Chotie Darling

75 years ago - into the Ardennes

Hitler conceived the idea of a surprise attack on the Western Allies through the Ardennes back in September 1944.  The advance through the mountains between Belgium and Luxembourg would reprise the success of the German offensive into France and the Low Countries of 1940.  This time the intention was to swing north to Brussels and the Belgian port of Antwerp, cutting off the British, Canadian and American armies north of the Ardennes.

Preparations continued in total secret through the autumn of 1944.  Troops and tanks assembling in the thickly forested Eiffel region on the German side of the Ardennes managed to avoid detection by air reconnaissance or Allied intelligence.

By December Operation ‘Wacht am Rhein’ (‘Watch on the Rhine’) had Fifth and Sixth Panzer Armies prepared to lead the attack with Seventh Army ready to follow, holding the southern flank, and Fifteenth Army to come in from the north.  The Allies’ front line in the Ardennes was thinly held by the US 1^st Army with two inexperienced infantry divisions (V Corps’ 99^th and the 106^th) to the north and US 3^rd Army divisions to the south (the 4^th and 28^th), damaged and exhausted by the ferocious fighting in the Hürtgen Forest, south-east of Aachen in November.  The Panzer armies were to smash through these lines, heading west to cross the critical barrier of the River Meuse, aided by paratroopers capturing road junctions and commando sabotage operations.

 

 

At the beginning of December Dick had just returned to ‘the Island’ in the Netherlands, after his trip to Izegem.  While in Belgium he’d visited Audenarde / Oudenaarde - “the town I liberated on 6^th September” – and the Gervaert family he’d met there.  He spent a night in Malines where he saw the German flying-bombs for the first time.  On 1st December he wrote to Chotie, who “didn’t think much of the area” near Hull where she was now stationed with her anti-aircraft battery.  Brin, Dick’s brother, had left Belgium for infantry training on the Isle of Man and managed to visit the family home at Pagham in Sussex.

The Germans started to flood ‘the Island’ – Eric Brewer wrote in his diary for 1^st December that the water had risen two foot and many ‘Gerrys’ were trapped.  Operation Noah, the evacuation plan, was put into effect and B Squadron moved back to Mill, south of Nijmegen on 3^rd December.  The Regiment without 50^th Division was now ‘orphaned’ and held bits of the line for the 49^th (with 1^st Canadian Army) and 53^rd (Welsh) Infantry Division of XXX Corps.

Eric Brewer records that they moved to Ell (south-east of Eindhoven) on 5^th December.  Dick wrote to Chotie thrilled to have listened to the whole of Beethoven’s ‘Fidelio’ opera from Germany (presumably on one of the radios ‘liberated’ from Eindhoven during Operation Market Garden), completing the letter after another move to “the inevitable farmhouse”.  He could now describe the rhythm of life on ‘the Island’: “Our usual practice was to do a week or so ‘in the line’ and have a week back at the farm in reserve” where the three ‘B’ Squadron “Armoured Car Officers (Geoff Winzer, Eric ‘Schoolmaster’ Macey and I) used to share a room.”

Eric Brewer’s last diary entry, on 10^th December, records relieving the 53^rd Division on a forward outpost ‘overlooking the Maas’.  Eric Postles writes that they were on a canal near Venlo (on the Dutch/German border east of Eindhoven) and “all through the day and night the Germans fired rifle grenades”.  This may have been where Eric Brewer was injured, with phosphorous burns to his hands and arms.  Although his ambulance crashed with a lorry en route to the hospital he escaped further injury and after a cheerful Christmas in the 105 British General Hospital appears to have made a full recovery, although he never returned to the 61^st Reconnaissance Regiment.

 

Soon after this the Regiment was sent to Iseghem / Izegem to disband.  The men “handed in all our fighting vehicles, ammunition and petrol to various dumps.  All wireless sets were removed from their vehicles and the Quartermaster had all stores in a barn for checking” (Colonel Brownrigg).  Although the Regiment still had an H.Q. and cook-house, the men were billeted with the people of the town and at liberty to do what they pleased.  Tony Rampling and his driver stayed in a bakery and met a girl called Georgette: “the first love of my life”.  Eric Postles was with a family of shoemakers, the Deschermakers, and he gave them one of the Phillips radio sets purloined in Holland.  Dick, having arranged the billets, “naturally picked himself a first-class place” with a “very fine collection of records”.  He wrote to Chotie that they were “having a real holiday while we may – and the old beer certainly flows here.”   Chotie also had news – her sister Margaret now had a baby boy, Roger Lewis.

 

The German attack on the Ardennes began at 5.30 am on the 16^th December when 1,900 artillery guns suddenly opened fire.  That first day the Panzer Armies successfully breached the American lines on a 70 mile front.  It was a complete surprise – panic and confusion also arose from the landing of paratroopers behind the lines (although mainly far from their targets due to strong winds and poor visibility) and Skorzeny's commandos speaking American- English, wearing American uniforms and driving captured American vehicles.

On 17^th December Eisenhower sent in the US 82^nd and 101^st Airborne Divisions, who were “recuperating from their extended combat role in the waterlogged foxholes of Holland” (Beevor in ‘Ardennes 1944’), where they’d worked with 61^st Recce.  Planes were grounded by the weather so the Airborne travelled from Reims (north-east France) in open trucks, many without winter clothing. The recuperation of 61^st Reconnaissance continued and Dick was involved in an unfortunate traffic accident in Izegem, knocking a lady off her bike who suffered three broken ribs.

 

 

Battle was raging in the on the Belgian/German border in the Ardennes around the Schnee Eiffel and the town of St Vith.  To the north a German battle group from 6^th Panzer Army rapidly penetrated westward and reached Malmédy.  There, at the Baugnez crossroads SS Panzergrenadiers shot and killed 84 American prisoners.  (A few escaped and, reporting the outrage - the massacre was widely publicised among US troops, leading to the revenge killing of many SS Prisoners of War.)  This spearhead was successfully stalled by US Engineers destroying all the bridges on the route west. Further south the Germans surrounded and recaptured the ancient town of Clervaux.  5^th Panzer Army were advancing towards the critical town of Bastogne although the 28^th Armored Division managed to defend Wiltz (east of Bastogne) until the morning of 20^th December.

 

Montgomery, in charge of 21^st Army Group (1^st Canadian and 2^nd British Armies) at the north end of the western front, sent his staff officers to find out what was going on at US 1^st Army HQ in Spa.  Finding it in disarray he sent Phantom and SAS (Special Air Service) reconnaissance teams to the Ardennes so he would know what was going on.  At 5.30 pm on 19^th December he ordered XXX Corps to secure the Meuse crossings.  11^th Armoured Division’s 29^th Armoured Brigade, waiting for new Comet tanks, was ordered to take back their old Shermans and head south.  “The 61^st Reconnaissance Regiment in Bruges ‘bombed up, tanked up, loaded up and drove into the night’"(Beevor in ‘Ardennes 1944').  They were to work with 29^th Armoured defending the Meuse from Namur to Givet, a front of over 50 kilometres.

According to Sandy Handley it took 61^st Recce 24 Hours to reach Namur – the convoy was forced to stop and start, particularly in Brussels where Tony Rampling remembers “we couldn’t get through for all the girls surrounding us”.

 

On 20^th December Eisenhower officially handed Montgomery command of all Allied forces north of the German advance including the US 1^st and 9^th Armies.  Lt-General Bradley, the American chief of US 12^th Army Group was based south of the Ardennes, in Luxembourg, with poor communication from his forces facing the impact of the German advance in the north.  Monty’s command extended to a line between Givet, on the Meuse, and Prüm in Germany.

By 21^st December Lt-General Brian Horrocks’ XXX Corps had completed their concentration along the line of the River Meuse.  Eisenhower’s aide, Bedell-Smith, was greatly relieved: “We knew Horrocks and knew he had good men.”  Don Aiken was involved in action as soon as they arrived at the Meuse – directed to contact US Engineers blowing the bridge over a small river his armoured car was shot at by a German tank.

The Germans captured St Vith, south of Malmédy, on 21^st December and the 101^st Airborne, having got through to Bastogne, were now surrounded.  Although progress had been slower than planned, and the 6^th Panzer Army spearhead was cut off by US 1^st Army re-taking Stavelot (south-west of Malmédy), elements of 5^th Panzer Army were steadily advancing west, delayed only by traffic jams and lack of fuel.  The Allied air-force was still grounded by poor visibility.  By 22^nd December 2^nd Panzer Division was only 25 kilometres from the Meuse bridge at Dinant.

 

On 23^rd December the skies cleared and the Allies began a co-ordinated campaign of bombing attacks against the German forces.  Supplies were dropped for the besieged defenders of Bastogne.  Air reconnaissance was now possible.  29^th Armoured Brigade had one armoured regiment and a company of infantry at each of the three Meuse bridges (Givet, Dinant and Namur) with a reconnaissance screen of 61st Recce Regiment in between.  A car full of Germans disguised as Americans tried to cross the bridge at Dinant but was blown-up.  Belgian refugees, fleeing westward, were blocked at the bridges so resorted to boats to cross the Meuse.

The heavily forested landscape gave cover to the Germans and made the Recce patrols “pretty nerve-racking…we thought at any moment the enemy would jump out and attack us” (Sandy Handley).  Once Sandy’s armoured car ran out of petrol shortly after attacking some Germans and re-fuelled from the jerry can just in time.

29^th Armoured was also working with the local Belgian resistance led by Baron Jacques de Villefagne, who lived in the château at Sorrinnes, east of Dinant.  Just to the south of Sorinnes lie the village of Foy-Notre-Dame and the small ancient town of Celles.  2^nd Panzer Division reached these on the night of 23^rd / 24^th December and on Christmas Eve made several attempts to penetrate towards the Meuse at Dinant, now less than 10 kilometres away.

 

61^st Recce was along and behind the German front in temperatures well below freezing with deep snow in the forests.  On Christmas Eve while Corporal Roy Howard was near Dinant, so close to the Germans he could hear them singing carols, Corporal Mulcahy (who earned the Military Medal in the Ardennes) went forward 10 miles east of Beauraing (10 km. east of Givet) to reach US Engineers with instructions for them to destroy a bridge and Dick’s troop shot three Germans (one had nearly killed Dick first).

Also on 24^th December the SS murdered 34 civilians in the village of Bande, near March-en-Famenne.  (The massacre was not discovered until 12^th January when troops for the 6^th Airborne Division liberated the village).

 

For Christmas 61^st Recce were issued with bottles of beer, which was frozen solid, and fat pork and potatoes, which they managed to boil over an earth fire doused with petrol (Sandy Handley).  Eric Postles remembers that for the first time they had self-heating cans of chocolate drink and soup.  He also describes how, they “moved forward to support attacks against the German spearhead.  The deep snow made foot patrols difficult and the Germans again fired airburst shells, which looked more sinister against the whiteness of the snow.  American troops were fleeing madly from the German advance and unfortunately early in the action an American lorry, being driven much too fast, hit our squadron leader’s jeep, which was parked off the road on a bend.  Major Harding was badly injured but he survived the war.  Our armoured cars were constantly patrolling between British forces and the US army, who bore the brunt of the action to squeeze the enemy back.”

29^th Armoured, with US VII Corps’ 2^nd Armored Division, successfully attacked the tip of the German salient at Foy-Notre-Dame and Celles on Christmas day.  Realising their offensive had failed von Rundstedt recommended withdrawal to Hitler, who instead insisted on more attacks against Bastogne.  However, General Patton had sent three divisions from his 3^rd US Army to relieve Bastogne from the south and, fighting their way through, they were now very close to the beleaguered town.  By nightfall on 26^th December 4^th Armored Division had broken through the siege and secured a narrow corridor for supplies.

 

29^th Armoured Brigade was ‘mopping up’ around Celles on Boxing Day and Dick’s troop shot another five Germans.  The remnants of 2^nd Panzer Division who escaped concentrated around Rochefort (15 kilometres east of the Meuse), which was held by the Panzer Lehr.

The next day the British 6^th Airborne Division replaced 29^th Armoured Brigade on the Givet-Namur sector.  They were assisted by Belgian paratroopers from the 5^th Special Air Service who now worked closely with 61^st Recce.  “These daredevils had jeeps with a machine gun mounted – not much protection or armour there” (Sandy Handley).

 

The weather had now closed in again so air reconnaissance was impossible but “the Allies needed to know how the Panzer Lehr and 2^nd Panzer were redeploying after their withdrawal from Rochefort.  The British 61^st Reconnaissance Regiment, as well as Belgian and French SAS forces, some 350 strong, was sent into the large area of forest and bog south of Rochefort and Marche-en-Famenne to find out” (Beevor, ‘Ardennes 1944’). “They encountered the enemy on the approach to St Hubert and on the line from Rochefort to Libin" (WW2 Talk Forum).

According to a Belgian SAS Intelligence Report 61^st Recce advanced towards St. Hubert (30 km. west of Bastogne) along a line of small villages: Halma, Chanly, Tellin and Bure.  These were at the southern edge of the 5^th Panzer Army salient, just north of the American lines.  They patrolled behind the German lines to bring back information on the location of enemy forces – Sergeant Hollingsworth (who was also awarded the Military Medal) was at Villers-sur-Lesse, west of Rochefort, on 27^th December and Lieutenant Laing located a German garrison HQ at Val-de-Poix, just west of St Hubert, on 28^th December.

British 6^th Airborne Division, while still defending the Meuse, established a defensive line east of the river.  The ground was too frozen to dig so they used explosives to blast holes – a technique made doubly dangerous by Teller mines the Germans had buried under the snow.  They were also tasked with carrying out offensive actions on a general access from Givet to St Hubert.  61^st Recce was involved in actions at Wavreille, Bure, Han, Mirwaut, Awenne, Champlon and Smuid (all around St Hubert or towards Rochefort).  Sergeant Hollingsworth saved an SAS patrol, tackling a tank and machine gun near Han-sur-Lesse and Dick’s room-mate Eric Macey and Corporal Mulcahy drew fire on their armoured cars to locate the enemy near Tellin.  Also on 29^th December Lt. Urban-Smith and Sergeant Moorehouse crossed the river at Lomme (south-west of St Hubert) on foot and in daylight, moving behind German forward outposts to bring back information on enemy defences. 

On 30th December the planned British attack towards Houffalize was halted by the strong German resistance.  Two men from 61^st Recce were killed in another traffic accident attributed to an American lorry fleeing from the Germans.  The Americans had, however, held firm on the shoulders of the German salient around Elsenborn Ridge to the north and along the River Sauer to the south and the resistance of the troops defending Bastogne is legendary.

 

Dick at last had a free day on the 30^th and wrote to Chotie:

Sat 30 Dec

Chotie Darling,

                                    I’m very sorry, Precious, for not having written you before, but it just hasn’t been possible.  I’ve now got the first free day for nearly a fortnight, so everything depends on today.  The mail has been very poor lately – I received your letter and calendar, for which many thanks, Darling.

            I’ve been at it for a fortnight, as I say, so Xmas was just another day.  I had an indifferent breakfast and a worse meal about 10 pm when I got back from patrol.

            Weather here has been quite good – very cold but plenty of sun.  The countryside here is really lovely quite like North Wales, and a wonderful change after the Nijmegen Bridgehead! (I had nine weeks there!)

            I hope you are keeping fit, Darling and warm!  It’s bitterly cold in armoured cars as the engine is in the rear and you get no protection from the wind.

            We shot another three Boche on Xmas Eve (one nearly shot me first) and another five on Boxing Day, which puts my troop in the lead again.  What a gruesome business!

            Hope Margaret is progressing well – I shouldn’t wonder the baby was late this weather!

            On Xmas Day the Squadron Leader* had a terrific crash in his jeep whilst out visiting the various troops.  They carted him off with severe concussion and he’s expected to be in hospital for at least a month.  So much the worse as he’s a very able Commander.

            Diller has been home on leave I believe, but I’ve heard no news of Brinner lately.  He’s supposed to be getting some leave I believe.

            I’ll enclose this letter** with the three little books*** I bought in Malines – if you would just keep them safe, Darling.  As I say it’s not much good sending them home as mother’s sure to throw them away in the Spring.

            I must close here, Chotie Darling –

                                                All my love Precious          

                                                            Dicker.

*Major Frank Harding had been the B Squadron leader from 12^th June 1944. He received the Military Cross for B Squadron’s role in the operation at Amayé-sur-Seulles and Condé-sur-Noreau in Normandy, the advance across France into Belgium and the holding of 15 miles of the Belgian Escaut Canal including Oudenaarde from the 4th  to 7th September.  ‘He never spared himself and his cheerfulness in any difficulty or danger has been a great inspiration to his Squadron’ (from his Military Cross citation).

**Perhaps because it was enclosed with the books, this letter seems somewhat freer with military information than Dick’s usual correspondence.

***my mother kept these three little leather bound books Dick bought (in Antwerp) but they eventually fell apart from love and use. One contained four Shakespeare tragedies (Othello, Hamlet, Macbeth and Romeo and Juliet) and the others were philosophical essays I think.

© Chotie Darling

 

Writing again the next day he revealed he was in a little village (the photos say Honnay, which is between Beauraing and Wellin), sharing a room in a café with Eric Macey – Geoff Winzer, his other room-mate had been “rather badly wounded” on the 30^th and was now “miles back... in dock for at least six to eight weeks”.  “The people are very good to us here” – after a huge lunch they had photos taken with them in the snow outside, before preparing for their delayed Christmas dinner.

 

 

Lieutenants Eric Macey and Richard Williams of 61st Reconnaissance Regiment in Honnay during the Battle of the Ardennes with girls (left to right) Esther, Lucienne and Victorine. 31st December 1944.

 

Fighting continued not far away – the Germans had launched a heavy but ultimately unsuccessful attack on Bastogne on the 30^th December.  Just before midnight on the 31^st Hitler began another surprise offensive, Operation Nordwind; this time towards Strasbourg and the Alsace-Lorraine against the now over-stretched US 7^th Army, south of the Ardennes....

75 years ago - a move to Hull

At the beginning of November 1944 61^st Reconnaissance regiment were taking their first break since 6^th June (‘D’ Day). 

Dick’s ‘B’ squadron were in harbour at Winssen, 15 kilometres north-west of Nijmegan on the River Waal.  Dick had 48 hours leave from 2^nd November and drove a party the 120 miles to Antwerp along “pretty grim roads” in a three tonne truck.  It took about 5 hours but seemed well worth the effort.

          “The shops are fun and already very ‘Xmassy’ – though everything’s too dear for the local population.  Service men with plenty of money are lashing out as usual….Cafés full of cream cakes, ice-cream and the inevitable acorn coffee…I made a complete pig of myself.”  Dick avoided the ENSA shows and went for the cabarets and night-clubs “(full of Yanks, Canucks*, Poles, ATS, Canuck WAAGs, etc.)” including a few Belgian strip-tease acts. (*’Canuck’ was a nickname for Canadians)

          “Prices are murder! But drinks in the Officers’ Hotel are very cheap.”  He seems to have been rather drunk when he wrote to Chotie on 3rd November.

 

Both Dick and Eric Brewer returned to Winssen from Antwerp on 4^th November but two days later Eric was on the ‘the Island’ front-line again at Zetten on O.P. (Outpost? Operational Patrol?).  Dick wrote to Chotie from the comfort of Winssen on Tuesday 7th  and Wednesday 8th – he was enjoying reading George Bernard Shaw, listening to German radio and talking with the local Burgomaster (magistrate).  The Armoured car Officers held a “miserable” dance on the 7^th with Dick running the bar.  The only beer available was “chemical synthetic stuff…you can drink something like 20 pints without mental troubles…The brewers call it ‘hop-less’ – the boys ‘hopeless’.”

Chotie was now based at the 6^th Heavy (Mixed) Anti-Aircraft Practice Camp at Cleve near Bude in Cornwall.  RAF Cleave used some of the very first drones as targets, launched off the cliff using steam catapults. 

Anti-aircraft ATS training at RAF Cleave, Cornwall

It seems Chotie may have been learning how to tackle the V1 or V2 rocket-bombs, which were becoming a nightmare in eastern England.  One ‘buzz-bomb’ had fallen just near Eric Brewer’s house; on 7^th November he wrote home “I received the Gazette and saw where the BB fell. Blimey, it was close to the house.   Lucky it fell when it did – if it had been in the air a fraction of a second longer it would have hit the house.”

On 9^th November 50^th (Northumbrian) Division, with 61^st Recce, joined 2 Canadian Corps.  They had liberated Dieppe, Boulogne, Calais and Ostend and at last succeeded in clearing the Scheldt Estuary of Germans so Antwerp could be used as an Allied port.  (Until 11^th November the front-line had to rely on the ‘Red Ball Express’; a relay of US Army supply trucks from the Normandy beaches.)  Sandy Handley, who had taken a shine to one of the barge girls at Ewijk (the village next to Winssen) was not so pleased when the Canadians “muscled in”.

 

The rest of ‘B’ Squadron moved up to Zetten on 10^th November so Dick was back on the front-line.  He moved into the same house he was in about a month ago (presumably when 61^st Recce were based at Herveld, just south-east of Zetten, from 8^th to 13^th October with the 101st Airborne).  Here he was with a Protestant Minister who spoke six languages - “a man of considerable intellect and general broadness of horizon” - who gave his house as a home for unmarried mothers.   Dick wrote to Chotie again on the 12th “from an armchair in front of a lovely fire…There’s a ton of books in this house – also a Blüthner grand (piano), so I manage to amuse myself during my ‘free’ time.”

Although the men often wrote re-assuring letters to their loved ones at home Eric Brewer (still at Zetten on O.P.) takes it to a new extreme, writing on the same day to say he was visiting ENSA shows and local cinemas and “the lads who are doing the cooking have started to bring our breakfast round to us while in bed.”  On 13^th November the 61^st Reconnaissance war diary records “The water level at Nijmegan bridge has risen greatly in the last few days.  It is believed that the enemy is now in a position to flood ‘the Island’ by blowing the dykes on either the River Waal or the Neder Rijn” (Lower Rhine).  Eric Brewer was on forward O.P. by the river on the 15th “saw two chaps crawling so we changed our position.  Blooming cold tonight.  Plenty of Spandau fire, etc.”

 

‘B’ Squadron was relieved by ‘A’ Squadron the next day and moved back to Winssen.  Dick was busy with personal and vehicular maintenance, including about four hours of washing because “the laundry system here is lousy – there’s no marking ink available and you never get the same stuff back again.”  He wrote to Chotie thanking her for some photos and excusing himself from buying perfume since “all that sort of thing is in Belgium …  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!...

        Thawing out for the first time for days” he enjoyed an evening by the stove with Ronnie Jury, drinking Burgundy and listening to classical music from Munich in Germany. 

 

By the next night all the Regiment were back on ‘the Island’ taking over the sector east of Elst from an entire Brigade (the 151^st).  They had to plan for evacuation in case the Germans breached the dykes – Exercise Noah.  (Anthony Rampling remembers this is just what they did.)  Eric Brewer was near Arnhem again in “about the coldest and wettest position I have ever been in. There is 2ft of water in the slit trenches and we have to stand in it…”  On Sunday 19^th the Regiment was visited by the commander of the Canadian Corps and the temporary commander of 50^th Division, Major General Lynne.  They watched a V2 being launched from just north of Arnhem, behind the German front line.

          The Allies, having crossed the German frontier to the south, now began to mine ‘the Island’.  “Spasmodic shelling and mortaring of the Regiment’s forward positions continued” and Eric Brewer’s position was also subject to machine gun fire.  One of the mine-laying ‘sappers’ dropped a mine and “got his foot blown off.  The shrapnel just missed us.”  By November 20th five of the men in Eric’s troop were also ill.

        That was the day Colonel Brownrigg received the news that 50^th Division was to return to the UK as a training Division and the 61^st Reconnaissance Regiment was to be disbanded.  Dick sent Chotie this elegiac letter:

 

Chotie Darling,

                                    Received your letter, and the gloves yesterday, along with some tobacco from home.  So it was really a bumper mail.  Thank you very much for the gloves, Precious, they’re certainly the answer out here.

            It’s now almost five o’clock in the afternoon, raining steadily and quite dark.  As the electricity hasn’t yet been switched on for the evening, I’m writing this by candlelight.  I’ve had a very enjoyable afternoon – I went for a walk!  This may sound a little odd,  but quite genuinely, I haven’t been walking anywhere since I left England.

            I went out about two o’clock in typical November weather – a pale wintry sun, a fair wind, and very muddy underfoot.  I went as far as the nearest dyke, as the lane running on top of it was much drier.

            There’s no grandeur in the countryside in this country, but there’s beauty in the old white-washed farmsteads, lying in the rich meadows alongside the dykes.  Many of these fields were already flooded, and the last autumnal leaves were falling in the water and being banked up against the other side by the wind.  The river, when we got here, was about a hundred yards wide, and now already reaches the dykes on either side – some seven or eight hundred yards apart.  If the dykes should fail in their purpose the whole countryside would be flooded for miles, and presumably everyone would be drowned – but they’re pretty stout banks.

            By half past three, the sun had vanished and there was a gentle rain coming down – so I walked back into the face of it.  Luckily it was a mild, soft rain – which was quite pleasant – as I’d taken the precaution of carrying a rain-coat.  I got back to a warm fire and Spam* & chips for tea so altogether I spent a very happy afternoon.  Needless to say I went alone as neither of my brother subalterns share my aesthetic views….

            To get back to earth, I find myself instructing on the NCO’s Cadre course from Wednesday to Sunday – which also seems pretty odd, when everyone in England takes us to be in the thick of it all the time!

            I suppose you to be back at Bristol now.  Have you found the Christopher Hotel** yet?  Eric and I had many a drink there back in ’41.  It was there that the memorable occasion occurred when I cheerfully ordered two beers, and then, after they had turned up, found we’d only got enough money between us to pay for the one!  I still remember the look on Eric’s face as he watched me drink it….

            How’s Margaret bearing up these days?  You didn’t mention her in your last letter.

            Haven’t heard from Bryn for some time so I’ve no idea what he’s doing – or even where he is.

            Can’t think of anything more for now, Darling, so I’ll close here.

                                                                        Much love, Precious

                                                                                    Your devoted

                                                                                                Dicker.

 

*A canned pre-cooked meat with pork shoulder and ham.

** Mentioned in letter of 1st April 1944.

 © Chotie Darling

Dick had been with 61^st Reconnaissance for a year, his first as an officer; shifting from coastal defence to preparation for ‘D Day’, fighting in Normandy for two months before crossing France to the Battle of Belgium and Operation Market Garden.  He’d now been stuck on the Netherlands front-line for another two months.

On 21^st November Eric Brewer was moving into a burnt house to make it a strong point when he was shelled by the Germans and shrapnel hit his tin hat.  The burnt-out house was “just like a luxury, as bad as it is.  Gerry still active and also plenty of mortars.”  On 22^nd he wrote home that he’d “been told some good news today but I am very sorry I can’t tell you what it is.” Presumably Eric thought he’d be returning to England.  However, that same day Colonel Brownrigg had driven to XXX Corps HQ and, with the Corps Commander Colonel Horrocks, managed to persuade Montgomery to cancel the break-up of 61^st Recce.  Horrocks said that the Regiment “would be worth a brigade to me”.  (The normal strength of a Reconnaissance Regiment was about 40 officers plus less than 750 'other ranks' while a Brigade was three to six times as large).

 

Back on ‘the Island’ shelling continued and enemy activity was detected, including submachine gun fire (from infantry or paratroopers). The regiment could see several V2s being launched every day only 10 miles north of their positions.

          Chotie’s unit had moved right across England to Barrow-on-Humber on the Lincolnshire coast (possibly to the Barrow Haven anti-aircraft battery, designed to protect the port of Hull).  V2 rocket bombs could reach Hull and the 462 Heavy (Mixed) Anti-Aircraft battery of the Royal Artillery was now part of their defence against the buzz-bombs.

 

Dick had said he was teaching a course from Wednesday 22^nd to Sunday 26^th November but on 25th November he was more than 150 miles south-west of Arnhem in the little Belgian town of Izegem, near Courtrai/Kortnjk.  He was “fixing up civvy billets for the Squadron” and was only about 20 miles from Oudenaarde, the town his Troop had liberated where he had made so many friends. 

Back on the Netherlands' front-line 61^st Recce’s Regimental HQ at Elst was heavily shelled on the night of the 28^th and two soldiers were killed.  Eric Brewer was sheltered in the burnt out house until the end of November.  However, the 61^st Reconnaissance Regiment was about to leave ‘the Island’ at last. 

75 years ago - out of Normandy and across France

On 1^st August 1944 the 61^st Reconnaissance Regiment was still engaged in Operation Bluecoat, Monty’s drive southward on the boundary between Panzer Group West and the German 7^th Army, to the west of Caen.  Dick’s  ‘B’ Squadron was sent in to recce Amayé-sur-Seulles (west of Villers Bocage) in support of 50th Division and took an active part in its liberation by 69^th Brigade (the East Yorks and the Green Howards) despite fierce opposition.  Don Aiken writes that Eric Brewer’s Assault Troop came under fire and sustained casualties and even Eric, in his usual re-assuring letter home admitted that they “came up against some stiff opposition and were held up for about an hour”.  He also describes seeing about 120 prisoners give themselves up, many in poor condition and happy to surrender.  Eric’s Troop commander, Lt. Philip Truman, received the Military Cross for his part in the action at Amayé-sur-Seulles, which is also included in Major Frank Harding’s citation for the M.C.

Meanwhile 11^th Armoured Division had pushed forward, liberating le Bény-Bocage on 1^st August and reaching the outskirts of Vire on 2^nd August with some elements of 61^st Recce, who found the town virtually undefended.  However, 11^th Armoured were ordered east, leaving the town to the Americans.  By the time XIX Corps arrived German forces had rushed in re-enforcements and Vire was not liberated until the 8^th August.  According to Eric Brewer Lt-General Demsey, commander of the British forces, later told 61^st Recce that they’d been three days ahead of 7^th Armoured Division and had to wait for them outside Vire.

However, on 4^th and 5^th August Eric was on recce near Villers-Bocage, which had finally been liberated by the 1^st Dorsets (Dick’s first regiment) of 50^th Division.  The town was one of the Division’s original D-Day targets, almost two months ago.

Dick had a ‘rest’ day on the 4th August collecting food, ammo, petrol, etc and wrote to Chotie, who had managed to spend some time at home with her family in Poole, enjoying the sun.

Some of Roy Howard’s ‘A’ Squadron troop received severe injuries while investigating a booby-trapped building on 4^th August. Snipers, booby-traps and mines were the perils of any advance in Normandy.

 

61^st Recce had taken over ‘holding the line’ near Caumont-l’Eventé from 43rd Division (another of Dick’s former units) who advanced against fierce German resistance to secure the important high ground of Mont Pinçon, south of Aunay-sur-odon, on 6^th August.  On 7^th August the Canadian 1^st Army renewed it’s offensive towards Falaise with Operation Totalize but were halted at Quesnay (north-west of Falaise and Potigny) by the 11^th.  On the 8^th Eisenhower, Montgomery and Bradley agreed a new plan to encircle German forces in Normandy with American forces swinging east to meet the Canadians at Argentan, south-east of Falaise.

On 8^th August Eric Brewer wrote home to say he was ‘still in a kind of reserve’ and helping with the cooking.  On 10^th August they moved on, bringing in six prisoners, and on the 11^th August Major Harding with ‘B’ Squadron captured an important hill (Point 266), north of Condé-sur-Noireau, ‘and destroyed or captured all the enemy on the hill’, holding it until relieved.  Eric Brewer wrote “plenty of mortars, shells and spandaus".  Don Aiken says they moved to a cross-roads near Aunay-sur-Odon on 11^th August where they came under shellfire and a driver in his troop was killed.

 

Chotie, now at Shurdington near Cheltenham (her Ack-Ack unit had moved again), visited the dentist on 11^th August.

Dick wrote to Chotie again on Saturday 12th August, on a ‘rest’ day again, which “involves 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 hour job, when you consider that my crews have to do their own cooking as well.”  He was in “quite a pleasant spot…but the artillery is pretty shocking…we’re living in a continual barrage.”

 

61^st Recce’s Lieutenant Flint was awarded a Military Cross for his reconnaissance in Lénault (south of Mont Pinçon) where he and his troop encountered and escaped the enemy and then directed mortar fire on their positions.  Eric Brewer’s commander Lieutenant Truman, carried out a classic patrol clearing up ‘a spot of trouble’ near Mont Pinçon.  Regimental HQ was set up at nearby at le Plessis-Grimault, “one of the most evil-smelling places in the Bocage” – presumably due to the remains of action in the area.

On 14^th August a new offensive, Operation Tractable, was launched to close the gap in the circle between the Canadians and the US 3^rd Army and trap the remains of German 7^th Army and Panzer Group West in the ‘Falaise Pocket’.  XXX Corps (now commanded by Lt-General Brian Horrocks) advanced towards Condé-sur-Noireau with 50^th Division and 61^st Recce, to push at the base of the pocket.  Dick executed his own minor heroics during this advance when overtaking “some armoured cars of a rival regiment, halted short of some suspicious-looking grass turves in the middle of the road.  ‘We can’t get on,’ they said, ‘Mines.’  Without a word Williams threw the turves in the ditch and drove on.”

 

Dick wrote to Chotie again on the 16th August “in some very lovely country now – more open and rolling, something like the Sussex Downs though more wooded.”  He’d very nearly had his third bath since landing and did have his third beer, “which makes 3½ pints since we landed.”  

50th Division were now near Condé-sur-Noireau, which was liberated by the 11th Armoured Division on 17th August.  On 18^th August the ‘big push’ began – 61^st Recce moved forward towards Argentan with ‘the Black Bull’ (11^th Armoured Division).  East of Putanges on19th August ‘A’ Squadron’s Lieutenant Griffiths was leading his troop ‘with the greatest of boldness against forces far superior in numbers’.  11^th Armoured Division captured 900 prisoners while pushing the Germans back north of Argentan.

 

On 19^th August the Canadian 1^st Army, with the 1^st Polish Armoured Division, finally linked up with the US 3^rd Army at Chambois but were unable to hold back the tide of escaping German forces.  Approximately 40,000 Germans escaped.  More than 10,000 Germans died in the Falaise pocket and 50,000 were taken prisoner (2,000 by 61^st Reconnaissance).  Eric Brewer’s diary records that 61^st Recce pushed on through the gap taking 200 prisoners on 20^th August. They advanced 20–30 miles and were the first English boys the civilians had seen.

The US 3^rd Army took Argentan on 20^th August after eight days of fighting and waiting there for the Canadians to break through.  The Falaise Gap was finally closed on 21^st August.  61^st Recce were advancing 30 miles a day, being mobbed by the newly liberated French in the towns and villages.  On 22^nd August they were at Falaise (north-west of Argentan), now a devastated killing field filled with the bodies of Germans piled several feet high – even the planes flying 10,000 feet above could smell the dead, which included thousands of horses used for transport.

 

After a brief time ‘back at base’ 61^st recce moved to Vernon, on the banks of the Seine between Rouen and Paris, on 25^th August – the day of its liberation.

Dick wrote to Chotie on 26th August, with a few hours to call his own.  “There’s little or no devastation where we are at present, which makes things so much more pleasant.”  This also meant the locals were friendlier – Eric Brewer enjoyed a warm welcome from a couple at Vernon and Dick had met a very hospitable chap living in a barn after his house was bombed.  While they were glad to accept alcohol - hoarded and brought out to celebrate the liberation - the British forces had been instructed to refuse meals “as the French people don’t even get enough for themselves, let alone anyone else” (Eric Brewer). 

Letter written on Monday 28^th and Tuesday 29^th August 1944

61^st Recce Rac

BLA

Monday Aug. 28^th

Chotie Darling,

                                    Many thanks for your letter dated the 23^rd which I’ve just this moment received. 

            Glad to hear you’re home at last if only for six days, and the prospect of a month’s course is quite a pleasant one to look forward to.  Don’t do anything too strenuous will you?  The first course I had was a P.T one* and they gave me a bending all right….

            I’ll send this to your home address and they can forward it as soon as they hear from you in Scotland.

            I imagine it’s pretty crowded at Parkstone at the moment now that the coastal ban has been lifted – mother says it’s pretty bad in Bognor.

            Sorry to hear about the pubs** – especially the Sloop.  It’s Dad’s pet grouse, of course, at present, though you’d better be in training for Scotland.

            Very sorry to hear about Adrian – I didn’t realise he was over here.

            I may have a chance to contact Ted in the next few weeks though it’s very difficult.  I spent over two hours trying to find Brinner today but without success.  Apparently he’s still at Base, Somewhere.  At any rate it’s safer there.

            I’ve had a fairly quiet time lately but can’t guarantee it will last.

            I’ve been in many villages first hand and have had a great welcome from the people.  We’re lucky this way of course – it’s one of the few compensations of being in front all the time.

            I’m very fit and still very happy here – I suppose the ability to chat with the people wherever you go helps a lot.

            I wish I could see you again, Darling, but I’d sooner get this business over, than go on leave and have to come back again.

            I think we’ve got the worst of it over but I can’t pretend there aren’t big battles to come.  We’ve beaten a complete army now, but we’ve had precious little time to rest on our laurels.  They still have armies left, but I think we can beat them also.

            I’ve just heard the good news of a day’s rest tomorrow so I’ll write some more then.

            Goodnight, my Darling.

 

Well, Precious, Tuesday has arrived after a wretched night.  I’ve never experienced such a storm as we had last night – simply torrents of rain with added accompaniment of thunder and lightning.  I got soaked through and haven’t yet dried out.

            It’s rather a pity as we’re in very fine country, as I heard it aptly expressed – country that was never meant to hear more than the song of the birds or the pop of a Champagne cork….

            Aren’t the radio programmes wretched?  We have a radio on all day (in harbour) and the stuff they pound out is chronic.  I get heartily sick of the whole thing.

            I’m writing this in a barn full of new-mown hay, very pleasant indeed.  The rain outside is pretty steady and doesn’t look like stopping today at any rate.

            I don’t suppose I can write another letter to reach you before the 6^th, so here’s wishing you all the very best for your 21^st.  As soon as you can give me the address of an account you can use I send on a cheque – ‘fraid it’s all I can do out here.

            Must close here but will try to write you again tomorrow

                                   

All my love, Darling

                                                Dicker

           

P.T.O

 

P.S.  Found the enclosed mags. in Villers Bocage some long time ago.  The magazines were quite indifferent so I just cut out the best.  The rest of the stuff were third-rate patterns.  I thought the kiddies stuff the best.  Am I giving you ideas?

                       

                                    R.

 

*Dick became a P.T. Instructor soon after joining the Army in August 1940.  Chotie attended a P.T. course at Newbattle Abbey, Dalkeith, Scotland from 30th August 1944.

**Not sure what was happening to the pubs around this time but alcohol was at it’s scarcest in Christmas 1994/45 on the home front (see Christmas under Fire).

© Chotie Darling

 

On 29th August 61^st Recce crossed the Seine on a pontoon bridge and began their ‘swan’ across France towards Belgium.  According to Eric Brewer’s diary they were near to Elbeuf (by Rouen) on 30^th August, the same day that the Normandy capital was liberated by the Canadian Army.  The next night they were almost 100 miles further on near Amiens – this critical town on the Somme was liberated by XXX Corps on 31^st August after a night march by the 11^th Armoured Division.

61st Reconnaissance in Humber Armoured car at Beauvais, between Rouen and Amiens (IWM)

According to Colonel Brownrigg these were the most exhilarating days of the campaign.  They were protecting the left flank of XXX Corps but were sometimes 70 miles ahead of divisional headquarters and collected an enormous amount of prisoners.  Some were handed to the French Resistance fighters “who tagged onto us” - they took them to the woods and shot them (from Eric Postles' book).

Speed was essential – they had orders to capture the port of Antwerp in Belgium and the V1 rocket-launching sites terrorising London and the south-east.  (Eric Brewer mentions he saw a ‘Buzz Bomb’ launch site on 31^st August.)  The welcome in French villages and towns was now overwhelming and slowed progress so that often the ‘honours of liberation’ were left to the rearguard echelons.  There were sharp engagements and very little sleep – Sandy Handley confessed that one morning it was 61^st Recce’s job to wake up the Guards commander (the Guards Armoured Division with 50^th Division led XXX Corps in ‘the swan’) but they all overslept.  Monty had urged them to make every kilometre “a bomb less for England”.

 

 

On 1^st August Lt-General Patton’s US 3^rd Army became fully operational.  They swept west into Brittany conquering ‘a lot of real estate’ (Bradley) but failing to seize intact the critical western ports.  Rennes was liberated on 4^th August, Vannes on the 5^th, Angers and Alençon on the 10^th, Nantes on the 12^th and eventually, the Channel citadel of Saint-Malo on the 17^th.  Circling north to Normandy they were at Argentan by the 13^th August.

The Germans had launched a major counter-offensive at Mortain (south of Vire) on 7^th August, attempting to cut through to the coast and sever the US spearhead.  This was a disaster, thinning their defences further east so the British, including 61^st Recce, could at last push through, while Ultra (information via the Bletchley Park code-crackers) had prepared the American commander General Bradley for the attack.  Hitler demanded another offensive on 16^th August but instead von Kluge issued orders for a full-scale retreat and was instantly replaced by Field-Marshall Walter Model, who directed plans for escape through the Falaise gap.

 By now 'Pluto', the Allies undersea fuel pipeline between the Solent and Cherbourg, was operational.  Free French forces in Normandy began secretly hoarding fuel for a drive on Paris.

On 15^th August Allied Forces including the Free French landed on the south coast of France in Operation Dragoon and on the 17^th the Vichy government (except for Marshall Pétain) fled to Germany.

Chartres was liberated on 18^th August and the next day the Battle of Paris began with an uprising by the French resistance – communists led the people onto the streets while the rival Gaullists seized government buildings and institutions.  On 20^th August the US 3^rd Army crossed the Seine north-west of Paris.  Free French forces reached the centre of Paris on 24^th August greeted by a peal of bells from the great church of Nôtre-Dame and, despite Hitler’s order to burn the city, Paris was liberated almost unscathed on 25^th August.

 

On 23^rd August Free French Forces had linked up with the US 3^rd Army near Bordeaux, on the west coast of France, and the Germans retreated from the city.  In south-east France Cannes, Grasse, and Grenoble were liberated and, after fierce fighting, Toulon and Marseilles on 28^th August and Nice on the 31^st.

In Italy Florence was liberated by the British 8^th Army soon after 3^rd August, when the Germans blew all the bridges except the Ponte Vecchio.

 

With the Russian army on its doorstep the Polish Home Army began an uprising in Warsaw and was initially successful in taking control of large areas of the city.  RAF planes dropped weapons and supplies but Stalin set up a puppet Polish government in Lublin and left the uprising to burn itself out.  350 Jews were liberated from the Gesiówka concentration camp as Himmler ordered thousands of Jews from the ghetto at Łódź, south-west of Warsaw, to their deaths at Auschwitz. 

On 2^nd August almost a thousand Roma and Sinti left in the Gypsy Camp at Auschwitz were killed in the gas chambers.

In Amsterdam a young Jewish girl and her family were taken prisoner on 4^th August. Ann Frank died of typhus in the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp in March 1945 but her diary still tells the world the story of the Holocaust. 

On 20^th August the Allies began to bomb I.G.Farben synthetic fuel factory at Auschwitz with its enslaved labour force of Jews, British Prisoners of War and east European workers.  Primo Levi, the Italian chemist and author of one of the most famous accounts of Auschwitz ‘If This Is a Man’, survived the bombing.

The Russian army had captured Kaunas, the capital of Lithuania, on 1^st August.  They began to attack Romania on 19^th August and the King staged a ‘Royal Coup’, removing the fascist leader Antonescu and declaring war against Germany on 25^th August.  The Bulgarians also withdrew from the Axis coalition on 26^th August, becoming a neutral state while the Slovak resistance began an armed insurrection on the 29^th.

 

In the far east Chinese and American forces captured Myitkina in Burma (Myanmar) on 3^rd August but the Japanese Ichi-Gō advance into southern China continued with the capture of Heng-Yang in Hunan on 8^th August.

US Marines had seized the Japanese base at Tinian in the Marianas Island on 1^st August and by 10^th August Guam was liberated and all of the Marianas were in Allied hands.

 

While war raged around the world representatives of China, the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom and the USA met at Dumbarton Oaks in Washington to agree the structure of a new international organisation for peace and security – the United Nations.

75 years ago - Briquessard and the Battle of Normandy

On 1^st July Dick’s 61^st Recce ‘B’ Squadron were involved in the defence of the British front-line from an attack by 1^st SS Panzer Corps near Grainville-sur-Odon, between Caen and Villers-Bocage.  Eric Brewer, of the Assault Troop, was in a forward position directing mortar and artillery fire on the enemy.  A General inspected their position on 3^rd July – presumably Lt-General Bucknall, the commander of XXX Corps.

Dick may also have been on, or ahead of, the front-line – Eric Postles remembers that for most of July ‘B’ Squadron was operating independently from ‘A’ and ‘C’ and troops often worked alone.  In his letter of 4th July Dick says he is “having a rest in a fairly safe area”… apart from the occasional hedge-hopping ME109 or the odd mortar bomb”.  He was in an orchard (as usual in Normandy), next to a beautiful château with a moat, and had just received all of Chotie’s letters dating back to 13^th May.

Eric Brewer was also back at base and very pleased to hand in his bike – the Assault Troop were now given half-tracks.  Tony Rampling had been right to dread the prospect of handling a a bren gun on a bicycle. Sandy Handley, also in Dick’s troop, was in a Light Humber but when this ran into a mound on patrol they couldn’t steer and were “stuck in the middle of nowhere” for 24 hours.  At dawn they watched as a British Infantry attack half a mile away was mortared by the Germans until Allied artillery opened up on the enemy.  The REME (Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers) came out to rescue them but in Bayeux they found they didn’t have spares for “these old things”.  Sandy was assigned a Bren carrier instead, which was “pretty hairy with no cover like my turret on the armoured cars”. Sandy’s Humber was repaired with a “drop off an old ambulance” and restored to him by mid-July.  German infantry relied largely on horse-drawn vehicles for transport and Anthony Rampling recalls a road blocked with dead horses in their carts near Caen.  One horse was still alive and he tried to put it out of its misery.

Another attack on Caen, Operation Charnwood, began on 8^th July with heavy Allied bombing of the city, which inflicted terrible damage on civilians and the old city while missing most of the German defences in trying to avoid the Allies’ front-line.  61^st Recce were continually cautious of ‘friendly fire’ even though they had “red and yellow fluorescent panels on display to identify us” (Eric Postles).  They also had to be particularly careful returning from patrol to their own front-line.

Dick wrote to Chotie on 9th July.  At his last location he’d “got his feet under the table” at the farm, sharing whisky and Calvados with the inhabitants, including four female refugees they were sheltering.  On 8^th July he’d managed to buy a pig, which they roasted and ate.  (Eric Postles remembers his troop helping themselves to a sheep, which they cooked in ammunition tins.)

Eric Brewer was at Grainville-sur-Odon on 9^th July, which had just been taken by their infantry.  From 10^th July XXX Corps were involved in the Second Battle of the Odon, to disrupt German re-organisation after Operation Charnwood and distract from the preparations for Operation Goodwood (which required 8,000 tanks and armoured vehicles to cross the Orne and assemble ready for the initial bombardment).  The Germans had vacated the north and west of Caen during Charnwood but still held a heavily defended position south-east of the city – the infamous Bourgébus Ridge.

50^th Division, and Dick’s former unit the 43^rd Division, took part in major attacks south from Grainville-sur-Odon towards Evrecy from 10^th July resulting in a high number of casualties and little progress.  The 50^th also attempted to take Hottot-les-Bagues (just south of Tilly-sur-Seules) on the 9^th and 11^th July – Eric Postles remembers 61^st Recce holding the right flank for the 1st Hampshires as they attacked on 11^th July.

On 12th July Dick wrote briefly that he was “having a quiet day today” and searching for a friend reported missing in action.  Eric Brewer’s letters and diary reveal that they were careful to give the impression, to those at home, that they were much safer and further from the front-line than the Recce business required.  They were also anxious about the effects of the V1 rocket bombs back in Blighty.

On 12^th July Eric Brewer had moved to a new position with active  German mortars and snipers and was there until the 14th.   On the 15^th July XXX Corps commence Operation Greenline around ​​Gavrus, Evrecy and Esquay-Notre-Dame (south of Grainville-sur-Odon) and on 16^th July, Operation Pomegranate near Noyers-Bocage (west of Grainville-sur-Odon).  They gain little ground (although 50^th Division at last took Hottot-les-Bagues on the 19th) but amassed 3,500 casualties by 17^th July - the Germans had 2,000.

On 16th July Eric Brewer mentions the surrender of “6 Gerrys”.  Sandy Handley recalled six soldiers and an officer surrendering to their troop – Dick interrogated the officer in German without success so they dismounted and searched the woods on foot.  Six more Germans surrendered.

Dick sent Chotie a postcard of a Normandy wedding in traditional costume on the 17th July and told her he was “in the pink”.  He was about to endure one of the worst times for 61^st Recce during the war – Briquessard.  This was a long narrow wood on a slope east of Caumont-l’Éventé and bang on the front-line.  61^st Recce were required to leave their vehicles to play an infantry role, taking over from the American 101^st Airborne Division ('the Screaming Eagles') in slit trenches and dug-outs.

As they took over their two man trench in the dark Sandy recalled Dick visiting them saying “The enemy is not so far away, maybe 100 yards or more, so be as quiet as possible.  Remember, he’s doing the same as you, listening.”

Mornings and evenings were not so quiet – the Germans subjected their positions to salvos of shells from Nebelwerfers , the German multi-barrelled mortars nicknamed ‘Moaning Minnies’ for their horrible screaming sound.  In return they received a barrage of artillery fire from the Essex Yeomanry to the rear of 61^st Recce.  Sandy recalls German aircraft dive-bombing the artillery in response.  One night the Recce’s Regimental HQ in the middle of the wood received a direct hit from Nebelwerfers.

Dick wrote to Chotie on 21st July complaining of the week of rain they’d just had (which put an end to Operation Goodwood) but “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.”    A friend of his had been wounded the previous night.

The Troopers took turns to do 24 hour duty lying flat in the Listening Post – a crudely scraped-out trench for 4 or 5 men, 20 yards to the front with a field telephone to link up with the men behind.  Once when Tony Rampling was in the Listening Post they didn’t have any food so Dick crawled out, carrying a bag of food in his mouth for them and risking the German snipers.  When Sandy Handley momentarily forgot the trench drill and stood up in the open two bullets immediately whistled past his ears. 

‘Foot patrol’ at night meant crawling out on your stomach.  Roy Howard https://www.chotiedarling.co.uk/my-blog/2014/07/ss-panzer-grenadier-regiment.html  returned with an SS Panzer Grenadier jacket one night only to be sent out again another night to confirm the unit identification.  They became caught in cross-fire between British machine-guns and the Germans who used flare guns to reveal their position.  Roy escaped with a perforated ear-drum but his companion was critically wounded.

The pressure and deprivations of Briquessard were unrelenting.  Colonel Brownrigg reminisced that “For the rest of the campaign we used to judge all ‘black spots’ by reference to Briquessard.  Anything described as ‘worse than Briquessard’ stank.”

Dick wrote to Chotie on 28^th July:

61^st Recce Regt RAC

B.L.A.

 

Friday July 28th

Chotie Darling,

                                    Received your last batch of letters in very good time.  So here goes in reply. 

            Glad to hear you got the card OK – they’re the only sort we’re allowed to send, needless to say, and as you remark it was gay if nothing else.

            Hope to get a few days rest shortly when I’ll be able to write you more fully than at the moment.  Actually there’s practically nothing to write about, owing to the security restrictions.  I can’t tell you where I am or even what we’re doing.  You’ll just have to wait until we can get together again, preferably around a thick fireplace, sometime in the autumn, after a tea of hot buttered muffins…..

            What absolute rot that bloke does talk!

            There’s a slight pause at the moment for tea, which my troop Sergeant is endeavouring to brew whilst keeping himself and the smoke under cover…. The word ‘brew’ has become very popular in Army Slang.  A knocked out tank is referred to as ‘brewed-up’ etc, etc.  Also of course the old saw – “When in doubt, “brew-up” ….”

            Well, my Precious, I’ve just had some tea – bread + processed cheese and a bar of choc, and biscuits, so I’ll be alright until the morning.

            Just had three letters (from home & Diller).  Bryn had a good time on leave apparently.  Diller said he went to work on the new barmaid at the ‘Beach’.  She caught him in the act of giving her some coupons!  That sounds pretty ghastly to me, though you know how irreproachably innocent Brinner is….

            About half an hour ago I put my hand in my battle dress pocket straight on top of a razor blade which removed approx. ¼" off one of my fingers.  As if my hands weren’t cut about enough already. 

            In a very charming spot at the moment – must come here after the war*.  I’d love to come back here if only to be able to walk about as I pleased without having to duck all the time!

            It’s difficult to judge this countryside owing to the devastation but I know of  many more beautiful spots in England.  There is however a certain charm, perhaps due to the fact that things are ‘different’ in some small way, from England.  They have no timbered buildings, of course, everything being built of grey stone, very much akin to the Cotswold style.  There seems to be no deviation from this general custom.

            Wish I could have heard the last concert you saw – the old 5^th** wants a lot of beating.  Last time I heard it was in Folkestone just before Xmas.

            I fancy I’d better close here as things are warming up.

                                                                                                Dicker.

 

*Sandy Handley and Anthony Rampling did just that, visiting with other veterans in 2004. (Tony is on the left and Sandy on the right in this photo).

**Presumably Beethoven’s 5^th Symphony – Beethoven’s symphonies are mentioned in letter December 10^th 1943 and Beethoven in January 1944 letters.  The opening notes were used as code to announce the D Day landings to the French resistance on BBC radio.

The only time Tony disobeyed an order from Dick was when he was put on guard after 10 sleepless days at Briquessard.  He protested “Sorry Sir, I couldn’t keep awake” and never heard any more about it.

At last the terrible days at Briquessard came to an end with ‘the great surge forward’ of Operation Bluecoat, which was preceded by a thousand bomber attack aimed at enemy positons.  On 30^th July XXX Corps began to advance, with British VIII Corps, south-east from Caumont.  61^st Recce passed through the German positions at Briquessard ‘high with the smell of corpses’ and ‘B’ Squadron carried out a “textbook reconnaissance into Amayé-sur-Seulles”.  Unfortunately 50^th Division became stuck at Amayé, which was held by the Germans until 2^nd August.   XXX Corps, who had been ordered to quickly reach Aunay-sur-Odon, were still a few miles short after two days while VIII’s Corps 11^th Armoured Division had seized a vital bridge over the Soulevre River and taken le Bény-Bocage south of Caumont.  Montgomery sacked Lt-General Bucknall from the command of XXX Corps.

In Dick’s letter to Chotie of 31st July he has a whole day to himself, a second beer and a second bath so doesn’t appear to have been involved in the action.  In contrast Eric Brewer, who had spent the first three days of Briquessard at rest camp, was on patrol having grenades thrown at him by the Germans on the 29^th, under rifle and mortar fire on the 30^th and on recce patrol near Villers-Bocage on the 31^st.  Eric Postles was also involved in constant patrolling and had a narrow escape when they were penned into a farm by Germans and had to flee through a hole in the wall, leaving their injured behind (although they recovered them later).  The Germans had had time to heavily mine the positions all around this area and “one of the most stressful jobs was checking road surfaces where we suspected mines had been laid.  The headphones of the mine detectors cut outside sounds.  Nobody volunteered for this task ” (Eric Postles).   A breakout on the British-Canadian front still seemed impossible but the Germans had taken heavy losses of men and materials and were requesting permission to withdraw.

 

At the beginning of the month Hitler had replaced von Rundstedt with Field-Marshall Gunther-Hans von Kluge as Commander-in-Chief of the Western German Forces.  Rommel was injured in a Spitfire attack on 17^th July and Kluge also took on the defences of the western wall.  Hitler was still directly in control of the OKW (Oberkommando des Wehrmacht – Supreme Command of the Armed Forces) overseeing the Army, Navy and Air Force.  Following a failed assassination attempt by von Staffenberg, a German Army Colonel, on 20^th July Hitler’s paranoia regarding the conventional (non-SS) German Army increased.  The Gestapo arrested 5,000 suspected opponents of the regime and the Wehrmacht were all forced to adopt the Heil Hitler greeting instead of their traditional salute.  Rommel was suspected of links to the perpetrators and never recovered his status.

Allied Command was also losing faith in his old nemesis, Montgomery, who made optimistic claims that a succession of British-Canadian operations (Epsom, Charnwood and Goodwood) would take Caen and break-out of the bridgehead while in reality achieving only a cautious and limited advance.  By 20^th July Monty’s 21^st Army were at last fully in possession of Caen, the large city they had intended to take on D-Day.  On 23^rd July 21st Army split into Lt-General Crerar’s Canadian First Army (with its own separate HQ) and Lt-General Demsey’s British Second Army, both directly under Montgomery’s command.

With the capture of Cap-de-la-Hague at the beginning of the month the Americans had secured the north of the Cherbourg Peninsula and turned their attentions south beginning ‘the Battle of the Hedgerows’ on 3^rd July with slow progress and agonising losses.  By 9^th July they had taken the important road junction of La-Haye-du-Puits west of Carentan.

Although Kluge was still convinced the Allies' main advance would be in the east of France, and concentrated the fiercest of his forces there, the Americans still met steadfast defence and ferocious counter-attacks from the Germans in the south of the Cotentin.  The large city of Saint-Lô, south of Carentan, was almost completely destroyed by the time it was liberated on 18^th July.

On 24^th July the US First Army was ready to launch a major new offensive on a narrow concentrated front between Saint-Lô and Periers, to the west.  Operation Cobra (it amuses me that the Americans code-named their key initiatives after deadly beasts while the British chose horse race meetings!) began disastrously with the USAAF prematurely bombing the front-line and revealing the location of the advance, then, the next day, accidentally bombing part of the American front-line.  The attack went ahead, however, and began rapidly to gain ground with the help of ‘Rhinos’ – Sherman tanks fitted with ‘tusks’ that could break through the Normandy hedgerows.  Although the Germans stood firm to the east around Percy (south of Saint-Lô) the advance penetrated their lines in the west.  Periers and Lessay fell on the 27^th, Coutances on the 28^th, Granville on the 30^th and on 31^st July the Americans took Avranches and could turn the corner towards Brittany.

International co-operation, at least among the Allied nations was progressed at the Bretton Woods conference in the United States.  Focusing on post-war economic recovery it created the International Monetary Fund and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development.  The first jet engine, a joint USAAF and RAF project, went into operation on 27^th July (although the Germans had their own jet engine in the Messerschmidt Me 262 by August).  A Junkers German fighter plane that accidentally landed in Suffolk on 13^th July enabled the British to develop counter-measures for the latest German radar devices.

Although the USAAF and the RAF were now predominately involved in support for ground forces in Normandy (and had played a critical role in hindering the movement of German re-enforcements), heavy bombing of German cities still continued with the Americans attacking Leipzig on 7^th July and the RAF Stuttgart on the 29^th.  Germany continued to terrorise south-east England with the V1 rocket bombs.

In Italy the Allied front was steadily advancing north of Rome taking Arezzo (between Florence and Perugia) on the 16^th July and Livorno (on the coast west of Florence) on the 19^th.  Polish forces in the British 8^th Army finally captured Ancona, on the coast to the east, on 18^th July.

Meanwhile Operation Bagration was sweeping across Eastern Europe.  Minsk (now the capital of Belarus) was taken by the Soviets on 3^rd July and by 8^th July the Germans had lost 300,000 men in three weeks.  Vilnius, now the capital of Lithuania, fell on 13^th July and the Russians entered Latvia from the south at Dvinsk (now Daugavpils) on the 19^th.  By the 23^rd northern troops were nearing the border of Estonia at Pskov (the last pre-war Russian town to be held by German forces).  Progress in Estonia was slower, although, after five months of fighting, the Germans retreated from Narva near the Russian border to take a new defensive line between Lake Peipus and the Gulf of Finland.  Further south the Soviets captured Brest-Litovsk, on the border between Belarus and Poland, on the 28^th July.  The Russians were now just 25 miles from Warsaw and German occupants near the front-line in Poland began to be evacuated.  On 23^rd July the Red Army had found Majdanek concentration camp, near Lublin – the first major concentration camp to be liberated.

Further east Japan called off the Imphal offensive in India on 3^rd July and, with the US victory on Saipan on 9^th July, the Japanese Prime Minister, Hidekai Tojo, resigned from office.  On 21^st July American forces landed on Guam, the largest and most southern of the Marianas Islands, occupied by the Japanese since December 1941.

The Stars and Stripes and the Russian Red Flag were beginning their mighty advance across the world.

75 years ago - Preparing for Operation Overlord

On 1st May 1944 Dick became a full Lieutenant.  He was still in Nightingale Wood and acting Squadron Leader – possibly while senior officers attended Exercise Thunderclap, Montgomery’s preparation sessions for D Day with ground force officers who would be involved in the assault.  By now Dick would have known he wasn’t going ashore with 61st Recce on D Day but would follow to France with the majority of the Regiment in later in June.  He wrote to Chotie describing the joys of the countryside and listening to classical music on the radio.

61^st Reconnaissance Regiment was inspected by General Eisenhower, the Supreme Commander of Allied Forces in Europe, at the beginning of May and also received a visit from King George VI.  On 6th May Dick was Orderly Officer, checking on the guards at night, and still running the Squadron.  Chotie had been home, to Parkstone in Poole, where her sister Margaret was expecting her first child (Roger).  Dick’s old friend Eric Kessler now had a baby son and Dick was “almost envious”. 

By 10th May he’d “managed to get rid of this Squadron Leader racket”.  On 14th May Bristol, where Chotie was stationed in an Ack-Ack unit, was again attacked by the Luftwaffe.  The Easton-in-Gordano anti-aircraft camps defending the harbour would have played an important role successfully defeating the impact of the attack.  Having at last secured 24 hours leave Dick wrote to Chotie urging her to join him in “the Haunch town” – their favourite pub was the Haunch of Venison in Salisbury (co-incidentally where Eisenhower and Churchill are said to have met when planning D Day).  She went AWOL and they stayed overnight together in Salisbury on Friday 19th May; their last meeting before February 1945.

 

Letter written on Saturday 20th May 1944

Usual address

Saturday

Chotie Darling,

                                    Just a few lines to thank you for a very happy, though all too brief, 24 hrs.

            I managed to get back with ten minutes to spare and just made the afternoon parade.  I hope you managed to get back without too much trouble – I hate the thought of you scrubbing floors all night*.  What you would do for me, Darling, is a constant source of amazement to me.

            I’ve just finished censoring the mail – a man size job tonight as unfortunately no one else bothered to do yesterday’s for me, with the result that I’ve had two days to do at once.

            I regret to say that the 24hr passes have stopped but there may be a chance of some leave a bit later on – three or four days, I imagine.

            I went to the naffy** and imbibed a little beer earlier this evening with the result that I keep running outside.  Sorry….

            All the other officers (both of them) went to the cinema tonight to see “Bombers Moon” – some punk Yank film, but I just couldn’t have stood it so I stayed here, in my little tent and wrote you, my Darling, which seems infinitely preferable.

            After this show, Chotie, I reckon we’ll take a few months off – sheer rest – and forget all about the wretched life we now lead.  Walking in Provence or somewhere like that.  We could find a little hotel every night … and when we’re married things will be different….

            I intend to come out of this business, darling, if only to take the chance of making you very happy, which is what you deserve.

            I must close here, Precious as I have to write a few lines to mother – not having written for some time.

            Goodnight, my Darling – I love you very, very much.

                                                                        Dicker

RKWilliams

 

*Presumably an ATS punishment for going AWOL (Absent Without Leave)

**Slang for the Navy, Army and Air Force Institute’s canteen and recreation building.  Officers weren’t meant to frequent the NAAFI as this was an intrusion on the private lives of the Other Ranks.  The Commissioned Officers had their own ‘mess’, sometimes separated into Junior and Senior, and the senior NCOs had theirs, known as the Sergeants Mess. 

Eric Brewer’s diary reveals he was working in the Sergeants Mess (“not a bad job”) from 22^nd to 30^th May (from Eric Brewer’s Diary by kind permission of Derek Brewer and his family).

© Chotie Darling

 

Soon after this Dick moved to Aldershot with the rest of the Regiment not involved in D Day (including Tony Rampling).  He wrote to Chotie with “No news from this end, of course.  The old security racket again.”

 

Eric Postles, Sandy Handley, Eric Brewer and Don Aiken were all to be part of the first assault.  They had been involved in the practice exercises, seen detailed reconnaissance films of their destination (without any names) and waterproofed their vehicles for an amphibious landing.  Eric Brewer went AWOL overnight on 6^th May and was fined three day’s pay, possibly by Dick (RW)

(Eric Brewer's Service Record - copyright Derek Brewer and family)

 

The camp was shared with American Rangers, an elite unit who were to spearhead attacks from Omaha beach.  Sandy was “shaking in my boots at the thought of what was to come.  The majority of us hadn’t seen any action at all so far.” 

Towards the end of the month the camp was sealed off – no-one was allowed out or in.  Personal items had to be sent home and the cars loaded with ammunition and supplies to get through the first 24 hours.  Some of the troops copied the Americans example and shaved their heads in case of lice.  On 31st May they were told they would be embarking the next day and were served steak – an unimaginable luxury in those wartime days. The gunner in Eric Postles car ‘did a runner’, trying to get home to Slough, and was never seen again so Eric went to war with a crew of three, instead of the four he should have had.

 

On 8^th May Eisenhower had decided that D Day would be on the 5^th of June and a week later Montgomery gave a masterly presentation of the final plans for Overlord to the King, Churchill and the Senior Officers of the Allied Armies. 

Map of the Overlord Plan from Olive-Drab website

150,000 troops were to land on the five Normandy beaches: United States 12th Army Group, commanded by Lt-General Omar Bradley, in the west on ‘Utah’ and ‘Omaha’ and the 21st Army Group of British and Canadians in the east on ‘Gold’, ‘Juno’ and ‘Sword’.  XXX (30) Corps would be led ashore on ‘Gold’ beach by Dick’s own 50^th Division.  8,000 British and 16,000 American Airborne troops were to seize crucial inland points ahead of the landings.

It was vital to keep the Germans guessing where and when the invasion would take place.  The deceptions of Operation Fortitude North continued with another attack on the giant battleship Tirpitz (feigning preparations for a Norway landing from Scotland) and Operation Fortitude South built up General Patton’s fake US First Army Group in SE England, threatening the Pas de Calais.  Air attacks on key military and infrastructure targets all over northern France continued with a 5,000 bomber raid on 20^th May.

Berlin suffered a 1,500 bomber raid on 7^th May by the United States Army Air Force but the Allied air forces were now turned towards tactical support for the invasion and the USAAF began strategic bombing of Germany’s synthetic oil manufacture, succeeding in halving production by the end of June.

In Italy the Allies at last broke the Gustav (winter) line, which had stalled them for so long, taking the stronghold of Monte Cassino on 18^th May.  They also broke out of the Anzio beach-head to the north, linking up with the US 10^th Army by the Tyrrhenian Coast on 25^th May.

In Eastern Europe the Red Army’s advance in the Crimea continued with the capture of the Black Sea port Sevastapol on 9^th May.  Hungary was now occupied by German forces – mass deportation of Hungarian Jews began on 15^th May (less than one third were to survive the Holocaust).

The U-gō invasion of India by Japan retreated from Kohima on 13^th May. 

Chinese forces crossed the border to attack the Japanese in Burma on 11^th May and joined with Merrill’s Marauders who had captured the Myitkina airfields.  However, the town and river port of Myitkina remained in Japanese hands until August.

On 18^th May the success of Operation Cartwheel was demonstrated when the US Navy’s Admiralty Island campaign at last isolated the Japanese base of Rabaul, making it useless.

For the British the attention of the world was soon to focus much closer to home.

75 years ago - a 'cushy' time in Birmingham

First page of letter on 61st Reconnaissance Regiment paper posted on Thursday 10^th February 1944

2/Lt RKWilliams

Royal Armoured Corps

Brandon, Suffolk

Chotie Darling,

                                    Sorry I haven’t written before this, but haven’t really had time.

            I was inoculated yesterday morning and owing to a severe shortage of officers in the Squadron I’ve had to remain on duty all the time.  I was out on the range yesterday and got pretty cold, as a consequence of which I went to bed feeling a little pallid.  On crawling out of bed this morning I found I couldn’t stand, so I promptly crawled back again.  However, I got up for lunch and am feeling a lot better now, though I still ache all over.

            Hope you managed to stay in bed after your jab, nothing’s more miserable than having to stay on duty.

            I’m going on a week’s course at Birmingham on the 15^th, luckily it won’t affect my leave.  It’s a very cushy course as students (?) stay at the Officers Club and all the instructors are civilians.  Pity Eric doesn’t still live there.  I received three oranges today – there’s an issue of three per officer in the mess.  However, like the good little boy I am, I’m sending them home to mother.

            I had a day in Cambridge last week – a lovely town.  Unfortunately it’s full of Yanks and there’s a beer shortage.  Notwithstanding these two major calamities I managed to have quite a good time.

            Apart from this one excursion I haven’t been out at all.  Unless you get at least 24 hrs off it’s not worth going anywhere.  Cambridge is the only place worth going to and that’s some forty miles or so.

            Just had a letter from Brinner.  He’s now started on Machine Gun (Vickers) which is the last phase of his training.  I also wrote to Diller to get her to change her leave, so that we’ll be home together.

            Would you let me know what time you’ll be arriving home so that I can make arrangements from this end.  (That is of course if you can get 72 hrs).

            Must close here, Darling as my arm’s giving me merry Hell.

                                                All my love

                                                            Dicker

 

This letter was written to Private B. E. Chalkley in ‘A’ Troop O.F.C. ATS, 462 Hy(M) Bty RA, Markham Camp, Easton-in-Gordano, Bristol so Chotie seems to have moved from ‘B’ Troop but in the same battery.

 © Chotie Darling

61^st Recce moved again before 17^th February – this time to Whittlesford near Cambridge.  It was here that they were “inspected along with 151 The Durham Light Infantry Brigade by the Divisional Commander General Graham and by General Montgomery.  We were also inspected by King George VI, and then by General Eisenhower wearing an immaculate midnight blue uniform.”  (Extract from ‘My War Years’ by John Eric Postles ISO used by kind permission of the author.)

Dick’s course in Birmingham was on armoured cars – he wrote to Chotie during a lecture on the lubrication system.  On Friday he saw a “particularly good” concert with the Russian pianist Leff Pouishnoff and the London Symphony Orchestra and met up with his sister Diller and Chotie’s friend Mary Dakin in Leicester at the weekend.  Diller was stationed there in the Pay Corps.  Returning to Whittlesford he wrote to Chotie again on 23rd February.

Whittlesford is right next to the celebrated Duxford Aerodrome, in February 1944 home to the 78th Fighter Group, who escorted the American bombers on their perilous daylight bombing raids. Britain and America were trying to force the Luftwaffe into a decisive air battle over Germany with heavy RAF raids on German cities by night and daylight bombing by the USAAF targeting factories and airfields.  Operation Argument (better known as 'Big Week') began on 19^th February 1944 with relentless bombing in vast raids of US planes, including the 78^th Fighter Group.

On 20^th February Norwegian resistance commandos succeeded in sinking the ferry carrying the remaining heavy water from Telemark (which could have been used by the Nazis to produce a nuclear bomb) to Germany.

The Russians bombed Helsinki in Finland on 26^th February (although Britain had declared war with Finland, which was allied with Germany, the US never did).  Adolph Hitler’s base on the Eastern Front, the Wolfsschanze, was now within the range of the Soviet air force so he moved his headquarters back to the Berghof in Bavaria.  However, he would not permit German troops in the Ukraine to withdraw and 20,000 were killed by the Red Army near the Dnepr River.

At Anzio in Italy the Germans staged repeated fierce attacks but although casualties were high the Allies succeeded in holding their beach-head.  On 15^th February Allied aircraft bombed the historic monastery of Monte Cassino but assaults on the mountain by New Zealand, Indian and Polish troops were held off by German paratroopers.

In the Pacific the US was successfully attacking the Japanese held Marshall, Caroline and Admiralty Islands.  They also launched their own version of the Chindits (Long-range Penetration Groups) in Burma - known as Merrill’s Marauders, these guerrillas operated deep in the jungle behind Japanese lines.  The British and Indian armies in Burma’s Arakan held their position against the Japanese in the Battle of the Admin Box.

The Allies were on the offensive and preparing for 'undoubtedly the most complicated and difficult' Operation ever taken (Churchill) – Operation Overlord.

75 years ago - Italy and Pagham

Letter written on Wednesday 1^st and Thursday 2^nd September 1943

Same address

Wednesday (nearly Thursday)

My Darling Chotie,

                                                            It’s a long time since I’ve written to you at this time of night, but I find myself with two others operating a wireless for three days and nights and this being the first I thought it would give me a golden opportunity to send you a young novel – so here goes.

            The remainder of the troop are out on a three days exercise and we are maintaining contact with them the whole time.  The system, as it stands sounds quite fun but unfortunately we are not allowed to sleep as those on the exercise aren’t able to.

            This little discrepancy is, however, compensated by the fact that I get a weekend on Saturday, so things aren’t really too bad.  Diller will be home I believe so she’ll have a glorious chance to moan to her hearts content, an opportunity I know she won’t be slow to seize.

Came back from 48hr scheme yesterday, just about all in.  This wireless* is murder, it’s not only the mental tiredness you get, but also chronic headaches owing to the headphones which have to be worn continually.  I’ll spend the week-end in bed – lonely and cold ….

            We’ve managed to scrounge some cocoa and milk, also a shave, so we have hopes of something hot soon.

            Weather here is typical autumn – lots of mist and rain and last night a beautiful sunset, one of the best I’ve ever seen.  The trees – hundreds of them here are just beginning to turn – though it’s early yet.  It will be lovely by the time I leave – always presuming I don’t leave prematurely …

            We have a pretty sound wireless officer, one of the pleasant slavedriver type who works all hours from morn ’til night and expects the whole troop to do the same…Luckily he likes his pint and consequently we always find ourselves some hundred yards from the Duke of Wellington for lunch and he always stands the troop a pint apiece.  God knows how much it must cost him.

            I was talking to the publican who says that the present Duke (who lives in the neighbouring estate – Stratfield Saye) is quite a pleasant bloke – Captain in the Commandos in Sicily and always goes to the pub when on leave to play darts with the farmers.  Apparently he’s about 30**.

            Did I tell you that Dad went up to Purley*** to see all the relations?  It’s the first time he’s seen his father for about five years!  Awful isn’t it?  Apparently things have changed quite a bit.  Gramp now looks his years – he’s about 78, which he never has done before and has slowed up considerably.  Cyril (Dad’s brother) took him on a trip which included all the most dubious of London’s night clubs.

            They all expect me to go up (after Brian going, of course) but I still prefer to go home, or if possible come down to see you.  (I still owe you about a dozen spankings…****)

            However, he did see them, they were all very pleased, and that’s that – for another five years anyhow.

            Incidentally is there anything I can get you for your Birthday? I haven’t had a chance to get out for ages, and you can’t do anything on schemes.  Let me know – and if there’s no chance of my getting it, I’ll send you some shekels*****.

            The ATS are a better crowd than I thought, despite their being mostly Generals’ daughters.  The one I had (not literally….) yesterday did all the cooking for us – and did it very well – probably because they were scared of letting us do it, as they have to eat it as well.  I managed to get her a room in a farmhouse and she managed to get me half-a-dozen eggs so we had quite a happy time.  She comes from Kent of course – Pett’s Wood – about a mile from Orpington†.  We had several common friends.  I should say friends in common – there’s a subtle difference….

            I still haven’t had an FFI†† – you really must organise another meeting…See what you can do.  I always get atrociously rude this time of night – at the moment I’m thinking awful things.  I couldn’t even tell you… 

            That’s enough of this – I’d better do some wireless for an hour or two.

            Well, I’ve done some morse – over an hour in fact and have just been relieved.  Still feel the same.  Good thing I’m not in the Bristol area.

            Read Deeping’s ‘Two Black Sheep’ on the scheme and also “Fanny by Gaslight” again (Michael Sadleir) which I’ve always thought an awful lot of.  It’s the finest picture of Victorian England of the last ten years and heaven knows there have been enough books on that subject!  I’m sure Fanny would get the same hold on you as she has on me.

            Won ten bob on a little side bet last night.  Bill said it was Tchaikovsky’s ‘Casse Noisette’ and I said it was ‘Eugen Onegin’ and Eugen Onegin it was†††.  Just as easy as that.  Wish money was always so procurable as that 10 bob.

It’s now nearly 2 oclock and we’ve got the water on the boil for some luscious cocoa!  Jeez! 

My two colleagues have just started to take an interest in things – now that there’s a chance of a hot drink!  One is that madman I told you about from Corfe Castle – incidentally his name’s Peter Collins (happy memories?) who still intends to live on Round Island after the war††††.  A genuine hermit’s life with just his wife.  Notice I say just!  This is where I should say “what more could a man want”… (after his pipe of course…Never mind Darling – you come second …)

            The other one’s an Oxford law student, pretty nearly broke.  Tennis champ of north of England.  Quite a good type.

            I’ve just had my COCOA(!) and, it’s good.  I’ve got a lovely warm feeling in my tummy which I definitely didn’t have before.

            Well, Chotie Darling I must close here as I have to go on the set again.  I’ll let you know how things went on the weekend and enumerate some of Diller’s moans.

                                    All my love, precious.

                                                Always thinking of you.

                                                                        Dicker

P.S.  You should read Napoleon’s letters to Marie Louise and Josephine.  They’re good….

*Wireless – “not enough emphasis can be put on the importance of communication in battle situations”…Wireless operators needed high quality training “to pick up weak signals against a background of atmospherics and interference” known as ‘slush’. (From ‘Phantom at War’ by Andy & Sue Parlour, Cerberus 2003)

**The Duke of Wellington’s estate at Stratfield Saye near Basingstoke in Hampshire . The 6^th Duke of Wellington, Captain of No 2 Commando, was killed in action at Salerno on 16^th September 1943 (from Commando Veterans website).

***Purley, near Croydon, South London.

****Possibly referring to Chotie’s involvement with her officer at the Bristol camp earlier that year??

*****slang for cash. Chotie’s 20^th birthday was on 6^th September 1943.

†Dick was born in Orpington in Kent and spent his childhood there.

††the 'Free from Inspection' inspection for venereal disease (presumably being used by Dick as a euphemism here)

†††Tchaikovsky’s ballet ‘The Nutcracker’ and not his opera ‘Eugene Onegin’.

††††an island in Poole Harbour.

Peter Collins was the name of one of Chotie’s early admirers:

“Peter Collins, the boss’s son, home from Blundell’s, a posh school in Devon, also took a fancy to me and given the chance, we would canoodle in the store room.  His mother was very kind to me and I was invited to stay at their lovely house in Talbot Woods for a weekend.  Peter had won a scholarship to Blundell’s for his brilliant piano playing and taught me about classical music - a love that has stayed with me all my life.” (From ‘Chotie’s Story’. See also F.W.Collins)

 © Chotie Darling

 

Dick went home to Pagham, Sussex over the weekend of 4th and 5th September and sent Chotie a postcard of Sea Lane, Pagham for her 20^th birthday on the 6^th September. 

His next letter of Tuesday 14th September had news of his brother Brin, now an Officer Pre-Cadet at Wrotham near Sevenoaks, and Dilys, his sister, home from the Pay Corps.  Dick was still worried he wouldn’t get an officer posting to the Recce

“They’re over staffed as it is, which has the annoying habit of making them very difficult to please.  They cheerfully accept about five in every fifty and the unhappy remainder have to go all through an Infantry OCTU, which takes nearly another five months.”  He agreed with Chotie that the news was good (see below) but wrote “We still have the hardest fighting to do”.

Chotie went home on leave again in September to Parkstone, Poole and met up with her best friend Mary Dakin.  Her unit moved from Portishead back to Markham Camp, Easton-in-Gordano, sometime in the month and she had two trips to the dentist in September.

Dick was still on “schemes” – training exercises, which went on for a number of days outdoors but had found time to read, see some films and listen to classical music on the radio (mentioned in his letter to Chotie of 28th September).

His future unit, the 61^st Recce, were involved in a full scale battle ‘scheme’ with Canadian and Polish troops - Exercise Link.

 

On 3rd September the Italian government signed a secret armistice deal with the Allies.  The same day British and Canadian troops of Montgomery’s 8th Army crossed the Messina Straits unopposed, to land in Calabria on the Italian mainland.  This and subsequent amphibious landings by the 1^st British Airborne Division at Taranto and Brindisi, on the south-east ‘heel’ of Italy, were intended to divert the Germans from the main Allied invasion south of Naples but did not succeed. 

The armistice was announced on 8^th September as the Italian Fleet sailed to surrender to the allies in the port of Valetta, Malta.  Italian forces in German-occupied territory became prisoners-of-war and German troops rushed south to take up defensive positions against the Italian invasion.  When the US Fifth Army including the British X Corps arrived at Salerno the Germans were already in place to meet them.  Casualties were terrible as the Allies attempted to break out of the beach-head.

By the 10^th of September the Germans occupied Rome and two days later they rescued Mussolini from his prison in the central Abruzzi Mountains.  At Salerno the Germans launched a counter-offensive on 13^th September, which nearly defeated the Allies but a few days later, with the 8^th Army approaching from the south, the German army began to withdraw to defensive positions north of Naples.

On 23^rd September Mussolini proclaimed the re-establishment of a fascist government in Northern Italy and Hitler now ordered the execution of all Italians carrying arms in Axis-occupied territory.  10,000 were massacred in Greece for resistance (5,000 on the island of Cephalonia on 24^th September).

The Allies' forces from the east and west coast joined up to form a front-line across the country on 25^th September and began to head north.  (This was an arduous campaign against Italy’s geography – a central ridge of high mountains with wide rivers flowing to east and west, providing natural lines of defence – as well as the Germans.)  On 27^th September the people of Naples rose up and drove the remaining Germans out of their city ahead of the Allies' advance.  Marshal Badoglio signed the official armistice with General Eisenhower on 29^th September at Valetta, Malta.

Free French commandos had landed on Italian occupied Corsica on 14^th September to aid resistance fighters in harrying the Germans withdrawing from Sardinia (they'd been duped into arming for an Allied Invasion by Operation Mincemeat) via the formerly French island.  By 21st October the Italian forces were assisting the French.

On 18^th September the British began an attempt to liberate the Greek Aegean islands with a landing on Rhodes but the Italian troops they were looking to for support had already been arrested.

Jews in Athens and Denmark were now facing the threat of deportation as their countries came under German control.  In Denmark, Danish authorities arranged a secret operation to move Jewish citizens into hiding for a safe escape to Sweden while in Athens two-thirds of the Jews escaped with help from the Greek Orthodox church and even the Athenian Chief of Police. The Danish resistance established a shadow administration, ‘the Freedom Council’, on 16^th September.

While Sweden remained neutral, Norway had been occupied by Germany since June 1940 and Hitler’s massive battleship, the Tirpitz, was anchored at Kåfjord on the far north coast.  On 22^nd September a British attack using midget submarines caused enough damage to put her out of action for 6 months.

In eastern Europe the German front-line was now held at the Dnepr river, across central Ukraine, but on 22^nd September Soviet troops began to cross despite suffering heavy losses.  The Allies were now poised to squeeze Hitler’s Europe between eastern and western fronts.

75 years ago - Sandhurst at last

In May 1943, at the Trident Conference in America, Churchill and Roosevelt agreed the invasion of Italy after Sicily and set a date of 1^st May 1944 for the cross-channel invasion of North-West Europe – ‘D’ day.  Operation Mincemeat appeared to have convinced Hitler that the Allies would first invade Greece and Sardinia, even after the Royal Navy began a heavy bombardment of Pantelleria, the island between Tunisia and Sicily

The Allies had now triumphed in North Africa, taking the critical ports of Tunis and Bizerte on 7^th May.  On 13^th May the remaining Axis forces in North Africa, nearly quarter of a million men, surrendered.

Although Eisenhower had appointed the former Vichy general Giraud as Commander-in-Chief of French forces in North Africa, General de Gaulle arrived in Algiers at the end of the month in a political move to take control of l’Armée Afrique, which far outnumbered his Free French forces.  Jean Moulin, de Gaulle’s appointed leader of the French resistance, had succeeded in uniting the networks of northern France into the Conseil National de la Résistance.

On 15^th May Stalin announced the dissolution of the Comintern, the Communist international organisation working for world revolution.  Britain’s SOE (Special Operations Executive) began giving support to Marshal Tito’s communist partisans, who had wrested large areas of Yugoslavia from Axis control.

In the Atlantic the cracking of the German Navy’s enigma code and new more aggressive tactics were at last ending the devastation of British and American shipping. Admiral Dönitz lost 33 U-boats in May 1943 and withdrew his wolf-packs from the northern Atlantic.  In the northern Pacific the Americans took back Attu Island, US territory in the Aleutians, from the Japanese. 

The disastrous first British Arakan campaign in Burma ended with no gains and 5,000 casualties since September 1942.  However, Britain’s warfare technology was making important steps towards victory.  The flight of a Junkers 88 fighter from Denmark by Danish defectors brought the Telecommunications Research Establishment a German radar set that contributed to the development of ‘Window’ radar interference.  On 16^th May, in the famous Dambusters raid, bouncing bombs were successfully used to breach the Möhne and Eder, killing 1,300 in the flooded Ruhr valley and disrupting industrial production.  On 29^th May RAF bombers created a devastating  ‘firestorm’ for the first time at Wuppertal in the Ruhr – the explosive fire killed more than 3,000 people.

 

While Chotie adjusted to life among the guns near Bristol Dick was sweating over Pre-OCTU theory work “writing up notes for hours and hours” at Aldershot – “horrible place – nothing but military for miles.”  He had made two friends - ‘Chunky’, the ex-chef at the Trocadero and Brian ‘Enoch’, the actor.  By 28th April he was doing ‘Gunnery’, “which is pretty cushy” and looking forward to Sandhurst. 

At the beginning of May he ‘passed out’ of Blackdown Camp pre-OCTU and 7 days leave at his parents’ home in Pagham, where he was telegrammed Chotie to join him.  She didn’t (perhaps distracted by her new officer?).  On 17^th May there was a large bombing raid on Cardiff, the Welsh capital on the other side of the Severn to Chotie’s station.  Since the German bombers often flew up the Severn to reach their targets Chotie’s anti-aircraft battery may well have been involved in the action.

On 23^rd May Chotie’s former place of employment, the Beales Department store in Bournemouth, was destroyed by a bomb.  Through 1942 Chotie was a trainee window-dresser and, like many of the staff, a night-time firewatcher for the building.

Dick only sent one letter to Chotie that month.  It was written on paper from the Royal Military College, Camberley, Surrey - on15^th May he had joined the 162^nd OCTU of the Honourable Artillery Company, Sandhurst – and posted on Saturday 22nd May:

My Darling Chotie,

                                                It seems ages since I heard from you and as I expect it’s the same with you – here goes.

            As you will see from above I’m now at Sandhurst, which is quite a place.

            I’ve been so busy the last few days, what with passing out (in more ways than one) at Blackdown and getting settled here, I haven’t had a moment to myself.

            I was very disappointed with your inability to make Pagham, but realise what the hell of a journey Bristol is.  But why didn’t you send a wire or something?  Then I could have come down.  Brinner and Diller were home as you probably know.  We could have got really stewed – actually we did, but that’s another story.  However, we must try again soon.  I shall be able to get a week-end here and there, though I expect to be up to my eyes in work.  I’ve been very lucky here in getting a room with Chunky* and Brian (my mates …. ) and an excellent servant who knows all the tricks of the trade – and then some.

            (Don’t smile at this paper.  It’s all they’ve got here, and needless to say they robbed me …  Never again).  I had a letter from Eric last week!  No kidding.  He “didn’t want our correspondence to collapse” or some rot or other.  The rat.  Doesn’t appear over happy, but then he never does.

            Is Rosemary** still with you?  Lucky Rosemary….  However, all good things come to an end – we’ll be kicked out of this Army before long – I hope.

            I haven’t seen a flick for nearly a month, which cuts out that topic of conversation.

            We’re allowed to wear civvies in the evenings here, also dine in them, but as I’m couponless it doesn’t really interest me.

            So much for Sandhurst.  I expect you know all about Bristol by now - all the pubs anyhow.

            Diller and I found quite a good one in Chichester.  It’s so old it doesn’t have a licence.  It’s got some ancient charter from James I or some other bloke which dates back before shame even.

            You’re lucky in having some relatives in the neighbourhood – I’ve never been near anyone.

            Nothing new at home.  Mother’s been offered Gentians (that little Tea Rooms by the Kings Beach) for £100 and is toying with the idea.  Mike*** presents the only snag.  I’m all for it as we would be able to get buckshee teas on leave.  She always has these vague obsessions as well you know.  She also wants to make out a thousand in our names (Diller, Bryn & myself) to avoid death duties should she be killed by a stray bomb….  Crazy’s right.

            It must be over five months since I saw you last.  Have you changed at all Darling?  Don’t tell me you’re any slimmer ‘cos I’d never believe anything but my own eyes.  I’ve had so many 771’s in the last few days I reckon it would be easier to turn nudist and have done with it.  The old British public would raise horrified eyebrows, though you, I should imagine would remain entirely unruffled.  (We’ve got a wonderful old oak outside our window.  I have to keep stopping to gaze in rapt appreciation …. Must be the artist in me crying out like a voice in the wilderness against some aesthetic repression ….)

            Brinner bought another Gigli**** when he was home.  I won’t comment on it, as he and Solomon are the only two men in this poor world I would never attempt to criticize. 

            Have you read ‘Clochemerle’***** yet?  Don’t ask for it in a bookshop as they would only give you a pretty old fashioned look anyway.

            I spent a day up in town on my way back to Blackdown.  Piccadilly was, as usual, full of the usual who keep stopping you which is all very embarrassing, especially for an innocent little boy like myself, in London Town to see the bright lights.  I told one of them that she should be paying me, if only she knew me, which annoyed her not a little.  I didn’t tell her I existed for Chotie alone.

            Well Darling I must close here.  Hope to see you soon.  I’ll advise you when I can get a weekend.

                        All my love, Precious

                                                Dicker

5731671 Officer Cadet Williams R.K.

77 Tp. ‘B’ Sqdn., 100 (Sandhurst) O.C.T.U. R.A.C.

Royal Military College, Camberley, Surrey.

 

*see letter of 18th April 1943.

**Rosemary was Chotie’s young cousin I think

***Mike was the family dog

*** Beniamino Gigli was an Italian tenor singer and Solomon was possibly the pianist Solomon Cutner. See letter of 7th February.

****see letter of 11th April.

 © Chotie Darling

Dick’s officer training would have included learning from his ‘servant’ how an officer should speak, walk and eat.  Before WW2 the British Army had recruited only ‘gentlemen’ as officers based on character, use of weapons and ability to ride a horse; and , of course, class.  Now they were also recruiting officers from the ranks they were still concerned that they should have the ‘competencies’ of gentlemen.

75 years ago - Beginnings of an Officer

While Chotie was still training for Ack-Ack in Oswestry Dick had a major career change.  On 4th March he left 43^rd Reconnaissance to begin training as an officer.  Before Sandhurst and the Officer Cadet Training Unit (OCTU) he was a pre-cadet at Alma Barracks, Blackdown, near Aldershot in Hampshire for several weeks, missing out on Exercise Spartan, the first full-scale training exercise for invasion.  (His old unit, 43^rd Recce, were on the Allied side while his future unit, 61^st Recce, including our friend Eric Postles, played Germans in occupation.)

 

The Army had now decided to recruit officers on merit instead of (as well as?) class but there was still huge emphasis on appearance – Dick wrote to Chotie on 8th March:

 “The old spit & polish here is murder, have to change to best Battle Dress for every meal”…. “We’re on parade from 6 am to 7.30 pm. Murder” 

Pre-OCTU would last as long as it took to prepare a pre-cadet for Sandhurst. 

 

On Sunday 14th March Dick found time to write Chotie a long letter:

5731671 P/CDT Williams RK

30.0 Tp ‘A’ Sqdn.

No1. Pre-OCTU R.A.C.

Alma Barracks, Blackdown, Hants

Sunday

My Darling Chotie,

                                                            As Sunday has again occurred I find I have a few minutes, to write to you.  It seems ages since I heard from you – but I expect you’re in the same position as I am – one of a temporary scarcity of spare time.

            I’ve managed to settle down here, as much as is possible anyhow, but find myself pretty rushed off my feet and expect to be the same for the rest of my stay here.

            The compensations, such as they are, consist of such luxuries as hot water, showers, marvelous food, and plenty of clothing exchanges.

            There’s a whole harem of ATS here – they do all the admin. Duties, office work, driving, etc.  They never seem to do any parades, apart from one Church Parade per month.  Pretty cushy.

            (I must make an apology here for using this paper, but I’m fed up with using poky little writing-pads.)  I rather fancy that this letter will read like a young novel. However, I resume.

            The instructors here are all Guards N.C.Os.  Coldstream, Grens*, Irish, Welsh etc and aren’t too bad on the whole.  We get a helluva lot of square-bashing, much too much for me, anyhow, as I reckon I’ve had enough after nearly three years in this racket.

            I expect you’re getting interested in the leave problem – and what a problem!  I only wish I could get mine, but I’m afraid I’ve missed it and certainly won’t get any until after this nine weeks.

            The real job starts at Sandhurst, but there you get a batman and are allowed a collar and tie(!) even though still a cadet – but that’s a long time yet.

            I can get week-end passes from here – provided I’m not on duty, but it’s a lousy journey and the fare would be well over a quid.  On top of this there’s the fact that you need every available moment to blanco** and keep your notes up to date.  What a tale of woe! – anyway that’s about enough of my troubles.

            I suppose you’re quite the old soldier by now.  You won’t, however, be able to give me any old buck as I know the ropes.  You should get a better time when you get on a site somewhere – the initial training is always the stiffest, and the most boring.

            Needless to say, I don’t get any time to read here, and I gather it’s the same with you.

            Happily, I’m with quite a bright crowd – an actor (ham), medical student, couple of school-marms, buyer from Lewis’ Leicester, art student and several other buckshees.

            I met LISBY here; do you know him?  Rather fat, blond, used to work at Bank in Broadstone and ARP at Municipal Buildings.  Went to Poole Grammar.  He’s a pre-cadet for the Tank Corps. (I seem to be rambling on, all to no purpose).

            Heard Ruth Naylor*** (waltz-song from Bohème) on Naafi Radio this morning.  Pretty wonderful.

            I miss my friend Alex**** from the 43^rd.  Like Eric we had much in common, particularly opera.  I promised to write, but then no one ever does.

            The ham here knows lots of people we knew on the London stage, and every night-club in Mayfair.  He knows enough about such people as Daphne du Maurier, Michael Redgrave, Noel Coward, etc to blackmail them a hundred times*****. Comes out with some rather indelicate tales after lights-out.  (I’m thinking about taking this letter up with a publisher).

            Had letters from home yesterday – no news.  Brinner’s on a course somewhere.  Diller is still expecting to do something.  Expecting is as far as it will get.

            How’s everyone at Parkstone?  Give them all my best wishes when you write won’t you?

            Well, Darling, I must close here as its nearly lights-out and they’re pretty mustard on that sort of thing.

            Hope I can see you before very long.  I can’t tell you how much I miss you, Chotie, that would be quite impossible, but I do think about you and love you very, very, much.  Perhaps, this wretched show will end sooner than either of us imagine and we can be together again.  I’m much more interested in that than any b----- commission.

                                                God bless you, Chotie

                                                            always yours

                                                                        Dicker

*Grenadier Guards

**Blanco was a cleaning compound used on the cotton of army uniforms.

***Ruth Naylor was an Australian soprano, famous for her appearance in Puccini’s opera La Bohème.

****Alex Johnston – see letters for January and February 1943.

*****Practising male homosexuality was illegal in Britain at this time. Daphne du Maurier’s bisexuality has not been confirmed. She was Dick’s favourite writer and married to his former Commanding Officer in the Air Landing, Frederick ‘Boy’ Browning.

© Chotie Darling

 

“This wretched show”:

On 1^st March 1943 American Jews held a mass rally in New York to pressure their government to do more to help Jews in Europe.  Heinrich Himmler visited the concentration camp at Treblinka in eastern Poland and gave orders for the mass murders there to be covered up. 

On 13^th and 14^th March 1943 the Nazis ‘liquidated’ the remaining Jews they had forced into the Krakow Ghetto in southern Poland, shooting 2,000 in the street and deporting 3,000 others to nearby Auschwitz-Birkenau.  Newly built gas chambers were put into operation at Auschwitz, the largest Nazi death camp where one million people were murdered during the German occupation.

In the same month German Army officers from the Russian front made two failed attempts to assassinate Adolf Hitler. The Soviet Army and Air Force were now better equipped than the Axis powers on the eastern front and far outnumbered them.  However, the Germans were still successful in re-taking the old Ukrainian capital city of Kharkov on 14^th March. 

Allied bombers focused their first attacks of the Battle of the Ruhr, beginning in March, on German armaments production in Essen.

In Tunisia Rommel failed in an attack from the Mareth line and left Africa on 9^th March.  Montgomery’s British Eighth Army followed up with a successful attack on the line, winning the battle by 26^th March. 

The largest convoy battle of the war began on 16^th March in the Atlantic with three wolf-packs of U-boats converging on 100 Allied ships and succeeding in sinking 22 with the loss of only one U-boat.  On the other side of the world Australian and American planes achieved a landmark victory against the Japanese fleet in the Battle of the Bismarck Sea but Britain’s guerrilla force in Burma (the Chindits) was forced to withdraw to India with the loss of one third of their men.

In London there was tragedy on the underground at Bethnal Green on 3^rd March when 173 people were killed in the crush when panic set in.

The “wretched show” continued for another two years….

75 years ago - Chotie trains for Ack-Ack

On 3rd February 1943 Chotie began training to be a ‘spotter’ on the Anti-Aircraft gun sites at Park Hall Camp, Oswestry in Shropshire.  Before her posting she had 48 hours leave and was able to see her family in Poole.

Dick was stuck in Dover, which was still suffering air raids as the anti-aircraft guns attacked planes coming in over the Channel.  He now sported his Good Conduct tape for “two years undetected crime”.  He wrote to Chotie again on 24th January : “I suppose you’ve discovered that writing letters is just about the last thing you feel like in the services”. 

(I’m glad he did write letters – this blog wouldn’t exist without them!)

before taking part in the Kent Exercise Hammer II, returning on the 29th.  At the beginning he’d filled out a Recommendation form for Candidates for officer Training Units and this was endorsed by Lieutenant Colonel Crawford on 30th January.  By then Dick was taking this seriously with evening classes in French and German and participation in the Post-War Reconstruction Committee.

At the beginning of February 43^rd Recce was Section Training with a cross-country run and a day on ‘Battle procedure – Withdrawal’.  Writing on 4th February Dick knew Chotie might be training on the artillery sites in North Wales, where his family originally came from.

Chotie did not warm to Park Hall Camp where “life was grim”.  “We did full military training with a Sergeant major on the parade ground.  God, it was just like prison – food so awful and the tea implanted with bromide to stop us getting passionate.”

Dick’s letter of 7th February had been ‘opened by an examiner', maybe at Dover because of Dick’s officer prospects or perhaps at Oswestry to check the correspondence of new recruits.  I doubt there was anything that would get either of them into trouble (Dick was attending evening classes, reading French, listening to classical music and trying to play the Warsaw concerto – although he did refer to ‘spit and polish’ as “Heluva waste of time altogether”

43^rd Recce commenced Troop or Squadron training on 8^th February.  From 10^th to 14^th February Dick was undergoing officer section tests with the War Office Selection Board at Brockham Park in Betchworth, Surrey and on 14^th February his recommendation was approved.  Not knowing this there is no mention of the Board in his letter of 16th February - just family gossip and more about his friend Alex Johnston (who was to be one of 214 men killed when the ship transporting 43^rd Recce to Normandy hit a mine off Sword beach in June 1944).  However, when Dick wrote again on 25^th February he did have news:

As usual

Thursday

My Darling,

                        Many thanks for your letter received yesterday.  Glad to hear you’re still alive & kicking, even though rather over-worked….

Well, Precious, I have got an item of news this time, as, since last writing to you, I’ve been on and passed a War Office Selection Board for Commission.  It will mean a long and arduous task ahead but with proverbial luck and good management I see no reason why I shouldn’t be successful in this respect.

            I am now waiting to go on a pre-OCTU course, which may last any time before eventually getting to an OCTU.  After that it’s about six months of merry hell before getting the old commiss!

What a game it is,,,I had three marvellous days on the Board, as all the time you’re there you’re treated as an Officer – even waited on at table by ATS….

            Marvellous old Georgian House and Estate* has been loaned to the W.O. for this purpose and the owner had the decency to leave all his furniture there.  The pictures alone were insured for £120,000!

            You spend three & ½ days there doing just about anything the human body can do – and more, - intelligence tests, exams, interviews with Brigadiers, Colonels and psychiatrists etc.

            First question the last mentioned asked me, was “How many women have you slept with?”….

            Shook me – rotten.

Most of the paintings I knew – several of Manet, Monet, Cézanne etc. so I had an interesting chat with the Brigadier and visiting woman M.P.  Apparently the owner used to buy still life & his wife, the nudes.  Some of the nudes shook us …..All excused like strip-tease, under “ART”.

            I’ll let you know any further developments should they arise.

I wrote to and had a long reply from Benetti** the fellow at Hove.  Sent me a letter full of arias, and invitations to stay with him.  The bloke’s a genius on arias.  Hope to look him up on my next leave, which brings me to a sore point. 

I’ve had the wretched thing cancelled indefinitely!  Heaven knows when I’ll get it.  However one can’t talk of commissions and leave in the same breath I suppose.

Saw ‘In which we serve’*** this week.  Wasn’t very impressed I’m afraid, though Captain’s wife’s speech was rather brilliant.

            Must close here Darling

                                                            All my love

                                                                        Dicker

*Brockham Park, Betchworth, Surrey.

**See letter of 3rd September 1942

***Patriotic British war film – ‘the story of a ship’ – directed by Nöel Coward and David Lean and starring Nöel Coward. Celia Johnson played the Captain’s wife.

© Chotie Darling

 

The major event of February 1943 was the end of the battle of Stalingrad on 2^nd February.  By 13^th February the Germans’ withdrawal extended to Kharkov, the former capital of the Ukraine far to the east (which had been taken by Operation Barbarossa in October 1941).  Rostov-on-Don, the ‘Gateway to the Caucasus’ near the Sea of Azov, was re-captured by the Russians on 14^th February.

As news of the defeats in Russia leaked out Joseph Goebbels, Hitler’s propaganda minister attempted to rouse the morale of the German people with calls for ‘Total War – Short War’ but during his speech he mentioned the eradication of the Jews.  By the end of the month the German wives of Jewish men had begun to gather in Berlin to protest against the deportation of their husbands to concentration camps.

In France the introduction of the ‘Service du Travail Obligatoire’, forcing French men to labour in Germany, was bolstering recruitment to the resistance forces.

Rommel inflicted heavy losses on the Allies in Tunisia during the Battle of the Kasserine Pass, the first major clash between German and American forces.

By the end of February the US was in control of the Pacific Solomon Islands having taken the central Russell Islands.  British Special Forces in Burma, the Chindits, were now fighting behind enemy lines but the Australian commandos who had continued resistance to the Japanese were finally forced to withdraw on 10^th February.

Meanwhile Eric Postles and the 61st Reconnaissance Regiment were back in England to take part in Exercise Spartan.

   

75 years ago - Chotie joins the ATS

Dick’s regiment in Dover had been joined for Christmas by the Canadian Reconnaissance Regiments and pilots from the Royal Australian Air Force – about fifty in all.  Dick reported to Chotie that he’d had “rather a quiet Christmas” , although he drank “eight pints of beer with Xmas dinner”.  Eric Postles had his Christmas dinner with his troop in a café in Portrush, Northern Ireland

Although 43^rd Recce had resumed Section training after Christmas they were given a half day on 1^st January.  Dick would presumably have been involved in the vehicle maintenance inspection by Lt-Col Crawford, the Commanding Officer, on 2^nd January but got out to the ‘theatre’ with his new friend Alex Johnston (later killed in the sinking of the Derrycunihy with other members of 43^rd Recce soon after D day).  They saw a strip-tease act featuring a 12 foot long python.  Dick, himself an amateur pianist who could play by ear, was most impressed with Alex’s rendering of Richard Addinsell’s Warsaw Concerto, the theme tune for the war film ‘Dangerous Moonlight’.

Dick had won a bet on the progress (or lack of) the Allies in Tunisia.  He wrote to Chotie on the evening of Sunday 3rd January wishing her luck with her entry to the forces.

Section training continued – Dick won two cross-country runs (43^rd Recce diary records these as held on 28^th December and 4^th January) and completed a forced route march.

Meanwhile Chotie had joined the Army. She was ‘embodied’ into the Auxiliary Territorial Service at No 1 Training Camp, Northampton on 8^th January.  Her first days there would have involved nit inspections, VD and pregnancy tests, vaccinations and visits to the dentist, as well as assessment for her future role in the army.  On 11th January she filled out a qualification form applying to be an Anti-Aircraft spotter with the Royal Artillery (or second choice an equipment orderly with the Royal Army Ordnance Corps).  Although she was one mark below the minimum in something called SP23 her other scores were good and she was “very keen to be on a gun site” so she was recommended for the Ack-Ack.  (Ack Ack was the name given to the anti-aircraft guns in the same way that the German anti-aircraft defences were called 'flack'.)

Dick wrote to her on the same day:

5731671 Tpr Williams, R.K

Mortar Troop, HQ Sqdn 43^rd Recce regt.

Recce Corps, Home Forces

Monday

My Darling Chotie,

                                                            So you’re in the Army at last…._ and from your letter things don’t appear to be too bad.

            I should imagine by now you know all about innoculation….Just ignore it.  Personally we always welcome it as it means 48 hrs in kip – that is TAB* of course, not ATT etc.

            Northampton seems rather a far cry from Dorset, but you may be posted farther South of course.  It’ll be the helluva way to go just for 48 hrs though.

            You say the clobber seems stiff – and soft cloth at that….

            I’ve just done an amazing thing – for me, or rather two amazing things – won two cross-countries inside a week!  Shock nearly killed me.  Had a forced route march today over ploughed fields.  Half the troop fell out.  I made it all right, but it left me with a swine of a headache.  All those who fell out go on a charge automatically. 

Expect you’re bored stiff reading all this tosh!  Specially if the innoc. Got you down.  We are always urged to get about and forget it, but I just give in and relax in bed.

            It’ll be a change to write to you at another address….

            Ramble, ramble….

Pretty chilly here, expect it’s the same with you.  We pinch about ½ ton of coal a week from various sources.

            Haven’t heard from Brinner for ages – and Eric needless to say has always failed to write.  Brinner’s still somewhere in Essex I suppose.

            Did you hear about Monica’s effort?  Baby daughter – 9lb 4oz something.  Helluva weight.  Mother did tell me her name.  I’ve forgotten I’m afraid.

            Re. Xmas present.  Is there anything you want?  Or would you rather I send you the shekels?  Don’t be afraid to let me know will you in your next epistle.

            Met an Eire padre last night.  Ex boxer from Dublin Varsity.  Found quite a lot in common.  Opera, Georgian Houses etc.  Quite a lively argument about the Church.  Had to admit we both had our own points….

            Don’t forget to give me a lucid description of the Sarn’t-Major.  Yes Ma-am….

            Must close here, Darling.

            Hope I get the address right.

                                                                        All my love

                                                                                    Dicker

P.S.  Don’t let ‘em get you down….

* Typhoid inoculation

© Chotie Darling

 

On 12th January Chotie’s enrolment into the ATS was approved and she would have begun basic training with lots of drill, parades and inspections, tests on Army regulations and getting used to the Army life.  I don’t think Chotie would have found it hard to look smart, although forcing her abundant blonde hair up into her cap was always a problem:

“How well I remember Barbara,  – she had the most lovely smile and the most beautiful hair which she had great difficulty in keeping up above collar level as laid down in Kings Regulations!” (Rosemary Cowley/Stewart, pers comm).

 

Chotie in the ATS

On 13th January 1943 the call-up (compulsory military service) in Britain was extended to single women of 19 – Chotie’s age. 

In the Warsaw Ghetto the first armed resistance by Jews to the concentration camp deportations succeeded in securing a temporary halt to the transports.

French resistance to the Germans was growing as the French communists joined with General de Gaulle’s Free French (in opposition to the Allies’ appointment of Vichy France collaborators to lead in North Africa). However, on 30^th January Vichy France established a secret police force modelled on the German Gestapo and called the Milice.

That day, the 10^th Anniversary of the establishment of Nazi Germany, the Allies bombed Berlin by daylight in a propaganda coup and the following night the RAF began to use H2S the first airborne ground scanning radar system (developed by TRE in Dorset and Malvern), greatly improving their accuracy.

A ‘Combined Bombing Offensive had been agreed by the US and Britain when Roosevelt and Churchill met at the Casablanca conference on 14th January, with the Americans attacking the Luftwaffe and aircraft factories by day and the RAF continuing to bomb cities at night.  They also agreed the plan for the invasion of Sicily - Operation Husky – although they were meeting fierce resistance from the Germans in Tunisia.  (Rommel’s forces defeated both French and US forces at the battle of Fäid Pass on 23^rd January.)

The war in North Africa was at least diverting desperately needed support from German units on the Russian front.  The Red Army at last succeeded in breaking through the German encirclement of Leningrad (St Petersburg) and moved in to crush the surrounded Sixth Army at Stalingrad. On 31^st January the German commanders at Stalingrad surrendered.

US and Australian forces finally achieved victory over the Japanese in Papua New Guinea and the Japanese began a planned withdrawal from Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands.

The Allies could now feel that the Japanese were not invincible and, when the news of defeat at Stalingrad leaked out, German citizens began to realise they might not win the war.  The Allies capture of Tripoli, the capital of Libya, on 23^rd January signified the end of the Italian Empire.

75 years ago - Brighton

On 22^nd July 1942 Dick had been assigned to the No3 Technical Training Group in Brighton, to learn to be a Driver Mechanic for the 43^rd Reconnaissance Regiment

Although slightly dismissive of his new comrades: “a very rough lot - no signs of mental vigour” he was “very thankful” to be out of the Airborne.  He enjoyed being back in Kent, his childhood county (he’d attended the Simon Langton School in Canterbury) and found “almost everything was going on” – cinema, theatres, etc. in when he arrived in Brighton.  On his 21^st birthday, 28th July he was still suffering from his latest vaccinations (43^rd Recce had received orders to mobilise for overseas) and had a quiet night out by himself in the town centre.  By day he was training at the Dreadnought Garage in Hove and eating in the local 'British Restaurant'.

Postcard sent from Brighton on 4th August 1942.

Dick managed to get home to Pagham on the weekend of 8^th August but was also enjoying the delights of Brighton, going to the Anglo-Polish Ballet twice.  On 16^th August he wrote to Chotie about the films he’d seen in town:

Letter – Sunday 16^th August 1942

5731671 Tpr Williams R

Room 28

3^rd Technical Training Group

Preston Barracks, Brighton, Sussex

Sunday

My Darling Chotie,

                                                                        Many many thanks for polyfotos.  They’re marvellous, Darling.  I showed them to the boys who now regard me in a different light.  I would have sent them back with this letter, but haven’t yet procured a big enough envelope, but I’ll definitely send them in my next.

And also many thanks for a very nice letter.

            Well, Lulu belle there’s no news as usual.

            I went to the ‘Curzon’ yesterday – saw Viviane Romance in “L’Esclave Blanche” (White Slave) a French film.  It was very good but not up to the usual high standard achieved by French Directors. She (Viviane) is very much like Danielle – also has her hair up.

            I’m looking forward to seeing Eileen Joyce tonight – never having seen her before. She’s an Australian and extraordinarily good pianist to hail from there.         

I saw a rather good film a few days ago – “Mien Kampt” (sic)* – showing Adolf’s rise to power since his early days after the last war and the brilliant way he went about it – the way he removed Ernst Roehm, Dollfuss, Schnussnigg (sic) and the rest**.  A lot of it was documentary, ie actual shots, especially of the jolly old Reichstag Fire Trial*** etc, and the flagwrapping parade in the Olympic Stadium***.

            Well, Precious, I must close here as it’s now dinner time, and as I didn’t get up in time for breakfast, I’m not missing it.                            

                                        All my love, Chotie Darling,                                     

                                                        Hope to get leave soon                                                         

                                                                                         Dicker

*Dick meant ‘Mein Kamf’ - German for ‘My Struggle’, the title of the film and Hitler’s autobiography.

**Ernst Röhm – head of the SA (Sturmabteilung), the Nazi brown-shirted stormtroopers. Arrested and executed in the ‘Night of the Long Knives’, 1934.

Engelbert Dollfuss - Chancellor of Austria from 1932 to 1934, who destroyed the Austrian Republic and established an authoritarian regime based on conservative Roman Catholic and Italian Fascist principles. Assassinated by the SS in July 1934.

Kurt von Schuschnigg – succeeded Dollfuss as Chancellor of Austria. Opposed the Anschluss, (annexation of Austria by the Third Reich) and was imprisoned by the Nazis when they invaded Austria.

***The Reichstag Fire Trial in 1933 followed the part destruction by fire of the German ‘parliament’ building soon after Hitler became Chancellor of Germany. Marinus van der Lubbe was charged and executed for having set the fire as part of a Communist plot and the Nazis used the incident to ensure the defeat of the Communists and other leftist parties in the following elections.

****The 1936 Olympics in Berlin, Germany.

© Chotie Darling

 

Meanwhile 43^rd Recce in Kent was ready for mobilisation and continuing training.  They may have been destined for the Far East, Africa or even France…

 

Churchill arrived in Cairo on 3^rd August 1942.  The staff changes he made there resulted in Bernard Montgomery (Monty) taking charge of the Eighth Army in Africa.  Rommel’s Afrika Corps again attempted to break through the El Alamein line at the end of August but was forced to withdraw.  Churchill flew on to Moscow for talks with Stalin who reluctantly agreed that there would be no Allied invasion across the Channel in 1942 to take pressure off Russia.  Instead plans went ahead for landings in western North Africa with Dwight D. Eisenhower appointed as Commander-in-Chief for the invasion.

An offensive by besieged Soviet forces in Leningrad prevented the Germans from cutting off their supply line across Lake Ladoga.  Germans in southern Russia scaled Mount Elbrus but their over-stretched forces never reached the rich oilfields of the Caucasus.

On 6^th August 1942 the World Jewish Congress announced that one million Jews had been killed in Nazi occupied Europe.  Roosevelt warned that the perpetrators of barbarism would ultimately have to stand in courts of law and answer for their acts.

On 7^th August the Allies began their first major offensive against the Japanese, landing 19,000 US Marines on Tulagi and Guadalcanal in the southern Solomon Islands (which the Japanese had held since May).  The Japanese responded, landing thousands more troops and Guadalcanal became a bitter campaign of jungle fighting and survival.  In the Battle of Milne Bay on Papua New Guinea the Japanese attacked on 25^th August but the (predominately Australian) Allies had won their first decisive victory against the Japanese by 7^th September.  Japan directly attacked the USA in late August and September, firebombing the west coast forests.

In India the ‘Quit India’ campaign led to the British arresting Gandhi and other Congress leaders.  On 19^th August 1944 the British and Canadian combined operations raid on Dieppe in northern France ended in disaster.

The first all American bombing raid from Britain went ahead in daylight on 17th August, directed against the railway yards in Rouen, France.  The huge RAF night-time raid on Nuremberg on 28^th August killed 4,000 civilians.

 

Dorset, where Dick’s beloved Chotie lived, was still suffering from coastal bombing with 15 people killed in Bridport and Swanage in August. Combined forces practised for the Dieppe Raid off the Dorset Coast and the Small Scale Raiding Force successfully attacked a radar station on the French coast on 14th/15th August. Dorset boats were involved in support of the foiled raid on Dieppe and Portland played an important role in the testing of midget submarines, later used with success against Germany’s greatest battleship, the Tirpitz.  The Royal Australian Air Force arrived in Poole on 31^st August to fly anti-submarine patrols over the western Channel approaches in Sunderland flying-boats, safeguarding the vulnerable but vital supply convoys.

75 years ago - Poole saved from bombing with Island decoy

On 23^rd May 1942 the new 'Starlight' radar system was employed successfully by RAF pilot John “Cat’s Eyes” Cunningham to shoot down the German flying ace Hauptmann Langur, whose plane crashed near Shaftesbury in Dorset.  The Telecommunications Research Establishment, however, did not stay in Dorset. In May 1942 it moved inland to the safety of Malvern in Worcestershire – the Small Scale Raiding Force and Bruneval Raids were proving how vulnerable coastal locations were to attack.

Poole was the target for a large bombing raid on the night of 24th May, involving 60 German aircraft.  Luckily one of the initial ‘pathfinder’ bombs fell on Brownsea Island setting off the pyrotechnic displays of the Elstree Studios’ decoy used to simulate burning buildings and successfully diverting the rest of the attack to the Island.  Although several people were killed in Hamworthy by other Pathfinders - and a bomb falling near Chotie’s home in Parkstone killed a Home Guard - the ingenious "Starfish" (from ‘Special Fire’) decoy was a great success, attracting 157 tons of the 166 tons of bombs used in the attack – it may well have saved Chotie’s life.

A Starfish decoy in action

 

On the other side of the world the Japanese now held all of the Phillipines and were advancing into southern China along the Burma Road but in the Battle of the Coral Sea the American Navy prevented their landing at Port Moresby (Papua New Guinea). 

Soviet forces experienced terrible losses to the German Army in the Second Battle of Kharkov (Ukraine) and the Crimea.  Reinhard Heydrich, the main architect of the Jewish Holocaust, was shot by the Czech Resistance and died a few days later.  Germany suffered its first 1,000 bomber raid on the night of 30^th May when the RAF attacked Cologne, devastating the city.  However, Rommel’s offensive in Libya in May 1942 led to his most famous victory in the Battle of the Gazala line.  This also impacted on Dick’s future since the 50^th Division’s Reconnaissance Regiment was wiped out in the Battle to be replaced shortly before D Day by 61^st Recce, the unit Dick and his comrades were to fight in.

Eric Postles was already in the 61^st Reconnaissance regiment, training in Northern Ireland but in May 1942 Dick was with the 1st Airborne  training on the Bulford Ranges near Salisbury and moved there from Shaw House at the end of the month.  On Sunday 3^rd May he had his first flight, in a glider, but seemed unimpressed (possibly slightly airsick?).  He met up with his brother Brin on Saturday 9th May and again the following Saturday.   On Thursday 21^st May he had a rather more illustrious meeting:

 

Saturday 23rd May 1942

5731671 Tpr Williams R

1^st Air Landing Sqdn

 Recce Corps

HOME FORCES

My Darling Chotie,

Hope you will excuse my writing in pencil but expect you are used to it by now...

            Many thanks for letter - as welcome as ever.

            Glad to see you managed to get a swim in - which is more than I've been able to - not that I've got the inclination - seem to have lost all interest in that direction, which is probably a good thing as I always tended to overdo it.  I rather think Brinner has also lost interest.  If ever I get out of this show alive I'm all for a life of ease – swimming’s far too strenuous.

            So Margaret has made it up with Ted to quote your own words.  Well, well...On ne sait jamais*..

            Had quite a thrill on Thursday - when we were inspected by the King & Queen and a score of Generals.  It was a demonstration of Paratroops & Gliders etc.  I hope Johnny knows what he's letting himself in for.  At any rate he'll find out sooner or later.

            Did you hear the “Barber**” this afternoon (Saturday)?  Unfortunately I was working and missed it.  I cursed my ill-luck bitterly.

            Flying all the morning - cold & cloudy.

            Lucky Diller - wish I was going down, or rather we were.

            Books: “Portrait of a Village” Francis Brett Young**, “Blood & Sand” Ibanez - though rather dull gives quite a true appreciation of the life of a Torero.

            Brinner may have moved by now - probably has.  Near Winchester I believe - couldn't be worse than Oakmere Farm - I was horror struck when I saw it last Saturday.

            Raining hard at the moment - very miserable - the weather I mean - I'm reasonably cheerful.

            Well, Precious no news as per usual.  Incidentally will you get in touch with Eric and get him to send me a GROUNDSHEET. MOST IMPORTANT!!! I'm about to be charged 18/- for one! Will you send it, Darling?  (please...) - and I'll give you a big kiss...(Hope that will do the trick).

                        Well, bye, bye for now, Darling.

                                                            All yours,

                                                                        Dicker

PS. I now drive a 15 cwt truck. It was called ‘ Evelyn’ but is now ‘Chotie’ - I painted it in Gothic’s.

                                                                        xxxxxxx

                                                                        all for you!

                                                                                    Darling.

                                                                                    Xxxxx

*French for “You never can tell”.

**Presumably the ‘Barber of Seville’, an Italian comic opera by Rossini.

***A mystery story set in the Black Mountains of Wales.

****A famous tale about bullfighting in Spain.

© Chotie Darling

75 years ago - bombing raids in Southampton

In March Dick moved back to south Hampshire from Southbourne and was stationed in Southampton. The city was subject to regular air-raids, the Luftwaffe having resumed their bombing campaign (which had been hampered by the winter weather following the terrible attacks of November and December).

Poole, where Chotie lived, suffered 88 air raid alerts in March and April as incendiaries, high explosive bombs and UXBs were dropped on the area (from  ‘Poole and World War II’ written by Derek Beamish, Harold Bennett and John Hillierand published by Poole Historical Trust in 1980.)

 

Dick wrote this letter while on guard in Southampton:

‘D’ Company

70th Dorsets

Southampton

Hants.

My Darling Chotie,

                                                                        As I’m on guard once again I thought I’d write as I have a few moments all to myself!

        I have to go on guard every three days or so – far too often - a 24 hrs guard, mounting at 6 pm and dismounting at 6 pm the next day. 

        It’s a regimental guard over the main entrance to the Battalion Headquarters.  Needless to say everything is just so-so or the RSM* wants to know why.  However, there’s a stove in the guardroom which helps matters not a little.  There’s also an orderly attached to the guard who gets the meals and anything from the NAAFI.

        The guard consists of one Corporal and three men, each man doing two hrs on duty and then four hrs in the guardroom.  The main snag is that we have to wear full equipment and are not allowed to take it off during the 24 hrs, except for reasons too obvious to mention!

        That’s enough of guards – they’re pretty depressing things anyway. To turn to a more cheerful subject, I hope to get home next weekend for a few hours – either on Saturday or Sunday.  It all depends on when I have to go on guard again.  If it falls on Saturday evening it ruins me, as there wouldn’t be time to get home and I would be on guard all the Sunday.  I believe, however, that I go on again on Friday, which means I come off Saturday night and could get home on the Sunday.  We must trust to luck as usual.  I think I can make it all right.

        I’ve been to the flicks twice lately – saw ‘The Great Dictator’ and ‘Black Fury’ (Paul Muni).  How anyone could see anything in the ‘Great Dictator’ I don’t know.  I thought it was chronic.  ‘Black Fury’ was quite good but nothing up to the usual Muni standard.  The place we go to (the only place we are allowed without a pass) is Shirley.  I’ve no idea where it lies on the map but it’s inland from Southampton.  It’s a pretty dull place; reminds me of the East End on Sunday – all 50 shilling tailors and patent leather.

        There’s nothing to go out for anyway, as we have a first rate NAAFI and a good Corporals’ Room.  The boys say there are plenty of women here but I haven’t seen any – except a couple of old bags, doubtless engaged in plying the oldest of professions. I’m afraid that’s rather crude. Almost Russian**…

        Incidentally, I don’t know whether I told you I had an interview with the ‘Old Man’ and he’s recommended me.  It will mean some months, as I have to wait for the recommendation to go through to the interview board.  They’re the b----rs to get past and even if I get past them (which I very much doubt) I’d still have to wait to get posted to an O.C.T.U.***  Still it’s a start, I suppose.

        I’ve just paused to make out the Guard reports – a wretched job as everything has to be reported – even the minutest detail.

 

            Later

                                    Well, Precious, it’s now just after midnight and still the sirens haven’t gone.  It’s really rather odd as we seem lost without them here.  I expect Jerry’s stocktaking this evening…  the raids lately have been almost continuous and pretty vicious. About six houses in a row, 200 yards from here came down on Saturday night.

        When there’s a night raid on the shrapnel comes down like rain, from the Anti-Aircraft Barrage.  There’s not a house in the whole place that hasn’t got some windows out or half the roof gone.  It’s certainly more interesting from that point of view, as there’s seldom a dull moment at night.  It makes the guards a lot more fun when you can hear the shrapnel on the roof.

        I’ve done very little reading lately as I don’t get very much time.  I read, or rather re-read, Hitchins’ ‘The Garden of Allah’, and quite an interesting little book called ‘I’ll tell you Everything’, written by Priestley in collaboration with some one else****, which, although very light & sometimes puerile, was really rather good.

(Every now and then I light my pipe and march up and down outside in an effort to keep awake.  The stove in here makes me wish for my dear little bed…).

        There’s a piano here in the Assembly Hall, on which I manage to amuse myself occasionally if no one else.  If I can find a piano anywhere where I can play without fear of being interrupted I’m really happy for hours – which only goes to prove what a simple minded soul I must be.

Well, my precious baby, I must close here as I don’t want to put an undue strain on your eyes (?) reading all this rubbish, so I will say ‘Good Morning’, Darling,

                                                            Your ever loving,

                                                                                    Dicker

P.S.  Please look after yourself, Darling, as you mean just everything now.

 

* RSM – Regimental Sergeant Major

** ‘Russian’ was a romantic code between Dick and Chotie.

“Dicker and I, so young, played wonderful games. We pretended to be ‘Russian’ and he taught me to love the ballet as he did.  Having always wanted to be a dancer we pretended I was.  I wore my long blonde hair in the style of a ballerina. He was a brilliant pianist and played Chopin by ear. He had a very good physique having exercised with weights and things – very muscular.  How I adored him.  Our lovemaking was very pure by today’s standards.  Just to kiss and hold each other close was very thrilling.”  From ‘Chotie’s Story’.

*** O.C.T.U. – Officer Cadet Training Unit

****Robert Smythe Hichens’ ‘The Garden of Allah’, a tale of adventure in the Sahara Desert written in 1904, was made famous by the Marlene Dietrich film of 1936.  ‘I’ll Tell You Everything’ written by J.B.Priestley in collaboration with Gerald Bullett is a light-hearted crime thriller.

© Chotie Darling

Belgian belles and the joys of Izegem - December 1944

Chotie Darling

 

Dedicated to the memory of my mother

and all those who hold the forever young of war in their hearts.

 

Part 4        Only the Enemy in Front   

 

Chapter 14     Belgium and the Ardennes

 

Sandy Handley starts this story:

“In December 1944 we heard that 50 Division was being broke up.  We went back to Izegem to hand in all our equipment, vehicles, ammunition guns and radios.  On the brighter side it looked as though we were to be in Izegem for Christmas.”  (From Ex Trooper S Handley’s ‘61 Recce - Memories of Normandy 1944 – 1945’, unpublished)

 

Anthony Rampling remembers Izegem with great fondness:

“When we left ‘the Island’ in in Holland we were sent to Izegem to disband - because there were so many casualties they were going to disband the 50 Division and the 61^st Recce.  In the meantime they sent us to Izegem and we had a marvellous time.  Everybody found a Belgian belle.  I found a girl called Georgette – she was the first love of my life I suppose.”

Izegem was about the best time we had in the war.  When we got to Izegem everyone did what they wanted.  You did your own thing there – sitting about in cafés and going to dances.

“Nothing happened, no discipline, we just did what we liked.  Most of us walked around all day from one café to another.  That was about it.”

 

“My driver and myself stayed in a bakery in Izegem.  Most of the other chaps got billeted in private houses, which was much better actually.  They gave us a breakfast which consisted of stale iced cakes and very strong black coffee, which we weren’t used to.”

From Anthony Rampling’s account of 61^st Recce (pers comm).

 

Dick had found himself rather better quarters (letter written in mid-December 1944):

61^st Recce

RAC BLA.

Chotie Darling,

                                    Sorry I haven’t been able to write you before but I’ve only just finished quite a considerable amount of work.  I received your letter telling me of the birth of Margaret’s baby today – the first letter I’ve had for weeks (almost).  Our mail has all gone astray again.

            I’m back to the town I went to some month ago – the neighbouring town to the one where Madeleine lives.

            For once in a while I’m living in luxury – I had all the billeting to do in this place so naturally I picked myself a first-class place.  The family – (father, mother, four daughters and three sons) do everything possible to make me feel at home.

            Being people of considerable intelligence they all speak English, French, Flemish and German, so life here is quite an education in itself.

            They have also a very fine collection of records – all the piano concertos and several operatic records so Ronnie comes round pretty often to get a grip on them.  The oldest daughter (20) plays Chopin rather well – but she’s engaged to a bloke in the Belgian Embassy….

            They’re all very interested to hear about your work – they’ve all just seen their first ATS (they’re in Ostend in their hundreds) but they’ve never actually met any.

            We’re having a real holiday while we may – and the old beer certainly flows here.

            Is Margaret pleased it’s a boy?  I’ll bet you’re more thrilled than she is.  Send her my best wishes and congratulations when next you write, won’t you?

            I should have some news when next I write, but I can’t tell you anything at present.

                    All my love, Chotie Darling,

                                                Dicker

P.S. I’m enclosing something for Xmas.  I’ll write you again to reach you by then.

                                                            R.

 

*Presumably the family of Monsieur and Madame Octave Sintobin-Anne, who Dick visited again later in the war.

 

 

One of the cards in Dick's 1945 diary.

  © Chotie Darling

 

Eric Postles was also quite comfortable:

"We were ordered to Iseghem in Belgium to disband.  All the regiment were billeted with families, each troop more or less in the same street. 

Corporal Martindale and I were put with the Deschermaker family at Hondstrat 10.  They were shoemakers doing the cutting and stitching at home and had a factory for assembly work.  There was mother and father, Andre, who had been in the Belgian Army during the 1940 fighting; Simone, Paula and Jeanne (the three girls) and Renee who was about ten.  We slept for the first time in a proper bed, drew our rations and handed them to the family, who we ate with.  After an initial day or so we became accepted members of the family.  No guard duties, no ‘stand to’, peace and quiet. 

We reluctantly handed in our vehicles and our equipment to the Quartermaster staff and prepared for Christmas.  We went to the barbers in the town square for a shave and had coffee and cakes in the cafés.  As the Deschermaker radio had been confiscated I gave them one of the Phillips sets purloined in Holland.  We did not seem to have any problem communicating with a mixture of French and English and helped out with cutting shoe tops."  (Extract from ‘My War Years’ by John Eric Postles ISO used by kind permission of the author.)

 

Max Murphy of B Squadron’s Anti-tank troop wrote of a post-war return to Izegem in the newsletter of the Old Comrades Association:

“In Iseghem, although I could no longer remember the name or the address of our hostess during the period when we were in ‘civvy billets’ there, I managed to find the house and to my surprise the same dear old lady was still in occupation.  We had lunch with her and reminisced as best we could through the language barrier.”

 

Colonel Brownrigg was lamenting the demise of 61st Recce:

 “We handed in all our fighting vehicles, ammunition and petrol to various dumps.  All wireless sets were removed from their vehicles, and the Quartermaster had all stores in a barn for checking.  And so we were all preparing to drown our sorrows in Christmas feasting.”

(From ‘A Reconnaissance Regiment in the B.L.A.’ by Lieutenant-Colonel P.H.A.Brownrigg D.S.O.)

 

Prematurely perhaps?

 

Don Aiken continues the tale:

 “At this point it was decided to consolidate and regroup.  Part of this regrouping meant that 50th. Division, which had been badly reduced in strength, would be disbanded and broken up to make up losses in other Divisions.
With this in mind we, 61st. Reconnaissance Regt., were sent back to a small town called Iseghem (Izegem), which is situated in Belgium, close to the French border. We were billeted in various houses, cafés and so on, and our H.Q. and cook-house was situated in the railway goods yard. All our vehicles and equipment were taken to a dump somewhere on the road to Antwerp. We had a few days of wonderful bliss. Nothing to do but have a few drinks in the cafés and idle our time away.

We hadn't reckoned on the Germans. They had realised that the defensive strength of the US Army in the Belgian Ardennes forest was not good, with only 4 Divisions holding a front of 80 miles long….”

(Extract republished from From the Breakout to the Rhine by kind permission of Don Aiken)

A Bath and a new Battle Dress - Wednesday 6th and Friday 8th December 1944

61^st Recce Regt

RAC BLA.

Tuesday (sic) Dec 6^th

Chotie Darling,

                                    Many thanks for your letter from home, which I received yesterday.  Yes, Darling, you can come as my batwoman any time you like – though I don’t think I’d get much work done.  Perhaps it would be better to wait until I get back to England, and I’ll apply for you then…. Let me know if you’re on, and I’ll start teeing-up the necessary formalities.

            I expect Margaret’s baby has arrived by now.  Give her all my best wishes won’t you Darling?  I’ll try to write her if I can find time.

            I was very lucky last night, hearing the whole of Beethoven’s ‘Fidelio'* – his only opera, in German from Munich.  'Turandot' was also on but of course I wasn’t to know that.  Actually, I heard the last note – as I switched from Munich to the Home Service.  It was the first time – believe it or no – that I’ve heard ‘Fidelio’ in its entirety, which was quite a thrill, as you can well imagine.

            Well, my darling, I suppose you’ll be back again by the time you receive this.  I expect you managed to have a pleasant, if lazy time (knowing you….).  Don’t forget to let me know of anyone you happened to meet – though I don’t suppose there’s many of the old stagers about – unless they also happen to be on leave.

            Yes, 'Fanny'  is quite a good book**, but Sadleir has no need to write, as he’s rolling in money, anyway.  The film, of course, was shocking – but then I expected that.  Merle Oberon’s effort at George Sand*** will be equally ludicrous – she just hasn’t the ability to play that extraordinary woman.

            Did I tell you I read HE Bates ‘The Poacher’?  It’s a very fine piece of writing – which I can heartily recommend.  I must admit I was sitting in front of a fire – always a luxury out here - with the old pipe, which may have influenced my criticism.      Got a new battle dress**** today (a great thrill) but don’t yet know when I’ll be able to wear it to advantage.  I rushed it to the local tailor (there’s only one in this wretched village) and got the lapels faced-up.  He (the tailor) couldn’t speak any English and I can’t speak any Dutch so you can imagine the proceedings.

            Ronnie has just turned-up with a bottle of ’29 Bordeaux, so it looks likes being a happier evening than I expected.

 

            Two more days have elapsed since I wrote the foregoing – though nothing of any interest has happened.

            I’ve moved once again, but still find myself in the inevitable farmhouse.  The last one we were in was really ideal.  Our usual practice was to do a week or so ‘in the line’ and have a week back at the farm in reserve.

            The three Armoured Car Officers (Geoff Winzer, Eric (Schoolmaster) Macey and I) used to share a room, with the equally inevitable stove (no Dutch houses have open fires) and of course the radio.  There was always plenty of work to do, especially on the cars, but we usually had the evenings free, and spent most of them with the Burgomaster.

            The Rhine (they call it the Maas in Holland*****) flowed by, some hundred yards from the farmhouse, and there was a cluster of gaily-painted barges alongside the dyke.  Had it been spring it would have been very pleasant – though I spent many happy hours wandering along the dyke road on the few sunny days we did have.

            To come back to earth – I hope to get a bath this afternoon – the first for six weeks or more.  Always a great occasion.  Must close here to tee it up with the Squadron Leader.

            Tons of love, Chotie Darling   

                                   Dicker                                     PTO.

 

P.S.  Do you think you could get me some leather buttons?  About this size:- (drawing of circle 1.4 cms across) for utilizing battle dress?  I need about 30.  Also four of five big ones for great coat?

            Let me know if there’s any chance won’t you?

                                                                        Love

                                                                                    D.

 

*Thomas Mann, the great German writer, commented when Fidelio was performed in Germany soon after the war:

"What amount of apathy was needed [by musicians and audiences] to listen to Fidelio in Himmler’s Germany without covering their faces and rushing out of the hall!”

The music and theme of love, liberty and justice “for all men…will always represent an appeal to our conscience” (Wilhelm Furtwängler, German composer, 1948).

**the novel “Fanny by Gaslight” by Michael Sadleir.

***Merle Oberon, and Anglo-Indian actress, played George Sand, the French writer and Chopin’s lover, in a biographical film of the composer released in 1945 – “A Song to Remember”.

****’Battle Dress’ was the standard uniform in the British army made of woven wool (serge) with a short jacket that buttoned to high-waisted trousers.

*****Dick has got confused – the Maas is a separate river flowing east and then south of the Rhine.

© Chotie Darling

 

Eric Brewer wrote against 5th December that he:

“Moved to Ell, near Weert (south-east of Eindhoven and west of Roermund) in a civvy’s house.  Having a good time.”  (From ‘Beaten Paths are Safest’ by Roy Howard, Brewin Books 2004)

 

Dick was presumably at Mill and then at Ell, near Weert,

when he wrote this letter.

 

Music from Germany - 16th? November 1944

WAR DIARY of 61 Recce Regt RAC November 1944

– Lt Col P.H.A. Brownrigg

Date 16^th       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)

 

 

61^st 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 20^th century.

****a grand opera in French by the Italian composer Gaetano Donizetti, also set in Spain.

© Chotie Darling

Home from Home - Sunday 12th November 1944

61^st Recce Regt RAC

BLA.

Sunday Nov 12^th

Dearest Chotie,

                                    Well, Darling, believe it or no, but I’m writing this in an armchair in front of a lovely fire, which makes a bleak November afternoon quite a pleasant prospect.

            Many thanks for your last letter, Darling, and the promise of the gloves, as we had our first snow yesterday and it’s not exactly July here.  It’s OK when you can keep on the move but travelling in the vehicles or standing about in trenches in night isn’t my idea of a picnic by any means.  Always grumbling aren’t I??

            There’s a ton of books in this house – also a Blüthner grand*, so I manage to amuse myself during my ‘free’ time.

            I’ve just had a letter from Brinner with news that he’s leaving the RHU** and joining a regiment – with seven days leave and a short course first.  I don’t know where he’ll be spending the leave or the course so I’m anxiously awaiting his next letter, as I may be able to meet him shortly.

            Have you heard any further news of going abroad? Don’t do anything too rash will you?  I don’t quite see to what part of the world you can go to.

            I was in this same house about a month ago so it’s home from home as far as I’m concerned.

            The owner is a protestant minister, a man of considerable intellect and general broadness of horizon.  I may have mentioned him before – he’s quite a polyglot, speaking French and English with equal fluency, as well as German, Dutch, Flemish & Russian!

            He’s very charitable.  It’s difficult to imagine an English minister giving his house as a home for unmarried mothers, as he is doing here.***

            He wears plus fours, knee-length training-boots and a Norfolk jacket, which you must agree is quite a combination.  I suppose him to be about 35-40 years of age.

            Had a bottle of good English beer today – the first drinkable beer I’ve had for about three months – but one bottle doesn’t go far.  I also had some tobacco from Brinner so everything’s fine.

            It’s rather a pity you’re in such a spot at this time of the year – in the summer it would have been ideal – though you might well winter in Egypt…. I reckon we’ll have it pretty cold.  It’s only when it’s wet as well that it gets really miserable.

            I must close here, Darling to get some sleep as I’m up rather early in the morning.

                                    All my love, Chotie Darling

                                                                                Dicker

 

* Blüthner, based near Leipzig in Germany, are one of the ‘big four’ piano manufacturers so Dick is referring to a high quality grand piano.

**Replacement Holding Unit?

***In the 19^th century Ottho Gerhard Heldring founded a foundation (the Ottho Gerhard Heldringstichting) in Zetten for the reform and education of prostitutes.  At the turn of the century a famous Lutheran pastor, Hendrik Pierson, was its president and a local college is named after him.  Around the shelter (‘steenbeck’) a whole complex of large and smaller houses grew, all focused on the care, upbringing and education of vulnerable girls and young women.

© Chotie Darling

Dance, Opera and remembering the Dorset Regiment - Wednesday 8th November 1944

As Usual

Wednesday Nov 8^th

Chotie Darling,

                                    Still have some time to spare so here goes once again.

            Been doing nothing much all day – except some work on the cars, etc. and tying things up generally.  Weather hasn’t been too kind lately – high winds (which I don’t mind) and plenty of rain (which I heartily dislike).

            I’ve been going for walks along the dykes which is very pleasant when the rain holds off – especially now when all the trees are at their best.

            I’m hoping to hear Eva Turner sing ‘Turandot’* tonight at 7.30.  She is I think the greatest ‘Turandot’ ever, and she’s in great voice lately.  It’s not often I get the chance to hear a complete opera so you can imagine it’s quite a thrill.  The only snag is that the light (& power) usually fails about this time, so I’m sweating on it staying on – tonight at least.  They couldn’t manage, of course, without any of the Welsh contingent so I see that Powell Lloyd & Roderick Lloyd** are also in the cast.

            We (the Armoured Car officers) ran a dance last night.  Refusing to have anything to do with the dancing side of things I ran the bar, consequently having a very successful evening.  The unhappy people who preferred to dance had a miserable time, as the women were few and far between, and generally a pretty scrappy lot.  Needless to say the bar side of things was very well organised.

            I still haven’t contacted either Brinner or Ted – and don’t see much chance of doing either.  It’s pretty difficult to get about these days as the roads are rather deadly.  Still, we must keep trying, I suppose.

            I expect Ted’s getting himself in a state – or isn’t he the type***?  I wouldn’t know.

            Did I tell you I met a bloke called Gideon when I was on my 48hr?  He used to be an old mate of Eric and myself in the Lee-on-Solent days.  He’s been through the desert campaigns since then and is now an Army Lieutenant in the same Division as I am.  We had a long chat on old times over a whisky or three in the Officers’ Club.  Apparently quite a few of the originals were killed in the desert after they had left the Dorsets.  He’s the first bloke I’ve met from the old crowd & I was the first he’d met.

            I’m now writing this by candlelight as the lights have failed – hope they come on again before 7.30 ….

            Hope you got the magazine I sent you some ten days ago.  I don’t yet know how near that standard the German women keep, but the stuff looks OK by me.

            I’ve also sent off a rough sketch that ‘Junior’ made of me, when reading a little Shaw.  It was by candlelight – a tricky light to draw by – and was rather hurried.  He’s always wanted me to sit for a ¾ portrait in oils – which he hopes to get hung in the Academy**** – but I’ve always staved him off….In any case he’s sold his oils now which has relieved me intensely.  I could never sit still for hours on end looking at nothing in particular.  I might manage it if I could smoke, but that’s not ‘on’.

            Hope the weather isn’t too cruel for you, where you are in Cornwall.  I expect it can be pretty miserable at times.  Never mind – it’ll be over any Xmas now….

            I’ve had two long letters from Monica – cynical and disillusioned, and generally full of woe for her unhappy lot.  I knew at the time that her marriage could never be successful.  Her husband – although meaning well, is hopelessly dull, and seems to have no interest outside of her – which is fatal.

            She was soon bored with him – now she thinks him a fool.  Being a staunch Catholic she won’t divorce him – but plans a separation as soon as circumstances permit.  At present he’s in hospital in the North suffering from battle exhaustion – though she will have it that he’s OK.  There I’m sure she’s wrong as you have to be pretty clever to work that one! Anyhow, enough of Monica – I won’t reply. 

            I’ve just received ½ lb of Sobranie***** but don’t know who it came from a there’s nothing in the parcel in the form of a name or address.  It came just in time –as usual.

            I’ll send you the three little books I bought – if you’ll keep them for me.  It’s no good sending them home as mother always throws my books away when she gets a spring clean mood.  They’re practically valueless but it’s not so easy to get them these days.  I don’t know whether they’ll ever reach you or not.  I would keep them myself but I simply haven’t room to accumulate stuff – much to my regret!  As it is, I’m carrying an extra pack full of books and a radio….

            I’ve been reading Hulton’s new efforts ‘The Leader’***** *(allied to Lilliput, Picture Post, News Review and Housewife) which seems rather a fair effort.  It’s 3 pennies weekly and well worth reading.

            Strangely enough I’ve got some beer left from the dance. This wouldn’t surprise you if you knew what calibre the beer was.  The brewers call it “hop-less” – the boys - ‘hopeless’.  It’s a chemical synthetic stuff and you can drink something like 20 pints without mental troubles.  Of course there are other troubles – but we won’t deal with them here….

            I’m hoping my two mates go out this evening for their usual game of Bridge with the Burgomaster and his wife.  They’re a charming couple but their Bridge is deadly.  This will mean that I can listen to Eva in comfort and quiet.

            I seem to be rambling on without rhyme or reason so I’ll close here, Darling.  Let me know when/if you receive the mag. and portrait.  There’s nothing I can do about it if you don’t – but I should like to know.

                                    All my love, Chotie

                                                Dicker.

 

* Dick had seen Eva Turner in Turandot in Scotland in May 1944. 

**Harold Powell Lloyd was an operatic tenor and Roderick Lloyd, a bass.  Dick’s family were Welsh.

***Ted’s wife Margaret (Chotie’s sister) was due to have their first baby soon.

****Dick and Eric Kessler were based in Lee-on-Solent with the Dorset Regiment in January and February 1941.

****The Royal Academy of Arts – probably the Summer Exhibition.

*****Sobranie tobacco (and cigarettes).

******a weekly pictorial magazine published by the Hulton Press.

© Chotie Darling

 

 

The Belgian Liaison Officer , Capitaine Commandant B del Marmol, who had joined the Regiment on 7^th September 1944 left on 8^th November.  He had done particularly valuable work at Oolen (south-west of the Gheel Bridgehead), Oeffelt (south of Nijmegen) and Dreumel.  He was subsequently awarded the Military Cross for his bravery, zeal and efficiency.

(See  61st Battle Honour.)

 

 

Antwerp, Menuhin and Shaw- Tuesday 7th November 1944

                                                                                                                        As usual

Tuesday Nov 7^th

Chotie Darling,

                                    As I’ve forgotten what I wrote you in my last letter, I thought I’d better write you again.

            At the moment of writing this I’m listening to Mendelsohn’s Violin Concerto, which is being played by Menuhin and a very masterly performance it is*.  This probably accounts for my happy frame of mind.

            I’ve now settled down after my 48hrs leave which left me rather weak as you can well imagine.

            I had quite a happy time as there’s plenty doing there – shows, cinemas, night-clubs etc, etc, not to mention the Cathedral and several museums and art galleries.  Unhappily 48 hrs is all too short to really ‘do’ the town.  You need four or five days at least.

            I had the unenviable job of driving the party there in a three-tonner – a distance of about 120 miles each way on pretty grim roads.  However we made it – much to everyone’s surprise – including my own.

            The shops are fun and already very ‘Xmassy’ – though everything’s too dear for the local population.  Service men with plenty of money are lashing out as usual.

            Plenty of women’s services there – especially ATS.  Saw hundreds of them – and plenty of nurses, of course.

            Cafés are full of cream cakes, ice-cream and the inevitable acorn coffee.  Needless to say I made a complete pig of myself on this score.

            Spent a happy evening yesterday with the local Burgomaster** - sitting in front of his fire reading Shaw’s ‘Man and Superman’***.

            The countryside is very pleasant now – very autumnal with a pale wintry sun shining on the willows which line all the dykes.  I expect it’s very beautiful where you are – though it’ll be a bit nippy later on.  I had hoped to make the Black Forest**** for the Autumn….

            Must close here to get some work done.

                                    All my love, Darling

                                                            Dicker.

 

*see Yehudi Menuhin, the American (later British) violinist, playing Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto in E minor.

** the local chief magistrate.

***a play written by George Bernard Shaw in 1903 on the theme of Don Juan.

****a wooded mountain range in south-western Germany.

© Chotie Darling

Jammed by the Boche - Sunday 22nd October 1944

POSTCARD Naarde Markt - Sunday 22^nd October 1944

Monday 22^nd (sic)

Chotie,

                        Still trying to get …id of these things!  I’ve had to cross the …lace name out on this …ne for security reasons.  Letter posted with this, and there’s …lenty more to come!

                                    Dick

 

Letter written on Sunday 22^nd 1944

61^st Recce Regt RACBLA.

Monday October 22 (sic)

Chotie Darling,

                                    Have just received your letter of the 18^th, which is pretty good going.

            Your hope that things aren’t going to badly is reasonably justified.  I’ve had three days’ rest – it’s been pretty deadly as I’m the only officer here, but it has been rest nevertheless.

            I go up to Squadron HQ tonight to take over duties of 2^nd in command as Ted goes away for 48hrs leave in Antwerp tomorrow.  It’s my turn next but I don’t know how things will turn out yet.

            Solomon*’s over here somewhere – he was playing in Eindhoven a fortnight ago, so with luck I might see him.

            Missed Pouishnoff** yesterday, when the programme was jammed by the Boche at the last moment.  Was I mad!  I’d waited all day to hear him.  We’re so near Germany that it’s easy for them to jam English stations.

            Glad to hear about your leave - might as well get all you can.

            Thanks for posting some tobacco Darling, it was certainly very welcome.

            Have been doing a little reading lately and at present am struggling through a massive tome entitled – ‘The Arts – Man’s Quest for Beauty’ by Rothenstein and Henry Wood**.  Quite a fine piece of work, though a little deadly in places.

            (They’ve just brought me in a cup of coffee which is made from acorns!  Surprisingly enough it’s considerably better than pukka coffee as made in England.) 

            This book includes Chapters on painting, drawing & design, Sculpture architecture, Music and Dramatic art, so it’s quite comprehensive!  I’ve only got as far as sculpture, so there’s a long way to go!

            Must close here to pack things for tonight.

                                                love

                                                            Dicker X.

 

*Solomon Cutner - a British pianist known simply as ‘Solomon’.

**’The Arts – Man’s Quest for Beauty’ by Sir William Rothenstein and Sir Henry Wood, published in 1935.

 © Chotie Darling

 

 

WAR DIARY of 61 Recce Regt RAC October 1944

– Lt Col P.H.A. Brownrigg

Date 22nd     Place DRIEL

'Normal patrolling was carried out last night without incident.  Today has been very quiet except for the usual spasmodic shelling of our forward area.  “B” Squadron relieved “C” during the night without incident.'

 

I’m not sure Eric Brewer would agree that the night of 22^nd October was ‘without incident’.  He wrote in his diary:

“On outpost tonight Gerry came behind us – a small patrol of roughly 10 men.  I noticed them and shouted “Halt, who goes there?” when they were 25 yards away and they were 10 yards away when they stopped.  I wasn’t half scared but they only opened up with Smisy (small arms?) and our Bren gun and grenades soon got rid of them.” 

(From ‘Beaten Paths are Safest’ by Roy Howard, Brewin Books 2004)

 

 

Dick and ‘B’ Squadron were now on the front line,

east of Driel on the south bank of the Lower Rhine

until 28^th October 1944.

 

Rocking the Cradle - Saturday 21st October 1944

61^st Rece Regt RAC BLA

Saturday October 21^st

Chotie Darling,

                                    I’m still resting, and still in the same place so I have once again ample opportunity for writing.

            They’ve got a baby here now – I don’t know where it came from but it looks about six months old to me.  It’s in the room where I’m writing this and it doesn’t seem to cry much.  I thought babies were always crying.  When this one starts I just rock the old pram and it stops.

            A really wonderful day today – strong wind but beautifully sunny.  Most of the trees have turned now so the countryside presents a lovely picture.

            I heard Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto the day before yesterday – by dint of sitting half-frozen in my armoured car.

            I see that Pouishnoff* is playing the Tchaikovsky Concerto tomorrow afternoon so I’ll have to get a grip on that.

            (I’ve just had to stop to rock the baby).

            The ground here is deadly with mud.  I’ve got five pairs of boots out here (a wise precaution – taken in England) and I wear them in rotation.  By the time I’ve got through them all the first pair are dry again….

            I’m the only Officer here at present so find things rather lonely.  All the rest are either at ‘Base’ or in the line.  Rather deadly for me.

            (I’m now rocking the pram with one hand and writing this with the other….)

            For want of something to do I compiled a gigantic list of poets and their respective works from Chaucer to Brooke**.  Rather staggering, the enormous number of poets we’ve had, far more than the rest of the world put together.  There’s only France to rival us, and they’re few in number compared with us.

            Must close here for lunch.

                        All my love, Darling                                                      

                                    Dicker.

*Leff Pouishnoff, a Ukrainian Pianist and composer who lived in Britain from 1921.

**Geoffrey Chaucer was an English poet of the Thirteenth century best known for the Canterbury tales. Rupert Brooke was an English poet who died during World War 1 and is remembered for his idealistic war sonnets including ‘The Soldier’.

© Chotie Darling

 

Eric Postles explains how Dick had a radio to listen to music:  "We moved about the 'Island' extending the hold on the eastern end, holding the line patrols and manning observation posts (O.P.s) where we took compass readings when 'V' rockets were launched so that the RAF could attack the sites.  In one village we recced a warehouse full of Philips radios, packed ready for export to the Balkans.  We helped ourselves to them and I got two small sets.  But we had no electricity to operate them until we were in Germany where we could get the British and American forces radio network.  Military Police from Divisional HQ came and ordered us out of the warehouse.  We later heard they had emptied the place of sets and taken them to Divisional Headquarters." (Extract from ‘My War Years’ by John Eric Postles ISO used by kind permission of the author.)

The ‘Koynell’ - Monday 9th October 1944

There are a few US 101st Airborne Colonels that Dick could be referring to in this letter (more if the Lieutenant-Colonels are included).  Colonel Gerald J. Higgins was HQ Chief of Staff, Acting Colonel Ewell was commanding Officer of the 501^st Parachute Infantry Regiment from 8^th October, Colonel John Michaelis was CO of the 502^nd PIR, Colonel Robert F. Sink of the 506^th PIR and Colonel Joseph Harper was CO of the 327^th Glider Infantry regiment (from the Paratrooper Research Team.) 

 

61^st Recce Regt RAC, BLA.

Monday Oct 10^th (sic)

Chotie Darling,

                                                Many thanks for letters received this morning dated the 5^th and 3^rd (?).  I sent you a field post card yesterday as I was rather pushed for time and expected to be even more pushed today.  However, thing’s seldom turn out as expected and today I have plenty of time, as I’m working as Liaison Officer with an American Colonel.

            Sorry to hear you just missed meeting your father in Bristol – better luck next time.  Also sorry to hear of your move back to Bristol area, as you had your feet so well under* in the farm!

            Things are just beginning to look Autumnal here though it’s much later in these parts.  A lot of trees have been shot-up of course which is rather misleading.

            I didn’t know Bluain’s husband was an airborne type.  Glad to hear he got out OK – also that Ted is still alive and kicking.

            Colston Hall* is certainly a consolation for returning to Bristol – I haven’t heard a thing for ages.

            I shouldn’t volunteer to go abroad as you’ll probably go to Egypt or somewhere and you’ll never get demobbed.  However it’s up to you, of course.  I believe Diller was toying with the idea.

            Weather has been very pleasant here for the last few days – genuine October weather in fact.  The countryside is deadly flat but quite picturesque owing to such pretty farmhouses and windmills.

            I’m desperately short of tobacco at the moment as my supply from home is still in the post – 9 wks!  Brinner sent me some from Base but he’s not able to get much himself, and I’m smoking quite a bit these days – needless to say.  If you could possibly send me some duty-free it would be very welcome Darling (….) and I’ll send you a cheque as soon as my new cheque-book arrives.

            I must have spoken too soon about the weather as it’s just started to rain.  I’ve now retired into my armoured car where I started this letter.  It’s frightfully cramped for this sort of thing.  Hope it doesn’t last.

            Spent three days with a very nice family in a large town recently.  We were harboured in an orchard and Geoff Winser and myself were offered a room and a bed apiece.  Needless to say we soon had our feet under** and spent a very enjoyable time there.

            Must close here, as I have to meet the ‘Koynell’.                         

                                                All my love,ChotieDarling                                                               

                                                                                    Dicker.

 

In early October Chotie appears to have moved back to the Bristol area

Her address was now:

W/242328 Pte Chalkley B.E. .

“B” Troop

462. “Hy” M. A.A. Bty. R.A.

Woodlands Camp

Almondsbury

Bristol

Almondsbury is north of Bristol and Woodlands appears to be an area west of here, now the junction of the M4 and M5.

* http://www.colstonhall.org/ Bristol’s concert hall.

**short for ‘feet under the table’ meaning comfortable and welcomed in someone else’s home. Dean Farm near Cheltenham had obviously been hospitable to their ATS lodger.

  © Chotie Darling

 

 

‘This latest Airborne effort’ - Monday 18th and Tuesday 19th September 1944

On 18^th September XXX Corps continued their advance, liberating Eindhoven, then linking up with the US 101^st Airborne Division and starting work on a Bailey Bridge* over the Son.  They were now 18 hours behind schedule.  (See Market Garden 1944-2014.)

82^nd Airborne had secured all its bridges except the Nijmegen road bridge where the Germans held firm.

Although more British airborne troops landed the Germans held their drop zone on Ginkel Heath (north-west of Arnhem), by the end of the afternoon so they could not be re-supplied.  Those airborne troops already landed were engaged in fierce fighting and gradually being surrounded.  Colonel Frost’s isolated troops on Arnhem bridge successfully stopped German vehicles from crossing.

*the British portable, pre-fabricated truss bridge invented during WW2 and developed in Christchurch, Dorset.

 

61^st Recce’s ‘A’ Squadron were involved in finding routes from Valkenswaard for the tanks and Roy Howard mentions that it was the Household Cavalry that first met up with 101^st Airborne Division at Woensel, between Eindhoven and Son. (From ‘Beaten Paths are Safest’ by Roy Howard, Brewin Books 2004)

 

 

Letter written on Monday 18^th and Tuesday 19^th September 1944

 61^st Recce Regt RAC

BLA

Monday Sept 18^th

Chotie Darling,

                                    Many thanks for your letter received a couple of days ago.  There’s nothing much of any real interest to tell you – no current news, anyhow.

            We’ve been much luckier of late in getting into some towns instead of the old perpetual fields and orchards.  Have spent several days recently in or near a small town (Wimborne* size) and been able to get a harbour and several other necessities.

            There are plenty of pubs here, and although they are still called cafés, they correspond much more to our conception of a pub.  They also have the excellent idea of having the barbers inside the pub itself so that you can have a pint or two whilst waiting your turn.  Altogether a very happy solution to this queueing problem.

            A lot of my troop have bought scent and powder with enticing Paris labels – but personally I’ve avoided buying any as I don’t trust them.  One of my blokes bought three bottles which cost him 1000 f (£5) which is obviously Black Market stuff.  Maybe I’m sceptical – as usual.

            I’ve been trying to read my Mozart, which is pretty heavy going, being in French.  It’s an excellent book, however, so I’m persevering.  I also have a copy of ‘Gentlemen prefer Blondes**’ in French, which is quite amusing but less instructive.

            Have met a lot of Ted’s crowd*** but haven’t yet contacted him.

            Brinner is still at Base as far as I know – he’ll probably still be there when we get the final ‘cease firing’. 

             I imagine Johnny Jones is with this latest Airborne effort.  Did you hear anything of him when you were on leave?  I haven’t heard a thing.

            We now manage to get a better variety of food, than hitherto – eggs & tomatoes**** (hundreds of them) instead of the endless run of sausage-meat.  We also get a few mushrooms from time to time.  Must close here to do some work.

                                    All my love

                                                Darling

                                                            Dicker

Will write some more tonight.

 

Well, Darling, I couldn’t finish this letter last night because we moved during the evening.

I’ve found out where Brinner is but as he’s some 60 miles from me at the moment there seems no chance of contacting him. 

I’m afraid I can’t write any more as I have a full day ahead fitting new wireless sets to my cars.

                All my love Precious

                                                Dicker.

 

*a small town in Dorset.

**the American novel by Anita Loos published in 1925.

***the Guards Armoured Division.

****Uncle Ted told me he once had to hide out in a tomato field behind enemy lines and just lived on tomatoes for a couple of days - he couldn't bear to eat them after that (Chotie’s Daughter).

© Chotie Darling

Jan and Madeleine Gevaert - Friday 8th September 1944

 61^st Recce Regt RAC

BLA

Sept 8^th

Chotie Darling,

                                    Once again a few more lines to let you know I’m still OK and a little of what’s going on at the moment.

            Hope you are enjoying yourself in Scotland* – I think you will so long as the weather’s reasonable – I certainly did.  That is, of course, provided the course isn’t too strenuous, though as you say, they usually start off fairly easily and gradually work up to more spectacular things.

            I’ve received your letter, written just before you left home – always rather a miserable business.

            I’ve been having a much more pleasant time lately – that is, pleasant as far as war can be of course.  The town** I mentioned in my last letter (where I had to hold the main bridge) turned out to be the best yet.

            The first person to great me was a chap of about 16 years of age, dressed (as they usually do here) in a plus four suit (or rather plus six) in overcheck with the inevitable ankle-socks.  He later introduced me to his sister (19) who turned out to be very charming.

            The girls dress amazingly well – they’ve saved all the best stuff to greet us.  Everything tends to tweeds and brogues, needless to say, and at least 75% wear knee-length white socks.  This is easily the most predominating feature of dress.  They never wear slacks – think that they are much too masculine.

            Clothes here are a fabulous price – you can’t buy women’s shoes (anything wearable) under 2000f. (£10) – though of course women do buy them. 

            I spent three days and two nights on the aforesaid bridge and knew everyone in the town after the first 12 hours.

            This girl and her brother (Jan and Madeleine Gervaert) were very, very pleasant and did everything possible to make things as comfortable as they could for us.  After I’d expressed an admiration for Balzac and Mozart, Madeleine brought me five of his works and Jan brought me an exceptionally good book on Mozart.  I’ve swopped addresses with them and hope to see them again after the war.  There were countless others of course, but they remain the predominant.

            Last night we had a little party in a country house where the officers of the squadron were invited.  It was a lovely place and luckily had no electric light, so we all sat round by the light of a large wood fire and some candles.  We drank, champagne, claret, Graves and Hock, and as I was the only one present who could speak French, I had the job of entertaining the daughter of the house – which I think I managed pretty well as she also had a taste for Balzac & Georges Sand, two of my favourite authors.

            The general countryside and towns here are much more like England than what we have previously visited.  And, of course, they have pubs here – honestly!  And, what’s more, they have some excellent beer – something like Stout.  There isn’t much of it though.

            I try to get as much conversation in French as possible as I won’t get the chance again.

            Well Darling must close here as there’s work to be done as usual.

            I don’t know when I’ll be able to write you again – things are rather fluid at the moment.

                        All my love, Chotie Darling,

                                                Dicker

P.S  Please excuse this wretched paper but I haven’t yet had a chance to replace the stuff I lost some time ago.  R.

 

*Chotie had started a PT course at No 2 PT School in Scotland on 30^th August, training to be an Instructor.

**Oudennarde/Audenarde, between Lille and Brussels.

© Chotie Darling

 Message (in French) from Madeleine Gevaert on her father's address card. The Gevaert family have a quarter in Oudenaarde named after them in honour of the textile business they developed in the town.

 

Although 50^th Division was still centred somewhere between Ghent, Antwerp and Brussels their Battle for Gheel had begun.  In the early morning of 8^th September 69^th Brigade’s Green Howards crossed the Albert Canal in collapsible boats to establish a bridgehead by the blown road bridge to the town with the East Yorks.  That evening the 151^st Brigade’s Durham Light Infantry cross the Canal to the south-east near the village of Stelen.  A Bailey bridge is erected across the canal overnight.

 

Apparently in Stelen church war cemetery there is a large notice:

‘On the 8^th September 1944 began from here the Battle for Geel by 50^th Northumbrian Division.’

 

Eric Brewer’s diary entry for 8^th September reads:  “Shifted to the Albert Canal, guarding a bridge.  Gerry mortaring and shelling it; a few prisoners taken today.  C Squadron and the HQ surrounded but later on Gerry forced to retreat.  Altogether he put in 14 counter attacks today.  55 captured: two carriers, also crews.” (From Eric Brewer’s Diary by kind permission of Derek Brewer and his family.)

 

8^th September: The Belgium government returns from exile in London.

US forces liberate Liège in eastern Belgium and Canadian troops liberate Ostend on the Belgium coast, north of Lille.  In France Beaune and Chalon-sur-Saone in Burgundy are liberated.

Germany successfully launches V2 rockets for the first time, hitting London and Paris from the Netherlands.

 

Big Battles to Come - Monday 28th and Tuesday 29th August 1944

28^th August 1944 – the ports of Toulon and Marseilles in the south of France are liberated by French forces who take more than 50,000 German prisoners after heavy fighting.  US 3^rd Army enters Épernay, the capital of champagne country, east of Paris and south of Reims.

 

On 28^th August Eric Brewer recorded that they “Moved to near Seine* getting ready for a push toward the Belgium border.  Think we shall move tomorrow.  Went down village along the Seine.  Got asked into a house by a man and his wife; had champagne cognac, and also a few eggs from her.  She told us to come and see her again - hope to go tomorrow.  Came across big German military barracks”.

*Regimental HQ was based at Bonnières-sur-Seine, a small industrial town upstream from Vernon, before 61st Recce crossed the river (Regimental HQ location list on re-union dinner menu 1946).  

The next day he: "Went to see the people near the Seine again; we had some champagne. They have a business in Paris. Told us to come and spend our leave there if we get any; also we could spend a holiday there after the war.  She gave me her address and wanted us to stay the night but could not as we are moving tonight across the Seine."

In his letter home on 28th August Eric wrote: "Today I have been in a French woman’s house and she woke her husband up to come and have something to drink with us.  We had a couple of nips of Cognac and a glass of cider, also she gave us an egg each and a souvenir which I am sending on.  The pattern is supposed to be the Eiffel Tower.  She was a very nice woman to speak to: she even wanted us to stay to dinner but we had to refuse as the French people don’t even get enough for themselves let alone anyone else.  She did not like the idea until we told her the reason, then she tried to tell us that she ha sufficient for all of us, but anyway we left and she asked us to return and see her which we hope to do tomorrow."  Writing again two days later he continued:  "The other day I went and saw that lady who gave me the souvenir.  She told me that her business was in Paris - they were in the clothes trade - and she told me we could come and see her whenever we want to.  As she could speak English we had a good talk with her.  Before we left her house she gave us a few eggs and while there we had two bottles of champagne between four of us.  We have been invited to come and stay for a while whenever we have the time off; she said that if it was not while the war was on she would like to see us after." (Extracts from Eric Brewer’s diary and letters included by kind permission of Derek Brewer and his family.)

 

 

61^st Recce RAC,  BLA

Monday Aug. 28^th

Chotie Darling,

                                    Many thanks for your letter dated the 23^rd which I’ve just this moment received. 

            Glad to hear you’re home at last if only for six days, and the prospect of a month’s course is quite a pleasant one to look forward to.  Don’t do anything too strenuous will you?  The first course I had was a P.T one and they gave me a bending all right….

            I’ll send this to your home address and they can forward it as soon as they hear from you in Scotland.

            I imagine it’s pretty crowded at Parkstone at the moment now that the coastal ban has been lifted – mother says it’s pretty bad in Bognor.

            Sorry to hear about the pubs* – especially the Sloop.  It’s Dad’s pet grouse, of course, at present, though you’d better be in training for Scotland.

            Very sorry to hear about Adrian – I didn’t realise he was over here.

            I may have a chance to contact Ted in the next few weeks though it’s very difficult.  I spent over two hours trying to find Brinner today but without success.  Apparently he’s still at Base, Somewhere.  At any rate it’s safer there.

            I’ve had a fairly quiet time lately but can’t guarantee it will last.

            I’ve been in many villages first hand and have had a great welcome from the people.  We’re lucky this way of course – it’s one of the few compensations of being in front all the time.

            I’m very fit and still very happy here – I suppose the ability to chat with the people wherever you go helps a lot.

            I wish I could see you again, Darling, but I’d sooner get this business over, than go on leave and have to come back again.

            I think we’ve got the worst of it over but I can’t pretend there aren’t big battles to come.  We’ve beaten a complete army now, but we’ve had precious little time to rest on our laurels.  They still have armies left, but I think we can beat them also.

            I’ve just heard the good news of a day’s rest tomorrow so I’ll write some more then.

            Goodnight, my Darling.

 

Well, Precious, Tuesday has arrived after a wretched night.  I’ve never experienced such a storm as we had last night – simply torrents of rain with added accompaniment of thunder and lightning.  I got soaked through and haven’t yet dried out.

            It’s rather a pity as we’re in very fine country, as I heard it aptly expressed – country that was never meant to hear more than the song of the birds or the pop of a Champagne cork….

            Aren’t the radio programmes wretched?  We have a radio on all day (in harbour) and the stuff they pound out is chronic.  I get heartily sick of the whole thing.

            I’m writing this in a barn full of new-mown hay, very pleasant indeed.  The rain outside is pretty steady and doesn’t look like stopping today at any rate.

            I don’t suppose I can write another letter to reach you before the 6^th, so here’s wishing you all the very best for your 21^st.  As soon as you can give me the address of an account you can use I send on a cheque – ‘fraid it’s all I can do out here.

            Must close here but will try to write you again tomorrow

                                   All my love, Darling

                                                Dicker

           

P.T.O

P.S.  Found the enclosed mags. in Villers Bocage some long time ago.  The magazines were quite indifferent so I just cut out the best.  The rest of the stuff were third-rate patterns.  I thought the kiddies stuff the best.  Am I giving you ideas?                     

                                  R.

*Not sure what was happening to the pubs around this time but alcohol was at it’s scarcest in Christmas 1994/45 on the home front (see Christmas under Fire).

This letter was forwarded to:

W/242328, Pte Chalkley B.E.

Primary Course, No 2 T.J. Wing

New Battle Abbey, Dalkeith, Mid Lothian, Scotland.

 © Chotie Darling

Chotie attended a P.T. course at Newbattle Abbey from 30^th August 1944.

 

 

29^th August 1944 – Slovak resistance forces began an armed insurrection against the collaborationist government.  Initially successful the German counter-offensive in late September and October eliminated the rebel gains and perpetrated many atrocities.

 

Aunay-sur-Odon

11^th August 1944 - Florence, in Italy, is liberated by the British 8^th Army

 

Major Frank Harding’s citation for the Military Cross includes this account from Normandy:

“On 11^th August he was ordered to capture a hill, pt 266, north of Condé-sur-Noreau, thereby protecting the left flank of the main attack by 231 Brigade.  He carried out this attack with great skill, and in spite of heavy MG and 88mm* fire he destroyed, or captured all the enemy on the hill and held it until relieved.” (See 61st Recce battle honours.)

Major Harding was commander of 61st Reconnaissance Regiment's 'B' Squadron, which included Don Aiken, Eric Brewer in the Assault Troop, Eric Postles in 10 Troop and Tony Rampling and Sandy Handley in No 5 Troop with Dick Williams as their lieutenant.

*The 88 mm was a German anti-aircraft and anti-tank artillery gun.

 

Eric Brewer was "On Recce near same place, plenty of mortars, shells and spandoes" but still found time to write home re-assuringly that there was "nothing to do except sleep and write or listen to the radio; we seem to be getting some good programmes lately...heard some Sinatra and Bing last night...PSS The Yanks seem to be doing fine don't they?"  The next day he was "Back at base - shell killed one chap, injured two." (Extracts from Eric Brewer’s diary and letters included by kind permission of Derek Brewer and his family.)

 

According to Don Aiken they were somewhere near Aunay-sur-Odon,which occupies a vital crossroads position between Caen, Vire, Bayeux and Falaise.  The town had been completely destroyed by Allied bombing in the middle of June.

Don describes how 61^st Recce lost another of the 1060 boys that day:

“On the 11th August we moved into an apple orchard close to a cross-roads, at Aunay-sur-Odon, which was under shell-fire.  The Troop H.Q. armoured car had positioned itself in the corner of the orchard and they had dug a trench underneath it, filling in the gap below the car with a sheet of corrugated iron that they had found.  The driver, down in the slit trench, had then begun to brew up tea for the troop. 

          We were given the signal that it was ready and I climbed out and crossed over towards the H.Q. car, along with a lad from another car, when suddenly a German shell fell short of its target and made a direct hit on the corrugated iron sheet.  The blast blew us both underneath another car and we lay there with hearts in our mouths.  

          Then I said “I'm going to dash for it”, and as I stood up and took a couple of steps I heard another shell whistling its way towards us.  The next thing that I remember is being reseated in the turret of my car.  A member of another crew, who had been watching through his periscope, swore that I had leapt from the ground, straight into the top of the turret (a height of almost 6 ft.) without touching the sides!
          The tragedy was that Henry Ansell, a popular young man, had caught the full blast of the explosion which had blown the corrugated iron into large pieces and torn him apart. Corporal Mulchay lost an arm and Trooper Alan Penn was wounded in the head.”

(Extract republished from ‘Establishing a Foothold in Normandy’  by kind permission of Don Aiken)

 

61^st Recce Roll of Honour includes the following who died on 11^th August 1944:

          Trooper Henry Edward George Ansell (age 22) of Totton, Hampshire,

who is laid to rest in the St. Manvieu War Cemetery, west of Caen, near Cheux.  Trooper Ansell was one of the 1060 Boys mentioned in Major Frank Harding’s poem of that name.

(See 61st Recce Roll of Honour, courtesy of Recce Mitch.)

We will remember them.

It's very peaceful here - Friday 4th August 1944

61^st Recce Regt RAC

BLA

August 4^th

Dearest Chotie,

                                    I have another days ‘rest’ so herewith a few lines.

            Firstly, Darling, I must thank you very much for the tobacco and best wishes you sent for the 28^th*.  Actually the tobacco didn’t arrive until yesterday, but it’s none the less welcome for that.

            I’m now sitting in an orchard, inhaling – a blend of the finest matured Virginian and Oriental tobaccos! – which makes the world seem a better place than it actually is.

            I’ve spent most of my days ‘rest’ collecting food, ammo, petrol, etc for my troop, which has left me some two hours to call my own.  Always moaning aren’t I?

            It’s very peaceful here, on a sunny slope of meadows, thick with fruit trees.  Unfortunately this isn’t vineyard country, or I might be munching grapes instead of sour apples, which are all of the cider variety.

            Was very glad to hear of your trip home for Margaret’s birthday.  It certainly makes a break, though I’m disgusted to read of your gluttony – hope you get a tummy-ache.

            I’m afraid there’s practically nothing to write about as I’ve seen nothing of any interest in the last few days, and security puts a damper on that.

            Heard an excellent recording of Susanna (‘Phantom of the Opera’) Foster**.  It was some Mexican song or other.  Her final top C was there alright, though her lower register is still immature.  She’ll never be a Melba,*** though she’s quite pleasant to listen to.

            I’ve almost forgotten what Mozart sounds like.

                        Must close here for a spot of supper.

                                    All my love, Chotie Darling.

            We’ll definitely spend my next birthday together….

                                                           

                                                                        Dicker

*Dick’s 23^rd birthday on 28^th July 1944.

**Susanna Foster, an American film actress best known for her leading role as Christine in the film @Phantom of the Opera’ (1943).

***Dame Nellie Melba, a famous Australian operatic soprano who died in 1931.

© Chotie Darling

Top - Barbara (Chotie) and Beryl Chalkley in August 1944

Middle - Barbara, Betty Hall (Chotie's eldest sister) and Beryl (Chotie's younger sister)

Bottom - Jack Chalkley, Chotie's younger brother

The Polish Home Army

1^st August 1944 – the Polish Home Army (the main resistance organization in Poland) stages an uprising in Warsaw to liberate the Polish capital from the occupying Germans before the arrival of the Red Army, now within 10 miles of Warsaw.  Collaboration between the AK (Army Krajowa or Home Army) and Soviet partisans in Poland had been difficult after the discovery of the Katyn Massacre.  On 30^th November 1943 the AK had launched Operation Tempest, aimed at securing control of Polish cities and had some success, although the AK were taken prisoner by the Red Army as they advanced. 

The Warsaw Rising was initially successful in taking control of large areas of the city and liberating 350 Jews from the Gęsiόwka concentration camp, which was in process of ‘liquidation’.  However Himmler still managed to send most of the 67,000 Jews still remaining in the ghetto at Łódź, south-west of Warsaw (the second largest ghetto in German-occupied Europe), to their deaths in Auschwitz.  Isolated from and unsupported by the Soviet Army and suffering a fierce response from the Germans including many atrocities (some 30,000 non-combatants were slaughtered in the Old Town alone), the AK finally capitulated at the beginning of October.  Although on 30th July Radio Moscow had called on the citizens of Warsaw to rise up and 'join the struggle against the Germans'  Warsaw was not liberated by the Soviets until 17th January 1945 – by then the Germans had destroyed 85% of the city’s buildings. (From ‘The Second World War’ by Antony Beevor, published by Weidenfield and Nicolson 2012)

On 1^st August Soviet troops captured Kaunas, now the second largest city in Lithuania but then the capital.

End of the Battle of Tinian in the Northern Marianas Islands.  US troops landed on 24^th July and defeated a 9,000 strong garrison of Japanese.

 

The US 3^rd Army under Lt-General Patton becomes operational on the Allies western flank, tasked with liberating Brittany and seizing the ports on the Brittany coast.  Lt-General Courtney Hodges now commands the US First Army Group while General Omar Bradley is Commander-in-Chief of the US forces in France - 12th Army Group.

Montgomery's VII and XXX Corps are attacking on an axis south-east from Caumont.  In Operation Bluecoat Le Bény-Bocage, south of Caumont, is liberated virtually undamaged by the British 11th Armoured Division.  "Most of Second Army were very tired by now, above all the infantrymen of 15th Scottish, 43rd Wessex and 50th Northumbrian Divisions" (from ‘Overlord’ by Max Hastings, Macmillan 2016 edition).

61^st Recce continued its role supporting the 50^th (Northumbrian) Division in Operation Bluecoat - according to Eric Brewer, of ‘B’ Squadron’s Assault Troop, on 1^st August they had“Recced for the Divisional attack, met stiff opposition 2 miles forward of there” although he started a letter home including "At the present moment I am listening to the radio.  I heard Victor Silvester* this morning on music while you work so you can guess I am taking it easy..."  (Extracts from Eric Brewer’s diary and letters included by kind permission of Derek Brewer and his family.)

 *A popular English bandleader.

'A Very Charming Spot' - Friday 28th July 1944

28^th July 1944 – in Operation Cobra the US 1^st Army capture Coutances, near the coast west of St. Lô. US XIX Corps, who had joined the advance left of VII Corps encounter fierce resistance from 2nd and 116 Panzer, sent to re-inforce the German line.  The sector south of St. Lô becomes 'stuck' compared with the rapid advance to the west.

Soviet troops take Brest-Litovsk, a historic city east of Warsaw (now in Belarus, next to the border with Poland).  Germany begins evacuation of major towns in the east, including Lublin, in the face of the Soviet advance.  The Russians are now just 25 miles from Warsaw.

 

61^st Recce Regt RAC

B.L.A.

Friday July 28th

Chotie Darling,

                                    Received your last batch of letters in very good time.  So here goes in reply. 

            Glad to hear you got the card OK – they’re the only sort we’re allowed to send, needless to say, and as you remark it was gay if nothing else.

            Hope to get a few days rest shortly when I’ll be able to write you more fully than at the moment.  Actually there’s practically nothing to write about, owing to the security restrictions.  I can’t tell you where I am or even what we’re doing.  You’ll just have to wait until we can get together again, preferably around a thick fireplace, sometime in the autumn, after a tea of hot buttered muffins…..

            What absolute rot that bloke does talk!

            There’s a slight pause at the moment for tea, which my troop Sergeant is endeavouring to brew whilst keeping himself and the smoke under cover…. The word ‘brew’ has become very popular in Army Slang.  A knocked out tank is referred to as ‘brewed-up’ etc, etc.  Also of course the old saw – “When in doubt, “brew-up” ….”

            Well, my Precious, I’ve just had some tea – bread + processed cheese and a bar of choc, and biscuits, so I’ll be alright until the morning.

            Just had three letters (from home & Diller).  Bryn had a good time on leave apparently.  Diller said he went to work on the new barmaid at the ‘Beach’.  She caught him in the act of giving her some coupons!  That sounds pretty ghastly to me, though you know how irreproachably innocent Brinner is….

            About half an hour ago I put my hand in my battle dress pocket straight on top of a razor blade which removed approx. ¼" off one of my fingers.  As if my hands weren’t cut about enough already. 

            In a very charming spot at the moment – must come here after the war*.  I’d love to come back here if only to be able to walk about as I pleased without having to duck all the time!

            It’s difficult to judge this countryside owing to the devastation but I know of many more beautiful spots in England.  There is however a certain charm, perhaps due to the fact that things are ‘different’ in some small way, from England.  They have no timbered buildings, of course, everything being built of grey stone, very much akin to the Cotswold style.  There seems to be no deviation from this general custom.

            Wish I could have heard the last concert you saw – the old 5^th** wants a lot of beating.  Last time I heard it was in Folkestone just before Xmas.

            I fancy I’d better close here as things are warming up.

                                                                                                Dicker.

 

*Sandy Handley and Anthony Rampling did just that, visiting with other veterans in 2004. 

Anthony Rampling is on the left and Sandy Handley on the right above and below.

**Presumably Beethoven’s 5^th Symphony – Beethoven’s symphonies are mentioned in letter December 10^th 1943 and Beethoven in January 1944 letters.  The opening notes were used as code to announce the D Day landings to the French resistance on BBC radio.

 

Dick’s Commanding Officer in ‘B’ Squadron, Major Frank Harding, did not seem to have such a favourable view of their surrounds:

‘Baneful Briquessard

Dank and drear

Even at

This July year

 

Patrols prowling

Cross and Cross

Lightning bursts

Catch listening posts….’

 

(From ‘Briquessard Wood - July’ by Major Frank Harding MC, in ‘War echoes over thirty years’ published by Arthur Stockwell, 1970)

 

‘B’ Squadron trooper Anthony Rampling only saw Major Harding once during the war.  This was at Briquessard: "He looked scared stiff."

 

Colonel Brownrigg tried to take a more optimistic view in retrospect:

‘Although we didn’t appreciate it at the time, our fortnight on the line at Briquessard was first-class training.  But I think that if we had been there much longer our scout troops* might have lost some of their dash, which they were to need again shortly.’ (From ‘A Reconnaissance Regiment in the B.L.A.’ by Lieutenant-Colonel P.H.A.Brownrigg D.S.O.)

 *Dick’s troop was a Scout or Recce troop

Caruso and Countryside - Monday 1st May 1944

On 1^st May 1994 Dick became a full Lieutenant

(see Recce Mitch’s post in WW2 Talk)

 

61^st Recce Regt RAC

APO England

Monday 1^st May

Chotie Darling,

                                    Caught once again for Duty Officer I find the usual consolation in having time and opportunity in writing you.

            I was very sorry I couldn’t make last weekend, but I’m afraid it was just impossible as I was out the whole time.

            I’m still doing Squadron Leader* and finding it a little cushier having got the hang of things now.

            Managed to get out a few nights ago with a friend - a recently joined officer who used to be in the M of I** and has all the scandals re Brendan Bracken and Churchill*** at his finger tips, as it were.  He’s an MA, amongst other things,  with a very keen appreciation of beauty in its many forms, and we spent a very pleasant evening walking cross-country to find an unspoiled pub some four or five miles away.  The countryside has never looked better, I’m sure, the meadows full of rabbits (lots of baby ones) and the woods full of pheasant.

            Heard Caruso’s recording of 'Celeste Äida'**** half an hour ago so I’m on top of the world.  (Also heard the second act of Äida a few nights ago – Eva Turner gave a particularly brilliant performance.  I think she’s still improving.  I heard her ‘Turandot’ when I was in Scotland which is her best, plus  I ‘m now beginning to think she ranks after Cancellia & Ponselle.)

          Came across Bruce Segler’s name in a copy of ‘Frabreo’ the Jewish Club’s Magazine of which the Adjutant has a copy, so I suppose he’s still alive and kicking.  That man had quite a good sense of form apart from a Tchaikovsky mania.  He practically refused to acknowledge the existence of Mozart.

            I’m enclosing a cheque with this letter, which I trust you’ll have no trouble in cashing, and a few coupons.  I would have sent cash, but I just can’t get any here myself.

            Hope to hear from you soon.

                                    All my love, Chotie

                                                                       Dicker

RKWilliams

 

*Senior officers involved in the D Day Assault were taking part in Exercise Thunderclap – Montgomery’s preparation sessions using a huge relief model of the battlefield to work through potential issues and outcomes. (From ‘Overlord’ by Max Hastings, Macmillan 2016 edition)

**Ministry of Information - the central government department responsible for publicity and propaganda during WW2.

** Brendan Bracken was a close friend and supporter of Churchill. From July 1941 to May 1945 he was Minister of Information.

****Enrico Caruso, the famous Italian tenor who died in 1921. (Listen to Caruso’s recording of 'Celeste Äida' from Giuseppe Verdi’s Egyptian opera.)  Eva Turner was an English soprano most famous for her title role in Turandot, Giacomo Puccini’s opera set in Asia. (Listen to Eva Turner’s recording of ‘In Questa Reggia’ from Turandot.)  Rosa Ponselle was an American operatic soprano.

© Chotie Darling

 

1^st May 1944 – Commonwealth Prime Ministers meet in London at the ‘Imperial Conference’. (From WW2-net Timelines.)

Ghost Stories - Friday 21st April 1944

61^st Recce Regt RAC

APO.

England.

Friday 21^st April

Chotie Darling,

                                    Many thanks for a very welcome letter, and programmes enclosed.

            I’ve already broken the sad news about that wretched photograph*, and I’m enclosing it with this if only to get rid of it.

            You seem to be seeing quite a number of concerts – just one of those things which completely pass me by here.  Glad to see it was the old L.P.O.** who gave them.  They’re exceptionally good and very courageous as they’ve been fighting financial troubles ever since I’ve first heard of them.  There’s a very interesting book been written of their story – I believe by one of the ‘cellists, though the author and title eludes me for the moment. 

            I expect Benno*** was in good form – he’s playing better than ever these days.  I personally would place him among the first five pianists in the world, today.  He plays Rachmaninoff to perfection – certainly better than Sergei**** himself.  The last time I heard any of the Leonard overtures was in Folkestone some four or five months ago – in fact apart from leaves, I’ve heard very little music at all since.

            As regards leave, I expect I could get next Sunday (30^th?) off, when I could perhaps meet you in the neighbourhood of the ‘Haunch of Venison’*****.

            Isn’t there any chance of your getting your full leave?  That of course would be the ideal thing as I could meet you practically every evening.  We must try next weekend however, if nothing better offers.

            Having quite a peaceful time here, though I’m working pretty long hours.  The main advantage nowadays is that it’s not so cold when you get up in the morning. 

            Haven’t read much lately – only James’ ‘Ghost Stories of an Antiquary’† which I’ve read in bed in the middle of a wood – quite the right atmosphere.  Also Graham Greene’s ‘Brighton Rock’ and ‘Ministry of Fear’.  I think the opening chapters of his ‘England made me’ are some of the best stuff I’ve read in years.  I think in fact the only thing to beat them, is Gabriel Chevalier’s ‘Clochermerle’.  But as usual, I digress.

            They’ve got some beer in the bar now (mess) so life is all rosy once again.

            Have you heard from Eve yet?  Let me know all news of the dear little thing, won’t you?

            There was a film show in camp last night – Jane Eyre††, but as I wasn’t in the mood (I should say the Brontë  mood).  I went for a long walk among the hills and found some pukka Queen Anne Cottages, which more than made up for it.

                                                All my love Chotie

                                                                                    Dicker

RKWilliams

 

*see photograph on banner above. 

**The London Philharmonic Orchestra gave concerts all over the country during World War 2, depleted by the call-up and using instruments donated by the public following the destruction of its base (the Queen’s Hall) during the London Blitz in 1941.

***Benjamin Britten?? – the composer, conductor and pianist had returned to Britain as a conscientious objector in 1943.

****Sergei Rachmaninoff – Russian composer, pianist and conductor who lived in the US and Europe from 1918.

*****The Haunch of Venison at 1 Minster Street, Salisbury is an ancient inn dating from the 14^th Century.

†M.R.James’ first collection of ghost stories.

††The 1943 film of Charlotte Brontë’s masterpiece, ‘Jane Eyre’, starred Orson Welles and Joan Fontaine.

© Chotie Darling

 

22^nd April 1944 – the Allies’ Western New Guinea campaign begins with amphibious landings on the northern coast of Japanese held New Guinea.  Although these were successful, fighting continued in Western New Guinea until the end of the war in the Pacific.

 

23^rd April 1944 – the harbour installations at Bristol (where Chotie was stationed) were again  targeted by the Luftwaffe as part of Operation Steinbock.  117 planes were sent but they missed their target - no bombs fell on the city, instead being scattered over Wessex; presumably with the Düppel anti-radar foil used to confuse the Allied radar defences.  (See The Baby Blitz, Bombing in the Bristol Area and Last venture over Bristol.)

 

25^th April 1944 – Luftwaffe commences a series of night attacks on Allied shipping concentrated at Portsmouth and Plymouth. (From Chronology of World War II.)

 

27^th April 1944 – Exercise Tiger, a rehearsal for the D Day landings using the west coast of Devon near Slapton Ley, resulted in tragedy when German E-boats attacked.  The operation was also marred by casualties from ‘friendly fire’. In all 946 were killed - mainly American Army troops preparing for the Normandy landings on Utah beach. (See Exercise Tiger.)

Cycling home - Monday 16th April 1944

61^st Recce Regt RAC

AP.O.

England

 

Monday

Chotie Darling,

                                    I’m afraid I haven’t written you for some time, due to divers reasons – partly due to pressure of work and partly due to the fact that I took the opportunity of having a day off yesterday to go home for the day.

            To say I had the day off is a slight exaggeration as I was working up till midday – and not trusting to buses & trains, owing to the state that these things are in, I decided to cycle*.  When I was half way home it started to rain and I rode the remainder in a torrential downpour.  However it cleared during the brief time I was at home and I cycled back in comparative peace.  It took me four hours each way, so I only had some three hours at home.

            I’ve given my greatcoat to Brinner as I won’t need it any more – coupled with some pretty sound advice on how to ‘go on’ when commissioned.  He’ll gladly accept the coat – though not the advice, I fancy.

            No more news from this end – things are going as per routine.

            I managed to buy a pair of fleece-lined boots – knee-high black ones.  Cost me a fortune but they’re the only thing.  I don’t fancy lacing up army boots and anklets on a cold morning, a thing that has always offended my sense of having things cushy.

            Have just heard Schubert’s 8^th (unfinished), the best thing that has happened to me for weeks.

            At long last they’ve got some beer in the mess (?) so tonight I intend to imbibe a little.  I shall have to break myself in gently as I haven’t even smelled the stuff for over a week.

            Went to the flicks with Geoff** last Sat.  We both thought that ‘The Lodger’ was on and went gaily in, to find that it was on next week.  What we saw in actual fact was ‘Bees in Paradise’….***  Geoff said it was the best leg-show he’s seen in years, but apart from that, it stank.  I bitterly endorsed his words.

            Are you reading Captain Foulenough’s résumé of his life story in ‘Beach-Comber’s Column in the Express?****  I never miss it.  I’m trying to get a grip on two films at the moment ‘Heart of a Nation’ and ‘Le Jour se lève’, (Gabin)*****.  Both seem out of the question, though I could have seen the former at the ‘Academy’ when I stopped in Town on returning from Scotland.

            Well, Darling, how are you these days?  Cheering up with the Spring I expect.  As I am.  The countryside around here is beginning to look lovely now, though it’s still a little early.  There is also an abundance of thatched cottages in this area.  I’d just love to get to work on one or two of them, as the whole place is almost completely unspoiled.

            It’s really a very pleasant spot, and I’ve always gone for primroses….

            Must close here to relieve the Adjutant ‘cos he wants his dindin – the rat.

                                                All my love

                                                            Chotie

                                                                                    Dicker

P.S. No signs of leave?

P.P.S.  The photo I had taken is absolutely shocking.  I’m sending it on…

RKWilliams

 

*Some 40 miles between Nightingale Wood and Pagham!

**Presumably Geoff Winzer.

***’The Lodger’ is a 1944 horror film about Jack the Ripper while ’Bees in Paradise’ is a musical comedy with ‘scantily clad warrior women’.

****Captain Foulenough was a character in the entertaining ‘Beachcomber’ column. (See Beachcomber.)

*****’The Heart of a Nation’ is a French drama film made in France in 1940, which escaped the Nazis be released as a dubbed version in 1943 in New York.  ‘Le Jour se lève’ (Daybreak) is a French poetic realism film made in 1939 and starring Jean Gabin.

© Chotie Darling

 

17th April 1944 – the British Royal Navy and Bomber Command begin intensive mining of the approaches to the English Channel to protect the D-Day invasion fleet. (From Chronology of World War II .)

18^th April 1944 – in Exercise Smash), practice for the landings on D Day, is the largest live ammunition exercise of the war.   Staged at Studland in Dorset (not far from Chotie’s home in Poole) Eisenhower, Churchill and Montgomery watched from Fort Henry.  The exercise showed the vulnerability of the floating Duplex Drive Valentine tanks – some are still wrecks in the bay.

19th April 1944 – Ichi-Gō offensive by Japanese aiming to eliminate the airfields used by the US Army’s Fourteenth Air Force.  Advancing in north-east China they reached Honan province where the local peasants, starved and looted by their own troops, turned on the fleeing Nationalist Army. (From ‘The Second World War’ by Antony Beevor, published by Weidenfield and Nicolson 2012)

The Allied Fleet begins their attacks on Japanese bases on Sumatra in Operation Cockpit.

 

 

Mixed Batteries - Saturday 1st April 1944

2/Lt Williams RK

61^st Recce Regt

RAC

Home Forces

 

Saturday 1^st April

Chotie Darling,

                                    Just received your letters and enclosed, for which very many thanks, Darling.

            Arrived back safely from Scotland on Wednesday last and have been up to my eyes in work ever since.  Things are pretty hectic at the moment.

            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.

            I shall be able to see you on your leave – at least I hope so.  Prepare for an FFI – you naughty girl.

            I had to go to Leicester yesterday to take some vehicles there and managed to see Diller for some few minutes.  Unhappily it took me nearly an hour to find her, and I was pretty pushed for time.  However, I chased around on a motor bike and eventually found her.  Brinner spent last weekend there on a 48 from OCTU and had quite a good time I believe.

            I’ve just had a break for lunch.  I had a pretty cushy time in Scotland.  There was a singular lack of any show of organisation with the result that they didn’t really know we were there for three days or so.  I had one day in Glasgow on the weekend.  No much of a town – yet the Scots refer to it as the ‘Second City of the Empire’.

            There was every amenity to be found locally – skating, swimming, golf etc, so I didn’t need to travel abroad.  The only snag with the whole place was that all the pubs shut at 8.30 in the evening and very few opened at all on Sundays.  We could drink in the mess until 11.30 though, so things were not too bad.

            (I’m just going to fight for the coffee – Got it…)

            The Lieutenant I went to Glasgow with was once in a mixed AA Battery** – gave me all the dope.  He said he had to chuck it as every time he choked off*** some poor girl she burst into tears, which used to shake him.  He was a bit crazy anyhow.

            Geoff Winzer’s sorting out kit and holding a young auction sale this afternoon so I’m going round to buy it all up (perhaps..)

            You evaded my reference to baritones – I think you’ve got a couple teed up somewhere in Bath.

            Incidentally Eric and I always used to drink at the ‘Christopher’ which is just opposite the Abbey.  It used to be quite a place.  That was where, on one memorable occassion I called for two pints and we found we had only got sevenpence between us.  Happy days ….

            And please, Chotie, no more presents.  You really can’t do it.

                                                All my love, Darling

                                                            Dicker

 

*Probably Rosa Ponselle, an American soprano

**The mixed (male and female) anti-aircraft batteries had a quite scandalous reputation in some quarters. The women serving alongside men had much more freedom to socialise with the opposite sex than other military units for women.  (See also The History of the ATS.)

***’choke off’ - bring the relationship to an end

 

****The Christopher's Inn is now a backpackers’ hostel.

 

 © Chotie Darling

Were these the women who defended Bristol?

 

 

1^st April 1944 – Salween offensive by China attacking the Japanese army in Yunnan Province which lies on the NE border of Burma (Myanmar).  They eventually reached Burma on 22^nd January 1945. (From World War II database.) 

The US Air Force accidentally bomb Schaffhausen in northernmost Switzerland and offer $1million in reparations. (From WW2-net Timelines.)

 

3rd April 1944 – Germany’s huge battleship, the Tirpitz, is attacked and damaged in Operation Tungsten, a bombing raid by the Royal Navy’s Fleet Air Arm in Alten Fjord in Norway. (From Chronology of World War II http://www.onwar.com/chrono/1944/apr44/f03apr44.htm.)

With Hungary now occupied by the German army the US Army Air Force and the RAF bomb the capital Budapest.

 

4th April 1944 – De Gaulle becomes head of the Free French forces in place of Giraud (from Chronology of World War II). 

The US Army Air Force bombs Bucharest, the capital of Romania (from WW2-net Timelines).

 

5^th April 1944 – Siegfried Lederer, a Jewish inmate of the concentration camp and killing centre at Auschwitz-Birkenau escapes to Czechoslovakia.  Two days later Rudolf Vrba and Alfred Wetzel also escape successfully.  They write a report, providing some of the first reliable eyewitness accounts of the camp, which is published worldwide from Switzerland in June 1944. (See United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.)

Britain closes the telephone service to Ireland (a neutral country in World War 2) and stops newspaper distribution to there and Gibraltar.  (From Chronology of World War II.)

 

6^th April 1944 – the Japanese lay siege to Kohima, about 60 miles north of Imphal, a supply depot at the summit of a pass offering the Japanese their best route from Burma into India. The hill-station was bravely defended by a small force of Indian and British troops.  Although the siege was relieved by 15^th April, fierce fighting at Kohima continued until the end of May when the starving Japanese withdrew. The 2^nd Division Memorial at Kohima bears the famous epitaph

"When You Go Home, Tell Them Of Us And Say, 
For Their Tomorrow, We Gave Our Today".

 

Pouishnoff and Leicester - Wednesday 23rd February 1944

61^st Recce Regt

Whittlesford

Cambs.

Wednesday 23^rd

Chotie Darling,

                                    Many thanks for your two letters which I’ve just picked up on rejoining the unit, which is still here at Whittlesford.

            My leave is still OK for March 8^th so don’t forget to get things teed-up, will you?

            Had a very nice time at Brum doing practically nothing ‘cept eat & sleep.

            Went over to Leicester on Sat & again on Sun. last and met Diller & Mary.  Had quite a good time despite all Leicester’s efforts to stop us – cinemas closed, nowhere to eat, etc.

            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.

            I’m afraid I can’t write much as it is the usual practice for adjutants to put people coming back from courses straight on to Duty Officer and my adj. cannot see his way clear to make any alteration in this unwritten law.

            Must close here, Darling to see the boys’ meals.

            All my love, Darling,

                                    Dicker

Will try to write you again tomorrow.

© Chotie Darling

 

24th February 1944 – General Frank Merrill and 2,750 volunteers from the US Army (known as Merrill’s Marauders) begin their mission of long range jungle warfare with the Japanese, penetrating deep into enemy territory in northern Burma (Myanmar).

 

26th February 1944 – last of three ‘Great Raids’ by the Soviet Air Force bombing Helsinki, the capital of Finland.  Finland had resisted Soviet occupation in the Winter War of 1939/40. Hostilities resumed in June 1941 and Finland turned to Germany for defence against the Soviet Union, although it retained its state of an independent democracy.  British and Commonwealth Allied forces declared war on Finland in December 1941 (but not the US).

 

29^th February 1944 – US forces under General MacArthur attack the Admiralty Islands, north of Papua New Guinea.  After a month of fighting the Japanese abandon their base to the south at Madong on the New Guinea coast.

Germany launches another major attack at Anzio but the tide is turning at the beach-head because of the Allies ‘inexhaustible’ supplies of artillery and ammunition.

The Russian General Vatutin, commander of the 1st Ukrainian Front, is ambushed by Ukrainian nationalists and left mortally wounded. (From ‘The Second World War’ by Antony Beevor, published by Weidenfield and Nicolson 2012)

 

Eric Postles remembers March 1944:

"We moved to Whittlesford and were allowed to use the American entertainment facilities at Duxford airfield where we saw James Cagney and other stars.  The regiment was re-equipped with new vehicles and weapons.  We took the old vehicles to Feltham Ordnance Depot in London.  We collected the new vehicles from Castle Donnington grounds and ran them in via Gloucester area (a number of the squadron lived locally). 

When in Cambridge I was put on a charge by the Military Police for allegedly having my hand in my greatcoat pocket.  When I was brought before our Commanding officer, Colonel Sir William Mount, a military policeman said the Provost Martial had ordered a tightening of discipline in the Division.  The CO said “It does not apply to my regiment” and dismissed the case." (Extracts from ‘My War Years’ by John Eric Postles ISO used by kind permission of the author.)

 

Sir William had more important things to worry about.  Training was now "the full Monty treatment" as his regiment began to prepare for Overlord.  Montgomery had “carefully meshed experienced veterans from the Eighth Army with the keen, green formations that had been training and languishing for so long in England”. 

50^th Northumbrian Division had been brought home from the Mediterranean with 7^th Armoured and 51^st Highland Divisions and there were already rumours among the 50^th that “they would be used on the battlefield for tasks in which the rate of attrition would be high.  Curiously enough this did not seem greatly to dismay them.”  However, training with British 7th Armoured Division on the flatlands of East Anglia may not have been the best preparation for Normandy’s bocage - the heavy hedgerows and rolling small fields which were to provide deadly cover for German defence and ambush.” (From ‘Overlord’ by Max Hastings, Macmillan 2016 edition) 

 

2^nd March 1944 – Bombing raids begin on targets in Yugoslavia from the Foggia airfields near Ortona in Italy.  The Allies were now supporting Tito’s communist resistance forces, flying in supplies from Bari in southern Italy.

4th March 1944 – the US Air Force’s first attack on Berlin with 730 bombers and 644 fighter aircraft flying by night.

Birmingham Officers Club - Thursday 17th February 1944

Birmingham

Thursday

Chotie Darling

                                    As you will see from above I’m in Brum at the moment on a week’s course on Armoured Cars - very cushy, there being no exam at the end, and the hours are only from nine to four thirty.

            I have some unpleasant news as regards leave.  The whole Squadron has had leave postphoned one week which makes mine up to the 8^th March instead of the 1^st.  Can you change yours?  Let me know won’t you.

            I hope to go to Leicester this weekend to see Diller as our leaves won’t now coincide.

            I’m staying at ‘The Georgian House’ which is an Officers Club – very comfortable indeed, and right in the centre of things.

            This letter is rather sketchy as I’m writing it during a lecture on the Lubrication System.

            I’ve just been out to get a Theatre Ticket for tomorrow night – London Symphony Orchestra in a programme which includes my favourite overture – Tchaikovsky’s Fantasie ‘Romeo & Juliet’.  Pouishnoff is the soloist and conductor.

            Must close here as the lecturer is beginning to get a grip.

            Don’t forget to write!

Address now

            61^st Recce Regt RAC

                        Whittlesford

                                    Cambridgeshire

                                                                                    love

                                                                                    Dicker

*Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s Overture-Fantasy 'Romeo and Juliet' is an orchestral work based on Shakespeare’s play.

© Chotie Darling

 

17th February 1944 – surrounded German troops on the Dnepr river had attempted to break out in the Battle of the Korsun-Cherkassy Pocket but 20,000 were ruthlessly killed by the Red Army, even when trying to surrender. (From ‘The Second World War’ by Antony Beevor, published by Weidenfield and Nicolson 2012)

The US Navy attack the Japanese Naval and air base at Truk in the Pacific Caroline Islands (west of the Marshall Islands), making it nearly useless for the rest of the war.

18th February 1944 - Operation Jericho, a precision bombing raid on Amiens prison by the RAF’s 2^nd Tactical Air Force, frees 258 prisoners including many belonging to the French resistance. However, more than 100 prisoners were killed by the bombing and two-thirds of the escapees were re-captured. (See BBC WW2 Timeline.)

19th February 1944 – Operation Argument (better known as ‘Big Week’) begins with an RAF bombing raid on Leipzig.  The Operation, designed to lure the Luftwaffe into a decisive battle, launched a series of attacks on the German aircraft industry, led by the USA Air Force, who could now defend their long-range bombers with Mustang fighter planes. Until 26^th February they bombed the factories and air fields relentlessly by day and the RAF followed up, bombing the cities by night. (See BBC Big Week Fact File.)

20^th February 1944 – a Norwegian Resistance commando, Knut Haukelid, succeeds in sinking the SF Hydro ferry carrying heavy water from the Telemark production plant.  This might have been used by Germany to develope nuclear bombs. Following Operation Gunnerside and subsequent heavy bombing by the US Air Force, the plant was being closed down and remaining stocks moved to Germany.

 

22^nd February 1944 – US Air Force planes controversially bomb Nijmegen in Holland. (See WW2 Talk Forum.)

Hitler leaves his headquarters at the Wolfsschanze in East Prussia, which is now within range of the Soviet Air Force and moves to the Berghof, his Alpine retreat in Bavaria.

Lt. Col. Sir William Mount. (Bart) T.D. - Thursday 20th January 1944

Address as before

 Thursday

 Chotie Darling,

                                    Just a few more lines about nothing at all.

                                    They have a film show here every week – an army unit brings round the projector, etc and the show is held in a hall in the Castle.  I managed to sit through the first hour or so but couldn’t stick it any longer than that.  So accordingly I repaired to the pub and had the place to myself entirely, luckily.

            The place is usually cram full with RAF personnel and a contingent from the local Waaffery.  They’re an awful crowd.  Drunk most of the time and very childish.

            Can’t remember the film – I only saw about half of it.

            Just finished Graham Greene’s ‘England made me’ – very good.  Had a long letter from Monica this morning – full of woe as usual, complaining bitterly that I never answer her letters or something like that.  I only wrote a month ago – at Xmas.  In any case I gather that her husband’s the most jealous brute who resents her receiving any letters.  He’s the sort who write every day – poor fellow.

            I still haven’t had any pay but have borrowed 20 quid from the Squadron Leader to pay clothing and mess bills, etc.  He’s an extraordinary sort of man – a young Captain*, Oxford and peacetime Sandhurst – very clever.  An Historian, I believe.  The only one with any real aesthetic appreciation among the whole bunch.

            I never seem to get to bed these days – it’s past midnight now.  That’s the advantage of a small mess – you can monopolise the radio and fire after about eleven or so.  I usually stay down ‘till the early hours as I don’t get up until nearly eight in the morning, and I’m better off with less sleep, these days at any rate.

            More Beethoven – unusual at this time of night – or morning.  From Calais 2 which is very powerful here.

            I’ve had a REME** Lieutenant sleeping with me – (not literally) for the past few days.  He left this morning.  Only spoke about three words to me the whole time.  A Scotsman.  Now I have my room to myself again which means I spread my kit over the whole place.  Awful shambles.  I must need a wife, I’m thinking.

            Well, Darling I must get off to bed.  It’s 1-30 and the fire’s nearly out and the Beethoven’s finished.

            There’s going to be a terrific party on Sunday.  The Colonel’s inviting all the officers in the Regt.  I’m told that when Lt. Col. Sir William Mount. (Bart) T.D.*** throws a party – it’s some party.

            Must close here, Darling,

                                    all my love

                                                Dicker

 

*Captain Frank Harding of ‘B’ Squadron?  He published “War Echoes over Thirty Years” in 1970 including a number of poems about 61^st Recce.  (See ‘Beaten Paths are Safest’ by Ron Howard, Brewin Books 2004)

**REME = Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers

*** Territorial Decoration – for long service in the Territorial Army.

© Chotie Darling

 

21^st January 1944 – resumption of German air raids on London in the ‘Little Blitz’. Operation Steinbock, launched in retaliation for the Allied raids on German cities and for propaganda purposes targeted South-East England, particularly London as well as ports including Bristol (where Chotie was stationed), Cardiff and Hull.  The ‘Little Blitz’ continued until May and killed over 1,500 people.

22nd January 1944 – the Allies’ US Fifth Army land 36,000 men on the Tyrrhenian coast between Rome and Monte Cassino in Operation Shingle.  Initially successful, Anzio became one of the bloodiest WW2 battles in Western Europe.  The Germans counter-attacked and the Allies were then pinned down on the beachhead, under fire from German artillery, until the Gustav line was broken in May.  By then almost 10,000 men, Germans and Allies, had been killed.   (See Anzio landings.)

 

Preparing for the Worst - 18th January 1944

2/Lieut RKWilliams

61^st Recce Regt

Royal Armd. Corps*

Home Forces

PS  New form of address

Tuesday Eve.

Chotie Darling,

                                    I just had to write you this evening – if only to preserve my sanity.

            Spent the whole evening at the local with Jeff and two of his WAAFS, though I’ve only succeeded in getting morbid – not even slightly happy.  On the surface both of them appear quite normal, even respectable – at least so I had previously thought, but tonight settled things for them most definitely.  Talk about a couple of bitches.  Both appear to sleep with anyone on sight provided they get a free evening.  Even I was pretty disgusted, so I came back to write you and hear a little Beethoven.

            Well, I still haven’t had any pay.  At the moment there’s a chaotic service between the Orderly Room and the Regiment Paymaster.  Having filled in a fresh Joining Certificate I found out yesterday that although the Orderly Room sent it off by express post the Regiment Paymaster hasn’t had it.

            A certain Colonel phoned yesterday long distance and wanted to know what had happened to it.  One of these fine days they’ll sort things out.  Mother sent me a cheque a few days ago, and once more I’m bust.

            How are things with you?  Haven’t heard from you for ages.  Expect this will cross with one from you.  Write and tell me how things are going on. 

            And don’t forget Eric’s address! Or even Eve’s… I think it’s 3, St John’s Hill, but I don’t really remember.  I’d like nothing better than the four of us to get together in some pub, preferably Queen Anne, just to annoy Eric…

            Well, I hope you’re being a good girl….or at least as good as you usually are.  You’ll get merry Hell from me if you aren’t….looking back into the murky past we are pretty bad aren’t we?  Or don’t you think so?

            Everyone here’s got a terrific shake on owing to an impending inspection by the Colonel*.  People having children all round.  Not literally…  All except yours truly, who doesn’t give a damn one way or another.

            Well, Darling, this is a pretty meagre letter.  I’ll try to do better in a couple of days’ time.

            It’s absolute hell doing the same old routine grind and never seeing you.  Let’s hope we can meet again soon – then prepare for the worst**.

                                                Goodnight, Chotie

                                                                        Darling

                                                                                                Dicker

 

*See Royal Armoured Corps 1^st January 1944 on Chotie Darling website.

**Colonel Sir William Mount

***presumably a reference to the imminent Allied invasion of Western Europe - perhaps Dick already knew his regiment would see action?

© Chotie Darling

 

20^th January 1944 – 729 RAF aircraft again target Berlin on 20th, continuing the intensive Battle of Berlin Air Campaign.  On 27^th January 530 aircraft were deployed, on 28^th 677 aircraft and on the 30^th 534 aircraft (from Wikipedia).

The Russians re-capture the ancient city of Novgorod between Moscow and Leningrad (St Petersburg). Novgorod is now a World Heritage Site despite extensive damage during the war.

 

 

In Front of the Fire - Friday 10th December 1943

“St Margarets”

Pagham

Friday

Chotie Darling,

                                                I’m sitting in front of the fire at home, writing this on nine days leave!  I’d just come back from a five days exercise, when I was told I’d been given a new troop (I only had the previous troop as a temporary measure) and that they were all going on leave the following morning so I’d better go with them.

            I spent the first day in London and I’m going up again for a few days tomorrow – so that I can get this business of ‘seeing the relatives’ over for once and all.

            Had quite a good time on the exercise, as I was not actively engaged – only umpiring, and on a motor bike,which gave me plenty of scope in getting about.  Had half an hour or so in Herne bay and saw Monica and baby.  She’s been under the doctor for treatment of some sort as she’s getting so fat.  The baby looks all right to me, but then I’m no judge of that sort of thing.  Her elder brother has just got married in Scotland so the whole family’s married now.  Didn’t see anyone else I knew as I had so little time there, though most of them are away anyhow.

            Spent one evening in Canterbury and had a little crawl by myself visiting the ‘Falstaff’, ‘Fleur-de-lis’ ‘Country’, ‘Shakespeare’ and ‘Three Carpenters’ , the five best known there.

            Spent one night on a AA Site and slept on a sofa in the Recreation Hut.  I don’t know whether it was mixed or not – if it was I was taking the helluva chance….these A/A women**….

            Hope to see a couple of lunch-time concerts at the National Gallery – only missed one this week by a few minutes.  Have heard a couple of Beethoven Symphonies this week which isn’t too bad.

            It must seem ages since I wrote you last.  Unfortunately I went on exercise with only about an hour’s notice which wasn’t even time to get a motorcycle or riding kit.  I borrowed breeches for this show and wore them the whole five days.  Either they were cut for a very thin bloke or they’d shrunk or something but they cut my legs to ribbons. Murder!

            How are you these days? – cold I expect…If it were not for the fact that I’m sitting in front of a fire I should probably have written half a page – or less.

            (Interlude for hot chocolate and cake….)

 

                ↑                     

            Space to denote passage of time.

Do you remember the Green Child’s  head on the mantelpiece – the one Diller got in Belgium?  Dad’s latest trick is to put a cigarette in its mouth.  Looks horrible!

            Incidentally I’ll send you some shekels for Xmas – it’s no use me trying to get anything – so that you can do some shopping or a show or something in Bristol.  I’ve had to give up coupons for the other ranks’ kit I’ve kept – 18 for 2 pairs of boots! etc so at the moment I don’t know how much I’m worth.  I will send some eventually. 

            I’m enclosing a book which I’ve been trying to get for the past year or more.  Tell me what you think of it.

                                    I’d better close here.

                                                All my love, Darling

                                                                        Dicker

 

* 'The Falstaff' and 'The Shakespeare' are still open, ‘the Country’ was probably 'The County Hotel' and is now the Abode Hotel , the ‘Three Carpenters was probably the 'Three Compasses' and is now the the Lady Luck and and the 'Fleur de Lis' is closed.

** Chotie was an AA (Anti-Aircraft) woman in the ATS - they were also known as Ack-Ack Girls.) The situation of the Ack-Ack Girls, often posted alongside men in mixed batteries, and some initial disciplinary issues, led to a loose reputation that may have been ill-founded (although some male officers might have taken advantage of their command).  American troops stationed in the UK referred to them as Co-ed Gun Girls.

© Chotie Darling

 

15th December 1943 – the first war crimes trial against Nazi defendants took place in Kharkov (Kharkiv) in the Ukraine. 15,000 bodies had been found in the nearby ravine of Drobytsky Yar following a massacre of Kharkov’s Jewish population two years earlier. The Soviet military tribunal found the three Germans and one Soviet collaborator guilty and they were quickly executed.

The Allies finally recognise Tito’s Communist Popular Liberation Committee, which had led resistance to the Nazis in Yugoslavia since 1942, as the future Yugoslavian government.  

The Battle of Arewe begins the Allies Campaign on New Britain, an island to the north-east of New Guinea.  This diverted Japanese troops from a major Allied landing on the SW tip of the island on 26^th December.  Rabaul, at the eastern tip of the New Britain, was Japan’s main military and naval base in the South Pacific and MacArthur’s campaign aimed to surround and disable the Japanese forces there. 

The Lost Wallet - Thursday 18th November 1943

2/Lt Williams RK

‘B’ Squadron 61^st Recce Regt

Recce Corps

Home Forces

 

Thursday

Chotie Darling

                                    Many thanks for letter.  I would have replied before this, but managed to get a 24 hour from midday yesterday to noon today.  Both Diller and Brinner were home so we had quite a reunion at the ‘Beach’.

            Unhappily going back I had the most horrible experience – the worst experience that any man can have.  I lost my wallet!

            Not only did it have £6 in it but also my ticket.  I was stranded on Brighton Station with some 5 shillings in all!  There was no Railway  Transport Officer there so I went in desperation to the YMCA* where the manageress lent me a quid.  Awfully good of her, as I had no security to offer her.  However, I managed to get back OK, if late.

            I’ve just written to Bognor & Brighton Stations but don’t expect to hear anything.  Don’t say anything about it or mother will go frantic.

            On top of this I’m going on a scheme for a week and am afraid I won’t get a chance to write you.

            I’m well settled down now and am quite enjoying myself, though I shall be glad when I get this next week over.

            How are things with you?  Glad to hear you arrived back without trouble, and hope you got the groundsheet O.K.

            Met that old friend of mine from the 43^rd, Don Johnston** (the one who would repeatedly play the ‘Warsaw’).  Hadn’t seen him for ages.

            Have you heard of Eric lately?  You might ask Eve to prod him a little about writing me.  That is if you still correspond.

            There’s a Lieutenant here, a burly West Country farmer, who buys anything on sight.  Last week he bought a grand piano and a herd of Friesian cows!  Quite a lad.

            I’ve bought a new hat, though I didn’t pay much for it!  Twenty shillings is about my mark….

            No real news to tell you.  Things here are very cushy until a scheme comes along – then everyone starts flapping.

            I’m thinking about starting to buy some period furniture as you’ll never get any after this show.  Period stuff is still reasonable, anyhow.

            Must close here – write you next week.                                         

                                                All my love, Darling

                                                                                Dicker

P.S.  Don’t bother to write for the next few days as I won’t get it for a week.

 

*Young Men’s Christian Association

**See Chapter 7 43rd Reconnaissance - the beginning of the end.

 

© Chotie Darling

 

18th November 1943 - beginning of the RAF’s bombing campaign 'the Battle of Berlin' (not to be confused with the Soviet battle of Berlin in April and May 1945). In 16 raids thousands of people were killed and hundreds of thousands made homeless. By the last raid, at the end of March 1944, more than 500 RAF planes had been lost. (From WW2-net Timelines and Wikipedia.)

 

20th November 1943 – beginning of Operation Galvanic, the US bid to capture the Gilbert and Marshall Islands from the Japanese. These strategically important islands lie to the west of central Pacific, between Hawaii and the Solomon Islands.  The successful but brutal 3 day Battle of Tarawa Atoll reulted in nearly 5,000 Japanese and Korean dead and more than 1,000 Americans, with 3,000 US casualties.  Tarawa land area is approximately 12 square miles.

 

22^nd November 1943 – opening of the Cairo summit between Roosevelt, Churchill and Chiang Kai-shek of the republic of China to plan for post-war Asia.  The Soviet Union was not at war with Japan and did not attend.  Roosevelt took an anti-Imperialist stance and agreed with Chiang Kai-Shek that Indochina would not be returned to France.

 

25th November 1943 – US air forces based in China bomb the Japanese island of Formosa, now known as Taiwan. (From WW2-net Timelines.)

26th November 1943 – sinking of HMT (His Majesty’s Troop Ship) Rohna, off the Algerian coast, by a radio-controlled glide bomb from a German Heinkel plane. The Rohna was carrying more than 2,000 troops, mainly American. 1,138 men were lost – the largest loss of US troops at sea in a single incident and kept secret until 1967. (See Rohna Memories.)

Chotie in Yorkshire - Saturday 9th October 1943

 Same Address

Saturday

Chotie,

                        Many thanks for letter – expect by now you’re in Yorks* enjoying yourself as usual …  I’m sending this to your original address and hope it will be forwarded.  Never having been (or ever wanted to go) to Yorkshire I can’t offer any comment but it will make a change at any rate.

            Glad to hear your cold is better – you’d better get those woollies on.

            Aren’t you getting highbrow?  Chopin and Greig!  Unhappily I don’t get any time to hear these delightful people – or even read about them, & I presume even less time after I’m commissioned.  For Chopin you couldn’t do better than Leff Pouishnoff – who plays “Frick’s” stuff better than he ever played it himself and considerably better than Soloman or Cortot**!

            Talking about weddings I have to attend one on Nov 1^st at Pagham.  It's Tony Smith’s of Church Farm which I expect you remember well.  I’ve managed to avoid all previous weddings like the plague but this one’s definitely got me.  We pass out on the same day – he’s a cadet here.  Any suggestion for a wedding present?  Awful isn’t it.  And poor pal entangled …Ces pauvres jeunes gens***….

            Last I heard of Diller she was going on a wireless course to the Isle of Man!  and six months at that.  Also thinks she’ll lose her leave but welcomes any change.

            Mary I believe is applying for transfer to Bournemouth.  Incidentally I get my leave on the 30^th inst, but have this wedding to go to on the 1^st Nov.  Can you manage anything?  Let me know won’t you?

            Must close here for lunch – will write again on the weekend,

                                                                                                                        love

                                                                                                                        Dicker

 

*Chotie seems to be in Yorkshire now (she was staying in Whitby), perhaps on training.  There was a Ack-Ack gun site at Whitby on Saltwick Bay - the ATS had to climb the famous 199 steps in full battledress to get to the East Cliff from their lodgings in town. (From Jane Ritchie and Elizabeth Trattles stories in 'Girls in Khaki' by Barbara Green, The History Press 2012 and Joyce Stott's account on the People's War website).  Nan, Chotie's best friend in the ATS, came from Yorkshire so it's also possible she was on holiday with her. (See also Chotie goes to Bristol.)

Nan from Yorkshire

**See previous letter for Leff Pouishnoff. Solomon Cutner was a British pianist known professionally as ‘Solomon’. Alfred Cortot was a Franco-Swiss pianist renowned for his interpretations of Chopin and Schumann. Cortot supported the German occupation in France.

***French for “These poor young people”.

 © Chotie Darling

 

10^th October 1943 – Franco, the Spanish dictator orders the Blue Division to return home. These were some 18,000 Spanish volunteers fighting with Germany against communism on the eastern front. Most returned but about 3,000 stayed to fight with Germany as the Blue Legion.  (From WW2-net Timelines and Wikipedia.) 

 

 

The Gentle Sex - Tuesday 28th September

 

Same Address

Tuesday 

My Darling,

                        Many thanks for your letter.  Was very glad to hear that you enjoyed your leave and were lucky enough to get the same time as Mary*. 

            Still, I expect you’re glad to be back …..I was home myself this weekend but felt so wretchedly ill, I did not really enjoy it.  I started on a pint at the Beach on Saturday and hadn’t the heart to finish it.

            Been very busy lately on schemes and will be on them nearly all the next month.  They’re not too bad in the summer but it’s getting just a wee bit nippy these days.  On top of this I’m Troop Sgt. for the week which all means added work.

            Found time to read D.L.Murray’s ‘Tale of Three Cities’ which I’ve always meant to read, and enjoyed immensely.  Have read virtually nothing else.  Saw ‘Gentle Sex’ and Col. Blimp** during past few weeks – I believe I told you.  Enjoyed Blimp but found Howard’s influence on ‘Gentle Sex’ just a little too much.  He always was hammy.

            Sorry to hear about your indisposition – hope it’s better by now.

            Everyone seems to be having a competition as to who can produce the most offspring.  News from HB < Herne Bay***.  Gives lurid details of further progress in this direction.  There are times when I think the world’s gone mad.  They’re no sooner married than the poor girl’s tied down for life, and in most cases before she’s even started to live!  I hope there’s enough money in circulation after this war to feed them all.

            Had a letter from Brinner with yours.  Full of his customary appalling language.  He’s met a soprano of ‘Tosca’**** fame.  It won’t last long.  Apparently the Austrian refugee affaire has closed down for good this time.

            I’d send you some denarii if I had any – but at the moment I’m bankrupt.

            Did you hear the Beethoven on Sunday pm?  Pouishnoff*****.

            I must close here for dinner – not that I shall eat any, but I have to attend anyhow.

                                                            love & kisses

                                                                                    Dicker

 

This letter was addressed to:

 W/242328 Pte Chalkley BE.

 ‘B’ Tp. ATS OF.C. 462 Hy (M) AA Bty RA

Markham, Easton in Gordano

Bristol

 

Maybe Chotie was back at Markham Camp when Dick sent her the postcard addressed to Portishead on 7^th September, or maybe she’d moved the short distance to Easton-in-Gordano since then.

 

*Chotie’s best friend Mary Dakin, who later married Geoffrey Thomas, gentleman.

**’Gentle Sex’ - a romantic comedy film about the ATS, directed and narrated by Leslie Howard, who had been killed in June 1943 and narrated by Leslie Howard. ’The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp’ - a comedy film derived from the satirical Colonel Blimp comic strip.

***Monica, Dick’s ex-girlfriend and Diller’s best friend, lived at Herne Bay.

****Giacomo Puccini’s opera ‘Tosca’ - the lead soprano has the eponymous title role, so Brinner’s new girl was presumably quite a singer.

*****Leff Pouishnoff, a Ukrainian pianist and composer.

© Chotie Darling

 

 

28^th September 1943 – Chotie visited the dentist at Bristol.

 Copy of Record

Dental Treatment Card – 28/9/43         Bristol

 

28^th September 1943 – two years after the shooting of nearly 34,000 Jews at the Babi Yar ravine near Kiev a number of the concentration camp prisoners now tasked with covering up evidence of the massacres there manage to escape.  By the autumn of 1943 at least 100,000 Jews, Roma and Communists had been murdered by the Nazis at Babi Yar.

 

29^th September 1943 – Marshal Badoglio, the new Italian leader meets General Eisenhower, the Supreme Commander of the Allies Expeditionary Force to sign the armistice agreement aboard HMS Nelson in Valetta Harbour, Malta. (From Chronology of World War II.)

 

After Exercise Link in mid-September 1943 61st Division, including 61^st Recce, was relegated to a static role in home defence (Lower Establishment status – Higher Establishment Divisions were intended for employment overseas and combat.)  The Division was also a training formation and was intended to find suitable replacements for fighting formations:  “when the 61^st Division was relegated to Home Forces…we had to draft many of our best men away”. (Lt-Colonel P.H.A. Brownrigg’s account of ’A Reconnaissance Regiment in the B.L.A.’ in ‘Beaten Paths are Safest’  by Ron Howard, Brewin Books 2004)

By October the 61^st Division had been assigned to anti-invasion duties in Kent.

Eric Postles writes:

“The regiment was responsible for patrolling the coast from New Romney to Battle.  Our squadron was stationed in Lympne Castle next to an RAF airfield.  We did day and night mobile patrols into Folkestone and Romney.  On a clear day you could see France from the castle tower and at night flashes from the German guns shelling the Dover area.  One night we watched as a night fighter shot down a German bomber in flames.  Our fighter planes took off and returned from France very low over the castle often returning damaged and sometimes with their rockets hanging down from the wings.  On our patrols we reported to the coastguards and coastal gun sites.  We often got a welcome cup of tea.”  (Extract from ‘My War Years’ by John Eric Postles ISO used by kind permission of the author.)

 

 

1^st October 1943 – the Allies enter Naples. Much of the city had been wrecked by the Germans, including its historic aqueducts, in revenge for the Neapolitan resistance begun on 27^th September.

Britain’s 8^th Army on the Adriatic coast of Italy seizes the Foggia plain with its airfields vital for bombing southern Germany, Austria and the Ploesti oilfields.

1st October 1943 – the Germans begin to round up Jews in Denmark. However, their plans have been revealed in advance by a German naval attaché, Ferdinand Duckwitz, and most of the 7,500 Danish Jews were helped into hiding and then ferried to safety in Sweden by Danish citizens and the Resistance. 470 Danish Jews were deported to the Theresienstadt Ghetto in Czechoslovakia but relatively few Danish Jews (120) died during the Holocaust for a German occupied country. (From United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.)

 

2^nd October 1943 – heavy RAF raid on Munich, deep inside Germany. Germany’s third largest city was an important industrial centre and suffered 71 bombing attacks during the war. (From WW2-net Timelines.)

 

3^rd October 1943 – the Battle of Termoli commences the Allies’ attack on the Volturno line. This was a German defensive position stretching across Italy from Termoli on the Adriatic coast to the mouth of the Volturno River, north of Naples, on the Tyrrhenian Sea. The line was breached by the British 8^th Army at Termoli on 6^th October and the US 5^th Army crossing the Volturno a week later. The Germans retreated back to the Barbara line. Both lines had been established to delay the Allied advance to the main German defensive position (known as ‘the Winter line’) protecting the access route to Rome at Cassino.

4th October 1943 – Corsica is liberated when the last of the Germans are evacuated from Bastia.

 

6th October 1943 – at a conference with high ranking Reich officials at Posen in Poland, Heinrich Himmler is frank about the Jewish ‘Final Solution’ for the first time, admitting that women and children as well as men were being killed so that “this people disappear from this earth”.  (From ‘The Second World War’ by Antony Beevor, published by Weidenfield and Nicolson 2012)

Related articles

 

The Devil's punchbowl - Tuesday 14th? September 1943

Same address….

Tuesday

My Darling,

                        Many thanks for letter just received – and for programme enclosed.  I had hoped I could have written to you during the week but have been on schemes almost continually.

                        It’s now about seven in the evening and I’m all packed for another three day show after dinner.  We’re going down as far as Hindhead which is wonderful country, and luckily I’m driving all the time.  The road runs south from Aldershot, over the Hog’s Back and down to the ‘Devil’s punchbowl’, a famous venue for motorists pre-war and one of Surrey’s best known beauty spots.  We’re going right through the night and are all swearing on fine weather.

                        Mother enclosed a letter from Brinner in her last.  He’s now a Cadet at Wrotham which is only a few miles from Sevenoaks, Eric’s place.  (Incidentally, I’ve never heard from him despite you’re saying he’d written.  Also, no cracks about my repaying – if I had a letter from him I’d reply straight away, but I definitely wrote last …) 

            I managed to see Diller last week-end – she went back on Sunday. I gather she likes the life but would prefer to be in anything but the Pay Corps.

            I don’t get any leave for another three weeks, I’m afraid and then only a weekend.

            Theoretically I should pass out in six weeks’ time – but things are going very badly as regards Recce Corps.  They’re over staffed as it is which has the annoying habit of making them very difficult to please.  They cheerfully accept about five in every fifty and the unhappy remainder have to go all through an Infantry OCTU, which takes nearly another five months.  The only consolation I’ve got is that I should go to Wrotham, for some weeks anyhow.

            Hope you enjoyed the concert under Sargent**, whom I think is still the best conductor in the country.  ‘Fraid I never get a chance to see anything these days.

            As you remark, the news is good, but as usual is inclined to be taken far too optimistically.  We still have the hardest fighting to do.

            Must close here for dinner, as I’ve got to get my carrier started which takes me anything up to an hour….

                        Here’s to the Devil and his punchbowl.

                                                                        love & kisses

                                                                                    Dicker

*Hindhead Common and the Devil’s Punch Bowl are an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty protected by the National Trust.

** Malcolm Sargeant, famous English conductor.

© Chotie Darling

 

15th September 1943 – Australian and US troops capture the Japanese base of Lae, on the east coast of New Guinea, north of Port Moresby.

16^th September 1943 – the Danish resistance underground, Dansk Frihedsrådet, sets up the Freedom Council as a shadow administration.

 

18th September 1943 - German forces from Salerno withdraw towards the line of the River Volturno, north of Naples.  American forces at Salerno had suffered 3,500 casualties and the British (on the exposed left flank) 5,500.  (From ‘The Second World War’ by Antony Beevor, published by Weidenfield and Nicolson 2012)

 

20 September 1943 - the ‘Jewish Affairs Commission’, headed by Dieter Wisliceny, arrives in Athens. In Thessaloniki the Commission had been responsible for the deportation of over 46,000 Jews, mainly to Auschwitz-Birkenau. Athenian Jews, previously under Italian Occupation, were now threatened with a similar fate. However, two thirds escaped - many with the help of Archbishop Damaskeno and other Christians who hid them and produced false baptism certificates. Even the Chief of Police in Athens, Angelos Evert, issued Jews with false ID to protect them.

60 to 70,000 Greek Jews perished in the Holocaust – more than 80% of the Jewish Greek population. (See United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.)

 

22nd September 1943 – six British midget submarines succeed in attacking the Tirpitz (see also St Nazaire and Brighton) in a Norwegian fiord, putting the battleship out of action until March 1944. 

 22nd September 1943 – Soviet forces begin to cross the heavily defended Dnepr river in central Ukraine, suffering heavy losses but ultimately succeeding in advancing their front line.

 

On 23rd September Mussolini proclaims his return to power with the re-establishment of a fascist government, the Repubblica Sociale Italiana in northern Italy. All Italians carrying arms in German occupied areas face the death penalty.

 

24th September 1943 – 5,000 Italian soldiers of the Aqui Division are massacred on the Greek Ionian island of Cephalonia when they eventually surrender to the Germans.  In all, more than 10,000 Italian soldiers who chose to resist the Germans died in Greece.

 

25^th September 1943 – the British 8^th Army and the US 5^th Army join up a front line across Italy.

25th September 1943 – the Soviets re-take Smolensk, 200 miles west of Moscow in Russia. 

 

27th September 1943 – in a popular uprising the people of Naples successfully drive the Germans out of the city before the Allied liberation on 1^st October. (From Chronology of World War II.)

A Young Novel - 1st and 2nd September 1943

 

Same address

Wednesday (nearly Thursday)

My Darling Chotie,

                                                            It’s a long time since I’ve written to you at this time of night, but I find myself with two others operating a wireless for three days and nights and this being the first I thought it would give me a golden opportunity to send you a young novel – so here goes.

            The remainder of the troop are out on a three days exercise and we are maintaining contact with them the whole time.  The system, as it stands sounds quite fun but unfortunately we are not allowed to sleep as those on the exercise aren’t able to.

            This little discrepancy is, however, compensated by the fact that I get a weekend on Saturday, so things aren’t really too bad.  Diller will be home I believe so she’ll have a glorious chance to moan to her hearts content, an opportunity I know she won’t be slow to seize.

Came back from 48hr scheme yesterday, just about all in.  This wireless* is murder, it’s not only the mental tiredness you get, but also chronic headaches owing to the headphones which have to be worn continually.  I’ll spend the week-end in bed – lonely and cold ….

            We’ve managed to scrounge some cocoa and milk, also a shave, so we have hopes of something hot soon.

            Weather here is typical autumn – lots of mist and rain and last night a beautiful sunset, one of the best I’ve ever seen.  The trees – hundreds of them here are just beginning to turn – though it’s early yet.  It will be lovely by the time I leave – always presuming I don’t leave prematurely …

            We have a pretty sound wireless officer, one of the pleasant slavedriver type who works all hours from morn ’til night and expects the whole troop to do the same…Luckily he likes his pint and consequently we always find ourselves some hundred yards from the Duke of Wellington for lunch and he always stands the troop a pint apiece.  God knows how much it must cost him.

            I was talking to the publican who says that the present Duke (who lives in the neighbouring estate – Stratfield Saye) is quite a pleasant bloke – Captain in the Commandos in Sicily and always goes to the pub when on leave to play darts with the farmers.  Apparently he’s about 30**.

            Did I tell you that Dad went up to Purley*** to see all the relations?  It’s the first time he’s seen his father for about five years!  Awful isn’t it?  Apparently things have changed quite a bit.  Gramp now looks his years – he’s about 78, which he never has done before and has slowed up considerably.  Cyril (Dad’s brother) took him on a trip which included all the most dubious of London’s night clubs.

            They all expect me to go up (after Brian going, of course) but I still prefer to go home, or if possible come down to see you.  (I still owe you about a dozen spankings…****)

            However, he did see them, they were all very pleased, and that’s that – for another five years anyhow.

            Incidentally is there anything I can get you for your Birthday? I haven’t had a chance to get out for ages, and you can’t do anything on schemes.  Let me know – and if there’s no chance of my getting it, I’ll send you some shekels*****.

            The ATS are a better crowd than I thought, despite their being mostly Generals’ daughters.  The one I had (not literally….) yesterday did all the cooking for us – and did it very well – probably because they were scared of letting us do it, as they have to eat it as well.  I managed to get her a room in a farmhouse and she managed to get me half-a-dozen eggs so we had quite a happy time.  She comes from Kent of course – Pett’s Wood – about a mile from Orpington†.  We had several common friends.  I should say friends in common – there’s a subtle difference….

            I still haven’t had an FFI†† – you really must organise another meeting…See what you can do.  I always get atrociously rude this time of night – at the moment I’m thinking awful things.  I couldn’t even tell you… 

            That’s enough of this – I’d better do some wireless for an hour or two.

 

            Well, I’ve done some morse – over an hour in fact and have just been relieved.  Still feel the same.  Good thing I’m not in the Bristol area.

            Read Deeping’s ‘Two Black Sheep’ on the scheme and also “Fanny by Gaslight” again (Michael Sadleir) which I’ve always thought an awful lot of.  It’s the finest picture of Victorian England of the last ten years and heaven knows there have been enough books on that subject!  I’m sure Fanny would get the same hold on you as she has on me.

            Won ten bob on a little side bet last night.  Bill said it was Tchaikovsky’s ‘Casse Noisette’††† and I said it was ‘Eugen Onegin’ and Eugen Onegin it was.  Just as easy as that.  Wish money was always so procurable as that 10 bob.

            It’s now nearly 2 oclock and we’ve got the water on the boil for some luscious cocoa!  Jeez!  

            My two colleagues have just started to take an interest in things – now that there’s a chance of a hot drink!  One is that madman I told you about from Corfe Castle – incidentally his name’s Peter Collins (happy memories?) who still intends to live on Round Island after the war††††.  A genuine hermit’s life with just his wife.  Notice I say just!  This is where I should say “what more could a man want”… (after his pipe of course…Never mind Darling – you come second …)

            The other one’s an Oxford law student, pretty nearly broke.  Tennis champ of north of England.  Quite a good type.

            I’ve just had my COCOA(!) and, it’s good.  I’ve got a lovely warm feeling in my tummy which I definitely didn’t have before.

            Well, Chotie Darling I must close here as I have to go on the set again.  I’ll let you know how things went on the weekend and enumerate some of Diller’s moans.

                                    All my love, precious.

                                                Always thinking of you.

                                                                        Dicker

 

P.S.  You should read Napolean’s letters to Marie Louise and Josephine.  They’re good….

 

*Wireless – “not enough emphasis can be put on the importance of communication in battle situations”…Wireless operators needed high quality training “to pick up weak signals against a background of atmospherics and interference” known as ‘slush’. (From ‘Phantom at War’ by Andy & Sue Parlour, Cerberus 2003)

**The Duke of Wellington’s estate at Stratfield Saye near Basingstoke in Hampshire.   The 6th Duke of Wellington, Captain of No 2 Commando, was killed in action at Salerno on 16^th September 1943.  

***Purley, near Croydon, South London.

****Possibly referring to Chotie’s involvement with her officer at the Bristol camp earlier that year??

*****slang for cash. Chotie’s 20^th birthday was on 6^th September 1943.

†Dick was born in Orpington in Kent and spent his childhood there.

††the 'Free from Infection' inspection for venereal disease (presumably being used by Dick as a euphemism here).

†††Tchaikovsky’s ballet ‘The Nutcracker’ and not his opera ‘Eugene Onegin’.

††††an island in Poole Harbour.

Peter Collins was the name of one of Chotie’s early admirers:

“Peter Collins, the boss’s son, home from Blundell’s, a posh school in Devon, also took a fancy to me and given the chance, we would canoodle in the store room.  His mother was very kind to me and I was invited to stay at their lovely house in Talbot Woods for a weekend.  Peter had won a scholarship to Blundell’s for his brilliant piano playing and taught me about classical music - a love that has stayed with me all my life.” (From ‘Chotie’s Story’. See also F.W.Collins.)

© Chotie Darling

 

3^rd September 1943 – the Italian government, under Marshal Badoglio, signs a secret armistice with the Allies at Cassibile in Sicily.  In Operation Baytown, British and Canadian forces crossed the Messina Straits unopposed, landing at Reggio de Calabrio (the tip of Italy’s toe) in an unsuccessful attempt to draw German forces away from the main landing areas further north.

 

 

Guido Benetti - Tuesday 20th July 1943

Dick at Pagham?

 

Same Address

Tuesday 20^th July

My Darling Chotie,

                                                I’ve got the afternoon off so here goes.

            Had quite a pleasant leave though very quiet.

            Went over to see Guido at Brighton on Wednesday last, on spec. as he wasn’t expecting me.  He’s got a lovely flat on the front at Hove, beautifully furnished – the dining room in old English oak, nearly black*, and the drawing room in Japanese stuff, similar to Dr Barker’s place at Parkstone.  He’s got about a thousand records of opera of all types.  We played one after the other for about seven hours altogether.

            His niece was there – about seventeen – wearing mauve and old lace, and looking for all the world like Lucrezia Borgia**.  She’s at an art school in Brighton – does dress-designing or something.  She’s been staying with Eva Turner** for the past year and now lives with Guido.

            Had lunch and tea with them and some pukka Italian Vermouth which I hadn’t seen for years.

            I had intended staying the night in Brighton but thought that anything after Guido’s place would savour too much of the anti-climax so caught the next train home.

            Brinner turned up without notice on Saturday afternoon, and stayed for 36 hrs.  He’s at present waiting for OCTU Board.

            Had a letter from Diller with yours.  Fed up as usual as I expect you’ve heard from Mary****.  She’s trying to get a transfer somewhere else I believe.  What a hope!

            Had a swim in the Lagoon***** on Saturday.  Not too bad at all – quite warm.

            How do you like the old homestead!  Sort of Georgian-Renaissance – pseudo-Greek style!  I bought half a doz. photos of the place but unhappily had to get them “artistically – hand-coloured”!

            How’s life in Devon?  Hope the weather improves – it’s hell in the west otherwise.

            When are you coming further East?  I’m on long weekend Friday Eve to Monday night on the weekend of the 7^th August.  If you can manage anything, I could get to Poole OK.

            Let me know, any how,

                        All my love,

                                    Dicker

 

*oak wood goes dark brown and then black with age.

**an infamous beauty (described as having heavy blonde hair which fell past her knees, a beautiful complexion, hazel eyes which changed colour, a full, high bosom, and a natural grace which made her appear to "walk on air"). Her father, Rodrigo, became Pope Alexander VI in 1492 and the notorious family were suspected of many crimes including simony, incest and murder.

***Eva Turner was a famous English soprano of the inter-war years.

****Chotie’s best friend Mary Dakin was also a close friend of Diller, Dick’s sister.

*****Pagham lagoon.

See letters of 3rd September and 25th February for Guido Benetti.

© Chotie Darling

 

22nd July 1942 – the US 7th Army takes Palermo, capital of Sicily while British forces are ‘bogged down’ around Mount Etna.

 

24th July 1943 – the RAF bomb Hamburg in Operation Gomorrah, the beginning of the Battle of Hamburg. More than 700 planes are deployed and this is the first use of the “window” tactic developed following the Bruneval Raid (releasing strips of metal foil to confuse the German radar), reducing Allied plane losses that night to 12.  Raids continued for a week and by 3rd August the intense heavy bombing, and the firestorm of 27^th July (when the heat from the fires generated its own wind, blasting flames through the city), had killed 40-50,000 people.

24th July 1943 – a US air crew crash lands in neutral Sweden and is granted refuge. This precedent is extended to nearly 1,000 Allied air crew during the rest of the war. (From WW2-net Timelines.) 

25th July 1943 – Following a vote by the Italian Fascist Grand Council for the King of Italy, Vittorio Emmanuele III, to take over command of all Italian forces from Mussolini, ‘Il Duce’ is arrested and the fascist regime in Italy ended. Marshal Badoglio is appointed head of Italy.  Although Badoglio promised that the Italians would continue the war German troops seize the Brenner Pass and key installations in northern Italy as a precaution.

 

Eric Postles of 61st Recce remembers July 1943:

“On 28^th July, Harry Parr, who was in 59 Division Recce regiment, was killed on an exercise in Kent when his heavy armoured car turned over and he was crushed by the gun.  I was given leave to attend his funeral in Burscough and a number of members of 59 Recce also attended.  It was one of the biggest attended funerals that I have ever been to – very sad.”   (Extracts from ‘My War Years’ by John Eric Postles ISO used by kind permission of the author.)

 

29^th July 1943 – in Britain Bevin announces that women up to age 50 must register at the Labour Exchange for war work. In 1943 almost 90% of single women and 80% of married women were employed in essential work for the war effort but were paid significantly less than men. (From BBC Women at War and Wikipedia.)

Officers and Gentlemen - letter posted Saturday 22nd May 1943

ROYAL MILITARY COLLEGE

CAMBERLEY, SURREY

 

My Darling Chotie,

                                                It seems ages since I heard from you and as I expect it’s the same with you – here goes.

            As you will see from above I’m now at Sandhurst, which is quite a place.

            I’ve been so busy the last few days, what with passing out (in more ways than one) at Blackdown and getting settled here, I haven’t had a moment to myself.

            I was very disappointed with your inability to make Pagham, but realise what the hell of a journey Bristol is.  But why didn’t you send a wire or something?  Then I could have come down.  Brinner and Diller were home as you probably know.  We could have got really stewed – actually we did, but that’s another story.  However, we must try again soon.  I shall be able to get a week-end here and there, though I expect to be up to my eyes in work.  I’ve been very lucky here in getting a room with Chunky* and Brian (my mates …. ) and an excellent servant who knows all the tricks of the trade – and then some.

            (Don’t smile at this paper.  It’s all they’ve got here, and needless to say they robbed me …  Never again).  I had a letter from Eric last week!  No kidding.  He “didn’t want our correspondence to collapse” or some rot or other.  The rat.  Doesn’t appear over happy, but then he never does.

            Is Rosemary** still with you?  Lucky Rosemary….  However, all good things come to an end – we’ll be kicked out of this Army before long – I hope.

            I haven’t seen a flick for nearly a month, which cuts out that topic of conversation.

            We’re allowed to wear civvies in the evenings here, also dine in them, but as I’m couponless it doesn’t really interest me.

            So much for Sandhurst.  I expect you know all about Bristol by now - all the pubs anyhow.

            Diller and I found quite a good one in Chichester.  It’s so old it doesn’t have a licence.  It’s got some ancient charter from James I or some other bloke which dates back before shame even.

            You’re lucky in having some relatives in the neighbourhood – I’ve never been near anyone.

            Nothing new at home.  Mother’s been offered Gentians (that little Tea Rooms by the Kings Beach) for £100 and is toying with the idea.  Mike*** presents the only snag.  I’m all for it as we would be able to get buckshee teas on leave.  She always has these vague obsessions as well you know.  She also wants to make out a thousand in our names (Diller, Bryn & myself) to avoid death duties should she be killed by a stray bomb….  Crazy’s right.

            It must be over five months since I saw you last.  Have you changed at all Darling?  Don’t tell me you’re any slimmer ‘cos I’d never believe anything but my own eyes.  I’ve had so many 771’s in the last few days I reckon it would be easier to turn nudist and have done with it.  The old British public would raise horrified eyebrows, though you, I should imagine would remain entirely unruffled.  (We’ve got a wonderful old oak outside our window.  I have to keep stopping to gaze in rapt appreciation …. Must be the artist in me crying out like a voice in the wilderness against some aesthetic repression ….)

            Brinner bought another Gigli**** when he was home.  I won’t comment on it, as he and Solomon are the only two men in this poor world I would never attempt to criticize. 

            Have you read ‘Clochemerle’***** yet?  Don’t ask for it in a bookshop as they would only give you a pretty old fashioned look anyway.

            I spent a day up in town on my way back to Blackdown.  Piccadilly was, as usual, full of the usual who keep stopping you which is all very embarrassing, especially for an innocent little boy like myself, in London Town to see the bright lights.  I told one of them that she should be paying me, if only she knew me, which annoyed her not a little.  I didn’t tell her I existed for Chotie alone.

            Well Darling I must close here.  Hope to see you soon.  I’ll advise you when I can get a weekend.

                        All my love, Precious

                                                Dicker

 

5731671 Officer Cadet Williams R.K.

77 Tp. ‘B’ Sqdn.

100 (Sandhurst) O.C.T.U. R.A.C.

Royal Military College

Camberley

Surrey.

 

*see letter of 18th April 1943.

**Rosemary was Chotie’s young cousin I think

***Mike was the family dog

*** Beniamino Gigli was an Italian tenor singer and Solomon was possibly the pianist Solomon Cutner. See letter of 7th February.

****see letter of 11th April.

 © Chotie Darling

“The eighteenth and nineteenth century British army was never that concerned about training its officers believing that character was the important thing and that the officer being a gentleman already knew how to use weapons and ride a horse. What was important was character.

During World War II the UK was faced with the major problem of having to train many thousands of lower middle class and working class, young men as officers. These young men had the military skills, they were veterans of campaigns in the desert and the jungle. They knew about war but they weren’t gentlemen as defined by the existing Army hierarchy.

The British Army developed a course based to a large part on the competencies related to being a gentleman. They realised of course that attitude and character are almost impossible to assess in terms of competencies so they had to identify the competencies that a gentleman would require and that could be assessed within a Competency Based Training Assessment (CBTA) model.

The competencies identified involved such things as accent, the way one walks, what one reads, and most important, how one eats.”  (From the blog LowCloudCover.)

 

23^rd May 1942 - Beales, the Department store where Chotie worked through 1942, is bombed and burnt out in Bournemouth's worst bombing raid.

24th May 1943 – German ‘U’ boats are withdrawn from the North Atlantic effectively ending the battle of the Atlantic with an Allied victory. The campaign had come close to starving Britain into submission. Now America could build up forces in Britain ready for the invasion of Europe.

 

27^th May 1943 – The first meeting of the Conseil de la Résistance, led by Jean Moulin (de Gaulle’s appointed head of the French Resistance) succeeds in linking up the networks in northern France.

 

29^th May 1943 – in the Aleutian Islands, part of the Alaska territory between the North Pacific and the Bering Sea, the occupation of Attu Island by the Japanese ends with a banzai charge (a form of honourable suicide), killing over 2,300 Japanese with only 28 taken prisoner.  taken prisoner.  The Japanese withdrew from Kiska on 28^th July 1943 but this was only discovered on 15^th August when a large Allied invasion force landed on the island.  (From Chronology of World War II and Wikipedia.)   

29^th May 1943 – major RAF bombing raid on Wuppertal in Germany’s industrial Ruhr area creates a firestorm for the first time causing mass destruction and killing 3,400 people.

30th May 1943 – General de Gaulle lands in Algiers and is welcomed by Giraud, the French Vichy leader and now the Commander-in-Chief of French forces in North Africa.  Suspicions remained between the former Vichy Army (the ‘moustachis’) of 230,000 troops and the 15,000 Free French (or ‘hadjis’) of the French Armée Afrique. (From ‘The Second World War’ by Antony Beevor, published by Weidenfield and Nicolson 2012) 

1^st June 1943 – the British Actor Leslie Howard is killed when his plane is shot down returning from Portugal.  The Luftwaffe may have been targeting the actor for his work supporting the Allies in Spain and Portugal or thought that Churchill on the plane. (P.S. Name-dropping! My father, Commander Victor Stephens, was also scheduled to fly with Howard but he had been drinking too heavily with him the night before, having just joined the Admiralty, and missed the plane. He was left with Leslie Howard’s tie as a sad memento. Dad made no mention of Howard's death or being in Portugal in his diaries but he presumably knew Howard through Laurence Olivier, whose wife Vivien Leigh was Howard's co-star in 'Gone with the Wind'.  In the Fleet Air-Arm Dad was stationed with Olivier and his friend Ralph Richardson, who he later shared a flat with in London.) 

Rather indelicate tales - Sunday 14th March 1943

5731671 P/CDT Williams RK

30.0 Tp ‘A’ Sqdn.

No1. Pre-OCTU R.A.C.

Alma Barracks, Blackdown, Hants

 

Sunday

My Darling Chotie,

                                                            As Sunday has again occurred I find I have a few minutes, to write to you.

            It seems ages since I heard from you – but I expect you’re in the same position as I am – one of a temporary scarcity of spare time.

            I’ve managed to settle down here, as much as is possible anyhow, but find myself pretty rushed off my feet and expect to be the same for the rest of my stay here.

            The compensations, such as they are, consist of such luxuries as hot water, showers, marvellous food, and plenty of clothing exchanges.

            There’s a whole harem of ATS here – they do all the admin. Duties, office work, driving, etc.  They never seem to do any parades, apart from one Church Parade per month.  Pretty cushy.

            (I must make an apology here for using this paper, but I’m fed up with using poky little writing-pads.)

            I rather fancy that this letter will read like a young novel. However, I resume.

            The instructors here are all Guards N.C.Os.  Coldstream, Grens*, Irish, Welsh
etc and aren’t too bad on the whole. We get a helluva lot of square-bashing, much too much for me, anyhow, as I reckon I’ve had enough after nearly three years in this racket.

            I expect you’re getting interested in the leave problem – and what a problem!  I only wish I could get mine, but I’m afraid I’ve missed it and certainly won’t get any until after this nine weeks.

            The real job starts at Sandhurst, but there you get a batman and are allowed a collar and tie(!) even though still a cadet – but that’s a long time yet.

            I can get week-end passes from here – provided I’m not on duty, but it’s a lousy journey and the fare would be well over a quid.  On top of this there’s the fact that you need every available moment to blanco** and keep your notes up to date.  What a tale of woe! – anyway that’s about enough of my troubles.

            I suppose you’re quite the old soldier by now.  You won’t, however, be able to give me any old buck as I know the ropes.

            You should get a better time when you get on a site somewhere – the initial training is always the stiffest, and the most boring.

            Needless to say, I don’t get any time to read here, and I gather it’s the same with you.

            Happily, I’m with quite a bright crowd – an actor (ham), medical student, couple of school-marms, buyer from Lewis’ Leicester, art student and several other buckshees.

            I met LISBY here; do you know him?  Rather fat, blond, used to work at Bank in Broadstone and ARP at Municipal Buildings.  Went to Poole Grammar.  He’s a pre cadet for the Tank Corps. (I seem to be rambling on, all to no purpose).

            Heard Ruth Naylor*** (waltz-song from Bohème) on Naafi Radio this morning.  Pretty wonderful.

            I miss my friend Alex**** from the 43^rd.  Like Eric we had much in common, particularly opera.  I promised to write, but then no one ever does.

            The ham here knows lots of people we knew on the London stage, and every night-club in Mayfair.  He knows enough about such people as Daphne du Maurier, Michael Redgrave, Noel Coward, etc to blackmail them a hundred times*****. Comes out with some rather indelicate tales after lights-out.  (I’m thinking about taking this letter up with a publisher).

            Had letters from home yesterday – no news.  Brinner’s on a course somewhere.  Diller is still expecting to do something.  Expecting is as far as it will get.

            How’s everyone at Parkstone?  Give them all my best wishes when you write
won’t you?

            Well, Darling, I must close here as its nearly lights-out and they’re pretty mustard on that sort of thing.

            Hope I can see you before very long.  I can’t tell you how much I miss you, Chotie, that would be quite impossible, but I do think about you and love you very, very, much.

            Perhaps, this wretched show will end sooner than either of us imagine and we can be together again.  I’m much more interested in that than any b----- commission.

                                                God bless you, Chotie

                                                            always yours

                                                                        Dicker

*Grenadier Guards

**Blanco was a cleaning compound used on the cotton of army uniforms.

***Ruth Naylor was an Australian soprano, famous for her appearance in Puccini’s opera La Bohème.

****Alex Johnston

****Practising male homosexuality was illegal in Britain at this time. Daphne du Maurier’s bisexuality has not been confirmed. She was Dick’s favourite writer and married to his former Commanding Officer in the Air Landing, Frederick ‘Boy’ Browning.

© Chotie Darling 

 

16th March 1943 – the largest convoy battle of the war begins in the Atlantic when three wolfpacks of 38 submarines attack a convoy of c.100 Allied merchant ships (Convoys HX229 and SC122).  22 merchant ships and one U-boat were sunk.  More than 300 seamen lost their lives.

19^th March 1943 – Montgomery's British 8^th Army attacks the Mareth line, held by German and Italian defenders in southern Tunisia, winning the battle by 26^th March.  The initial attack by the 50th Northumbrian Division (later to be attached to 61st Recce) was a disaster but by 26th March the Germans were forced to withdraw.

 

22nd March 1943 – the newly built gas chamber IV is opened at the Auschwitz Concentration Camp in Poland, followed by the opening of a gas chamber in Auschwitz II-Birkenau on 31st March and gas chamber V on the 4th April. Approximately one million people were killed at Auschwitz-Birkenau, the largest Nazi death camp - mainly Jews (approximately 90%) but also more than 70,000 Poles and about 20,000 Gypsies. (See Auschwitz-Birkenau and WW2-net Timelines.)

The Free French air fighter squadron, later known as the Normandie-Nieman group, go into action on the Eastern front in support of the Red Army.

 

24th March 1943 – the Chindits are ordered to return to India having lost about one third of the original force in Burma. (See Operation Longcloth.)

Alex Johnston - Tuesday 16th February 1943

5731671 Tpr Williams R

Mortar Tp HQ Sqn

43^rd Recce Regt

Home Forces

 

Tuesday 16^th

My Darling,

                        Many thanks for letter received this afternoon.  I haven’t been able to write you owing to pressure of work of late.  However here goes.

            I’m in a canteen at the moment which boasts a piano (NAAFI style), and am now hoping to get my friend† to murder the ‘Warsaw’.  He’s very nervous & won’t play if there’re too many people about – hallmark of a great artist….

            Sorry to hear you’ve been so busy lately, but the first 3 months are always the worst.  After nearly three years I do practically nothing.

            Had four letters today – Bryn, Diller, Mother & yours.

            Bryn had ‘marvelous time’ on leave, ending up by meeting a woman in London.  Apparently he met her in Bridport. Name of Pamela Gluning – redhead. Diller gave me all the ‘dope’ – Bryn never even mentioned her.  I’ve told him he’d better come clean.

            Went for a walk on Sunday afternoon by myself (my mate was on 48) and had tea at country pub.  Quite a change.

            Haven’t been to flicks for simply ages – lost all interest.  Seems little chance of getting any leave, but still soldier on.

            Bryn bought a couple of discs when on leave – the ‘Warsaw’ and Gigli’s* ‘La donna è mobile’ (Rigoletto)** so will probably wear these out when I get home.

            Found time to read Eleanor Peters’ ‘Tare Harvest’***, little else.

            Diller will have to leave bank shortly, as Quayle goes.  She’s been offered a chance abroad with V.A.D.****  Doesn’t  think she’ll take it.  She’ll end up in munitions if she’s not careful.  Probably do her good anyhow.

            Weather’s lovely here.  How’s it with you?

            Should like to see N Wales, but don’t like the people, I’m afraid.  Biased again….

            What’s the crowd like you’re with?  Hope they’re better than my lot.  If ever there was a dull mob it’s the Recce.

            I’ll close here, Darling and write again shortly

                                                                        toutà toi Chérie*****

                                                                                        Dicker

* Famous Italian tenor Beniamino Gigli

** ‘The Woman is Fickle’ - a song from Giuseppe Verdi’s opera Rigoletto.

***A novel about an English family farming in the Chilean Andes.

****Voluntary Aid Detachment – unpaid nursing assistants on the front line.  Diller was presumably affected by the new call up for women (see 13th January 1943).

***** “tout à toi Chérie” – French for “All yours darling”.

 © Chotie Darling

† Trooper DONALD ALEXANDER JOHNSTON

10600882

Who died age 21 on 24 June 1944 at sea when MV Derrycunihy hit a mine

Son of John and Amelia Johnston;

husband of Betty Johnston, of Sholing, Southampton.

BAYEUX MEMORIAL Panel 6.

MV Derrycunihy was a cargo ship transporting HQ, A and C squadrons of the 43^rd Recce to Sword Beach to fight in Normandy. On 24^th June 1944 she was sunk by an acoustic mine. 214 men lost their lives and 150 were injured.

(From the 43rd (2/5th Bn. Gloucestershire Regt.) Regt Reconnaissance Corps Roll of Honour courtesy of Recce Mitch and 43rd Recce on WW2TALK.)

WE WILL REMEMBER THEM

 

16th February 1943 – the Service du Travail Obligatoire forces all French men born between 1920 and 1922 to labour in Germany.  Thousands escape to join resistance forces in the mountains and forests of France or the Free French in Africa.

 

43^rd Recce re-commenced Troop & Squadron Training on Wednesday 17^th February continuing to the 19^th. On Saturday 20^th there was Maintenance, the Commanding Officer’s Vehicle Inspection and the Final of the Inter-Troop Soccer Competition and on Sunday a Regimental Convoy Harbour Exercise. Troop & Squadron Training, again, every day from Monday 22^nd February.

(From the War Diary of the 43^rd Reconnaissance Regiment held by the Archive and Reference Library, the Tank Museum, Bovington, Dorset.) 

 

18^th February 1943 – Joseph Goebbels, Gauleiter (Nazi leader) for Berlin and Hitler’s Minister of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda, calls the German people to ‘Total War – Short War’ at a rapturous rally in the city.

21^st February 1943 – the 25^th Anniversary of the creation of the Soviet Red Army is celebrated in all Allied countries. (From WW2-net Timelines)

In Operation Cleanslate on 21^st February US forces occupy the Russell Islands in the central Solomon Islands. The Solomon’s archipelago is now controlled by the Allies.

Safely in Salop - Sunday 7th February 1943

5731671 Tpr Williams R

Mortar Tp HQ Sqn 43^rd Recce Regt

Home Forces

 

Sunday

My Darling,

                        Finding myself on a 24 hr guard I thought I’d drop you a line or two.

            Have just received your letter for which many thanks. Glad to hear you’ve been successful in getting your course and have arrived safely in Salop, which is a change after all.

            From choice I’d move every month if it were practical, but as you know I have got into the unenviable habit of staying several months in one place. However, here’s to a change of surroundings.

Don’t forget to let me know about your new camp especially as regards your CSM!  Maybe he prefers blondes….

            I’m utilising nearly all my spare time (?) in going to Evening Classes – generally four or five nights per week.  I’ve got to the stage of not knowing which class I’m in until I get there….Quite exciting.  I told you I got a French text-book with your Token, didn’t I? I usually put in an hour or so at dinner-time etc, also in bed at night. If ever you want to learn anything, do it in bed just before you go to sleep.  The subconscious is more in evidence then and consequently things make a deeper impression.  Am I boring you again?  Hope not.

            At this Tech. Institute they hold a recital of discs every Thursday. Last week I heard Joan Cross, Gigli, Solomon and Kentner.  Marvelous programme.

            I’m still trying the old ‘Warsaw’ at every opportunity. I can now play (?) the first six bars….You should hear this friend of mine play it. Just like Kentner himself.

            If you get your leave in approx. nine or ten weeks we should be able to manage something.  I should get mine the 23^rd inst.  At least I hope to. It’s not going to be much fun I’m afraid. I’ll send you some shekels though, so you can have a beer on me. 

            The main thing with your show is where you’ll go when you finish this course, as you’ll probably stay there some time.

            This is the main guard I’m on and there’s bags of spit and polish.  It took me 24 hrs to get ready for it.  Heluva waste of time altogether.  However these people must be humoured, I suppose.

            Brinner’s still on leave (until Tuesday 9^th) and still hasn’t got his transfer.  I may try to claim him here.

            Well, my Darling I must close here to go on Stag (guard).

                                    God bless you, Chotie.

                                                            Take care

                                                            Dicker

* Joan Cross was an English soprano, Beniamino Gigli an Italian tenor singer and Louis Kentner, the Hungarian pianist who played The Warsaw piano concerto (written by British composer Richard Addinsell) for the film ‘Dangerous Moonlight’.

© Chotie Darling

The envelope for this letter was has tape is on the left side saying:

OPENED BY EXAMINER

9358

P.C.90

 

 

43^rd Recce commenced Troop and Squadron Training on Monday 8^th February and this continued until the 12^th when there was also an All Ranks Dance.  On Saturday 13^th  February the Commanding Officer carried out a Regimental Kit Check and an ‘A’ and ‘B’ Squadron exercise was held from 13^th to 16^th February with ‘A’ Squadron trying a new organization of carriers and Assault Troops. On the 16^th there was also Section training.(From the War Diary of the 43^rd Reconnaissance Regiment held by the Archive and Reference Library, the Tank Museum, Bovington, Dorset.)

 

8^th February 1942 - British Special Forces in Burma, known as the Chindits and led by Brigadier Orde Wingate, commence their first penetration behind Japanese lines (Operation Longcloth), advancing from Imphal.

10th February 1943 – the remainder of ‘Sparrow Force’, Australian commandos fighting a guerrilla war against the Japanese on Portuguese Timor, are forced to evacuate the island.

The Warsaw - Thursday 4th February 1943

As Usual 

Thursday

My Darling Chotie,

                                                Many thanks for your letter of a couple of days ago. I sent one letter which you probably got Monday or Tuesday.

            Glad to hear you’ve had such a time on your 48 hr. Only wish I could have been at the old ‘Sloop’* as well. George and Bert seem to wangle it all right.

            Brinner, as I suspected is home on nine days privilege leave**, not embarkation as he would have me believe.

            I’m up to my eyes in work at the moment as I go to Evening Classes nearly every night I have free. The trouble with that Game is you never know when you’re going to be on guard, etc which makes a definite programme rather difficult to pursue.  However, one must necessarily be a martyr to achieve the fruits of education.

            Hope you manage to get to N. Wales.  Should be really lovely in the spring.  Not as good as the autumn of course….

            The old man hates the people there, of course but then he’s prejudiced.  Mother had a lovely time there in the last show.  Do you know where you’re actually going?  There’s plenty of castles there, I believe.

            I was supposed to be reading a paper on education tomorrow night at the Technical Institute but find I’m on Guard.  We do have fun, don’t we?

            I’m supposed to be playing Rugger this afternoon but decided I’d write to you instead. Rather nice of me, eh?

            Johnston (that’s this friend of mine) knocked hell out of a canteen piano last night.  Played the professional copy of the 'Warsaw’***, and rather shook everyone.  I can manage the first half dozen bars! I calculate it would take about fifteen years to get it pat…. Nil desperandum.

                        Must close here for tea

                                                All my love

                                                            Precious

                                                            Dicker

*The Sloop was a Poole pub in Lower Parkstone, very near to where Chotie lived.  It was demolished in January 2022.

** See letter of 30th January 1943

*** Ack-Ack girls learned to work with the guns at Artillery Practice Ranges such as Llandudno near the Great Orme headland on the North Wales Coast.  At Ty Croes on Anglesey, in the far north-west of Wales there was a practice firing camp where the girls directed gun fire at textile ‘sleeves’ billowing out behind planes. (From ‘Girls in Khaki – a history of the ATS in the Second World War’ by Barbara Green, published by the History Press 2012).  “We went on to a firing camp at Ty Croes, Anglesey, where they had the guns. When the first gun went off I nearly died because of the shock of the flash and the bang. We had no ear muffs and from that day onwards I had tinnitus.”  (Ruth Hamilton, nee Minshull, on the BBC People’s War website.)

Dick’s family was originally from Wales but his father had fallen out with them.

****The Warsaw Piano Concerto

 © Chotie Darling

 

This letter was re-addressed to:

Private Chalkley B.E.

    236 A.A. (ATS O.F.C.)

Trng Regt,

                Wingate Bks

                    Oswestry

having originally been sent to Talavera Camp at Northampton.

 

Section Training for 43^rd Recce on 6^th February 1943 focused on ‘Battle Procedure – Withdrawal’.(From the War Diary of the 43^rd Reconnaissance Regiment held by the Archive and Reference Library, the Tank Museum, Bovington, Dorset.)