WAR DIARY of 61 Recce Regt RAC November 1944
– Lt Col P.H.A. Brownrigg
Date 16th Place WINSSEN
‘ “A” Squadron relieved “B” today in area 6071. Orders were today received for the Regiment to take over the sector EAST of ELST from 151 Brigade. Relieving an Infantry Brigade has now ceased to be a novelty but this particular sector has extra problems as “A” Squadron are still to remain under command of 501 RCT at ZETTEN.’
Eric Brewer wrote: “Moved to base at Venssen (Winssen) in a civvy house.” (From ‘Beaten Paths are Safest’ by Roy Howard, Brewin Books 2004)
61st Recce Regt
RAC BLA
Chotie Darling
Many thanks for your last letter – which I received whilst ‘on the job’. However, I’m now in a cushy area once again so I can now reply at ease.
I was very pleased to see that you had enclosed the photos, darling – they’re very very good indeed. I’m afraid I had to part with one of them – Ronnie the ‘artist’ wanted one to keep. Don’t mind do you?
Glad to hear you got the magazine – I also thought the stuff in them pretty good.
As regards the perfume, I may be able to get some in the future – but I don’t quite know how. You see there’s nothing here – all that sort of thing is in Belgium, and I said goodbye to Belgium months ago. Also there’s the snag of changing guilders into Belgian francs – no mean task as the Field cashier is never seen within 20 miles of the ‘front’ and I’m certainly never 20 miles from it! However, I’ll see what I can do – Brinner may be able to manage something. I could have got some in Antwerp but I haven’t sufficient Belgas – only guilders.
Don’t tell Margaret, but Ted’s crowd haven’t fired a shot in anger for about 8-9 weeks!
Nothing much to do here – we’re in a little village, which is very deadly but as there’s so much to do in the way of personal and vehicular maintenance we find our time is pretty occupied.
I’m anxiously awaiting a letter from Brinner as his last P.S. said he had just been granted 7 days leave before joining his unit!
We’ve had a little snow here but not much. As the ground was wet, it didn’t lay anyhow.
Have read Graham Greene’s ‘Stamboul Train*’ (Guild Books) which I can recommend. I think you may have read some of his other efforts – ‘Brighton Rock’ ‘Ministry of Fear’, ‘England made me’ ‘A Gun for Sale’ (filmed as “This Gun for Hire’) etc, etc.
There’s a helluva dearth of books in the Squadron. Never seem to be able to get anything to read. I carry about 30 books on my car – but I’ve read them a good many times now – and anyhow they’re all in French.
I’ve got the devil of a lot of washing to do this afternoon – looks as though it will take me about four hours. The laundry system over here is lousy as there’s no marking ink available and you never get the same stuff back again.
Must close here for lunch will write some more this afternoon.
Well, Darling, I’ve had lunch and got the stove cracking so I’m beginning to thaw out for the first time for days. We’ve also got the radio going.
Eric, Geoff and Charlie from ‘C’ Squadron went to the Burgomaster’s last night for a game of bridge so ‘Junior’ (Ronnie) and I sat in here and managed to get a wonderful programme from Munich. It was announced in German and consisted entirely of Italian Operatic records. We had that beautiful tenor/Baritone duet from ‘Fozzer del Destino’ (Verdi)** sung by Gigli and Corrado Zambelli*** - easily the finest recording of this particularly lovely duet. Also an aria by Janina Arangi-Lombardi (- the second soprano in the world before the war) from Donizetti’s ‘La Favorita’****.
‘Junior’, luckily, had brought a bottle of Burgundy so what with a warm fire, mellow wine and Verdi, we simply revelled. What it is to be simple-minded!
Must close here to get back to earth and laundry!
All my love, Precious
Dicker.
*a novel set on the ‘Orient Express’
**’La Forza del Destino’ (The Power of Fate’), an opera by Giuseppe Verdi set in Spain and Italy.
*** Corrado Zambelli was an Italian bass and Beniamo Gigli was the most famous tenor of the early 20th century.
****a grand opera in French by the Italian composer Gaetano Donizetti, also set in Spain.
© Chotie Darling
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