Chotie Darling

Action around Parkstone - Friday 27th September 1940

Bemerton

Friday

My darling Chotie,

            Thank you, Darling, for the letters & tobacco you sent.  It came just at the right time, when I was out of tobacco, and completely broke, but no more sweetheart, as your love is all I ask for.

            It seems that you have been having a lot of action around Parkstone.  I only wish we could have a little de temps en temps.  However, I expect we’ll have enough of it before we’re finished.

            There’s no news lately.  I rather think I can get a transfer back to the ranks soon – which is all I ask for at the moment.  I'm gradually getting back to duty.  I’m on Fire Piquet tonight, which means I have eleven privates under me on the watch for fires.  It also means I can't get out all night. 

            I'm going to see the Major again in a couple of weeks’ time.  If I don't get recommended to see the Colonel I'm going to fall on my bayonet in true Roman style.  I believe in King's Regulations, one can demand to see the Commanding Officer of the Battalion.  If this is the case, I shall do so, and see what happens.  My one present motive is to get back to duty in the ranks and away from P.T. Then I can really start towards a commission. 

            I've been under the M.O. for the last four days with sore throat, headaches etc.  Someone left my kit out in the rain when I was at Quidhampton, and consequently I slept between wet (damp) blankets, which never does one a lot of good, especially when it’s as cold as it has been lately.  This morning for instance, we could write our names on the inside of the tents in the frost!

            This being Friday night and as I'm in the N.A.A.F.I. everyone here is half soaked, some really tight!  They're always broke by Sunday night.  I generally last out to Tuesday.

Well, Darling I must close now to get some sleepy byebyes.

             Still loving you all that’s possible,

                                                    Your adoring hubby

                                                                        Dicker

© Chotie Darling, 2010

 

On 27th September 1940 Germany, Italy and Japan signed a tri-partite agreement and Japan joined the Axis Powers.

Bemerton Hut - Tuesday 24th September 1940

Bemerton

Tuesday

My Darling

                                                        Thanks for the letter.  As usual, it cheered me up not a little. Hope you're still getting along OK at little old Parkstone - I'm getting on all right here, but am unfortunately still on P.T.

            I believe I told you that I am now definitely in ‘K’ company and not just attached to them as I was before.  I don't know whether it will happen to me, but I believe everyone here is being transferred to the Hampshire Regiment.  Members of ‘H’ and ‘G’ companies have already signed transfer papers.  This, however, I am definitely not going to tolerate.  Imagine me, a Dorset man (?), being in the Hants!  They're going to have a job to get me to transfer.  But as yet, I've heard nothing really definite.

            I went to another dance here at Bemerton last night.  Apparently there was an ATS girl here who comes from Poole.  Everyone immediately chases around for me, but unfortunately(?) I was at that moment buying my Sergeant a whisky at the Conservative Club over the road – (and me a Liberal!) and par conséquent I never met her.

             However, she couldn't have had anything on you, darling as I told Eric afterwards.  No one in the world has anything on his Jean according to him.  But that's only because he's never seen you.

             I shall put in for my seven days after next weekend.  How long can you hang on for?  I hope indefinitely, as everything is very shaky as regards leave.

             Eric and I are at the moment at Bemerton Hut which is rather like the club - only there are no women.  We use it for dances and as a recreation room each evening.  Here I can sit at ease, smoke my pipe and read ‘The Field’ and ‘Country Life’.  Just another couple of papers that make life a little more pleasant.

             Poor Eric was on another charge - this time when he was acting as Company Orderly Corporal, and was found in bed at 6.30 am - a crime in the army.  I swore he was out there, however, when he was up in front of the Camp Commandant – and managed to clear him.

             Well, as usual, Darling I have no news of any real interest or importance - so I will close now, to get back and scrounge some supper.

             And just in case you need reassuring (?) I love you now more than ever before, and also miss you more.

                                                                        your adoring

                                                                                        Dicker

© Chotie Darling, 2010

The Rising Sun, Salisbury - 21st and 22nd September 1940

Saturday 21^st and Sunday 22nd September 1940

Salisbury

Wilts

My Darling Cho,

                                    I’m endeavoring to write this in ‘The Rising Sun ' a notorious pub in Salisbury.  There's a hell of a row on here.  The place is full of Uniforms of every description, Polish etc.  I don't suppose you'll be able to read this.  This is my first evening out for over a week.

             I have however some encouraging news this time.  I saw the Major a few days ago.  He’s going to recommend me for a commission in a month’s time.  That is of course, to see the Colonel.  If I pass him, I'll be OK.  The trouble is, however, passing the Colonel.

             As you probably know, all leave has been cancelled.  I can't even get a Sunday pass.  I'll let you know however, if there is any change.

             How terrible it seems, Darling.  You're so near and yet so far.  I'm dying to see you again, if only for a few minutes.  It's just impossible to say how much I miss you, Chotie - but I think of you all the time.  I'm afraid I love you too much to express myself in words.  I hope you can understand and realise Cho. 

 And I'm not tight (yet...).  I hope to be, however, in an hour's time.  I shall be flat broke by Monday as usual -- we always are.

             I'll write some more tomorrow, which I hope will be a genuine day of rest.

 

 Sunday afternoon.

            Du Rose & myself are in the tent at the moment, it’s raining, and we have the afternoon off.  We are endeavoring to recover from last night's spree, having had a hell of a hangover this morning.  We had to go to Church Parade at 9 o'clock this morning, which was rather a blow to us as everything has to be just so.  We managed it, however, without passing out.

             As you may know, all soldiers have to be in billets or barracks by the 30th inst - which means to say we have to move by next week.  There has been a lot of talk lately of Southampton.  This would, I think, be preferable to this place, as there is a little more life and what is much more important, I should be nearer home. 

             I only hope leave will be resumed soon.  I'll be able to get my seven days then.

             I'm afraid I've nothing more of any interest darling except that I still love you all that's possible.  I hope you're being a good girl whilst I'm away.  Eric and I have sworn oaths never to look at another girl.  He has a Jean in Birmingham.

 Well bye bye for now Darling.

 God bless you and keep you safe until I can come and look after you again.

                            Your adoring

                                            Dicker

© Chotie Darling, 2010

"Birmingham urchins" - 18th September 1940

Posted on Wednesday 18th September 1940

Bemerton

Wiltshire

My Darling,

                                                                                                       What’s happened to you!  Haven’t heard from you for ages.  I thought you must at least be pushing up the daisies by now.

     Well Darling, I’m still fed up (as usual) and trying hard to get a transfer.  Du Rose, Gammage and myself are still being chased by the RSM.  My God, what a life we get.  It’s just an existence.

            He managed to get du Rose on two charges in the same day last week, but Eric, who is almost a BA put up a lawyer’s defence and the cases were dismissed.  It was a narrow shave, though.

I’d rather hoped that we would have been stripped, in which case I should have reverted and gone back to the ranks.  At the moment none of us care either way.  If du Rose would, I know I should.

            I’ve been reading rather a lot, having enjoyed immensely Adrian Bell’s ‘Corduroy’ and having fought, I think rather unsuccessfully, with James Cabell’s ‘Jurgen’.  I also read a Penguin (these are all penguins) entitled ‘Murder at the ‘Varsity’ ’* in which the murderer, an elderly scholastic University Lecturer, has a passion for Rabelais! – which I suppose only goes to show what Rabbi can do for you.              

        I hope you will excuse this scrawl but as I write less, so my écriture** depreciates.  I’m afraid I get duller and duller in my present company.  My former touch with ‘Les Belles Lettres’ now seems to elude me.  I often misquote Shakespeare.  An unpardonable sin.  However, I rival University Dons on the ‘Immortal Bard’ when half tight; so perhaps it’s not as bad as I make it appear.              

            At present I’m sleeping in du Rose’s tent with six Birmingham urchins – and what amazing blokes they are.  Nothing seems to get them down.  They grumble about everything one moment, and are exceptionally cheerful the next.  Their language is amazing.  They all appear to live for “tabs” (cigarettes) and kypher (skirt) and come back to the tent late at night and recount all their luck and experiences until the early hours.  Needless to say it’s all very interesting.

        Du Rose is something of a swimmer.  He is the present Midland Champ and has swum against Wainwright*** a score of times. 

 

        It’s now Tuesday afternoon & I still haven’t heard from you.  Mother wrote on Tuesday last but I only received the letter on Monday.  It had gone all the way to Warmwell although it had the Bemerton address. 

        Well Darling I must close now, still loving you more than ever    

                                                    Your devoted

                                                                        Dicker

PS Write soon.

PPS. I’ve just received your letter.

                        All is forgiven!

                                                            Dicker

* Adrian Bell was an English rural journalist and farmer – ‘Corduroy’ recounts his early experience of farming.  James Cabell was an American author of fantasy fiction.  His best known book ‘Jurgen’ was the subject of an obscenity trial soon after publication.  ‘Murder at the ‘Varsity’ ‘ is by Richard Wilson Webb, and English detective writer.

**French for handwriting.

***Norman Wainwright was a British Olympic swimmer.  At the 1938 Empire Games in Sydney he was in the gold medal winning freestyle 4 x 220 yards relay team.

© Chotie Darling, 2010

 

19^th September 1940 – the German Fleet assembled to bring their troops to Britain for the invasion was dispersed.

CSM Gurd - 10th to 12th September 1940

Tuesday 10^th, Wednesday 11^th and Thursday 12th September 1940

Bemerton

Tuesday

My Darling Chotie,

 

                            Thanks for your very prompt reply to my letter.  You don’t know how wonderful it is to receive letters from you, Darling.  It always cheers me up a lot.

 

         When I think of your glorious hair, your adorably kissable mouth, it makes me weep to think I’m so near, and ‘encore si loin’.  However, Dearest, as Shakespeare says ‘There’s a divinity that shapes our ends, rough-hew them how we will.’  How really true that is. 

 

        We’ve had rather a time for the past few days.  The C.S.M. here now, is a brute.  He’s about 6ft 3, with shaven hair and the appearance and conduct of a Prussian.

 

Now at the moment we have a trio.  There’s du Rose (L’cpl), Gammage (also L’cpl) and myself, and everything we do, (or anywhere we go), is always done together.

 

Enter tragedy.

 

    Gurd, (that’s the C.S.M’s name) is doing his best to make life merry hell for us, and is making a good job of it.  He’s had du Rose on three charges this week already, Gammage on one, and myself on one.  Now what makes him mad is that each time the cases have been dismissed.

 

There was a good show yesterday.  In the morning, du Rose was walking to his tent, with his tunic undone, (which is permissible when off duty) when Gurd jumped on him, bawling:

“Corporal du Rose, what the  -  hell are you doing with your tunic undone?”!, and looking at du Rose’s stripes said, “I’ll have those down, as sure as my name’s CSM Gurd”!

 Now during the afternoon, du Rose and I were walking along past the tennis courts, when Gammage, who was about fifty yards behind us bawled out “du Rose, what the  -  hell are you doing with your tunic undone" etc. in a perfect imitation of Gurd’s voice, when who should come out from the tennis-courts but Gurd himself, in company with several other senior Warrant Officers.  I’ve seldom seen a man get so mad.  He literally fumed.  Ever since then he’s jumped on us for the slightest thing.

 

We went to a Regimental Dance last night and spent our last halfpenny.  It was held at Bemerton about a hundred yards from the camp.  There were about fifty A.T.S. women there.

 

About 10.30 off goes the siren, and we were recalled to the trenches with respirators and tin hats.  (Some of those who were well away, took the A.T.S. along with their other gear.)  Gurd, who is married, took one back to his tent and didn’t put up an appearance until this morning.

 

After about half an hour, the all-clear went and we repaired to the hall once more.  Du Rose immediately fell for a girl in pink, and Gammage and I had our work cut out to protect her honour etc.  He got quite mad when we repeatedly cut in on him.

 

Wednesday

                            I’m writing this immediately after tea.  We were all lined up on tea parade, when the sirens went and we had to retire to the trenches before getting any tea.  What abject misery!  On top of which the tea was the worst ever.

 

I’m at present in the NAAFI as du Rose has received 10/- from home, and we’re celebrating.

   

Gurd pulled us up again today.  At the moment he’s standing outside the NAAFI with his hands in his pockets.  There’s a couple here who have walked out with hands in pockets.  Gurd immediately takes his out and bawls “Three hours spud-peeling”!  What a camp.

 

Thursday Afternoon

        I’m just sitting in the tent having a smoke after a game of football. 

   

Lapse of three hours……

 

    Just as I was writing the last few lines a bloke in the next tent had an epileptic fit.  It took three of us to hold him down.  I had to ring for an ambulance and take him to hospital.  What a show!  I had the devil of a job to hold him down – I of course got no tea.

   

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

                                                                

                                                                Yours as ever

                                                                                    Dicker

PS I love you.

 

© Chotie Darling, 2010

Enter du Rose - Sunday 8th September 1940

Bemerton

Sunday evening

 

My Darling Cho,

 

    Thanks for the letter.  I’m so glad you had such a cheerful birthday.  I only wish I could have been home to spend it with you.

 

    I expect you had quite a show last night.  We didn’t get much sleep, if any.  I still don’t know what happened, and I’m afraid I don’t much care.  Once again, I’ve got fed up and am going to move heaven & earth to get back to the ranks and so on to a commission.

 

    There is only one respectable bloke here now.  Actually he’s French, and one of the few Lanerjacks left.  His name’s du Rose and he’s commission crazy.  His Old Man’s a captain and expects him to become one in next to no time. He comes from Birmingham University, where he was endeavouring to secure a B.A.

 

    We are both going to see the Major tomorrow, if we can, to find out data re junior commissions.

 

    We went on the beer last night in Salisbury ending up with a fish & chip supper.  Mon Dieu, were we merry!  Nothing was going to stop us!  We were going to see the Major on Monday and tell him just what we thought of this crowd, and also his abilities as a Major….We swore solemn oaths that nothing on this earth would stop us getting this coveted commission.

 

    I’m afraid we’ve cooled down somewhat today.  However, I do hope something really material will happen tomorrow.  “Qui sait?” as the French say.

 

    Hughes and crowd came over from Dinton on Saturday afternoon to play cricket against our team.  George, of course, was amongst them as usual.  I didn’t know he was quite so old.  He’s nearly twenty, and can I believe get a transfer then.

 

    Well, Darling, I must close now to catch the post (6.30).

 

                                                all my love,

                                                         and definitely all yours

                                                                    Dicker

 

PS.   How long can you possibly hang on with your holiday?

I can’t manage anything for a fortnight I’m afraid. Don’t forget to tell me.

                                                                    Dicker

 

© Chotie Darling, 2010

Chotie's 17th birthday - Thursday 5th September 1940

 

 

 

Bemerton

Wilts

Thursday

My Darling Cho,

 

                                    Well, Darling, I must start by wishing you Many Happy Returns of the 6^th*, and in your own words to ‘wish you everything you wish yourself’.  I think, and sincerely hope that everything will come out alright in the end, in spite of this wretched war.

 

          I hope you like the present I’m sending along with this letter.  I’m afraid it’s nothing much, but in the circumstances, you know!  However, Darling, I hope you’ll think more of the wishes (and hopes) that go with it.

 

            I was only thinking last night, of when this show’s over, and we’ll be able to settle down again…. And buy a little boat to explore the whole harbour**.  What a time that will be.

 

            I went down to the river for a swim this afternoon, soon after dinner.  As usual it’s terrifically hot to-day, much too hot to take P.T.  I am forced to have a shower about ten times a day to preserve my mental equilibrium, which I may say I nearly lost last night, when I was woken up by a veritable rain of bombs descending around. So far I’ve heard no news as to where they landed.

 

They had a Salvation Army band here in camp last night.Mercifully, I was allowed out – a blessing for which I was very thankful, though I rather think it’s the best army to be in anyway.

 

Well, I must close now Darling, for tea parade.

 

Your own devoted hubby

                                                                                        Dicker

 

* Chotie’s 17^th birthday on 6^th September 1940.

**Poole Harbour, Dorset.

  

© Chotie Darling, 2010

 

 

7^th September 1940 – start of ‘the Blitz’, night bombings on London and the Luftwaffe’s intensive bombing campaign against Britain’s cities and industries which lasted until 16^th May 1941. London was attacked on 57 consecutive nights between 7^th September and 2^nd November 1940. Over 41,000 British civilians were killed during the Blitz (included by permission of the Imperial War Museum ).

 

The Dorset Blitz - Having failed to destroy the RAF and pave the way for invasion, Hitler believed that the bombing of cities and towns would break Britain's will to resist. As far as Dorset was concerned the Blitz prompted a second wave of evacuation from London and the industrial areas of the North but even 'safe in the country' evacuees found themselves subject to bombing. 

 

The German Blitz against Dorset was not on anything like the scale of that on London or, for example, Coventry, but it did bring the war, along with death and destruction, to all parts of the county. Weymouth alone suffered forty-eight air raids in which civilians, including children, were killed and wounded as well as naval and military personnel.

 

The Dorset Constabulary recorded that approximately 4,307 heavy high explosive bombs were dropped on the county during the Blitz of which 396 failed to detonate. There were 37,007 incendiary bombs recorded as being dropped on Dorset towns and villages, along with 14,550 smaller bombs, categorised as anti-personnel (The Keep Military Museum, Dorchester).

 

A show of some sort at Bemerton - 2nd and 3rd September 1940

 

 

“K” Company

6^th Bath Dorsets

Bemerton

Wilts

My darling Cho-cho,

 

                                                I’m writing this at my first opportunity, ie Monday evening, in fulfilment of my promise.I travelled back with one of “G” Coy’s Sergeants, whom I met when boarding the bus.

 

I’ve just had an enormous meal of tea & supper combined.I had two pints of tea and one of soup. I’m not feeling so good now. The trouble was, I remarked a bottle of Worcester sauce on the table and half emptied it into my soup.  It tasted marvellous at the time, but I’m just beginning to feel the effects.

 

            I’ve spent most of today with the C.S.M.I. He’s drawing 8/6 a day as against my 2/- and I’ve been spending half my time teaching him!What an Army!

 

I’ve got to go to a show of some sort at Bemerton at 7pm.I believe it’s one of these horrible affairs for the troops.I’m expected to help maintain order as there are few N.C.O.s in camp tonight.I can already visualise a shrill soprano murdering ‘Down in the Forest’ etc!

 

            I’m afraid I must close rather abruptly for the moment, darling, as there’s a sergeant shaking me up.

 

 

            It’s now about 7 o’clock Tuesday morning. I’ve just had a shave and breakfast and feel considerably better than I did an hour ago.I went to that show last night.Pretty chronic. I walked out after twenty minutes or so.

 

I must close now, darling, as kit inspection comes off in a few minutes

 

                                    all my love

 

                                                    Dicker

 

© Chotie Darling, 2010