10th April 1941– severe incendiary bombing of Poole suburbs including Broadstone, Upper Parkstone and Canford Cliffs. Water supplies were used up by fire fighting in the lower part of the town so there was no mains water to dowse the blaze at the Canford Cliffs Hotel which burnt to the ground. (The converted remains of the stable block behind the hotel accommodate The Cliff pub and the flat where Chotie was to live for 44 years).
Bournemouth was also bombed that night and several people were killed by the bombing .
11th April 1941 – Incendiary bombing and machine gun attacks in the Poole suburbs of Broadstone and Corfe Mullen.
13th April 1941– bombing of Upton, near Poole. A Heinkel crash landed at Lydlinch in North Dorset.
(Extracts 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).
13th April 1941 – Russia signs a neutrality pact with the Japanese.
14th April 1941 – Rommel besieges Tobruk, a key port in Libya.
17th April 1941 – Yugoslavia fell to Germany.
18th April 1941 – Britain warns Italy they will attack Rome if Cairo is bombed.
19th April 1941 – British forces land in southern Iraq.
Southampton
Tuesday
My Darling Little Chotie,
As promised I'm writing as soon as possible. To cut a long story short, the Board failed me because I'd done too much service on P.T. and couldn’t therefore have enough military knowledge!
I was that mad when I heard, I could have rushed from here to there but now having cooled off somewhat I don't care twopence.
Last night I went to the Bellemoor* to drown my sorrows with John and a few others. On getting back to get to bed, however, I found I hadn't got my petrol lighter. Half crazed with grief, I rushed back to the Bellemoor to see if it was left there, despite the fact that it was after Roll-call. It wasn't there. I almost cried. Some time later John comes in and casually gives it to me saying that he had pinched it from my pocket. I was so relieved; it left me a physical wreck.
I realised then, Darling, that every thing connected with you means far more than anything this world has to offer, least of all commissions. If only I could tell you how much you really do mean to me, Tootsie. It makes the Army seem so insignificant.
At the present rate things are going, it should be all over in six months to a year. Just wait ‘till then...
I mustn't write any more Darling, as I have to make out a pass for my Seven Days. I doubt if I'll get it now as things appear to be bad in that direction. But, here's hoping.
Bye, bye Darling,
Take care,
Your loving Dicker.
P.S. Vous êtes le lait dans mon thé,
Ce n’est pas possible de vivre sans toi!**
(all my own work!)
S.W.A.L.K.** etc!
* the Bellemoor Tavern in Shirley, Southampton
** “You’re the milk in my tea, it’s not possible to live without you!”
*** acronym for “Sealed with a loving kiss”.
© Chotie Darling
24th April 1941 – German forces advance into Egypt.
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