Chapter 3 Guarding England in spring - summary, Twitter extracts, etc

 

Chotie Darling

 

Part 1 The Blue Cockade

 

Chapter 3    Guarding England – spring

on guard in Southampton and Gosport, failing a chance at commission, reversion to Private, the beginnings of Intelligence.

70^th Dorset, March to June 1941

Southbourne, Dorset (then in Hampshire) - ‘D’ company of the 70^th Battalion of the Dorset Regiment (Corporal)

Southampton – from c.10^th March 1941, ‘D’ company, 70^th Dorsets (Corporal)

On 10th April 1941 he went before the O.C.T.U. (Officer Cadet Training Unit) Board in an unsuccessful attempt to gain a commission.

From Sunday 18^th May to Saturday 24^th May 1941 Dick attended the 4th Division Intelligence Course at HQ 4^th Div. in Winchester.

On 21^st May 1941 his rank as full Corporal was confirmed.

Fort Brockhurst, Gosport, Hampshire – from end of May/beginning of June 1941 (reverted to Private at his own request On 7th June 1941)

Mechanical Transport section, HQ Company, 70^th Dorsets for rest of June 1941.

 

 

Twitter

@chotiedarling

 

12th March 1941 – Southampton

He kept us waiting for 1½ hours and then spoke for 10 mins. I suppose it’s a C.O.’s privilege rather like a woman’s….

 

Southampton ‘41- Air Raids in Southampton

the sirens haven’t gone. Really rather odd - I expect Jerry’s stocktaking … the raids lately have been almost continuous and pretty vicious.

 

21st March 1941 – Bombs every night

I don’t mind bombs but I can’t tolerate shelters. Spending hours in shelters is enough to make anyone fed up.

 

24th March 1941 – Lost at the docks

I went to sleep and had to get out at the Docks!..had no idea of the way back .. wandered for hours but eventually made it.

 

27th March 1941 – Oh, for my Student days!

I write so seldom now I can hardly hold a pen! By the time I get out of the Army I will be so dull I shall have to keep pigs or something

 

31^st March 1941 – THB Inoculation

This morning I was inoculated with T.H.B. (i.e. the worst one) and can't move my left arm. I expect I'll be on my back by tomorrow.

 

9^th April 1941 – The OCTU Board

I should have been on leave from ‘After Duty’ on Tuesday. I only wanted about 2 hours to go! The O.C. told me I wouldn't be able to

 

22nd April 1941 – Failing the OCTU Board

the Board failed me because I'd done too much service on P.T. and couldn’t therefore have enough military knowledge! I was mad when I heard

 

25^th April 1941 – The Quartermaster

I've been selected to attend the 4th Division Intelligence Course at HQ 4^th Div. wherever that may be.

 

13^th May 1941 – In a hut on the Common, Southampton

They're very good at this place (Church Army) - the old boy has just come round with free fags - two for every one in the place.

 

15^th May 1941 – Saving 10 shillings a week

I've seen the pay clerk and am only going to draw 25 shillings from this week onwards. That will be saving 10 shillings a week

 

21st May 1941 – Winchester Intelligence Course

very interesting to a bloke who knows sweet ---- all about Intelligence. I don’t suppose I’ll know much more when I’ve finished

 

27th May 1941 – Detention guard on Southampton Common

nine prisoners – all right, unless a prisoner escapes, in which case I shall be ruined. But I’ll bayonet the b-----, if I catch him!

 

30th May 1941 – Moving to Gosport

I'll always like the Army for one thing, - it's shown me how much I do miss you - more than I ever dreamed. I love you such a terrible lot

 

6th June 1941 - Fort Brockhurst, Gosport

I’m still on Ord. Sergeant, and consequently don't have one minute to spare all day. I'm up at 5.30 and don't get to bed before eleven

 

9th June 1941 – Private Williams

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

 

18th June 2011 – Out to lunch

Beachcombing in Tahiti is my true métier! What about it, after I get out...? You'd have to wear a sarong…

 

June ‘41 – The Paras

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.

 

 

 

People in Chapter 3 Guarding England – spring :

 Barbara Chalkley (“Chotie”), Burgess, Capt., Eric (Kesler?), Frank (Monica’s boyfriend), George, Holloway (Cpl), John, Michael, Miles (Major), Monica, Rendall, Thomas (Lt), Walters (2^nd Lt)

 

Books mentioned in Chapter 3:

‘The Garden of Allah’ by Hitchins

‘I'll tell you Everything’ by Priestley - “although very light & sometimes puerile, was really rather good”

“Rebecca” by Daphne du Maurier

“The Grapes of Wrath” by Steinbeck – “I read it when first published, but it's all I could get and it's worth reading again.”

 

Films mentioned in Chapter 3:

‘The Great Dictator’ – “How anyone could see anything in the ‘Great Dictator’ I don’t know. I thought it was chronic”

‘Black Fury’ with Paul Muni – “quite good but nothing up to the usual Muni standard”