12th August 1944 – the Americans liberate Nantes, a large city and critical port on the River Loire near the west coast of France, and Alenҫon, north of Le Mans, becomes the first French city to be liberated by the Free French Army under General Leclerc.
After testing across the Bristol Channel the first ‘Pipe Line under the Ocean’ (PLUTO) is laid between Shanklin on the Isle of Wight and Cherbourg in France to supply fuel for the allied Liberation armies in North-West Europe. (See PLUTO http://www.shanklinchine.co.uk/pluto.php Shanklin Chine website.)
61st Recce Regt RAC
BLA.
Saturday 12th Aug.
Chotie Darling,
Have just received your letter of the 8th, for which many thanks.
I was sorry to read of your leave postponement – I take it that’s all it is, however. Is this ATS only or does it affect the whole Army? If it does I would imagine Diller will get hers, though I don’t know when she last went on leave.
You appear to like the county you’re now in, though I suppose you’ll move back before long. The last time I was in Cheltenham* was during the Sandhurst racket when I created a rumpus by spinning a Bren Gun carrier round in circles in the main street. Happy days!
You certainly seem to get your feet under the table at the slightest opportunity. As usual I suppose it’s your tummy that dictates.
I’m having the odd days ‘rest’ at the moment after a pretty busy time, so once again I can start getting organised. Actually the ‘day’s rests’ involve a vast amount of work as all the armoured cars have to be maintained, all guns taken down and cleaned and all ammo, food, water, etc replenished. It’s a good six to eight hours job, when you consider that my crews have to do their own cooking as well. However, we usually get the late afternoon and evening free which isn’t to be sneezed at.
Quite a pleasant spot here though our artillery is pretty shocking…we’re living in a continual barrage.
I was presented with a bottle of first rate brandy this morning so things are looking up. Unhappily I haven’t been able to make any local purchases for over a month so I’m milkless and butterless at the moment.
Haven’t had a chance to contact Ted** yet though I’ve been pretty near him at times.
Must close here, Darling, to have some lunch.
All my love, Chotie Dear
Dicker
* Chotie had moved to Deans Farm, Hunt Court, Shurdington near Cheltenham – although Shurdington, a village south-west of Cheltenham is heavily crossed out the first time Dick uses this address and not used subsequently (possibly because it revealed the anti-aircraft unit’s location).
The V1 and V2 rocket launching sites on the Cherbourg Peninsula, which had been prepared to fire flying bombs at Bristol, were now safely held by the Allies, as were airfields where Luftwaffe attacks had been launched on the city. Gradually Bristol’s air raid defences were stood down – by December 12th all anti-aircraft weapons in the Bristol Gun Defended Area had been declared non-operational. (From 'Bristol and the Blitz' by John ).
** Ted Lewis, Chotie's brother-in-law, was in the Coldstream Guards with the Guards Armoured Division. They landed in Normandy at the end of June, taking part in Operations Goodwood and Bluecoat and, at the time of this letter were working with the 11th Armoured Division north-east of Vire.
© Chotie Darling
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