Chotie Darling

The Paras - late June 1941

 M.T. Section, HQ Company,

Fort Brockhurst, Gosport, Hants.

My Darling Chotie,

                                    I'm writing once again, as I have a few minutes off duty.

            I am making every effort to get into the Parachutists.  Apparently, there are a few openings in that direction, at any rate for the moment.  It should be a smashing life, if I can get in. 

            We had a marvellous time on Monday at the Sports.  George and I won the Wheelbarrow Race!  We only decided to enter for the fun of it, a few hours before the start.  No one was more surprised than us!  We got a couple of bob each in the form of a voucher in the NAAFI. 

            I managed to get a second in the Quarter Mile, only just losing first place.  I also got four bob for that. 

            There's very little news. The outlying companies are on the move again.  If I get a transfer anywhere, I'll either go to Lee or Hurn*, both better than this as regards getting home.

             I can't see any chance of getting home for some little time - probably not until my Seven Days.  It's rotten luck, but there's nothing I can do about it.  Still, things may turn for the better.  One never knows.

             Isn't the war marvellous?  Fritz will be bottled up in another couple of months**.  I'll be home for Christmas, and it won't be leave!  What a time we'll have then.  All you've got to do is earn enough money to keep both of us.  How does that suit you? 

              At the moment, John is slanging me for joining the Paratroops***.  He's going red in the face, saying I want to commit suicide or some twaddle like that.  We shall see. I'll turn up like the proverbial bad penny, all right after this show.

             Well, Darling, I must write home, as I haven't written for some little time. 

                                                            Bye, Bye, Darling,

                                                            Love you more than ever,

                                                                        All yours

                                                                                    Dicker

*Lee-on-Solent or Hurn, near Bournemouth

**Presumably news of Operation Barbarossa, the German invasion of Russia, had resulted in this hope.

***The Paratroops:

In the early days of the war every man who applied to undergo parachute training was a volunteer.  “The promise of a touch of glamour and higher pay that the Parachute Regiment provided, ensured that there was never a shortage of men ready to volunteer.”

There was resentment from the rest of the Army regarding those who left for the Airborne Forces - why should good units lose first-class men whom they sorely needed? Lieutenant-General Sir Brian Horrocks (later Dick’s commander in XXX Corps) lamented that it was always the natural leaders who volunteered for these “special cloak and dagger private armies ….In these special formations... each leader represented only himself as they were all of the same type; but in his regiment he was worth almost a whole section, for he was the man the others would follow." However, Brigadier Richard Gale argued that “for peculiarly hazardous operations demanding an exceptionally high physical and moral standard one must rely on the volunteer.”

© Chotie Darling

 

26th June 1941 - Hungary entered the war against Russia with the Axis powers.

 

Copy of Record    SERVICE AND CASUALTY FORM

27/6/41          Granted W.P.P.*

* Weekend Privilege Pass?           

Chotie and Dick met up in late June/early July,

possibly for the weekend of 27^th and 28^th June

and then maybe for Dick’s Seven Days leave.

However, he appears to have joined the Intelligence section

in the week commencing 7^th July 1941 or earlier.

Out to lunch - Wednesday 18th and Thursday 19th June 2011

MT Section, HQ Company

Fort Brockhurst, Gosport, Hants

My Darling Chotie,

                                                                        I'm sorry I haven't written before but have been very busy for the last few days, working nights as well. There's so little news to tell you, as usual.          

              It's been very hot today (and yesterday) - scorching in fact.  Unfortunately, I haven't been able to sunbathe, the only thing to do in this weather... I always was pretty lazy! Beachcombing in Tahiti is my true métier!  What about it, after I get out...? You'd have to wear a sarong... You won't have much to lose, then...

            Wouldn't it be marvellous, though!  Just think of it - live on bananas & things.  Wear pyjamas and a bandit's hat, roll your own cheroots, and sink a drop of Bourbon or Rye...

           To change this too-good-to-be-true subject - there's going to be a Regimental Sports on Monday, and feeling bold I've entered for the Mile.  I expect to withdraw in about the 2nd lap. However, I'm doing a bit of training so may last to the 3rd. Time will show… There's a Lance Corporal here who comes from the 5^th Battalion where he broke their 100 yds record.  I did a bit of training with him tonight.  He's pretty mustard.

            The Colour Sergeant took my name for the leave roster today, so I shall get another Seven Days in about six weeks or so. Maybe.…  I hope to get home for a weekend soon but things are very difficult at the moment.  This week is out of the question I'm afraid.                                                               

                                                        Bye, bye My Darling,

                                                                                    All yours

                                                                                                Dicker.

PS.      Love you.

Thursday

            As I expected to see you today, I didn't post this letter - and so I'm writing a bit more.

            I had to go to Bournemouth with the Second-in-Command Major Miles.  We went on to Poole and he gave me half an hour or so for dinner, so of course I went home.  Coming through Bournemouth on the way back he went home (he lives at Southbourne) which gave me some ten minutes or so.  I tried to phone you, as you know by now, but unfortunately you were out somewhere.  It was dinnertime...  Just our luck.          

            Still, I'll manage to see you soon - never fear. I shall certainly get my Seven Days on time.  Probably in about six or seven weeks.           

            I did my best mileage to date today – 12.8.  It surprised me what a strain it is - especially when you're not used to it.                

            I must close here as I have no more paper.

                                                           All of my love Chotie Darling,

                                                                                    Dicker

PS.      Love you, Love you, Love you.

© Chotie Darling

 

22nd June 1941 – start of Operation Barbarossa, Germany’s (surprise) invasion of Russia.

Private Williams

Copy of Record

Statement of Service             Army No. 5731671             Richard Kelner WILLIAMS

THE DORSETSHIRE REGIMENT

Order 113/41     70^th Y.S. Bn    Reverts at own request           Rank Pte     7-6-41

 

CERTIFICATE

CERTIFIED that I wish to revert to the rank of Private at my own

request and not in order to escape trial by Court Martial.

 

Gosport.                    RKWilliams Corporal

                              70^th (YS) Bn. The Dorset Regiment

 

                    COUNTERSIGNED

                                        MR.Steel          Lieutenant-Colonel,

Gosport          Comdg. 70^th (YS) Bn. The Dorsetshire Regiment.

 

8^th June 1941 - Allied forces invaded Syria and the Lebanon.

 

 

Letter posted Monday 9th June 1941

 

 ‘D’ Company

Fort Brockhurst, Gosport.

My Darling Chotie,

                                                                 Thanks a million for the letter.  I've only just got it as I suppose it was held up at Soton.

           Well, Honey, I've got some news this week!  I'm now a private again.

           I got so utterly fed up with this Battalion, that I sent in an application to the Old Man to revert to the ranks.  He refused, saying he considered me better as an NCO, than as a private.  He then asked me why I wished to revert, so I let him have it!

           I told him I'd sooner serve as a Mess Orderly in a fighting unit than a Sergeant-Major in this. That shook ‘ee!

            He asked me whether I'd like to go on MT*, driving, probably on a motor-bike, should there be a vacancy.  I told him I would, so may start there soon.  At any rate I'll get a transfer.

           I told the Old Man that all the NCOs did here was to wet-nurse a lot of kids who should be in the Boy Scouts.

            So here I am.  Being a Private will give me a wonderful chance to swot up, which I intend to do.  Besides, driving is more fun than fooling about in barracks, etc.  I shall probably break my neck, but that's how it goes.

            (Don't forget to address all correspondence to Private name & number)

           Will you still love me as a private, Darling?  That's all I'm worried about.

            George was going to chuck his in, but he's got some sick leave, so I don't know much about it.

            I went to the Coliseum at Portsmouth, yesterday, and saw a Strip-Tease Act.  The compere said “The more you applaud, the more she takes off.”! Did the boys give her a hand!  I went with John and Ted Rendall, - we nearly killed ourselves laughing.

 

Later   The only good thing at this place is the showers.  They're hot almost always.  I've just had one, after dinner, and do I feel ‘in the pink’!  I could kill an ox.

            Well, Darling I must close here, with all my love.  Please write and tell me you still think of me now & then.

                                                                        Bye, bye, Darling

                                                                                    Your own loving hubby,

                                                                                                Dicker.

* M.T. = Mechanical Transport

 

Dick was in the Mechanical Transport Section of HQ Company

(still in the 70^th Dorsets) for the rest of June 1941

 

14th June 1941 – America freezes the assets of German, Italy and Axis occupied countries.

18th June 1941 - Turkey signs a 10 year non-aggression pact with Germany. Free French forces occupy Damascus, the capital of Syria.

Fort Brockhurst, Gosport - Friday 6th June 1941

      5731671 Cpl Williams RK.

‘D’ Company, 70^th (YS) Bn Dorsets.

Fort Brockhurst, Gosport, Hants.

My Darling Chotie,

                                                Just a few brief lines to let you know I'm OK, etc, and give you the new address. I’m still on Ord. Sergeant, and consequently don't have one minute to spare all day.  I'm up at 5.30 and generally don't get to bed before eleven.  I’m afraid I can’t write much as I only have a few minutes to spare.

            As you will see from the address we are in an ancient fort*, built I understand in the Napoleonic days.

            Things on the whole ain’t so bad, but discipline is very hot.  There’s a tremendous amount of spit and polish…which isn’t exactly to my liking.

           I haven’t been outside billets for eight days which also hasn’t been much fun. But that’s the army anyway...just think of that chicken farm!

 

            I started to write this letter in ink, but was called away by the CSM. Since then my pen’s disappeared, mysteriously...some -------‘s got it.

           I haven’t had a letter from you (or from home) as I believe some fool of an officer at Southampton is holding them up.  The rat...

           It’s raining like hell at the moment (9 pm).  Before going to bed tonight, I've got to take First Post (9.30) - and also Company Roll call, Last Post (10.0) - which is also a Staff Parade when I have to report the Company present or otherwise to the Orderly Officer, and then see that all lights are out at 10.15.  After this I have to call a roll of all NCOs in the Company at 10.30.  After that I may with luck get straight to bed.  I'm then called by the Guard at 5.30 the next morning...

            I'm afraid I can't write any more, Honey, as I've only got a few minutes before First Post.  I come off the Ord Sgt on Friday so will write you a nice long letter then.

                                                                        Bye, bye, Darling,

                                                                                    Your own loving

                                                                                                Dicker.

PS. Love you lots - more than ever....xxxxxxxxxxx

* Fort Brockhurst was built to protect Portsmouth against French invasion but in the mid-nineteenth century.  It is now open to the public as English Heritage's treasure store for the south of England - see Fort Brockhurst .

© Chotie Darling