61st Recce Regt RAC
NB New Address → B.L.A.*
July 21st
Chotie Darling,
I’m very sorry I haven’t written to you for such a long time, but the truth is that I simply haven’t had one moment to spare for days. I won’t be able to explain why owing to security reasons, so you’ll just have to believe me this once. Weather here is really miserable – almost continuous rain, day after day, and we’ve all been soaked through for nearly a week. I expect it’s the same with you. On the rare occasions that the sun does shine I have a wonderful view here, which tends to compensate a little for the everlasting mists which hang over the river valley I overlook.
I can’t explain the job we’re on at the moment, but it’s a pretty miserable one and we’ll all be glad when we get something else. We have a regular rum ration** which helps things along, especially during the night when everyone’s at their lowest ebb.
An old friend of mine was wounded last night – not seriously I’m glad to say, though he’ll be hors de combat*** for a fortnight or so. Unfortunately I can’t give any details of “incidents” until a fortnight has elapsed, so I can’t tell you anything about it.
The mail seems to be arriving a lot quicker than previously which is something to be thankful for.
I had a letter from Eric and replied a few days ago. He seems to be very well off, being stationed in London. It’s only a very short run to Sevenoaks.
Also had one from Brinner. I believe I told you he’s at home on fourteen days leave. I hope to contact him if he comes out here.
I was very pleased to read of your 24 hr effort. It was well worth it. Also pleased to hear that all at home are well, especially Margaret, at this time. Give them all my very best wishes when you write, won’t you? And wish Margaret**** many Happy Returns for me.
We had our first visit from the old NAAFI van yesterday. I got some chewing gum, razor blades etc. I get a bar of choc. and about a dozen boiled sweets every day so there’s no shortage in this respect.
Hope you received the card I sent. There’s a ban on postcards showing actual places needless to say, and there’s very little stationary of any sort out here. There seems to be a complete absence of magazines of the old pre-war type. We pick up Vichy papers in some German positions from time to time though they’re all propaganda stuff.
I was hoping to get some copies of the French “Vogue” but never seem to get to a town of any size at all. I haven’t visited anything larger than the village of Studland*****since I’ve been here, except on one occasion and then they seemed to have very little to offer.
The French people display a keen interest in women in uniform – (also women out of uniform ….) especially the French A.T.S. I saw several of them in the one large(?) town I went to. People stop in the street to stare at them.
As soon as I get my feet under the table at a farmhouse we move on somewhere else. Very disheartening. I never seem to get cracking at any one place.
This letter seems to be rambling on and on without any purpose whatsoever.
There’s simply nothing to write about without breach of security.
Anyhow I must close here to get some sleep(?) as I’ve been on my feet for 48hrs now.
All my love, Chotie Darling. I sincerely hope it won’t be long now – and then we can be together for all time.
All yours Chubby.
Dicker
*British Liberation Army
** Gordon Minney of ‘A’ Squadron (he was the rear link with Captain Chapman and was wounded in Holland) has a story of the Briquessard Wood rum ration in ‘Beaten Paths are Safest’ (Roy Howard, Brewin Books 2004).
***French – ‘outside the fight’.
****Margaret Lewis (née Chalkley)’s birthday was 26th July.
*****A very small village on Dorset’s Purbeck coast.
© Chotie Darling
61st Recce Roll of Honour includes the following who died on this day:
Trooper John ‘Enoch’ Slater (age 21) from Gregson Lane, Preston, Lancashire
who is laid to rest in the Tilly-sur-Seulles War Cemetery. He was killed in Briquessard Wood at the side of Bob Wilkinson of ‘C’ Squadron who survived. (From ‘Beaten Paths are Safest’ by Roy Howard, Brewin Books 2004)
(See 61st Recce Roll of Honour, courtesy of Recce Mitch.)
We will remember them.
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