Southampton - Wednesday 12th March 1941

Chotie Darling

 

Part 1 The Blue Cockade

 

Chapter 3 Guarding England – spring

 

Dedicated to the memory of my mother

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

 

 

Dick was still a Corporal in ‘D’ company

of the 70^th ('Young Soldiers') Battalion of the Dorset Regiment

 

March 1941 – jam, syrup and treacle also now rationed.

1^st March 1941 – Bulgaria joins the Tripartite Pact with Germany, Italy and Japan.

 

10^th March 1941

Dick, still a Corporal in ‘D’ company

70^th Battalion of the Dorset Regiment,

appears to have moved to Southampton around this time.

 

11^th March 1941 - The Lend-Lease Act was approved in the US. Through this programme the USA supplied the Allies with more than 40 billion dollars of war materials. Less than one quarter of this ‘loan’ was ever repaid.

 

‘D’ Company 70th Dorsets

Girls Grammar School

Southampton, Hants.

Chotie,

                                                                        Well, here I am Darling, writing at my first opportunity just to let you know I arrived here safely and to let you know the address. 

           I don’t know whether it’s official or not but as no one ever knows the address for days after we move, I always invent my own, which is generally more or less correct & which always seems to reach me anyhow.

            I’m in the N.A.F.F.I. in our billets, which is pretty good – plenty of everything including chocolate(!) and beer!

            There was a lecture this evening for NCO’s by the Colonel.  He kept us waiting for 1½ hours and then spoke for 10 mins.  I suppose it’s a C.O.’s privilege rather like a woman’s….

            This is the first ‘breather’ I’ve had for 2 days.  We’ve been hard at it solidly.  At the first rest I go for a beer and writing pad.

            I miss you an awful lot, Darling.  Much more than I can hope to tell you.  It’s hell going away again.  It’s hard to say how long we’ll be here.  I think we’ll be going back to Salisbury soon. 

            There was a terrific raid here last night. It lasted from 7pm to 3 this morning.  Since then we’ve had six alerts.

 

            Leave from here will be out of the question, I think.  We also have a Guard, which means more work, and greater difficulty in getting in at night.  However, we must look on the bright side.  I may be able to get a 48 hr or even a seven days in the next few weeks.

           I’m afraid I must close here, Darling as there’s more work to do.  It’s now 8 o’clock!

                                                            all my love, Precious

                                                                                    Dicker

PS I’ll write again tomorrow.  I’ll get more time then.

© Chotie Darling

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