Chotie Darling

Out Driving - Sunday 11th April

Same address 

Sunday

 

My Darling Chotie,

                                                Many thanks for your letter and the news of your change of address.  Hope you prefer it to Oswestry, - at least you’re a little nearer home ….

            I shall be here for the next seven months or so – at least in this neighbourhood I suppose.

            ‘Fraid I don’t know Bristol – all the blokes in my room at Dover came from this most antique of ports, and, needless to say, consider it the model town of the whole country.  The Clifton Suspension bridge is considered one of the chef d’oeuvres* in the structural engineering world.  I also know a BA who lives at Clifton, hails from the varsity.  That about finishes my knowledge of the town.  Glad to hear you’ve made a friend there.  Always seems to help matters.

            I’ve dropped for Guard Commander for Tuesday next so I’m spending the weekend blancoing etc.

            I start on wireless tomorrow – for a fortnight then a fortnight gunnery – then leave and Sandhurst, maybe…

            I believe I told you there’s an RA** crowd here (ATS).  Always seem to be doing predictor stuff.

            (Have stopped writing to have chat with bloke who’s hobby was mountaineering – very interesting.  Another bloke here – the medico - says his greatest ambition in life is to become a member of the Royal Yacht Squadron!  Nothing like aiming high, is there?  He’ll probably make it.)

            We’ll have to arrange something about my next leave.  You may be able to get a 72hr or something.  I’ll let you know all details when they arrive.

            Had two days out driving last week.  Went to Brighton on Thursday and Oxford on Friday.  Saw Gloucester*** arriving through Oxford in his Rolls.  (One of his Rolls).  Also went through Bicester, Aylesbury, Windsor Great Park, etc.  Made quite a change as I don’t really know this area.

            The country round here is pretty marvellous but the Army of course have got their hands on most of it.  There are literally hundreds of period houses, mostly Tudor cottages which have been used as weekend hide-outs, I should imagine.  It makes me wince every time I see the military in them.

            I’m reading (in brief snatches) Gabriel Chevallier’s ‘Clochemerle’, which is a rather licentious tale of life in a French village.  Very amusing.

            I’m boring you again I suppose so will close here.  Will let you know of any developments as regards leave, etc

                                                All my love

                                                            Darling

                                                            Dicker

P.S.  Excuse envelope – it’s all I have.

 

* ‘chef d’oeuvre’ – French for masterpiece

** RA – Royal Artillery

***Presumably Prince Henry, the Duke of Gloucester and third son of King George V. He was appointed potential regent by his brother George VI should he die while his daughter, the future Elizabeth II was a minor.

© Chotie Darling

 

Meanwhile Eric Postles , our friend from the 61^st Recce, was in the Chilterns of Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire:

“We moved to Ashridge Park near Berkhamsted.  While there we had a local exercise with the Dutch Princess Irene Brigade and got an almighty rocket for setting fire to a haystack.  We lived rough for about a month at Cheddington and Chalfont, range firing at Orford Ness on the Suffolk coast, anti-aircraft firing at Clacton (many streets were evacuated and we slept in one of the empty houses).  We regularly went to Thetford Battle Range for live firing and had an exercise with the Polish Army in the same area.  We caused mayhem in Ely on our way back to camp when someone fired a smoke bomb from their armoured car, which resulted in the fire brigade being called out.”

 Anthony Rampling joined the 61st Reconnaissance Regiment while it was camping in a field between Chalfont St Giles and Chalfont St Peter, not far from Tring.

 

12^th April 1943 – German radio announces they have found the mass graves of thousands of Polish officers, deported and killed by the Soviet Union, in Katyn Forest near Smolensk in Russia. Almost 15,000 Polish army and police officers and intelligentsia had been killed by the Soviets in April 1940. This threatened a diplomatic crisis among the Allies and was denied by the Soviet Union, who blamed the massacre on the Germans, until 1990. (From WW2-net Timelines,  Chronology of World War II and Wikipedia.)

 

17^th April 1943 – in a US daylight bombing of aircraft factories in Bremen with 115 B-17 bombers 15 Allied planes were lost. Allied air losses over Germany were very high in spring 1943.

Japan mounted its largest air strike since Pearl Harbour attacking Guadalcanal, Tulagi, Port Moresby and Milne Bay in New Guinea and the Solomon Islands. (From ‘The Second World War’ by Antony Beevor, published by Weidenfield and Nicolson 2012)

Getting fat - Sunday 28th March 1943

Chotie at home on leave in her ATS uniform

Home address

 Sunday

 Chotie Darling,

            Received your card & letter yesterday.  Regret to say I couldn’t make Parkstone for a 24 hr, as I can’t get a pass that far.

            I’m afraid there’s nothing we can do about this leave as I’m working up ‘til seven or eight every night, and even if you could get up to Woking, I wouldn’t be able to see you.

            Hope you have a lazy time on your leave – try not to exert yourself too much ….  At least there’s no reveille – but no cups of tea in bed!

            I’ve managed to get home for a few hours so took this opportunity of writing a few lines.  As you’ve probably heard Diller is home for a week – prior to enlistment I suppose.

            When I get to Sandhurst I get 48 every month so will be able to travel far enough to see you, always presuming you get posted to the South somewhere.  Try to.

            I’ve passed out the first three weeks – ie the hard graft, and get it much cushier for the next six – nearly all theory.  I shall probably get fat or something – then you won’t love me any more….

                                    Must close here Darling

                                                    All my love

                                                                Dicker

© Chotie Darling

 

By the spring of 1943 the Soviet Army had air superiority over the Luftwaffe for the first time (due to the toll on German planes in the Mediterranean and fighting Allied bombers in Germany).  The Axis powers had 2,700, 000 men fighting on the eastern front while the Red Army more than doubled this with many more tanks, vehicles and armaments. (From ‘The Second World War’ by Antony Beevor, published by Weidenfield and Nicolson 2012)

 

1^st April 1943 – President Roosevelt freezes wages, salaries and prices to stem inflation in the US where meat, fats, canned goods and cheese are now rationed.  (From WW2-net Timelines.)

Rather indelicate tales - Sunday 14th March 1943

5731671 P/CDT Williams RK

30.0 Tp ‘A’ Sqdn.

No1. Pre-OCTU R.A.C.

Alma Barracks, Blackdown, Hants

 

Sunday

My Darling Chotie,

                                                            As Sunday has again occurred I find I have a few minutes, to write to you.

            It seems ages since I heard from you – but I expect you’re in the same position as I am – one of a temporary scarcity of spare time.

            I’ve managed to settle down here, as much as is possible anyhow, but find myself pretty rushed off my feet and expect to be the same for the rest of my stay here.

            The compensations, such as they are, consist of such luxuries as hot water, showers, marvellous food, and plenty of clothing exchanges.

            There’s a whole harem of ATS here – they do all the admin. Duties, office work, driving, etc.  They never seem to do any parades, apart from one Church Parade per month.  Pretty cushy.

            (I must make an apology here for using this paper, but I’m fed up with using poky little writing-pads.)

            I rather fancy that this letter will read like a young novel. However, I resume.

            The instructors here are all Guards N.C.Os.  Coldstream, Grens*, Irish, Welsh
etc and aren’t too bad on the whole. We get a helluva lot of square-bashing, much too much for me, anyhow, as I reckon I’ve had enough after nearly three years in this racket.

            I expect you’re getting interested in the leave problem – and what a problem!  I only wish I could get mine, but I’m afraid I’ve missed it and certainly won’t get any until after this nine weeks.

            The real job starts at Sandhurst, but there you get a batman and are allowed a collar and tie(!) even though still a cadet – but that’s a long time yet.

            I can get week-end passes from here – provided I’m not on duty, but it’s a lousy journey and the fare would be well over a quid.  On top of this there’s the fact that you need every available moment to blanco** and keep your notes up to date.  What a tale of woe! – anyway that’s about enough of my troubles.

            I suppose you’re quite the old soldier by now.  You won’t, however, be able to give me any old buck as I know the ropes.

            You should get a better time when you get on a site somewhere – the initial training is always the stiffest, and the most boring.

            Needless to say, I don’t get any time to read here, and I gather it’s the same with you.

            Happily, I’m with quite a bright crowd – an actor (ham), medical student, couple of school-marms, buyer from Lewis’ Leicester, art student and several other buckshees.

            I met LISBY here; do you know him?  Rather fat, blond, used to work at Bank in Broadstone and ARP at Municipal Buildings.  Went to Poole Grammar.  He’s a pre cadet for the Tank Corps. (I seem to be rambling on, all to no purpose).

            Heard Ruth Naylor*** (waltz-song from Bohème) on Naafi Radio this morning.  Pretty wonderful.

            I miss my friend Alex**** from the 43^rd.  Like Eric we had much in common, particularly opera.  I promised to write, but then no one ever does.

            The ham here knows lots of people we knew on the London stage, and every night-club in Mayfair.  He knows enough about such people as Daphne du Maurier, Michael Redgrave, Noel Coward, etc to blackmail them a hundred times*****. Comes out with some rather indelicate tales after lights-out.  (I’m thinking about taking this letter up with a publisher).

            Had letters from home yesterday – no news.  Brinner’s on a course somewhere.  Diller is still expecting to do something.  Expecting is as far as it will get.

            How’s everyone at Parkstone?  Give them all my best wishes when you write
won’t you?

            Well, Darling, I must close here as its nearly lights-out and they’re pretty mustard on that sort of thing.

            Hope I can see you before very long.  I can’t tell you how much I miss you, Chotie, that would be quite impossible, but I do think about you and love you very, very, much.

            Perhaps, this wretched show will end sooner than either of us imagine and we can be together again.  I’m much more interested in that than any b----- commission.

                                                God bless you, Chotie

                                                            always yours

                                                                        Dicker

*Grenadier Guards

**Blanco was a cleaning compound used on the cotton of army uniforms.

***Ruth Naylor was an Australian soprano, famous for her appearance in Puccini’s opera La Bohème.

****Alex Johnston

****Practising male homosexuality was illegal in Britain at this time. Daphne du Maurier’s bisexuality has not been confirmed. She was Dick’s favourite writer and married to his former Commanding Officer in the Air Landing, Frederick ‘Boy’ Browning.

© Chotie Darling 

 

16th March 1943 – the largest convoy battle of the war begins in the Atlantic when three wolfpacks of 38 submarines attack a convoy of c.100 Allied merchant ships (Convoys HX229 and SC122).  22 merchant ships and one U-boat were sunk.  More than 300 seamen lost their lives.

19^th March 1943 – Montgomery's British 8^th Army attacks the Mareth line, held by German and Italian defenders in southern Tunisia, winning the battle by 26^th March.  The initial attack by the 50th Northumbrian Division (later to be attached to 61st Recce) was a disaster but by 26th March the Germans were forced to withdraw.

 

22nd March 1943 – the newly built gas chamber IV is opened at the Auschwitz Concentration Camp in Poland, followed by the opening of a gas chamber in Auschwitz II-Birkenau on 31st March and gas chamber V on the 4th April. Approximately one million people were killed at Auschwitz-Birkenau, the largest Nazi death camp - mainly Jews (approximately 90%) but also more than 70,000 Poles and about 20,000 Gypsies. (See Auschwitz-Birkenau and WW2-net Timelines.)

The Free French air fighter squadron, later known as the Normandie-Nieman group, go into action on the Eastern front in support of the Red Army.

 

24th March 1943 – the Chindits are ordered to return to India having lost about one third of the original force in Burma. (See Operation Longcloth.)

Best Battle Dress - Monday 8th March 1943

 

5731671 P/Cdt Williams R

30-0 Tp ‘A’ Sqdn

No1. Pre-OCTU R.A.C.

Alma Barracks, Blackdown, Hants

My Darling,

                        I have at last found a spare moment to drop you a line.  I arrived here on Thursday last and this is the first chance I’ve had of doing anything for myself.

            I’m here for a minimum of 9 weeks – probably longer before going to Sandhurst* – that is of course if I pass this.

            The old spit & polish here is murder, have to change to best B.D.* for every meal…..However, that’s enough of this.

            Have you heard of Eric & Eve yet?  I suppose they’re well & truly hitched by now….poor old Eric.

            Seems ages since I saw you, Chotie.  Don’t suppose I’ll be able to see you for some time either.  I’ll get leave after this course and another half way thro’ OCTU I hope….

            I haven’t had any pay for weeks – don’t know when I’ll get any either.  I’ve been living on capital (?) since I’ve been here.

            I’m afraid I won’t be able to write very much for the first few weeks – at least that’s what we were told by the C.O.  The general idea is to rush you off your feet for some time, until things quieten down a bit.

            At Sandhurst we get our own billets & batman.  Some life.

            Well, Darling, there’s really nothing to write about – I’d much sooner hear how you’re getting used to Army life.  I expect you’re just starting to get browned-off by now.

            I must close here as I’ve tons of work to do.  We’re on parade from 6 am to 7.30 pm. Murder.

                                                Bye bye, Chotie Darling

                                                            Always yours

                                                                        Dicker

                                                                                    xxxx

P.S. Please get address right as there’s a helluva lot of delays.

*Then the Royal Military College Sandhurst Royal Military College Sandhurst used as the Royal Armoured Corps OCTU for the latter part of WW2.

*B.D. – battle dress.

© Chotie Darling
Eve and Eric (Kessler?)'s wedding on 6th March 1943

 

9^th March 1943 – Rommel, the German Commander known as ‘the Desert Fox’, leaves Africa with jaundice and exhaustion and never returns. 

 

13^th and 14^th March 1943 – ‘liquidation’ of the the Krakow Ghetto in Poland. Polish Jews had been persecuted since Hitler’s invasion of Poland at the beginning of the war. In March 1941 all of the city’s Jews were forced to leave or crammed into the Ghetto area. From 30^th May 1942 Jews were systematically deported from the Ghetto to surrounding concentration camps. During the Krakow Ghetto massacre those able to work were deported to the Plaszow slave  labour camp; c.2,000 Jews (mainly children, the old and the ill) were shot in the streets and approximately 3,000 others were deported to Auschwitz-Birkenau where most were murdered in the gas chambers.  (See Krakow Timeline and History of the Krakow Ghetto.)

 13th March 1943 – an assassination attempt against Hitler led by Major-General Henning von Treskow fails when the bomb in Hitler’s plane fails to detonate.  A second attempt on 21st March also failed when Hitler left the building before the suicide bomber, Colonel Fresher von Gersdoff, could successfully detonate his explosives. Staff of Army Group Centre, on the Eastern Front, were behind both attempts.

14th March 1943 – the German Army in Russia retakes Kharkov in the Ukraine and almost surrounds the over-extended Soviet Army on that front.

 

How many women have you slept with? - Thursday 25th February

As usual

Thursday

My Darling,

                        Many thanks for your letter received yesterday.  Glad to hear you’re still alive & kicking, even though rather over-worked… 

            Well, Precious, I have got an item of news this time, as, since last writing to you, I’ve been on and passed a War Office Selection Board for Commission.  It will mean a long and arduous task ahead but with proverbial luck and good management I see no reason why I shouldn’t be successful in this respect.

            I am now waiting to go on a pre-OCTU course, which may last any time before eventually getting to an OCTU.  After that it’s about six months of merry hell before getting the old commiss!

            What a game it is,,,I had three marvelous days on the Board, as all the time you’re there you’re treated as an Officer – even waited on at table by ATS….

            Marvelous old Georgian House and Estate* has been loaned to the W.O. for this purpose and the owner had the decency to leave all his furniture there.  The pictures alone were insured for £120000!

            You spend three & ½ days there doing just about anything the human body can do – and more, - intelligence tests, exams, interviews with Brigadiers, Colonels and psychiatrists etc.

            First question the last mentioned asked me, was “How many women have you slept with?”….

            Shook me – rotten.

            Most of the paintings I knew – several of Manet, Monet, Cézanne etc. so I had an interesting chat with the Brigadier and visiting woman M.P.  Apparently the owner used to buy still life & his wife, the nudes.  Some of the nudes shook us …..All excused like strip-tease, under “ART”.

            I’ll let you know any further developments should they arise.

            I wrote to and had a long reply from Benetti** the fellow at Hove.  Sent me a
letter full of arias, and invitations to stay with him.  The bloke’s a genius on arias.  Hope to look him up on my next leave, which brings me to a sore point. 

            I’ve had the wretched thing cancelled indefinitely!  Heaven knows when I’ll get it.  However one can’t talk of commissions and leave in the same breath I suppose.

            Saw ‘In which we serve’*** this week.  Wasn’t very impressed I’m afraid, though Captain’s wife’s speech was rather brilliant.

            Must close here Darling

                                                            All my love

                                                                        Dicker

*Brockham Park, Betchworth, Surrey.

**See letter of 3^rd September 1942 – Return to Dover.

***Patriotic British war film – ‘the story of a ship’ – directed by Nöel Coward and David Lean and starring Nöel Coward. Celia Johnson played the Captain’s wife.

 © Chotie Darling

140,000 candidates attended War Office Selection Boards during the course of the war. Dick was one of the 60,000 successful candidates.

In 1943 a further instruction was given to WOSBs - that no questions about sex and religion should be asked by psychiatrists.

(From ‘The British Army and the People’s War’ by Jeremy A. Crang)

 

43^rd Recce continued Troop & Squadron Training to Friday 26^th February when there was also an All Ranks Dance. On Saturday 27^th there was Maintenance and the Commanding Officer’s Vehicle Inspection as usual, as well as ‘Recreational Training’. 

Church Parade was held on Sunday and there was a presentation of a certificate for Good Service to Major B.V.J. Vigrass by the C.O. Major Vigrass also received an MBE and the Territorial Decoration during his career.

Troop & Squadron took place again on the 1^st and 2^nd March. At 5pm on 3^rd March the Regiment moved out of barracks to take part in Exercise Spartan, the
first Home Forces exercise for the invasion of Europe and the largest exercise the British Army had ever carried out but Dick was not with them.

(From the War Diary of the 43^rd Reconnaissance Regiment held by the Archive and Reference Library, the Tank Museum, Bovington, Dorset.)

 

28^th February 1943 – Operation Gunnerside, the most successful of the sabotage attacks on the Telemark heavy water plant in Norway destroys the Germans' capacity to provide heavy water of a sufficient quality for nuclear bombs. The Norwegian commando saboteurs were trained by SOE (British Special Operations Executive).

28^th February 1943 – German wives of Jewish men gather in Berlin to protest against the deportation of their husbands to concentration camps. By 8^th March over 1,000 wives have gathered and Goebbels releases 1,500 Jewish men to stop the protest spreading. (From WW2-net Timelines.)

 

Eric Postles February 1943

“61 Division moved back to England.  After many rumours and much speculation we went by rail to Larne, onto Stanraer and ended at Roman Way Camp, Colchester (a regular army camp) for Exercise Spartan.”  (Extracts from ‘My War Years’ by John Eric Postles ISO used by kind permission of the author.)

Tony Rampling joined 61^st Recce after they returned to England. Having completed his basic training in Norwich in autumn 1942, he’d been posted to Barnard Castle, where he learned to fire a Bren Gun in the Royal Armoured Corps until January 1943. This skill and his intelligence would have marked him out as a potential Recce man. He was briefly placed in the Royal West Kent holding regiment before joining the Reconnaissance.

 

1^st March 1943 – American Jews held a mass rally in Madison Square Gardens, New York to pressure the US government into helping the Jews of Europe.

Early in March 1943 Heinrich Himmler, Reichsführer of the Schutzstaffel (SS leader) visited Treblinka where 8,000 Jews and Gypsies were killed between 1942 and August 1943 and ordered that all the corpses were to be dug up and burned.  The ashes were spread far over the surrounding countryside to hide the murders.  This work took eight months. (From ‘The Second World War’ by Antony Beevor, published by Weidenfield and Nicolson 2012)

2nd to 4th March 1943 – in the Battle of the Bismarck Sea US and Australian air forces successfully attacked a convoy carrying Japanese troops to New Guinea. Thousands of Japanese soldiers were killed and the eight transporter ships and four destroyers were sunk.  The Americans had adopted a new technique of ‘skip-bombing’ – coming in low and bouncing their bombs in by the side of the ship to explode.  This gave them daylight supremacy in the sea. (From ‘The Second World War’ by Antony Beevor, published by Weidenfield and Nicolson 2012)

2nd March 1943 – heavy bombing of Berlin by the Allies

2^nd to 4^th March 1943 – in the Battle of the Bismarck Sea US and Australian air forces successfully attacked a convoy carrying Japanese troops to New Guinea. Thousands of Japanese soldiers were killed and the eight transporter ships and four destroyers were sunk.

3rd March 1943 – 173 people were killed by suffocation and trampling in Bethnal Green underground station when panic set in. (From WW2-net Timelines.)

 

END of Chapter 7

43^rd Reconnaissance – the beginning of the end

and Part 2 RECONNAISSANCE.

 

Alex Johnston - Tuesday 16th February 1943

5731671 Tpr Williams R

Mortar Tp HQ Sqn

43^rd Recce Regt

Home Forces

 

Tuesday 16^th

My Darling,

                        Many thanks for letter received this afternoon.  I haven’t been able to write you owing to pressure of work of late.  However here goes.

            I’m in a canteen at the moment which boasts a piano (NAAFI style), and am now hoping to get my friend† to murder the ‘Warsaw’.  He’s very nervous & won’t play if there’re too many people about – hallmark of a great artist….

            Sorry to hear you’ve been so busy lately, but the first 3 months are always the worst.  After nearly three years I do practically nothing.

            Had four letters today – Bryn, Diller, Mother & yours.

            Bryn had ‘marvelous time’ on leave, ending up by meeting a woman in London.  Apparently he met her in Bridport. Name of Pamela Gluning – redhead. Diller gave me all the ‘dope’ – Bryn never even mentioned her.  I’ve told him he’d better come clean.

            Went for a walk on Sunday afternoon by myself (my mate was on 48) and had tea at country pub.  Quite a change.

            Haven’t been to flicks for simply ages – lost all interest.  Seems little chance of getting any leave, but still soldier on.

            Bryn bought a couple of discs when on leave – the ‘Warsaw’ and Gigli’s* ‘La donna è mobile’ (Rigoletto)** so will probably wear these out when I get home.

            Found time to read Eleanor Peters’ ‘Tare Harvest’***, little else.

            Diller will have to leave bank shortly, as Quayle goes.  She’s been offered a chance abroad with V.A.D.****  Doesn’t  think she’ll take it.  She’ll end up in munitions if she’s not careful.  Probably do her good anyhow.

            Weather’s lovely here.  How’s it with you?

            Should like to see N Wales, but don’t like the people, I’m afraid.  Biased again….

            What’s the crowd like you’re with?  Hope they’re better than my lot.  If ever there was a dull mob it’s the Recce.

            I’ll close here, Darling and write again shortly

                                                                        toutà toi Chérie*****

                                                                                        Dicker

* Famous Italian tenor Beniamino Gigli

** ‘The Woman is Fickle’ - a song from Giuseppe Verdi’s opera Rigoletto.

***A novel about an English family farming in the Chilean Andes.

****Voluntary Aid Detachment – unpaid nursing assistants on the front line.  Diller was presumably affected by the new call up for women (see 13th January 1943).

***** “tout à toi Chérie” – French for “All yours darling”.

 © Chotie Darling

† Trooper DONALD ALEXANDER JOHNSTON

10600882

Who died age 21 on 24 June 1944 at sea when MV Derrycunihy hit a mine

Son of John and Amelia Johnston;

husband of Betty Johnston, of Sholing, Southampton.

BAYEUX MEMORIAL Panel 6.

MV Derrycunihy was a cargo ship transporting HQ, A and C squadrons of the 43^rd Recce to Sword Beach to fight in Normandy. On 24^th June 1944 she was sunk by an acoustic mine. 214 men lost their lives and 150 were injured.

(From the 43rd (2/5th Bn. Gloucestershire Regt.) Regt Reconnaissance Corps Roll of Honour courtesy of Recce Mitch and 43rd Recce on WW2TALK.)

WE WILL REMEMBER THEM

 

16th February 1943 – the Service du Travail Obligatoire forces all French men born between 1920 and 1922 to labour in Germany.  Thousands escape to join resistance forces in the mountains and forests of France or the Free French in Africa.

 

43^rd Recce re-commenced Troop & Squadron Training on Wednesday 17^th February continuing to the 19^th. On Saturday 20^th there was Maintenance, the Commanding Officer’s Vehicle Inspection and the Final of the Inter-Troop Soccer Competition and on Sunday a Regimental Convoy Harbour Exercise. Troop & Squadron Training, again, every day from Monday 22^nd February.

(From the War Diary of the 43^rd Reconnaissance Regiment held by the Archive and Reference Library, the Tank Museum, Bovington, Dorset.) 

 

18^th February 1943 – Joseph Goebbels, Gauleiter (Nazi leader) for Berlin and Hitler’s Minister of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda, calls the German people to ‘Total War – Short War’ at a rapturous rally in the city.

21^st February 1943 – the 25^th Anniversary of the creation of the Soviet Red Army is celebrated in all Allied countries. (From WW2-net Timelines)

In Operation Cleanslate on 21^st February US forces occupy the Russell Islands in the central Solomon Islands. The Solomon’s archipelago is now controlled by the Allies.

Safely in Salop - Sunday 7th February 1943

5731671 Tpr Williams R

Mortar Tp HQ Sqn 43^rd Recce Regt

Home Forces

 

Sunday

My Darling,

                        Finding myself on a 24 hr guard I thought I’d drop you a line or two.

            Have just received your letter for which many thanks. Glad to hear you’ve been successful in getting your course and have arrived safely in Salop, which is a change after all.

            From choice I’d move every month if it were practical, but as you know I have got into the unenviable habit of staying several months in one place. However, here’s to a change of surroundings.

Don’t forget to let me know about your new camp especially as regards your CSM!  Maybe he prefers blondes….

            I’m utilising nearly all my spare time (?) in going to Evening Classes – generally four or five nights per week.  I’ve got to the stage of not knowing which class I’m in until I get there….Quite exciting.  I told you I got a French text-book with your Token, didn’t I? I usually put in an hour or so at dinner-time etc, also in bed at night. If ever you want to learn anything, do it in bed just before you go to sleep.  The subconscious is more in evidence then and consequently things make a deeper impression.  Am I boring you again?  Hope not.

            At this Tech. Institute they hold a recital of discs every Thursday. Last week I heard Joan Cross, Gigli, Solomon and Kentner.  Marvelous programme.

            I’m still trying the old ‘Warsaw’ at every opportunity. I can now play (?) the first six bars….You should hear this friend of mine play it. Just like Kentner himself.

            If you get your leave in approx. nine or ten weeks we should be able to manage something.  I should get mine the 23^rd inst.  At least I hope to. It’s not going to be much fun I’m afraid. I’ll send you some shekels though, so you can have a beer on me. 

            The main thing with your show is where you’ll go when you finish this course, as you’ll probably stay there some time.

            This is the main guard I’m on and there’s bags of spit and polish.  It took me 24 hrs to get ready for it.  Heluva waste of time altogether.  However these people must be humoured, I suppose.

            Brinner’s still on leave (until Tuesday 9^th) and still hasn’t got his transfer.  I may try to claim him here.

            Well, my Darling I must close here to go on Stag (guard).

                                    God bless you, Chotie.

                                                            Take care

                                                            Dicker

* Joan Cross was an English soprano, Beniamino Gigli an Italian tenor singer and Louis Kentner, the Hungarian pianist who played The Warsaw piano concerto (written by British composer Richard Addinsell) for the film ‘Dangerous Moonlight’.

© Chotie Darling

The envelope for this letter was has tape is on the left side saying:

OPENED BY EXAMINER

9358

P.C.90

 

 

43^rd Recce commenced Troop and Squadron Training on Monday 8^th February and this continued until the 12^th when there was also an All Ranks Dance.  On Saturday 13^th  February the Commanding Officer carried out a Regimental Kit Check and an ‘A’ and ‘B’ Squadron exercise was held from 13^th to 16^th February with ‘A’ Squadron trying a new organization of carriers and Assault Troops. On the 16^th there was also Section training.(From the War Diary of the 43^rd Reconnaissance Regiment held by the Archive and Reference Library, the Tank Museum, Bovington, Dorset.)

 

8^th February 1942 - British Special Forces in Burma, known as the Chindits and led by Brigadier Orde Wingate, commence their first penetration behind Japanese lines (Operation Longcloth), advancing from Imphal.

10th February 1943 – the remainder of ‘Sparrow Force’, Australian commandos fighting a guerrilla war against the Japanese on Portuguese Timor, are forced to evacuate the island.

The Warsaw - Thursday 4th February 1943

As Usual 

Thursday

My Darling Chotie,

                                                Many thanks for your letter of a couple of days ago. I sent one letter which you probably got Monday or Tuesday.

            Glad to hear you’ve had such a time on your 48 hr. Only wish I could have been at the old ‘Sloop’* as well. George and Bert seem to wangle it all right.

            Brinner, as I suspected is home on nine days privilege leave**, not embarkation as he would have me believe.

            I’m up to my eyes in work at the moment as I go to Evening Classes nearly every night I have free. The trouble with that Game is you never know when you’re going to be on guard, etc which makes a definite programme rather difficult to pursue.  However, one must necessarily be a martyr to achieve the fruits of education.

            Hope you manage to get to N. Wales.  Should be really lovely in the spring.  Not as good as the autumn of course….

            The old man hates the people there, of course but then he’s prejudiced.  Mother had a lovely time there in the last show.  Do you know where you’re actually going?  There’s plenty of castles there, I believe.

            I was supposed to be reading a paper on education tomorrow night at the Technical Institute but find I’m on Guard.  We do have fun, don’t we?

            I’m supposed to be playing Rugger this afternoon but decided I’d write to you instead. Rather nice of me, eh?

            Johnston (that’s this friend of mine) knocked hell out of a canteen piano last night.  Played the professional copy of the 'Warsaw’***, and rather shook everyone.  I can manage the first half dozen bars! I calculate it would take about fifteen years to get it pat…. Nil desperandum.

                        Must close here for tea

                                                All my love

                                                            Precious

                                                            Dicker

*The Sloop was a Poole pub in Lower Parkstone, very near to where Chotie lived.  It was demolished in January 2022.

** See letter of 30th January 1943

*** Ack-Ack girls learned to work with the guns at Artillery Practice Ranges such as Llandudno near the Great Orme headland on the North Wales Coast.  At Ty Croes on Anglesey, in the far north-west of Wales there was a practice firing camp where the girls directed gun fire at textile ‘sleeves’ billowing out behind planes. (From ‘Girls in Khaki – a history of the ATS in the Second World War’ by Barbara Green, published by the History Press 2012).  “We went on to a firing camp at Ty Croes, Anglesey, where they had the guns. When the first gun went off I nearly died because of the shock of the flash and the bang. We had no ear muffs and from that day onwards I had tinnitus.”  (Ruth Hamilton, nee Minshull, on the BBC People’s War website.)

Dick’s family was originally from Wales but his father had fallen out with them.

****The Warsaw Piano Concerto

 © Chotie Darling

 

This letter was re-addressed to:

Private Chalkley B.E.

    236 A.A. (ATS O.F.C.)

Trng Regt,

                Wingate Bks

                    Oswestry

having originally been sent to Talavera Camp at Northampton.

 

Section Training for 43^rd Recce on 6^th February 1943 focused on ‘Battle Procedure – Withdrawal’.(From the War Diary of the 43^rd Reconnaissance Regiment held by the Archive and Reference Library, the Tank Museum, Bovington, Dorset.)

Post-War Reconstruction Committee - Saturday 30th January 1943

5731671 Tpr Williams R

Mortar Troop

HQ Sqn 43^rd Recce

Recce Corps

Home Forces

 

Saturday

My Darling Chotie,

 

                                    Received your letter when on a scheme which brightened me up considerably. Had a pretty wicked time – really cold at night and raining all the first 48 hrs. However, am now back and getting something to eat once again. I’m addressing this missive to your Army address, as I don’t know when you’ll be home.

            I had a wire from Brinner saying he was on embarkation leave and asking whether I could get a compassionate leave. If you remember, however, I tried this dodge once before, but on compassionate leave they check-up now so have written back to find out whether its genuine.  If it is, I’ll try to get a 48 hr compassionate early next week.

            There’s nothing much to write about.  Life’s rather dull here, always nothing doing. Hope you’re a bit better off at Northants.  I go to Evening Classes two of three nights a week to relieve the monotony. Take French and German and am also a member of a Post-War Reconstruction Committee! Quite entertaining. Unhappily I missed it tonight as the whole billet had to lay out kits again owing to a bad show this morning.

            The boys chip me about your efforts saying you’ll probably contribute more to the War Effort on a Gunsite than I ever will…. Still, I bear up, in the true du Rose fashion (incidentally I haven’t heard from that Rat yet).

            When will you get your first leave (7 days) If you let me know I may be able to hold mine on for a few weeks. I can’t guarantee anything but will do my best. Don’t forget.

            I don’t relish leave without seeing you. We could probably spend half at Poole and half at home.

            Saw a good show at the Hippodrome. Did I mention it in my last? Believe I did.

            Sample of jokes there:-

                                    Two old women in a pub.

            “Are you going to have another one?”

            “No Dear – it’s just the way I’ve got this coat done up”….

            Pretty horrible.

            I’d better close here owing to lack of material.

            Still love you Darling, - hope to see you soon

                                                                love & kisses

                                                                             Dicker

                                                                                                xxxxxx

 © Chotie Darling

This letter was addressed to:

                                242328

Private Chalkley B.E.

No 3Coy* Hut E1

No1 A.T.S. TC

Talavera Camp

Northampton

*Company

 NB. THIS LETTER WAS FIRST POSTED ON 23rd JANUARY BUT MOVED TO CORRECT DATE

 

43^rd Recce had Church Parade on Sunday 31^st January. On 1^st February there was a cross country run and Section Training continued from the 1^st to the 7^th.

 

31st January 1943 – surrender of the Germans at Stalingrad, Russia with the capture of Generalfeldmarschell Paulus and Generalleutnant Arthur Schmidt, who was by then in charge. 

Bomber command makes first operational use of H2S radar, the first airborne ground scanning radar system. (From WW2-net.)

 

Chotie managed to have 48 hours leave at home after her three weeks of Basic Training.

ATS recruits were only allowed 48 hours leave in their first three months.

 

2^nd February 1943 – The remnants of the German Sixth Army in Stalingrad surrender.  One of the bloodiest battles in the history of warfare it had started on 23rd August 1942 and claimed nearly 2 million casualties.  The Red Army took about 90,000 prisoners at Stalingrad.  Nearly half had died by the spring from wounds or starvation and only 5,000 of the Germans taken prisoner survived to return to Germany after the war; the last arriving in 1955.  The defeat was covered up in Germany but soon leaked out delivering a bitter blow to morale. (From ‘The Second World War’ by Antony Beevor, published by Weidenfield and Nicolson 2012 )

Writing Letters - Saturday 23rd and Sunday 24th January 1943

My Darling Chotie,

                        I’m writing this now as I won’t be able to write for the next week or so owing to a scheme.

                        Hope you have got used to your new life by now.  I expect you’re feeling quite an old soldier after three weeks service.  Seems ages since I heard from you, though I suppose that you’ve discovered that writing letters is just about the last thing you feel like in the services.

                        I’ve just come back from the Hippodrome. Went with this newly acquired friend of mine* – quite an exotic thing there this week – from Cuba.  I suspect it’s more like Whitechapel though we must be rational over these matters.

                        Haven’t had any beer for over a week and feel rather poorly for that reason.

                        Found time to read LAG Strong’s “Dewer Rides”**, WS Maugham’s “The Moon and Sixpence”*** and re-read “The Colonel’s Daughter”****.

                        I shall only send you some shekels if you agree to buy something definite – ie not repeat NOT beer….If it goes on beer you’ll get spanked, so take your choice.

                        I’m dying to see you in uniform… How’s the skirt?

                        I must close here to catch up on my kip so will finish this tomorrow.

 

                        Well, it’s now Sunday, our famous typically English day of mourning.  There’s no church parade for me so I have a little time to relax. We’re on parade this afternoon for loading the vehicles ready for the scheme.

                        Rather chilly this morning – hope it warms up a bit for the next few days.  Don’t mind sleeping under the stars on occasions but not in inches of snow or mud.

                        Had a letter from Monica a couple of days back.  Full of her offspring.  I’m pleased she had a daughter – it was really what she needed, I think.

                        I haven’t got my truck for this stunt so will have to travel in a carrier – lovely and warm and plenty of kip.

                        Well Darling I must close here – as there’s nothing I can tell you in writing.

                        Hope I can see you before very long – seems ages since I last saw you already.

                                                All my love Precious

                                                            Dicker

PS  No news from that Rat DuRose…

*Trooper Don Johnston

**a novel of old Dartmoor featuring Dewer, the evil spirit of the earth.

***the story of an artist in Paris and Tahiti, inspired by the life of Paul Gauguin

****possibly John Strange Winter’s “The Strange Story of My Life (The Colonel’s Daughter)” although there are a number of books with this title.

© Chotie Darling

NB. THIS LETTER WAS FIRST POSTED ON 30TH JANUARY BUT MOVED TO CORRECT DATE 

 

Church Parade was held on Sunday 24^th January and there were preparations for Exercise “Hammer II” which took place in Kent from 25^th to 28^th January 1943 with rain on 25^th, fine on 26^th, mist on 27^th and rain again on 28th. Cold throughout. On 29^th January 43^rd Recce returned to Section Training, with Vehicle Maintenance accompanied by the Commanding Officer’s vehicle inspection on Saturday 30^th. (From the War Diary of the 43^rd
Reconnaissance Regiment held by the Archive and Reference Library, the Tank Museum, Bovington, Dorset.) 

 

26^th January 1943 – Rommel, the German Commander in North Africa, is told he is to be ‘relieved’ by the Italian General Messe. (From Chronology of World War II.)

27^th January 1943 – the US air force made its first raid on Germany hitting Emden and Wilhelmshaven and demonstrating their favoured strategy of precision bombing in daylight. (From WW2-net Timelines and Chronology of World War II.)

28^th January 1943 – all of the German workforce is mobilised for ‘total war’. (From WW2-net Timelines.)

British 8^th Army captures Tripoli, the capital city of Libya.

 

30^th January 1943 – Le Milice, the secret police modelled on the Nazi German Gestapo is formed in France under the command of Joseph Darnand, the Secretary General of Vichy France. (From Chronology of World War II.)

 Daylight bombing of Berlin by the Allies on the 10^th Anniversary of Nazi Germany interrupts Herman Göring’s commemoration speech.

.

 

An old soldier's ability - 18th January 1943

5731671 Tpr Williams RK

Mortar Tp HQ Sqn, 43^rd Recce Regt

Recce Corps, Home Forces

 

Monday

My Darling Chotie,

                                                                                    Sorry I haven’t been able to write before, but I’ve been on the Range for the last two days – they always pick the weekends – and didn’t receive your letter until this morning.

            You seem to be settling down after your first week in the “Army” – (notice the parenthesis…). Things are a bit strange at first, but you soon develope the scrounging ability required to become the old solider. Eric & I rapidly became past-masters in this singular art.

            Have you seen anything of the town yet? Never been there myself – only know they make shoes there among other things. I looked it up on the map and found it nearer to London than I had imagined.

            As regards 48 hrs I’m afraid it’s out of the question as far as I’m concerned. Firstly I’m not allowed them as I live outside the limit, and secondly I shall be on a scheme then. ‘Fraid I can’t give you any details.  Sorry it can’t be done Darling – I should have liked nothing better – especially on your first leave.

            Been very busy lately – haven’t had time to breathe. However, found time to read a very good book Enid Bagnolds ‘National Velvet’ – don’t miss it. It’s published in Penguin’s “Forces Book Club”.

            I scarce get time to light my pipe now – or rather your pipe….

            Had quite a lively raid this evening. No details – sorry!

            I’m now forced to wear a G.C.* tape (2 years undetected crime…). Coupled with the old beret, I rival the little pansy.

            I’m afraid Eric will have to whistle for a Best Man as far as I’m concerned.  All I’ve got out of him in the last six months is a Xmas Card, and I suspect Eve brought that.  If I know him, Eve brought them and he just signed them!

            I’m trying to economise in writing-paper – hope you can read this.

            I wrote to Monica to congratulate her for her share in overcoming the Falling Birth rate problem (you see I always tell you these things..)

            I’m going out all day tomorrow on a motorbike – haven’t ridden one for about 3 years. Hope I don’t break my neck – It’s the only one I’ve got after all.

            Must close here to catch post.

                                                                        Lots of love Precious

                                                                                    Dicker

                                                                                    Xxxx

*Good Conduct Good chevron worn on the lower sleeve of the jacket.

 © Chotie Darling

 

Section training for 43^rd Recce recommenced from 18^th to 23^rd January. On Monday 18^th January the 43^rd Recce war diary records an A.A. (anti-aircraft) barrage over Dover at 2200 hours. (From the War Diary of the 43^rd Reconnaissance Regiment held by the Archive and Reference Library, the Tank Museum, Bovington, Dorset.) 

 

22^nd January 1943 – the Battle of Buna-Gona in New Guinea concludes with the victory of Australian and US Allied Forces over the Japanese. (From WW2-net Timelines.) 

23rd January 1943 – Allied troops enter Tripoli, the capital of Libya, marking the end of the Italian African Empire.

Rommel’s forces attack the French in the Fäid Pass, east of Sfax in Tunisia, and destroy more than half of the US forces that counter-attack. (From ‘The Second World War’ by Antony Beevor, published by Weidenfield and Nicolson 2012)

 

A far cry from Dorset - Monday 11th January

5731671 Tpr Williams, R.K

Mortar Tp  HQ Sqdn 43^rd Recce regt.

Recce Corps  Home Forces

Monday

My Darling Chotie,

                                                            So you’re in the Army at last…._ and from your letter things don’t appear to be too bad.

            I should imagine by now you know all about innoculation….Just ignore it. Personally we always welcome it as it means 48 hrs in kip – that is TAB* of course, not ATT etc.

            Northampton seems rather a far cry from Dorset, but you may be posted farther South of course.  It’ll be the helluva way to go just for 48 hrs though.

            You say the clobber seems stiff – and soft cloth at that….

            I’ve just done an amazing thing – for me, or rather two amazing things – won two cross-countries inside a week!  Shock nearly killed me.  Had a forced route march today over ploughed fields.  Half the troop fell out.  I made it all right, but it left me with a swine of a headache.  All those who fell out go on a charge automatically. 

            Expect you’re bored stiff reading all this tosh!  Specially if the innoc. got
you down.  We are always urged to get about and forget it, but I just give in and relax in bed.

            It’ll be a change to write to you at another address….

            Ramble, ramble….

            Pretty chilly here, expect it’s the same with you.  We pinch about ½ ton of coal a week from various sources.

            Haven’t heard from Brinner for ages – and Eric needless to say has always failed to write.  Brinner’s still somewhere in Essex I suppose.

            Did you hear about Monica’s effort?  Baby daughter – 9lb 4oz something.  Helluva weight.  Mother did tell me her name.  I’ve forgotten I’m afraid.

            Re. Xmas present.  Is there anything you want?  Or would you rather I send you the shekels?  Don’t be afraid to let me know will you in your next epistle.

            Met an Eire padre last night.  Ex boxer from Dublin Varsity.  Found quite a lot in common.  Opera, Georgian Houses etc.  Quite a lively argument about the Church.  Had to admit we both had our own points….

            Don’t forget to give me a lucid description of the Sarn’t-Major.  Yes Ma-am….

            Must close here, Darling.

            Hope I get the address right.

                                                                        All my love

                                                                                    Dicker

P.S.  Don’t let ‘em get you down….

* Typhoid inoculation

 © Chotie Darling

 

Section Training continued for 43^rd Recce from 11^th to 15^th January 1943. On Saturday 16^th  there was Vehicle Maintenance and Recreational training and on 17^th Church Parade.  43^rd Recce officers provided umpires for Exercise “Hammer 1” from 17^th to 19^th January. (From the War Diary of the 43^rd Reconnaissance Regiment held by the Archive and Reference Library, the Tank Museum, Bovington, Dorset.)

 

11^th January 1943 – Chotie again visited the dentist at Northampton.

Copy of Record

Dental Treatment Card – 13/1/43         Northampton

 

 

On 11^th January 1943 Chotie filled out a qualification form and was tested and interviewed on the 12^th January:

 

Sheet 10A. (A.T.S.) - record copy in poor condition so written out in full.

QUALIFICATION FORM

1. Training Centre  1                   2.Company  3            3.Date of intake  8^th Jan 1943

4. Surname (in block letters)  CHALKLEY                   Army No  242328

5. Christian names  BARBARA CHALKLEY        6. Home County  DORSET

7. Date of birth  6^th Sept 1923           8. Height  5’2¼             9. Spectacles  NO

10. Married or single  NO                       11. Ages of children (if any)        -

12. Schools (name and Place)  Courthill School, Parkstone

13. Age on leaving full time school  15yrs              14. Standard or class  7^th  (Elem.)

15. School Certificate, Higher leaving Certificate or Matriculation, Subjects;

16. Further training since school:

a) Evening classes (give place, subjects, No. of sessions in each)

Poole Technical College. Maths, Literature, Art. (*Thrice weekly. 1 session – 6mths.)

b) Full-time courses (give place, subjects, length of course, and certificate, diploma or degree obtained)

17. Your main job in civil life?  Display Artist (Backgrounds, decorating etc.)

How long did you work at it?  3 yrs

What exactly did you do?           Window Dressing

Name of employer,and nature of business   Plummers Roddis Ltd. Drapers

Average wages  £2 weekly

Other kinds of work you have tried

YOUR JOBS                    PERIOD             FIRM                             AVERAGE WAGE

Display Work                 1yr                    Beales & Co                    27/6

(Trainee for 2 months. 6mts store, drapery etc.)

18. What work have you done outside your home since marriage (if married)?

19. If you have held a driving licence state for how long you have had it  -  and it you still have it  -

20. Underline any of the following of which you have special knowledge or experience:

Typing                                       Cooking                         Car repairs

Languages                                 Catering                         Electrical Repairs

Residence abroad                       Handicrafts                     Photography

Nursing, First-aid                       Use of Sewing Machine     Morse little

Household Management                                                    Use of Telephone

(Embroidery, sewing, Makes own clothes & underwear. Guides. Morse not good.)

21. Experience of organising, instructing, or taking charge of others:

a) in your work

b) in your leisure (e.g. as Guide Lieutenant, secretary of society)

c) at school (e.g. as captain or prefect)   Prefect

22. State your chief spare time interests   Reading, Music, Dressmaking.

23.  A.T.S. Employment:

Your first preference     Ack-Ack. – ‘spotting’

Your second preference     Orderly – Equipment

Are you willing to be considered for operational work? (Ack-Ack)   Yes

Date     11-Jan-43                    Signature        B.E.Chalkley

*(Comments in brackets and italics were added subsequently by assessor)

SUMMARY SHEET

1. TEST RESULTS

Name    CHALKLEY          B.E.                                                      No.  W/242328

(To be filled in by Clerk or N.C.O.)

 

S.G.	Re-test	S.P.Test* 2	S.P.Test 3	S.P.Test 4	S.P.Test 5		AA-A	AA-B	AA-C	AA-D
49/1		26/2	34/3   mins	21/2	64/2	36/3   plus	√	-	√	√

 

ED	Spotter	VAT		Track Tracer
R+	6	10.10.10		E./T. 0   98

            Very steady

 

Educational Standard	Medical Category	Height	Glasses Worn
5.	AWI Visual Sh. R.    L. 6/6   6/6	5’2¼	No

 

 

2. INTERVIEW RECORD.

(To be filled in by Clerk or N.C.O.)

Main Occupation             Window Dresser

E.R.                  1                      2                      3

L                      1                      2                      3 

A                     1                      2 minus             3 

M                     1                      2 minus             3

S                     1                      2                       3

 

3. GENERAL REMARKS

        These should relate to the Auxiliary’s experience and/or qualifications in civil life, her own views about her employment in the A.T.S., and a note of any special qualifications to be noted for immediate or future use in the service.

            Very keen to be on a gun site. Test standards good.  Would like stores as second choice. Although SP 23 one grade below standard recommend in view of other test scores.

 

4. RECOMMENDATIONS

First      AA        Suggest as        D          AD 

Second  Storewoman

S.Q.(i)

S.Q.(ii)

            Selection Officer’s Signature        Joan M Taylor Sub.

 

Potential N.C.O.              Yes

Potential Officer

 

Date     12.1.43             Commandant’s Signature                        Pamela M. Fritton

                                                                                                St.Cmdr.

 

*SP Test = Selection of Personnel Test

 

On 12th January 1943

Chotie’s enrolment in the

Auxiliary Territorial Service was approved.

 

Chotie's enrolment form approval - see Chotie enrols in the ATS for the first part of this form.

 

Basic Training was an initiation into army life with an emphasis on drill, polishing, pressing, inspections, health and hygiene - nit inspections and treatment of the new recruits were de rigeur - as well as pregnancy and VD (venereal disease) tests and vaccinations.  There was a lot of marching in new, heavy lace-up shoes and PT training in the gym.  Army regulations had to be learned and the girls had to become accustomed to army life, living in freezing Nissen huts ‘heated’ by a central stove with one bucket of coal per day and queuing for meals at the cookhouse with your ‘irons’ – personal issues of cutlery.  They slept on ATS 'biscuits' - three separate squares of straw mattress that you had to try to keep together and under you during the night.

During training there were assessments to assign girls to the many different branches of the service – the ATS covered everything from the Army Postal and Courier Service and the Royal School of Signals to the Ordnance Corps (checking and packing ammunition or managing supplies), driving or motorbiking and cooking as well as the famous Ack-Ack girls who worked alongside the gunners on the anti-aircraft sites.

(From ‘Girls in Khaki – a history of the ATS in the Second World War’ by Barbara Green, published by the History Press 2012)

 

For first-hand accounts of life in the A.T.S. Training Camp in Northampton see the People's War on the BBC website, an online archive of wartime memories contributed by members of the public and gathered by the BBC.

Gladys Shaw became Company Quartermaster at Talavera Camp and gives a vivid account of conditons at the camp for new recruits in “The ATS in wartime Northampton”.  Doreen Myall, W/242400, also had to report for duty at the camp in January 1943:

“We were met at Northampton by army lorries, which took us to the centre. I do not remember too much of Northampton. It was a very cold January that year with snow on the ground for most of my three weeks training. I had chilblains on my feet and trying to break in new army shoes was very painful as there were parades, PE and marching every day. My first breakfast was kippers, not quite what I was used to at home but when you are hungry you eat. I did go into Northampton once to look around and marched one Sunday to Church Parade but cannot remember the name of the large Church we were in. Training was mainly learning the dos and don’ts and regulations of army life and being assessed as to where I would be posted.”  (From “My Time in the  ATS”contributed to 'WW2 People's War’ by David West.)

Hilda Pooler  was sent to Nothampton for ATS Basic Training in April 1943: 

“Reported to Talavera Camp, Northampton. Hundreds of girls and I only knew one, and she was sent in a different direction. What had I done!  Talavera was a huge place and we stayed together like a flock of sheep. However, lots to do, piles of things to collect, getting tucks put into the uniform (I was small, so lots of tucks). The greatcoat buried me and was so heavy. We were told to work hard polishing our cap badge. I sat all one evening rubbing away, only to be reprimanded next morning for a non-shiny badge!”

“When we were eventually passed as ATS girls (uniforms fitting – knew our left foot from the right – remembered to always carry your knife, fork and spoon and mug – and pack all kit into a quite small kitbag) - we were off.”

 

The basic training routine was the same for all recruits at training camps across the country.

Doffy Brewer had arrived at Talavera Camp in September 1941 and wrote of the Basic Training then:

'If you survive it nothing in the way of discomfort, humiliation, culture-shock or fatigue that life can bring afterwards can be as bad.’ 

(From 'Millions like us: Women's Lives in the Second World War' by Virginia Nicholson, published by Penguin in 2012.)

 

 

 

12^th January 1943 – the Red Army launch Operation Spark at Leningrad (St Petersburg) to break the German encirclement south of Lake Ladoga.  (From ‘The Second World War’ by Antony Beevor, published by Weidenfield and Nicolson 2012)

13^th January 1943 – the call-up for single girls in Britain is lowered to 19 (Chotie’s age). (From WW2-net Timelines.)

14^th January 1943 – US President Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Churchill meet with the Allied joint staff under General Eisenhower at the Casablanca summit Conference. The British persuade the Americans to pursue the war in North Africa (which was going badly in Tunisia) and then launch Operation Husky, the invasion of Sicily.  They also agree the ‘Combined Bomber Offensive’ with the US Eighth Air Force, which bombed by day, focusing on the destruction of the Luftwaffe and aircraft factories, while the British continued bombing cities by night.  On 24^th January they demand unconditional surrender from Germany and Italy. (See On War chronology.)

15th January 1943 – the French Communist party reacts against the support for former French Vichy leaders in North Africa by announcing in London that it will ally its resistance with de Gaulle and the Free French.

16th January 1943 – Iraq enters the war against Germany, Italy and Japan. (From WW2-net Timelines.) 

17th January 1943 – in an attempt to keep China in the war Britain and the United States give up their right to settlements claimed unfairly after the Opium Wars and Boxer Rebellion. (From ‘The Second World War’ by Antony Beevor, published by Weidenfield and Nicolson 2012)

18^th January 1943 – the Russians break through the German encirclement of Leningrad (St. Petersburg) opening up a corridor to bring relief to the city. However, the siege was not finally lifted until 27^th January 1944 – 900 days after it began in September 1941.

The first armed clash in the Warsaw Ghetto uprising succeeds in temporarily suspending deportations, although most of the Jews who fought against the round-up were killed.  By the end of 1942 only 70,000 of the Polish Jews who had been forced into the Warsaw Ghetto remained – more than 3,000 had been deported to the extermination and hard labour camps.

"Just relax Lulubell" - Sunday 3rd January 1943

Address as usual

Sunday Eve

My Darling

                        Having been on the range all day – and a Sunday at that – I thought I’d better write you to revive my flagging spirits.

            Well, I expect you’re getting just a bit worked up by now – just relax Lulubell…Things won’t be that bad – I hope. Is it the 7^th or 8^th you go?  When mother wrote she said the 8^th.

            I lent my pen to a colleague last night and the clumsy idiot promptly sat on it.  Some mothers have awkward children. Consequently I have to write this with my reserve.

            Hope you’ve got over Xmas by now.  It took me some little time.   

            Have just read a very good book – have meant to read it for some time now, and fate delivered the thing to me when I most needed something to read.  It’s called “The Bridge of San Luis Rey*” by an American Thornton River Wilder.  It’s really rather brilliant.  Published by Penguin.  Have had very little to read lately, having read everything in the Unit Library.

            Saw another Strip Tease last night – some woman called Arimand Banu who does her act with a 12ft python!  Pretty horrible.  Went with a bloke from this Squadron – comes from Soton – and plays the old “Warsaw”** like nobody’s business.  When I asked him his opinion of it he replied in one word – TINSEL!  Very sound bloke.

            I won a five bob bet on the Bizerte – Tunis Show*** which I placed some two months ago – which cheered me up a little – not so much for the cash as for sheer vanity…

            Well, Darling I must wish you all the best of luck on your entry into the Forces. I don’t intend to give you a sermon – I’ll spare you that – but be very careful won’t you?  I know we’re not even engaged but you’re very very dear to me Chotie and I couldn’t bear thinking of anything happening to you.

                        Must close here as I owe letters to Brinner, Diller and Home.

                                                            God bless you Darling

                                                                        Dicker

* A Pulitzer Prize winning novel set in Peru.

** The Warsaw piano concerto written by British composer Richard Addinsell for the film ‘Dangerous Moonlight’.

** refers to recent events in the North Africa campaigns Battle for Tunisia. Tunis and Bizerte are important deepwater ports. 

 © Chotie Darling

 

43^rd Recce had Section Training every day from 4^th to 9^th January 1943. On the 4^th there was also a Regimental Cross Country run (see Dick’s next letter).  The Divisional Commander visited the training on Tuesday 5^th January and from 7^th to 9^th January the Recce participated in the 43^rd Division Exercise “Wyvern II”.  On the 10^th January there was a Regimental Loading Exercise.

 

5th January 1943 - the Japanese begin planned withdrawal from Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands. The successful evacuation had been completed by 9^th February when the US Commander declared the island secure for the Allies and the campaign over. (From WW2-net Timelines and Chronology of World War II.)

A rather quiet Christmas - 27th December 1942

As usual 

Sunday

My Darling,

                                                Many, many thanks for the parcel received yesterday, - and for such a happy choice of present.  I don’t suppose I’ll have a chance of getting the Token exchanged until my leave, as I so rarely see a shop open – but it’s certainly something to look forward to.

            I wish I could have got you something but it’s pretty hopeless in this place I’m afraid – but I think it would probably be wiser to wait until you get in the ATS when you may find something more practical at any rate.

            Don’t forget to let me know if you see anything for Margaret and Ted. Once again it’s hopeless here.  Even if this place had been a metropolis I’m afraid I could have achieved little as we had no time off for shopping etc -  as I rarely get out ‘till seven or so everything’s shut anyway.

            ‘Spect you’re getting excited over your imminent entry into the Armed Forces of the Realm, though you seem to have overcome the medical with ease.  Hope it wasn’t too exacting for you.

            Well, Chotie, I seem to have had a rather quiet Xmas.  We (the unit) entertained about fifty Aussies & Canadians over the holidays.  Quite good fun.  I’ve had little beer – apart from eight pints with Xmas dinner.

            Told you I saw ‘Eagle Squadron’* I suppose.  Wasn’t it LUVLY!!  I nearly cried.

(I’m in a canteen eating Spam at the moment).  More parenthesis…Having just
failed to finish Picture P.** crossword.  You’ll probably find Spam all over the envelope.

            Have just finished Deeping’s ‘Kitty’*** – quite good.  That’s the 30^th of his I’ve read. Recommend it. 

            Well, Darling must close here.  ‘Fraid I missed you rather a lot over Xmas.  Maybe it will be over next Xmas. Maybe…  All my love

                                                                                    Dicker

PS  Had a Xmas card from Eric & Eve!!!!  Put me off my beer…

 

*Pilots from the Royal Australian Air Force and members of the Canadian Reconnaissance regiment.

**a film about American pilots who volunteered for the RAF before Pearl Harbour.

***Picture Post – a popular photojournalist magazine.

**** a novel by Warwick Deeping

 

 © Chotie Darling

 

28^th December 1942 – sterilization 'experiments' begin at the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camps in Nazi occupied Poland. (From WW2-net Timelines and the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum.)

 

Section Training continued for 43^rd Recce and on 28^th December there was a Regimental Cross-Country run.  Training on the 29^th featured driving instruction. (From the War Diary of the 43^rd Reconnaissance Regiment held by the Archive and Reference Library, the Tank Museum, Bovington, Dorset.)

 

31^st December 1942 - Battle of the Barents Sea. The British Navy successfully intercepts German warships attempting to destroy a large supply convoy, JW-51B, to Russia.  However, German U-boats now had 'milch cow' submarines enabling them to refuel and re-arm at sea and could penetrate as far as the Indian Ocean.  (From ‘The Second World War’ by Antony Beevor, published by Weidenfield and Nicolson 2012)

 

During 1942 Allied merchant shipping lost 1,323 ships, equalling 7,047,744 gross tons (almost three times the losses of 1941) to U-boats world-wide. 87 U-boats were sunk in 1942 (only 35 in 1941). (From WW2-net Timelines and History Learning Site.)

 

War in Dorset excerpts will not be continued on this blog since Chotie was no longer resident in the county from January 1943, having joined the ATS (see recent post Chotie enrolls in the ATS )

 

On 1^st January 1943 Dick filled out the form for recommendation as a
candidate for the Officer Cadet Training Unit

 

Copy of Record:

RECOMMENDATION FORM FOR CANDIDATES FOR OFFICER CADET TRAINING UNITS

PART 1.  (To be completed by the Candidate.)

1. Surname     WILLIAMS                     
2. Army Number          5731671
3. Christian Names       RICHARD KELNER
4. Rank           Trooper
5. Date of Promotion    -
6. Unit             43^rd Reconnaissance Regt. Recce. Corps
7. Date of joining present unit   10-7-42
8. Date of enlistment    21-6-40
9. Date of birth*          28-7-21
10. Place of birth*          Orpington, Kent
11. Civil Identity No.
12. Religion       Congregational
13. Nationality at birth    British
14. Name and nationality at birth of father           Dudley Kelner Beresford Williams                        British
15.  Name and nationality at birth of mother                      Alice Maude Shrubsall                            British
16. Married or single      Single
17. Nationality at birth of wife     -
18. Number of childres               -
19. Next of kin and Permanent Address of next of kin       Father  “St Margarets” Sea Lane Pagham  Sussex
20. School or other Educational Establishment (with dates)           

Sidcup County School 1931-35

Simon Langton School 1936-38

21. Educational certificates (with dates)   Matriculation (Lond.) 1938

22. Languages (state if written or spoken)     French written and spoken Small knowledge of German and Spanish

23. Civil occupation    None

24. Name of last employer          -

25. Arm or Corps in which a Commission is desired.  Three choices to be given in order of priority, one to be non-technical.

(i)           Recce Corps

(ii)          R.A.S.C.

(iii)         Dorset Regt.

26. Technical qualifications, if any, for each of above choices:-

(i)           Driver Mechanic Group D Class II

(ii)          “                 “           “           “

(iii)         –

27. Have you ever been convicted by the Civil Power or by Court Martial?†   No

If so, state date and circumstances    -

28. Have you previously been admitted to the R.M.A., R.M.C. or to an Officer Cadet Training Unit? No

If so give particulars

                   -

29. Have you at any time held a commission in any branch of H.M. Forces? 
If so, give full particulars No

30.  General remarks      -

I certify that to the best of my knowledge the above particulars are correct and complete.

Signature    RKWilliams

Date           1-1-‘43 

*This must be supported by a birth certificate.

†Commanding Officers will use their discretion in deciding whether a man who appears otherwise suitable should be rejected on account of conviction by the Civil Power or by a Court Martial.  For example, no serious notice need be taken of conviction on account of youthful indiscretions or minor motoring offences, but where the cause of conviction indicates a lack of the high moral qualities which are required of an officer, consideration must be given as to whether the facts disclosed point to the total unsuitability of the candidate for commissioned rank.  Due regard must however be paid to the fact that bravery and distinguished service in the field may be an overriding consideration in spite of past records.

 

On 1^st January 1943 43^rd Recce had a half day. The next day the Commanding Officer inspected vehicle maintenance. On Sunday 3^rd there was Church Parade.

 

2^nd January 1943 – Australian and US troops finally win victory in Papua New Guinea taking the Buna bridgehead.  With this, and the battles of Guadalcanal and Midway, the Allies could now believe the Japanese were not invincible. (From ‘The Second World War’ by Antony Beevor, published by Weidenfield and Nicolson 2012)

Which Christmas? - Tuesday 22nd December

PPS.  Good book “Tambour Terrace” Eleanor Dunbar Hall

As before

Tuesday

My Darling,

                                    Sorry I haven’t been able to reply to your last before now, but I’ve been away on a scheme for the last few days.  This culminated in a route march which finished me off – I was wearing new boots, so today finds me on the sick list.  There’s a run on this afternoon and being excused running for five days I’m able to write to my Chotie.

                    Thanks for the letter and cake.  You must thank Margaret for me – when next you see her. 

                    I had a letter or rather a note from our mutual friend Lightfoot*, last week.  Apparently he’s in Colchester (Essex).

            Brinner has also moved to Essex – rather in the wilds, I gather.  I’ve despatched a letter to Diller – shake her I expect – as I’m not sending any cards.

            Let me know as soon as you see anything in the cheese-dish line – I hardly remember what they look like. 

            Hope your medical** went off all right.  Let me have the dope as soon as possible. Also the Dance.

            Went to a whist drive last week.  No luck of course.  I should have been well in, but went down 12-1 which finished everything.  Really stupid girl for a partner…Ginger.

                        Look like the Fighting French in our berets.  Remember that photo you had of cadets?

                        No news of course.  Devilish dull here – though we don’t get much time anyhow.

                        (With Doug’s letter came a Pkstone Cong***. Magazine.  Know who sent it?  Sure I don’t)

                        Roll on Christmas … (Incidentally which Christmas is the war going to end by now?)

                        Must close here.

                                        All my love Darling

                                                                        Dicker

PS.  Will send you something if I should ever see anything.

*Doug Lightfoot

**On 17^th December 1942 Chotie was enrolled into the Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS) at Southampton.

*** Parkstone Congregational Church (now Parkstone United Reformed Church), opposite Chotie’s home on the corner of Chapel Road and Commercial Road, Parkstone, Poole Dorset. Chotie met Dick at the church Youth Club when she was fourteen.  Her family left the house in the 1960s and it was knocked down and replaced with a tyre shop.

© Chotie Darling

 

On 24^th December the Canadian Reconnaissance regiment also arrived as guests of 43^rd Recce over Christmas, leaving on the 27^th. On Christmas Day there was an Officers v. Sergeants Soccer Match. (From the War Diary of the 43^rd Reconnaissance Regiment held by the Archive and Reference Library, the Tank Museum, Bovington, Dorset.)

24th December 1942 - Darlan, now the French leader in North Africa, is assassinated by the French monarchist Fernand Bonnier. (From ‘The Second World War’ by Antony Beevor, published by Weidenfield and Nicolson 2012)

 

Eric Postles was still training with 61^st Recce in Northern Ireland:

 "At Christmas the troop paid into a kitty and we had a meal at Black’s Café in Portrush.”   (Extracts from ‘My War Years’ by John Eric Postles ISO used by kind permission of the author.)

Berets - Sunday 13th December 1942

Same Address 

Sunday

My Darling,

                                    Just a few brief lines to let you know that I arrived back safely, though somewhat late.  I managed to miss all connections and didn’t get to bed before one o'clock the forthcoming morning.  I hope you also arrived home safely – though in better time than I did.

            Well, my Dear, how went the nuptials*?  Don’t forget to tell me all about it in your next letter. I trust everything went off all right, and the happy pair duly spliced.

            Great excitement this morning, as we were issued with berets – similar to Canadian Officer balmorals – light khaki.  Really rather good.  The boys took it calmly, though as one wag said bitterly – “all we want now is a skirt…” 

            I’ve been lumberjackin’ all the morning – just to loosen up after my leave.  I certainly needed to.

            I went down to the ‘Hippodrome’ last night, & also the local.  Not very thrilling after being with you for a week.  Got fed up and went to bed before nine.

            No news, so will close here.

            All my love, Darling and thanks for a very happy leave.

                                                                        Dicker

                                                                        xxxx

 

*Chotie’s elder sister Margaret married Ted Lewis on 12^th December 1942.

 
Ted and Margaret Lewis, married on Saturday 12th December at Parkstone Congregational Church, Poole, Dorset.

Chotie was bridesmaid.

Family wedding group outside Chotie's home, the Hollies.  Chotie is next to her sister Margaret, the bride.  Her mother is on the left end of the photo and her father next to her.

 © Chotie Darling

 

 

43^rd Recce took part in another 43^rd Division Skeleton Exercise on 14^th December in Canterbury/Dover and there was a Regimental Skeleton Exercise on the 16^th.  Pilots from the Royal Australian Air Force arrived as guests of the Regiment on 20^th December – see Dick’s letter of 27th. Section Training started on 21^st December and continued on most days for the rest of the month. The “HQ” Squadron Company Route March of 21^st December is mentioned in Dick’s next letter.

(From the War Diary of the 43^rd Reconnaissance Regiment held by the Archive and Reference Library, the Tank Museum, Bovington, Dorset.)

 

16^th December 1942 – Himmler orders that all gypsies (Roma) are to be sent to concentration camps. The Nazi genocide of the Roma claimed 220,000 to 500,000 lives (possibly more than a million).

Operation Little Saturn, the second Soviet offensive, begins at Stalingrad attacking the weakly held Italian front.  Although the elite Alpini troops stood firm it put an end to the hope of Operation Winter Storm to rescue Germany's Sixth Army, now 'kettled' at Stalingrad. (From ‘The Second World War’ by Antony Beevor, published by Weidenfield and Nicolson 2012) 

 

17^th December 1942 – Britain and the USA vow to avenge Nazi war crimes against the Jewish people.  By the end of 1942 word had leaked out to the Allied Command of German atrocities and close to four million Jews had been killed in the extermination camps.

Leave next Wednesday - Thursday 26th November 1942

Same Address

Thursday

My Darling,

                                    Just a few lines to let you know that my leave definitely comes off on the second inst. ie next Wednesday.  This is of course subject to cancellation for a hundred and one reasons, but if all goes well, as I expect it will, I can’t see why it should not come off.

            Will you write as soon as you can fix up anything definite – I’m supposing, as usual, that you are able to… 

            I’m very busy at the moment, or would write more.  In any case there’s no real news – nothing at all with which to pad this missive.

            I got really wet through this morning – still am in fact (it’s now dinner-time) so will have to find something to change into.

            Sorry this is so short Darling, but I thought I’d write as soon as my name appeared on detail for leave.

                                                            all my love precious,

                                                                                    Dicker

P.S.  Write as soon as possible…

 © Chotie Darling

 

27^th November 1942 – German troops occupy the French Naval base of Toulon. The Vichy Admiral de Laborde (who had refused to deliver the French Fleet into Allied hands) gave orders to scuttle the French fleet and they succeeded in destroying 77 warships, preventing them from falling into German or Italian hands. Four submarines managed to escape. (See Operation Lila.)

 

29th November 1942 – Churchill warns Italy that the bombing of Italian cities will continue until Italy abandons the war, encouraging them to revolt against Mussolini. (From WW2-net Timelines.)

By the end of November the Japanese on Papua New Guinea, without reinforcements or supplies, had given up trying to take Port Moresby and retreated to their bridgeheads at Buna and Gona where desperate fighting with Australian and American forces continued.

 

43^rd Recce’s List of Officers for 30^th November 1942 includes the following for Regimental Headquarters:

Commanding Officer – Lt.Col.A.W.E.Crawford

Second-in-Command – Major H.G.Mason*

Adjutant – Capt.J.Day

Technical Officer - Capt.G.D.A.Hunter

I.O. (presumably Intelligence Officer) – Lieut.C.E.J.Leaphard**

 

Dick’s Headquarters Squadron included the following:

Squadron Commander – Major A.O.Swayne

Second-in-Comd. – Capt.C.G.Nuttall

O.C.A.Tk.Tp (Officer in Command of the Anti-tank Troop) – Capt.F.R.Henn

O.C. Mortar Troop (Dick’s Troop) – Lieut.S.J.Moreland

Signal Officer – Lieut.W.H.Moreland

Asst. Mortar Tp.Comd – Lieut.D.E.R.Scarr***

Adm.Officer – Lieut.T.A.Parry

2 i/c A.Tk.Tp – Lieut.D.Rigby

M.T.O. – Lieut.W.R.Falconer

Quartermaster – Major B.V.J.Vigrass

(From the papers of the 43^rd Reconnaissance Regiment held by the Archive and Reference Library, the Tank Museum, Bovington, Dorset.)

*Major Herbert George Mason had served with the Glosters since 1927. In 1943 he was posted to the Allied Military Government in Italy and rejoined the Glosters T.A. in 1947.

**Lieut.C.E.J.Leaphard – transferred to and saw action with No 6 Commando (see Small Scale Raiding Force).

***Liet.D.E.R.Scarr – the National Army Museum hold an account of his service with the Recce from 1941-46 (inventory number 10561).

(From WW2 Unit Histories and National Army Museum.)

 

Dick was in the Mortar Troop under Lieutenants S.J.Moreland and D.E.R. Scarr with probably about 44 NCOs and other troopers.  Mortar Troop initially served a pair of 3 inch mortars, carried by 15cwt trucks but by the end of 1942 their strength was increased to six 3 inch weapons, now each transported by an adapted Universal carrier with 15cwt trucks carrying extra ammunition. (See WW2 Battalion Organisation.)

In December 1942 43^rd Reconnaissance Regiment were still in Dover. Individual training took place on most days up to and including the 19^th December.  The Regiment took part in the 43^rd’s Divisional Skeleton Exercise Wyvern on 4^th, 5^th and 6^th December.

(From the War Diary of the 43^rd Reconnaissance Regiment held by the Archive and Reference Library, the Tank Museum, Bovington, Dorset.)

 

 The War in Dorset - December 1942

In December 1942 the 3^rd Special Services Brigade was formed from No 5 Commando and Royal Marines.  Billeted in Bournemouth, with an HQ at the Broughty Ferry Hotel in Boscombe, they practiced night landing exercises at Shell Bay and Brownsea Island and shooting on the Canford Heath ranges. The novelist Evelyn Waugh was then Staff Officer for Combined Operations and often monitored their exercises.

On 4^th December Barnes Neville Wallis unsuccessfully tested two spherical bombs, flown in from RAF Warmwell, on the Fleet lagoon. They failed to bounce and exploded on impact. He was again unsuccessful on 15^th December. By the seventh attempt in early January his team had achieved a skim across the water and on 24^th January the bomb bounced 13 times and jumped over a barn intended to simulate the wall of a dam. Trials in Dorset, codenamed ‘Upkeep’, continued into March and then moved to choppier waters in Kent. The bouncing bombs were used in May 1943 to destroy dams in the Ruhr area of Germany releasing industrial water supplies but drowning 1,294 people including several hundred Russian prisoners of war.

On 13^th December over 100 houses at Chiswell, Portland were flooded by a natural incursion of the sea breaching the Chesil beach.  Gas, road and rail links were put out of action.

The Armoured Fighting Vehicle School at Lulworth Camp came under air attack on 14^th December.

A single Dornier bomber dropped 5 bombs near Poole Quay on 16^th December. Two people were killed, twenty-six injured and several buildings destroyed as well as a Naval Patrol vessel.  Another bomber in Bridport killed 3 people and hit a bank leaving £1,000 in bank notes spread over the street.

On 21^st December the Free French navy gunboat Chasseur capsized and sank off Durlston Head near Swanage.

Church bells rang for Christmas for the first time since the beginning of the war, following the El Alamein celebration in November.

On 31^st December 1942 another Dornier raider attacked Poole Quay (destroying Bradford’s Store, which had just been repaired following the earlier bomb damage) but crashed into the Harbour while taking evasive action from Lewis gun fire.

(From  ‘Poole and World War II’ written by Derek Beamish, Harold Bennett and John Hillier and published by Poole Historical Trust in 1980  and Dorset’s War Diary - Battle of Britain to D Day’ by Rodney Legg, Dorset Publishing Company 2004)

 

In December 1942 43^rd Reconnaissance Regiment were still in Dover. Individual training took place on most days up to and including the 19^th December.  The Regiment took part in the 43^rd’s Divisional Skeleton Exercise Wyvern on 4^th, 5^th and 6^th December. (From the War Diary of the 43^rd Reconnaissance Regiment held by the Archive and Reference Library, the Tank Museum, Bovington, Dorset.)

2^nd December 1942 – the first self-sustaining nuclear chain reaction is achieved by a team of scientists in America working under the name of “Manhattan Engineering District”. (From WW2-net Timelines.)

 

Dick was on leave from Wednesday 2^nd to c.9^th December 1942.

Chotie and Dicker were together for a week during Dicker’s leave

 

3rd December 1942 - the British First Army's advance on Tunis from Algeria is pushed back by German Panzer forces (from ‘The Second World War’ by Antony Beevor, published by Weidenfield and Nicolson 2012).

4^th December 1942 – the first US Air Force raid on Naples, flying from North Africa, kills nearly one thousand people.  Naples was the most bombed Italian city of the war. 

 

7th December 1942 – ten Royal Marines set off in canoes from a submarine near the east Coast of France for Operation Frankton. Paddling 70 miles up the River Gironde they successfully laid charges to destroy enemy shipping in Bordeaux Harbour.  Two men survived, two were presumed drowned and six were captured and executed under Hitler’s Commando Order.  They became known as the ‘Cockleshell Heroes’ after their canoes codenamed cockles. (See Combined Operations WW2 website and update on Wikipedia.)

8th December 1942 – German troops occupy the Vichy French port of Bizerte in Tunisia, capturing French destroyers and submarines. (From WW2-net Timelines.) 

9th December 1942 - Australian troops take the Japanese bridgehead at Gona in Papua New Guinea.

 

11th December 1942 - Montgomery's Eighth Army attacks Rommel's forces at the Battle of El Agheila in Libya.  The German Panzerarmee Africa resume their withdrawal west towards Tunisia.

12th December 1942 – Germany counter attacks with Operation Winter Storm at Stalingrad, as their Army Group Don attempts to rescue the besieged and starving 6th Army. This had been defeated by the Soviets by 23rd December. (See The Battle for Stalingrad website.)

 

Rough-hew them how we will - Tuesday 17th November 1942

Address as usual

Tuesday

My Darling,

                                    Once again I find I’m able to reply to yours just received instanta, but I’d better not make a habit of it ...

                  Well, my Dear, you seem to have some news this time – whether good, bad or indifferent I leave you to judge, though from your letters I see a sort of aloof indifference.  As my literary hero said “There’s a divinity that shapes our ends – rough hew them how we will.”*

            I was pleased to see that you’re sticking out for a specialised job – for which I think you are very wise.  The main criticism offered against this procedure is that you tend to get into a rut; but a comfortable rut is preferable to wandering de place en place as most of us appear to do.

            I was, needless to say, even more pleased to hear that you will not be going before Xmas.  By all laws and statutes I should get my leave a fortnight today, ie the 2^nd of December – but you know what leave can be, or you soon will...

            En passant, I think you are in error as regards the leave; most blokes find that the feminine services are able to get leave when their ‘soldier hero’ gets his.  Naturally this is not always the case but I think you’ll find that in general practice it can be wangled.

            Sorry to hear that Diller’s given me the bird.  Maybe I’ll write her one of these fine days.  You might tell her that I’m giving the matter considerable thought.

            Well, there’s no news from this end.  I managed to get Saturday and Sunday – quite a change, and saw “The Saint’s Vacation” and, at last – “Reap the Wild Wind”.  Neither was particularly outstanding.  Always grumble, don’t I?

            Well, I suppose I must close here, not having anything else to hold your attention.

                                    Hope to see you soon, Darling

                                                all my love

                                                        Dicker

*Shakespeare’s ‘Hamlet’ – Act 5, Scene 2.

**a film based on one of the Simon Templar a.k.a. “The Saint” novels by Leslie Charteris. The film was reset in the Second World War with Nazis as the villains.

***a swashbuckling adventure film set in the 1840s along the Florida coast.

© Chotie Darling

17^th November 2012 – first clashes between US and German forces, in the Western Desert. (From WW2-net Timelines.)

 

19th November 1942 – launch of Operation Uranus, the Russian offensive to encircle and destroy Axis forces (German, Romanian, Hungarian and Italian) at Stalingrad. The encirclement of almost 300,000 men was completed on 22^nd November. (See 23rd August 1942 and WW2-net Timelines.)

Operation Freshman, a British commando assault on the heavy water plant at Telemark in Norway (potentially critical for the Germans to develop an atomic bomb), ends in disaster.  The captured commandos are executed under Hitler’s ‘Commando Order’.

20th November 1942 – the advance of the Allies’ 8th Army reaches Benghazi in Libya, an essential supply port for the campaign. (From WW2-net Timelines.

 

22^nd November 1942 – Eisenhower accepts French Admiral Darlan (Head of the Vichy French Armed Forces) as Head of the French Administration in North Africa in return for co-operation with the Allies despite opposition from General de Gaulle, leader of the Free French in Britain, and the French Resistance. Darlan was assassinated on 24^th December 1942. He was replaced as leader of French Africa by General Giraud on 27th December. (From WW2 People’s War, WW2 History of US Army in the Med and Darlan.)

23rd November 1942 - the US Eighth Air Force attacks U-boat pens at St Nazaire but their daylight 'precision bombing' tactics are failing with fewer than 3% of bombs falling within a thousand feet of the target.  (From ‘The Second World War’ by Antony Beevor, published by Weidenfield and Nicolson 2012)

 

The Recce Corps Commander Lieutenant-General Stopford inspected 43^rd Recce’s  ‘Carrier Drill’ and Battle Drill’ on Monday 23^rd November and the next day 43^rd Recce demonstrated shooting from A.R.C.s on Deal Vehicle Range for a visit from the Commander in Chief of Home Forces, General Sir Bernard Paget. (From the War Diary of the 43^rd Reconnaissance Regiment held by the Archive and Reference Library, the Tank Museum, Bovington, Dorset.)

 

24th November 1942 - Hitler orders the forces at Stalingrad, some 290,000 men, to hold out there and not attempt retreat through the Soviet encirclement.  A new Army Group Don is formed to breakthrough and relieve the Sixth Army.

 

25th November 1942 – Soviet forces begin Operation Mars, an attack on the central front near Rhez.  Unknown to them it was a diversionary offensive to facilitate Operation Uranus  and the Germans had deliberately been given information on the advance – more than 70,000 Red Army soldiers were killed in a month of fighting.

Left wing Greek resistance forces (EDES – the Greek National Republican League and the communist EAM-ELAS), supported by British SOE (the Special Operations Executive) succeed in blowing-up the Gorgopotamos Bridge in central Greece.  This cut the railway line to northern Greece for four months, one of the most successful sabotage missions of the war.  

(From ‘The Second World War’ by Antony Beevor, published by Weidenfield and Nicolson 2012

Chapter 7 - The beginning of the end

 

Chotie Darling

Dedicated to the memory of my mother and all those who hold the forever young of war in their hearts.

 

Part 2        Reconnaissance      

 

Chapter 7            43rd Reconnaissance – the beginning of the end

 

Dick continued in the 43^rd Reconnaissance Regiment, in the Mortar Troop of HQ Squadron, until March 1943.

In November 1943 43rd Recce were stationed at Dover.

 

Tuesday 10th November 1942

Same Address

Tuesday

My Darling,

                             It's not often I'm able to reply to your letters as soon as I receive them, but this is an exception - so here goes.

                             Prepare for a shock.  I went to the old place and met Monica* on Sunday last.  Quite honestly, I didn't go with the intention of seeing her - I went really to see the old school** and finding myself with more time than I expected to have, I caught the bus on.  Even then I hardly thought of going to see her, but having met several people there, I thought I'd better call in, as I feared she would have been rather hurt had I not done so.

                            However, in the end I did call, - and needless to say, her husband was there.  Monica met me with surprise rather than pleasure, I fancy - her husband with pointed displeasure.

                             I offer two reasons from Monica’s frigidness (sorry, frigidity!) (a) she is in the eighth month of pregnancy, which may have caused her some embarrassment, and (b) she may have resented my calling when her husband was there.  Well,
anyhow I left after an hour or so, and was much relieved to do so. 

                              Paul (Monica's brother) came in - he's improved vastly, but Monica has definitely taken a turn for the worse.  I'm taking into account her expected childbirth, but she looked nearer thirty than twenty to me.  She has not married well.  I had expected to find her husband a man of more intelligence than I could give him credit for, at first meeting.

                            However, this is now a closed Chapter, so I will say no more on the subject. 

                            I was rather surprised to hear of your expected "change of employment"**.   I should give the matter considerable thought before making any decisions.  I realise fully that is a rather trite phrase, nevertheless, learn mark and inwardly digest.  Whatever service you decide to go into, or what service you get thrown into (!), I advise stating definitely what 'job' you wish to do.  By this I mean, don't sign-on for 'General Duties'.  I hate to think of what you might be doing at the end.

                        Well, my Dear, and how are you these days?  I seem to ramble on and on without ever getting anywhere.   

                        I ran a five-mile cross-country yesterday and had a fifteen mile route march today.  I got a couple of bob for the cross country but nothing alas for the route march.  However I got most of the afternoon off, so can't grumble.

                        (I'm listening to the Brain's Trust at the moment which may account for this rambling...)

                        The news is brightening up it seems.  The importance of command in Libya cannot be over emphasised as it means command in the Mediterranean which will we hope lead to the elimination of Italy as an Axis Power.  Also, of course, Turkey, who is at the moment just sitting on the fence, may throw in her weight on our side when she sees which way the tide is turning.

                        I may get my next leave in Early December, but of course this is looking rather far ahead.  We shall have to see what happens.  I hope something turns up as I can't envisage the prospect of leave without you being there.

                        Well, My Darling, I can't think of anything else, so will close here.

                        Have read a few books lately:  "Ladybrook" by Eleanor Farjeon I rather enjoyed,  Robert Burke's "The Book of the Inn", a collection of what every famous writer has said about pubs.

                                         Must close here

                                                    All my love

                                                                Dicker

PS. Love you very, very much, Chotie Darling. XXXX

 

*Dick's ex-girlfriend

**Dick attended Sidcup County School (now Chislehurst and Sidcup Grammar School) from 1931-35 and the Simon Langton School, Canterbury 1936-38.

** *Chotie joined the Army Territorial Service in January 1943. She had intended to join the Women’s Royal Naval Service (WRNS, known as the Wrens) because the uniform was more attractive but Army recruitment persuaded her that she’d be working on something very important and top secret (radar).

© Chotie Darling

 

11^th November 1942 – German forces advance into Vichy France “to protect France” against the Allies in Operation Anton (a breach of their 1940 Armistice Agreement).  In Vichy French North Africa Admiral Darlan orders a ceasefire with the Allies.

 At Stalingrad the German commander Frederick Paulus obeys Hitler’s disastrous order, committing all his panzer forces into a final battle to take the city and leaving the flank of the Sixth Army vulnerable.

 

12th November 1942 – the second naval battle of Guadalcanal. Over three days America lost two light cruisers but sank two Japanese bettleships, three destroyers and seven transports carrying 6,000 troops to re-inforce those on the Island.  By the beginning of December the US Navy controlled all the sea around Guadalcanal.

13th November 1942 - the Allies retake Tobruk, the strategic port on the coast of Libya

 

15th November 1942- celebration of victory at El Alamein. Church bells ring out for the first time since July 1940 (when an order was given that they must not be rung except as an air raid warning)

 

Missing Someone - Thursday 6th November 1942

The War in Dorset - November 1942

A flight from RAF Hurn on 3^rd November took General Dwight D. Eisenhower and top-ranking American officers to Gibraltar for the commencement of Operation Torch. The pilot was Major Paul Tibbets, who later flew the plane (Enola Gay) that dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan, in August 1945.  RAF Hurn (now Bournemouth Airport) was a main base for the movement of troops to the Western Desert via Gibraltar for the Allied Landings of Operation Torch.

On 25^th November a Lancaster bomber crashed at Sturminster Newton, North Dorse, killing the crew of seven.

North Poole suffered incessant machine gun noise in November 1942 while the munitions factory at Creekmoor tested its guns.

(From Dorset’s War Diary - Battle of Britain to D Day’ by Rodney Legg,  Dorset Publishing Company 2004)

 

On 1^st November 43^rd Recce commenced a period of intense individual training scheduled to continue until 15^th December.  Officers were set examinations every Wednesday. During the month the regiment received armoured cars and 6pr Anti-Tank Guns.

(From the War Diary of the 43^rd Reconnaissance Regiment held by the Archive and Reference Library, the Tank Museum, Bovington, Dorset.)

 

5^th November 1942

Thursday

My Darling Chotie,

                                                                                                Many thanks for letter.  I expect you’ve given me up by now, for not having written before, but as usual I didn’t receive your letter until I got back from another scheme.

            I was very sorry to hear about Reinelt, as I’d always looked on him as being my oldest friend in Poole – for our friendship seemed to prosper despite various differences of opinion in diverse subjects.  I need scarce say that had it not been for him I should never have met you.  As you say, we can only hope that he is safe – somewhere.

            Eric (White), I know, will be shaken by the loss of Boody – a rather remarkable fellow. He was hit by Bill’s death, so this comes as a double loss.  I can’t say I really knew either.  I’m afraid we will all miss someone before this wretched show is over.  War has always been an ugly business, with none of the glamour it is customary to connect with it.

            However, it is of no avail to become morbid.

            The weather here has been really wretched – nothing but rain, and if I don’t get pneumonia it won’t be for want of trying.

            I met that subaltern again last week who introduced me to ‘Lolita’ a strip-tease artist who was appearing at the ‘Hip’* last week.  We had supper at the Café Royal which has left me broke all the week.  She was French, and not Spanish, as billed.

            Have you heard anymore re joining the colours?  I expect to hear any minute that you’re in the Wrens or ATS or something.  Nous allons voi**, we shall see, as the French have it.

            I’ve just had a letter from home – also one from Brinner – he’ll strain himself soon if he’s not careful.

            I’ve seen quite a few well-known personages lately – tell you about them when I get on leave.

                        Must close now

                                             All my love Precious

                                                                        Dicker

P.S.     Excuse pencil – run out of ink.

 

*The Hippodrome theatre, Dover – bombed in September 1944

** French – “We shall see”.

© Chotie Darling

 

5th November 1942 – Madagascar, which threatened Allied convoy routes off south-east Africa, is captured from Vichy France by British marines (who’d landed in May) and handed to General de Gaulle for the Free French to govern. (From ‘The Second World War’ by Antony Beevor, published by Weidenfield and Nicolson 2012)

 

8th November 1942 - Operation Torch begins with the landing of Eisenhower’s Allied troops in Morocco and Algeria.  A Western Task Force led by Major General George S. Patton met Vichy French resistance at Casablanca.  Two other task forces landed at Oran and Algiers, the latter including 56^th Recce ‘Chavasse’s Light Horse’ – the first Recce Regiment to see action in a true reconnaissance role. They were also responsible for the survival of No 6 Commando (the SSRF) in February 1943.  46^th, 1^st, 4^th and 44^th Recce also saw action in the Western Desert.

(From WW2-net Timelines and ‘The British Reconnaissance Corps in World War II’ by Richard Doherty, Osprey Publishing 2007.)

 

 

9^th November – as the Vichy French fight US troops at Oran in Algeria and in Morocco, Eisenhower’s deputy, General Mark Clarke tries to negotiate a ceasefire with Admiral Darlan and General Giraud in Algiers.  German troops begin landing in Vichy French Tunisia and by 25th November had deployed 25,000 men.

Hitler establishes Erik Scavenius as Prime Minister of Denmark following King Christian X’s refusal of anti-Jewish legislation in Denmark.

(From ‘The Second World War’ by Antony Beevor, published by Weidenfield and Nicolson 2012)

 

10^th November – British recapture Sidi Barrani in Egypt.

 

Churchill’s speech at the Mansion House in London celebrated the “glorious and decisive victory” at El Alamein:

“Now this is not the end, it is not even the beginning of the end, but it is perhaps the end of the beginning.”

(From The Churchill Society.)

Reconnaissance Badge - Thursday 29th October 1942

Address as before

Thursday

My Darling Chotie,

                                        Many thanks for letter received yesterday.  I'm just about kicking myself at the moment, having done a very stupid thing last night. 

                I wrote you a letter before going to the library and put it in one of the books I was taking back - and left it in there!  The point is that I didn't realise it until the library had shut, and the wretched place doesn't open again till tomorrow night (it's open every other day), so I can't get it till then. 

                However, thinking as much of my Chotie as I do, I have started another at the earliest. 

                I had a letter and a very welcome half-sovereign from Brinner telling me of your meeting - of which I was very pleased to hear - and also of course, telling me he was on leave.  We seem to strike it very unlucky as regards getting our leave together.  It would be much more fun for him if he could get his leave with us - it must be pretty dull for him by himself.

                 As usual there’s no news worth mentioning.  Anything which may have been of interest I have to leave out.  It's rather a blow to the indifferent letter-writer like myself.  However as always I’m making the best of a bad job (?).

                If ever you get in touch with that Rat du Rose, shake him up, will you?  He hasn't yet raised the requisite energy to write me - and after the effort I made on his behalf!  The whole affair sickens me.

                We have had nothing but rain, rain, rain for days on end. The only thing that has kept me among the living is the glorious sunset which has become a nightly feature.  Really lovely.

                Have read little lately owing to the Army's demands on my spare time.  Just Stephen McKenna’s “While of Sound Mind” and Osbert Sitwell's first prose work "Triple Fugue".  The former I can recommend, but the latter I found only good in parts, I recommend it for those parts.  (It consists of four or five short (?) stories. 

                Saw the ‘Ghost of Frankenstein*' last week.  Rather poor I thought.  Hope to see 'Reap the Wild Winds' tonight, which I just missed while on the course.  May also see 'The Young Mr Pitt’, if I get the time.  ‘Song of the Islands' is on next week I believe.  The boys will be queuing up to see Grable** in a grass-skirt... 

                Well, I must close here, Darling and see if I can get the 2.30 post.

                                                            all my love, precious

                                                                                    Dicker

PS. Je t’adore encore au tout mon Coeur

PPS. Badge*** enclosed (keep it clean!)

*'Ghost of Frankenstein', 'Reap the Wild Winds', 'The Young Mr Pitt’ and ‘Song of the Islands' were all films on circulation in 1942.

**Betty Grable, the star of “Song of the Islands” (a musical set in a Pacific island paradise), was an American actress and musical star said to have the most beautiful legs in Hollywood.

***The Reconnaissance Corps badge featured an upwards-pointing spear flanked by two lightning bolts.

© Chotie Darling

 

31st October 1942 – the brave seizure of an Enigma machine and keys from a sinking German submarine in the Eastern Mediterranean enables code-breakers at Bletchley Park to decipher the German Naval code ‘Shark M4’ by mid-December. (From ‘The Second World War’ by Antony Beevor, published by Weidenfield and Nicolson 2012)

 

2nd November 1942 – the Allies’ break-out at El Alamein in Operation Supercharge. Forces attacking in Operation Supercharge included the 50^th (Northumbrian) Division, who Dick was to fight with in NW Europe.

 

4^th November 1942 – German Army forced to retreat at El Alamein. (From WW2-net Timelines.)

Church Army tea - Sunday 25th October?

                                                                                            Sunday

My darling Chotie,

                                                    Please excuse my writing in pencil but I came in a hurry and forgot my pen.  I’m writing this in a Methodist Church Army Show, a hellish place to find oneself on a Sunday evening…However in a hour or so the Ritz will be open…

            I’ve been on the range all yesterday and today – marking in the butts (too technical for you?) means you signal the shots from the target end.  Very boring.  We manage to alleviate part of the boredom by betting on our own target.  After two days I’m where I started !  Not over profitable.  I’m on again Monday and Tuesday.

            Met a farmer on Friday.  Charming.  Quite the style with orange waistcoat etc, and a moustache like Marshall Budenny*.  Very interesting.  We talked for over two hours, mostly on farming topics.  Needless to say he was born and bred here, (man and boy for nigh on forty year etc…).  Altogether a very nice bloke, by which I mean he stood me a couple of pints…

            Needless to say I haven’t yet heard from that rat du Rose.  If you see him, tell him from me, he’s a SNAKE! 

            Fancy you liking Maggie Mitchell’s tale of ‘Ye Olde South’***!   Very surprising.  It’s on here.  Queues about a mile long for each performance.  There’s certainly a sucker born every minute…

            I went into a Church Army place this afternoon and found to my horror that they were issuing free teas.  Now when you get your tea gratis they expect you to stay to a temperance service afterwards.  There was a crowd of effeminate-looking service men seated round a table with various civilian was Led-in-the-blood-of-the-Lambers****, so I beat a hasty Dunkirk out of the place…

           Well, my Precious – will close here and see if I can’t find a drop of something warm somewhere.

                                                                                    All my love,

                                                                                                Dicker

P.S. Will write again tomorrow or Tuesday.

*Marshall Budenny – a Soviet military commander with a moustache wider than his face. 

**du Rose – one of Dick’s close companions in the Dorset Regiment. (See Enter du Rose.)

*** ‘Gone with the Wind’, from the book by Margaret Mitchell giving an idyllic portrayal of the USA’s deep South during the Civil War era, despite the reliance on slavery. It went on general release in 1941 and has been hailed as one of the greatest American films of all time.

****Possibly a mischievous reference to the Salvation Army?  

© Chotie Darling

 

25th October 1942 – the last German offensive in the Caucasus begins (between the Caspian and Black Seas, now in Russia, Georgia and Azerbaijan).  (From WW2-net Timelines.)

 

28th October 1942 – the first six hundred inmates arrive at the concentration camp of Auschwitz Monowitz or Auschwitz III, established to source forced labour for the Buna synthetic rubber factory operated by I.G.Farben. The labourers included 1,200 British Prisoners of War working in appalling conditions. However, conditions were infinitely worse for the Jewish prisoners. Of 3,800 inmates present in December 1942 only 1,500 were alive by February 1943.

(From 'Hell's Cartel - IG Farben and the Making of Hitler's War Machine' by Diarmuid Jeffreys, Metropolitan Books 2008, History Learning Site and the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.)

Autumn propaganda - Monday 12th October 1942

Address as before

 Monday

My Darlingest,

                                                            I have just arrived back from a four day scheme, so I'm writing you at the first opportunity.  Don't be surprised if you don't get a letter for some days, for I spend a fairish time away on these stunts, during which I can't write, as all letters have to be posted in the Regiment box.  It's rather a nuisance but I'm afraid it can't be helped.

            I’m in bed at the moment, just about dead - have only had about 6 - 8 hrs sleep in four days.

            Did quite a few miles - and saw several new places.  The countryside looks really wonderful - especially the farms here.  It's quite surprising to find so many period farmhouses - the timbered, rambling Tudor and Elizabethan and the severe, formal Georgian, Eric's pet grudge, (can't we ever make him appreciate this style?) - follow one another in rapid succession. 

            The haystacks here appear a real work of art. They are always round with a conical top and are usually finished off at the top with a spriggly, plaited bit, each a different design, apparently the “signature” of the farmer who built them.

            Everything is rapidly becoming that beautiful tone of golden - especially the horse chestnut trees, always among the first.  (Just ignore me, Darling,- I'm trying to get over some autumn propaganda...)

            Met a very decent subaltern* a few nights ago - in a pub of course.  He was in the 70th Buffs (East Kents') originally, and joined up the same day as I did.

            He said, “Don't ever take a commission - stay in the ranks!”  He's had one night off in the last month. 

            He used to live at Chislehurst next to the house (mansion...) where Napoleon III** spent his last days.  He also lived at Orpington*** (a mile or so from Chislehurst) the same time as we did. He was studying art, pre-war, at the Royal Academy.

            The Squadron-Commander was also there with his wife (?),- tall, dark very Hedy Lamarish - overcheck suit with brown velvet lapels, Paisley silk scarf wound round her hair, which was done ‘up’, and light brown pigskin bag.  That's all I can remember - not bad for me, eh!

            Managed to read Warwick Deeping’s “No hero-this,” whilst on the scheme.  Quite good.  Try it.

            Well, Chotie Dear, no news so will close here.

                                                             all my love, Precious

                                                                             Dicker

P.S.  I wrote Eric, (did I tell you?).  You might tell him I'm impatiently waiting for a reply.  I told him in the letter, but I don't suppose he took any notice of that.

 

*Possibly Ronnie Jury who became a close friend of Dick's in Belgium and went on to teach at the Slade School of Fine Art.

**Napoleon Bonaparte’s heir who was elected President of France in 1848 and quickly seized power as dictator and Emperor. He was the last monarch of France. Captured at the Battle of Sedan during the Franco-Prussian War he was exiled to England and died at Camden Place, Chislehurst in South-East London.

*** Orpington in Kent - where Dick was born.

 © Chotie Darling

 

43^rd Recce - on 14^th October Lieutenant Colonel McIntyre gave a lecture on ‘The First Battle of Burma’.(From the War Diary of the 43^rd Reconnaissance Regiment held by the Archive and Reference Library, the Tank Museum, Bovington, Dorset.)

 

18^th October 1942 –Hitler’s 'Commando Order' instructs German troops to shoot all captured Allied commandos. (See War in Dorset - October 1942 and WW2-net Timelines.)

19th October 1942 – with Rommel on sick leave in Germany, Allied forces in Egypt prepare to attack from the northern sector of the El Alamein line with an elaborate but unsuccessful feint on the south and the bombing and strafing of Luftwaffe airfields. (From ‘The Second World War’ by Antony Beevor, published by Weidenfield and Nicolson 2012)

 

21st October 1942 – Eisenhower’s deputy, Lt-General Mark Clark, is landed secretly in Algiers to meet with French Vichy leaders in North Africa, trying to persuade them not to oppose the imminent American landings. (From ‘The Second World War’ by Antony Beevor, published by Weidenfield and Nicolson 2012)

22^nd October 1942 – the call-up age for British men was reduced to 18 by Royal Proclamation requiring all men to register at their local Employment Exchange at 17 years 6 months. . (From WW2-net Timelines and World War 2 Talk ).

23^rd October – beginning of the second battle of El Alamein, with Montgomery’s Allied Forces attacking the German lines in the north.  General Stumme, Rommel’s cover, became lost on the battlefield and died of a heart attack.  Rommel returned on 25^th October to find that, although the line had held, half his panzers had been destroyed and the tanker bringing vital fuel and ammunition supplies had been sunk. (From WW2-net Timelines and ‘The Second World War’ by Antony Beevor, published by Weidenfield and Nicolson 2012)

44th Recce played a critical role clearing minefields before the offensive and 51st Recce  were involved in the assault. (From ‘The British Reconnaissance Corps in World War II’ by Richard Doherty, Osprey Publishing 2007)

The RAF bombed the Italian cities of Genoa and Turin on the night of 23rd October.

The Winter Routine - Friday 2nd October 1942

On 4^th October 1942 Operation Basalt, a commando raid by the Small Scale Raiding Force on Sark in the Channel Islands captured One German soldier. Unfortunately others were killed with their hands tied – a breach of wartime convention that led to Hitler’s ‘Commando order’ for the killing of all Allied commandos taken prisoner. (See Combined Operations WW2 website.) 

HMS Turtle was established in Hamworthy on 7^th October 1942 as a naval shore base (now A Royal Marine base).

Churchill’s speech in Edinburgh on 12^th October 1942 ‘Keep right on to the end of the road’ made direct reference to the exploits of the commandos:

“The British Commando raids at different points along the enormous coast, although so far only the forerunner of what is to come, inspire the author of so many crimes and miseries with a lively anxiety.  There comes out of the sea from time to time a hand of steel which plucks the German sentries from their posts with growing efficiency.”

(From ‘Poole and World War II’ written by Derek Beamish, Harold Bennett and John Hillier and published by Poole Historical Trust in 1980 and Dorset’s War Diary - Battle of Britain to D Day’ by Rodney Legg,  Dorset Publishing Company.)

 

In October 1942 43^rdReconnaissance Regiment were still in Dover. Visitors included Lieutenant Colonels Luce - Adviser to the Recce Corps, Pavey – Officer in Charge of Reconnaissance Corps Records and Whitbread - Officer in Charge of the R.T.C. (Regimental Training Corps?).

The major training during the month consisted of firing.  All available personnel received musketry training in the Rifle and Bren Gun and a modified range course was set up.

(From the War Diary of the 43^rd Reconnaissance Regiment held by the Archive and Reference Library, the Tank Museum, Bovington, Dorset.)

As previous,

Friday 2^nd

My Darling Chotie,

                                                     Many thanks for very instructive
letter received today.  Glad to hear news of Eric – he appears to have struck it lucky – I said appears; though I expect he has something to moan about, as usual.  I definitely will write him when I get time.  I never seem to have a moment to spare these days.

            From after the 5^th inst. however, we should start the Winter Routine which means no work before breakfast and none after tea. There is also a later réveillé, which is a relief after the old 6am stunt.

            Well, Darling, I hope you are very fit and enjoying the glory of autumn (or Gluric as old McLuckie used to say). Though it’s hardly autumn yet – not here at any rate.

            I’ve just been talking to the padre – rather shocked him I think.  (I’m writing this in the Quiet Room which is also used by the Padre as a library. Some library…)

            I haven’t been out since last week-end, so I’ve nothing to write about.

            I wrote to Diller* last night, though not in time to reach her for her birthday (the 1^st) as I’d been out on a scheme.  She’ll soon be an Old Maid at this rate…23 I believe. However, who am I to criticize?  

            Weather’s been lovely today – plenty of sun and wind, and the old brown leaves tumbling down…

            Wish I was still in civvies.  Still, as you so aptly observe in your letter, it will soon be over.  About five years I reckon…You’ll be an old maid then! 

            I’ve just managed to get an ounce of baccy, first for several days, which cheered me up not a little. 

            Glad to hear Margaret*’s now sailing before the wind again.  Give her my best wishes, won’t you.  And all the family of course.

            I haven’t heard anything of Brinner*** lately, but no news is good news as the old saw has it.  I suppose he’ll be on leave soon, though it can’t be much fun for him, by himself, especially if there’s still no radio.

            Well, Lulu, I must close here for want of material.

            Be good, and look after yourself, won’t you. You’re very, very precious to me, you know.

                                                All my love,

                                                            Chotie Darling

                                                                                    Dicker

                                                                                    Xxxxxx

*Dick’s sister

**Chotie's second eldest sister - she had three sisters and one brother.

***Dick’s brother

 © Chotie Darling

 

On 5^th and 6^th October 1942 Humber Motors’ representatives visited 43^rd Recce and lectures were given to all Driver Mechanics (this would have included Dick) and Drivers I.C. Lieutenant Colonel Merriman also gave a lecture on ‘The Use of Anti-Tank and Anti-Personnel Mines by enemy ground defences’ on 6^th October.

(From the War Diary of the 43^rd Reconnaissance Regiment held by the Archive and Reference Library, the Tank Museum, Bovington, Dorset.)

 

6^th October 1942 – Roosevelt announces establishment of a United Nations commission to investigate war crimes.

 

Although German attacks on Stalingrad were renewed in October the Soviet front reported on the 8th that ‘the defeatist mood is almost eliminated' - a total of 3,000 Soviet soldiers were executed for cowardice and desertion during the Battle for Stalingrad.  (From ‘The Second World War’ by Antony Beevor, published by Weidenfield and Nicolson 2012)

 

11th October 1942 – The Battle of Cape Esperance continues the war in the Solomon Islands between supply ships for Guadalcanal.  The Japanese suffered heavy losses but succeeded in bombing the airfield, destroying half the US planes on the Island. (From ‘The Second World War’ by Antony Beevor, published by Weidenfield and Nicolson 2012)

A Very Happy Leave - Monday 28th September 1942

Mortar Troop, HQ Squadron A

43rd Recce Regt, Recce Corps

HOME FORCES

 

Monday.

 

My Darlingest Chotie,

                                                            Sorry I haven't been able to write before, Precious, but I'm afraid this is the first opportunity I've had since getting back.

            Hope you also arrived home safely, and got my card, from Hastings.  Needless’ I carried it about for hours without seeing a post-box and of course as soon as I put it in my pocket, I forgot it, and couldn't post it until Sat.

            I should like to thank you, Darling, for a very happy leave, before I go any further. I hope I don't sound over formal... But seriously, Chotie, I wouldn't even think of leave now unless you were able to spend it with me. 

            Please don't think me too puerile - I'm really very sincere.  I know you must often think me ‘vacant’ - I realise it myself, but being in this Army has or rather does things to me.  I find it very difficult to act normally and think normally when home on leave, as I suppose all the time I realise that I have to come back to this existence, for no one could call it any more than that.

             However, that's quite enough of this trash.

             Thanks again, Darling.

             Ref. the Recce Badge, I have applied for a transfer to the Engineers, though I very much doubt whether it will ever come through.

            Did you see the Splash about the Recce in the last Sunday Pictorial?*  Tommy rot...

            There was a twelve page missive from Monica** waiting for me when I got back from leave.  What a homecoming!  Tells me the only reason she married was that when she heard about you, she gave up hope!  More rot...

             Well, Cho, there seems no news, as usual.

             Don't forget to advise me instanta of any change of ‘employment', will you?

                                        Bye, bye, my Precious

                                                                    all my love,

                                                                                    Dicker.

P. S. Be good...

(or reasonably so...)

 

*A feature entitled “The First Thrilling Story of Britain’s ‘Reccies’ – our Secret Army is Ready”:

            “The men of the Reconnaissance Corps have taken on one of the toughest jobs in the war – the spearhead of our attack on Germany. They are as elusive as guerrillas, fast as scouts, tough as commandos…..every one picked for brain as well as brawn…everything is improvised, time reducing, hazardous…an army which will roam behind enemy lines...their job, to spy on the enemy a close quarters…every scrap of information they get will be fought for” etc.

(From ‘Beaten Paths are Safest’  by Roy Howard, courtesy of the Sunday Pictorial, now the Sunday Mirror.)

**Dick’s former girlfriend.

 © Chotie Darling

 

On 28^th and 29^th September 1942 one squadron of 43rd Recce were involved in a Divisional Smoke Exercise.

(From the War Diary of the 43^rd Reconnaissance Regiment held by the Archive and Reference Library, the Tank Museum, Bovington, Dorset.)

Our "Engagement" - Tuesday 8th September 1942

5731671 Tpr Williams R

A/TK Troop, HQ Squadron

43rd Recce Regt, Recce Corps, Armed Forces

Tuesday

My Darling Chotie,

                                        I'm in a lecture at the moment, so I'm writing this in my notebook under pretext of taking some notes…  I got your letter this morning - for which many thanks.   Hope you can read this scrawl but I never could write on my knee.  Glad to hear you celebrated your birthday in style - wish I could have been with you.

(The bloke here is a yawning on about internal combustion engines - very dull after six weeks of it.)

            By the way - in your last letter but one, you told me about your ‘change of employment ', but it was, if you remember, in the form of a postscript, which I missed of course, at the first reading.  When reading it again at a later date (a very sound habit of mine), I came across it, and needless to say, would have congratulated you in my last epistle. Anyhow - nice work.

            (I very much doubt whether you can make head or tail of this scrawl.  I've got a job to understand it myself - but persevere, Darling.)  I have to keep answering questions all the time to this wretched man - a Sergeant from the Ordnance Corps.  Up to now, I've managed to keep just one jump ahead of him.  He's not really very bright - typical of the R.A.O.C.*, but writing a letter as well has its snags.

            I've been enquiring about my leave, and may get it on the 16th i.e. next Wednesday (a week today), but it seems rather doubtful.  What can you manage if I do?  I'm afraid I can't say definitely, because the Squadron Office don't know themselves.

            I've been put on fire guard for a week (!) which means I work evenings as well.  I haven't been out since I've been here.  Not that there's anything of interest.  I went out on an exercise yesterday morning, and passed through some marvellous villages, would have delighted Frances B. Young**.  

            Glad to hear you met Jones.  Where is he stationed these days, or didn't he tell you?  Did I tell you that Brinner was on a course in North Devon?   

            Are the old Dorsets*** still with you?  It would mean that they've been there a year now.

            I've got a cross country to run this evening after tea, a Devil, isn't it, seeing that I haven't done PT of any sort for seven or eight weeks.

            My two Scotch friends have gone on leave to bra’ wee Ayr, and left me disconsolate, although they are both in ‘A’ Squadron, and I don't see much of them. 
(The lecture has at last ended, 1½ hrs, so I'll finish this tonight - maybe...)

            Well, Lulu, after the lecture I heard I'd been transferred from the Anti Tank Troop to the Mortar Troop****, and having seen the Troop Commander about my leave, feel more confident about the 16th - but remember it’s still not definite. 

            This mortar job appears cushy - driving - but not quite so cushy in action.

             Well, Darling, I must close here with all my love,

                                            always yours, Precious

                                                                    your loving

                                                                                    Dicker

 P.S.  I mentioned our “engagement” to the old folks at home in my last letter.  I haven't yet had a reply ... keep your chin up, Lulubelle..

 

*Royal Army Ordnance Corps – responsible for supplying weapons, ammunition and equipment to the Army.

**A Frances B. Young wrote a biography of Mary Sidney, Countess of Pembroke (an Elizabethan writer) but the origins of this reference are obscure.

***Dick’s original regiment (see Chotie Darling Part 1 ‘The Blue Cockade’) last heard of at Branksome in Poole.

****A Reconnaissance Regiment consisted of one HQ Squadron and three Reconnaissance Squadrons. Mortar Troop was one of the four Troops in HQ Squadron (with Signals, Armoured Tank and Admin) and used 6 x 3” mortars. Mortars are portable. Fixed to the ground they are used to fire small bombs in a slow high arc into the enemy at close range.

 © Chotie Darling

On 8^th and 10^th September 43^rd Recce were engaged in the 129 and 130 Infantry Brigade Exercise ‘Break In’ and on 15^th and 17^th in the Brigade Exercise ‘Break Out’.  Unarmed combat cadres for N.C.O.s were held from 14^th to 18^th September and on 14^th September Field officers attended a lecture on “Recent Operations in the Middle East”. The Commanding Officer attended an address by the new South East Army Commanders on 22^nd September. 43^rd Recce participated in a display for the visit of the Army Commander to the Field Firing range at Sandwich on 23^rd September.  A Regimental Exercise on 25^th and 26^th September “proved very valuable training in operating the regiment as a whole”. The exercise involved river crossings and cooking on vehicles with 4 man pack rations.

(From the War Diary of the 43^rd Reconnaissance Regiment held by the Archive and Reference Library, the Tank Museum, Bovington, Dorset.)

Return to Dover - Thursday 3rd September 1942

The War in Dorset - September 1942

The Small Scale Raiding Force was involved in raids on Les Casquets lighthouse in the Channel Islands and St. Honorine near Bayeux, Normandy.  In Operation Dryad on 2nd/3rd Septembera the successful raid on Les Casquets lighthouse destroyed the ‘U’ boat wireless transmitting station, capturing seven German soldiers, as well as vital code books and Naval information.

Tarrant Rushton airfield was constructed between Blandford and Wimborne, near Badbury Rings in Dorset. The aircraft was to field the first arrivals on French soil on D Day and 1st British Airborne set off for 'the Bridge Too Far' that was Arnhem from here.
 

Whirlwind aircraft from Warmwell in Dorset sank two armed trawlers in the Channel on 9th September.

On 11^thSeptember five people were killed by a single German bomb dropped on the Bournemouth Road in Parkstone, Poole; near where Chotie and her family lived.

A Poole flying-boat, the Clare, came down in the Channel after a fire, killing six crew and thirteen passengers on 14^th September.

(From 'Dorset’s War Diary - Battle of Britain to D Day’ by Rodney Legg, Dorset Publishing Company 2004 and ‘Poole and World War II’ written by Derek Beamish, Harold Bennett and John Hillier and published by Poole Historical Trust in 1980)

 

During September 1942 43^rdReconnaissance Regiment was still based in Dover, although that month they received orders to mobilise, complete with first line reinforcements. All reinforcements, including Dick, arrived during the month.

Inter-Squadron Exercises were held at the beginning of the month “bringing out many useful lessons in Section and Troop tactics and instituting considerable enthusiasm.”

Intensive First Aid training commenced early in the month, designed to train all ranks during the winter.

(From the War Diary of the 43^rd Reconnaissance Regiment held by the Archive and Reference Library, the Tank Museum, Bovington, Dorset.)

 

 

On 2^ndSeptember 1942 Dick passed his Trade Test as a Driver Mechanic

 

Copy of Record

TRADE TRAINING REPORT FORM

REPORT ON STUDENT          c) End of course

TRAINING ESTABLISHMENT  ADDRESS:    

THE DREADNOUGHT GARAGE AND MOTOR ENGINEERING WORKS (HOVE) LTD

STUDENT’S REGTL.  No 5731671     RANK Trooper          NAME  Williams R.K.

ORIGINAL UNIT        43^rd Recce. Regt.                COURSE (Trade)  D.M.

Duration of course    From 23^rd July 1942           To 2^nd September 1942.

SUITABILITY FOR TRADE - Very suitable                       

CONDUCT AND INTEREST - Good

PRACTICAl ABILITY -  Very Good

THEORETICAL KNOWLEDGE - Good                                                                    

SUMMARY      Passed Complete Class 2 Test in Army Trade of DM*

REMARKS:

Will make an excellent D.M. Requires plenty of work.

Date   2/9/42                              S.F.Webb. Lieut O.M.E.

*DM = Driver Mechanic. Reconnaissance called for many more drivers and mechanics than standard infantry to successfully reconnoiter the battlefield. (From ‘The British Reconnaissance Corps in World War II’ by Richard Doherty, Osprey Publishing 2007.)

Copy of Record:

SERVICE AND CASUALTY FORM

Passed trade test and qualified for appointment as Drv. Mech. Tp. ‘D’ Cl.II                

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3^rd September 1942 – a National Day of Prayer was held for the third Anniversary of the Declaration of War.

 

 

Letter - Thursday 3rd September 1942

5731671 Tpr Williams 

HQ Squadron, 43rd Recce Regt. Recce Corps

Home Forces 

Thursday

 

My Darlingest,

                                                                                    By the time you get this letter, I shall be back at Dover, but remember not to mention please or put anything but the address above.

            I hope this will reach you before the 6^th* – and so will wish you a very happy Birthday, and only wish I could be with you.  I have sent something – or rather it’s being sent – nothing much I’m afraid, but I wish you every happiness, with it.

            I went to the opera three times during the last week, the only nights I could get off and saw ‘Bohème’, ‘Trovatore’ &  ‘the Barber’**.  It was the Carl Rosa of course with Joan Hammond and Parry Jones.  Very good.  I met an Italian there (naturalised) and spent a very enjoyable night.

            Well, Darling, I’ll write again when I get to the other end, so all the very best, Precious

                                                                        Your loving

                                                                                    Dicker

                                                                                    Xxxx

PS. Have just started to run for the train…

 

*Chotie’s 19^th Birthday on 6^th September 1942.

**All famous Italian operas - Giacomo Puccini’s 'La Bohème’, Giuseppe Verdi’s ‘Il Trovatore’ (The Troubadour) and Gioachino Rossini’s ‘Barber of Seville’. The Carl Rosa were a touring opera company.  Parry Jones was a Welsh tenor. Joan Hammond,
an Australian soprano, became internationally famous after the war.

***Benetti – mentioned again in letter sent in February 1943.

© Chotie Darling

 

On 7^th September 43^rd Recce had a demonstration of the Army Cadet sign system for all wireless operators, Dvr Ops (driver operators?) and officers.  (From the War Diary of the 43^rd Reconnaissance Regiment held by the Archive and Reference Library, the Tank Museum, Bovington, Dorset.)  Dick mentions being on exercise on the 7^th in his next letter.

 

 

7th September 1942 - Rommel withdraws from his attack on the El Alamein line at Alam Halfa Ridge in Egypt.

 

 

 

French Canadians and French Films - Sunday 30th August 1942

5731671 Room 28

3^rd Technical Training Group

Preston Barracks, Brighton, Sussex

 

Sunday Morn.

Chotie Darling,

                                                                                                Many thanks for letter of a couple of days ago. There’s no Church Parade this morning, so I have a good chance to catch
up on my mail.

            Feeling pretty low this morning. Went out yesterday evening and met some half-dozen French-Canadians, and I’m wondering now whether it was good luck or misfortune.  They’d only been over here a few months, and spoke no English, but I managed to hold my end up for a couple of hours.  There were two barmaids there, who, knowing they couldn’t speak any English, and thinking I was also French, were saying things …those girls almost made me blush… Unfortunately, when I rolled out of the place, it was pouring with rain, and I had no alternative but to walk, as the last bus had long since gone.  It was about 3 miles, and sobered me up not a little.

            Went to the jolly old Ballet again last week – twice in fact – Allied Ballets, allied to whom I don’t know.  The Prima Ballerina, Mela Carter, was almost as good as Fonteyn, but the rest were indifferent.  Not as good as Anglo-Polish.  Saw “Le Lac des Cygnes” (Swan Lake) and “Les Sylphides” the former Tchaikovsky, the latter, Chopin.  Also saw a Tod Slaughter film – “Murder in the Red Barn” – one of the old dramatics… 

            Was going to see “Joan of Paris”* yesterday, but after one look decided against it, even after your advice on same.  I knew America would ruin Michèle in the same way it ruined Boyer and will probably ruin Babin**.  Shakespeare said, ‘a good wine needs no bush’***, but America would have us believe the contrary.  It’s not necessary to shout the qualities of an actor from the roof-tops, to impress people of his ability.  The best French films were always the most unoffensive and unsung. 

            What about this engagement, Darling?  Kindly express your sentiments
per return…  We’ll have to see what can be done (If anything, can be done).  I suppose it’s about time we did something about it, before tongues start wagging, etc. 

            I was going home this week-end, and rather wish I had now.  But I suppose I
should get my leave soon, hope so anyhow.  Well, I’d better close here, Precious.

            Don’t forget about the jolly old engagement will you.  (I haven’t said anything about it yet …)

                                                                                    Son amoureux mari****

                                                                                                Dicker

PS       Love & kisses xxxx etc

PPS     Ich liebe dich, meine geliebte*****.

 

*A 1942 film about a waitress helping RAF pilots stranded in Paris to escape. It starred the French actress Michèle Morgan.

**Charles Boyer, a famous French actor

***A 15^th century proverb quoted by Rosalind in Shakespeare’s play ‘As You Like It’ – “If it be true that ‘good wine needs no bush’, tis true that a good play needs no epilogue” (Act 5 Scene 4).  Taverns claiming to sell fine liquor bore the sign of an ivy bush above their door.

***** ‘Son amoureux mari’ (French) = 'Your loving husband’

***** ‘Ich liebe dich, meine geliebte’ (German) = ‘I love you, my sweetheart’

© Chotie Darling

30th August 1942 – Germany’s annexation of Luxembourg is resisted with a General Strike. (From WW2-net Timelines.)

31^st August 1942 - Rommel begins his final attempt to break through at El Alamein with an offensive on Alam Halfa ridge (between El Alamein on the Mediterranean Sea and the Quattara Depression to the south). However, the Germans are forced to withdraw back to their start lines. The deciphering of Germany’s secret Enigma code played a critical role in the Allies successful defence – Montgomery was now aware of Rommel’s plans through the Ultra decrypts.  (From WW2-net Timelines and ‘Phantom at War’ by Andy and Sue Parlour.)

The French Traitors - Friday 21st August 1942

19th August 1942 – the Combined Operations raid (see the Missing Winter) on Dieppe in northern France, which ended in disaster. This joint British and Canadian commando raid (originally code-named ‘Rutter’, but now known as ‘Jubilee’), , was intended to practice techniques for an eventual invasion of Northern Europe by the Allies. The coast was heavily defended by German guns and the invasion force lost the element of surprise by encountering an escorted German convoy in the Channel. After less than 6 hours the forces landed on the beaches around Dieppe were forced to withdraw. Of the 5,000 Canadians, 1,000 British, 50 American Rangers and 50 Free French taking part in ‘Operation Jubilee’ more than 1,380 were killed, 1,600 wounded and 2,340 captured. The RAF had given support but lost 107 planes to the German’s 48. One Royal Naval destroyer and 33 landing craft were sunk.

Dieppe convinced the Allied commanders that a successful cross-Channel invasion would need a massive force, which could not be assembled before 1944. The decision not to use airborne troops had also contributed to the raid’s failure. (From Combined Operations WW2 website, WW2-net Timelines  and ‘Phantom at War – the British Army’s Secret Intelligence & Communication Regiment of WW2’ by Andy & Sue Parlour, Cerberus 2003.)

  

21st August 1942 – Franklin D. Roosevelt, President of the USA says that the perpetrators of barbarism in occupied countries ‘that the time will come when they shall have to stand in courts of law in the very countries which they are now oppressing and answer for their acts.'  (From WW2-net Timelines.)

German troops scale Mount Elbrus, the highest mountain in the Caucasus, and plant the Reich's flag on the summit but the overstretched forces never reached the valuable Caucasian oilfields.

 

5731671 Tpr Williams R

Room 28

3^rd Technical Training Group

Preston Barracks, Brighton, Sussex

 

Friday Eve.

Chotie Darling,

                                                            It’s pay-night, as you will see from above, but as it’s raining like hell I thought I’d stay in and write to my Chubby Lulubelle. Good boy, ain’t I?  Sometimes I wonder …

            Well, Precious – many thanks for your last letter and account of your adventures.  I am enclosing the polyfotos in this – have had to break them up I’m afraid, as I haven’t yet procured a large enough envelope.  I will give you the number I like best in PS., as I can’t make up my mind (?) which one I like the most, at the moment – they’re all so good.

            Hope you manage to see Michelle Morgan, she’s really very good in French films – I can’t guarantee American or English directors.  I’ve only seen her once – with Boyer, in French, with French direction of course and I was very struck then.  I believe I told you I saw Vivianne Romance, (almost as good) last week.

            Did you see the appalling list of French people who have been marked as definite traitors?  The list includes Georges Carpentier (France’s greatest boxer), Maurice Chevalier, Sacha Guitry (her greatest playwright), Corinne Luchaire (of “Prison without Bars” fame), Jean Borotra (the tennis star) and last but not least, Danielle Darrieux who needs no introduction.  Horrible isn’t it?

            Sorry you had a row with Horlock – but then you must remember that there are people without souls – who appreciate nothing, and the road of a martyr is by necessity an exacting one.  Persevere Darling … 

            However, I was glad to hear of your “Braemar”** show.  Looking forward to
seeing it soon.  I’ve been around quite a bit since last writing – making the most of it while it lasts.

            Have seen a couple of old flicks – “Suspicion” Cary Grant and Fontaine, and “Here comes Mr Jordan” – Montgomery and Claude Rains.  Not too
bad.  Also saw a play “Bedtime Story” with Mary Maguire – quite good.

            Had a letter from home – Mother says the Odeon at Bognor had a bomb, plumb centre – killed a dozen or so.  Luckily she did the shopping in the morning and the bomb was about 3 in the afternoon.  She’s been asked up to Herne Bay for a wedding – Rita’s (family friend) but sees no chance of going.

            Have you heard of Eric since your last letter?  Maybe he’s moved – but then
I suppose he’d have phoned or something. I really will write him some day, but I’m thinking of his heart when he gets the letter. 

            What did you think of the last raid***?  I saw most of the action in the Channel and was also machine-gunned in the streets – though still alive and kicking.

            Have you thought of a name for my new pipe yet?  He’s getting nicely burnt in, and has acquired a more mature appearance.

            I bought a copy of Darwin’s ‘The Descent of Man’ and have been up to my neck in it for some days.  I always do crosswords in the bus, on my way to “work”.  Quite suburban in fact – though I miss the Homburg and umbrella …

            Well, Darling, I must close here as its getting too dark to write,

                                                                        All my love, you Precious thing,

                                                                                     your adoring Dicker

PS. NUMERUS XXIV

that’s look you (No 24)

* Georges Carpentier - French boxer who was world light-heavyweight champion and a European champion at four weight classes.

Maurice Chevalier - French musical-comedy star

Corinne Luchaire – French film actress and daughter of Jean Luchaire a journalist and politician who supported the Vichy Regime.

Jean Borotra – French champion tennis player in the 20s and 30s.

Danielle Darrieux - French actress and singer, one of France's great movie stars.

** Braemar – a village in Aberdeenshire?

***possibly a reference to action following the Dieppe Raid, which had set sail from ports between Southampton and Newhaven (near Brighton)?

© Chotie Darling

 

 

22^nd August 1942 – Brazil declares war on Germany and Italy.

 

23^rd August 1942 – the Battle of Stalingrad (now Volgograd) begins in Russia. One of the bloodiest battles in the history of warfare it continued until 2^nd February 1943, claiming nearly 2 million casualties and ending in defeat for the Axis Army.  On 25th August a state of siege was declared in the heavily bombed city. (From WW2-net Timelines and ‘The Second World War’ by Antony Beevor, published by Weidenfield and Nicolson 2012.)

 

25^th August 1942 – beginning of the Battle of Milne Bay, Papua New Guinea. This Japanese attack was defeated by largely Australian forces by 7^th September 1942 – the Allies first decisive victory over the Japanese. (From WW2-net Timelines.)

 

28^th August 1942 – a massive RAF raid on Nuremberg kills 4,000 civilains.  Unlike the Americans the RAF flew at night and Air Chief Marshall 'Bomber Harris' defined their success by the number of urban acres reduced to rubble. (From WW2-net Timelines and ‘The Second World War’ by Antony Beevor, published by Weidenfield and Nicolson 2012.)

28^th August and 9^th September – the Japanese fire bomb the Oregon forests, USA. (From WW2-net Timelines.)

 

"Mien Kampt" - Sunday 16th August

5731671 Tpr Williams R

Room 28

3^rd Technical Training Group

Preston Barracks, Brighton, Sussex

 

Sunday

My Darling Chotie,

                                                                        Many many thanks for polyfotos.  They’re
marvellous, Darling.  I showed them to the boys who now regard me in a different light.  I would have sent them back with this letter, but haven’t yet procured a big enough envelope, but I’ll definitely send them in my next.  And
also many thanks for a very nice letter.

            Well, Lulu belle there’s no news as usual.

            I went to the “Curzon” yesterday – saw Viviane Romance in "L’Esclave Blanche" (White Slave) a French film.  It was very good but not up to the usual high standard achieved by French Directors. She (Viviane) is very much like Danielle – also has her hair up.

            I’m looking forward to seeing Eileen Joyce tonight – never having seen her before. She’s an Australian and extraordinarily good pianist to hail from there.I saw a rather good film a few days ago –“Mien Kampt” (sic*– showing Adolf’s rise to power since his early days after thelast war and the brilliant way he went about it – the way he removed Ernst Roehm, Dollfuss, Schnussnigg** (sic) and the rest.  A lot of it was documentary, ie actual shots, especially of the jolly old Reichstag Fire Trial*** etc, and the flagwrapping parade in the Olympic Stadium****. 

            Well, Precious, I must close here as it’s now dinner time, and as I didn’t get up in time for breakfast, I’m not missing it. 

                        All my love, Chotie Darling,

                                         Hope to get leave soon

                                                                             Dicker

 

*Dick meant ‘Mein Kamf’ - German for ‘My Struggle’, the title of the film and Hitler’s autobiography.

**Ernst Röhm – head of the SA (Sturmabteilung), the Nazi brown-shirted stormtroopers. Arrested and executed in the ‘Night of the Long Knives’, 1934.

Engelbert Dollfuss - Chancellor of Austria from 1932 to 1934, who destroyed the Austrian Republic and established an authoritarian regime based on conservative Roman Catholic and Italian Fascist principles. Assassinated by the SS in July 1934.

Kurt von Schuschnigg – succeeded Dollfuss as Chancellor of Austria. Opposed the
Anschluss, (annexation of Austria by the Third Reich) and was imprisoned by the Nazis when they invaded Austria.

***The Reichstag Fire Trial in 1933 followed the part destruction by fire of the German ‘parliament’ building soon after Hitler became Chancellor of Germany. Marinus van der Lubbe was charged and executed for having set the fire as part of a Communist plot and the Nazis used the incident to ensure the defeat of the Communists and other leftist parties in the following elections.

**** The 1936 Olympics in Berlin, Germany.

 © Chotie Darling

 

17^thAugust 1942 – first all-American bombing raid in Europe, directed against the marshalling yards of Rouen in France. The American bombers flew by daylight attempting to ‘precision bomb’ key nodes of the enemy’s industrial fabric.  (From WW2-net Timelines.)

Music, ballet and bathing in Brighton - Tuesday 11th August 1942

Room 28

3^rd Technical Training Group

Preston Barracks, Brighton, Sussex

 

Tuesday

My Darling Chotie,

                                                            Many thanks for letter, with all the news.  I’m trying to write this sitting on the prom (it’s dinner-time), which isn’t the easiest of  jobs. There’s a high wind and marvelous sunshine, ideal sailing weather.

            I managed to get home for Saturday afternoon and Sunday last.  I had a day pass for Sunday but decided to hop-it on Saturday.  Everything appears to be all right in that quarter, though Michael’s a wee bit slimmer.

            I would have had a swim in the Lagoon had I a costume.  There were quite a few swimmin’ there, and I rather wished I could have managed it, but I’ve been in the baths here at dinner time so I’m not entirely ‘swimless’.

            My arm appears to be all right now, though it was pretty bad for over a week.  The trouble is that I’ve had nearly a score of letters to write during the past week.

            I went to the Anglo-polish Ballet twice during their stay here.  Quite good
on the whole.  There is also another company here who style themselves ‘the New Russian Ballet Company’, so I may pop along to see them tonight.  Eileen Joyce* is playing with the Bournemouth Philharmonic (Wessex) here on Sunday, so I won’t miss her!  Though like Brinner I missed Moseivitch** by inches.

            Hope everyone at home is up to scratch, I’m very fit myself (for a change) and enjoying every minute of this course.  I don’t suppose I’ll go back to Dover as I believe they’ve moved. 

            I must close here Darling, to get back on time.

                                                             All my love, Precious

                                                                                    Dicker

P.S.  I should get nine days*** in about five weeks time.  Perhaps a month ---

*Eileen Joyce was a glamorous Australian pianist.

**Benno Moisevitch, a Ukrainian-born pianist, gave hundreds of recitals for servicemen and charities during the war.

***nine days leave

 © Chotie Darling

 

12th August 1942 – Churchill arrived in Moscow for talks with Stalin. They eventually agreed there would be no ‘second front’ across the Channel during 1942, despite Stalin’s urgent demands to deflect German attention from Russia.  (From WW2-net Timelines and  ‘The Second World War’ by Antony Beevor, published by Weidenfield and Nicolson 2012.)

 

13^th August 1942 - Lieutenant-General Bernard Montgomery, the ‘Spartan’ General, took command of the Eighth Army fighting in the desert to defend Cairo and the Suez Canal from the advance of German forces under Rommel.  (See WW2-net Timelines and Wilfred Jarvis Institute for Montgomery's famous 'atmosphere' speech.)

21 years old - Thursday 30th July 1942

Room 28

3^rd Technical Training Group

Preston Barracks, Brighton, Sussex

 

Thursday

My Own Darling Chotie

                                                                                    Just a few lines, Precious, to thank you, and all your family for a lovely and very welcome present*.   Thank you, Darling, very, very much.

            I would have written before, but I’ve been laid up for some little time with the wretched vaccination.  However, I know you will understand.

            I had a very quiet time on the 28^th.  I thought rather than spend it in the company of strangers, I should prefer to be by myself, so I betook myself to the theatre and saw Jean Forbes-Robertson in the Soviet play “Distant Point” with the London cast, which was really rather good. I managed to sink a couple of pints every interval, so that by the time it finished I was beginning to feel that life was worthwhile again.

            I then hied myself to “the Old Ship”** and finished off the job.  The boys put me to bed when I got in …

            Further to my last letter – I do very well here now, as we are working on theory at a civvy garage every day in Hove, and have our meals in a British Restaurant***. And believe me that’s a cut above the Army.  I’ll send you one or two photographs of the old place. 

                    Well, Darling, I can’t write any more as my arm is giving me hell. 

            Please thank all your family very much.  I now have one exquisite smoke every night before going to bed.  Any tobacco will do in the daytime but I can appreciate a little ‘Sobranie’**** in the ‘cool of the evening’.

            I’ll write again as soon as my arm gets better – in a couple of days I expect.

                                                                                    all my love, Darling

                                                                                                            Dicker

                                                                                                            xxxx

                                                                                                            B.O.L.T.O.P.****(?)

                                                                      That shook you! Rather puerile don’t you think? 

 

* Dick’s 21st birthday was on Tuesday 28^th July 1942.

** an historic hotel on the seafront in Brighton

*** British Restaurants were set up by Local Authorities with loans from the Wartime Meals Division. They were open to all, but mainly served office and industrial workers. A three course meal cost only 9d.

**** an expensive cigarette

***** “Better on Lips than on Paper”

 © Chotie Darling

 

31^st July 1942 – heavy raid by 630 RAF bombers on Düsseldorf, a city in Germany’s Lower Rhineland.

Brighton - Wednesday 22nd July 1942

On 22nd July 1942 Dick was assigned to

No3. Technical Training Group in Brighton

 
Copy of Record

SERVICE AND CASUALTY FORM

22.7.42.  Cutd(?) to No 3. Tech. Trg. Gp.  Army Rank Trooper  Place  Brighton

 

Letter written Wednesday 22nd July

Tpr Williams R

5731671 Room 28

3^rd Technical Training Group

PRESTON BARRACKS

BRIGHTON

SUSSEX

 

Wednesday

Dearest Darling Chotie,

                                                                        As you will see from above address, I’ve changed location once again, as I’m on a six-week course at Brighton.  Will you please note exact address as above and make no further reference, as to Regt etc.

            I’m afraid I’ve only been toBrighton a couple of times before, and so was able to find much to interest me.  The number of Oriental and Continental cafés and jewel shops is amazing.  The famous Aquarium is, unfortunately, occupied by the Army, but the mosque-like Pavilion is still open.

            The unit I’m now with isn’t too bad on the whole.  A very rough lot – no signs of mental vigour, as the medical journal would say – but I’m very thankful to be out of the Airborne in spite of two good friends I made there.

            I’ve had no reply to my last missive – it will probably catch me up in a few days’ time.

            I was transferred from 'A' Squadron to HQ and a couple of days later I found myself on this course.  It’s a driving course and should be quite easy. 

            I managed to get a couple of hours in Brighton this evening and was amazed to find that almost everything was still going – cinemas, theatres, etc. – although all ARP services, and ATS etc appear to be well under control. 

            I was very glad to see our old County again – the Oast houses and farmsteads looking just as peaceful as before this wretched business – I think it would take more than a war to alter them.

            I wish you could have been with me, Chotie Darling, I miss you terribly.  I only hope the day will soon come when we will be together, and when our only worry will be Junior’s first teeth, or something equally trifling.

                                    Goodnight, my Precious

                                                            Your loving,

                                                                        Dicker

P.S.     Write soon

© Chotie Darling

 

23^rd July 1942 - opening of Treblinka extermination camp in NE Poland. More than 850,000 people were murdered here, the majority Jewish.  Between July 22^nd and September 12^th 1942 approximately 265,000 Jews from the Warsaw ghetto were deported to Treblinka and c.35,000 were killed inside the ghetto. (From ‘Warsaw’, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum website)

In Operation Blau, the German advance in southern Russia, they capture Rostov, a city near the mouth of the River Don on the Sea of Azov and the western gateway to critical Caucasian oilfields.  

 

26th July 1942 –As attacks and counter attacks continue on the El Alamein front the SAS (Special Air Service) destroy 37 Luftwaffe aircraft on the ground including critical supply planes.  In July 1942 alone daring raids by the SAS destroyed a total of 86 German aircraft in North Africa. (From ‘The Second World War’ by Antony Beevor, published by Weidenfield and Nicolson 2012)

Rationing of sweets and chocolate introduced in Britain.  Biscuits were also rationed from August 1942.

Kent - letter posted on Friday 17th July

Chotie Darling

Dedicated to the memory of my mother and all those who hold the forever young of war in their hearts.

Part2        Reconnaissance

 

Chapter 6            43rd Reconnaissance  – the end of the beginning

 Dick joined the 43^rd Reconnaissance Regiment on 13^th July 1942.

He was initially stationed in Dover, Kent.

On 13^th July 1942 Dick swopped his Airborne Pegasus badge for the Wyvern (a legendary golden dragon) of the 43^rd(Wessex) Division. The army of King Alfred the Great had fought under the banner of the Wyvern against the invading Danes in the 9^th century and the soldiers of the Division were predominately from the area of his ancient kingdom. The Reconnaissance regiment Dick joined was also known as the Glosters having been formed from the 5^th battalion of the old Gloucestershire regiment in 1941.

Design for 43rd Divisions Wyvern badge in the papers for 4rd Recce held by the Tank Museum, Bovington.

Reconnaissance was an elite corps of the British army, taking the place of the Light Cavalry of past eras. Each Regiment took the number of its relevant Division but from June 1942 used the cavalry names of ‘squadrons’ and ‘troops’ instead of usual infantry descriptions.

They evolved into “swift, adaptable, and superlatively mobile fighting units with fast vehicles capable of taking heavy punishment, high concentrated firing-power and a complicated but efficient wireless network designed to convey, under the most trying conditions imaginable, accurate and balanced information to the general’s battle map”.

'Their task was to solve an eternal problem of war, to discover “what is happening on
the other side of the hill” – that is, inside the enemy lines.'

Reconnaissance personnel had to be of a high standard of intelligence for both the deduction and transmission of information and, although their ultimate objective was not
fighting, they needed to be tough and speedy fighters, able to work at the front of the enemy lines and survive to tell their tale.

They had to find out - by stealth, by drawing fire or by fighting – where the enemy was concealed, to explore his strength and movement and to maintain constant touch with him, relaying accurate information back quickly and continuously.  They were specially trained to be constantly on the alert and to use initiative, cunning and any resources available.

 

Only those who came out top in the IQ test were considered for Recce. “Recce men had to be tough with cold scientific brains behind their brawn.”

 

(From “The Reconnaissance Journal”, Memorial Number, Summer 1950 – article by Arthur Bryant; Recce Regt record WO 170/433 5 at the National Archive, Kew;  “Only the Enemy in Front – The Recce Corps at War 1940-1946” by Richard Doherty 1994; “This Band of Brothers” by Jeremy Taylor 1947; and  “Record of a Reconnaissance regiment – History of the 43^rd” by  A. Scott, Cole Packer and J. Groves with Jeremy Taylor 1950  and other 43^rd Recce papers examined courtesy of the Archive & reference Library, the Tank Museum, Bovington, Dorset. The assistance of members of WW2 Talk Forum with my research is also much appreciated.)

However, after 3 months training, Dick was no longer in the later famous 1^st Air Landing Reconnaissance Squadron,

featured in the film “A Bridge to Far” for their role in Market Garden (September 1944).

 

16th July 1942 – in Paris 9,000 police under the orders of René Bousquet, the French secretary-general of police, seized 13,000 Jews, including children and sent them to Nazi death camps in the east.  In the course of the war at least 50,000 Parisian Jews were deported and murdered.  (From ‘The Second World War’ by Antony Beevor, published by Weidenfield and Nicolson 2012 and ‘Paris’, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum website.)

 

Letter posted Friday 17^th July 1942

Tpr 5731671 Williams R

“A” Squadron

43^rd Recce Regt, Recce Corps, Home Forces

My Darling Chotie,

                                                                                    As you will see from above address much water has flowed under the old bridge since I last saw you on Saturday.  About half the old squadron were transferred to this regiment which is in the same corps but non-airborne.

            I can’t tell you where I am – but I can tell you I’m in the county of my humble origin*.

            At present I’m feeling very groggy, having just had a couple of inoculations –which always set me back a bit.

            I managed to get back in time on Saturday last.  There was a devil of a crowd at the bus station and at least three fights with Red-caps**, but I managed to get on a bus and arrived back just before midnight.

            Well, Precious I’m afraid I can’t write any more, as I feel like Death warmed-up.

            I think the leave works out all right here, so I shall probably get my next 9 days on time.  I can’t see any chance of getting down before then.

                                                            Goodnight, my Darling

                                                                         God bless you

                                                                                    Dicker

*Dick was born in Orpington in Kent. This letter was from Dover.

** Military police

© Chotie Darling

 

On 20th July 1942 Major A.W.E. Crawford joined 43rd Reconnaissance, taking over command from Lieutenant-Colonel D.Ward on 24th July.  At the beginning of the month 43rd Recce had received orders to mobilise for service overseas, less 1st line Reinforcements, and preparation for this mobilisation (medical inspections, overhaul of documents and receipts of personnel), to be completed by 2nd August, filled much of their time. All squadrons also carried out shooting practice.

(From the War Diary of the 43^rd Reconnaissance Regiment held by the Archive and Reference Library, the Tank Museum, Bovington, Dorset.)

 

21st July 1942 - 16,000 Japanese landed at Buna on the north cost of Papua New Guinea ready to advance on Port Moresby, the capital, along the mountainous Kokoda Trail.  Courageous Australian defenders, fighting in appalling conditions, stopped them from reaching their destination and in September they withdrew.

The Divisional Commander - Monday 6th July

The War in Dorset - July 1942

On 2^nd July air attacks on coastal defences in West Dorset damaged buildings and electricity supplies.

In Lyme Bay on 9^thJuly German E-boats (called Schnellboots for their speed) attacked Allied Coast Convoy WP183 sinking a tanker, four freighters and an armed escort trawler.

An air attack on Swanage on 13^th July caused injuries and damage to buildings.

From 19^th to 22^nd July German mines were being laid in the Channel off the Dorset coast. The people of Poole adopted a minesweeper on 29^th July, which became HMS Poole. At the time 35 vessels were being financed by warsavings from Dorset.

During July, a VIP air hanger, with specially built blast walls, was constructed at RAF Hurn to house Prime Minister Winston Churchill’s personal plane and other special aircraft.

(From ‘Dorset’s War Diary - Battle of Britain to D Day’ by Rodney Legg, Dorset Publishing Company 2004)

 

July 1942 - 1^stAir Landing Squadron were based at Carter Barracks on the Bulford ranges of Salisbury Plain, Wiltshire.

From 1st to 3rd July 1942 two 1^st Air Landing Squadron Troops took part in Brigade Exercise, one Troop operating on each side.  They were led by Captains G.L.Falkim and G.C. Roberts, Lieutenants D.M. Freegard and L.A.W. Hayes and 2^nd Lieutenant A.J. Waterman.  The exercises lasted 3 days and on 4^th July 1^st Air Landing Squadron had a Free Day.

On Sunday 5^th July 35 officers and men took part in a Glider Flying day. 3 sorties were made from Netheravon Aerodrome with flights of one hour each and the men practiced deplaning drill on landing.

(From the War Diary of 1^st Air Landing Reconnaissance Squadron, National Archives, Kew)

 

1^st July 1942 – As Rommel advances into Egypt British officials in Cairo begin burning official documents (so many that the day was nicknamed ‘Ash Wednesday’) and desertions rose rapidly in the British Army of the Nile. However, Rommel’s attacks on the British positions at El Alemein were unsuccessful; the line held and Rommel was put on the defensive.  (From ‘The Second World War’ by Antony Beevor, published by Weidenfield and Nicolson 2012)

 

4^th July 1942 – Sevastopol, a strategically important port on the Black Sea and capital of the Crimea, is captured by the Germans after a siege of 250 days.

German aircraft and U-boats attack PQ-17, the largest supply convoy Britain until then to be sent to the Soviet Union.  24 out of the 33 vessels were sunk in the Barents Sea east of Svalbard – one of the greatest Naval disasters of the war.

The German authorities begin systematically gassing Jews at Auschwitz near Krakow in southern Poland.

 

 

1st Air Landing Sqdn

Recce Corps, Home Forces 

Monday Eve.

My Darling Chotie,

                                                                        Thanks for letter received a few days ago.  I'm now back from this scheme, and would have written before but have only just come off a 24 hr guard.

            Just as luck would have it, the Divisional Commander* decided to pay us a call this morning so of course the Guard had to turn out for inspection.  Rumour has it that
he was once married to Daphne du M**, but I'm sure I don't know for certain. He’s a Major-General and by repute the best dressed man in the Army.

            I understand from Home that the Bryn is now a Lance–Jack - which makes him my senior, curse him!  He hasn't yet been home on leave - so it's probably all for the best that we took ours when we did.

            I met a very decent chap here - Philip by name, who is the image of Richard Dix.  He happens to be rather well-read so we have much in common... (Conceit of the man!).  He was a Glider Pilot but was thrown out in company with some fifty others and posted here.  Quite a good crowd but very R.A.F.ish.  You know - such nice little boys. 

            I went down as far as the Town where Strongs brew their xxxx*** and went all over the forest on the scheme.  We slept out in the open each night – 3hrs a night.  Pretty rough but quite good fun on the whole. 

            I've just had a letter from Mother - who appears to be much better now, after having had rather a bad time of it. Dad also wrote a few days ago - a sure sign that Mother was not up to par.  (That pun, wasn't intended, Darling!).

            I'm afraid there's no chance of my seeing you Precious, as we're working seven days a week.  If I do ever get a Sunday off though I'll come straight down. 

            I've done a bit more flying - but I'll tell you about it when next we meet.

            Well, Darling, there's nothing new, only that I love you Chotie, Darling and miss you more than ever.  All we seem to be able to look forward to is the time when we’ll never have to worry about the scourge of separation, - or having to be over careful about things...

            Goodnight my Darling,

                                                                        All my love

                                                                                    Dicker

PS       I wish you could see the sun set over the Plain*** tonight.  Turner would have revelled in it.

PPS. Brinner's had a letter from Pete! He's in Leicester.

 

* Frederick Browning, Commander of the 1^st Airborne Division consisting of the 1^st Airlanding Brigade and the British 1^st Parachute Brigade and from July 1942, the 2^nd Parachute Brigade (which brought it up to strength as a division).  He later became Deputy Commander of the 1^st Allied Airborne Division and was knighted in 1946.  He had married the novelist Daphne du Maurier - the author of Dick’s favourite novel 'Rebecca'- in 1932.

** Romsey – so presumably the New Forest in Hampshire.

*** Salisbury Plain, Wiltshire.

 

 © Chotie Darling

 

On the 6th July 1942 a party from 1^st Air Landing Squadron were fined and then grounded – they appear to have received a visit from Major-General Browning, the Commander of 1^st Airborne (see above).

From 7^th to 15th July 1942 the Squadron held Unit Cadres* – N.C.O., Fieldcraft, Weapon training and M/C (motorcycle) riding - with demonstrations by Paratroops & Air Landing Troops to High Officers and members of the Ministry of Production on 9^th and 10th July. 

*Cadre = A nucleus of trained personnel selected to train others or develop and build an organisation around which a larger organisation can be built and trained eg a cadre of corporals who train recruits. 

(From the War Diary of 1^st Air Landing Reconnaissance Squadron, National Archives, Kew)

 

10^th July 1942 – Rommel’s Afrika Corps again attack the El Alamein line but an Australian Division breaks through the Italian formation and captures Rommel’s signals intelligence unit.  Without this and deciphered messages from the American military attaché in Cairo (the Germans had cracked his code in December 1941 but Bonner Fellers returned to the US in July) Rommel could only guess Allied intentions.  Conversely the British were now aware of Rommel’s plans through Ultra, their Enigma decrypts of German messages.  (From ‘The Second World War’ by Antony Beevor, published by Weidenfield and Nicolson 2012)

 

 

Dick met up with Chotie,

returning late on the night of Saturday 11^th July.

 

Dick’s service record shows he was posted

to the 43^rd Reconnaissance Regiment on 11^th July 1942

(see "Transfers" - letter of 26th June 1942)

Copy of Record:

SERVICE AND CASUALTY FORM

11.7.42      Posted to 43^rd Recce Regt.   Army Rank Trooper  Place Field

 

Dick left first Air Landing on 11^th July

with “about half the old squadron”.

 

On 17^th July the 1^st Airborne Division was brought up to full divisional strength with the formation of the 2^nd Parachute brigade. Browning was determined that the Airborne would not be sacrificed in "penny packets" and had urged the formation of a third brigade (see Just Ordinary Men ).

Flat Beer - Sunday 28th and Monday 29th June 1942

1^st Air Landing Sqdn

Recce Corps, Home Forces 

Sunday

My Darling,

                                                                        Thanks for letter with all the news.

             I've started writing this letter without much hope of finishing it this evening. 
However, the fact that I've started it is certainly a move in the right direction.  It is such a devil of a job to find anything to write about in this God-forsaken dump.

            I went out this evening but came back after half an hour or so - there being nothing whatsoever to do.  The Garrison Theatre, although a very good show only has the one programme for the week, and once you've seen it, it's no use going again the same week.  There's a play on next week, - “While Parents Sleep”, which I've seen, - but I shall go again, as of course it will be a different cast, etc.

            I've been sick for the last week with a sore throat which developed into bronchitis or so the M.O. said.  Personally I didn't agree, but also didn't argue as it gave me a cushy time for a few brief days - no P.T. etc, of course.

            I managed to go into the nearest town (?)* on my day off, yesterday.  It boasts some very excellent pubs – the “George” Hotel and the “Bell” being very
famous in Georgian days.  The beer however tasted very flat - perhaps because you were not there with me.

            I had no one to talk to about Herne Bay and the various professions which help to make the social system what it is.  Just imagine what you'll have to put up with when we are married... but perhaps you'll see H.B. for yourself and perhaps I'll have a profession...

            I haven't yet heard from home and am getting a little worried on that score. 
I hope Mother’s all right - but maybe I'll get a letter tomorrow.  There seem to be so many worries that separation brings so cruelly in its wake.

            Does this letter seem very morbid, Darling?  I don't want you to think that
I'm too browned-off**.  After 2 years in this Army I think I can stand anything. 

             I'm going on a three days scheme on Wednesday, so I won't be able to write of course - so don't be over anxious if you don't get a letter for some days.

            It's nearly lights out, Chotie Darling so I'll say Goodnight my Precious, and write some more tomorrow.
 

            Well, Lulu, it's now Monday Lunch-time so I'm writing a bit more. 

            It's terrifically hot today - and we have to wear respirators on Monday morning. 
Was I exhausted!  I'm now trying to get an hour's relaxation before going on Parade this afternoon.

            I may go to the Old Garrison to-night and see this wretched play - that's if I can get out in time. That's one of the troubles here; even if there was anything to go out for, we rarely get out before Seven pm or so - which is rather late.

             Well, Darling, by the time you get this letter, I’ll be on this stunt so I hope to write again next Saturday or perhaps Sunday - and I'll say bye, bye for the present, and remember, Darling, I still love you, very very much.

                                                All my love, Chotie Darling

                                                                                 Dicker

*Amesbury

**Dick must have been disappointed to be transferred out of Air Landing after only a couple of months.  After training in Tunisia from April 1943 1^st Air Landing Squadron went on to be involved in the invasion of Italy near Bari in September and Operation Market Garden in September 1944, when the elite 1st Airborne were sent in to defend "a bridge too far" at Arnhem with disastrous results.  (Dick was to be among the ground forces racing towards Arnhem.)

© Chotie Darling

 

29th June 1942 – 1^st Air Landing Squadron training on Streatley Mortar Range, Berkshire. (From the War Diary of 1^st Air Landing Reconnaissance Squadron, National Archives, Kew)

 

30^th June 1942 – as the Germans advance into Egypt the Allies’ Mediterranean Fleet evacuates Alexandria and prepares to demolish the port. The Allied Eighth Army hold the line at EL Alamein, 150 miles west of Cairo. There is fierce fighting along the El Alamein front throughout July. (From WW2-net Timelines)

 

End of June 1942 – Battle of the Atlantic. In the first six months of 1942 the Allies had lost 989 ships, a total tonnage of 3,950,000 tons.  173 ships were sunk in June alone.  The British code breakers at Bletchley Park were still struggling to decipher the Enigma upgrade introduced in February, which they called “Shark” and in March 1942 the Germans had cracked the British Admiralty code Naval Cipher 3,which was not changed until 10^th June 1943.

 

Transfers - Friday 26th June 1942

1^st Air Landing Sqdn

Recce Corps, Home Forces 

Friday

My Darling Chotie,

                                                                                    Many thanks for your letter, received a couple of days ago.  I was pleased to read about your meeting Norman - quite the little man now, isn't he? You didn't say what he is doing here, ie. is he on leave, stationed in England or what?  Don't forget to let me know.  After all - I should like to see him again.  Is he very “different”?  It's hard to think of Norman as a hardened boozer - but believe me, Honey, the Services will drive you to “anythink” - in next to no time.

            Well, so much for Norman. For my part at the moment, - I'm on the sick list - sore throat.  I've had it ever since I came back from leave, and it's got worse every day. 
I've now got to the stage when I have to gargle three times per diem*!  However I hope to get rid of it in a few days.

    It's my day off tomorrow, but being sick, of course, I can't get a pass - although of course it won't have been any use to me, as you would have been working Sat morning.  I understand that in future there will be no more of these day passes - though I don't yet know what the new system will be.

    There are transfers right and left at the moment, so I may get mine soon**, which will be a relief to mother, I'm thinking.

    Have you thought of a name for our horseshoe yet?  I'm relying on you, Darling.. Think hard, LuluBelle ...

    I suppose Brinner's home now.  I haven't heard from home since I got back, so I hope everything’s all right.

    I went out last night to the first time in days and saw a very good show at the Garrison Theatre.  I never go out here, as there is nothing to go out for, and it's quite a long way to the theatre.

                                    Well, Darling, I must close here, as there's little news.

     Please write soon, Precious - your letters mean a hell of a lot out here in the wilds.

                         Bye, bye, Darling - and remember I love you very, very much.

                                                        God bless you, Chotie,

                                                                                    Dicker

*per day.

**According to family memories Dick was transferred out of the Airborne because they found ‘sugar in his blood’ but he wasn’t diabetic.  Although temporary hyperglycemia is often benign and asymptomatic the Airborne medical was very rigorous and any possible problems to the eyesight (damage to the retina is one of the possible symptoms) meant you were out.

© Chotie Darling

 

27th June 1942 – 1^st Air Landing Squadron saw the film ‘Next of Kin’ (a WW2 propaganda film used to promote the government message that “Careless talk costs lives”). (From the War Diary of 1^st Air Landing Reconnaissance Squadron, National Archives, Kew)

 

27^th June 1942 – PQ-17, an Allied convoy of 40 ships, set sail from Iceland to supply Russia. By 15^th July it had lost 24 ships and a cargo including 210 aircraft, 430 tanks and 3,350 lorries in attacks by the Luftwaffe and U-boats. The Germans lost only 5 planes and no U-boats in the attacks.  (From WW2-net Timelines )

28th June 1942 – in the opening moves of Operation Blau, Germany’s offensive towards Stalingrad, Voronezh (500 km south of Moscow) is attacked but successfully and ferociously defended by the Soviets.  (From ‘The Second World War’ by Antony Beevor, published by Weidenfield and Nicolson 2012)

 

 

The Lucky Horseshoe - Monday 22nd June 1942

1^st Air Landing Sqdn

Recce Corps

Home Forces

My Darling Chotie,

        Just a few lines to let you know I arrived back safely, though later than I had expected.

        Firstly, I was under the impression I was going by Salisbury whereas of course I came from Andover. This actually made no difference however, as the ticket bloke said “Change at Romsey”, and it had Andover on my ticket. However, I had to wait over an hour at Romsey and the same again at Andover.  But, as I got back in time, I can't grumble.

        I would have written last night but was on guard, of course.  (You always get stuck on guard immediately you return from leave).  Andrew, the bloke like Doug, was also on so we stuck together.

         There's no news of course - never is.

          I got quite a good book.  It's called “Hudson rejoins the Herd” and is by Claude Houghton*.

           I hope you got back all right, Darling, complete with Horseshoe...What shall we call him?  I'll leave it to you, Precious, as you seem to have a flair for naming things.

           Well, there seems nothing else, Darling, except to thank you very much for a lovely time at Pagham and to tell you, I love you very much.

                                                            Bye, bye, my Darling

                                                                                    Dicker

P.S.     Please excuse pencil, Honey but I left my pen at Pagham. 

*Said to have inspired Henry Miller’s ‘Tropic of Capricorn’.

© Chotie Darling

 

On Monday 22nd June 1942 an Airborne Section demonstration was inspected by the Deputy Brigade Commander. 1^st Air Landing Squadron trained on the Bulford Grenade Range on 23^rd June and was given a lecture on Russia on 24^th June.

(From the WarDiary of 1^st Air Landing Reconnaissance Squadron, National Archives, Kew)

 

23^rd and 24^th June 1942 – the Germans advance into Egypt as the British Eighth Army retreats although more than 6,000 prisoners from the Indian Division were taken by Rommel’s troops at Mersa Matruh on the Egyptian coast.

25th June 1942 - General Dwight D. Eisenhower is appointed to command US forces in the European Theatre. (From WW2-net Timelines )

 

25th June 1942 – 1^st Air Landing Squadron tested for night vision and then marched to the compound. D.M.* used. (From the War Diary of 1^st Air Landing Reconnaissance Squadron, National Archives, Kew)

*D.M. probably refers to Distance Measuring - a technique for night navigation.

Pagham - Thursday 11th June 1942

 “St Margarets”

Lea Lane, Pagham, Sussex

Thursday

My Darling Chotie,

                                                            Received your letter this morning, and also your telegram of course, which was already here by the time I arrived.

                I'm just penning these few words, to let you know that I'll meet you on Chichester Station on Saturday.  The train should get in somewhere about 7.30 I suppose.  Remember, Chichester - not Bognor.

                                         Bye, bye ‘till Saturday Darling –

                                                                                    love

                                                                                                Dicker

 © Chotie Darling

Chotie and Dick met up at Pagham.

Chotie, Dilys (Dick's sister) and Pa Williams

Brin and Pa Williams

 
Pa Williams, Dilys (Dick's sister) and Chotie

“…and when they moved to Pagham, Sussex, to a pretty chalet-like house, I went to stay with them.

            That house was full of singing and music – so happy. We walked round a lagoon , ending up with a beer in a Selsey pub. I did so like his family. There was no
serious religion, which I was subject to at home. Dicker did not have much time for the church, saying “Why do Bishops live in Palaces?”

 From ‘Chotie’s Story’.

© Chotie Darling

 

While Dick was on leave 1^st Air Landing Squadron were training on the Vickers MMG (Medium Machine Gun) Range on Saturday 13th June 1942 and on beach bomb Ranges for field firing on 14^th June.

They were  moved by rail to Kimmeridge Bay* (Dorset) for field firing training on 15^th June.  On 18th June the squadron marched 25 miles from Kimmeridge Bay Firing Range back towards Bulford. Unit transport picked them up for the last 20 miles on 19^th June.

20^th & 21st June 1942 – 1^st Air Landing Squadron were Tiger Moth flying at Shrewton in Wiltshire.

(From the War Diary of 1^st Air Landing Reconnaissance Squadron, National Archives, Kew)

* Kimmeridge is on the south coast of the Isle of Purbeck, ironically close to Chotie’s home town of Poole and near where she was (briefly) stationed in the Land Army at Church Knowle in October 1942. The lovely bay became England’s first voluntary marine nature reserve, managed by the Dorset Wildlife Trust, and in later life was one of Chotie’s favourite places to visit.

 

14^th June 1942 – German saboteurs landed on Long Island near Jacksonwille in Florida, USA. They were quickly picked up and executed after trial.

 

19th June 1942 – Churchill and Roosevelt met to plan Allied offensives against the Germans for the rest of 1942.  They agree that American troops will join their Allies to invade French (West) Africa in Operation Gymnast (which became Operation Torch).

 

21st June 1942 – Rommel’s Afrika Corps capture the key port of Tobruk in Libya after a 4 day assault following the Battle of the Gazala line.  (The Australians had defended Tobruk under siege for more than 7 months in 1941). Rommel found more than 4,000 tons of oil had not been destroyed in Tobruk – vital supplies for his planned advance into Egypt.  Churchill, who had ordered that Tobtuk was to be held at all coasts was dismayed and wrote “Defeat is one thing, disgrace is another”.  (From ‘The Second World War’ by Antony Beevor, published by Weidenfield and Nicolson 2012)

 

20^th & 21st June 1942 – Dick appears to have been granted his 1^st Long Service and Good Conduct (L.S. & G.C. badge - one chevron on lower arm) retrospectively. It was due on 21^st June 1942 and although this date appears on the record of his Service and Casualty Form it follows records from September 1942.

Copy of Record

SERVICE AND CASUALTY FORM

21.6.42  Granted 1^st L.S. & G.C Badge  Army Rank Trooper  Place Home Forces

 

The King and Queen - Saturday 23rd May 1942

21^st May 1942 – The Airborne Division was visited by their Majesties the King and Queen at Bulford (Salisbury Plain, Wiltshire) followed by demonstrations by various units of the Division.  1^st Air Landing Squadron was inspected and the Commanding Officer presented to the King. 

(From the War Diary of 1^st Air Landing Reconnaissance Squadron, National Archives, Kew)

 

22^nd May 1942 – Mexico declared war on Germany, Italy and Japan.

 

5731671 Tpr Williams R

1^st Air Landing Sqdn

 Recce Corps

HOME FORCES

My Darling Chotie,

            Hope you will excuse my writing in pencil but expect you are used to it by now...

            Many thanks for letter - as welcome as ever.

            Glad to see you managed to get a swim in - which is more than I've been able to - not that I've got the inclination - seem to have lost all interest in that direction, which is probably a good thing as I always tended to overdo it.  I rather think Brinner has also lost interest.  If ever I get out of this show alive I'm all for a life of ease – swimming’s far too strenuous.

            So Margaret has made it up with Ted to quote your own words.  Well, well...On ne sait jamais*..

            Had quite a thrill on Thursday - when we were inspected by the King & Queen and a score of Generals.  It was a demonstration of Paratroops & Gliders etc.

            I hope Johnny knows what he's letting himself in for.  At any rate he'll find out sooner or later.

            Did you hear the “Barber**” this afternoon (Saturday)?  Unfortunately I was working and missed it.  I cursed my ill-luck bitterly.

            Flying all the morning - cold & cloudy.

            Lucky Diller - wish I was going down, or rather we were.

            Books: “Portrait of a Village” Francis Brett Young**, “Blood & Sand” Ibanez - though rather dull gives quite a true appreciation of the life of a Torero.

            Brinner may have moved by now - probably has.  Near Winchester I believe - couldn't be worse than Oakmere Farm - I was horror struck when I saw it last Saturday. 

            Raining hard at the moment - very miserable - the weather I mean - I'm reasonably cheerful.

            Well, Precious no news as per usual. 

            Incidentally will you get in touch with Eric and get him to send me a GROUNDSHEET. MOST IMPORTANT!!! I'm about to be charged 18/- for one! Will you send it, Darling?  (please...) - and I'll give you a big kiss...(Hope that will do the trick). 

                        Well, bye, bye for now, Darling.

                                                            All yours,

                                                                        Dicker

PS.      I now drive a 15 cwt truck. It was called ‘ Evelyn’ but is now ‘Chotie’ - I painted it in Gothic’s.

                                                                xxxxxxx

                                                                        all for you!

                                                                                    Darling.

                                                                                                Xxxxx

 

*French for “You never can tell”.

**Presumably the ‘Barber of Seville’, an Italian comic opera by Rossini.

***A mystery story set in the Black Mountains of Wales.

****A famous tale about bullfighting in Spain.

Ted Lewis

© Chotie Darling

 

23^rd May 1942 – the British Commander-in-Chief of the Home Forces orders an end to ‘blood-lust inculcation’ in battle training.

( From WW2-net Timelines. )

 

26^th May 1942 – Britain and Russia sign a treaty in London pledging to fight Germany until final victory. They also agreed a 20-year alliance. (From WW2-net Timelines.)

The Battle for the Gazala Line in Libya begins with an offensive by the German Afrika Corps towards Tobruk and the line held by the Allies’ Eighth Army while Rommel’s main forces outflanked the line from the south, attacking the forces now cut off at Bir Hakeim where the 1^st Free French Brigade stood firm.   On 31^st May in the ‘Battle of the Cauldron’ the British 150^th Brigade was eventually destroyed.  50^th Recce Regiment, which was also attached to the 50^th Division, was annihilated in the Battles of the Gazala line (leading to Dick’s 61^st Recce taking its place in 1944). It was an Axis victory ending with the withdrawal of the Allies towards Egypt on 14^th June and the fall of Tobruk on 21^st June. (From WW2-net Timelines.)

50 Recce was all but destroyed during the action and its place as the ‘eyes’ of the 50^th (Northumbrian) Division was later taken by 61^st Recce – Dick’s Regiment in North-West Europe. (From ‘The British Reconnaissance Corps in World War II’ by Richard Doherty, Osprey Publishing 2007)

27^th May 1942 – 152 Berlin students were shot for displaying anti-Nazi posters.(From WW2-net Timelines.)  

On the same day Reinhard Heydrich, the German SS (Shutzstaffel – Nazi paramilitary and police) General and major architect of the Jewish Holocaust was shot in Prague by two Czech volunteers trained by the British Special Operations Executive. He died of his wounds on 4^th June. Lidice, a Czech village of 2,000 people, was raised to the ground by the Germans in reprisal. All the men over 16 were shot and the women and children sent to concentration camps. (From WW2-net Timelines.)

28^th May 1942 – beginning of Operation ‘Blau’, the German summer offensive in Russia.  Defeat of the Soviets at Kharkov. (From WW2-net Timelines.)

 

29^th May 1942 – 1^st Air Landing Squadron move from Shaw House, Newbury to take up quarters at Bulford on Salisbury Plain, Wiltshire.

(From the War Diary of 1^st Air Landing Reconnaissance Squadron, National Archives, Kew)

I have not been able to identify the soldiers on this photo but they appear to be wearing the 1st Airborne Division's Pegasus badge. If you can help please comment. They were Dick's photos.

 

30th and 31st May 1942 - the Allies’ first 1,000 bomber raid attacked Cologne in Germany, killing 486 civilians and destroying 600 acres of the city.

31^st May 1942 – a Japanese midget submarine entered Sydney Harbour in Australia. (From WW2-net Timelines.)

 

Eric Postles was now with the 61^st Reconnaissance Regiment in Northern Ireland, in 10 Troop 'B Squadron' – he would fight alongside Dick in B Squadron from June 1944 to February 1945.

“After training was completed I was sent on a 6 week course at the Divisional Driver Mechanics School at Cookstown (in the centre of Northern Ireland) where I learnt to mend and maintain vehicles.  On return I joined 10 Troop B Squadron Carriers and Armoured Cars and remained with the troop until the regiment disbanded.  I got an extra 9d a day for passing the course.  Further training included a live firing assault course with Bren guns firing above you as you went along and over obstacles and wire.  The Recreation truck went into Armagh (near the southern border of the Province) at weekends where you could get sweets off ration in the shops.  Fred Neale, one of my pals, was with me in 10 Troop and another pal Jack Reed was in 13 Assault Troop.  Before D-day some of the older soldiers (including Fred) were posted out of the regiment and he went to The Ranges at Warcop…….”

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

YMCA - Sunday 17th May 1942

YMCA

WITH HIS MAJESTY’S FORCES

 PLEASE ADDRESS YOUR REPLY TO

 

No. 5731671     Rank Tpr         Name Williams R

Address 1st Air Landing Squadron

            Recce Corps HOME FORCES       Date 17 – 5 - 42

 

My Darling Chotie,

                                        Many thanks for letter - glad to see you're still alive and kicking.

            I went over to Basingstoke yesterday to see Brinner - which took him rather by surprise in the midst of the delicate operation known as shaving. He's very fit and will be moving by the end of next week - he thinks.

            There's no further news from this end.  We're in the midst of specialised training which is pretty stiff and takes most of our spare time as well.

           There's a lot of sport here - I play hockey most of the time!  (Don't tell Diller for heaven's sake..)

           I'm on the MT* again - for the time being anyhow - and drive a 15 cwt** truck.  Not too bad as I manage to get out most of the time and see quite a bit of the local country.  Unfortunately when you're on the MT, you have to do your ordinary training as well! - which is rather a blow.

            I've heard from home that they have settled down once again, which is quite a relief.  Brinner says it's not too bad, but the country is flat and very uninteresting***.  Chichester however is quite near and that is a beautiful town if ever there was one.

            In any case, we shall see for ourselves, soon, I hope. 

            Well, Darling, as I said before, there's no news - is there ever? - and I must conclude here to get back to billets in time.

                                                            Bye, bye my Darling

                                                                        all my love

                                                                                    Dicker

 

P.S.     Please give my best wishes to all and sundry, won't you?

PPS     Still love you, Precious...

                                                xxxx

                                                            xx       

 

*MT = Motorised Transport 

**cwt = hundredweight - 112 pounds in the British Imperial System (or 50.8 kg.)

***Dick's family had moved from Poole to Pagham in East Sussex.

© Chotie Darling

 

20^th May 1942 – British forces retreating from Burma reach the Indian frontier.(See WW2-net Timelines)

Malta receives re-inforcements (spitfires were brought in by the US Navy ship Wasp), deterring  Germany’s planned airborne invasion. 

Poor Margaret - Monday 11th May 1942

5731671 Tpr etc

1st Air Landing Sqdn

Recce Corps

HOME FORCES

 

Monday Evening

My Darling Chotie,

                                             Many thanks for letter received this morning - took away that Monday Morning Feeling like fun. 

            Glad to hear you've had a letter from Eric, and to read same.  Pay no attention to his latest affair - he gets like that periodically.  He'll soon get over it - mark my words.

            Poor Margaret*!  She does seem to strike it unlucky, doesn't she?  I expect you're getting worried - but have no fears, Darling, I won't run away.

            Pleased to see you've really got going with the old First Aid - may be very useful someday.  Cheerful ain't I? - but remember what I said about Eric.

            Brinner came over to see me on Saturday - and we swapped yarns as of yore.  Unhappily, he had to go back before the pubs opened and consequently we parted rather thirstily.  All the same it made quite a break.

            I haven't heard from home since the move, so I'm expecting a welcome letter from that quarter.

            Incidentally, don't worry about my aerial activities - it's really quite safe.

            I'm afraid I don't write very long letters, Darling, firstly I have very little time of my own, and secondly there is so very little to write about anyhow.  I can't give any details of this place, or of our training, which leaves precious little to write home about.

            But, remember I still love you and always will, Precious.

                                                                                    All my love, Chotie,

                                                                                                Dicker

 P.S. Give my kindest regards to all your family and console Margaret for me.

 

*Chotie’s elder sister. (See Tom's Death - August 1940 )

© Chotie Darling

 

12^th May 1942 –six officers and six O.R.s (Ordinary Ranks) of 1^stAir Landing Squadron went gliding.

(From the War Diary of 1^st Air Landing Reconnaissance Squadron, National Archives, Kew)

 

12th May 1942 – the second Battle of Kharkov (south of Moscow, in the Ukraine) begins with an offensive by Soviet forces but ends on 28th May with victory for the Germans with over 200,000 Russian soldiers captured, wounded or killed. Nikita Khrushchev was one of the Soviet commanders and his hatred of Stalin is said to date from the dictators  refusal to allow their forces to withdraw.  (From ‘The Second World War’ by Antony Beevor, published by Weidenfield and Nicolson 2012)

13^th May 1942 – Operation Rutter (the original codename for the Allies' disastrous raid on Dieppe), which took place in August 1942, is approved. It was led by Combined Operations. (From WW2-net Timelines)

From the Air - Wednesday 6th May

On Saturday 2^nd May 1942 1^st Air Landing Squadron was training on the Bulford Ranges, Salisbury Plain and on Sunday Dick had his first flight. The squadron diary records ‘Night flying’.

(From the War Diary of 1^st Air Landing Reconnaissance Squadron, National Archives, Kew and ‘Chotie Darling’)

 

3rd May 1942 – the Japanese land on Tulagi in the Solomon Islands.

 

5th May 1942 – the Japanese advance into China along the Burma Road.

The British attack French Vichy Madagascar (the battle continued until November 1942).

(From WW2-net Timelines)

6^th May 1942 – The last of the Allied forces on the Philippines (13,000 troops on the Island of Corregidor) surrender to the Japanese. 

 

Wednesday 6^th May 1942 – the Commanding Officer and four officers of 1^st Air Landing Squadron flew in gliders with 80 O.R.s (Ordinary Ranks) taking particular note of any air sickness.

On the same day Browning met Churchill and requested 96 aircraft to get 1^st Airborne Division battle ready. The RAF agreed to supply 83 Whitleys and 10 Halifax bombers to tow the larger Hamilcar gliders.

(From the War Diary of 1^st Air Landing Reconnaissance Squadron, National Archives, Kew and Wikipedia)

 

5731671 Tpr Williams RK

1st Air Landing Sqdn

Recce Corps

HOME FORCES.

My Darling Chotie,

                                             Many thanks for letter received to-day (Wednesday).  Your letters always seemed to cheer me up just at the right moment.  I also had a letter from home, so I'm feeling particularly cheerful.

Well, I made my first flight here, on Sunday last in a glider - and go up again tomorrow.

Flying in my humble opinion is much overrated and can't be compared to Sailing. I said my humble opinion... However, I must admit it does make a break in the ordinary routine, but I should not like to be up every day.  The country-side looks marvelous from the air, except where it's spoiled by Army Camps and tracks of vehicles, etc.  Altogether not too bad on the whole.

        I'm glad to hear you've started a little First-Aid.  Should you meet Eric* on this subject, just ignore him, - he knows nothing about it, and may tend to have a harmful influence on your work.  Unfortunately, First Aid Classes always seemed to pay particular attention to fingers, arms etc, and leave the rest of the anatomy - where you are usually seem to get hit - to the care of Mother Nature...However, we mustn't grumble.

Glad to hear you still love me, Darling - keeps my head above the water.

Fancy old Monica** pulling a fast one like that - and after she swore blind I'd be the only father of a child by herself.  Ingratitude ...

        I have to get up at 5 am to-morrow for this flying, curse it, so must close here.

                                                 All my love, Precious

                                                                                                Your adoring

                                                                                                            Dicker

*Eric was a close friend mentioned in Chapters 1 and 2

**Monica, Dick’s former girlfriend, apparently now 'with child’.

© Chotie Darling

 

7^th and 8^th May 1942 – Battle of the Coral Sea (lying between the Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea and NE Australia) between the Allies and Japan. This was the largest naval battle ever fought off Australia’s shores and the first naval battle fought by aircraft carriers. America lost the carrier Lexington and the Yorktown was also hit; the Japanese carrier Shohu was sunk and the Shokahu disabled.  The Japanese withdrew without landing as planned at Port Moresby (Papua New Guinea).  American Naval codebreakers had deciphered a Japanese signal revealing the destination, enabling their taskforce to intercept the invasion.

8th May 1942 – the German Army began its offensive on the Eastern Crimea; Soviet forces experienced terrible losses. On 10^th May Churchill warned that Britain would use poison gas on Germany if the Germans did so in the Soviet Union. (From WW2-net Timelines)

 

10th May 1942 – opening of the German death camp, Maly Trostenets, near Minsk. Thousands of Jews lost their lives there.

Home Forces - Friday 1st? May 1942

The War in Dorset - May 1942

On 14^th May 1942 a landslip at Cairn’s Folly near Charmouth destroyed the radio station on the clifftop. Two German ‘T’ boats were sunk off the Dorset coast by Royal Navy motor torpedo boats on 19^th May and on 23^rd May the German flying ace Hauptmann Langur was killed when he crashed into a Shaftesbury hillside in low cloud.  The RAF plane attacking him was able to operate through the cloud using the ‘Starlight’ radar system from Sopley near Christchurch.  

24^th/25^th May – following a Pathfinder bombing, which unfortunately killed several people and damaged houses in the Hamworthy area, a bomb fell on the Brownsea decoy site setting off prepared cordite flashes.  The Special Fires (code name ‘Star Fish’ - pyrotechnics simulating bursting bombs and burning buildings) were started on the island attracting a 75 minute bombardment from 60 enemy aircraft that would have done terrible damage in Poole, where Chotie lived.  Out of 166 tons of bombs used that night, all but 9 tons fell harmlessly on the decoy.  Even so 140 people had to be accommodated in the Sandacres Hotel, Sandbanks that night and one bomb hit a military target – the Poole Home Guard company HQ in Lindsay Road, where one Guardsman was killed.  (See also December 1942 - the war in Dorset.)

At the end of May 1942 the Telecommunications Research Establishment at Worth Matravers, near Swanage in Dorset, moved inland to Malvern in Worcestershire.  The success of the Bruneval Raid had alerted them to the dangers of a coastal raid on their vital and very secret research.

(From ‘The Book of Poole Harbour’ edited by Bernard Dyer and Timothy Darvill and published by The Dovecote press Ltd 2010, ‘Poole and World War II’ written by Derek Beamish, Harold Bennett and John Hillier and published by Poole Historical Trust in 1980 and  ‘Dorset’s War Diary - Battle of Britain to D Day’ by Rodney Legg, Dorset Publishing Company 2004.)

 

 

In May 1942 Lt-General “Boy” Browning, the Commander of 1^st Airborne Division, devised an inspirational emblem to represent the airborne forces and introduced the famous ‘red’ beret, which is still used to this day. The badge of the winged horse Pegasus and his rider Bellerophon was taken from Greek myth and designed by Major Edward Seago. It became the divisional shoulder flash of the airborne forces.  (See The Pegasus Journal )

1^stAir Landing Squadron Officers listed for May 1942:

Major C.J.H. Gough;

Captains: G.C. Roberts, J.P. Royle, C.W. Suter;

Lieutenants: D.Allsop (captain of Freddie Gough’s 1^stAirborne Reconnaissance Squadron at Arnhem, awarded the Dutch Bronze Lion), D.M.Freegard (mentioned in despatches
as a Major in 1945), T.J. Firbank, M.W.Grubb, J.A.Hay and G.L.Millar

2^ndLieutenants:  R.J.Clark, Kindersley, H. Poole and A.J. Waterman.

(See Joining Browning's Boys )

For most of May 1942 1^stAir Landing Squadron was still based at Shaw House, near Newbury.

1^st May 1942 – City of Bath placed out of bounds for 1^st Air Landing Squadron except for duty on special leave. (Why? Was this because of the Baedeker Raids?)

(From The Pegasus Archive, Just Ordinary Men, Operation Market Garden and the War Diary of 1^st Air Landing Reconnaissance Squadron, National Archives, Kew)

 

Trooper Williams RR

1^st Air Landing Sqdn.

Reconnaissance Corps

HOME FORCES

N.B. New Address

                        NOTHING ELSE!

Friday

Dearest, Darling Chotie,

                                                     Many thanks for letter received yesterday.  It would appear that it took ages to get here - but the new address, Home Forces, is apparently much quicker.  However it did arrive, which is the main thing.

I must begin this letter as usual by an apology for this paper - after all, there's a war on, somewhere, so convention must go by the board.

I hope you're quite well Precious and looking after yourself as you mean a helluva lot to me (slush...!) - but seriously, Darling, takes great care, and dodge the bombs, if any.

I've been to Bulford* all day, firing Anti-Tank Rifles, and managed to get quite brown as there was plenty of wind and sun.  The weather here is excellent, and I eat like a horse (or two).

Incidentally, I'm at the place I expected to go to - the one we found on the map, but I'm not of course allowed to write it down in letters - hence the address - Home Forces.  I had a letter from home a couple of days ago - things there, being a little brighter than usual.  Diller however can give you more dope on this question then I can.  It's quite all  right for you to tell Diller where I am, so don't be frightened on that score.

I met quite a decent bloke here, who's very much like Douglas (Enid's?).  He's a throw out from a Military Academy and joined the 70th Hants** (Brinner's crowd) and transferred here the same time as I did.

I'm afraid there's no news - I am up to my eyes in work and get very little time to call my own.  Hope everyone at home is up to par, and hope you will give them all my fondest regards, etc.

This is a glorious county - reveling in old houses particularly Georgian and Elizabethan.  I saw plenty of such desirable abodes today as I did nearly a hundred miles in the truck.

Well, I must close here as I'm on night operations in about half an hour and have to get my kit ready.

                                                            All my love, Darling

                                                                        Dicker xxx

P.S.
Home Address

                        “BROOMLEIGH”

                                    PAGHAM BEACH

                                                BOGNOR

                                                            SUSSEX.***

PPS     Look after yourself!!!

 

*Bulford ranges on Salisbury Plain, Wiltshire.

** The 70th Battalion (the 70th was usually the “Young Soldiers” battalion) of the Hampshire Regiment was formed in Southampton in September 1940, but soon moved to Basingstoke. It was disbanded in July 1943. It appears that Dick’s younger brother, Brian or Brinner, had now joined up.

***Dicker’s family had now moved to Pagham in Sussex. Dick’s next of kin (father) is listed as Capt. Dudley Kelner Beresford Williams of St Margarets, Sea Lane, Pagham, Sussex but the family first moved to ‘Broomleigh’.

© Chotie Darling

Shaw House, Newbury - c. Wednesday 22nd April 1942

Pte 5731671 Williams RK

1st Air Landing Coy

Recce Corps

C/o A.P.O. NOTTINGHAM.

My Darling,

            Arrived here safe and sound on Monday Evening.

            This is one hell of a crowd. Discipline isn't in it. They're trying to break the Guards peace time standard and believe me they're doing it.  Everything has to be blancoed* up to scratch nearly every day. I shall get little or no time off.

            The only good thing about it is the leave.  Apparently they get Seven Days every nine weeks or so - which is amazing for the Army.

            I start on a course on Monday next - it's just like being a rookie all over again.

            The Company here is billeted in a marvelous old house – Elizabethan* - with hundreds of rooms, banqueting halls etc.

            Incidentally you must write to the address as shown, and not the one you already know - for security reasons. You might advise Diller or Mother if you write, as I've had to give them the Nottingham address of course.

            For Pete's sake, how long's the war going to last?  I only hope your mother's right, when she says it will be over this year.

            I'm afraid I can't say anything of local interest, etc as these letters are sometimes censored for security reasons.

            I miss you already, Darling - how am I going to feel in a month’s time?

            I'm afraid I must close here as I have a hell of a lot to do.  Please write
soon my Darling as I feel b----- lonely.

                                                                        all my love Precious,

                                                                                    your adoring

                                                                                                Dicker

*Blanco was a cleaning compound used on the cotton of army uniforms. ‘Bull, Blanco and Brasso’ meant getting uniforms immaculate.

** Shaw House, Newbury, Berkshire - the base for 1st Air Landing Reconnaissance Squadron mentioned in their wartime diary in the National Archives, Kew. This grade 1 listed Elizabethan Building is now owned by West Berkshire Council and open to the public.

 © Chotie Darling

 

23^rd April 1942 - In a secret session of the House of Commons, Churchill delivered a speech declaring that the liberation of Europe was 'the main war plan' of Britain and the USA. (From WW2-net Timelines. )

 

Friday 24^th April 1942 - 1^st Air Landing Reconnaissance Squadron changes its designation to 1^st Air Landing Squadron, Recce Corps. On 27^th April its address was changed to 'Home Forces’. The Squadron used the mortar range at Chobham (Surrey?) on Tuesday 28^th and were training with night flying gliders on the 29^th.

(From the War Diary of 1^st Air Landing Reconnaissance Squadron, National Archives, Kew)

 

24th April 1942 - The Luftwaffe raids Exeter in the first of Hitler's raids on historical cities in retaliation for the bombing of Lübeck at the end of March. These became known as the 'Baedeker' raids after the famous guidebook series.

The Allies second raid was made against Rostock in Germany and on 25th April the Luftwaffe attacked Bath. The 'Baedeker' raids continued with the bombing of York and Norwich in late April and of Canterbury in May and June, after the Allies’ bombing of Cologne.

 

28th April 1942 – the Nazi Reichstag, Germany’s ‘puppet government’ declares Hitler ‘Supreme Judge of the German People’ and above the reach of the law. This turns out to be its last meeting. (From WW2-net Timelines.)

Somewhere in England - Tuesday 7th October 1941

On 7^th October 1941 Dick had a medical, prior to his transfer,

which found him in A.1. condition.

Copy of Record

SERVICE AND CASUALTY FORM

Medical (b)         Category A1          Date          7-10-41

 

Intelligence Section, HQ Company, 70th Dorsets

Branksome, Hants. 

Tuesday

My Darling Chotie,

                                                            Just a few lines to let you know that all is well, and that I still love you, EVERYTHING.

            I'm now feeling much better and though still on the sick list, hope to be OK again in a few days time.

           I had a letter from Brinner (NO not Monica*, Darling...) who appears to be enjoying himself.

           I do little or nothing all day with Eric, which gets pretty boring after a while.  He had a parcel today and is, consequently, feeling quite cheerful, and sends his love (brotherly).

            I was medically examined this morning re transferring, and was categorised A1. - not that it makes any difference.  I'm afraid there's no news, of course, as nothing seems to happen.

             Monica, as I hear from Diller, who still corresponds, has now found her true love (etc), and may now cease to cause me sleepless nights.  It's about time she had a change of front and policy.  That's the only snag of going back to Herne Bay**.  But at any rate we hope she's married by then and in safe hands. 

            This pen’s horrible to write with.  Needless to say, it’s Eric's!  He has everything on the thin side.

            I've managed to find Cocknowle*** on a large-scale map - so I now know whereabouts it lies.

            As regards next Sunday, I'll borrow a bike from Somewhere in England and be around sometime about 3 pm to 5-30.  At any rate, I'll write again before then.         

            Well, Darling I must close here as it's time for tea, and I must rush to post this.

           I managed to get a Dorset Brooch, which will do, I hope, until I get into a Genuine Regiment when I'll send you another. 

                                                                        Bye, bye Darling

                                                                                    All my love

                                                                                                Dicker

                                                                                                Xxxxxxxx

* Dick’s former girlfriend

** Dick’s family were planning to move back to Herne Bay from Poole. They ended up at Pagham in Sussex.

*** where Chotie was living in the Land Army

 From ‘Chotie’s Story’: 

“I left Beales to become a Land Army girl, age seventeen, after a tiff at home.  A lovely farm at Church Knowle in the Purbecks.  Miss Geaves, the farm owner, let me live in her beautiful cottage under Creech, the highest point in the Purbecks.  Walking across fields in early morning, the mist fell in between the hills like small lakes, quite awesome.  Also awesome was my cycle ride from Corfe Castle station to Church Knowle, on a moonlit and part cloudy evening.  How ghostly Corfe Castle looked.

 The Land Army was not for me.  After too much rich food I suffered a bilious attack and hours of mangold pulling, milking cows and trekking across fields took its toll.  Dad took great pleasure in saying I had been invalided out of the Land Army much to my annoyance.  Beryl† joined at a later date and made quite a success of it.”

† Beryl was Mum’s younger sister, a 'success' in the Land Army

 

 

Reputedly my mother lasted three weeks in the Land Army before she was ‘invalided out’, always a source of much amusement in our family.  Dick’s posting to a location so near to her home may have had some influence on her desire to leave the rural idyll of Purbeck.

I have an annoyingly vague memory that she told me Dick went to France before ‘D’ Day and was injured and the worry of this French trip, coupled with sickness, led to her leaving the Land Army.  I wish I’d found out more but I think this was a whispered secret even then – perhaps only for dramatic effect but possibly, like the Bletchley girls, because there were things one swore never to tell.

© Chotie Darling

Chotie at Church Knowle - Wednesday 1st October 1941

 

Intelligence Sec., HQ company, 70th Dorsets

Branksome, Dorset.

My Darling Chotie,

                                                                   Many, many thanks for your letter.  I was very pleased you have struck it so lucky at Church Knowle.*  I wish you lots & lots of luck in this new venture (does that sound too staid?), and hope you have a lovely time, as I'm sure you deserve it after all our troubles.

          I'm glad Brinner saw you off as I always think it helps.  He told me you met someone to travel down with, which I hope made the journey a little more pleasant, though as a rule this isn't the case.

          I feel b----y awful at the moment, for no known reason, but I haven't felt too well since we've been at Branksome.  I've got the devil of a boil on my shoulder-blade which Eric has been doctoring for a couple of days, without very much effect.  He lanced it about an hour ago, which has caused my left shoulder to pack up for the duration.  I can't even lift my wretched arm.  However that's enough moaning in one letter.

        This cottage of yours sounds most thrilling.  I must try to get over as soon as possible - and whilst the weather holds.  It's been rather dull here and cloudy all day.         

        I was very miserable until I got your letter, which had its usual cheering effect.

          There's the devil of a lot of duties to do now, including keeping the gardens are up to scratch from 5 o'clock to 5.30!  What a game! - and there's supposed to be a war on somewhere...

          We had some excellent news today however - transfers have started again, and consequently, allowing for the usual lapse of time, (transfers take ages as a rule) I should be out of this punk crowd in a month or two.  All of which has cheered me up considerably.

          Incidentally, we are moving**!  It's more or less settled, (I know that look in Ma’s eyes...) for the beginning of November, - just above a month, and once again it's going to be Herne Bay.  I don't suppose I'll ever get leave up there but still these things must wait until after the war.  We'll make up for every scrap of it then, never fear, Darling.

          I went home yesterday and had a quiet evening in front of the fire, thinking about the move, etc.  The doctor apparently told Pa that he couldn't possibly go on working or he wouldn't hold himself responsible for Pa's welfare, which has prompted the move more than everything.

          Well, Precious I must close here to post this in time.

          Please excuse paper but it's all I can get.

                                                          all my love, Chotie Dear,

                                                                   Dicker

                                                                             Xxxxxxxx 

 

* where Chotie was living in the Land Army to work on a farm in Purbeck, Dorset.  She stayed with Miss Grace of Churchknowle Farm in a little cottage tucked into the hillside at Cocknowle.

** Dick’s family left Poole in late 1941 or early 1942.  Initial plans were for Herne Bay on the north coast of Kent but by the spring of 1942 they were settled at Pagham, near Chichester in Sussex.

 

© Chotie Darling

 

In October 1941 – filming of ‘The First of the Few’, a film telling the story of the Spitfire aeroplane, began near Christchurch on the Dorset/Hampshire border.  It starred Leslie Howard and David Niven, both returned from Hollywood to support the war effort since 1939. Niven rejoined the Army and around this time was working for the General Headquarters Liaison Regiment (known as ‘Phantom’) as Commander of ‘A’ squadron, informing Army HQ on coastal defences and invasion risk, and happened to be stationed near Poole.

 

2^nd October 1941 – Operation Typhoon begins, Hitler’s ultimately unsuccessful attack on Moscow.

To Branksome - Friday 19th September 1941

HQ Company, 70^th Bn Dorsets

Fort Brockhurst, Gosport, Hants.

My Darling Chotie,

                                                                                    Many thanks for letter.  I'm replying at my first opportunity, even though I'm afraid it's a little late.

            Well, Sweetheart, there's some news at last.  We're moving to the Branksome Chine* Area.  Now don't get too excited - it won't be for long.  HQ Company is moving but I may not stay in it, in which case I shall go elsewhere.  I should see you in a few days time with luck.

            If you manage to get a farm in Dorset, I should be able to see you fairly often as I may end up somewhere in our fair county.

            It won't be any good to you to go to Pompey as we are moving this weekend, I'm afraid.  Still, I'll be able to come and see you, instead.

            I've been fearfully busy this morning, having hiked 15 miles or so.  (It's now just after Dinner time).  I haven't yet written home, since I've been back!  Terrible isn't it?

            Well, I must close here Precious, hoping to see you very soon.

                                                                                    all my love

                                                                                                Dicker

                                                                                                Xxxxxxxx

* Branksome Chine is on the coast in the suburbs of Poole.

© Chotie Darling

 

Dick was stationed in Branksome, Poole, Dorset from September 1941, possibly until he joined 1^st Air Landing.

Dick and Chotie were presumably able to meet up again easily so there are no letters until Chotie started work in the Land Army.

 

19^th September 1941 – Germany captured Kiev, the capital of the Ukraine, then in Russia.

29th and 30th September 1941 – Massacre of Babi Yar. Nazi paramilitary death squads, the SS Einsatzgruppen, murdered 33,771 Jews at in a ravine near Kiev. This is considered the largest single mass killing of the Holocaust. In the following two years more than 100,000 Jews, Gypsies, Ukrainian nationalists and Soviet Prisoners of War were massacred at Babi Yar.

Autumn - Monday 15th September

5731671. Int. Section, HQ Company, 70^th Bn Dorsetshire Regt

Fort Brockhurst, Gosport, Hants.

My Darling Chotie,

                                                                        Many thanks for letters.  I believe one of them must have been held up somewhere as I didn’t get it for some time.

            But all is well now.  I’m glad you’ve eventually joined up in the Land Army, as I think it will be a change for you.

            At the rate things are going this show may be over before we expect and we’ll be together again, which is all I hope and pray for.  After all, absence does make the heart grow fonder, believe it or not, and being something of a fatalist I believe all these things are planned just to test our fidelity, as it were. 

            I know we can make it, Chotie Darling, that’s why I’ll always trust you (even with the Farmer’s son ...), because I just know we’ll come through in the end. 

            It’s marvellous here now that the Autumn’s setting in, and the trees are beginning to change to that glorious brown.  There’s also a wonderful range of animal-life here – squirrels, pheasants, rabbits and even snakes. 

             I stopped this afternoon to watch a couple of woodpeckers at work (or play?), and I wished you were here to watch them with me.

             We go for a run at six every morning, and do I enjoy them! Unless you get up early and see the countryside at that time I think you’re missing something in your life that’s really too wonderful to describe.

             If I’m not careful I’ll ramble on forever ...

            I’m afraid I must close here, Sweetheart as I’m wanted, (as usual). 

                                                                                    Bye, bye, My Precious,

                                                                                                All yours

                                                                                                            Dicker.

P.S.  I love you.                                                                             xxxxxxx

                                                                                                                  Xxxxx

                                                                                                                           xxxx

© Chotie Darling 

Not much of a birthday - posted Saturday 6th September 1941

61st Reconnaissance Regiment, who Dick was to fight with in NW Europe, were formed in September 1941 under the leadership of Lieutenant-Colonel Sir William Mount, Bt.T.D. (the former Prime Minister David Cameron's grandfather).

1^stSeptember 1941 – Nazis decreed that Jewish people in Germany and occupied countries should wear the yellow star badges introduced in Poland in November 1939.

3^rd September 1941 – the first gassing of prisoners at Auschwitz concentration camp. More than one million people were killed there during the war.

5^th September 1941 – Estonia occupied by the German army.

 

 

Intelligence Section, HQ Company, 70th Dorsets

Fort Brockhurst, Gosport, Hants.

Darling Chotie,

                Just a few lines, Precious, to wish you very many Happy Returns of your Birthday.

                I'm afraid you won't get this missive until after the sixth* as I haven't had one single moment to spare since I've been back.  Also of course it's the hell of a job to get anything posted out here in the wilds.

  

            Anyway, Darling, as you put it once before, “Here's wishing you everything you wish yourself”, which is, I think, easily the best way of expressing myself.

 

            Unfortunately I haven't yet been paid this week, as they wouldn't pay me at Brockhurst, and pay parade was over when I arrived up here.

 

            I had to do a 24 hr Guard at Brockhurst as soon as I was back but I hope to be able to get a bracelet in Gosport or Pompey*** when I can get there.  Brinner’s** still got the residue of my cash, but said he would send it on.

         Poor Chotie ... I'm afraid it won't be much of a birthday for you, but doubtless better times are coming.  Don't forget to tell me all the latest when you write, Honey.  I'm dying to know what’s happened re the Land Army, etc.

 

        If you see Brinner, tell him to let me know all his news, (also to send some cash!)

 

                            Well, Darling I must close here, as I have to see the Intelligence Officer.

                                                                                All my love Darling

                                                                                         ever yours Dicker.

 

PS.Don't worry about anything, Precious, - we'll pull through all right.

 

* Chotie’s 18^th birthday

** Dick’s younger brother Brian

 

*** A name for Portsmouth

 

© Chotie Darling

 

 

8th September – beginning of the German siege of Leningrad (St Petersburg) which was not lifted until 27th January 1944. Some 600,000 people died of starvation and disease in the city during the siege.

On 9^th September 1941 Winston Churchill addressed the House
of Commons ending his speech with the famous lines "We are still masters of our fate. We are still captain of our souls" based on the poem ‘Invictus’ by William Ernest Henley. (See full speech on Churchill Society website http://www.churchill-society-london.org.uk/CptsSoul.html.)