defences of Bristol (fighter aircraft, ground defences and the successful deployment of decoy areas) contributed to the failure of the raid, despite the dropping of Düppel anti-radar foil to confuse the ATS radar operators. (This 'chaff' of small strips of aluminium foil was similar to the 'Window' technique developed by the Telecommunications Radar Establishment in Dorset.  Both techniques were not used for about a year after their invention because they would be too easy for the enemy to copy.)  

No bombs fell on Bristol and 13 German planes were lost – the Luftwaffe only had 287 bombers available for operations over Britain at the time.  The attack was part of Operation Steinbock, bombing English cities in retaliation for the increasing number of Allied raids on German towns.  (From Bristol during World War 2 and Bombing in the Bristol Area. See also Freedom from Attack.)

 

28^th March 1944 – Russian troops advancing in the Ukraine enter Romanian territory near Nikolayev (Russian) / Mykolayiv (Ukrainian) on the Black Sea.

 

29^th March 1944 – the advancing Japanese in India cut the Imphal-Kohima supply road and lay siege to Imphal, the state capital of Manipur, near the centre of India’s border with Burma.  The siege continues until 22^nd June - the Japanese withdrew from India in early July 1944.  The Battles of Imphal and Kohima were the turning points of the Burma Campaign.

 

30th March 1944 – a RAF raid on Nuremberg with 795 bombers loses 96 aircraft, the highest loss in one night throughout the war.

Forgiveness - Saturday 18th March 1944

2/Lt RK Williams

61^st Recce Regt RAC

Whittlesford

Cambs

 

Saturday

Chotie Darling,

                                    Many thanks for your very prompt letter, which I received just before I left home.  By the time you get this letter I hope to be in Scotland (where I hope to meet Lady Macbeth…).  As I’ll only be there for a week I’ve put my usual address.

            Never having been there before I expect to have quite a good time.  At any rate it will be a change from this wretched place, where just about everything that could go wrong has gone wrong.

            I read your letter in bed on Friday morning.  It was very welcome, Darling.

            I can’t pretend I wasn’t hurt by your actions – although I did try to make light of it.  As far as I’m concerned, everything you do should be of your own free choice.  I make no attempt whatsoever to exercise any ‘hold’ over you*.

            I think I know, as well as most, the state you can get into, in the services.  It is in this state, of being so completely fed-up that you don’t give a damn what happens, that these things happen.  God knows, I’m no moralist, but I do possess some slight knowledge of physiology, and because of this I urge you at least be careful.

            You don’t need to ask me to forgive you, Chotie.  I shall always be prepared to forgive you anything – except leaving me entirely.

            I wasn’t worried about your actions in themselves – I just thought you must have had enough of me.

                                                All my love, Darling

                                                                        Dicker

P.S.     Got that baritone** teed-up yet….?

 

*Oh dear – this sounds like Chotie has strayed again.  Was it the handsome officer in the Bristol photographs or someone else?  George Bainbridge perhaps?  And who’s the baritone**?

© Chotie Darling

 

19^th March 1944 – Hungary is occupied by the German Army following the arrest in Germany of the Hungarian Regent, Miklos Horthy, who had been secretly negotiating with the British and US.  The SS begin rounding up Hungarian Jews and sending them to the Auschwitz death camp in Poland.

 

24th March 1944 – ‘the Great Escape’ of 76 Allied airmen from Stalag Luft III near Sagan in SE Germany (now Żagań in Poland). 73 are later recaptured and 50 executed.  Stalag Luft III was also the location of the ‘wooden horse’ escape of three airmen on 29^th October 1943.

Orde Wingate, the Commander of the Chindits, when his plane crashes in the jungle.

In the Ardeatine Caves, near Rome, Germany executes 336 Italians in reprisal for partisan killing of 35 German soldiers the previous day.

Bomber Command carries out a thousand plane raid against Berlin, the heaviest raid of the war and the end of the Battle of Berlin.  RAF and USAAF bombers were now to be diverted to supporting Operation Overlord despite the reluctance of their commanders who were at last beginning to see success with the Pointblank Strategy.  By the end of March the Luftwaffe were losing over 2,000 planes per month to their fighters.  The loss of experienced pilots also lowered the air threat to the Allies’ invasion of Normandy.  (From ‘Overlord’ by Max Hastings, Macmillan 2016 edition)

End of significant Japanese resistance on Bougainville in the Solomon Islands.  (From Chronology of World War II and WW2-net Timelines.)

Bawdsey Manor - Sunday 5th March 1944

61^st Recce Regt

RAC

Whittlesford

Cambs.

 

Sunday

Chotie Darling,

                                    I’ve got this evening free, so I thought I’d drop you another line or two.  My leave at the moment, still holds good, so if you’ll let me know finally that yours is OK and what time you expect to arrive home in your next letter I’ll get things teed up this end.

            I’ve been very busy lately, spending most of the time away from the camp, which has both its advantages and disadvantages.  It provides a change of scenery which is always welcome, especially when it’s sunny, tho’ on the other hand you never get a chance to get organised.

            You’re a very naughty girl for not having written to me for such a long time.  However, I expect you’re pretty busy yourself, or you would have written.

            There’s no news to tell you.  I get so little time off that I don’t get a chance to do much .

            Incidentally, you’d better send your next letter to Pagham as I’ll be home on Wednesday mid-day.  I expect this will cross with one from you anyhow.

            I spent three very happy days on a stud farm in Cambridgeshire*.  It was the home of Sir Cuthbert Quilter who is President of the Suffolk Horse Breeding Society.  Ten years ago he farmed 22,000 acres but he’s practically penniless now I believe.

            I met a bloke, a civilian of fifty or thereabouts, who used to live in Herne Bay and knows most of the people we knew there.  He actually lived in the same house.  The next time I see him I’ll get things teed up and get my feet right under the table.

            Must close here for dinner.

            Don’t forget to write to Pagham to let me know all the dope.

                                                                        love

                                                                                    Dicker

*probably Bawdsey Manor, where Sir Cuthbert Quilter had bred Suffolk Punch horses but which was acquired by the Government in 1936.  It became the top-secret research establishment where Robert Watson-Watt (who had set up the first radar research station at nearby Orford Ness in 1935), and then A.P. Rowe, developed Britain’s radar defences. The outbreak of war and proximity to Germany moved them first to Dundee and then, on 5^th May 1940, to Worth Matravers in Dorset as the Telecommunications Research Establishment.  See ‘The Missing Winter’.  (From ‘The Bruneval Raid – stealing Hitler’s radar’ by George Millar, Cassell 1974)

© Chotie Darling

 

5^th March 1944 – Operation Thursday was part of the 2^nd Chindit Expedition involving flying in 9,000 men (with mules, equipment and supplies) to northern Burma, near Indaw, and landing them behind the Japanese enemy lines.

 

6^th March 1944 - The RAF’s Bomber Command begins a large-scale offensive over Northern France in preparation for D Day and the USA Air Force again attacks Berlin. (From WW2-net Timelines)

 

7^th March 1944 – Japan advances to India with nearly 100,000 men in Operation U-Go until stopped by the Allies at Kohima and Imphal in the mountainous borderlands of North-eastern India. (See Defence of Imphal and Kohima.)

 

On 7^th March Chotie’s Service & Casualty form records that she ‘Acted Voluntary Blood Donor’.

 

Dick was on leave in Pagham from 8th March and seems to have met up with Chotie.

 

10th March 1944 – Merrill’s Marauders attack Myitkina on the Ayeyarwady River in north Burma (now Myanmar), a critical point on the planned supply route to China known as the Ledo Road.  However, the city was not finally captured from the Japanese until 3^rd August 1944 and most supplies continued to be flown over the eastern end of the Himalayan Mountains (known as ‘The Hump’).

 

13th March 1944 – British Forces in the Arakan, Burma (Myanmar) take Razabil, a critical position between the Maya mountains and the sea, known as the ‘Golden Fortress’. (From WW2-net Timelines.)

 

15th March 1944 – heaviest raid of the war on Stuttgart with 863 RAF bombers dropping 3,000 tons.  Stuttgart had significant industrial infrastructure (Daimler and Porsche factories).

Soviet forces advancing from the Ukraine reach the Bug River, a tributary of the River Vistula that formed the division between German and Russian forces following the invasion of Poland in 1939 and the traditional division between Catholic and Orthodox Polish Christians.  (From WW2-net Timelines.) 

New Zealand and Indian Divisions with the US Fifth Army in Italy are engaged in the unsuccessful third attack on Monte Cassino and withdrawn after 23^rd March.

In France the Conseil National de la Resistance publishes its programme  for the future of France after the war as a social democracy with a planned economy.

Pouishnoff and Leicester - Wednesday 23rd February 1944

61^st Recce Regt

Whittlesford

Cambs.

Wednesday 23^rd

Chotie Darling,

                                    Many thanks for your two letters which I’ve just picked up on rejoining the unit, which is still here at Whittlesford.

            My leave is still OK for March 8^th so don’t forget to get things teed-up, will you?

            Had a very nice time at Brum doing practically nothing ‘cept eat & sleep.

            Went over to Leicester on Sat & again on Sun. last and met Diller & Mary.  Had quite a good time despite all Leicester’s efforts to stop us – cinemas closed, nowhere to eat, etc.

            It was a particularly good concert I went to on Friday night last.  Leff Pouishnoff was in brilliant form – playing and conducting Tchaikovsky’s No 1 Concerto in devastating fashion.  He’s very theatrical, of course, quite unlike Schnabel, for instance.  I get so few chances to see these boys, nowadays, that perhaps tend to eulogise rather than criticize.  However, it’s not such a bad fault.

            I’m afraid I can’t write much as it is the usual practice for adjutants to put people coming back from courses straight on to Duty Officer and my adj. cannot see his way clear to make any alteration in this unwritten law.

            Must close here, Darling to see the boys’ meals.

            All my love, Darling,

                                    Dicker

Will try to write you again tomorrow.

© Chotie Darling

 

24th February 1944 – General Frank Merrill and 2,750 volunteers from the US Army (known as Merrill’s Marauders) begin their mission of long range jungle warfare with the Japanese, penetrating deep into enemy territory in northern Burma (Myanmar).

 

26th February 1944 – last of three ‘Great Raids’ by the Soviet Air Force bombing Helsinki, the capital of Finland.  Finland had resisted Soviet occupation in the Winter War of 1939/40. Hostilities resumed in June 1941 and Finland turned to Germany for defence against the Soviet Union, although it retained its state of an independent democracy.  British and Commonwealth Allied forces declared war on Finland in December 1941 (but not the US).

 

29^th February 1944 – US forces under General MacArthur attack the Admiralty Islands, north of Papua New Guinea.  After a month of fighting the Japanese abandon their base to the south at Madong on the New Guinea coast.

Germany launches another major attack at Anzio but the tide is turning at the beach-head because of the Allies ‘inexhaustible’ supplies of artillery and ammunition.

The Russian General Vatutin, commander of the 1st Ukrainian Front, is ambushed by Ukrainian nationalists and left mortally wounded. (From ‘The Second World War’ by Antony Beevor, published by Weidenfield and Nicolson 2012)

 

Eric Postles remembers March 1944:

"We moved to Whittlesford and were allowed to use the American entertainment facilities at Duxford airfield where we saw James Cagney and other stars.  The regiment was re-equipped with new vehicles and weapons.  We took the old vehicles to Feltham Ordnance Depot in London.  We collected the new vehicles from Castle Donnington grounds and ran them in via Gloucester area (a number of the squadron lived locally). 

When in Cambridge I was put on a charge by the Military Police for allegedly having my hand in my greatcoat pocket.  When I was brought before our Commanding officer, Colonel Sir William Mount, a military policeman said the Provost Martial had ordered a tightening of discipline in the Division.  The CO said “It does not apply to my regiment” and dismissed the case." (Extracts from ‘My War Years’ by John Eric Postles ISO used by kind permission of the author.)

 

Sir William had more important things to worry about.  Training was now "the full Monty treatment" as his regiment began to prepare for Overlord.  Montgomery had “carefully meshed experienced veterans from the Eighth Army with the keen, green formations that had been training and languishing for so long in England”. 

50^th Northumbrian Division had been brought home from the Mediterranean with 7^th Armoured and 51^st Highland Divisions and there were already rumours among the 50^th that “they would be used on the battlefield for tasks in which the rate of attrition would be high.  Curiously enough this did not seem greatly to dismay them.”  However, training with British 7th Armoured Division on the flatlands of East Anglia may not have been the best preparation for Normandy’s bocage - the heavy hedgerows and rolling small fields which were to provide deadly cover for German defence and ambush.” (From ‘Overlord’ by Max Hastings, Macmillan 2016 edition) 

 

2^nd March 1944 – Bombing raids begin on targets in Yugoslavia from the Foggia airfields near Ortona in Italy.  The Allies were now supporting Tito’s communist resistance forces, flying in supplies from Bari in southern Italy.

4th March 1944 – the US Air Force’s first attack on Berlin with 730 bombers and 644 fighter aircraft flying by night.

Birmingham Officers Club - Thursday 17th February 1944

Birmingham

Thursday

Chotie Darling

                                    As you will see from above I’m in Brum at the moment on a week’s course on Armoured Cars - very cushy, there being no exam at the end, and the hours are only from nine to four thirty.

            I have some unpleasant news as regards leave.  The whole Squadron has had leave postphoned one week which makes mine up to the 8^th March instead of the 1^st.  Can you change yours?  Let me know won’t you.

            I hope to go to Leicester this weekend to see Diller as our leaves won’t now coincide.

            I’m staying at ‘The Georgian House’ which is an Officers Club – very comfortable indeed, and right in the centre of things.

            This letter is rather sketchy as I’m writing it during a lecture on the Lubrication System.

            I’ve just been out to get a Theatre Ticket for tomorrow night – London Symphony Orchestra in a programme which includes my favourite overture – Tchaikovsky’s Fantasie ‘Romeo & Juliet’.  Pouishnoff is the soloist and conductor.

            Must close here as the lecturer is beginning to get a grip.

            Don’t forget to write!

Address now

            61^st Recce Regt RAC

                        Whittlesford

                                    Cambridgeshire

                                                                                    love

                                                                                    Dicker

*Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s Overture-Fantasy 'Romeo and Juliet' is an orchestral work based on Shakespeare’s play.

© Chotie Darling

 

17th February 1944 – surrounded German troops on the Dnepr river had attempted to break out in the Battle of the Korsun-Cherkassy Pocket but 20,000 were ruthlessly killed by the Red Army, even when trying to surrender. (From ‘The Second World War’ by Antony Beevor, published by Weidenfield and Nicolson 2012)

The US Navy attack the Japanese Naval and air base at Truk in the Pacific Caroline Islands (west of the Marshall Islands), making it nearly useless for the rest of the war.

18th February 1944 - Operation Jericho, a precision bombing raid on Amiens prison by the RAF’s 2^nd Tactical Air Force, frees 258 prisoners including many belonging to the French resistance. However, more than 100 prisoners were killed by the bombing and two-thirds of the escapees were re-captured. (See BBC WW2 Timeline.)

19th February 1944 – Operation Argument (better known as ‘Big Week’) begins with an RAF bombing raid on Leipzig.  The Operation, designed to lure the Luftwaffe into a decisive battle, launched a series of attacks on the German aircraft industry, led by the USA Air Force, who could now defend their long-range bombers with Mustang fighter planes. Until 26^th February they bombed the factories and air fields relentlessly by day and the RAF followed up, bombing the cities by night. (See BBC Big Week Fact File.)

20^th February 1944 – a Norwegian Resistance commando, Knut Haukelid, succeeds in sinking the SF Hydro ferry carrying heavy water from the Telemark production plant.  This might have been used by Germany to develope nuclear bombs. Following Operation Gunnerside and subsequent heavy bombing by the US Air Force, the plant was being closed down and remaining stocks moved to Germany.

 

22^nd February 1944 – US Air Force planes controversially bomb Nijmegen in Holland. (See WW2 Talk Forum.)

Hitler leaves his headquarters at the Wolfsschanze in East Prussia, which is now within range of the Soviet Air Force and moves to the Berghof, his Alpine retreat in Bavaria.

Oranges - Thursday 10th February 1944

2/Lt RKWilliams

Royal Armd. Corps

Brandon

Suffolk

Chotie Darling,

                                    Sorry I haven’t written before this, but haven’t really had time.

            I was inoculated yesterday morning and owing to a severe shortage of officers in the Squadron I’ve had to remain on duty all the time.  I was out on the range yesterday and got pretty cold, as a consequence of which I went to bed feeling a little pallid.  On crawling out of bed this morning I found I couldn’t stand, so I promptly crawled back again.  However, I got up for lunch and am feeling a lot better now, though I still ache all over.

            Hope you managed to stay in bed after your jab, nothing's more miserable than having to stay on duty.

            I’m going on a week’s course at Birmingham on the 15^th, luckily it won’t affect my leave.  It’s a very cushy course as students (?) stay at the Officers Club and all the instructors are civilians.  Pity Eric doesn’t still live there.  I received three oranges today – there’s an issue of three per officer in the mess.  However, like the good little boy I am, I’m sending them home to mother.

            I had a day in Cambridge last week – a lovely town.  Unfortunately it’s full of Yanks and there’s a beer shortage.  Notwithstanding these two major calamities I managed to have quite a good time.

            Apart from this one excursion I haven’t been out at all.  Unless you get at least 24 hrs off it’s not worth going anywhere.  Cambridge is the only place worth going to and that’s some forty miles or so.

            Just had a letter from Brinner.  He’s now started on Machine Gun (Vickers) which is the last phase of his training.  I also wrote to Diller to get her to change her leave, so that we’ll be home together.

            Would you let me know what time you’ll be arriving home so that I can make arrangements from this end.  (That is of course if you can get 72 hrs).

            Must close here, Darling as my arm’s giving me merry Hell.

                                                All my love

                                                            Dicker

 © Chotie Darling

This letter was written to Private B. E. Chalkley in ‘A’ Troop O.F.C. ATS, 462 Hy(M) Bty RA, Markham Camp, Easton-in-Gordano, Bristol so Chotie seems to have moved from ‘B’ Troop but in the same battery.

On 10^th February she had another visit to the dentist in Bristol.

 

Dick's unit moved to Whittlesford, Cambridgeshire some time before 17th February...

 

15^th February 1944 – Allies bomb the famous monastery of Monte Cassino and begin their second major assault to capture the defensive stronghold. The rubble actually gave the Germans better cover then the building would have.  Although the fighting was brutal the attacks failed and were broken off on 18^th February.

Heavy bombing raid by the RAF on Berlin involving 891 aircraft. (From Wikipedia.)

16th February 1944 - fighting continues with increased ferocity at Anzio - Allied casualties are high but the Germans lost over 5,000 men. (From ‘The Second World War’ by Antony Beevor, published by Weidenfield and Nicolson 2012)

 

Brandon Park - Sunday 30th January 1944

61^ST RECONNAISSANCE REGIMENT

Brandon

Suffolk

Sunday

Chotie Darling,

                                    Have just read orders and find that the security ban as regards this address has now been lifted, so I can now tell you where I am and what the place is like.

            We’re in a Nissen hut camp built on an estate, around a vast Georgian House, formerly the property of Dorothy Paget*, the racehorse owner.

            The officers are billeted in the house which is very comfortable.  We use the large square library as an ante-room.  The only snag is that the mess is on the Regimental level which means that the Colonel*, etc are all here.  Not so good.

            Brandon is quite a picturesque little place, standing on the Little Ouse, but hopelessly dead as regards entertainment of any sort.  There’s only one reasonable pub.

            I went into Ely yesterday afternoon, and went over the Cathedral.  This was quite interesting but the town itself is very drab – almost as dirty as Dover or Poole.  The nearest towns of any size are Cambridge and Norwich both of which are some considerable distance from here.  I get a day off on Wednesday however, so I may manage to get there then.  I should find plenty to interest me as I’ve haven’t yet been to either.                      

            I see now that my leave falls due on March 1st so if you could get a couple of days at home, I could come down to Parkstone.  Let me know, won’t you.

            I believe Brinner is on leave at the moment, though I’m not sure. 

I don’t know whether you’re still at home or not so I’ll send this to your army address.  Must close here for lunch.  Don’t forget the leave question.

                                    All my love, Darling

                                                                        Dicker

P.S.  I regret to say that I won’t be able to visit Eric now but could meet him in Town, sometime.

           

*Dorothy Paget was a famous and eccentric racehorse owner, daughter of the 1^st Baron Queenborough who lived at Brandon Park. The house is now a care home, surrounded by a country park.

**Colonel Sir William Mount, David Cameron’s grandfather.

© Chotie Darling

 

31st January 1944 – Haute Savoie in the French Alps is placed under siege as Maquisards of the French resistance gather on the Plateau des Glières to collect supplies parachuted in by the Allies. Anyone carrying arms or assisting the Maquis can be summarily executed.

 

Eric Postles writes under February 1944:

“The regiment left 61 Division to become the Recce Regiment for 50^th Northumbrian Division which had returned from action in Africa and Sicily to take part in the invasion of Europe.  The divisional sign was 2 red Ts on a black background.  We joined them at Brandon on the Norfolk/Suffolk border.  We were inspected along with 151 The Durham Light Infantry Brigade by the Divisional Commander General Graham and by General Montgomery.  We were also inspected by King George VI, and then by General Eisenhower wearing an immaculate midnight blue uniform.”  (Extract from ‘My War Years’ by John Eric Postles ISO used by kind permission of the author.)

 

3^rd February 1944 – America completes invasion of the Marshall Islands.  This group of atolls in the North Pacific Ocean, between New Guinea and Hawaii, had been held by Japan since the end of WW1 when it was ceded by Germany. In the Battle of Kwajalein Atoll the US Navy, learning from the carnage in the Gilbert Islands, destroyed Japanese aircraft and airstrips before landing the invasive force in heavily armoured Amtracs on 31st January. (From ‘The Second World War’ by Antony Beevor, published by Weidenfield and Nicolson 2012)

4th February 1944 – German forces advance on the british sector of the Anzio beach-head, driving a huge flock of sheep in front of them through the minefields.  (From ‘The Second World War’ by Antony Beevor, published by Weidenfield and Nicolson 2012)

5^th February 1944 – Operation Ha-Go, a Japanese counter-attack on the Allies advancing in the Arakan in Burma (Myanmar) results in the 'Battle of the Admin Box'.  Casualties were heavy but the Allies eventually held their position and the Japanese had to withdraw.

50th (Northumbrian) Division - Wednesday 26th January 1944

On 24^th January 1944 the 61^st Reconnaissance Regiment

joined the 50th (Northumberland) Division,

part of XXX (30) Corps.

The Regiment moved to East Anglia to join their new unit.

 

Don Aiken recalls:

“They (the 61^st Recce) had been doing duty in Northern Ireland for the previous part of the war, but had now been split from their Division (the 61st. Infantry Div.) to become the Reconnaissance Regiment for the 50th Infantry Division.

The 50th (Northumberland) Division was recently returned from North Africa and were renowned as 'The Desert Rats'. The sign (or flash) which was worn on the side of the shoulder was TT, which represented Tyne and Tees.”

(Republished from the People's War website by kind permission of Don Aiken)

 

“The 50^th (Northumbrian) Division was back in England for the Normandy invasion, and had no reconnaissance regiment.  After the Commanding Officer (Lt.Colonel Sir William Mount) had made a number of swift trips to London we found ourselves chosen to fill the vacancy.  So in January 1944, we motored from our coast-guarding duties in Kent to join our new division in Norfolk.

            Only those who have experienced it can know the inferiority an unblooded regiment feels when surrounded by battle-scarred heroes.  But the 50^th Division made us so welcome, and refrained so carefully from flinging their blood and sand into our eyes, that we soon felt at home in what must have been the happiest of divisions in spite of all its casualties.”

(From ‘A Reconnaissance Regiment in the B.L.A.’ by Lieutenant-Colonel P.H.A.Brownrigg D.S.O.)

 

 

50th (Northumbrian) Division, having served in the British Expeditionary Force in 1940,  first fought in the Desert War at Gazala where the 50^th Recce unit was lost to Rommel’s attack.  The Division was part of Montgomery’s Operation Supercharge at El Alamein and fought in Tunisia, on the Mareth Line and Sicily, landing on the south east coast with Operation Husky.  In September 1943 some men from 50^th Division, separated from their units, took part in the Salerno Mutiny. 

At the Washington Trident Conference in May 1943 the Americans had insisted that seven divisions should be withdrawn from Italy by the end of November to take part in the invasion of Normandy.  The 50th was one of the Divisions chosen by Montgomery for this task and were rested and re-grouped in Sicily before returning to England in October 1943. On 19^th January 1944 they were given a new Commander, Major-General D.A.H. Graham.  It seems 61^st Recce joined them soon after this.

 

 

Dick’s TT shoulder flashes – the Tyne Tees insignia of the 50^th (Northumbrian) Division.

 

25th January  1944 - Himmler addresses German Generals and Admirals at Posen in Poland, sharing with them information on the 'race struggle' to eliminate the Jews carried out by his SS troops.

 

61st Recce Regt, RAC

Home Forces

Wednesday

Chotie Darling,

                                                            Received your letter today for which many thanks.  ‘Fraid I can’t write much as I’m rather pushed for time at the moment.

            Nothing much to write about as I haven’t been out for weeks, except once, when I bought a new hat*.  Cost a devil of a lot.  Prices seem to be rocketing upwards.

            Hope you’re enjoying yourself on leave.  I’m afraid I won’t be able to get down to see you.  Next time perhaps.  I should get leave on approx March 5th so you may be able to get a few days then.

            Have met Brian Cooke** again – the mad Irish man I was at OCTU with.

            Still haven’t had any pay – I suppose now it will be Feb the 1st, in which case I’ll get three months pay some £40 or so.  Unhappily I owe about £20 of this.

            Must close here, Darling, will write again as soon as I get time.

                                                                        All my love

                                                                                                Dicker

*This seems to be a code Chotie and Dicker used to indicate that Dick’s unit had moved. 

**Brian Cooke, the Irish pianist and ‘ham’ (actor)

© Chotie Darling

 

27th January 1944 – lifting of the siege of Leningrad (St Petersburg) after 28 months and the deaths of more than 600,000 citizens from cold, starvation, disease and shelling by the German forces.

 

29th January 1944 – first of a series of heavy bombing raids on Frankfurt am Main by the RAF and US Air Force, up to 22^nd March.  The bombing of Frankfurt during World War 2 destroyed the largest Medieval city centre in Germany and killed 5,500 residents.

Lt. Col. Sir William Mount. (Bart) T.D. - Thursday 20th January 1944

Address as before

 Thursday

 Chotie Darling,

                                    Just a few more lines about nothing at all.

                                    They have a film show here every week – an army unit brings round the projector, etc and the show is held in a hall in the Castle.  I managed to sit through the first hour or so but couldn’t stick it any longer than that.  So accordingly I repaired to the pub and had the place to myself entirely, luckily.

            The place is usually cram full with RAF personnel and a contingent from the local Waaffery.  They’re an awful crowd.  Drunk most of the time and very childish.

            Can’t remember the film – I only saw about half of it.

            Just finished Graham Greene’s ‘England made me’ – very good.  Had a long letter from Monica this morning – full of woe as usual, complaining bitterly that I never answer her letters or something like that.  I only wrote a month ago – at Xmas.  In any case I gather that her husband’s the most jealous brute who resents her receiving any letters.  He’s the sort who write every day – poor fellow.

            I still haven’t had any pay but have borrowed 20 quid from the Squadron Leader to pay clothing and mess bills, etc.  He’s an extraordinary sort of man – a young Captain*, Oxford and peacetime Sandhurst – very clever.  An Historian, I believe.  The only one with any real aesthetic appreciation among the whole bunch.

            I never seem to get to bed these days – it’s past midnight now.  That’s the advantage of a small mess – you can monopolise the radio and fire after about eleven or so.  I usually stay down ‘till the early hours as I don’t get up until nearly eight in the morning, and I’m better off with less sleep, these days at any rate.

            More Beethoven – unusual at this time of night – or morning.  From Calais 2 which is very powerful here.

            I’ve had a REME** Lieutenant sleeping with me – (not literally) for the past few days.  He left this morning.  Only spoke about three words to me the whole time.  A Scotsman.  Now I have my room to myself again which means I spread my kit over the whole place.  Awful shambles.  I must need a wife, I’m thinking.

            Well, Darling I must get off to bed.  It’s 1-30 and the fire’s nearly out and the Beethoven’s finished.

            There’s going to be a terrific party on Sunday.  The Colonel’s inviting all the officers in the Regt.  I’m told that when Lt. Col. Sir William Mount. (Bart) T.D.*** throws a party – it’s some party.

            Must close here, Darling,

                                    all my love

                                                Dicker

 

*Captain Frank Harding of ‘B’ Squadron?  He published “War Echoes over Thirty Years” in 1970 including a number of poems about 61^st Recce.  (See ‘Beaten Paths are Safest’ by Ron Howard, Brewin Books 2004)

**REME = Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers

*** Territorial Decoration – for long service in the Territorial Army.

© Chotie Darling

 

21^st January 1944 – resumption of German air raids on London in the ‘Little Blitz’. Operation Steinbock, launched in retaliation for the Allied raids on German cities and for propaganda purposes targeted South-East England, particularly London as well as ports including Bristol (where Chotie was stationed), Cardiff and Hull.  The ‘Little Blitz’ continued until May and killed over 1,500 people.

22nd January 1944 – the Allies’ US Fifth Army land 36,000 men on the Tyrrhenian coast between Rome and Monte Cassino in Operation Shingle.  Initially successful, Anzio became one of the bloodiest WW2 battles in Western Europe.  The Germans counter-attacked and the Allies were then pinned down on the beachhead, under fire from German artillery, until the Gustav line was broken in May.  By then almost 10,000 men, Germans and Allies, had been killed.   (See Anzio landings.)

 

Preparing for the Worst - 18th January 1944

2/Lieut RKWilliams

61^st Recce Regt

Royal Armd. Corps*

Home Forces

PS  New form of address

Tuesday Eve.

Chotie Darling,

                                    I just had to write you this evening – if only to preserve my sanity.

            Spent the whole evening at the local with Jeff and two of his WAAFS, though I’ve only succeeded in getting morbid – not even slightly happy.  On the surface both of them appear quite normal, even respectable – at least so I had previously thought, but tonight settled things for them most definitely.  Talk about a couple of bitches.  Both appear to sleep with anyone on sight provided they get a free evening.  Even I was pretty disgusted, so I came back to write you and hear a little Beethoven.

            Well, I still haven’t had any pay.  At the moment there’s a chaotic service between the Orderly Room and the Regiment Paymaster.  Having filled in a fresh Joining Certificate I found out yesterday that although the Orderly Room sent it off by express post the Regiment Paymaster hasn’t had it.

            A certain Colonel phoned yesterday long distance and wanted to know what had happened to it.  One of these fine days they’ll sort things out.  Mother sent me a cheque a few days ago, and once more I’m bust.

            How are things with you?  Haven’t heard from you for ages.  Expect this will cross with one from you.  Write and tell me how things are going on. 

            And don’t forget Eric’s address! Or even Eve’s… I think it’s 3, St John’s Hill, but I don’t really remember.  I’d like nothing better than the four of us to get together in some pub, preferably Queen Anne, just to annoy Eric…

            Well, I hope you’re being a good girl….or at least as good as you usually are.  You’ll get merry Hell from me if you aren’t….looking back into the murky past we are pretty bad aren’t we?  Or don’t you think so?

            Everyone here’s got a terrific shake on owing to an impending inspection by the Colonel*.  People having children all round.  Not literally…  All except yours truly, who doesn’t give a damn one way or another.

            Well, Darling, this is a pretty meagre letter.  I’ll try to do better in a couple of days’ time.

            It’s absolute hell doing the same old routine grind and never seeing you.  Let’s hope we can meet again soon – then prepare for the worst**.

                                                Goodnight, Chotie

                                                                        Darling

                                                                                                Dicker

 

*See Royal Armoured Corps 1^st January 1944 on Chotie Darling website.

**Colonel Sir William Mount

***presumably a reference to the imminent Allied invasion of Western Europe - perhaps Dick already knew his regiment would see action?

© Chotie Darling

 

20^th January 1944 – 729 RAF aircraft again target Berlin on 20th, continuing the intensive Battle of Berlin Air Campaign.  On 27^th January 530 aircraft were deployed, on 28^th 677 aircraft and on the 30^th 534 aircraft (from Wikipedia).

The Russians re-capture the ancient city of Novgorod between Moscow and Leningrad (St Petersburg). Novgorod is now a World Heritage Site despite extensive damage during the war.