Chotie Darling
Part 3 Lieutenant Williams
Chapter 9 61st Reconnaissance
61st Reconnaissance Regiment – 2nd Lieutenant from 30th October 1943
‘B’ Squadron (from mid-November 1943)
Lympne Castle, Hythe, near Folkestone in Kent – October 1943 to late January 1944
1st January 1944 - Reconnaissance Corps in Royal Armoured Corps
24th January 1944 - 61st Reconnaissance Regiment joins 50 (Northumbrian) Division
Brandon Park, Brandon, near Thetford, Suffolk – late January 1944 to mid-February 1944
Chotie was at Markham Camp, Easton-in-Gordano, Bristol.
462 Hy (M) Anti-Aircraft Battery of the Royal Artillery
- ‘B’ troop ATS OFC from 6th April 1943 until early February 1944
10th November 1944 Chotie passed as an Operator Fire Control
- ‘A’ troop ATS OFC from early February 1944
Training in Birmingham – week of 17th February
Whittlesford, near Cambridge, Cambridgeshire – February 1944 to early April 1944
End of February/beginning of March – 3 days at Bawdsey Manor, nr Felixstowe, Suffolk
Training near Irvine, Ayrshire, Scotland – 22nd to 29th March 1944
11th November 1943 – The Security Angel
Well I’ve arrived here …Things are, as far as I can see, pretty cushy at the moment…. most Senior officers are away
18th November 1943 – The Lost Wallet
Unhappily going back I had the most horrible experience – the worst experience that any man can have. I lost my wallet!
28th November 1943 – Chocolate Biscuits
Her undoubted charms left me cold, but I took a lively interest in the biscuits.
10th December 1943 – In Front of the Fire
Spent one night on an AA Site and slept on a sofa in the Recreation Hut…taking the helluva chance…these Anti-Aircraft women….
17th December 1943 – In the Field
Went up to Purley on leave and stayed with Gramp for a couple of days. Everyone’s got brand new babies – awful!
26th December 1943 – A new Troop
Needless to say I’ve no pay yet…I’ve cashed everything on sight including National Savings Certificates
2nd January 1944 - Improvisation
unless I win at pontoon tonight, I’ll never meet my mess-bill…I keep fighting off ruin – even giving my batman my last five bob on Xmas Day
6th January 1944 – The Legend of the Devil's Dyke
Spending four days here on exercise – weather fine and some glorious views despite the wintry sun. Am writing this in a pub of all places
10th January 1944 – The Castle
I have to sleep in the castle tonight in an oak-beamed room with stone floor & walls. Very romantic but bloody cold.
18th January 1944 – Preparing for the Worst
Everyone here’s got a terrific shake on owing to an impending inspection by the Colonel…All except yours truly, who doesn’t give a damn
20th January 1944 - Lt. Col. Sir William Mount. (Bart) T.D.
There’s going to be a terrific party on Sunday…when Lt. Col. Sir William Mount. (Bart) T.D. throws a party – it’s some party.
26th January 1944 – 50th (Northumbrian) Division
Have met Brian Cooke again – the mad Irish man I was at OCTU with. Still haven’t had any pay
30th January 1944 – Brandon Park
We’re in a Nissen hut camp on an estate around a vast Georgian House, formerly the property of Dorothy Paget, the racehorse owner.
10th February 1944 – Oranges
I received three oranges today – there’s an issue of three per officer in the mess…I’m sending them home to mother.
17th February 1944 – Birmingham Officers’ Club
in Brum at the moment on a week’s course on Armoured Cars - very cushy…staying at ‘The Georgian House’ which is an Officers Club
23rd February 1944 – Pouishnoff and Leicester
met Diller & Mary. Had quite a good time despite all Leicester’s efforts to stop us – cinemas closed, nowhere to eat, etc.
5th March 1944 – Bawdsey Manor
spent three very happy days on a stud farm in Cambridgeshire…home of Sir Cuthbert Quilter of the Suffolk Horse Breeding Soc
18th March 1944 – Forgiveness
You don’t need to ask me to forgive you, Chotie. I shall always be prepared to forgive you anything – except leaving me entirely
24th March 1944 – Ayr
skating on Tuesday and a dance in Ayr last night… quieter this evening as I spent this morning up to my neck in the sea
1st April 1944 – Mixed Batteries
pretty cushy time in Scotland…a singular lack of organisation …they didn’t really know we were there for three days or so
People in Chapter 9 61st Reconnaissance:
Barbara Chalkley (‘Chotie’), Brian Williams (‘Brinner’), ‘Chunky’, Brian Cooke (the ham), Dilys Williams (‘Diller’), Eve Kessler (Eric Kessler’s wife), Gramp Williams (Dick’s paternal grandfather), Don Johnston, Eric Kessler, Mater/Ma/Mother Williams (Dick’s mother), Mary Dakin, Colonel Sir William Mount, Monica, Captain Oliver, Pa/Dad Williams (Dick’s father), Ronnie Jury, Geoff Winzer.
Books mentioned in Chapter 9:
Book by Claude Houghton – “I’m also enclosing the book* I said I’d send which I hope you’ll find time to read and which I’m sure you’ll enjoy. It’s the first book I’ve read which bears out a theory I’ve entertained for some years, viz. that however long you live you will always come to regard your childhood as your happiest years. This also served to show my lack of erudition in matters literary as the author quotes from three or four others who bear out this idea. There will always be extenuating circumstances, however, which will give rise to cases contrary to the general rule – Dickens’ is an example – but these cases are isolated I’m sure.” “Have you found time to read that Claude Houghton yet? Let me know what you think of it – if you think it’s lousy, say so…”
‘England Made Me’ by Graham Greene – “Just finished Graham Greene’s ‘England made me’ – very good.”
Music mentioned in Chapter 9:
'The Warsaw Concerto’
Symphonies by Beethoven – “Have heard a couple of Beethoven Symphonies this week which isn’t too bad.”
Beethoven – “so I came back to write you and hear a little Beethoven.” “More Beethoven – unusual at this time of night – or morning. From Calais 2 which is very powerful here.”
‘Overture-Fantasy Romeo & Juliet' by Tchiakovsky played by Pouishnoff with the London Symphony Orchestra – “London Symphony Orchestra in a programme which includes my favourite overture – Tchaikovsky’s Fantasie ‘Romeo & Juliet’. Pouishnoff is the soloist and conductor.”
No 1 Concerto by Tchiakovsky played by Leff Pouishnoff – “It was a particularly good concert I went to on Friday night last. Leff Pouishnoff was in brilliant form – playing and conducting Tchaikovsky’s No 1 Concerto in devastating fashion. He’s very theatrical, of course, quite unlike Schnabel, for instance. I get so few chances to see these boys, nowadays, that perhaps tend to eulogise rather than criticize. However, it’s not such a bad fault.”
Maria Cancellia and Rosa Ponselle – “You’re quite right about the sopranos – I’m quite enamoured with several – Maria Cancellia, Rosa Poncelle etc, though unfortunately they’re still in Italy I believe.”
Radio mentioned in Chapter 9:
“I'm listening to the Brain's Trust at the moment which may account for this rambling...”
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