Chotie Darling

75 years ago - bombing raids in Southampton

In March Dick moved back to south Hampshire from Southbourne and was stationed in Southampton. The city was subject to regular air-raids, the Luftwaffe having resumed their bombing campaign (which had been hampered by the winter weather following the terrible attacks of November and December).

Poole, where Chotie lived, suffered 88 air raid alerts in March and April as incendiaries, high explosive bombs and UXBs were dropped on the area (from  ‘Poole and World War II’ written by Derek Beamish, Harold Bennett and John Hillierand published by Poole Historical Trust in 1980.)

 

Dick wrote this letter while on guard in Southampton:

‘D’ Company

70th Dorsets

Southampton

Hants.

My Darling Chotie,

                                                                        As I’m on guard once again I thought I’d write as I have a few moments all to myself!

        I have to go on guard every three days or so – far too often - a 24 hrs guard, mounting at 6 pm and dismounting at 6 pm the next day. 

        It’s a regimental guard over the main entrance to the Battalion Headquarters.  Needless to say everything is just so-so or the RSM* wants to know why.  However, there’s a stove in the guardroom which helps matters not a little.  There’s also an orderly attached to the guard who gets the meals and anything from the NAAFI.

        The guard consists of one Corporal and three men, each man doing two hrs on duty and then four hrs in the guardroom.  The main snag is that we have to wear full equipment and are not allowed to take it off during the 24 hrs, except for reasons too obvious to mention!

        That’s enough of guards – they’re pretty depressing things anyway. To turn to a more cheerful subject, I hope to get home next weekend for a few hours – either on Saturday or Sunday.  It all depends on when I have to go on guard again.  If it falls on Saturday evening it ruins me, as there wouldn’t be time to get home and I would be on guard all the Sunday.  I believe, however, that I go on again on Friday, which means I come off Saturday night and could get home on the Sunday.  We must trust to luck as usual.  I think I can make it all right.

        I’ve been to the flicks twice lately – saw ‘The Great Dictator’ and ‘Black Fury’ (Paul Muni).  How anyone could see anything in the ‘Great Dictator’ I don’t know.  I thought it was chronic.  ‘Black Fury’ was quite good but nothing up to the usual Muni standard.  The place we go to (the only place we are allowed without a pass) is Shirley.  I’ve no idea where it lies on the map but it’s inland from Southampton.  It’s a pretty dull place; reminds me of the East End on Sunday – all 50 shilling tailors and patent leather.

        There’s nothing to go out for anyway, as we have a first rate NAAFI and a good Corporals’ Room.  The boys say there are plenty of women here but I haven’t seen any – except a couple of old bags, doubtless engaged in plying the oldest of professions. I’m afraid that’s rather crude. Almost Russian**…

        Incidentally, I don’t know whether I told you I had an interview with the ‘Old Man’ and he’s recommended me.  It will mean some months, as I have to wait for the recommendation to go through to the interview board.  They’re the b----rs to get past and even if I get past them (which I very much doubt) I’d still have to wait to get posted to an O.C.T.U.***  Still it’s a start, I suppose.

        I’ve just paused to make out the Guard reports – a wretched job as everything has to be reported – even the minutest detail.

 

            Later

                                    Well, Precious, it’s now just after midnight and still the sirens haven’t gone.  It’s really rather odd as we seem lost without them here.  I expect Jerry’s stocktaking this evening…  the raids lately have been almost continuous and pretty vicious. About six houses in a row, 200 yards from here came down on Saturday night.

        When there’s a night raid on the shrapnel comes down like rain, from the Anti-Aircraft Barrage.  There’s not a house in the whole place that hasn’t got some windows out or half the roof gone.  It’s certainly more interesting from that point of view, as there’s seldom a dull moment at night.  It makes the guards a lot more fun when you can hear the shrapnel on the roof.

        I’ve done very little reading lately as I don’t get very much time.  I read, or rather re-read, Hitchins’ ‘The Garden of Allah’, and quite an interesting little book called ‘I’ll tell you Everything’, written by Priestley in collaboration with some one else****, which, although very light & sometimes puerile, was really rather good.

(Every now and then I light my pipe and march up and down outside in an effort to keep awake.  The stove in here makes me wish for my dear little bed…).

        There’s a piano here in the Assembly Hall, on which I manage to amuse myself occasionally if no one else.  If I can find a piano anywhere where I can play without fear of being interrupted I’m really happy for hours – which only goes to prove what a simple minded soul I must be.

Well, my precious baby, I must close here as I don’t want to put an undue strain on your eyes (?) reading all this rubbish, so I will say ‘Good Morning’, Darling,

                                                            Your ever loving,

                                                                                    Dicker

P.S.  Please look after yourself, Darling, as you mean just everything now.

 

* RSM – Regimental Sergeant Major

** ‘Russian’ was a romantic code between Dick and Chotie.

“Dicker and I, so young, played wonderful games. We pretended to be ‘Russian’ and he taught me to love the ballet as he did.  Having always wanted to be a dancer we pretended I was.  I wore my long blonde hair in the style of a ballerina. He was a brilliant pianist and played Chopin by ear. He had a very good physique having exercised with weights and things – very muscular.  How I adored him.  Our lovemaking was very pure by today’s standards.  Just to kiss and hold each other close was very thrilling.”  From ‘Chotie’s Story’.

*** O.C.T.U. – Officer Cadet Training Unit

****Robert Smythe Hichens’ ‘The Garden of Allah’, a tale of adventure in the Sahara Desert written in 1904, was made famous by the Marlene Dietrich film of 1936.  ‘I’ll Tell You Everything’ written by J.B.Priestley in collaboration with Gerald Bullett is a light-hearted crime thriller.

© Chotie Darling

75 years ago - moved to Southbourne

After long lonely nights on guard at Lee-on-Solent Dick did get home on 18^th January and met Chotie again for the first time since October. He got caught up in a blitz in Southampton while returning to his unit. Towards the end of January he writes to Chotie about peace as 'something to be fought for' but also seems determined to marry her when the fighting is over.

Compulsory fire-watching was introduced in January 1941 and as an employee of Beales, the Bournemouth department store, Chotie took her turn as ‘Roof Warden’.

On 1^st February the BOAC flying-boat service in Poole Harbour expanded with a route to Portugal – the only safe staging post in Europe to reach the African front. On the same day Project Fougasse or ‘Sea Flame’ successfully set fire to the sea off Studland, lighting up the East Dorset night sky so brightly you could read a newspaper in Bournemouth.  (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.)

 

On the first weekend in February Dick wrote:

Rye Cottage

Marine Parade W

Lee-on-Solent

Hants.

Darling Chotie,                                                                              

                                    Thanks for the letter. As I'm on Guard again I thought I'd write. It's about the only time I get. I'm on the Beach Hut Guard with no stove and only a candle for light and heat, and is it cold!

            It's now just eight o'clock Saturday evening, and I'm faced with the pleasant prospect of staying in this wretched hut, awake, ‘till ten o'clock tomorrow morning. It's so damn cold now that I can hardly write - Heaven knows what it will be like by about midnight.

            There was an inspection of these guards by a General a few days ago. From what I can gather from various sources, he condemned the conditions and I believe there is the chance of moving again. I don't know where it will be, of course.

            Everyone's fed up with this place as, apart from the food, there's nothing to be said for it. It's one long Guard - up to our necks in mud and only one wretched cinema, when we get any time off.       

            Anyhow, Darling, I still love you so much that even Guards become a pleasure when I think, of the glorious time we're going to have when I get back. And I don't mean maybe...        

            About every ten minutes someone, some clumsy ---, knocks over my candle, and if it were not for my lighter, Darling, I don't know what I'd do. I'd certainly have used a good few matches tonight.

            I'm afraid as usual there's very little news - if any. Nothing of any real interest ever seems to happen.         

            I hope to meet Eric again soon. He's at Gosport (about 5 miles from here) and I'm trying to arrange a reunion. The snag is that it's difficult for us to both get the same night off duty. I expect we'll manage it soon - Eric's a born wangler.

 

Sunday Evening

            I came off Guard and after a bath and some din-din, felt a lot better.

            I'm afraid I can't write any more, Darling as it's just on Supper Time, and I must post this in the NAAFI as it's the only chance I’ll get.     

                                        Bye, bye Darling,

                                                            All my love

                                                                        Dicker

 © Chotie Darling

 

Soon after this letter Dick’s unit was moved to Southbourne in Bournemouth – near enough to see Chotie regularly so there are no letters until 12^th March.

He may have seen some action from the coastal battery at Hengistbury Head firing on German Schnellboots close to the shore on 12^th February.

On 20^th February Dick was again promoted to full Corporal.

75 years ago - Changes

January 1941 brought changes for Dick. On 1^st January he was demoted to Lance Corporal for “not having control over the men”. He was also transferred to ‘C’ company at Battalion Headquarters in Corsham, 10 miles from the aerodrome.

Soon after this the 70^th Dorsets were moved to Lee-on-Solent on the Hampshire Coast, presumably as part of Lieutenant-General Montgomery’s V Corps in Southern Command. Monty was responsible for the defence of Hampshire and Dorset from July 1940 to April 1941.

And then Dick ran into a lorry:

January 1941

“Rye Cottage”

Marine Parade West

Lee-on-Solent.

Hants.

My Darling,

            Just a few lines to let you know how I'm getting on and to give you the new address. Did you get my P.S.?

            I wrote about a week ago, telling you of my demotion etc - I also wrote home but they don't appear to have got it. I don't know whether you did.

            I'm afraid I've been laid up for some time as I had a bit of an accident and nearly managed to lose my left eye. I was blind in it for three days - but the MO says it's OK now – I only hope he's right. I was running pretty fast (Olympic Games Standard!) in the Black-Out early one morning, when I collided with a lorry. I thought I was tough, but I rather think the lorry had it all the way. I got a slight concussion and a deep cut under my eye - but it's all right now.

            In case you didn't get my last letter, I'm now a L/Cpl having been busted by the Colonel (bless him). Pete is now a full Corporal in ‘D’ Coy my original Company. Eric has also been made up again. The fortunes of war....

            However who cares? I've still got my Tootsie (I hope..) and that's all I have to worry about.

            Well Darling I'm afraid I'll have to close here as this wretched NAAFI is closing.

                            Still loving you every bit Cho Dear,

                                                                        your devoted

                                                                                    Dicker

 

© Chotie Darling, 2010

*The Blackout ensured that there were no outdoor lights, or lights that could be seen from outside. This was to prevent enemy aircraft from identifying targets at night.

There were still plenty of air attacks on the south coast – Poole suffered from incendiary bombs on 6 of the first 12 days in January 1941 with c.250 houses damaged on 9^th January and two men killed by high explosive bombs.

Portsmouth, near Lee-on-Solent, sustained an enormous Blitz on 10^th January 1941.

At Lee-on-Solent the Royal Naval Air Station Dick may have been guarding (HMS Daedalus of the Fleet Air Arm) was packed with underground pipe bombs to make the site unusable in the case of enemy invasion. Rediscovered in 2006 this led to probably the largest peace time evacuation in Britain while they were removed.

 

75 years ago – Christmas Deserters from Corsham

Air warfare continued over southern England and in Dorset German planes and spitfires came down on land and at sea. By December the Warmwell Dorset airbase had lost 26 pilots.  On 13^th December Poole’s heathlands were set ablaze by incendiary bombs on Hamworthy but when Montgomery came to view ‘Project Fougasse’ on 20^th December, 'Operation Sea Flame' was less successful at setting the sea alight at Studland.

Fights among the Young Soldiers in Wiltshire also continued, although discipline was apparently tightened up.  Dick, continuing to ‘try for a Commission’, was the youngest Corporal in the battalion. He was badly lovesick but there was to be no leave to see Chotie in December. The company (he was now in 'A' company of the 70^th Dorsets) left Chippenham to guard Corsham aerodrome – a miserable place. While changing the guard,after a raid on the aerodrome, Dick walked into a spitfire in the pitch black but at least he wasn’t shot by one of the guards – a recent "morbid" accident! By Christmas many of the Young Soldiers had made a bid for freedom:

 

Wednesday 25^th December 1940

Corsham, Wilts

Christmas Day

My Precious Darling,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

                                                                            Goodnight, Cho Darling

                                                                                Your adoring

                                                                                                Dicker

© Chotie Darling, 2010

75 years ago - Choosing Friends

At the beginning of October Dick had his 7 days leave at home in Parkstone (Poole, Dorset) and met up with Chotie.  On the 3^rd October he’d been appointed a Full Corporal and he was already angling for a commission.

Parkstone was seeing plenty of action - enemy planes would have been frequent by day and by night, heading inland over the Dorset coast or occasionally bombing Dorset ports and towns. The Battle of Britain was also frequently fought in Dorset skies and many German and British planes crashed into Dorset’s land and sea in autumn 1940. (See David R. Privett’s account of a wartime childhood in Poole on the BBC People's War website .)

 

Back in Bemerton Dick was still with his Dorset friends, Eric Kessler and Pete (despite rumours of a move to Basingstoke and even joining up with the Hampshire Regiment!) but since they were privates and Dick was an NCO (non-commissioned officer) this friendship was not encouraged:

 

Tuesday 22nd October 1940

Bemerton

Tuesday evening

My Darling Cho,

                                                            Thanks for the letter which I got this morning.

            Well Darling to get down to business, I find that with reasonable luck I’ll be able to get home on Sunday.  The point is Honey, that if I can get a pass all day in Salisbury I may just as well come home, and it will save you a look of trouble & expense.  Also I don’t like the idea of your travelling back all that way in the dark.

            There is some truth in what Mummy warns you about, even if you don’t believe it… Mind you, I’m not saying you can’ take care of yourself, but after all you’re only a lickle baby although you’re the most adorable chubby baby that ever lived.  I tremble to think what could happen to you, Sweetheart, and I hate taking those kind of risks.

            I was doing Battalion Orderly Sergeant all day last Sunday which is some job, & I don’t mean maybe.  It means being on all day from réveillé until about 11pm, with one worry after another – but for all that, it’s good experience.

            Incidentally, I was choked off the other day, pretty severely.  I bet you wouldn’t guess what for? (No, Precious, it wasn’t women!)  It was for associating with private soldiers vis. Eric & Pete.  I’m no longer able to go out with them, and should I meet them in the N.A.A.F.I. or anywhere, they have to address me as Corporal and not the now familiar ‘Dicker’. What a life!

            The latest news as regards moving is back to Dinton which suits me admirably – that is, it’s b…..y awful but much preferable to Basingstoke.

            We had a dance here last Monday.  I’d had nine pints at the Conservative Club before I got there, so had a pretty good time on the whole.  The women were a little better than usual but have no fears, Darling, as there isn’t a woman living who could take me away from you, (and that includes Bergman*…)

            Well, Chubby, I must close now, loving you more than ever.

                                     Je suis à toi pour la Vie,**

                                                                Your adoring,

                                                                                Dicker

P.S. I terrible sorry about you’re cold. It’s just like me to forget all about it until the end.  I hope you’ll forgive me Darling and get better soon.

            all yours

                    Dicker

                    xxxxxxxxxxx

                    xxxxxxxxxxx

                    xxxxxxxxxx

                    xxxxxxxxxx

                    All for you! (when I come home)

 

* Ingrid Bergman, the Swedish film star.

** “I am yours for life.”

© Chotie Darling, 2010

75 year ago – Sleepy Sunday at Tidworth

Dick spent most of August 1940 on a PT Instructor course at Tidworth on Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire.  The course was reputedly three weeks of living Hell.  Although he managed to get home for a couple of weekends, by 24^th August he was ready for a day of rest....

 

Saturday 24th August 1940

Tidworth

Saturday evening

My darling,

 

            Thanks for the letter. I got it on Friday, and also one from home at the same time.

            I’m writing this in bed, which is rather a job, but nevertheless a labour of love as usual.  I was on duty today scrubbing out the gym etc, but will have a glorious day of rest tomorrow I hope.  What everyone does on Sundays here is sleep.  Blessed Sleep.

            Apparently they get up for breakfast, go back to bed - get up for dinner – go back to bed, get up for tea (that’s if they’re feeling energetic) and then thankfully off to sleep – having had a tiring day.  That’s my idea of the perfect life.  Life as it really should be lived.

             What about going back to nature after this show?  Living in a cave or tree-tops or quelque chose comme ça?  Just lead me to it, baby.  Incidentally, should you be thinking that I’m tight, I assure you that I haven’t so much as smelt beer all day.  It must be the soothing effect of bed, I suppose.

                I wish I could have got away this weekend, but it was quite impossible.  I may get a pass next Sat with reasonable luck.  I certainly won’t waste any time in getting home.

                I was very surprised to hear about the bombing at Poole*.  I knew nothing about it but it just goes to prove that anything may happen- and at any time.  Please look after yourself Cho.  It may seem trivial to you, but it means everything to me, (and I’m not tight…).

I must close now darling as it will soon be lights-out.                                                                                  

                                                                            All my love

                                                                                         Your adoring

                                                                                                        Dicker

P.S. Ayez soin et soyez bonne**

 

* Chotie talked about the horror of watching Poole being bombed from Pamphill, Wimborne where she was visiting her friend, Mary Dakin, the daughter of the gamekeeper.

Her terrified mother refused to go to the shelter when the air raid warnings sounded, instead sheltering with her family under the heavy wooden table in the kitchen. Mrs Chalkley also refused to wear her gas mask but kept vinegar and cotton wool always to hand (why, I don’t know).  Chotie’s father was a ‘Special Constable’ or volunteer policeman during the war

** “Take care and be good”

© Chotie Darling, 2010

 

What happened to Don Aiken?

Don Aiken told the story of 61st Recce (and 52nd Recce) on the BBC People's War website for their Millenium Project.  He has very kindly allowed me to use his writing on the Chotie Darling blog and now this Epilogue:

“After the huge gamble by the Germans to break through the Ardennes, which came to a disastrous failure, the 61st Reconnaissance Regiment was broken up during January 1945.

I was then posted to C Squadron of the 52nd (Lowland) Scots Recce Regt.. They had trained in Scotland for most of the war and bore a 'MOUNTAIN' flash on their tunics.

Strangely they had only seen warfare in mountainless Holland before I joined them on my birthday 6/2/45. I was then employed as Driver/Operator in a 'Dingo' armoured car - which was great fun.

In March 1945 the Allies made a massive attack over the Rhine, in which we took part, and successfully entered Germany on a broad front.

The 52nd Division progressed through the Ruhr until we reached and over-ran Bremen. Our Squadron was then quickly re-directed to Stalag XB, which was a prison camp that had been converted into a concentration camp. I won't describe the terrible conditions in that place. Whilst we were there the unconditional surrender of the Germans took place and the war in Europe was at last ended.

We spent the next 11 months or so in doing duty as an occupation army with most of it spent in keeping the peace between rampant ex-POWs and the largely unprotected population.

Then in April 1946 we were merged with the Lothian & Border Horse until July when they were disbanded and we were used to reinforce the 14th/20th Kings Hussars - part of the Regular Army, and now housed in an ex-German barracks in the town of Wuppertal.  Now, instead of armoured cars, we were equipped with light tanks which were also great fun.

Then, in June 1947, after another long year of waiting, it became my turn to be demobilised.

After I got home I spent a couple of months in getting acclimatised to civvy street before finding that I had been fortunate in being accepted back into the Blackpool Fire Service.

I spent the next 30 years in the Service, rising through the ranks to finally achieve the position of Divisional Officer.”

Thanks very much for this Don.

Chotie's Daughter

Victory

Victory in Europe or VE Day on 8^th May 1945 was a huge public celebration to mark Germany’s surrender and the end of World War 2 in Europe.

 

“The mission of the Allied Forces was fulfilled at 02.041, local time May 7^th 1945.” 

This message was sent by ATS Sergeant Susan Hibbert from a schoolhouse in Rheims, France; the temporary HQ for the Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force, General Dwight Eisenhower.  The German General Alfred Jodl had signed the Act of Military Surrender, with representatives of all the Allies present.

Later, on 8^th May, there was a formal ceremony in Berlin with Marshal Zhukov of the USSR also receiving a signed Act of Military Surrender from the Germans.

The Act contained the clause:    

“All forces under German control to cease active operations at 2301 hours Central European Time on May 8^th 1945.”

The war in Europe was now over - on 8^th May in the US and Western Europe (VE Day) and on 9^th May (Victory Day) according to Moscow time.

 

Facing inevitable defeat by the Allies, Adolph Hitler had committed suicide in his bunker below Berlin on 30^th April.

German forces in northern Italy began to surrender on 2^nd May (Mussolini had been captured and killed by Italian partisans on 27^th April) and on 4^th May Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery (‘Monty’) received the unconditional surrender of all German forces in Holland, north-west Germany and Denmark.

52^nd Recce had been involved in the successful assault on the city of Bremen on 27^th April. Their war was at last now over.

 

VE Day must have been very bitter sweet for Chotie.  She was ill and she had to stay on in the Army (which she hated by now) while wives, whose husbands had survived, were released to welcome them home.

 

Nothing ever is ‘the last post’, of course.  Life goes on with the memory of those we’ve lost and it is up to us to

"keep alive the memory of the age that is gone, so that people will remember the Great Danger and so love their beloved land all the more” (Tolkien).

 

A reading from Chotie and Dick’s last letters is to be included in the VE Day 70 Concert at Horseguard’s Parade, London on the evening of 9^th May.

Heading for 'The Bluebell'

Letter from Chotie written Monday 26th March 1945

W/242328  Pte. Williams B.E.

‘B’ Troop. O.F.C. A.T.S.,

462 Hy. (M). A.A. Bty. R.A.,

Fort Godwin,

c/o  G.P.O. Easington,

Nr. Hull, Yorks.

 

26th March 45.

My darling Dicker,

                                                For one evening, at last, I am not on duty, so have been writing letters. 

What do you think? – today I received a letter from Brinner.  Amazing isn’t it?  He says he will write as often as possible too.  Seems to be fairing pretty well as regards food.  Trust Brinner.  It’s marvellous that you are so near to each other.  I hope you manage to meet.

            I can imagine, darling, that you have been pretty busy of late - the news is still good.

           

Today, we had another present, darling, from Marion, the person I stopped with when I went to Glasgow for the weekend.  She sent us a Scotch £1 – wasn’t it kind of her?  I am enclosing her letter for you to read.

           

Yesterday afternoon we had a film on in the Naafi.  Rosalind Russell in ‘The Beautiful Cheat’.  I had seen it before but it was awfully good.

            I am in the Y.M.C.A.*  writing this – it’s quite a good canteen on site.  Had some Horlicks tonight – to make me a bonny, baby.  As if I need it.

           

Just think, darling, tomorrow we have been married 3 weeks.  Must hie myself to the Naafi if possible.  If Nan is ‘off duty’ I will haul her down to The Bluebell**.

            Not really very much to tell you, dearest.  I spend quite a lot of my time just dreaming of things to come.  Have built us a home and furnished it (all in my imagination) most marvellously.  I think I had better see what I can do with a Missen, probably have to.

            Take care, you are very, very precious to me darling.

                                    All my love,

                                                            Cho

 

*Young Men’s Christian Association

**The café at the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust Visitor Centre at Spurn Point http://www.ywt.org.uk/reserves/spurn-nature-reserve  is still called The Bluebell.

 © Chotie Darling

 

 

By 27^th March the bridgehead across the Rhine was 35 miles wide and 20 miles deep.

 

WAR DIARY of 52^nd (Lowland) Recce Regt RAC March 1945

– Lt Col J.B.A. Hankey OBE

Date 27^th        Place WOOD 069332:                                                            Weather – Fine

Strength - 905 men, 188 tanks/armoured cars/guns

‘No change.  ‘A’ Squadron revert to Regimental Command having been providing Beach Control parties for No:3 Commando Brigade at the WESEL crossing.  Other Driver/Operators from Regiment were doing similar work.'

No troops detached.

(From the War Diary of the 52nd Reconnaissance Regiment held by the Archive and Reference Library, the Tank Museum, Bovington, Dorset.)

 

The Royal Engineers

By midnight of 24th/25th March the first light bridge had been erected across the Rhine although 80,000 Allied troops had already crossed their 20 mile stretch of river including Winston Churchill who crossed the Rhine in a landing craft near Wesel.

8,000 Royal Engineers assisted the crossing of the Rhine. Don Aiken was with them:

“We had a request for Radio Operator volunteers to be detached to the Royal Engineers on the forthcoming crossing of the Rhine for the purpose of communications. Although soldiers didn't usually believe in volunteering, I was new in this unit and wouldn't miss the company much, so I volunteered.

I was taken (along with another Operator) in a small truck, back into Belgium; where we were attached to separate Companies of Engineers, placed in Heavy Armoured cars and moved back into Germany.  My car was moved up behind a huge earth banking, which ran all along both sides of the Rhine in this area, used to prevent flooding of this very low-lying and flat countryside.

The communications set-up was this: The Officer in Charge of the Royal Engineers Unit would radio his messages to an armoured car which was situated near to mine. This message would be relayed to me by means of a runner. I would then send this back to Divisional H.Q. Remember that these radios had a very limited range; especially the back-pack field radios used by the forward engineers.

Then the attack started. In its own way it was almost as awe inspiring as the 'D' Day landings. It was preceded by a massive airborne assault; with hundreds of gliders flying low over our heads and landing behind the enemy lines. The biggest artillery bombardment ever to be carried out followed immediately behind. Hundreds upon hundreds of heavy artillery opened up all at once, with thousands of shells whistling overhead. The noise was deafening.

Then the ground troops started to move through us and down to the river bank. The Royal Engineers began to build the pontoon bridges which would allow the rest of the Division to cross over. This was done under very heavy German fire, as most of their first line defensive positions, dug into the huge earth banking on the German side of the river, had not been affected by the artillery or by the airborne attack behind them. I don't know what the cost was to the Engineers, but it must have been high.

I was kept fully occupied sending the coded messages back to H.Q. and occasionally receiving some back.  Then there was a sudden drop in radio activity and I found time to poke my head out of the turret, only to find that the lull in getting messages had been caused by a German shell which had landed close and killed the runner.

In a few hours we knew that the bridge had been constructed across the Rhine and that the infantry were already across and being followed by tanks. The sounds of warfare became a little more distant and we moved forward to get a good view of the proceedings. The pontoon bridge was thick with movement, as it had now become a two way highway. All the paraphernalia of an attacking army was crossing into Germany. The rattle of our infantry's small-arms fire coming from the enemy positions was now resulting in long lines of German soldiers being marched out of Germany to P.O.W. camps somewhere in England.”

(Extract  republished from 'From the Rhine to Civvy Street' by kind permission of Don Aiken)

 

Anthony Rampling went over the Rhine in a D.U.K.W on 25^th March 1945.

 

On 25^th and 26^th March 1945 there were more Rhine crossings by the Americans to the south, this time around Boppard, south of Koblenz.  American 1^st Army troops broke out from the Remagen bridgehead and marched south to join up with Patton’s 3^rd Army forces.

Settled Down

Letter from Chotie written Saturday 24th March 1945

W/242328  Pte. Williams B.E.

‘B’ Troop. O.F.C. A.T.S.,

462 Hy. (M.) A.A. Bty. R.A.,

Fort Godwin,

c/o  G.P.O. Easington,

Nr. Hull, Yorks.

 

Saturday 24th March 1945.

My darling,

                                    Well, tonight I am on duty so before my turn of ‘watch’ I can write to you.

            Today, I have been really busy.  Spent the afternoon clearing sumps and things, all dressed up in denims, getting awfully mucky.  I’ll never recover.

           

We have a lot of new girls with us and some are quite smashing.  One was a nurse at St. Mary’s, London, and tonight has been relating many of her adventures there.  We all then, got stuck in telling jokes -pretty low, you know.  Bad lot, aren’t we?  Hearing some girls talk, makes me think, my dearest, that perhaps you did not marry quite the wickedest person, after all.

           

The news is good again today, darling, - it can’t be long now.  When you come back and when we can be together always, well, won’t it be wonderful?

           

Have just finished reading Doris Leslie’s ‘Folly’s End*’, which I did enjoy.  They have got a library all teed up here, which is jolly useful.  Not very many books though.

            I am feeling more settled here and feel as though I have been back for ages.  It’s not really even a week.

           

After a spot of Recce about my allowance, darling, I have discovered that it is paid into a bank or something.  If you know anything about it let me know.  Maybe it could be paid direct to National Provincial, where I put that other money.  Then I shall not go and spend it all.

           

One day next week, if we get a spot of ‘off duty’, a whole crowd of us are hoping to get cracking on a ‘binge’.  Celebrating my third week of being married or something.  Really, darling, I don’t feel awfully keen, though.  I must be getting ‘settled down’.

            Something terrible happened tonight.  I put that bottle of Coty cleansing milk in my haversack, to bring up to my manning hut, and the wretched thing smashed, the milk running over everything.  I am ‘seeing red’.  Bang goes that wonderful complexion I dreamed of having.  All the girls just laughed – the rats.

           

At the moment I am on ‘watch’ but still able to write.  Have to remain here until 10 to 3 AM.  Pretty deadly.  I wonder what I would do, if I really had to be a soldier - I’d be hopeless.

           

Sunday tomorrow, no mail - how lousy.  Role on Monday.

            I am always thinking of you, my precious and praying that you are alright.  Take care and God bless,

            I love you more than anything,

                        Your favourite wife (I hope!)

                                    Chotie .

 

*Doris Leslie was a British novelist and historical biographer. ‘Folly’s End’, published in 1944, is set on the Dorset-Devon border during the Civil War.

© Chotie Darling

Operation Varsity

At 10.00 am on 24^th March 1945 airborne troops of the 18^th Airborne Corps – British 6^th Airborne Division and the US 17^th Airborne Division -  began dropping behind the enemy lines, north of Wesel and near Hamminkeln.  More than 3,000 planes and gliders, escorted by a thousand allied fighters, dropped over 16,000 troops in three and a half hours – the largest airborne operation in a single day.

They were landing in part of ‘Flak Alley’ (as the RAF called it) - the Ruhr’s defences and were met by an inferno of German anti-aircraft guns taking advantage of the enforced break in Allied artillery fire.

The two airborne divisions attacking in Operation Varsity received more than 2,000 casualties but captured about 3,500 German soldiers.  They also succeeded in severing communications, capturing vital routes and diverting attention from the forces crossing the Rhine.

By nightfall they had joined up with ground forces that had crossed the Rhine, establishing a firm bridgehead on the east bank.

(See the film Operation Varsity : Airborne Invasion East of the Rhine .)

 

Sandy Handley watched Operation Varsity begin from the banks of the River Rhine:

“In the early hours of the next morning the guns had ceased firing and we could actually hear birds singing.  One of the Officers in charge of our section came over to our Daimler and said “Well done men!” although I didn’t think we’d done anything except cringe under the Daimler.  It was really frightening.  I think this Officer was more pleased to think none of us had gone round the bend with the noise and we were glad we weren’t on the receiving end of the bombardment.  Although grovelling about under the vehicles was bad enough - we looked dirty and disheveled.

The officer then said at 10 o’clock this morning the Airborne paratroops and gliders will come over and land on the other side of the river near Wesel and precisely at 10 o’clock we heard a roar which grew louder and louder.  Someone said “Here they come”.  They flew low.  It was one of the greatest memorable sights I have ever seen, unforgettable.  First the paratroopers, then the gliders being towed over this great river. 

As the planes reached the other side the enemy started to fire their anti-aircraft guns, several of the gliders were caught in the flack.  My mate said “Look, the gliders are on fire. There’s men being burned alive up there.”  It was terrible to watch.

 

A day or two after we left the banks of the Rhine and later crossed the Rhine on pontoon bridges ourselves.  We could see the results of all that bombardment – whoever came out of that alive was lucky.”

 

 

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

The Rhine crossings

“Operation Plunder was a campaign involving logistics, forces and supplies only slightly less considerable than the Normandy landings.”

The Rhine was the last major natural obstacle to the Allied advances in Germany. Although the American’s had already crossed further south the mountainous country there was be difficult for a fast large scale advance. Montgomery’s 21^st Army Group was heading for the North German Plain.

 

At 6.00 pm on 23^rd March 1945 Operation Plunder, the crossing of the Rhine by Monty’s 21^st Army, went into action with a thunderous artillery barrage along the Rhine from Nijmegen to the Ruhr. This was the largest bombardment undertaken by the Royal Artillery during the war involving more than 4,000 pieces of artillery.

 Preparations for the crossing (over 250,000 tons of supplies were amassed near the front) had been obscured by the largest smoke screen ever laid and German airfields were heavily bombed from 21^st to 24^th March to prevent interference from the Luftwaffe.

 The guns of 52^nd Lowland Division, trained on the bank near Wesel, had a particularly important part to play for VII Corps, clearing the German defences for the main crossing - Operation Torchlight.  They were “in the front row of the grandstand at one of the most imposing spectacles ever staged.”  For a while General Eisenhower himself watched the operation from within the Division’s beat.

 At nightfall the RAF saturated Wesel with 1,000 tons of high explosive.

 

At 8.30 pm Operation Turnscrew commenced. 51^st Highland Division, spearheaded the northern attack across the river near Rees for General Horrocks’ XXX Corps, who held a 12 mile front between Wesel and Rees.  Turnscrew was primarily a diversion for the main attack to the south.  However, the 51^st met with fierce resistance and Rees was not taken until 36 hours after their crossing.

 

At 10.00 pm 1^st Commando Brigade, consisting of 3, 6, 45 and 46 Commando and ‘A’ Squadron of 52^nd Recce, stealthily set off across the 300 yard wide river near Wesel in Operation Widgeon.  They crossed in Buffalos (amphibious LVTs – tracked Landing Vehicles), DUKWs and small assault boats.

‘A’ Squadron’s task was to provide beach control parties for the Commandos, keeping up communications from the right bank with the left during the battle for Wesel.  They also had to paddle back and forth across the Rhine in their canvas assault boats picking up any survivors from boats hit by enemy fire.

The Commandos made their way in single file toward Wesel until they were only one kilometre outside the town.  There they waited as at 10.20 am the RAF again attacked Wesel, lighting the town with flares and following up with bombs.  The Commando sent one message “Noisy blighters aren’t they?  We have taken position so-and-so and have met no trouble” before resuming radio silence.

By late morning on 24^th March the Commandos had secured most of what remained of Wesel. Of the 1,600 men who crossed the Rhine with 1^st Commando Brigade 11 were killed, 17 missing and 68 wounded.

 

At 2.00 am on Saturday 24^th March the 15^th (Scottish) Division landed on the east bank of the Rhine, north of Wesel, commencing Operation Torchlight.  They made good progress and by nightfall had linked up with Airborne forces dropped behind the German lines – the 6^th Airborne.

 

To the south the US 30^th Division (‘Old Hickory’) of Lt-General William Simpson’s 9^th Army, crossed the Rhine between Wesel and Rheinberg.  One hour later, at 3.00 am, the US 79^th Division (‘the Cross of Lorraine’) from 9^th Army set off from south of Rheinberg for the east bank of the river.  These attacks over an 11 mile front south of Wesel (Operation Flashpoint) guarded the right flank of the main Rhine crossings.

(From ‘Time Spent or The History of the 52nd-Lowland-Divisional Reconnaissance Regiment January 1941-October 1945’ by Trevor D.W.Whitfield, published by Mountain 1946; 'Mountain and Flood: the History of the 52nd (Lowland) Division by George Blake; Jackson, Son and Company 1950;  ‘Only the Enemy in Front Every other beggar behind…’ The Recce Corps at War 1940-1946’ by Richard Doherty, Tom Donovan Publishing Ltd 1994 and ‘The Fighting Fifty-Second Recce’ by Carl Shilleto, Eskdale Publishing 2001)

 

Sandy Handley had a ringside seat for the Rhine crossing:

“On the 23^rd March ’45 our Troop Leader informed us that an artillery barrage was about to start.  Guns of the artillery were wheel to wheel, as they said, along the Rhine.  Some figure was given us of 5,000 pieces of artillery, rocket launchers, 25 pounders, 105 mm, the lot.  By now we were on the banks of the Rhine opposite the town of Wesel.  The river at this point was 400 yards across.  An Army bulldozer had scooped out a big ditch for our Daimler so we were well down with our turret just peeping over the Rhine, although through the dense smoke screen we couldn’t see much.  All the time the canon and rockets were being fired - the noise was deafening.

Our Officer came to our car and had to shout above the noise.  He told us this barrage was only the beginning; he said at 11 o’clock pm ALL THE LOT was going to open up.  At 11 o’clock we found out what he meant!  The noise was terrible, my nerves were getting a bit jaded.  There we were, in front of all these guns, yards from the actual river.  I suggested to the other chap we go under the Daimler, which we did, scooping ourselves a little dugout.  We thought the deeper we dug the more safe we were (I felt like a mole).

This barrage had begun at 6pm and went on to the early hours the next day.  Now and again we were required to send back a radio message.  It was supposed to have been in special code.  This code was pretty complicated (to me anyway).  I’d never had to use it at any time since we landed 9 months previously with the 61^st recce in June ’44.  The code arrangement consisted of a card with various words of the message, each with an alternative word.  Well, working that out with all the noise I thought “No way!”.  So I just relayed my message in general phonetic terms.  I didn’t even confirm the message with the Officer and the Officer didn’t bother to confirm with me after.  I couldn’t have been so top priority.  At times like these certain things didn’t go text book fashion.” 

At 3 or 4 o’clock in the morning I dropped off to sleep exhausted.  I had experienced these artillery barrages since we landed but this was the Daddy of them all. “

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

With or Without

Letter from Chotie written Wednesday 21st March 1945

W/242328 Pte. Williams B.E.,

“B’ Troop. O.F.C. A.T.S.,

462 Hy. (M.) A.A. Bty. R.A.,

Fort Godwin,

Co.  G.P.O. Easington,

Nr. Hull, Yorks

 

Wednesday 21^st Mar 1945

My own Darling,

                                    Many thanks for letter received this morning, my dearest, it was marvellously cheering for me, as I have not got “stuck in” yet, to army life.

            Glad that you are having a pretty easy time and do sincerely hope it remains so.  Peter Evans  sounds pretty smash - good fun, I expect.  Give my regards to him, also to Ronnie when you write.

            I rather envy your horse riding – still I don’t suppose that will last long.

           

My fury rages.  You certainly would get a rolling pin, right now -shaving your ‘tache, indeed.  You had better be quick and grow another.  Of course, I did love you without it before; I might even love you a little without it now – it’s doubtful though.

           

We had a spot of excitement last night, but I was not on duty.  Tonight, I am on, in fact right now, but have managed to scrounge some time to pen this to you.

            Feel a bit washed out (“with eating plums”) but I suppose must ‘bear up’.

           

Yvonne, one of the girls and I went for a lovely walk this afternoon, along the beach.  The sun was shining, so it was really pleasant.  Just before that, we went to an ENSA in the NAAFI.  One woman, “Suzette Tarri*” type, was quite a scream, but everything else was pretty awful.

           

Have to do some work in a minute, my darling, so this, though brief, will have to finish.

            I do love you, with or without, everything. 

                        Take care, & God bless

                                    Your loving wife,

                                                Chotie           xx

 

*British comedienne

© Chotie Darling

 

 

On the night of 22nd March General Patton's 3rd US Army crossed the Rhine in the south at Oppenheim, near Mainz. The next day other elements of 3rd Army cross near Worms above Mannheim.

 

An Eventful Journey

Letter from Chotie written Tuesday 20^th March 1945

W/242328 Pte. Williams B.E.,

‘B’ Troop. O.F.C. A.T.S.,

462 Hy. (M.) A.A. Bty. R.A.,

Fort Godwin,

Co.  G.P.O. Easington,

Nr. Hull, Yorks

 

Tuesday.  20.3.45.

My darling husband,

                                      This is my first opportunity of writing since I reached camp.

           

I had quite an eventful journey.  Starting at 8 in the morning, I arrived at Waterloo half past 11.  As I had 2 hours before catching the train northbound at Kings Cross, the thing to tie up was some lunch.  Went to a Spanish sort of place, just off Piccadilly, called 'Martinez'.  It was pretty expensive but I felt pretty ‘B.. so a nice lobster salad (loads of mayonnaise), and an ice afterwards, cheered me up no end.  Had some sherry, that was really good, too.  The lounge in this place was all tiled very colourfully and bags of wrought iron painted black.  Every tile had a picture on it, besides many paintings hanging on the walls.  All senoritas and flowers and fruit, - very gay.

            I had a rush to get back to Kings Cross and just managed to miss my train by 5 minutes.  Had my pass signed by R.T.O.* so I was covered.  Then I had another 2 hours to wait, so I just went for a walk and made sure of getting back in time to catch the 4 p.m.

            The train arrived in Hull about 10.30. so it was impossible to reach camp that night.  A very kind lady in my carriage asked me to go home with her for the night as she lived in Hull.  Well, I did strike lucky, - her husband was at Sandhurst and she had just been down to see him.  At present she lives with her mother and has a little girl, aged 3.  They, insisted on cooking me supper and I had bacon and egg for breakfast, a smashing comfy bed - what luck!  I can go to visit them anytime I am off, which I certainly will.

            This morning, the bus back to camp, went at 8.30 so I had to get up early.  Got into camp about 10 o’clock.

           

Everyone is so excited about us apparently, it shook ‘em.  Nan was at the other site but I should see her tomorrow.  I seem to have told my ‘tale’, about hundred & one times, today.  My tongue quite aches, so many people want to know so much.

            Well, my darling, I am here safe and sound and I hope you are too.  Take care and God bless you Precious.

            I must write home now, so must close.

            All my love, dearest,

                                    Your loving wife,

                                                            Chotie

                                                XX

 

*Rail Transport Officer

 

On 20^th March Chotie received a letter from her friend Marion in Glasgow (255, Ashdale Drive, Glasgow, SW2) which includes the following:

‘I know you have passed your medical for overseas, so in case you are on the move at all I’m sending this to Betty and she will know best where to send it.’

Chotie seems to now have no intention of serving overseas.

© Chotie Darling

Returning to Hull

On the night of 17^th/18^th March 1945 the city of Hull was under attack for the first time since 1943. A lone Heinkel dropped fragmentation grenades (with inbuilt fuses, detonating on impact with the ground) and opened up with machine guns killing 13 people and injuring 22. (See BBC News for 17th March .)  

Chotie, however, was still in Parkstone….

Letter written Sunday18^th March 1945

Sunday March 18^th 45

My darling husband,

                                                This is going to be short, because I feel pretty ‘B…..’ as I am going back to camp tomorrow.  Have to start at 8 o’clock in the morning – unearthly hour.

         

While cleaning out, this last week I found this tie, which I have enclosed.  Is it light enough?  If it is not wearable send it back and I will dye it or something.

           

Don, Ted’s brother, has been down and we went to Church* this morning. Everyone was congratulating him thinking he was my husband.  Poor Don.

            Margaret, Beryl & Don & I went down to 'The Sloop' last evening.  Poor Marg had to have shandy because of feeding Roger.  None of the ‘old crowd’ were there, except the ‘man from Kent.’

            Don & I sneaked down after Church, this morning, for a quick one.

           

We have had another present, darling.  Three pre-war tea-cloths (what you wipe up with) from Mrs Johnson.  Jolly useful.

            I phoned up Ethel & Cyril, my cousins, today.  They wished us all the best and are going to dish out something when we get our home – when?  They both wished you all the luck in what you are doing out there.

           

I must finish now, my dearest and get on with my packing.

            Will write when I reach camp.

            Take care, darling – God bless,

            All my love & kisses,

                        Chotie.

XX

 

*Parkstone Congregational Church opposite the Hollies in Commercial Road – now Parkstone United Reformed Church.  Dick and Chotie met at the Congregational Church Youth Club. The Hollies, including the dairy, was knocked down in the 1960s and replaced with a tyre shop.

 

 

Enclosed with this letter was a small notice from a newspaper:

A ‘Special Licence’ enabled couples to get married without waiting the usual three week period for ‘calling the banns’ – giving notice of the proposed marriage for three successive Sundays in church.

Chotie and Dick had evidently decided to get married while he was on leave and could not have done so in the time without special licence.

 © Chotie Darling

 

 

WAR DIARY of 52^nd (Lowland) Recce Regt RAC March 1945

– Lt Col J.B.A. Hankey OBE

Date 18^th Place MENZELEN:            2 casualties                          Weather – Fine

Strength - 905 men, 188 tanks/armoured cars/guns             

‘Regiment less ‘A’ Sqaudron ordered to do Traffic Control for Operation PLUNDER. Two casualties in ‘C’ Squadron from shelling.’

‘A’ Squadrons detached.

(From the War Diary of the 52nd Reconnaissance Regiment held by the Archive and Reference Library, the Tank Museum, Bovington, Dorset.)

 

52^nd Recce Roll of Honour includes the following who died on 18^th March 1945:

Trooper Jack Weston (age 22) of ‘C’ Squadron

who is laid to rest in the Reichswald Forest War Cemetery, south-west of Kleve in Germany.         

(From  ‘The Fighting Fifty-Second Recce’ by Carl Shilleto, Eskdale Publishing 2001.  See photo.)

We will remember them.

Safe and Sound and Soon

Letter from Chotie written Friday 16^th March 1945

Friday 16^th March 45.

My darling,

                                    Must thank you so much for your letter*, which was really quite quick coming.  I did not expect to hear from you for quite a while.           

Thank Goodness! Bryn approved - I do hope he writes to me.  It is a shame he got posted  just when you could be with him.  I was pleased that your trip over was not too deadly and I do hope, precious, that you continue to get good food.  That’s an important thing.

            Actually darling I think it is you, making the sacrifice so nobly, and if you come back safe and sound and soon I will be the happiest girl in the world.

 

We have had some more money, darling.  2 guineas from Auntie Nellie & Alice & £1 from Auntie Ethel – Mummy’s sister.  We also had lots of promises.  I hope you have managed to write to some of those people, darling, if not send the letters etc. to me & I’ll write them.

           

Well, I have been very fortunate about leave.  I phoned the unit up and spoke to Mrs Wilkie, luckily.  She told me to await instructions.  Yesterday, I received a wire granting me 7 days, so I’ll have to go back next Monday.  No C.B.** or anything – thank goodness!

           

Have just received a letter from your Mum with some photos enclosed – also some negatives.  The photos of me are ‘chronic’ – you don’t look too bad, one is quite good.  Beryl is getting some negatives developed so I’ll send you some on as soon as possible.

           

I have been taking the baby out quite a bit.  In Poole yesterday I bumped into Sas & Johnny; they thought it was “very quick work”, until I explained, of course.  They walked back through the park*** with me, getting quite 'paternal'.  Sas had schemes of weaning him on beer.

            This afternoon Margaret & I walked nearly to Sandbanks with him.  She was in the best of spirits as she had just had a letter from Ted and he should be home April 6^th, 7^th or 8^th – isn’t it thrilling?

            Roger is a bit fretful – we think some teeth are coming, or something.  Ted’s brother Don is coming tomorrow, I have not seen him for ages.  He will be the first of the ‘Lewises’ to nurse Roger.

          

I have opened a banking account at the National Provincial – so that’s all settled.  I think you have to enquire about my allowance, or something.****

 

Later

Beryl came rushing in from work and wanting me to go to the flicks.  We went to the ‘Grand’ to see Ronald Colman & Marlene Dietrich in 'Kismet'.  All Baghdad and thieves and things.  Not bad.  We had to walk home, so I’m pretty well on my knees.

            Must close now and go to bed,

            Take care, my precious,

                        All my love,

                                    Chotie. XXX

 

*Dick’s letter of Monday 12^th March 1954 –  'A Noble Sacrifice'. 

**’Confined to Barracks’?

***Poole Park – not far from Chotie’s home.

****A married man in the services could get a ‘Married Women’s Allowance’ for his wife.

 © Chotie Darling

 

WAR DIARY of 52^nd (Lowland) Recce Regt RAC March 1945

– Lt Col J.B.A. Hankey OBE

Date 16^th Place MENZELEN:                                                Weather – Rain

Strength - 907 men, 188 tanks/armoured cars/guns              

‘No change in situation except that ‘A’ Squadron less Assault Troop ordered to go to VENRAIJ to come under command of Commando Brigade.  ‘B’ Squadron also to supply 9 19 sets to report to HQ, 15(S) Division in area HASSELT.  Regiment also warned that elements may be taken for Traffic Control.  Slight shelling in area.’

 ‘A’ & ‘C’ Squadrons were still detached. ‘B’ Squadron were at Helenhof 1225.

(From the War Diary of the 52nd Reconnaissance Regiment held by the Archive and Reference Library, the Tank Museum, Bovington, Dorset.)

 

Dick’s 1945 diary for March:

16th Fri – Supper with Peter Evans. Wrote Poll.

17th Fri – Wrote Averil.

Ginderich, Germany

Dick’s 1945 diary for March:

13th Tues – Gilderich (Ginderich) resting.  Letter from Ronnie.

Photo labelled Ginderich March 1945

(See The Daimler Fighting Vehicles Project for more information on the car).

 

Second Letter written Tuesday 13^th March 1945

Tuesday 13^th Mar.

My precious,

                                    I do hope you find the enclosed alright.  Margaret sent the Ovaltine tablets*, for you, with lots of love.  That T.C.P.** is awfully good for cuts or spots and anything – I always use it.

Just now, I feel pretty wretched – specially as it’s our Wedding Anniversary.  This afternoon I had a tooth out - it took two dentists about half an hour to do it.  Mr Harris & Mr Dunman – I think you know them.  You see, last night I had some of Mummy’s home-made toffee, unfortunately, and it removed half this wretched tooth & its stopping, so I had to have the rest extracted.  Cost me 6 shillings too!

            When I returned from the dentist, there was a letter from my unit.  My leave is granted providing I can send a certificate of confirmation from your Officer in Command that you will be in England for 14 days and I can be with you.  So I’ve had that.

            What I intend doing now is to make out I received the letter tomorrow afternoon and ring them up, just to see how things are.  Probably get charged or something in any case.  They have enclosed a terrific sheet of ration coupons - I think I’ll use them.

          

Ted’s brother is coming down for the week-end.  He has been moved to a factory near Southampton so it’s quite handy for here.  I was hoping to see him, maybe I will - -

            Poor old Mary & Dil, going back tomorrow.  I should by rights too.

           

I do hope, my darling, you are quite well.  Have a good time with Bryn, if possible.  Take care of yourself, & eat up all these pills & things – then I’ll send you some more.  I could not get any glucose, but those halibut things are pretty smash!

            All my love, precious, for ever & ever,

                                                Your loving wife,

                                                            Chotie

P.S.     I was going to enclose this with the parcel I hope you will soon receive, but Margaret says you must not put letters in with parcels.  She should know!

 

*made from milk, malted barley and wheat flour

**an antiseptic

***probably halibut liver oil, a fish oil product taken for vitamins A and D.

 © Chotie Darling

A.W.L. in Parkstone

Letter written Tuesday 13^th March 1945 and embossed ‘THE HOLLIES, COMMERCIAL ROAD, PARKSTONE.’

13^th March 45

My darling husband,

                                                I have been hanging on before writing you in case I heard from my unit - but I haven’t so really I am A.W.L.*  What an awful wife you have?

           

Received a letter from your mother yesterday with £1 enclosed from Hilda**.  Apparently her husband decided that £2 was not enough for us – don’t forget to thank them, darling.  I am enclosing with this  a letter and cheque from Rita, some more to add to our little store.  Would you endorse it?

            I have managed to get you some stuff to take, darling, so tonight I will pack it all up & send it.  Hope you get it alright.

           

Yesterday afternoon, Mary  & I were doing some shopping in Poole and who should we bump into but SAS & Johnny Jones.  They had just crawled out of 'the Antelope', pretty well gone, and were going to the flicks to sleep it off.

            Johnny’s moustache just covered his face – awful.  SOS looked pretty smashed up, poor chap, but quite cheery.  They thought our marriage was a terrific cause for celebration.

            Right now, Mary & I are supposed to be in 'the Sloop' – boozing with them.  But really they are shocking types and Mary can’t stick Johnny Jones – never could.  We are dreading that they might barge in here or something.  God only knows what Mum would say.

            Anyway, they both heartily wished us every happiness.

           

Daddy took Beryl****, Mary & I to the Palace Court, last night.  We saw Terence de Marney*** in “The Crime of Margaret Foley” – Quite thrilling, & very well acted.

INK SMUDGE

(The dog has been walking over this.)

           

Have just washed my hair, so Mary & I are sitting in the garden – it’s quite warm and sunny.

            Mummy is shouting about dinner being ready, so I must close.

                                    All my love, darling,

                                                            Chotie xx

 

*Absent Without Leave.

** This letter came from Aunt Hilda of ‘Cairo Cottage’ 14 Broad Oak End, Bramfield Road, Hertford.

***The British actor, theatre director and writer – he was the author, as well as the star, of ‘The Crime of Margaret Foley’.

****Chotie's younger sister

 

© Chotie Darling

A Noble Sacrifice - Monday 12th March 1945

Letter written on Monday 12^th March 1945

‘C’ Squadron

52^nd (Lowland) Recce Regt

BLA.

Monday 12^th March

Chotie Darling,

                                    I’m writing you at my first opportunity, which hasn’t presented itself up ‘til the present moment.  I’m still at the half-way stage, and may well stay here another day or two as there’s an acute shortage of transport, it seems.

            I spent a day or so with Brinner, who unfortunately got himself posted yesterday.  Strangely enough he was very profuse with his congratulations on our behalf and gave us both his blessing!  He says he’s going to write to you.  I expect that’s as far as he’ll get, however, as he’s an even poorer correspondent than I am.

            I had a much better trip over than I had at first expected, and managed to sleep most of the night.  Since then of course I’ve been bandied about all over the place.  The food here tho’ is really excellent so I can’t grumble on that score.  You would be in your element.

            Chotie Darling, at risk of sounding very trite I must thank you very much for your noble sacrifice in marrying me.  I must be an awful person to live with.  You must find me terribly moody.  I try not to be, but since the beginning of the war I find I’m completely dis-orientated at home.  I’ll try to make you happy, Darling, which is what you deserve after all this time.

            Am I writing awful rubbish?  I’ll try another tack.  There are some fourteen OR*s here, mostly from my troop also waiting for transport, but who are at least half a mile away which means that I spend most of my time running from here to there, trying to tee-up the transport question.  All very trying.

            To compensate however, they opened an Officers' Shop, the first I’ve had a chance of visiting since I came over here (D-day I mean!) so I bought a few necessary articles of kit, pyjamas etc.

            There’s also an excellent bar here, so I can sink a steady schnapps now and again.  I’ve also got a bottle of whisky to go back to….

            I must close in rather a hurry, Darling as my transport seems to have turned-up.

            I’ll try to write you again when I reach the regiment.

                                                Goodbye, my Darling

                                                            Your favourite husband….

                                                                                    Dicker.

*other ranks i.e. not officers.

 © Chotie Darling

 

Dick’s 1945 diary for March:

12th Mon – Returned to Unit

 

WAR DIARY of 52^nd (Lowland) Recce Regt RAC March 1945

– Lt Col J.B.A. Hankey OBE

Date 12^th Place MENZELEN 1636:                                       Weather – Dull

Strength - 907 men, 188 tanks/armoured cars/guns

2 Prisoners of War taken              

‘ ‘C’ Squadron took Prisoner of War who crossed RHINE.  Commanding officer went to Divisional Commanders’ Conference.  ‘A’ Squadron under command of 155 Brigade (the South Scottish).  ‘C’ Squadron under command of 157 Brigade (the Highland Light Infantry).  Rest of Regiment in Divisional reserve.’  General Officer Commanding’s notes attached.  Operations Instrument No: 3 attached.

From the 12^th March 52^nd Recce were again in formation with 52^nd Division. ‘A’ & ‘C’ Squadrons were detached.

(From the War Diary of the 52nd Reconnaissance Regiment held by the Archive and Reference Library, the Tank Museum, Bovington, Dorset.)

‘C’ Squadron reaches the Rhine

52^nd (Lowland) Reconnaissance Regiment:

On 10^th March ‘C’ Squadron were ordered to advance to Menzelen (south-east of Xanten) and secure Gest and Ginderich in the Wesel pocket, the bulge of the Rhine opposite Wesel.  The enemy were now retreating across the Rhine and no opposition was met at Menzelen, although a number of prisoners were taken.  There was more resistance around Ginderich but, with infantry arriving to back them up, a force from the Squadron reached the bank of the Rhine and established an outpost.  Here they were able to observe hundreds of Germans on the east bank, working furiously to construct minefields and trenches. The enemy were rapidly bombarded by Allied artillery ensuring these defences were never completed.

(From the War Diary of the 52nd Reconnaissance Regiment held by the Archive and Reference Library, the Tank Museum, Bovington, Dorset and the Reconnaissance Journal Vol.1. No 4 April-June 1945.)

 

Dick’s 1945 diary for March:

9^th Fri –  Travelled overnight Calais – Bourg Leopold.

10^th Sat – Met Brinner – spent day with him at B.L.

11th Sun – Day at Bourg Leopold with Brinner

Last Days Together

Dick’s 1945 diary for March:

7^th Wed –  Came home again for last day of leave.

8th Thur – End of leave.  Left Bognor for Dover via Victoria.

 

Photos taken at St Margaret's, 9 Sea Lane, Pagham on 8th March 1945:

Dick and Chotie

Chotie, Dick, Ma and Pa Williams

Chotie, Dilys, Ma and Pa Williams

Dick and Chotie with Pa Williams and dog

Chotie 8th March 1945

Dick 8th March 1945

 

 

On 7^th March US forces managed to take and hold the bridge across the Rhine at Remagen (between Bonn and Koblenz) and establish a bridgehead on the east bank.  Hitler had ordered that all the bridges across the Rhine should be destroyed but a rush attack by the Americans on the still intact Ludendorff bridge was successful and thousands of Allied troops were able to cross here.  (See World War II: The Bridge at Remagen)

 

52^nd (Lowland) Reconnaissance Regiment:

52^nd Recce was ordered to move to the centre of the Rhineland taking over from 53rd Recce. ‘B’ and ‘C’ Squadron assumed positions with ‘B’ maintaining contact with Americans forces now on the right flank of the regiment. RHQ and ‘A’ Squadron moved to Geldern.

(From the War Diary of the 52nd Reconnaissance Regiment held by the Archive and Reference Library, the Tank Museum, Bovington, Dorset)

 

Leave!

Dick’s 1945 diary for March:

2^nd, 3^rd, 4^th and 5th – Leave!

 

52^nd (Lowland) Reconnaissance Regiment:

The Regiment at last left Afferden.  ‘A’ Squadron, after difficulties on the road due to craters and mines, reached high ground early on 3^rd March. ‘B’ Squadron pushed on through in front of them achieving their own objective and then ‘C’ Squadron; who arrived at Twisteden (now in Germany, between Afferden and Geldern) without opposition. Six prisoners of war were taken.  The Regiment then remained at Langstraat unable to move because of unpassable roads.

(From the War Diary of the 52nd Reconnaissance Regiment held by the Archive and Reference Library, the Tank Museum, Bovington, Dorset)

 

 

On March 3rd 53rd Reconnaissance Regiment, on the central axis of the Rhineland offensive, made contact with the Americans reaching Geldern from the south. Canadians Divisions advanced through the Hochwald Forest and took Xanten, a town close to the Rhine.  Allied troops closed in on west bank of the Rhine opposite Wesel but were met with fierce enemy resistance.

 

 

Sandy joins the 52nd

9^th February 1945 – Operation Veritable was to have been accompanied by a pincer advance from US forces to the south, between Venlo and Roermond on the Maas and along the Roer River. However, the Germans blew the dams along the Roer river, flooding the area and delaying Operation Grenade for two weeks.

 

WAR DIARY of 52^nd (Lowland) Recce Regt RAC February 1945 – Lt Col J.B.A. Hankey OBE

Date 9^th Place BOXMEER

‘RHQ with ‘A’ Squadron (reserve) at BOXMEER.  ‘C’ Squadron at SAMBEEK (immediately south of Boxmeer) 7739 with one Platoon medium machine guns under command.  ‘B’ Squadron at GROENINGEN (slightly further south) 7835 with one Platoon 4.2 Mortars under command.  One Dutch Company at VORTUM (between Sambeek and Groeningen) 7837 and the other at ST. ANTONIS (north-west of Boxmeer) 7138 in reserve.  Nothing to report all day.’  52 Division O.O. (Operations Order?) No:7 attached.

Dick was presumably at Sambeek with ‘C’ Squadron.

He was joined by Sandy Handley who became his batman ( Anthony Rampling pers. comm.):

“When I got back to Izegem after my UK leave I was posted to the 52^nd (Lowland) Recce – Belgium February ’45.  They were in Holland at Boxmeer, not too far from the Rhine.  Fortunately for me the whole of the troop* I was in with from Normandy were posted to the 52^nd Recce so it wasn’t too bad.  A lot of the 52^nd Recce were Scots and Newcastle men and their first involvement on the continent had been in the Walcheren Islands. 

Now we had Daimlers.  I was assigned to a heavy Daimler (15 troop) still as a gunner operator.  I now had a Besa 7.92 machine gun and a 2 pounder gun and 2 smoke dischargers.”

*i.e. Dick’s Troop in 61st Reconnaissance.   Not including Anthony Rampling, however.

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

 

WAR DIARY of 52^nd (Lowland) Recce Regt RAC February 1945 – Lt Col J.B.A. Hankey OBE

Date 11^th Place BOXMEER:

Strength - 935 men, 188 tanks/armoured cars/guns                 Weather – Wet

‘No activity on Regimental front. 21 Carriers arrived from Re-ordnance Centre’. 52 Recce Regiment O.O. No. 11 attached.

 

Date 12^th Place BOXMEER:             Weather – Wet

' ‘A’ Squadron took over from ‘C’ Squadron.  ‘C’ coming into reserve.'

12^th February 1945 – British and Canadian forces advancing in Operation Veritable capture Kleve, a town in western Germany between the Maas and Rhine rivers, east of Nijmegen and the Reichswald Forest. The town had been the location one of the pair of Knickebein radio transmitters sending beams across Britain for the Luftwaffe to locate night bombing raids early in the war.

 

WAR DIARY of 52^nd (Lowland) Recce Regt RAC February 1945 – Lt Col J.B.A. Hankey OBE

Date 13^th Place BOXMEER:                 Weather – Fine

‘Spasmodic shelling on front and in BOXMEER area.  Otherwise NTR (nothing to report).

 

Date 14^th Place BOXMEER:                 Weather – Fine

‘Still some shelling.  Patrolling carried out by Assault boat as far as main stream.’

(From the War Diary of the 52nd Reconnaissance Regiment held by the Archive and Reference Library, the Tank Museum, Bovington, Dorset.)

‘Easy time with new vehicles’

On 8^th February 1945 British and Canadian troops launched a new offensive from south-west of Nijmegen towards the Reichswald Forest in Germany – Operation Veritable.

 

WAR DIARY of 52^nd (Lowland) Recce Regt RAC February 1945

– Lt Col J.B.A. Hankey OBE

Date 8^th Place BOXMEER   7640               Weather - Fine

‘Take over from 3 Recce Regiment completed by 1700 hrs, with under command 8 Canadian Recce Regiment, 1 Platoon Medium Machine Gun 7 Mans, and 1 Platoon 4.2 mortars, 7 Mens, also 2 & 3 Companies of Dutch Forces.  In support 1^st Mountain Regiment, Royal Artillery.’

 

“We were taking over a stretch of the Maas line from 3^rd Recce but we were unable to take over their exact location because there were now no roads …Such buildings as they had occupied were now islands in a sea of mud. The morning the advance party arrived they heard at dawn the opening barrage of ‘Operation Veritable’ “.

(From ‘Time Spent or The History of the 52nd-Lowland-Divisional Reconnaissance Regiment January 1941-October 1945’ by Trevor D.W.Whitfield, published by Mountain 1946 and the War Diary of the 52nd Reconnaissance Regiment held by the Archive and Reference Library, the Tank Museum, Bovington, Dorset.)

 

Dick’s 1945 diary for February:

8 Thurs & 9 Fri – Easy time with new vehicles.  Nothing much doing.

11 Sun – as previously

 

 

Field Service Address card written 8^th Feb 1945

 

 

Don Aiken was pleased with the new vehicles:

"I was at last able to fully take up my role as a 'Driver/Operator' rather than a 'Gunner/Operator' because the Scout-cars in this Regt. were Daimlers, not Humbers, and the light armoured cars were manned only by two men, the Commander and the Driver/Radio Operator. These were wonderful vehicles, highly maneuverable, and fitted with pre-select gears and the ability to change gear whilst in reverse selection; theoretically allowing the car to go as fast in reverse as forwards."

(Extract republished from 'From the breakout to the Rhine' by kind permission of Don Aiken)

52nd (Lowland) Reconnaissance

Chotie Darling

 

Dedicated to the memory of my mother

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

 

Part 4        Only the Enemy in Front  

 

Chapter 15      52^nd (Lowland) Reconnaissance Regiment

 

On 7^th February 1945 Dick joined the 52^nd (Lowland) Reconnaissance Regiment.

Dick’s 1945 diary for February:

7 Wed  - Joined lowland.

 

Comrades from 61st Recce were with him; at least three complete troops of reinforcements. Don Aiken records:

“I had been posted to the 52nd.Reconnaissance Regt. which was the Recce for 52nd. Lowland Scottish Division. We were given the 'MOUNTAIN' shoulder flash to sew on our tunics, along with the St. Andrew's Shield.

They were a Division which had been stationed in Scotland for a long time, training for mountain combat in preparation for a possible invasion of Norway. However their first slice of action came when they left England about 2 months after 'D' Day to capture some islands off the Dutch coast. There probably wasn't a mountain for a hundred miles.”

(Extract republished from 'From the breakout to the Rhine' by kind permission of Don Aiken)

The Scottish lowlanders had trained in mountain warfare ready to fight in Norway.  The Divisonal symbol was a shield of St Andrew with the word MOUNTAIN written below.

When the Allies abandoned plans for a Norwegian campaign, the 52^nd Division were trained for an airborne role and were to have participated in Market Garden landing at Arnhem while the Recce regiment, which had disembarked in Normandy earlier in September 1944, formed part of the ground troops for ‘Garden’.  From 21^st September 52^nd Recce worked with the 101^st US Airborne to hold the narrow corridor from Eindhoven to Nijmegen ('Hell's Highway') and were on ‘The Island’ when 61^st Recce arrived there on the 24th of September .

The 52^nd Recce then moved to confront the Germans on the Leopold Canal in northern Belgium before rejoining their Division for the assault on the River Schelde with the First Canadian Army.  As the Allies gradually advanced in South Beveland and Walcheren to clear the Scheldt estuary and gain free access to the vital port of Antwerp, the Recce Regiment were tasked with cutting the German escape route across North Beveland and Schouwen and spent most of November on North Beveland.

After a short break at Schinnen, north-east of Maastricht, German advances into the Ardennes in December brought 52^nd Recce close to the German border at Schinveld, north of Brunnsum and near Geilenkirchen.  The Regiment remained here defending the British 2^nd Army right flank until 11^th January when they moved back close to Maastricht at Valkenburg.

Operation Blackcock, to clear the ‘Roer Triangle’ (between Roermond and Sittard in the Netherlands and Heinsberg in Germany) was a heavy engagement in freezing conditions for the 52^nd (Lowland) Division. 52^nd Recce advanced through Höngen and then Havert, north-east of Sittard. The Division eventually took the German town of Heinsberg on January 24th.  After an uncomfortable time guarding the Wurm river line against counter-attack the regiment moved back to Schinveld on 5^th February as the thaw set in.

 

The Regiment then moved rapidly north to Boxmeer (“a tedious and exhausting journey”) where three complete scout troops (156 officers and men) from 61 Reconnaissance joined the 52^nd as re-inforcements.  52^nd (Lowland) was now holding the line along the west bank of the Maas at Groeningen, Samboek and Boxmeer.

 

(From ‘This band of brothers – a history of the Reconnaissance Corps of the British Army’ by Jeremy Taylor, White Swan 1947, ‘Time Spent or The History of the 52nd-Lowland-Divisional Reconnaissance Regiment January 1941-October 1945’ by Trevor D.W.Whitfield, published by Mountain 1946 and ‘Only the Enemy in Front Every other beggar behind…’ The Recce Corps at War 1940-1946’ by Richard Doherty, Tom Donovan Publishing Ltd 1994)

 

 

WAR DIARY of 52^nd (Lowland) Recce Regt RAC February 1945

– Lt Col J.B.A. Hankey OBE

Date 7^th  Place SCHINVELD (north of Brunssum in the southernmost part of the Netherlands, near the German border east of Maastricht.) 7364.        

Strength - 935 men, 167 tanks/armoured cars/guns                 Weather – Wet

‘Advance parties left for Boxmeer (south of Nijmegen on the River Maas – about 100 kilometres north of Schinveld) 7640 and Regiment moved night 7/8 to take over from 3rd Division Recce Regiment.  150 other ranks and 6 Officers joined from 61^st Recce Regiment as reinforcements as per new organization.’

(From the War Diary of the 52nd Reconnaissance Regiment held by the Archive and Reference Library, the Tank Museum, Bovington, Dorset.)

 

On 7^th February 1945 the Germans blew the floodgates in the Ruhr preventing the imminent advance of the Allies west of Cologne and forcing most of the British Second Army into a ‘holding phase’.  However, Canadian forces advanced from the north and the US Ninth Army from the south to clear the area west of the Rhine.  

Bryn at Bourg Leopold - 6th February 1945

 

61^st Recce Regt

RAC, BLA.

6^th Feb 45

Chotie Darling,

                                    I’m afraid this will be rather a short letter as I’m rather pushed for time.  What I must say however, is that I’ve drawn a leave ticket for the 28^th February.  As things are going it’s more likely to be the 1^st to the 3^rd of March.

            I don’t know what your chances of getting leave are.

            I’ve tried to put it back a bit but they won’t wear it.  In any case it’s very risky putting it off as I should hate to get killed off before it.

            Will you write instant and let me know the form?

                                    All my love Darling

                                                Dicker.

           

This letter was forwarded to Fort Godwin, Kilnsea, Easington, near Hull

 Anti-aircraft ATS, possibly Fort Godwin, Hull

 

then forwarded again to St Margarets, Sea Lane, Pagham, Bognor.

 

 

Dick’s 1945 diary reads:

6 Tues – Left Sintobins’ and met Brinner at Bourg Leopold.  Brian Coote, Phil Truman, Bryn and I.

*Bourg Leopold or Leopoldsburg is in Belgium, north of Hasselt, but also near Eindhoven in the Netherlands.

Sandy’s leave and last days in Izegem

Dick’s 1945 diary reads:

29 Mon January  - Received tobacco.

3 Sat February – Dined with Sintobins, Ronnie and Brian Coote.

 

 

Sandy Handley’s story continues:

“February ’45 I had 9 days leave.  We went over the Hook of Holland to Harwich then by train to Dover.  I can’t recall so much of that leave. 

Of course, the war was still on and we couldn’t really relax.  It was still bad in Dover and I think the children who had been evacuated were beginning to come back and I think there was no more shelling from the other side (Calais).  The streets where our home had been, both Limekiln Street and Bulwark Street, were mostly in ruins. 

My nine days were soon gone and I recall both my mother and me were quite tearful when it came to saying goodbye – as I said, the war was still on and we didn’t know how much longer.  My father and me shook hands saying “Look after yourself”.  I remember him saying once: “If you can’t wash your feet at least change your socks when you can”. Good old Dad.”

 

On 4th February 1945 Belgium was reported to be completely free of German troops. (From WW2-net Timelines.)

Lost in the Ardennes

23^rd January 1945 – American forces re-take what remains of St Vith following the fierce ground battle and subsequent Allied air attacks earlier in the Ardennes engagement. The town, lying south-east of Liège and Malmédy and close to the German border is five miles from where Von Rundstedt’s offensive began in December.

 

Although many sources consider the ‘Battle of the Bulge’ had ended by 25^th January the German Army was not pushed back to its original position of 16^th December until 28^th January.

The Battle of the Ardennes involved more than 1 million soldiers, some 600,000 on each side including 55,000 British (from XXX Corps).

It is often cited as the bloodiest battle for US forces in World War 2. The Americans lost almost 90,000 men – over 19,000 were killed, 47,500 were injured and more than 23,000 captured or missing. British losses were proportionately much lower with 200 killed, about 1,000 injured and nearly 240 captured or missing.

German losses have been estimated between eighty and one hundred thousand with 15 to 19,000 killed.  German offensive capability in the west was destroyed but the Allies’ march into Germany had been delayed.

The Sintobin-Anne family - Monday 22nd January 1945

 

61^st Recce Regt RAC

BLA.

Chotie Darling,

                                    Many thanks for your last letters – I’m afraid I’ve been rather pushed for time, or I would have replied before.

            Once again I’m with the Sintobins and living in complete luxury, which is quite a welcome break for us.

            You’ll find two photographs* enclosed that they took, just as I was leaving the last time, to slow up von Runstedt a little.  You’ll see a look of calm purposefulness (?) written all over my face ….

            They really are a fine family here – I must certainly make the effort to see them again after the war.  They gave a dinner for us – my Squadron leader Brian Coote** (Sandhurst mate), Ronnie and myself – last night which was a great success.  Madame Sintobin went out to dine with the Colonel*** a few nights ago.  She thought it a terrific honour….

            I had a very unfortunate stroke of luck the day before yesterday.  I had a letter from Bryn telling me he was in a town just seven kilometres from here.  Accordingly I gripped some transport and after several false starts arrived at the town to find he had left that morning.  Deadly, wasn’t it?  He’s now hundreds of miles away, so we’ve had it for some time.  His letter took four days to do four miles.  If only it had arrived in reasonable time I could have met him and brought him in for a meal with my family here.

            Is there anything further concerning your continental tour?  I see they still want them****.  It would certainly be more interesting than being in England but rather a gamble as you might well stay there for years.

            Well, Darling, must close here to write the family.

                                                All my love precious

                                                                        Dicker

P.S. Have just received a lovely little diary from your mother.  Will write her this afternoon. 

*Photographs of Dick and the Sintobin-Anne family in Iseghem:

 

Ronnie, Madame Sintobin-Anne, Jan, Edmond, Dick and Suzanne

Ronnie, Jan Sintobin-Anne and Dick

Ronnie and Dick with la famille Sintobin-Anne, Iseghem

 

**presumably Major Frank Harding's replacement

***Colonel Philip Brownrigg

****Towards the end of the war service women in the UK were asked to volunteer to relieve men who had been serving abroad for some time.

 © Chotie Darling

 

This letter was sent to Fort Godwin

c/o Easington near Hull

so Chotie had moved station yet again.

Fort Godwin and the other Spurn Point Batteries, are now derelict and threatened by the moving sands and the sea.  They were pretty awful when Mum (Chotie) was there:

‘We moved to Spurn Point, indescribably stark…’ (from ‘Chotie’s Story’).

(See Godwin Battery and Spurn Point.) 

Dining in Iseghem

On 16^th January 2^nd Armored Division of the 1^st US Army and 11^th Armored Division of the 3^rd US Army meet up at Houffalize in the Ardennes and begin to attack towards the German border.   Montgomery decides to withdraw British XXX Corps from the Ardennes to the Netherlands in preparation for the crossing of the Rhine.

(From Centre of Research and Information on the Battle of the Bulge Centre of Research and Information on the Battle of the Bulge and  The British in the Battle of the Ardennes .)
 

 

Dick’s 1945 diary reads:

16 Tues  - Night out with Ronnie and Johnnie Heitman at Herboz von Brabant.

17 Wed – Duty officer at Château.

19 Fri – Dinner with Sintobins, Ronnie, Brian & Ted Oliver

21 Sun – Sintobin’s with ‘ditto’ signs down to the 27^th

 

 

Sandy Handley recalls:

 “January 1945 was nearly out and our stint in the Ardennes was finished and we went back to Iseghem to renew friendships we had made earlier.”

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

After the Ardennes

On 13^th January Montgomery’s forces, US Armies 1^st Army and XXX Corps met Bradley and Patton’s counter-attack from the south at Houffalize in Belgium.

(From Battle of the Bulge.) 

 

Colonel Brownrigg finishes his account of Lieutenant 61^st recce in the Ardennes:

“A day later the blow fell on us again, and we returned on our last convoy along the ice-bound roads to Iseghem to start disbanding again.” (From ‘A Reconnaissance Regiment in the B.L.A.’ by Lieutenant-Colonel P.H.A.Brownrigg D.S.O.)

 

Dick’s diary shows that he ‘Arrived Sintobins’ back at Iseghem on the 13^th January 1945.  However, he did not receive the dairy until 22^nd January so some of the dates for early January may be inaccurate eg Geoff Winzer was wounded on 30^th December according to Dick's letter of 31st, not in January.

 

Dick's 1945 diary

 

Don Aiken describes the end of the Ardennes campaign:

‘It was now clear that the bold gamble had failed. The German losses had been very heavy and probably ended any possibility of Germany continuing to defy defeat. His last defensive barrier was the River Rhine, and that was going to be the next target.
Meanwhile we were returned to Iseghem, in Belgium, to continue our little rest and to be notified of our new postings.’

(Extract  republished from 'From the Breakout to the Rhine' by kind permission of Don Aiken)

 

Eric Postles remembers the return to Iseghem:

"We got a couple of letters from our Belgian family, the last one telling us we would be returning home to Iseghem.  This proved true because in the middle of January British troops were withdrawn from the Ardennes and we were told that despite everything we would still disband.  The roads were atrocious as we drove independently through Mons and Ath and it was dark by the time we reached Kortrijk where we had a close encounter with a tram when we got stuck in the tramlines. 

We had a very happy reunion with the family who told us they had postponed their New Year celebrations until our return.  Marty and I went to church with the family and visited all the relatives for celebrations of our safe return, saving Belgium and to welcome the New Year.  In the meantime we finally handed in all our vehicles and equipment.  It was sad to see our carrier go.  It had never let us down thanks to Jimmy Page, our driver, who was an excellent mechanic.  We had a stand down parade and a regimental dance to which, after getting permission from Mum and Dad, we took the girls and Charles (Jeanne’s boyfriend, later her husband) which made their day."  (Extract from ‘My War Years’ by John Eric Postles ISO used by kind permission of the author.)

 

Not everyone went straight back to Iseghem. Tony Rampling recalls a short spell in Brussels:

“At the end of the Ardennes the General sent a message that anybody who had been fighting in the Ardennes could go to Brussels for a short period.  I think it was about 72 hours or possibly a bit more.  We stayed in a bare boarded hotel…”

However, Tony remembers they were in a very lively area! 

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

 

Others were less fortunate.  Captain Compton Bishop of ‘A’ Squadron, who had adopted the foxcub, was not seen after “we got chased down the Ardennes in January/February the following year to help the Yanks out of the Battle of the Bulge” according to Ernie Brobbin.  Roy Howard mentions that the Lieutenant he went on patrol with at Briquessard was later killed in the Ardennes.

Roy reckoned that 45 men were lost from his unit during the Ardennes, including his friend Corporal Dennis Dolby who severely damaged his eyesight in a motorcycle accident.

 (From ‘Beaten Paths are Safest’ by Roy Howard, Brewin Books 2004)

'Shocking Country'

On 11^th January La Roche-en-Ardennes south and east of the River Ourthe is captured by XXX Corps’ 51^st Highland Division.  On the other side of the Ourthe US 1^st Army clears the area of enemy.

At Bande (between La Roche-en-Ardennes and Rochefort) 1^st Canadian Battalion, who were working with the 6^th Airborne, discover the bodies of 34 civilians massacred by German troops on Christmas Eve.

 

Colonel Brownrigg continues his account of the deeds of Lieutenant Spreag:

“The next dayLieutenant Spreag, now with Lieutenant Abercrombie, walked 20 miles through shocking country beset with mines to contact the British Divisions to the north.  When they reached the Airborne Brigadier* he was so impressed that he at once offered them jobs.  By the end of their two-day two-man operation they had walked over 50 miles.”

*Possibly Brigadier Edwin Flavell of 6^th Airlanding Brigade or Brigadier James Hill of 3^rd Parachute Brigade or Brigadier Nigel Poett of 5^th Parachute Brigade who were involved in the Battle of Bure (see Senior Officers of 6th Airborne Division with Field Marshal Montgomery .)

 

On 12^th January – British and US forces link up in Roche-en-Ardennes.

The US 1^st Army capture villages a few kilometres north of Houffalize and establish a bridgehead near Malmedy.

‘Despite the snow, the cold, the landmines and the roadblocks, as well as German defensive actions, the British troops continued their advance and hampered the withdrawal plans of the German troops, trying to escape from the pincer movement of the Allied armies.’

(From The British in the Battle of the Ardennes and Brits in the Ardennes.) 

Horseriding through Saint Hubert

On 9^th January 21^st Army Group advances again and 6^th Airborne Division retake Bure.  US 1^st Army approaches nearer to Houffalize and US Third Army is counter-attacking towards Houffalize from the south.

 

On 10^th January the advance of British XXX Corps continues and 6^th Airborne Division take a number of villages east of Rochefort moving towards La Roche-en-Ardennes and Saint Hubert.

The US 1^st Army prepare to attack on a broad front east towards St Vith as well as continuing for Houffalize.

(From WW2-net Timelines and Brits in the Ardennes.)    

 

Lieutenant Laing of 61st Recce’s C Squadron returns to Val de Poix (south of Bure and east of Saint Hubert) on 10^th January.  After losing an armoured car he patrols forward on foot to establish the enemy is still there.  They withdraw the next day and, to continue pursuit and maintain contact, Lt. Laing rebuilds a bridge and clears mines and booby traps. (From Lt. Laing’s citation for the Military Cross in 61st Recce Battle Honours.)

Colonel Brownrigg describes other heroic feats by 61^st Recce:

“Towards the end of the campaign, frost, mines and blown bridges made further advance impossible except on foot.  We were asked to investigate Saint Hubert (west of Bastogne), which was strictly in the American boundary.  Lieutenant Spreag, on his first operation as troop leader, started by carrier.  When that was blown up on a mine he transferred himself to a horse (first time on horseback).  With two Belgian woodsmen he rode to the outskirts of St Hubert, then straight through it.  The Bosches had just left.  That night the BBC reported that British Armoured cars had entered St Hubert, and the next morning the Corps Commander* sent a liaison officer to congratulate us on being the first to enter St Hubert, and would we please never go there again, as the Americans were not pleased.”  (From ‘A Reconnaissance Regiment in the B.L.A.’ by Lieutenant-Colonel P.H.A.Brownrigg D.S.O.)

*I’m not sure who this was because Wikipedia says that during the Battle of the Bulge Lieutenant-General Horrocks was temporarily relieved of his command by Montgomery because he had become ‘nervy and difficult with his staff’ (source Nigel Hamilton).

Friendly Belgians - Monday 8th January 1945

Sandy Handley continues the story of 61^st Recce in the Ardennes:

“Later in the Ardennnes the snow came and curtailed any reconnoitring.  It was bitterly cold but now and again we managed to stay in an empty house for shelter or sometimes occupy a spare room of a friendly person’s home.  We found the Belgians so friendly and fortunately by far a most could speak English.” 

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

 

 

61^st Recce Regt

RAC. BLA.

Monday Jan 8^th.

Chotie Darling,

                                    I wrote you yesterday, but on reflection found it wasn’t much of an effort so, as I have a free evening today,  I thought I’d tear up yesterday’s meagre missive and start again. 

            It’s very cold here and there’s still plenty of snow about, though not very much has fallen during the last few days.  We’re in another village now – a very charming little place, about the size of Blandford.*  The people, needless to say, are all exceptionally kind to us – I did all the billeting for the Squadron and found no difficulty in fixing up everyone.

            I’m living with a very charming family who do everything they possibly can to make things as pleasant as they can be, under these circumstances.  They press me to have all meals with them but of course I decline most invitations.

            These “middle-class’ houses are quite pleasant but lack the ‘lived-in’ appearance of the English home.  For example many of the ‘dining-rooms’ I’ve been in have tiled floors and everything very much in its place.  Against this however, the people in the £1,000 per annum class have really beautifully furnished houses and a much better conception of interior decoration then we have.  The house I was in at Iseghem falls into the latter class, where the Sintobins collected paintings and furniture.  They also collected albums of Mozart recordings, but I digress….

            I read in your last letter that Margaret’s baby is getting on well.  I’m afraid I haven’t really had time to write her, but I will try to do so as soon as possible.  I hope you’ll send her all my best wishes when next you write.  I still haven’t managed to contact Ted, and now of course with this weather he’s miles away as they can’t use his sort of unit** in this snow.

            Well, my Darling, I’ve just received your letter of the 3^rd.  Glad to hear you got the cheque – hope you can cash it without too much trouble.  No, it’s not the letters that get behind so much as the parcels – they’re deadly.  I haven’t had any tobacco for weeks and weeks and mother sends some very regularly.  I’m now smoking cigarettes again which makes me very crusty.  Always grumbling aren’t I?

            No, again, I haven’t seen Madeleine, though she sent me a very nice letter at Xmas.  Once more I’m afraid I haven’t found time to write her.

            I must say, you’re a very naughty girl for getting all these charges*.  I’ll write your C.O. suggesting he spanks you.  That measure may prove beneficial.  Alternatively I could send him my copy of ‘The Taming of the Shrew’****…

            I haven’t had any news of Bryn since hearing that he was recalled from leave to go to Barnard Castle*****, which mother told me in her last letter.

            My uncle, whom I believe I told you about before, died on Boxing Day.  He was conscious until Xmas Day and able to recognise my Aunt.  I can’t say I feel any pangs at his passing – though I haven’t said a word to mother on the subject.  He hated Dad like poison and that was always enough for Brinner and I.  He was always reckoned to be ‘so clever at figures’ but the old man used to make him look like a two year old.  However, mother as ever turned the other cheek and went up to Nottingham to console her sister.  She learnt that my cousin Dennis (“Denner”) is now a Lieutenant with the R.A. over here.  His sister Doremy (‘Dommer’) is in the WAAF.

            We must certainly come here after the war darling.  The countryside is really very lovely and the food…!

            I’m afraid I must fall out with you over “Greenery Street”******.  I must have been in a very happy mood when I first read it, as on re-reading it some short time ago I found the whole thing to be mere sentimental canting.  However, it’s of no importance….

            Have I told you about Geoff?  He’s had his first operation and was waiting for the second when he wrote.  Says they’re pumping him full of penicillin.  Frank Harding  (the Squadron Leader) has been flown to England after a spin in the same hospital as Geoff following his jeep crash on Xmas Day.  Apparently the frontal (forehead) was fractured – which may be serious.*******

            There doesn’t seem to be much to write about, Chotie – nothing I can tell you anyhow, and that, restricts my writing by about 90%.

            I’m hoping to see you again soon Darling – keep your fingers crossed, won’t you?  You’re very precious, you know.

                                                All my love, Baby,

                                                                        Dicker

 

*Blandford Forum is a market town in Dorset.

**Ted Lewis, Chotie’s brother-in-law, was in a tank regiment in the Guards Armoured Division.

***Mum told me every time she was made Corporal or Lance Corporal she was ‘busted’ and put on a charge. She went AWOL (Absent without Leave) to meet Dick just before D Day and I think there were a number of other misdemeanours.

****Shakespeare’s somewhat misogynistic play.

*****a northern market town in Teesdale, County Durham.

******a novel of domestic happiness by Denis Mackail.

*******Major Frank Harding, MC survived until 3^rd June 1981. He was a staunch supporter of the Old Comrades Association, often speaking at dinners or official visits re-treading the footsteps of 61^st Recce in Europe.  He published a book of poems ‘War Echoes Over Thirty Years’ in 1970.  Colonel Brownrigg wrote on his MC citation:

‘The success of Major Harding’s squadron has been very largely due to his own example.  He has never spared himself, and his cheerfulness in any difficulty or danger has been a great inspiration to his Squadron.  It would be hard to overestimate the value of this officer’s work to the regiment.’

© Chotie Darling

Attacking with the 6th Airborne

On 3^rd December the Allies launched a major counter-offensive in the Ardennes.  Montgomery deployed XXX Corps from the north-west of the German salient and General Hodges’ US 1^st Army from the north, all aiming towards Houffalize in the centre of the ‘Bulge’.

The 6th Airborne Division, who had played a critical role in Normandy were the first of XXX Corps to attack, moving east through the Beauraing and Wellin area towards Bure.

61^st Recce were with them, carrying out reconnaissance in the area south of Rochefort. 

Corporal ‘Skip’ Ricketts of ‘A’ Squadron published this account of the action in the Old Comrades Association newsletter:

“By the morning of January 3rd 1945, the weather had become our worst enemy. We attacked on this day in a driving blizzard. Snow was falling continuously and the roads were ice-bound. Consequently, little progress was made, although the 6th Armoured Division reached the outskirts of Bure where the 13th Parachute Battalion and the 3rd Royal Tank Regiment became engaged in heavy fighting. Further North, at Wavreille, the 7th Parachute Battalion gained a footing in the town.

The approaches to Wavreille were reconnoitred by two Troops of the 61st Reconnaissance Regiment; under the command of Lieutenant M A Urban-Smith and Lieutenant W. Fling. They had with them a section of the Belgian Special Air Service mounted in Jeeps and bristling with machine guns. This section was commanded by a Sergeant who was a Belgian nobleman and who owned most of the land over which we were operating. Consequently, he was most anxious to assist in the expulsion of the Huns. Halfway to their objective they spotted some Germans coming up behind. They quickly opened fire and those who survived surrendered. Slogging on through snow and sleet, they reached the outskirts of Wavreille and immediately became violently engaged with the enemy. Aided by the Belgians, they drove the enemy from the village but were counter-attacked strongly and it became necessary to withdraw.”

(also published in ‘Beaten Paths are Safest’ by Roy Howard, Brewin Books 2004)

Yellow for Friendship

On 31^st December the Germans launched a new offensive ‘Operation Nordwind’ against the Allies in Alsace-Lorraine.  Aimed at the thinly stretched front line held by US 7^th Army (which had sent re-inforcements north to support Patton’s 3^rd Army in the Ardennes) the attack was not successful in reaching Strasbourg but inflicted considerable damage on the defending US forces, who suffered a large number of casualties. It also created another ‘bulge’ in the Allied lines around Colmar, south of Strasbourg.

 

In the Ardennes the Americans held Rochefort (between Dinant and Saint Hubert) again by the 31st December but 61^st Recce were also located there according to Don Aiken. 

With different units operating so close to each other special precautions had to be taken to avoid ‘friendly fire’:

“The weather … had improved so much that the Allied air forces were able to seek out and attack the enemy at will. We had been issued with yellow sheets to display on the upper surface of our cars in order to identify ourselves to our airmen as we patrolled no-man's land. This proved to be a very fortunate forethought on several occasions as we were buzzed spitefully by US planes; forcing us to dive into frozen ditches to gain some protection from the overhead threat. Thankfully, the recognition sheets did their job and we managed to avoid being shot up.”

(Extract republished from 'From the Breakout to the Rhine' by kind permission of Don Aiken.)

 

However, 31^st December still brought another loss to the regiment. 61^st Recce Roll of Honour includes the following who died on this day in 1944:         

        Corporal Douglas Mackintosh (age 27) of Torquay, Devon        

who is laid to rest in Adegem War Cemetery between Bruges and Gent, north-west of Brussels.  A number of isolated graves from various communal cemeteries and churchyards in Belgium have been brought into this cemetery since the end of the war.

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

We will remember them.

A very able Commander - Saturday 30th December 1944

As Usual

Sat 30 Dec

Chotie Darling,

                                    I’m very sorry, Precious, for not having written you before, but it just hasn’t been possible.  I’ve now got the first free day for nearly a fortnight, so everything depends on today.  The mail has been very poor lately – I received your letter and calendar, for which many thanks, Darling.

            I’ve been at it for a fortnight, as I say, so Xmas was just another day.  I had an indifferent breakfast and a worse meal about 10 pm when I got back from patrol.

            Weather here has been quite good – very cold but plenty of sun.  The countryside here is really lovely quite like North Wales, and a wonderful change after the Nijmegen Bridgehead! (I had nine weeks there!)

            I hope you are keeping fit, Darling and warm!  It’s bitterly cold in armoured cars as the engine is in the rear and you get no protection from the wind.

            We shot another three Boche on Xmas Eve (one nearly shot me first) and another five on Boxing Day, which puts my troop in the lead again.  What a gruesome business!

            Hope Margaret is progressing well – I shouldn’t wonder the baby was late this weather!

            On Xmas Day the Squadron Leader* had a terrific crash in his jeep whilst out visiting the various troops.  They carted him off with severe concussion and he’s expected to be in hospital for at least a month.  So much the worse as he’s a very able Commander.

            Diller has been home on leave I believe, but I’ve heard no news of Brinner lately.  He’s supposed to be getting some leave I believe.

            I’ll enclose this letter** with the three little books*** I bought in Malines – if you would just keep them safe, Darling.  As I say it’s not much good sending them home as mother’s sure to throw them away in the Spring.

            I must close here, Chotie Darling –

                                                All my love Precious          

                                                            Dicker.

 

*Major Frank Harding had been the B Squadron leader from 12^th June 1944. He received the Military Cross for B Squadron’s role in the operation at Amayé-sur-Seulles and Condé-sur-Noreau in Normandy, the advance across France into Belgium and the holding of 15 miles of the Belgian Escaut Canal including Oudenaarde from the 4th  to 7th September.

‘He never spared himself and his cheerfulness in any difficulty or danger has been a great inspiration to his Squadron’ (from his Military Cross citation).

 

**Perhaps because it was enclosed with the books, this letter seems somewhat freer with military information than Dick’s usual correspondence.

***my mother kept these three little leather bound books Dick bought (in Antwerp) but they eventually fell apart from love and use. One contained four Shakespeare tragedies (Othello, Hamlet, Macbeth and Romeo and Juliet) and the others were philosophical essays I think.

© Chotie Darling

 

 

On 30^th December the Germans launched a heavy but unsuccessful attack on the corridor connecting Bastogne to American forces south of the German salient.  The US Army began a major counter-offensive from the south on the same day and the British attacked Houffalize, north of Bastogne in the centre of the German bridgehead, meeting fierce resistance.

 

Dick may have been out of the fighting that day but Don Aiken had records including 61^st Recce at Houffalize on 30^th December.  The Regiment certainly experienced tragedies that day....

 

61^st Recce Roll of Honour includes the following who died on 30th December 1944:

          Trooper Dennis Robert Carter (age 20)

          Trooper Richard Charles Collingwood (age 27) of East Molesey, Surrey, killed in action as part of the Anti-Tank troop.        

who are laid to rest in the Hotton War cemetery, south of Liège, Belgium.

 

Mark Howard recounts how his father Roy Howard (of ‘A’ Squadron) remembered the awful accident that killed both men.  Their armoured car was forced off the road by an American lorry in full flight from the advancing Germans and, rolling down a bank, burst into flames.  Roy administered morphine to one of the men as he lay dying trapped inside. (From ‘Beaten Paths are Safest’ by Roy Howard, Brewin Books 2004)

 

61^st Recce Roll of Honour includes another comrade who died on 30th December 1944:

            Trooper Thomas Webb (age 19) of Bispham, Blackpool, Lancashire

who is laid to rest in Adegem Canadian War Cemetery, between Bruges and Gent, north-west of Brussels.  A number of isolated graves from various communal cemeteries and churchyards in Belgium have been brought into this cemetery since the end of the war

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

We will remember them.

An icy Xmas

Sandy Handley continues his account:

 “Christmas 1944 was cold and threatening snow.  We were mainly out in the open, seldom inside bricks and mortar – surprising what a body could put up with.  I know sitting in our Humber was really draughty at times.

 Christmas Day 1944 we were not on Recce patrol.  Our HQ decided the forward troops should have some fresh meat instead of tinned corn beef or tins of stew, which tasted horrible.  They sent some fat pork and potatoes.  Of course, we hadn’t the equipment to cook.  We boiled the pork in a large biscuit tin and the same with the potatoes.  Some earth doused with petrol was used as a fire.  I thought HQ needn’t have bothered.  It was a poor effort, all the messing about, and I always have hated fat pork anyway.  They say ‘hunger finds no fault with the cook’ but this was ridiculous.  Later I opened a tin of corn beef and had biscuits spread with our ration of margarine and jam.  I can’t say that we were starved – the ration packs we had were OK.”

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

 

Some troops may have been enjoying a little more luxury. In the newsletter of the Old Comrades Association Max Murphy, of B Squadron’s anti-tank troop, recalled spending Christmas 1944 at the ‘Chateau de Wepion’ - presumably the beautiful Chateau de Dave, also known as Fernan- Nunez Castle, on the banks of the River Meuse south of Namur.

 

However, by Xmas day it had become extremely cold in the Ardennes:

“Christmas Day saw the peak of the German advance, and I remember that on that day on returning to base, after a bitter cold day of patrolling through the snowy forests, we were all handed a Christmas celebratory bottle of beer. When I opened my bottle and tried to drink from it - nothing came out - the beer was frozen solid! The only solution was to break the bottle and lick the beer like an iced-lolly.
We spent the next few days in patrolling the hills and woods of the Ardennes, amongst the thick snow and ice which often made the forest trees look like fairyland.”

(Extract republished from 'From the Breakout to the Rhine' by kind permission of Don Aiken.)

 

Dick mentions that his squadron leader, Major Frank Harding, was injured on Xmas day in a ‘terrific crash’ when visiting the troops in his jeep. Suffering severe concussion he was likely to be hospitalised for a month.  Eric Postles includes this in his account of Christmas 1944:

"On Christmas Eve we were issued with bottles of beer but next morning although we had a big stove burning all night, the bottles were frozen solid and the beer was useless.  For the first time we were issued with self-heating cans of chocolate drink and soup.  We just had to ignite the core wick and the contents were quickly hot. 

We came under the command of 29 Armoured brigade then joined with units of 6 Airborne Division from the UK.

We left the bridge, moving forward to support attacks against the German spearhead.  The deep snow made foot patrols difficult and the Germans again fired airburst shells, which looked more sinister against the whiteness of the snow.  American troops were fleeing madly from the German advance and unfortunately early in the action an American lorry, being driven much too fast, hit our squadron leader’s jeep, which was parked off the road on a bend.  Major Harding was badly injured but he survived the war.  Our armoured cars were constantly patrolling between British forces and the US army, who bore the brunt of the action to squeeze the enemy back."  (Extract from ‘My War Years’ by John Eric Postles ISO used by kind permission of the author.)

 

Roy Howard tells an amazing tale of Christmas Day 1944 in his book of 61^st Recce ‘Beaten Paths are Safest’ (Brewin Books 2004).  Temperatures were the lowest recorded for sixty years and he was on a mountain near Dinant, crouched in a hole in the snow wearing white camouflage overalls.  They heard the occasional Christmas carol from German troops in the valley below who the RAF attacked the next morning.

 

Into the Ardennes with 11th Armoured Division

Sandy Handley and Anthony Rampling continue the 61^st Recce story:

“I thought we had said farewell to our trusty old Humber (Liktor) but on that cold, misty December morning we started off, this time to Namur in the Ardennes.  In convoy it took about 24 hours, stopping and starting.” (From Ex Trooper S Handley’s ‘61 Recce - Memories of Normandy 1944 – 1945’, unpublished)

 

“When we got to Brussels it was packed full of traffic, military and otherwise, and the streets were full of girls waving at us.”  We couldn’t get through for all the girls surrounding us.  (From Anthony Rampling’s account of 61st Recce - pers comm).

 Sandy:

"We eventually joined up with the Armoured Brigade of 11 Armoured Division.  The plan was to hold the line of the River Meuse from Namur to Givet, then patrol farther forward.”

Tony:

“Eventually we got to the Ardennes and we were told to keep going until we met resistance which we did.”   We were in the front as Recce.

 

Eric Postles remembers guard duty on the Meuse: "On 21st December, Army Headquarters ordered the regiment to become immediately operational and throughout the night we worked to re-equip.  By the night of 22^nd we were manning the River Meuse bridges from Namur to Givet.  The weather had gone bitterly cold and very heavy snowfalls meant that our Airforces could not fly.  Our troop was in a deserted café near one of the bridges.  Guard times were shortened and we wore woollen balaclavas and white smocks for camouflage in the snow.  The balaclavas were provided through Lady Mount’s appeal to soldiers’ relatives to knit them.  My mother knitted several of them."  (Extract from ‘My War Years’ by John Eric Postles ISO used by kind permission of the author.)

 

Colonel Brownrigg explains the role of 61^st Recce in the Ardennes:

“We joined the armoured brigades of the 11^th Armoured Division in the Ardennes, first sitting along the length of the Meuse from Namur to Givet and then gradually patrolling farther forward, until towards the end of the campaign we had a battle ground of our own with a front of 20 miles between the Americans and the rest of the British.  Day after day the armoured cars set out to find and kill as many of the enemy as they could, and daily they met anti-tank guns and tanks.  And when the armoured cars could not get on, the assault troops penetrated deep into enemy territory.”

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

 

IWM archive photo of 11th Armoured Division badge 

(SAVE THE IWM STUDY CENTRE)

The 11^th Armoured Division, known as the Black Bull, had been almost continuously engaged in action, since it landed in Normandy on 13^th June 1944 with British VIII Corps.  Deployed in Operations Epsom and Goodwood to take Caen and Operation Bluecoat near Caumont, it famously liberated Amiens enabling the crossing of the Somme during the advance through France and was also involved in the liberation of Antwerp.

After Market Garden, where it was tasked with securing the right flank of the advancing ground forces, it was engaged in clearing pockets of German resistance remaining west of the Maas/Meuse river.

At the beginning of December units of the 11^th Armoured Division were in reserve near Ypres but were ordered back into action to hold a defensive line along the Meuse between Namur and Givet to resist the German advance in the Ardennes.

 

61st Recce started patrolling straight away. The citation for Corporal John Frederick Mulcahy’s Military Medal includes this description of his patrols:

‘His armoured car troop was engaged in continuous patrolling between St Hubert and Rochefort* from the 22nd to the 29th December 1944. The situation throughout was extremely uncertain, as the area of these patrols, about 10 miles forward of any main Allied position, covered the tip of the German salient, and while the Americans were holding firm on the flanks, in many places there were no troops to bar the progress of the German tanks in the centre.  For most of the period Corporal Mulcahy’s car was the leading car of his troop.  Every day they made contact with the enemy, three times with German tanks.  During this time Corporal Mulcahy’s handling of his car was so skilful and courageous that it became a byword in his squadron.’

* a distance of about 13 miles/20 km south-east of Dinant, between the Meuse and Bastogne i.e. the direction of travel for German forces.

(See 61st Recce Battle Honours http://61st-reconnaissance.weebly.com/medals--awards.html 61st Reconnaissance Regiment Living History Group.)

 

Don Aiken was also involved in action from the first day:

 “We arrived at Namur a few days before Christmas, and were immediately given the task of contacting a forward unit of US Engineers who had been instructed to blow a bridge over a small river whenever they sighted the German advance. The orders had now been changed to 'blow up the bridge regardless', but radio contact with the Engineers had been lost.

We set off on our mission and we were shocked to see convoys of US troops retreating in total panic. They threw us some fags and shouted that we were going the wrong way.

We approached our destination, and turned a corner to see that the road ran down into a steep valley, with a similar road running round and down the cliffs on the other side. At that moment we heard a loud explosion and knew that the bridge had been blown. We continued for a short way down the road before spotting the US Engineers running up behind the hedgerow and waited for them to arrive. It was then that I observed a German tank on the road across the valley and, almost immediately, a puff of smoke from his 88 mm. gun. There was a whoosh as the shell screamed over my head and took a lump out of the road and part of the tyre from the armoured car which stood a few yards behind me. Within a few seconds our armoured cars had disappeared up the road and round the corner, in reverse."

(Extract republished from 'From the Breakout to the Rhine' by kind permission of Don Aiken.)

 

61st Recce restored for action

“Then the Ardennes came on and we rushed up to the Ardennes” From Anthony Rampling’s account of 61^st Recce (pers comm).

 

Report written by a Military Observer as recorded in 'MILITARY AFFAIRS No.28' dated 22nd January 1945:

"The Recce Regiment which went ahead of our main striking force in the Ardennes Battle was the 61^st Recce Regiment.

Formerly the Recce Regiment of a famous British Division, the 61^st have seen almost continuous action since D. Day, and were the first to break out of the bridgehead on D Plus 2.  It was the only Recce Regiment to be employed in the breakthrough into Holland.

Men of this Regiment were the first to enter Lille, Oudenarde and Ghent.  On one occasion their leading vehicles were 65 miles ahead of their infantry, and all were actively engaged.  They took part in the Escault Battle, and to date have taken 4,000 German Prisoners, their best day’s bag numbering 1,000.

In the German Christmas offensive the Regiment was switched to the Ardennes and the men, although working in completely unknown country, miles ahead of our main forces, sent back such valuable information on the disposition of enemy troops that our advance went ahead smoothly."

 

Colonel Brownrigg continues his account:

“Runstedt had begun his offensive.  At 1100 hrs on 21^st December the Chief of Staff at 21^st Army Group Headquarters rang up and ordered us to remobilise and move.  By working night and day we were on the move, fully equipped by 0900 hrs the next day.”

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

 

This was no mean feat as Anthony Rampling remembers:

“When we were in Izegem the Ardennes campaign started and our vehicles were all left on a dump.  We had to get them ready and proceed to the Ardennes.”

 

and from Sandy Handley’s version story:

“On the 21^st December the Regiment was told to re-equip, replace all the radios, guns, etc.  The Germans had broke through in the Ardennes, so instead of being disbanded and in Belgium we worked all through the night fixing guns on the car, ammunitions and radio.” (From Ex Trooper S Handley’s ‘61 Recce - Memories of Normandy 1944 – 1945’, unpublished)

 

Don Aiken explains:

 “Hitler himself had ordered 3 Armies, totalling twenty-one Divisions (although well below strength), to be assembled in Germany ready for a huge counter-attack.  This began on December 16th, meeting with great initial success and the American defence lines were cut to ribbons.
The situation was becoming very serious, as the whole 'sharp-end' of the Allied forces was in danger of being isolated.
The British forces directed a push down from the north onto the advancing Germans. We were given 24 hours to reclaim our vehicles and equipment and move out to the Ardennes. This we did.”

(Extract republished from 'From the Breakout to the Rhine'  by kind permission of Don Aiken)

Bastogne and bringing in the Brits

By 20th December 1944 the rapid German advance into the Ardennes was beginning to slow as fuel supplies ran short and the Allies planned their resistance. 

The Allied Air Forces were still grounded by poor weather and limited visibility but the 101st Airborne Division  reached Bastogne, the convergence of all the main roads in the Belgian Ardennes, by truck just as the German attack on the town began. The siege of Bastogne was not relieved by the Allies until 26th December and the resistance of US forces there is legendary. Brigadier McAuliffe responded to demands for surrender when surrounded with a single expletive usually referred to as “Nuts!”

US 1st Army command seemed to be in disarray and Eisenhower decided to put Montgomery in charge of all the Allied forces to the north of the German offensive (21st Army Group and the US 1st Army) while General Patton with the US 3rd Army led resistance from the south.  Until then the British had not been involved in the fighting in the Ardennes...

A Massacre and an Accident

17^th December 1944 – the US 82^nd and 101^st Airborne (see previous Chapter) are released from reserve to reinforce American troops in the Ardennes.  

At Malmedy, south-west of Menschau, 86 American Prisoners of War are murdered by their SS captors.

In the Battle of Schnee Eiffel/St Vith (south-east of Malmedy) the Germans sucessfully trap up to 9,000 Americans who surrender on 19th December.

 

On 17^th December Dick appears to have been involved in a traffic accident. When driving a car between Marktstraat and Grote Markt in Izegem he knocked a lady, Elza Lammertyn, off her bike and she broke three ribs.

Here’s the (mouse-chewed) police report of the incident:

Belgian belles and the joys of Izegem - December 1944

Chotie Darling

 

Dedicated to the memory of my mother

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

 

Part 4        Only the Enemy in Front   

 

Chapter 14     Belgium and the Ardennes

 

Sandy Handley starts this story:

“In December 1944 we heard that 50 Division was being broke up.  We went back to Izegem to hand in all our equipment, vehicles, ammunition guns and radios.  On the brighter side it looked as though we were to be in Izegem for Christmas.”  (From Ex Trooper S Handley’s ‘61 Recce - Memories of Normandy 1944 – 1945’, unpublished)

 

Anthony Rampling remembers Izegem with great fondness:

“When we left ‘the Island’ in in Holland we were sent to Izegem to disband - because there were so many casualties they were going to disband the 50 Division and the 61^st Recce.  In the meantime they sent us to Izegem and we had a marvellous time.  Everybody found a Belgian belle.  I found a girl called Georgette – she was the first love of my life I suppose.”

Izegem was about the best time we had in the war.  When we got to Izegem everyone did what they wanted.  You did your own thing there – sitting about in cafés and going to dances.

“Nothing happened, no discipline, we just did what we liked.  Most of us walked around all day from one café to another.  That was about it.”

 

“My driver and myself stayed in a bakery in Izegem.  Most of the other chaps got billeted in private houses, which was much better actually.  They gave us a breakfast which consisted of stale iced cakes and very strong black coffee, which we weren’t used to.”

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

 

Dick had found himself rather better quarters (letter written in mid-December 1944):

61^st Recce

RAC BLA.

Chotie Darling,

                                    Sorry I haven’t been able to write you before but I’ve only just finished quite a considerable amount of work.  I received your letter telling me of the birth of Margaret’s baby today – the first letter I’ve had for weeks (almost).  Our mail has all gone astray again.

            I’m back to the town I went to some month ago – the neighbouring town to the one where Madeleine lives.

            For once in a while I’m living in luxury – I had all the billeting to do in this place so naturally I picked myself a first-class place.  The family – (father, mother, four daughters and three sons) do everything possible to make me feel at home.

            Being people of considerable intelligence they all speak English, French, Flemish and German, so life here is quite an education in itself.

            They have also a very fine collection of records – all the piano concertos and several operatic records so Ronnie comes round pretty often to get a grip on them.  The oldest daughter (20) plays Chopin rather well – but she’s engaged to a bloke in the Belgian Embassy….

            They’re all very interested to hear about your work – they’ve all just seen their first ATS (they’re in Ostend in their hundreds) but they’ve never actually met any.

            We’re having a real holiday while we may – and the old beer certainly flows here.

            Is Margaret pleased it’s a boy?  I’ll bet you’re more thrilled than she is.  Send her my best wishes and congratulations when next you write, won’t you?

            I should have some news when next I write, but I can’t tell you anything at present.

                    All my love, Chotie Darling,

                                                Dicker

P.S. I’m enclosing something for Xmas.  I’ll write you again to reach you by then.

                                                            R.

 

*Presumably the family of Monsieur and Madame Octave Sintobin-Anne, who Dick visited again later in the war.

 

 

One of the cards in Dick's 1945 diary.

  © Chotie Darling

 

Eric Postles was also quite comfortable:

"We were ordered to Iseghem in Belgium to disband.  All the regiment were billeted with families, each troop more or less in the same street. 

Corporal Martindale and I were put with the Deschermaker family at Hondstrat 10.  They were shoemakers doing the cutting and stitching at home and had a factory for assembly work.  There was mother and father, Andre, who had been in the Belgian Army during the 1940 fighting; Simone, Paula and Jeanne (the three girls) and Renee who was about ten.  We slept for the first time in a proper bed, drew our rations and handed them to the family, who we ate with.  After an initial day or so we became accepted members of the family.  No guard duties, no ‘stand to’, peace and quiet. 

We reluctantly handed in our vehicles and our equipment to the Quartermaster staff and prepared for Christmas.  We went to the barbers in the town square for a shave and had coffee and cakes in the cafés.  As the Deschermaker radio had been confiscated I gave them one of the Phillips sets purloined in Holland.  We did not seem to have any problem communicating with a mixture of French and English and helped out with cutting shoe tops."  (Extract from ‘My War Years’ by John Eric Postles ISO used by kind permission of the author.)

 

Max Murphy of B Squadron’s Anti-tank troop wrote of a post-war return to Izegem in the newsletter of the Old Comrades Association:

“In Iseghem, although I could no longer remember the name or the address of our hostess during the period when we were in ‘civvy billets’ there, I managed to find the house and to my surprise the same dear old lady was still in occupation.  We had lunch with her and reminisced as best we could through the language barrier.”

 

Colonel Brownrigg was lamenting the demise of 61st Recce:

 “We handed in all our fighting vehicles, ammunition and petrol to various dumps.  All wireless sets were removed from their vehicles, and the Quartermaster had all stores in a barn for checking.  And so we were all preparing to drown our sorrows in Christmas feasting.”

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

 

Prematurely perhaps?

 

Don Aiken continues the tale:

 “At this point it was decided to consolidate and regroup.  Part of this regrouping meant that 50th. Division, which had been badly reduced in strength, would be disbanded and broken up to make up losses in other Divisions.
With this in mind we, 61st. Reconnaissance Regt., were sent back to a small town called Iseghem (Izegem), which is situated in Belgium, close to the French border. We were billeted in various houses, cafés and so on, and our H.Q. and cook-house was situated in the railway goods yard. All our vehicles and equipment were taken to a dump somewhere on the road to Antwerp. We had a few days of wonderful bliss. Nothing to do but have a few drinks in the cafés and idle our time away.

We hadn't reckoned on the Germans. They had realised that the defensive strength of the US Army in the Belgian Ardennes forest was not good, with only 4 Divisions holding a front of 80 miles long….”

(Extract republished from From the Breakout to the Rhine by kind permission of Don Aiken)

Malines - Friday 1st December 1944

61^st Recce Regt

Rac

BLA

Friday 1^st Dec.

Chotie Darling,

                                    Many thanks for your letters, which I received rather late as I had no mail whilst in Belgium – some six or seven days in all.  Sorry to hear you don’t think much of the area you’re in.  Personally, everwhere north of the Thames stinks as far as I’m concerned.  There are exceptions of course, but they’re few and far between.

            I had a very happy time in Belgium, though I was only there for five days as it took some time to get there.  I managed to get to Audenarde (the town I liberated 6th September) and met the Gervaert family.  It was Madeleine who gave me, or rather lent me the Balzac’s and the Mozart.  They were very surprised and pleased to see me and made me very welcome.  It was Sunday afternoon so of course all the family were there.

            They speak Flemish when at home but French among their friends, - and of course when I’m there.  It’s very odd to be completely bi-lingual, as I’m sure they carried on in French after I left, and probably didn’t revert to Flemish until the following day.

            I’m afraid there’s little news to tell you, owing to censorship, but hope to have some for you in the near future.

            I spent a night on the way back in Malines (Michlin*) which is one of the pleasantest towns in Belgium.  The only snag there, are the flying-bombs, which, although not intended to land there have the annoying habit of failing short on occasion.

            I saw two go over the following morning, the first I’d seen.  I heard them whilst some distance away, and watched them pass right over us which was quite a thrill as we were sweating on them dropping on us.

            There are some first class cafés in Malines – full of beer and ice-cream creations.  I had a most wonderful one – with martini and grated nuts – quite a work of art.

            Had a letter from Brinner with yours telling me he was in the Isle of Man!  Apparently he’s there on an Infantry course – before returning here again.

            He managed to get home for a couple of hours and Mother of course got such a shock on seeing him that she was bad all the afternoon!  As it happened Dad was in London visiting his father who was 79 that day, and of course he missed him.  He’s going to try to get some more leave after the course has finished.

            Had two letters from mother, about sixty of these pages I should think, full of news.  My Uncle Tom (mother’s younger sister’s husband) was blasted by bombs in London and again in Canterbury – and three doctors and a couple of Specialists say he can’t last more than another two months, as being blasted has brought out a latent tubercular germ.

            I’m sorry I can’t write you a more newsy letter, Darling, but it just isn’t ‘on’.  I should be able to give you something more definite in a week’s time.

            Must close here, Precious.

                        Goodnight, Chotie darling

                                                Yours always

                                                            Dicker

P.S. Ronnie is still worrying me about that polyfoto!

                                   

*Mechelen (Malines) between Antwerp and Brussels.

During the German occupation Malines or Mechelen was a Nazi transit camp.  More than 25,000 Jews from Belgium were transported to concentration camps including Auschwitz death camp. Presumably Dick knew nothing of this recent history…

 

© Chotie Darling

First Visit to Izegem? - Saturday 25th November 1944

61^st Recce Regt

RAC BLA.

Saturday Nov 25^th

Chotie Darling,

                                                I’m afraid this will be a short note as I’m up to my eyes in work, fixing up billets for the Squadron – civvy* billets.

            I can’t tell you where I am, but hope to be able to give you more griff when next I write.

            I’m afraid I won’t receive any of your letters for at least another week – I haven’t had any for about four days now.

            Ronnie has found out I’m writing you and wants a polyfoto, please…..

            Lovely weather and a very pleasant little town we’re in – so everyone’s happy.  I’m not far from the place where Madeleine** lives so I’ll pop over and return the Mozart she lent me.

            Must close here precious

                                                            All my love Darling

                                                                        Dicker

 

*civilian billets - lodgings with the local population.

**Madeleine Gervaert Madeleine Gervaert lived at Oudenaarde, the town south of Gent Dick had liberated with 61^st Recce, so Dick was now in Belgium again, possibly at Izegem

© Chotie Darling 

 

By 25^th November

Chotie’s unit had moved to Barrow-on-Humber, Lincolnshire.

 

It seems probable that she was stationed at the Barrow Haven anti-aircraft battery Barrow Haven anti-aircraft battery designed to protect Hull.

Kingston-on-Hull, a major port, was the target of many Luftwaffe attacks, particularly in the early part of the war, with hundreds of people losing their lives.  It appears V1s and V2s could reach Hull (see People's War website) and they may have been the focus of the Practice Camp at Bude that Chotie attended.

 

Antwerp, Menuhin and Shaw- Tuesday 7th November 1944

                                                                                                                        As usual

Tuesday Nov 7^th

Chotie Darling,

                                    As I’ve forgotten what I wrote you in my last letter, I thought I’d better write you again.

            At the moment of writing this I’m listening to Mendelsohn’s Violin Concerto, which is being played by Menuhin and a very masterly performance it is*.  This probably accounts for my happy frame of mind.

            I’ve now settled down after my 48hrs leave which left me rather weak as you can well imagine.

            I had quite a happy time as there’s plenty doing there – shows, cinemas, night-clubs etc, etc, not to mention the Cathedral and several museums and art galleries.  Unhappily 48 hrs is all too short to really ‘do’ the town.  You need four or five days at least.

            I had the unenviable job of driving the party there in a three-tonner – a distance of about 120 miles each way on pretty grim roads.  However we made it – much to everyone’s surprise – including my own.

            The shops are fun and already very ‘Xmassy’ – though everything’s too dear for the local population.  Service men with plenty of money are lashing out as usual.

            Plenty of women’s services there – especially ATS.  Saw hundreds of them – and plenty of nurses, of course.

            Cafés are full of cream cakes, ice-cream and the inevitable acorn coffee.  Needless to say I made a complete pig of myself on this score.

            Spent a happy evening yesterday with the local Burgomaster** - sitting in front of his fire reading Shaw’s ‘Man and Superman’***.

            The countryside is very pleasant now – very autumnal with a pale wintry sun shining on the willows which line all the dykes.  I expect it’s very beautiful where you are – though it’ll be a bit nippy later on.  I had hoped to make the Black Forest**** for the Autumn….

            Must close here to get some work done.

                                    All my love, Darling

                                                            Dicker.

 

*see Yehudi Menuhin, the American (later British) violinist, playing Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto in E minor.

** the local chief magistrate.

***a play written by George Bernard Shaw in 1903 on the theme of Don Juan.

****a wooded mountain range in south-western Germany.

© Chotie Darling

"First break since the 6th June" - Friday 3rd November 1944

WAR DIARY of 61 Recce Regt RAC November 1944

– Lt Col P.H.A. Brownrigg

Date 3^rd – 9th          Place WINSSEN

‘The Regiment still remains at WINSSEN.  It has rained continuously since the beginning of the month so the unit’s first break since the 6^th June comes at a good time.  Despite the weather, many games of football and hockey have been played.

Place ZETTEN

In the Zetten area all is quiet, any aggressive intentions the enemy may have had in that area have apparently gone.’

 

 

Letter written on Friday 3rd November 1944

61^st Recce Regt RAC

BLA.

Friday Nov 3^rd

Chotie Darling,

                                    Of all places to write you from I find myself in a palatial hotel in Antwerp – where I’m spending my 48 hrs leave.  I arrived here at about 3 pm yesterday having had to drive the party here myself in a three-tonner – no mean task in itself as it took about five hours.

            Couldn’t do much yesterday as, by the time I’d got things teed up it was dark and it’s pretty deadly finding your way about in a strange town in the dark.

            Had a walk round the shops this morning – but didn’t see anything worth buying.  I did eventually buy three little books – on Degas, Rembrandt & da Vinci respectively – very good.  I’ll send them on to you if you’ll keep them for me.

            It’s quite a pleasant town with plenty doing.  It’s now nearly mid-night and I’ve been around this evening – ‘bout a dozen night clubs cabaret shows, etc so you can well imagine I’ve pretty well had it.

            The two other officers I came with are pretty deadly – go for ENSA* Shows, etc so I went for the night-clubs (full of Yanks, Canucks**, Poles, ATS Canuck WAACs etc) and saw a few Belgian strip-tease acts, etc.  Aren’t I awful!

            The prices are murder! but to counteract this, drinks in the Officers’ Hotel I’m staying in are very cheap – five francs for a cognac against 60 outside, etc.

            Why is it, as soon as I get drunk I always feel like packing up and writing to you?  It’s always the same.  Must be some psychological reason for it.

            Must close here, Darling – will write you in the more sober light of tomorrow,

                                                            All my love

                                                                                    Dicker

 

*ENSA stood for the ‘Entertainments National Service Association’, which provided entertainment for the British Forces during World War 2.  It was popularly known as an acronym for ‘Every Night Something Awful’.

**Canadians

 © Chotie Darling

 

Chotie was now based at 6^th Hy (M)A.A. Practice Camp

at Cleve near Bude in Cornwall

RAF Cleave was an experimental and training establishment for anti-aircraft gunners on an exposed clifftop near Bude, near the northernmost point of Cornwall.

Zetten, Winssen and Opheusden

WAR DIARY of 61 Recce Regt RAC November 1944

– Lt Col P.H.A. Brownrigg

Date 1^st-2^nd   Place ZETTEN

‘ “A” Squadron continued to hold their positions at ZETTEN.  The area is quiet apart from spasmodic mortaring and shelling and the only extra commitment is the daily Armoured Car patrol to OPHEUSDEN.  This battered village is unoccupied, abandoned by the enemy and only entered daily by our cars, an American and usually a German patrol.  The entire area is heavily mined (Schu-mines* mainly), and the Americans suffer almost daily casualties from them.

                   Place WINSSEN

The remainder of the regiment are resting at WINSSEN, overhauling equipment and cleaning up etc.

*German anti-personnel mine with a wooden body making it difficult to detect with metal detectors.

 

Dick was in Antwerp, Belgium

from the 2^nd to the 4^th November 1944

when he returned to Winssen.

 

WAR DIARY of 61 Recce Regt RAC November 1944

– Lt Col P.H.A. Brownrigg

Date 1^st-2^nd   Place ZETTEN

‘ “C” Squadron relieved “A” today.  The relief was unfortunately marred by a stray mortar bomb which burst alongside a “C” Squadron carrier killing 1 Other Rank and wounding 4.

 

61^st Recce Roll of Honour includes the 'Other Rank' who died on 3rd November 1944:

          Trooper Frederick Stanley Ronald Smith (age 28) from Collier’s Wood, Surrey   

who is laid to rest in the Arnhem Oosterbeek War Cemetery. 

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

We will remember them.

My Turn Next - 18th October 1944

61^st Recce Regt RAC

BLA.

Wednesday October 18^th

Chotie Darling,

                                    Nothing much to write about I’m afraid, but here goes in reply to yours of the 12^th.

            Weather has been very variable of late, but after a bad start this morning things have cleared up no end, and this afternoon it’s sunny – in fact, autumn at its best.

            Was very pleased to read that you were on leave again and that Mary* was home at the same time.  I expect you had plenty to talk about….

            I had some rather bad news yesterday.  My old friend “Chunky**” was killed in the Falaise Gap, some time ago though I’ve only just heard.  It’s very sad for his wife (whom I met once in London) as they’d only been married some 18 months or so, and Chunky of course, has spent all that time in the Army.  They had a baby son David, who was about a year old.  I’m the only one of the trio left, so it’s my turn next.

            Just received a letter from Brinner.  He’s still at Base but it appears he may have to go into the Infantry – which won’t do my nerves any good, as the Officer Casualty rate with them is appalling.

            Reference ‘demobbing’ I make the 32 group and Brinner the 42 group so we both beat you – Yah!

            Haven’t shot any Germans lately or anything else of interest.  We’ve been working all the time but haven’t had many encounters.

            The NAAFI van*** has just turned up – for the first time since Normandy and even now, they’ve got no tobacco.  Apart from what Brinner can get at his RHU, I get nothing at all.  Makes me mad to think of it, especially when people in England imagine that the fighting soldier gets everything he needs.  We’re always hearing talk of “Officer Shops” but in four months over here I haven’t been able to buy a collar stud even!

            Must close here, Precious to do some work on the car.  

                                    All my love, Darling

                                                Dicker.

 

*Mary Dakin, Chotie’s best friend at home.  

**Chunky, the 5 ft 2” tall ex chef of the Trocadero in London, shared a room with Dick and Brian ’the Ham’ when they were training to be officers in summer 1943. 

***Reg Harper describes “the occasional appearance of ‘Towrope’ Joe Meredith with the NAAFI truck …his opening gambit puffing smoke from his pipe – ‘Sorry Corporal, no pipe tobacco.  Stuff it with Woodbines; we have plenty of bootlaces, blanco, brasso, etc!’  So I settled for toothpaste.”  (From ‘Beaten Paths are Safest’ by Roy Howard, Brewin Books 2004)

 © Chotie Darling

 

 

POSTCARD of town with canal and bridge – 18th October 1944

Wednesday

Chotie,

Visited ….. town house!  H(?)….. but quite a pleasant little picture.  Teutonic pseudo-Georgian (?).  Have sent a letter with this card so you’ll prob… get both at once.  Just had some tabac from Belgium so the wolf temporarily ceases to lurk at the door lock.                 Richard