Chotie Darling

80 years ago today - D Day

In memory of those who braved so much for our freedom from fascism,

especially those who went over to Normandy eighty years ago,

including 50th Division's 61st Reconnaissance Regiment.

 

“I have also to announce to the House that during the night and the early hours of this morning the first of the series of landings in force upon the European Continent has taken place.”        (From Winston Churchill’s speech 'The invasion of France'.)

6^th June 1944 – D-day. 150,000 troops land on the beaches of Normandy in the Allies’ invasion of France, Operation Overlord.  21^st Army Group are under the command of General Montgomery with the US 1^st Army led by General Bradley and the British and Canadian 2^nd Army led by General Dempsey.  The German defenders, taken by surprise, are gradually overwhelmed although heavy casualties are sustained, particularly by the Americans on Omaha – the US V (5^th) Corps is held up less than one mile from the shore (the naval bombardment and US bombers failed to destroy the strong beach defences) . US VII Corps, spearheaded by the US 4^th Division, is able to advance inland from Utah beach while the Canadians’ 3^rd Infantry Division and British commandos rapidly push inland from Juno beach. British I Corps on Sword beach also secure most of their targets including the vital bridges over the River Orne, taken by the airborne.  21^st Panzer head for Caen and the gap between Juno and Sword, engaging with British 3^rd Division and stalling their planned progress to Caen but failing to break up the bridgehead.  Hitler kept close control of the reserve Panzer Divisions himself and fails to authorise their movement to Normandy until late in the day while Rommel arrives back from Germany to direct defences at close to midnight.

 

On Gold Beach the British 50th Division, including elements of 61^st Recce, lead XXX (30) Corps ashore. 61st Reconnaissance was the first Regiment in the Reconnaissance Corps to land in France.

The 1^st Hampshires and 1^st Dorsets (Dick had joined up with the Dorsets) of 231 Brigade led the assault at le Hamel, where artillery had escaped the bombardment. It was fiercely defended by the German 716^th Division and did not fall to the Hampshires until late afternoon.  The 6^th Green Howards (69th Brigade) landed at La Rivière, where Sergeant Stan Hollis performed the first of the feats that would win him the Victoria Cross.

"On the right the 231st Brigade was to push westwards in the coastal area, taking Arromanches (the destination of the artificial Mulberry harbour, built in segments in Britain and slowly towed across the Channel  from the afternoon of 6^th June) and the battery at Longues, while the 47th (Royal Marine) Commando went ahead to capture Port en Bessin and join up with Americans from Omaha. On the left, the 69th Brigade was to strike southwards and crossing the Seulles in the St. Gabriel-Creully area to secure the Bayeux-Caen road near Ste. Croix Grand Tonne. The reserve brigades were to advance between these two—the 56th on the right to Bayeux and beyond it to the river Drome; the 151st on the left to seize the Caen road and railway between Bayeux and the Seulles." (50th Division history)

Map courtesy of Eric Postles from ‘My War Years’ by John Eric Postles ISO

‘Gold’ was 9 miles wide with a 5 mile landing zone at the eastern end.  According to Anthony Rampling, the men of 61^st Recce were aiming for the section codenamed ‘King’ (nearest to the Canadians on Juno) but Eric Postles writes that the plan was for his unit to land at ‘Jig’ section. Since 61^st Reconnaissance were acting in support of all of 50^th Division (and 47 Commando) it’s probable that elements landed at both (See D-Day landings booklet and Campaign Summaries of World War 2 - Normandy landings.)

“First vehicles ashore on D-Day were the light Recce cars of Major Cave (‘C’ Squadron) and his crew and that of Corporal Howard* and his crew (‘A’ Squadron).  Due to embarkation problems in the UK and the vagaries of war, they arrived on different landing craft and at opposite ends of the landing beach, but managed to rendezvous safely in the area inland beyond the dunes, and were able to radio beach information and R.V. positions to the C.O. and remainder of the landing force still aboard their landing craft." (From ‘A Reconnaissance Regiment in the B.L.A.’ by Lt-Col P.H.A.Brownrigg, D.S.O.)

*Roy Howard’s vehicle had failed to start on loading and crossed the Channel in an LCT carrying tanks fitted with flails to beat the beach surface and detonate mines:

“We were the first off our Landing Craft and silent prayers were uttered that our engine would not let us down again as we slid into some five feet of water and ploughed our way slowly towards the distant beach.  After what seemed to be a very long time we reached dry sand and drove under small arms fire towards the sand hills, where we were directed to head along the beach for a considerable distance until we arrived at a point where white tapes had been laid to mark an exit clear of mines.  This led us on to a small track behind the dunes and we followed this track for about half a mile when we spotted another Recce car behind a hedge in a small field.  It proved to be that of Major John cave of C Squadron and we joined him with some relief.”  (From Roy Howard’s ‘Beaten Paths are Safest – Memories of the 61^st Reconnaissance Regiment’, Brewin Books 2004)

"Nearly half the contact patrols with the assaulting infantry were killed or wounded on D-Day, either on the beaches or before reaching them.  Nevertheless, they justified themselves by getting much information back to divisional Headquarters before it arrived by the normal channels and some of the patrols, whose sets had been shot-up, did great work with their weapons.”  (From ‘A Reconnaissance Regiment in the B.L.A.’ by Lt-Col P.H.A.Brownrigg, D.S.O.)

Eric Brewer, was part of the ‘B’ Squadron assault unit:

“Landed in France at 7.30 at the right of “Port Embasie”* the beach is filled with stuff and plenty of dead lying about. Gerry gun positions have been well blasted, all the crews were killed from concussion, the shell craters are as big as houses and they are everywhere.

We pushed on to the Caumont** Area and got lost from the rest, Spando opened up from the hedge about 2-ft away and killed carrier driver.”  

Eric said he had a bicycle when he landed but it had punctured tyres and he threw it away (pers.comm.).

 (From Eric Brewer’s Diary by kind permission of Derek Brewer and his family.)

*Port-en-Bessin

*Possibly Caumont-l'Éventé, south of Bayeux and about 20 miles from the coast?

Lt.Ron Griffiths of 61st Recce landed with the 231 Brigade at 7.35 am and, having lost his jeep, swum to the shore, beginning his war in Normandy with only the kit he was wearing - see 'My D Day story' and his picture with medals in his local paper.

‘By 10.30am the British Second Army had landed 15 infantry battalions, seven commandos, seven tank regiments, two engineer assault regiments, nine field artillery regiments and detachments of scores of supporting units.’ 

'50th Division, moving inland from Gold beach, fought a succession of hard battles against elements of the 352nd Division.  By evening troops of the 151st Brigade had reached the Bayeux-Caen road and tanks of the 4th/7th Dragoon Guards were reporting little in front of them.  Though the 50th was short of most of its D-Day objectives, it was solidly established in Norman hedges and fields, with only limited German forces on its front.'  (From ‘Overlord’ by Max Hastings, Macmillan 2016 edition)

Don Aiken also recalled his D-Day on the BBC History People's War website:

“We arrived off the shore of Normandy in the late morning. 'Gold' Beach near the village of Arromanches, which was our first destination, had already been captured by the assault troops of the Hampshire Regiment, and it was now possible for vehicles to be disembarked on to the beach and directed to designated areas for the purpose of de-waterproofing the vehicles and preparing to advance into the bridgehead.

The LST dropped anchor and the remaining Rhino was untied from the side of the ship and made its way round the bows, ready to be attached to the gangway which projected forwards when the bow doors opened.  It was then discovered that the coupling gear had been smashed and this sparked off a frenzied burst of activity to try to tie the units together with ropes. However, ropes are flexible by necessity, and the choppy seas made it almost impossible to hold both units in line; but with the aid of a couple of small motor-boats, pushing away like tug boats, they became near enough to go for it and our Troop made the transfer across. Soon we were running in to the beach and the Rhino bottomed out. The light armoured car (Recce Car) in which I was a crew member was the first to drive off, and in my elevated position in the turret I felt like a submarine commander, especially when we suddenly dropped into a bomb hole which was concealed beneath the water and only the turret was left exposed.

The Beach Party had been well trained for this situation and had the de-waterproofing area completely organised and running smoothly. Although I almost threw a spanner in the works !  My armoured car had been fitted with a device, which I had contrived, to allow me to operate the smoke canister gun without having to lean outside the turret. Basically, it was a bike brake mechanism which was attached at one end to the gun and, at the other end, the brake grip was attached to my seat support.  Whilst the driver was removing the waterproofing from the engine, the Officer went to a quick 'O' Group (Officers briefing) and the radio-operators tuned in their radio transmitters to the H.Q. transmitter . This was quite a delicate operation and it was at it's finest point when my elbow touched against the trigger . Bang! went the smoke discharger - and as I quickly bobbed my head out I could see the smoke bomb heading straight into the middle of a wired off field, with dozens of painted notices showing the sign of a skull and cross-bones and the words "Achtung Minen". Which didn't take a genius to recognize that my bomb was landing in a German mine-field, and the mines were too close for comfort.

I ducked down inside my turret and held my breath........
Nothing - oh good! Then Bang! Bang! Bang! ..... I realised it was someone banging on the turret. When I popped my head back out I was confronted with the angry face of the Beach Officer - a Major - whose features reminded me strongly of the Medical Officer with whom I had been acquainted in Scarborough; complete with black curly moustache, but perhaps even stronger on the language!

Soon the various sections of our Regiment were ready to move off to try to reach their pre-arranged target locations. Ours was a wooded hill about 15 miles inland, and our role was to 'seize and hold' it, until the main body of troops could relieve us. It was soon quite obvious that, because of our delayed landing, there was no possibility of us reaching our target that day. As we drove off the beach, through a pathway made through the minefield and on to a narrow road which ran in a southerly direction, a huge anti-aircraft barrage opened up from the multitude of ships which lay offshore. As the barrage drew nearer I spotted a German plane flying very fast and very low as it fled southwards directly over our heads. I quickly joined the fading barrage and emptied my Bren gun magazine in the direction of the speeding ‘hornet’ as it disappeared out of sight. Despite my effort being in vain I felt great satisfaction in at last being able to throw things back at the Germans.
I remember nothing about our advance during the remainder of the day, only that we eventually had to give way to the coming of the night.

My only memories of that first night were that we had to remain standing in the pitch blackness, not daring to make a sound as we had no idea of how close we were to the Germans. We were fortified by a tiny drop of rum, which barely covered the bottom of our tin mugs, and a 'keep awake pill'. Nothing happened all night but we were all relieved when dawn broke and we were able to start off again."

Eric Postles wrote his account in a book ‘My War Years’:

“At dawn we could see the French coast being bombed by Allied planes and later nearby warships and rocket ships shelling the coast.  The heavy seas caused problems for the ships towing Rhinos and we were late arriving at the beach.  After much effort our Rhino was linked to the ship’s ramp and my carrier was first on the ramp when the Rhino broke away.  We jumped off the vehicle and waited for the reconnection before finally getting onto the Rhino next to a bulldozer which was intended to lead us off.  We got near the water’s edge and the bulldozer which was intended to destroy obstacles drove off but disappeared under the water and we did not see the driver again.  The Rhino moved further along the beach and we all got ashore.  It was late afternoon.

There were beached ships and landing craft everywhere and we were directed to a track which led off the beach and through the sand hills.  There was a lot of enemy shelling activity and our heavy warship and rocket ships were firing over us.  There were groups of prisoners and we passed a line of British dead lying side by side.  The scene out at sea was unbelievable with hundreds of ships.

I never saw the beach again until I went to Normandy for the 40^th Anniversary of D-Day.

Away from the beach we removed our waterproofing plates and spent the night at the edge of a cornfield in which there were a number of dead Germans.  It was an uncomfortable night because of the enemy activity and we got little if any sleep.”

Neither Sandy Handley or Major Brownrigg were to land on the Normandy beaches on D day:

“Owing to the roughness of the sea several of the Rhino ferries broke away from their parent LSTs.  Only half the regiment got ashore on D-Day, the rest of us remained in our LSTs about 300 yards from the shore.” (From ‘A Reconnaissance Regiment in the B.L.A.’ by Lt-Col P.H.A. Brownrigg D.S.O.)

“We arrived off the French coast as it was getting light.  The American gun crews of the Horlican were popping away (rapid firing). I don’t know what they were aiming at, there was so much smoke being laid by destroyers.  I didn’t think the sea was rough. 

I looked over the side and saw quite a large craft completely capsized and partly submerged.  Most likely it had hit a mine (what a sight to greet us - made me think).

We were supposed to land at Gold Beach H 7.25 (07.25) that morning of the 6^th June.  Some of our Reconnaissance boys had got ashore in the other LST allotted to 61^st Recce.  But the captain of our LST held back as he was afraid there wasn’t enough draught (depth) to unload us, then get away from the shore quick.  There were other problems too: we had towed two large rafts or rhinos from Southampton to facilitate the landing of our vehicles.  The plan was to manoeuvre the large Rhino, thus enabling the armoured cars to go in at a low depth of sea.  But unfortunately one Rhino broke away.  This meant the remaining Rhino had to do the whole job.  We laid off Arromanches till the next day (D + 1). 

In the meantime we had a grandstand view of the beaches where we should have landed.  All the time the mighty roar of the guns from the British Navy, the shells going over our head like an express train.  What a sight!

Of course for us this would be a sixth night on the steel decks but we appreciated that most likely we were better off on our LST that the 61^st Recce lads who had to land first on 6^th June with 50% casualties.”

(From Ex Trooper S Handley’s ‘61 Recce - Memories of Normandy 1944 – 1945’ unpublished.)

By the end of D Day 50th Division had lost 700 men.

 

61^st Recce Roll of Honour includes the following who died on this day:

        Sergeant William Richard Moss (age 24) of Witney Oxfordshire

        Trooper Arthur Harry Newell (age 31) of Brockley, London

        Trooper Richard Henry Rainford (age 19) of Leeds, Yorkshire

All are laid to rest in the Bayeux War Cemetery (from 61st Recce Roll of Honour, courtesy of Recce Mitch).

Many more lost their lives but their bodies were never found and identified.  

We will remember them.

 

‘What hollow, false relief

To hug French shore:

And seek out mates – some lost

For evermore!’ 

(From ‘Seize and Hold, Invasion – 6^th June 1944’ by Major Frank Harding MC, in ‘War echoes over thirty years’ published by Arthur Stockwell, 1970)

Happy 100th Birthday Eric Postles

HAPPY

 

BIRTHDAY

 

ERIC

 

100 Today!

 

John Eric Postles joined up in January 1942 becoming Trooper Postles 10602580, one of the legendary '1060 boys', a large intake of men from north-west England for the Reconnaissance Corps.  Reconnaissance meant gathering information, often from behind enemy lines or in battle, and getting it back safely, in person and by radio so it could be used to plan tactics or find a safe way to advance.  The Reconnaissance Corps' official mottos 'From One Learn All' and 'Beaten Paths are Safest' reflected this role, while their unofficial motto 'Only the Enemy in Front (every other beggar behind)' describes where they often found themselves.

Eric Postles' Regiment, the 61st Reconnaissance, was to play a critical role in the Battle for North-West Europe from 'D' Day to February 1945.  By then they were so decimated from their engagements with the enemy that they were disbanded and dispersed to other Regiments.  Eric was in the first wave of those landing in France, endured the bitter campaign to expand the Normandy bridgehead, led Montgomery's Twenty-First Army Group across France and liberated towns and villages across Belgium with fierce fighting as the Germans dug in their defences along the canals.  61st Recce were with the Guards in the forefront of Monty's 'Market Garden' effort to reach the Airlanding at Arnhem across the Lower Rhine in the Netherlands (the famous 'Bridge too Far') and then spent two drear months on the front-line there as water levels rose on their 'Island'.   With the infantry division they were attached to (50th Northumbrian) returning to Britain that December, the Regiment was in process of being broken up at Izegem in Belgium when the Germans launched an unexpected new attack in the Ardennes.   Seizing their discarded vehicles and weapons the 61st went into action alongside the Americans in the 'Battle of the Bulge', obtaining vital information in the freezing conditions of a mountain winter.   With the enemy eventually pushed into Germany, disbandment was resumed and Eric went to join the 49th Reconnaissance Regiment back on the flooded 'Island', patrolling and observing the V2 rockets launched from the northern Netherlands.  Arnhem was at last taken by the Allies in April and Eric was involved in the liberation of Lunteren, Amersfoot and Utrecht before VE Day on 8th May 1945. 

Eric married Gladys, his wartime sweetheart, in 1947 and worked for the War Office, then Her Majesty's Prison Service; receiving the Imperial Service Order on his retirement.  One of the few remaining 61st Reconnaisance Regiment veterans, he lives in the north-west, near enough to enjoy the support and appreciation of the 61st Reconnaissance Regiment Living History Group.

Hearty Congratulations on your 100th Birthday Eric

and many thanks for your wonderful contributions to this blog.

                                                                                                                                                                        Eric with the 61st Reconnaissance Re-enactment Group on 20th August 2022.

75 years ago - Home, Married and at Rest

 

Dick was killed at the end of March 1945, less than 6 weeks before the end of the war in Europe.

He met Chotie for the first time since D Day on 1^st March in Pagham, where he was home on leave with his parents.  Five days later they married under under special license at Chichester registry office.  Their one night of honeymoon was spent at the lovely Spreadeagle Hotel in Midhurst, West Sussex.  On 7^th March they returned to be with family and on the 8^th Dick “Left Bognor for Dover via Victoria” to rejoin the war.

 Mr and Mrs Richard Williams with Dick's parents at Pagham

 

Meanwhile his regiment, now the 52^nd (Lowland) Reconnaissance, had at last crossed the anti-tank ditch at Afferden, defended tenaciously by German paratroopers.  They advanced into Germany, south-west towards Geldern and the Rhine.  On 3^rd March Montgomery’s pincers in the Northern Rhineland (British XXX Corps with Canadian 1^st Army for 'Operation Veritable' and the US 9^th Army for 'Operation Grenade') at last met at Geldern, about 10 miles from the Rhine, east of the Ruhr industrial region.  Dick’s ‘C’ Squadron were nearly at Twisteden, five miles to the north-west.  On 7^th March 52^nd Recce took over from 53^rd Recce to lead the Rhineland advance. 

Further south the US 1^st Army’s 9^th Armored Division dashed forward to secure an intact bridge over the Rhine at Remagen (between Bonn and Koblenz).  They secured a bridgehead across the Rhine and successfully defended the bridge from the relentless German attacks, including the use of V2 missiles.

 

Chotie wrote to Dick from Pagham on 9th March: “It was very wonderful to be with you for even this short while, so it is a glorious thought that we have a life-time to spend.  Don’t feel too blue – I am trying not to.”

 

Dick, having travelled overnight via Calais, had reached Bourg Leopold in Belgium, where he managed to spend a couple of days with his brother Bryn.  He wrote to Chotie on 12th March just before rejoining his regiment – his home leave had perhaps not been idyllic:

“You must find me terribly moody.  I try not to be, but since the beginning of the war I find I’m completely di-orientated at home.”  (My mother said Dick ‘knew’ he was going die and they cried all night on their honeymoon.)

 

Meanwhile on 10^th March Dick’s ‘C’ Squadron had been tasked with reconnaissance of the Rhine west bank along a four to five mile frontage near Menzelen (north-east of Geldern, near Xanten and Wesel).  At Menzelen they met no opposition and took a dozen prisoners.  There was more German resistance at Ginderich (nearer the river to the north) but they were soon backed up by infantry.  Pushing on via Gest (en route towards Wesel) they reached the Rhine at dusk and could observe hundreds of Germans on the opposite bank.  Calling down an artillery bombardment on the German defences, they also captured an enemy patrol sent back across the river to recover equipment.

From 12^th March 52^nd Recce rejoined their Division (52^nd Lowland), although squadrons were detached to work with various Scottish regiments – ‘C’ Squadron were with the Highland Light Infantry (City of Glasgow Regiment).

 

Dick was at Ginderich on 13^th March ‘resting’.

Photo labelled 'Ginderich, March 1945'. Dick is on the right.

 

Chotie wrote to him from her home in Parkstone where she was enjoying being 'Absent without leave' with her best friend, Mary Dakin.  She wrote again later, after a miserable time at the dentist, having broken a tooth on her mother’s home-made toffee.  She was meant to return to her unit now after 14 days leave.

Dick wrote on 14th March from a “cushy billet (no windows but everything else is OK)” where he’d had a party with three other “Bolshie subalterns” and had made a new friend, Peter Evans.  Lieutenant Evans had led ‘C’ Squadron’s ‘almost copybook advance to the River Rhine at Ginderich’ (Trevor Whitfield) and subsequently received the Military Cross for this and his role in clearing the Scheldt Estuary in autumn 1944.  Dick’s old friend from 61^st Recce, Ronnie Jury, was now a Liaison Officer “in some Corps or other.  A pretty steady job but not much excitement.”  After the war he returned to painting and taught at the Slade School of Art.

Don Aiken recalls that the 52^nd Recce were now pulled back about a mile from the river awaiting the Rhine crossing, which was preceded by an intense build-up of men and equipment.  Like Dick, some of the men passed the time in bare-back riding the horses left by the Germans.  One of Don’s troop was killed by a single shot across the river while riding.

 

Chotie wrote on Friday 16th March with some good news – she’d been granted another 7 days leave so would not be punished on her return.  Relatives were still sending money for their wedding presents and Chotie was enjoying taking her sister Margaret’s baby, Roger, out in his pram.  Her younger sister Beryl was also at home – they went to see ‘Kismet’ at the cinema.

On Saturday night Hull, where Chotie’s anti-aircraft battery were stationed, was attacked by a single Heinkel, which killed 13 people and injured 22.  Chotie wrote again on Sunday 18th while packing to return there and sent another letter when she was back at Fort Godwin (on Spurn Point near Easington, east of Hull) after "an eventful journey".  She’d treated herself to lunch at a Spanish restaurant near King’s Cross and missed her train.  Arriving late in Hull a fellow lady in her carriage had invited her to stay so she enjoyed supper, a comfy bed and bacon and eggs for breakfast.  “Everyone” back at the battery was excited about her marriage and she seemed to have told her “tale about a hundred and one times”.

 

On the west bank of the Rhine 52nd Reconnaissance Regiment had been assigned traffic control duties as part of the preparation for ‘Operation Plunder’ (the Rhine crossing), although their ‘A’ Squadron was now with 1^st Commando Brigade – destined to lead the assault across the river. 

Dick was at Kevelaer, back from the line and north of Geldern, in a 300 year old cottage “having evicted the ‘civvies’ ”.  He wrote to Chotie that he’d spent 48 hours painting signs (presumably for traffic control) after a very close shave when a shell killed the bloke next to him.

 

Chotie wrote on Wednesday 21st: “We had a spot of excitement last night” so Hull may have been under attack again.  She was furious Dick had shaved off his moustache.  He’d written “I reckon I look much better without it.  I now look eighteen instead of thirty-five” (he was 23).  Chotie was enjoying walking on the beach in the sun with friends.  On the 23rd she wrote “It is decidedly better up here, now that Spring is here” and was hoping to stay with her ATS friend Nan’s family in Yorkshire.

 

At 6pm on 23^rd March Operation Plunder began with a massive artillery barrage along the Rhine from Nijmegen to the Ruhr – the largest bombardment undertaken by the Royal Artillery during the war.  A huge smokescreen was amassed to assemble supplies near the front and at nightfall the RAF saturated the town of Wesel, on the east bank with high explosive bombs.  52^nd Lowland Division, with their guns trained on the bank near Wesel was “in the front row of the grandstand at one of the most imposing spectacles ever staged".  General Eisenhower watched the operation from within the Division’s beat for a while.

Sandy Handley in Dick’s No 15 troop remembered “we were on the banks of the Rhine opposite the town of Wesel” in a large bulldozed ditch. Their officer told them the artillery barrage was about to start - canon and rockets were fired with a deafening noise – and later came to their car again to tell them this was only the beginning: “he said at 11 o’clock pm ALL THE LOT was going to open up.  At 11 o’clock we found out what he meant!  The noise was terrible; my nerves were getting a bit jaded.  There we were, in front of all these guns, yards from the actual river. 

I suggested to the other chap we go under the Daimler, which we did, scooping ourselves a little dugout.  We thought the deeper we dug the more safe we were…”  They had a complicated code to send back messages but Sandy was so shaken he just relayed the message in phonetic terms: “At times like these certain things didn’t go text book fashion…I had experienced these artillery barrages since we landed but this was the Daddy of them all.”

The first attack towards Rees (north of Wessel), led by 51st Highland Division, was a diversion from the main attack.  1st Commando Brigade with 52nd Recce’s ‘A’ Squadron, quietly crossed the river at 10 pm.  The Recce were in canvas boats with oars – their job was to provide beach control parties for the commandos and keep up communications across the river while the commandos observed radio silence.  By mid-morning the Commandos had secured most of the town – of the 1,600 men with them 11 were killed and 17 missing. 

The 15^th Scottish Division also crossed during the night, north of Wesel while to the south the US 9^th Army had crossed between Wesel and Rheinberg on an 11 mile front.

“In the early hours of the next morning the guns had ceased firing and we could actually hear birds singing.  One of the Officers in charge of our section came over to our Daimler and said “Well done men!” although I didn’t think we’d done anything except cringe under the Daimler… The officer then said at 10 o’clock this morning the Airborne paratroops and gliders will come over and land on the other side of the river near Wesel … precisely at 10 o’clock we heard a roar which grew louder and louder.  Someone said “Here they come”.  They flew low.  It was one of the greatest memorable sights I have ever seen, unforgettable.  First the paratroopers, then the gliders being towed over this great river.” (Sandy Handley)

 At 10 am on 24^th March 'Operation Varsity' began with more than 3,000 planes and gliders dropping over 16,000 men of the British 6^th Airborne and the US 17^th Airborne Division.  Unfortunately they were landing in ‘Flak Alley’ – the main defences for the Ruhr – and took more than 2,000 casualties.  However, by nightfall they’d met up with the ground forces and captured 3,500 German soldiers.  Montgomery’s  bridgehead over the Rhine was established.

Don Aiken, was also on the bank of the Rhine having volunteered to assist the Royal Engineers with communications.  After the air landings they went in under heavy fire to build pontoons across the river for getting ground troops across.  Don was waiting for a runner to come from the next armoured car with the latest message when, poking his head out of the turret in a lull, he found the runner had been killed by a German shell landing close by. 

The bridges were constructed and in a few hours the infantry had crossed followed by tanks.  Soon the pontoon bridge was a two-way highway: “all the paraphernalia of an attacking army was crossing into Germany” and “long lines of German soldiers were being marched out to Prisoner of War camps somewhere in England”.  8,000 Royal Engineers assisted the crossing of the Rhine.

 

The rest of 52^nd Recce, now based in a tented camp in woods near Sonsbeck (between Kevelaer and the Rhine), were given the administrative job of getting the leading battalions and regiments from their concentration area up to the river bank.

Dick wrote on 24th March: “Well my darling, I’m in a smashing billet away from my troop in charge of about 20 miles of road as Traffic Control Officer.  Imagine it, armband and all!  I look quite a dog…I’m with two other subalterns who share my taste in living so we’re really very happy.  I’m afraid it won’t last for long though – it’s much too cushy for that.” 

 

Chotie was on watch between 10 and 3 am that night when she wrote to Dick:

“The news is good again today, darling, - it can’t be long now.  When you come back and when we can be together always, well, won’t it be wonderful?

One day next week, if we get a spot of ‘off duty’, a whole crowd of us are hoping to get cracking on a ‘binge’ - celebrating my third week of being married or something.” 

 

By midnight on 24^th/25^th March 80,000 Allied troops had crossed the Rhine, including Winston Churchill who went over the river in a landing craft near Wesel.  Over the next couple of days there were more Rhine crossings by the Americans to the south and the US 1^st Army broke out of their Remagen bridgehead and marched south to join up with Patton’s 3^rd Army forces.

 

Chotie wrote to Dick again on the 26th, having received a letter from Brinner: “It’s marvellous that you are so near to each other.  I hope you manage to meet.”

“Just think, darling, tomorrow we have been married 3 weeks...  I spend quite a lot of my time just dreaming of things to come.  Have built us a home and furnished it (all in my imagination) most marvellously.  I think I had better see what I can do with a Missen, probably have to.”

 

By 27th March the Rhine bridgehead north of the Ruhr was 35 miles wide and 20 miles deep and 52^nd Recce’s ‘A’ Squadron reverted to regimental command.

52^nd Reconnaissance Regiment “moved over the Rhine under a full moon in the early hours of Good Friday, 30^th March, 1945; crossing on one of the various pontoons and Bailey bridges built in record time by the Royal Engineers.  Mile after mile of vehicles queued for the limited space on the roads, therefore it was mid-afternoon before the regiment was concentrated near the town of Mehr (north-west of Wesel), just a few miles east of the Rhine, ready to take part in what was a rapid advance into Germany” (Carl Shilleto).

 

Dick wrote his last letter to Chotie:  from “a windowless ‘brewed-up’ house with with half a gale blowing but having so much spiritual warmth I’m not unduly cold.  My cushy post has gone with the wind and I’m now back on the job again…Nothing very thrilling to write about – so I’ll close here.

                                                          Your loving husband

                                                                        Dicker.”

 

Photos from the BBC's VE Day 70: A Party to Remember - Honeysuckle Weeks and Laurence Fox read extracts from Chotie and Dick's letters.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

At Mehr ‘C’ Squadron were placed in reserve, earmarked for Prisoner of War duties.  Dick learnt that Bryn’s unit was in the vicinity and set out to visit him in his small Daimler Dingo.  He was taking Bryn back when the car hit a small crater in the road, made by a shell or bomb.  Dick was killed instantly while Bryn escaped with cuts and bruises.

Sandy Handley remembered:

“Sometime in the afternoon Mr Williams’ brother came towards us and introduced himself and said “Mr Williams, your Troop Officer, is dead”.  Naturally we were stunned…

Later we (the No. 15 Troop) attended a small burial ceremony conducted by the 52nd Division Padre for the burial.  I think we all wanted to pass our condolences on to Mr Williams’ brother, who sat in another staff car with his fellow officers…

We would miss Mr Williams.  He had been with us from Normandy June ’44 to March ’45.  From a trooper’s point of view this Officer had looked after his eleven men and never asked us to do or risk anything that he couldn’t do himself.  We liked Mr Williams and we were going to miss his coolness.  He thought his troop were a good team too… 

It seemed ironic that a man could live through the many hazards and horrors of war, from the beaches of Normandy (where the 61st had become the first Reconnaissance Regiment to come ashore) and through the terrible fighting on the Rhine, only to be killed in a traffic accident.  Perhaps most tragic of all though was that the young officer had just returned from some leave and had been married for only three weeks.”

 

Chotie, at Spurn Point in Yorkshire, was “in the large mess hall, full of people.  The Sergeant-Major handed me the telegram to say Dicker had been killed.  The saddest moment of my life.”

 

Lieutenant Richard Kelner Williams is laid to rest in the Reichswald Forest War Cemetery south-west of Kleve in Germany.

We will remember them.

The Last Post

 Alex de Groot's memorial photo of Dick's grave.

 

75 years ago - 52nd Reconnaissance Regiment

At the beginning of February 1945 Dick was still at Izegem in Belgium, billeted with the lovely Sintobin-Anne family.  The Regiment he had fought with in France, Belgium and the Netherlands was in process of disbandment after separation from its Division, the 50^th Northumberland (now a training unit back in England) and a brief 'reprieve' to fight the German Ardennes offensive.

    Gradually some of his comrades left on leave or to other units.  Tony Rampling, a gunner in Dick’s No 5 Troop, who had landed in Normandy with him, joined his brother in the 4th Armoured Division (the tanks of the ‘Black Rats’ were famous for their fighting in the Western Desert).  Exceptionally, all Dick’s troop had survived since D Day and the loss of that comradeship forged under fire was a bitter experience.

    In Eric Postles’ 10 troop only six of the eighteen originals who had landed in June 1944 survived to February 1945.  Eric was sent back to 'the Island' to join the 49th Division wearing the white rose of Yorkshire - and him a Lancashire man!

    Dick and the rest of his troop were assigned to the 52^nd Reconnaissance Regiment with five other officers and nearly 150 ‘other ranks’ from 61^st Recce.  The 52^nd ‘Lowland Scottish’ Division ironically wore a mountain symbol and had been trained for mountain combat to invade Norway and then an airborne role in Operation Market Garden.  52^nd Recce arrived separately in France in September 1944 to form part of the ground troops in Market Garden, working with the 101^st Airborne (and 61^st Recce) to defend 'Hell's Highway' and reach ‘the Island’ next to Arnhem.  Re-joining the Division they contributed to the vital work of First Canadian Army clearing the Scheldt Estuary and restoring access to the port of Antwerp.  In December 1944 52^nd Lowland were at Schinveld (close to the German border, north-east of Maastricht) defending the right flank of British 2^nd Army during the Ardennes offensive.   Then in January they advanced into Germany as part of Operation Blackcock to clear the Roer triangle (between the Maas/Meuse and the Roer rivers, south of their confluence at Roermond) and take the German town of Heinsberg, before returning to Schinveld.  On 7^th February they moved north to Boxmeer, near the German border south of Nijmegen, where Montgomery was assembling his forces ready for Operation Veritable.

from 52nd (Lowland) Division's souvenir map of the North-West Europe campaign

 

 

The 61^st Reconnaissance Regiment officially broke up on 5^th February 1945.  Since landing on D day, or soon after, the Regiment had accounted for at least 5,000 of the enemy, taking 4,000 as prisoners.  The Commander of 50^th Division, Major-General Graham, wrote to thank them: “They have been simply magnificient, and although their battle history is not long…it has been glorious… When much that has happened in this war is forgotten, the memory of your deeds will remain.”

 

On 6^th February Dick at last managed to see his brother Bryn at Bourg Leopold/Leopoldsburg in Belgium, while en route to meet his new regiment.  He sent a brief letter to Chotie, trying to arrange leave, and arrived at Boxmeer to join the 52^nd on Wednesday 7^th February.  Operation Veritable began the next morning with “the largest artillery barrage yet laid down in the NW Europe campaign” (Carl Shilleto in ‘The Fighting 52^nd Recce’, Eskdale Publishing 2000). 

                Monty’s plan was for the Canadian 1^st Army, including British XXX Corps, to advance south and east from Nijmegan and Boxmeer to take the Reichswald Forest area between the Meuse/Maas and the Rhine in 3 or 4 days.  Meanwhile in ‘Operation Grenade’ the US 9^th Army was to cross the Roer River and swing north, capturing German forces in a pincer movement with Operation Veritable.  The British and Canadians met firm and bloody resistance from the German Field Parachute Army (the elite Fallschirmjäger), rapidly re-inforced by veteran panzer forces from the Ardennes, while the Americans' Operation Grenade was delayed for two weeks when the Germans released water from the Roer river dams to create an impassable flood.   The city of Kleve/Cleves (east of Nijmegan), reduced to ruins by RAF bombing, was finally captured in Operation Veritable on 12^th February. 

 

Initially 52^nd Reconnaissance Regiment were held at Boxmeer.  Dick was placed in ‘C’ Squadron at Sambeek (immediately south of Boxmeer) and had an “Easy time with vehicles.  Nothing much doing".  Sandy Handley returned from home leave in Dover to join Dick’s new No. 15 Troop and became Dick’s batman (soldier-servant).  He was also a Gunner/Operator in a heavy Daimler armoured car while Don Aiken became a Driver/Operator in a two man light armoured Daimler (the Daimler Scout Car or ‘Dingo’).

    On 13^th and 14^th February the 52^nd Recce area suffered some spasmodic shelling.  Patrols were carried out in assault boats due to the local flooding.  Dick wrote to Chotie on a page of lined paper on Wednesday 14^th February:

‘C’ Squadron.

52^nd (L) Div Recce Regt, BLA.

Wednesday Feb 14^th

Chotie Darling,

                                    Sorry I have to write on this stuff, but it’s all I have at the moment.  I hope to get some more writing-paper tomorrow.  I received two letters from you yesterday, dated the 2^nd and 8^th respectively – both very welcome.  Reference the photos, I think you must be losing your sense of proportion – the moustachio effect, probably being a chiaroscuro* trick, I expect.

            I’ve just rushed out to see a dog-fight that’s going on overhead.  You should bring your gun** out here – there’s plenty to shoot at.  109’s*** have been milling around here all day. 

            This regiment isn’t too bad on the whole – most of the Other Ranks being Scots, but happily most of the officers are English.  I can’t discuss how I happened to come here in writing but will give you the griff on my leave (always provided you can make it yourself.)  The date still stands at March 1^st or a little later.

            I’ve had two letters from the Sintobins since I left.  They’re a wonderful family.  Change pens!  They also sent a tin of marvellous biscuits, a speciality of theirs.  I hope to get another photo of the whole family from them shortly.

            I’ve also got a photo of all the officers of my old crowd which I’ll let you have – but it’s not worth sending from here seeing that I’ll be home in a fortnight or so.

            After some four months trying I managed to contact Bryn on my way to join this regiment.  We managed a night together at an Officers Club.  Very pleasant as you can well imagine.  He’s altered a lot and seems much quieter – though perhaps it was just my idea.

            Well, my darling there’s no news to tell you.  Please write soon to let me know whether you can make it for the 1^st or 2^nd.

                                    Auf wiedersehen, Liebling,

                                                (which means ‘So long, baby’)

                                                            All my love

                                                                        Dicker

*the use of strong light and dark in two-dimensional art to achieve a sense of volume and depth.

**a reference to the anti-aircraft gun Chotie was responsible for siting on targets.

***German fighting aircraft – the Messerschmidt Bf 109.

© Chotie Darling

 

The next day 52^nd (Lowland Reconnaissance Regiment) joined the advance of Operation Veritable, crossing the Meuse/Maas and arriving at Gennep on the 16^th.  Dick’s ‘C’ Squadron moved south towards Afferden but were held up at a road block – a large crater with flooding either side, defended by four machine gun posts.  Sergeant Walter Everson was killed when the Germans opened fire.  ‘C’ Squadron patrolled all night but the enemy withdrew so they moved into Afferden to secure the road running east from the town.  Here the regiment was held up by a flooded anti-tank ditch, a western arm of the Siegfried line (Germany’s famous Westernwall defences), guarded at the east end by a Dutch castle, Kasteel Bleijenbeek.  The Recce were ordered to clear enemy resistance here but astute patrolling revealed the area was heavily populated with German troops and Captain Hathaway of ‘A’ Squadron resisted the order averting heavy losses. Subsequently two Divisional attacks were sent in but failed to cross the ditch or take the Kasteel.

    52^nd Recce, now responsible for Afferden, were stuck here subject to mortars, shells, snipers and counter-attacks until the end of February.  Casualties mounted steadily and communication between the squadrons and frozen, dirt-covered troops sheltering in their fox-holes was often lost.  Amazingly the Padre, Captain Bradley and a Salvation Army truck driver made it to the front-line bringing tea and cigarettes.  Between the dug-outs it was “Crawl or RIP” in the areas constantly under observation.  It must have reminded Dick and his troop of Briquessard but much colder with fog, floods and mud all round instead of dust.

 

On 21^st February skies cleared and the RAF bombed the Kasteel, reducing it to a ruin (in the end it had been manned by just 15 paratroopers).  XXX Corps captured the remains of the city of Goch, east of Afferden and Gennep, the next day.  On 23^rd February the floods along the Roer had receded sufficiently for the US 9^th Army to cross the river and proceed with Operation Grenade.  The Canadian Army began a fresh attack along the Hochwald Forest ridge towards Xanten (Operation Blockbuster).  Operation Veritable had taken two weeks to achieve its initial objectives at a cost of 6,000 casualties.

 

 

Dick, however, was out of the fighting for a while – at last he had home leave.  He arrived at Bourg Leopold on Monday 26^th, spent a couple of days with Bryn and headed for Calais to cross the Channel.  This was his first time back in England since June 1944.  His diary entry for 28^th February simply says “Arrived home on leave.”   Chotie received a telegram from his father “RICHARD AT PAGHAM”.

75 years ago - the end in the Ardennes

Dick spent the New Year in the comparative safety of Honnay, a little village between Beauraing and Wellin, where he was based for 5 days in all. On 1^st January XXX Corps were operating offensively south of the River Lesse and contact was made with enemy posts held by 9^th Panzer Division at Wavreille, Bure and St Hubert (all 61^st Recce patrolling areas) as well as Hargimont and Jemelle, east of Rochefort. 

The huge Luftwaffe attack on Allied airfields in Belgium, Holland and France (Operation Baseplate) resulted in a net loss of German planes, many shot down by their own anti-aircraft batteries due to excessive secrecy surrounding the operation.  The Allies were now assured of air supremacy but the skies in the Ardennes had clouded over again since the 26^th December.

 

In January the weather became the main enemy – temperatures dropped to minus 20 degrees centigrade and there was nearly a metre of snow to contend with, as well as icy roads, hidden mines and booby-traps.  “I was never so cold in my life as in the Ardennes.  If you had to sleep in an armoured car it was like sleeping in a fridge” (Tony Rampling).  One night Dick had found a rough barn for his troop to sleep in.  Tony and another chap were sent to fetch the rum ration – they had one or two spoonfuls each every night – and, after “sipping” it on the way back Tony swore at Dick (the only time he ever challenged an officer) “When are you going to get us out of this **** place?”  Dick didn’t put him on a charge and said very little.

 

On 3^rd January Montgomery launched a major counter-offensive with US 1^st Army attacking from the north and XXX Corps from the west.  6^th Airborne Division moved in first, through Beauraing and Wellin, following the 61^st Recce and Belgian SAS reconnaissance line towards Bure and Wavreille, where they met fierce opposition.

Lieutenants Urban-Smith and Fling led the way to Wavreille with a local Belgian nobleman, overcoming a group of Germans who came up behind them and driving the enemy from the village.  They had to withdraw following fierce counter-attacks but the next day 6^th Airborne re-took the village.  At Bure there was intense fighting over a number of days – 29^th Armoured Brigade with the 5^th Para captured the village, were driven out again and finally held the village on 9^th January in what became one of the toughest battles of the campaign.  Four 61^st Reconnaissance Regiment men were killed on 4^th January.  Sandy Handley wrote: “Sadly we had several casualties in the Ardennes but considering we were front line troops our casualties were light, although one casualty was one too many.”

 

On 5th January the news broke that Montgomery had taken command of the US 1^st and 9^th Armies, split from rest of the American General Bradley’s forces by the German offensive.  The British press inferred that Monty had saved the day in the Ardennes, aggravating a dangerous rift between the Allied Commanders.  This was further inflamed by Monty’s own arrogant behaviour and a fake BBC News broadcast by the Germans implying that the British Field Marshall had saved the US 1^st Army from disaster.  Churchill attempted to mend relations by citing the huge American losses – c. 80,000 men compared with the British 2 to 3,000 -  but political damage was done that diminished Britain’s role in the invasion and occupation of Germany and even affected President Eisenhower’s reaction to the Suez Crisis.

 

“Fighting in the Ardennes reached a degree of savagery unprecedented on the western front” (Beevor).  The German slaughter of American prisoners at Baugnez-Malmédy, and the murder of civilians, led to large numbers of revenge killings, some even condoned by senior officers.  On 7^th January two British armoured cars at Forrières (east of Wavreille) also shot surrendering Germans.

 

Operation Nordwind in the Alsace launched major offensives north of Strasbourg on 5^th January and south, from the Colmar pocket, on 7^th January.  However, on 8^th January the German High Command at last ordered a withdrawal in the Ardennes.  9^th Panzer Division pulled back to a line east of Rochefort and Marche-en-Famenne on the 6^th Airborne front, withdrawing from Jemelle that night.  The sound of bridges being blown could be heard as the Germans retreated from the salient.

 

Dick had found billets for ‘B’ Squadron in a large village and time to write to Chotie on 8th January.  His letter, restricted “about 90%” by self-censorship is full of family news with updates on his injured fellow officers Lt. Geoff Winzer and Major Harding.  Dick was staying with “a charming family who do everything they possibly can to make things as pleasant as they can be, under these circumstances.” Belgian civilians suffered terribly in the Ardennes offensive – about 2,500 were killed (as well as c.500 in Luxembourg) and many who survived the bombing and heavy artillery barrages emerged from cellars and vaults to starvation and disease.  88,000 were made homeless.  Towns and villages were reduced to rubble, food stores had been raided by the Germans, livestock slaughtered and furniture, or anything else that would burn, destroyed by troops of both sides trying to keep warm.

 

On 9^th January Groupont, Forrières, Jemelle, Hargimont and, at last, Bure, were occupied by 6^th Airborne who continued moving towards la Roche-en-Ardennes and Saint Hubert the next day.  61^st Recce were asked to investigate Saint Hubert, although it was in the American sector.  When the carrier of the new troop leader, Lieutenant Spreag, was blown up on a mine he transferred to a horse (first time on horseback) and rode into St Hubert with two Belgian woodsmen to find the Germans had just left.  The Americans were not pleased when the BBC reported British armoured cars were the first to enter Saint Hubert.

 

The Christmas Eve massacre at Bande was discovered by 1^st Canadian Battalion, (working with 6^th Airborne) on 11^th January.  

The same day 61^st Recce patrols contacted US VIII Corps from Patton’s 3^rd Army in the area of St. Hubert.  Lieutenants Spreag and Abercrombie “walked 20 miles through shocking country beset with mines to contact the Airborne Brigadier.  He was so impressed that he at once offered them jobs”.  By the end of the next day they had walked over 50 miles (Colonel Brownrigg). 

“Despite the snow, the cold, the landmines and the roadblocks, as well as German defensive actions the British continued their advance and hampered the withdrawal plans of the German troops trying to escape the pincer movement of the allied armies”(from ‘The British in the battle of the Ardennes’).

On 12^th January British and US 1^st Army forces link up in Roche-en-Ardennes and the next day patrols from 6^th Airborne Division contact the US 3^rd Army’s 87^th Infantry Division at Champlon. 

The Russians had now begun three massive offensives on the eastern front and were striking from Poland towards Berlin.  Germany’s commitment of forces in the Ardennes and Alsace had seriously weakened their defence in the east while the Red Army had deployed 6.7 million men along their front.  They surged forward and on 19^th January troops from the 1^st Ukrainian front captured Krakow in south Poland.  Nearby, on 27^th January, a reconnaissance patrol from the 107^th Rifle Division discovered “the most terrible symbol in modern history” – the death camp of Auschwitz-Birkenau.

 

Dick’s diary for 13^th January records “Arrived Sintobins”.  61^st Reconnaissance Regiment had returned to Iseghem, driving along ice-bound roads through Mons and Ath and reaching Kortijk / Courtrai after dark.  Eric Postles’ carrier got stuck in the tram-lines here and had a “close encounter with a tram”.  There were happy re-unions with their hosts from early December but, despite their merited performance in the Ardennes, the Regiment was still due to disband.  Their equipment and vehicles were once more handed in.

Their General sent a message that all those who had fought in the Ardennes could take a few days leave in Brussels.  Some headed straight for the brothels.  Tony Rampling remembers staying in a very lively area but Dick’s diary only records a night out with Ronnie Jury and Johnnie Heitman at "Herboz von Brabant” on Tuesday 16^th.

By 15^th January, having cleared the whole salient up to the River Ourthe in the north-east and the Ourthe Occidentale to the south, XXX Corps returned to Boxtel near Eindhoven to prepare for Operation Veritable, Monty’s crossing of the Rhine into Germany.  The next day the US 1^st Army met up with US 3^rd Army at Houffalize and US 1^st Army reverted to American control under General Bradley.

 

Dick was with the Sintobins for dinner on Friday 19^th January “with Ronnie (Jury), Brian (Coote – the new ‘B’ Squadron Commander) and Ted Oliver”.  He stayed with the Sintobin-Anne family until at least the 27^th January and wrote to Chotie on Monday 22nd January:

61^st Recce Regt RAC

BLA.

Chotie Darling,

                                    Many thanks for your last letters – I’m afraid I’ve been rather pushed for time, or I would have replied before.

            Once again I’m with the Sintobins and living in complete luxury, which is quite a welcome break for us.

            You’ll find two photographs* enclosed that they took, just as I was leaving the last time, to slow up von Runstedt a little.  You’ll see a look of calm purposefulness (?) written all over my face ….

            They really are a fine family here – I must certainly make the effort to see them again after the war.  They gave a dinner for us – my Squadron leader Brian Coote** (Sandhurst mate), Ronnie and myself – last night which was a great success.  Madame Sintobin went out to dine with the Colonel*** a few nights ago.  She thought it a terrific honour….

            I had a very unfortunate stroke of luck the day before yesterday.  I had a letter from Bryn telling me he was in a town just seven kilometres from here.  Accordingly I gripped some transport and after several false starts arrived at the town to find he had left that morning.  Deadly, wasn’t it?  He’s now hundreds of miles away, so we’ve had it for some time.  His letter took four days to do four miles.  If only it had arrived in reasonable time I could have met him and brought him in for a meal with my family here.

            Is there anything further concerning your continental tour?  I see they still want them****.  It would certainly be more interesting than being in England but rather a gamble as you might well stay there for years.

            Well, Darling, must close here to write the family.

                                                All my love precious

                                                                        Dicker

P.S. Have just received a lovely little diary from your mother.  Will write her this afternoon. 

*Photographs of Dick and the Sintobin-Anne family in Iseghem

**presumably Major Frank Harding's replacement

***Colonel Philip Brownrigg

****Towards the end of the war service women in the UK were asked to volunteer to relieve men who had been serving abroad for some time.

 © Chotie Darling

This letter was sent to Fort Godwin, c/o Easington near Hull so Chotie had moved station yet again: “We moved to Spurn Point, indescribably stark…”

 

In the Alsace the French First Army attacked to defend Strasbourg on 20^th January and a few days later Hitler’s Operation Nordwind began to peter out as they crushed the German bridgehead around Colmar.  The Battle of Ardennes was now also ended – the US 1^st Army captured what remained of St. Vith on 23^rd January and by 29^th January the front-line in the Ardennes was restored to roughly its position before the German offensive began 6 weeks earlier.

The Battle had involved more than 1 million soldiers including 55,000 British.  The Americans lost almost 90,000 men with over 8,000 killed and 67,000 injured, the rest captured or missing.  British losses were proportionately lower with about 200 killed, 1,000 injured and c. 240 captured or missing although those of 61^st Recce were heavy with 48 killed, 144 wounded and 23 missing or captured.  A report by a military observer on 22^nd January records that 61^st Reconnaissance Regiment “although working in completely unknown country, miles ahead of our main forces, sent back such valuable information of the disposition of enemy troops that our advance went ahead smoothly.”

The Germans lost around 80,000 men in the Ardennes with 15-19,000 killed.  Although German capability in the west was destroyed the western Allies’ invasion of Germany had been significantly delayed.

 

The end of 61^st Reconnaissance regiment had also been delayed but it was now inevitable.  Photographs were taken of the Troops and Officers, there was a stand down parade and a regimental dance.

The officers of 61st Reconnaissance Regiment in January 1945 - Dick is at the end of the back row.

The men of 61^st Reconnaissance Regiment earned one Distinguished Service Order, eleven Military Crosses (including their Belgium Liaison Officer), one Distinguished Conduct Medal, five Military Medals, three Croix de Guerre and three M.B.E.s (Member of the order of the British Empire).  Subsequently, since 2014, all D Day veterans including Tony Rampling, Don Aiken and Eric Postles were awarded the Legion’d’Honneur Chevalier by France.

 

After landing on D Day, or soon after, they had fought for two months in Normandy, led the Allied forces across France and were the first into Belgium.  There they held the line along the Escaut Canal and fought in the Battle of the Albert Canal near Gheel.  In Operation Market garden they were part of the ground forces trying to reach Arnhem.  Their forces were split but many made it to the bank of the Lower Rhine and helped rescue some of the 1^st Airborne.  61^st Recce stayed on the front line here for two months, with the US 101^st Airborne, until the ‘Island’ between the Lower Rhine and the Waal was flooded.  Their Division (the 50^th Northumberland) was sent back to England and the Regiment was in Belgium ready to disband before their ‘reprieve’ for the Battle of the Ardennes....

Sources include ‘Ardennes 1944’ by Anthony Beevor published by Penguin 2015 and ‘German attack in the Ardennes: Operation by 30 Corps’ published on WW2 Talk Forum.

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 - 'The Island'

October 1944 began with 50^th Division battling German attacks on ‘the Island’ – the front-line between the river Waal (with the critical Nijmegan bridge) and the Lower Rhine either side of Arnhem where the Germans held sway after defeating the British in Operation Market Garden.  Most of 61^st Reconnaissance was still on the right flank of the ‘Garden’ corridor between Uden and Grave, at Mill, where for the first time they could look into Germany.  ‘A’ Squadron and some of ‘B’ Squadron had been split from the rest of the Regiment by attacks on the corridor and were already on ‘the Island’, under command of 69^th Brigade (the Green Howards and the East Yorks) who had received the brunt of the German offensive.  Orders were received on 1^st October for those at Mill to move to Nijmegan and Eric Brewer moved that night.

‘A’ Squadron returned to regimental control on the 2^nd October while the British and Americans (101^st Airborne) went into attack - 50^th Division’s 151^st Brigade (Durham Light Infantry)  around Haalderen and 231^st Brigade (Devons, Hampshires and Dorsets) from Bemmel, both east of Elst.

On Tuesday October 3^rd Eric Brewer (and presumably the rest of ‘B’ Squadron’s Assault Troop) were relieved and Eric was able to have a bath – the first since Bayeux!  The next day the rest of the Regiment crossed the Waal onto ‘the Island’ in Divisional reserve near Elst, although ‘A’ Squadron were given a sector to hold for the 151^st Brigade.  On Friday 6th the Regiment moved back into harbour across the Waal south of Nijmegan to carry out maintenance etc. before returning to ‘the Island’ on the 8th, although Eric Brewer continued fighting with the 101^st US Airborne at Arnhem.  The Assault troop was particularly in demand because vehicle movements were almost impossible off-road on the wet boggy ground while the roads were targeted by German bombs and artillery.  Worst was “crossing the long Nijmegen bridge because of the shelling.  You just put your foot down and got over as quickly as you could” (Eric Postles).                                               

Dick had “spent three days with a very nice family” at Nijmegan- he was harboured in an orchard but offered a room and a bed.  ‘B’ and ‘C’ Squadrons were now in forward positions on ‘the Island’, with HQ base west of Elst at Herveld – Dick sent a Field Service Postcard on the 8^th just to let Chotie know he was well.  However, the next day he found himself working as Liaison Officer with an American Colonel (presumably from 101^st Airborne) and, at last, had time to reply to Chotie. She was bemoaning leaving the comfortable farm near Cheltenham to move back to Bristol with her Ack-Ack unit and considering volunteering for work overseas.  (In September 1944 the British Army Act, which meant women serving abroad had the status of ‘camp followers’, was revoked - women in the ATS were asked to volunteer for service abroad to fill the growing need in western Europe.) Dick advised her not to:  “you’ll probably go to Egypt or somewhere and never get demobbed”.

Holding the line in the Netherlands was dangerous work. ‘C’ Squadron patrols investigating barge movements on the Waal on the 9^th were wounded and taken prisoner by the Germans.  Corporal Roy Whitehouse died that day and Trooper Maurice Raine the next day as a prisoner of war near Amsterdam - 61^st Recce lost many other men that autumn and the 101st  US Airborne had more casualties on ‘the Island’ than in the Market Garden airborne landings. 

‘A’ Squadron relieved ‘C’ at Hien (west of Herveld) on the 11^th, finding and capturing an enemy outpost the next day. Eric Brewer was at Wamel (further west on the Waal) until the 16^th, where he alternated between the Forward Outpost, directing artillery fire on the Germans, and tea at the house of a friendly girl called Annie. 

On 13^th October ‘B’ Squadron were relieved by 52nd Recce and the Regimental HQ crossed the Waal and moved to Appeltern on the Maas river (south of Wamel).  61^st Recce now held the area west of Nijmegen between the Waal and the Maas.  On 16^th ‘B’ Squadron’ position was under attack from a self-propelled gun and approaching enemy, crawling along the road and digging tunnels to avoid detection.  Lieutenant Albert Stone was wounded.

The next day the Regiment moved back onto ‘the Island’ and were based at Driel, south-west of Arnhem on the south bank of the Lower Rhine.  Here they were really under the eyes of the Germans – all movements had to be carried out after dark leaving only skeleton crews in the forward outposts (slit trenches where everyone spent the night) by day while the others sheltered in nearby houses.  Eric Brewer was at last in reserve with the Regimental HQ at Lienden.  Dick also appears to have been there too but in very gloomy mood:

 

Letter written on Wednesday 18th October 1944

61^st Recce Regt RAC

BLA.

Wednesday October 18^th

Chotie Darling,

                                    Nothing much to write about I’m afraid, but here goes in reply to yours of the 12^th.

            Weather has been very variable of late, but after a bad start this morning things have cleared up no end, and this afternoon it’s sunny – in fact, autumn at its best.

            Was very pleased to read that you were on leave again and that Mary* was home at the same time.  I expect you had plenty to talk about….

            I had some rather bad news yesterday.  My old friend “Chunky**” was killed in the Falaise Gap, some time ago though I’ve only just heard.  It’s very sad for his wife (whom I met once in London) as they’d only been married some 18 months or so, and Chunky of course, has spent all that time in the Army.  They had a baby son David, who was about a year old.  I’m the only one of the trio left, so it’s my turn next.

            Just received a letter from Brinner.  He’s still at Base but it appears he may have to go into the Infantry – which won’t do my nerves any good, as the Officer Casualty rate with them is appalling.

            Reference ‘demobbing’*** I make the 32 group and Brinner the 42 group so we both beat you – Yah!

            Haven’t shot any Germans lately or anything else of interest.  We’ve been working all the time but haven’t had many encounters.

            The NAAFI van**** has just turned up – for the first time since Normandy and even now, they’ve got no tobacco.  Apart from what Brinner can get at his RHU, I get nothing at all.  Makes me mad to think of it, especially when people in England imagine that the fighting soldier gets everything he needs.  We’re always hearing talk of “Officer Shops” but in four months over here I haven’t been able to buy a collar stud even!

            Must close here, Precious to do some work on the car.

                                    All my love, Darling

                                                Dicker.

*Mary DakinMary Dakin, Chotie’s best friend at home.

**Chunky, the 5 ft 2” tall ex chef of the Trocadero in London, shared a room with Dick and Brian ’the Ham’ when they were training to be officers in summer 1943

***Ernest Bevin's plan for demobilisation was published on 22nd September 1944 - release was based on your age and service number.

****Reg Harper describes “the occasional appearance of ‘Towrope’ Joe Meredith with the NAAFI truck …his opening gambit puffing smoke from his pipe – ‘Sorry Corporal, no pipe tobacco.  Stuff it with Woodbines; we have plenty of bootlaces, blanco, brasso, etc!’  So I settled for toothpaste.”  (From ‘Beaten Paths are Safest’ by Roy Howard, Brewin Books 2004)

 

 

 

 

 Postcard written Wednesday 18th October 1944 from 'the Island'

 

US troops reported that an enemy patrol managed to cross the river on the night of the 19^th October but they were located by ‘A’ squadron and heavily ‘stonked’ by the artillery. 

Dick and ‘B’ squadron continued in reserve so he bombarded Chotie with a daily letter and the slightly cheesy postcards he’d been given.  On the 20th he was installed in “an amazingly clean house...you change from outdoor shoes to slippers every time you go in the house!”  Their fastidiousness seems highly practical - on the 21st he wrote “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…"

Eric Brewer was back on the frontline beside the Rhine from the night of the 20^th “with Gerry throwing grenades over our positions and plenty of Spandau fire”.  On 22^nd a small patrol of about 10 Germans came up behind their outpost: “I 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” before “our Bren gun and grenades soon got rid of them.”

Eric Postles had a lucky escape when the squadron were at Arnhem; having called down artillery fire on some Germans, who had got through the embankment to their positions, the last shell fired was so close it blew him over and stunned him. “I found a hole in my greatcoat where a piece of shrapnel had passed through.  Luckily it hit the compass in my trouser pocket putting it out of action but leaving me with no more than a few bruises.”

Dick wrote again on the 22nd sounding rather bored after three days of rest with no other officers around, but was busy again from that night when ‘B’ Squadron were sent to the front-line and he went “up to Squadron HQ tonight to take over duties of 2^nd in command”.  Sandy Handley recalls looking out for “any Airborne chaps who’d managed to get away from the Germans.”  100 of the British Airborne who’d evaded capture were rescued near Renkum (6km west of Driel) on the night of 22^nd/23^rd October.

61^st Recce war diary (only October and November 1944 are available) reports a German deserter surrendering to them while Reg Harper recalls one quiet prisoner who turned out to be an American deserter.  Thirty abandoned vehicles were recovered while the Regiment was at Driel, cited in Captain Joe ‘Tow-rope’ Meredith’s MBE and Lt. Laing’s Military Cross.  Front-line positions were mortared, shelled or machine gunned during the day and enemy patrols tried to get past the outposts at night.  By the 25^th there were “plenty of Gerry dead” around Eric Brewer’s outpost.

In another letter on 26th October Dick describes his work as 2^nd in Command as “nothing very thrilling – just a lot of painstaking work.  It falls to my lot to issue all rations, clothing, rum, etc and entertain visiting Colonels…”  His father was trying to sell their “old London town-house”, Clevedon Lodge, (which had been damaged by flying-bombs) for £1,500.  Dick’s brother was “still at the Regimental Holding Unit… whether Brinner will ever fire a shot in anger seems a moot point”.  Although Dick also wrote “people seem to think the war’s all over…the biggest and most bitter battles are yet to come”.  He was still advising Chotie not to volunteer for work abroad. 

On 27th October the Durham Light Infantry attacked the German front-line through the ‘B’ Squadron position and found it very thinly held: “all active patrolling is being carried out by SS troops…47 Fortress Battalion has shown none of the aggressive qualities, which are apparent in the patrols”.  Orders were received for 61st Reconnaissance to be relieved by elements of the 101st US Airborne, although ‘A’ Squadron was to stay on ‘the Island’ at Zetten (west of Elst) - one of the most unpleasant sectors on the 2nd Army front.  (Troopers in Observation Posts sometimes stood in foxholes in two feet of flood water, with constant shelling.)

The next day Dick’s ‘B’ Squadron and the rest of 61^st Recce moved back across the Waal to the Winssen area, west of Nijmegan.  Dick had “flu or something” but “as I was 2^nd in command I couldn’t go sick.”  He was much better on the 30th when he wrote to Chotie from “a lovely old farmhouse” “rambling, thatched and whitewashed”, with a date ‘1660’ in wrought-iron metal figures.  The daughter of the house had got married that morning “so needless to say everything is pandemonium – even worse than the morbid business of getting married in England”.

Eric Brewer had at last been released on leave and arrived in Antwerp on Monday 30^th.  He had a wonderful time staying in a hotel, enjoying “perfect” meals, dance halls and ice cream and marvelling at the ‘legal’ black market with its eye-watering prices.  He wrote in a letter home “the working classes are very badly off…nearly all of them are undernourished and in many cases starving.  You can thank God that we have a government who stops the black market and that stuff is rationed fairly – else these rich people would grab the lot.”  He would soon be returning to face another month on ‘the Island’.

75 years ago - Belgium and Market Garden

At the beginning of September 1944 Dick and his 61^st Reconnaissance Regiment had at last broken out of the Normandy bridgehead and crossed the Seine at Vernon.  Now they were leading the British 2^nd Army across France on the left flank of XXX (30) Corps.  On 1^st September ‘B’ Squadron paused near Amiens on the infamous River Somme (scene of a devastating battle in WW1).  Near here they encountered a Guardsman, dressed as a civilian, who had hidden out in France since 1940 and had “valuable information” so he was rushed to Regimental headquarters.  The many prisoners they were collecting – Eric Brewer mentions more than 200 on 1^st September - were more of a problem.  On 2^nd September Eric Postles’ troop commander, Lieutenant Soul, was badly injured and two of his troop killed when a prisoner ignited anti-tank mines in their carrier.  Lieutenant Laing, a Scotsman, handed over some 40 prisoners to the local French to “hang on to” overnight and, misunderstanding his accent, they unfortunately hung them all!

    Heading into northern France via Cambrai and Arras (between Lille and Amiens) the Recce ran out of large scale maps, which showed the small roads they were travelling on, and the Germans had smashed up the signposts.  Nevertheless, by the night of 2^nd/3^rd September ‘B’ Squadron of 61^st Reconnaissance were the first British troops to cross the frontier into Belgium, “despite continuous enemy resistance”.   Don Aiken recalls mines across the roads, or sods strewn to simulate mines, and a trip wire loaded with a rocket grenade while Anthony Rampling exchanged fire with crack SS snipers.  Eric Brewer’s unit took on a German convoy in flight in Belgium, knocking out six vehicles before they were ordered to move on.  

    ‘A’ Squadron were held up in the village of Houplin near Lille where their action was recognised with a Military Medal for Trooper John Traynor and Sergeant Smeaton’s and Lt Griffiths’ Croix de Guerres.

 

The Guards Armoured Division (including Chotie’s brother-in-law, Ted Lewis) now took over the spearhead, liberating Brussels, the capital of Belgium on 3^rd September.  The port of Antwerp was taken undamaged by the 11^th Armoured Division the next day but was still unusable until November while the Germans held the Scheldt Estuary approaches.

    As the advance slowed to catch up with supplies, 61^st Reconnaissance held the line along 35 miles of the Escaut Canal from Ghent/Gent to Oudenaarde/Audenarde.  Dick wrote to Chotie on 5th September from Oudenaarde:

        “It’s impossible to describe the last 10 days – it’s simply been a case of flowers all the way.

I got the job to guard two bridges in the middle of a large town – and we were the first Allies in the town!  The welcome we had was amazing…we were already covered with flowers; we were soon to be covered with fruit and wine.

            …They’ve been living very badly for four years but they had hidden wine and food for us, as they knew we’d arrive eventually.

            …Had a very happy time ‘on guard’ with scores of civilians around to ask the usual barrage of questions.  My French is improving immensely.”

    Eric Postles had a less pleasant experience while guarding the bridge at Eine, just north of Oudenaarde.  They were on the far side when vehicles approached at dawn and a German officer strode to the centre of the bridge.  Eric’s new troop commander, Sergeant Atkins, took out the front vehicles with and anti-tank gun – when they eventually found the firing mechanism.  They’d removed it to let the village children climb over the gun while celebrating their liberation the previous day!  The battle, involving several hundred German troops, raged for a couple of days before the enemy surrendered.  Sergeant Atkins was awarded the Military Medal.

    Meanwhile on 6^th and 7^th September Eric Brewer had shifted to just outside Brussels and managed to make a couple of visits to the capital where “the civvies” gave them “as much as we wanted of everything”.  Dick wrote to Chotie on the 8th, mainly about the good time he’d had in Oudenaarde and the generosity and friendship of the liberated Belgians.  As the only fluent French speaker among the officers he’d “had the job of entertaining the daughter” at a party in a country house the previous evening.  Fortunately they appreciated the same French literature.

 

Also on 8^th September 61^st Reconnaissance moved with 50^th Division to the Albert Canal near Gheel/Geel.  Their HQ and ‘C’ Squadron were surrounded when supporting the Durham Light Infantry on a bridgehead across the Canal.  The Germans retreated but Eric Brewer writes that they put in 14 counter-attacks that day and the SS captured two carriers and their crews.  C squadron’s Sergeant-Major Page earned his Distinguished Conduct Medal at Geel and Lieutenant Joseph Pilsbury his Military Cross.  On 9^th September Eric Brewer’s ‘B’ Squadron Assault Troop had turned back German reconnaissance patrols and “Gerry mortar and shells” were “still coming over, also a few bombs dropped in the night.  Plenty of refugees coming into our lines from the Gerry side”.  Dick received ‘a little bit of gold’ – the oak leaf from a ‘mention in despatches’ - at about this time for “lying among the German dead to gain information” (Chotie’s Story).

Dick's citation for a 'Mention in Despatches'

    Reuters reported that “some of the most bloody battles of the whole campaign” were being fought along the Albert Canal.  On 11^th September 61^st Recce were still on the canal south of Herenthals (between Geel and Antwerp).  The Durham Light Infantry had reached the centre of Geel with Sherwood Ranger tanks on 10^th September but the Germans counter-attacked and re-possessed the town by the 12^th, when 50^th Division was withdrawn and replaced by the Scottish 15^th Division.  Geel was finally liberated on 13^th September.

 

61^st Reconnaissance “shifted to harbour” near Bourg Leopold/Leopoldsburg, a former Belgian Army training centre.  Here Eric Postles remembers they found a food depot: “At times both the Germans and ourselves were getting food from it.”

    Dick wrote to Chotie on the 12th with no mention of the Albert Canal engagements – instead he’d had it “very cushy for the past few days” staying “in the grounds of a very old and famous château” where he enjoyed dinners with the Baroness and her sister – a Countess who had sheltered British pilots after they’d crashed in France.  He certainly knew what Chotie would want to hear!

    While ‘in harbour’ they managed to get into some towns “instead of the old perpetual fields and orchards”.  He was also very pleased with the cafés, which were like pubs but had barbers inside “so that you can have a pint while waiting your turn”.

    Eric Brewer was back on the front-line again on 15^th September, carrying out reconnaissance across another canal to find the German positions.  Their observations directed an artillery barrage on 17^th September enabling the Royal Engineers to build a bridge across the canal for infantry.  Eric wrote in his diary: “big push coming and going to push on to the Zuider Zee” (a large shallow bay east of Amsterdam).  This was the beginning of Operation Market Garden.

 

On 17^th September 1944, after an intense bombing of German airfields and anti-aircraft defences, Allied airborne divisions began to land in the Netherlands.  The plan was for the Airborne to seize critical bridges on the rivers and canals in the south of the country, enabling the rapid advance of British ground troops on a narrow front to crack open the German line and a route to Berlin north of the well-defended Ruhr industrial area.  The Germans still held the Channel ports or they were, like Antwerp, unusable and the Allies’ supply lines could no longer support the advance on a broad front. 

            ‘Market’ was the code-name for the Airborne landings:  the US 101st Airborne landed near to the Belgium border around Eindhoven, the US 82^nd Airborne near Nijmegen and Grave and the unfortunate British 1^st Airborne Division landed by the Lower Rhine near Arnhem.  Within an hour some 20,000 combat troops and about 500 vehicles had been safely landed, although not all in the correct drop zones.  The Germans managed to destroy the bridge over the Wilhemina canal at Son, north of Eindhoven, and the Arnhem railway bridge.  However, by the end of the day Colonel John Frost's 2nd Parachute Battalion and some of Major Freddie Gough’s 1st Airborne Reconnaissance Squadron (which Dick had joined in spring 1942) held the north end of the Arnhem road bridge.

    ‘Garden’, the ground forces advance, was the task of XXX Corps, spearheaded by the Guards Armoured Division.  43rd Wessex Division was behind the Guards, then 50^th Division, which had spent three days re-organising at Paal, south-west of Burg Leopold.  Breaking through the defences of the Dutch border the three XXX Corps Divisions had all reached Valkenswaard, south of Eindhoven by the evening of the 17^th.  ‘A’ squadron led 61^st Recce’s advance on the left flank of XXX Corps and were involved in finding routes from Valkenswaard for the tanks which, forced along a single narrow road, were vulnerable to attacks exacerbated by traffic jams and supply problems.

    Dick’s letter of letter of 18th and 19th September gives nothing away about his involvement in the advance, with a brief mention of “this latest Airborne effort”.  However, he’s “met a lot of Ted’s crowd” (the Guards) and is “getting eggs & tomatoes (hundreds of them) instead of the endless run of sausage-meat” – the latter a Belgian speciality while tomatoes are typical of the Netherlands market gardening produce.  Eindhoven was liberated on the 18^th September but the Guards had to wait while a Bailey Bridge was constructed at Son.  Making the crossing the next day they linked up with the 82^nd US Airborne at Grave and added their strength to the assaults on the Nijmegen road bridge.  This was at last taken on the evening of the 20^th – the Guards crossed the Waal and halted for the night 8 miles from Arnhem.  61^st Recce’s ‘A’ Squadron and some of ‘B’ Squadron, including Don Aiken, also crossed the Waal on the 20^th.

            A dwindling force of British 1^st Airborne still held the Arnhem road bridge and the commander of 1^st Airborne, Major-General Urquehart, had gathered the remains of the Division at Oosterbeek, west of Arnhem and next to the river.  On the 21^st September the Arnhem bridge was eventually taken by the Germans who streamed across to set up defences blocking the Guards between Arnhem and Nijmegen at Elst.

    German forces were also continually attacking the ‘Garden’ corridor laid down by XXX Corps, succeeding in breaking through on several occasions and splitting 61^st Reconnaissance in two.  Sandy Handley of Dick’s troop wrote “Our part of the convoy was cut off, held up by enemy tanks”.  ‘C’ Squadron stayed with 101^st Airborne and 52^nd Recce (Dick’s future unit) defending the corridor.  Eric Brewer only crossed the border into Holland on 21^st September.  Tony Rampling remembers going up ‘Hell’s Highway’, the nickname given to the corridor “Gerry picked the bridges out to shell so you had to cross very fast”.  They reached the air-landing zones, which were “littered with smashed up gliders, parachutes everywhere”.  Everyone took bits of parachute silk to put round their necks: “wearing this coarse uniform, it was some comfort to have a silk scarf”. 

    Dick wrote to Chotie on the 21^st from “a well-to-do surgeon’s town-house” saying “there’s only 50% officers with us now – which makes life much duller”.  He doesn’t appear to have crossed the bridge at Nijmegen yet.

            Beyond Nijmegen the Polish Parachute Brigade had dropped at Driel, just south of the Rhine opposite Oosterbeek, on 21^st September.  The next day 43^rd Recce linked up with them and 35 Poles managed to cross the river joining Urquehart’s troops.  German attacks on the Oosterbeek bridgehead were thwarted by the guns of XXX Corps with air support from the RAF and 200 more Poles crossed on the 23^rd.

    On the 22^nd September the XXX Corps lifeline had been severed at Uden (south-west of Grave) and on the 23^rd the line was cut at Sint Oedenrode (between Uden and Eindhoven).  Eric Brewer was “firing shells at where Gerry broke through” and on the 24^th he “shifted to the flank – plenty of mortar fire, shelling and spandos” (German machine guns).  Major Alexander, commander of 61^st Recce’s HQ Squadron, was killed near Uden that day.

    Meanwhile most of 50^th Division had crossed Nijmegen bridge and were engaged in the Battle of Elst.  On 23^rd they were tasked with capturing the village of Bemmel, to the east, and had succeeded by the 25^th.  Elst was liberated the same day.

            Eric Postles and Don Aiken were on the south bank of the Rhine, west of Arnhem with 43^rd Recce on the 24^th September.  315 of the 43rd Division’s Dorset infantry (Dick joined up with the Dorsets) crossed the Rhine from here to safeguard the planned evacuation of the remaining 1^st Airborne from Oosterbeek – 200 were captured but they succeeded in delivering the plans for the evacuation to Urquehart.  That night 2,000 men were successfully evacuated including 160 of the Polish paratroopers and 75 of the Dorset infantry.  Eric Postles recalls “When it became clear that the Arnhem Bridge was beyond 30 Corps' reach our squadron was moved to join 43 Division infantry where we protected their right flank as they advanced to the Waal, crossed it and helped the Airborne survivors back from the Osterbeek area.  The crossing place was just downstream from Driel and the attack took place at night using moonlight (searchlights on cloud) and Bofar gun tracer to mark the boundaries.  43 Division crossed the river and surviving Airborne troops were brought back but the cost in lives of the 43 Division infantry was heavy.” 

 

Dick Williams, our protagonist, had links to almost all the key forces in Market Garden, including his former units – 1^st Airlanding Reconnaissance, 43^rd Recce and the Dorsets, his future regiment - 52^nd Recce, the US Airborne, who he was to fight beside in Holland and the Ardennes, and his brother-in-law in the Guards.

On 25^th September the top commanders in Market Garden – Montgomery, Eisenhower and Browning (Chief of the British Airborne) stopped beside Eric Brewer to give out cigarettes, ask about their food and did they have any complaints?  The bold plan for a rapid thrust into Germany from the Netherlands was dead and had cost 15,000 Allied lives.

There is a verse in the poem ‘Destination Berlin’ (written by the commander of 61^st Recce’s ‘B’ Squadron, Major Frank Harding):

“Monty stood up in his car

Having espied from afar

Chutes in trees and gliders wrecked

Arnhem: he gave cigarettes.”

    

    Dick wrote to Chotie on the 25th September finally admitting that “we’ve been on the move all the time with practically no rest and plenty of work to be done.”  Everyone must have been writing letters since he had about a hundred to censure.

 

On 26^th September Eric Brewer was on a hill next to a canal looking into Germany.  He hoped “to be in there soon as the plan to go to the Zuider Zee has changed because the bridges across the Rhine are blown so we are pushing west into Germany.” (Actually, he was to be in the Netherlands for quite a while.)  He’d found some film and borrowed a camera so there are a few photos from around this time:

Eric Brewer is in the centre in the half-track

 

Dick wrote to Chotie again on 27^th September:

61^st Recce Regt RAC, BLA

Wednesday Sept 27^th

Chotie Darling,

                                    I posted a letter to you yesterday, but as I have a free day today I thought I’d start another, anyhow.

            I’m in a farmhouse writing this, a big rambling place with massive oak-beamed rooms – quite pleasant.  There is also the most wonderful baby you ever saw who belongs to the farmer’s wife.  In keeping with the place she’s a massive woman herself, who’s reared hundreds of children – and looks like rearing hundreds more.

            It’s raining steadily at the moment, which makes it a double pleasure to be indoors – as farmyards are always so depressing in rain.

            My friend Winsor* (‘The Duke’) has now returned, after an absence of some six or seven weeks, which makes life so much more bearable.  He started off in true form last night by taking about 2 quid from me at pontoon….

            I’ve been having a look at this demob. racket.  It appears that I don’t come off too badly.  Brinner of course is worse off, as he’s younger and has less service, so he’ll probably end up in Burma after all.  How do you come off?  I suppose I’ll have to marry you in the end, if only to get you out of the army….What a price to pay!

            I’ve written a letter to Madelaine** to thank her for the books and general kindness shown at Oudenaarde.  It was written in French with the aid of a Dictionary (my written French is pretty poor stuff), and I was quite pleased with the result, though I expect it will provoke some laughter in the family.

            Have just received your letter of the 22^nd, which I’m tacking on to this one.  It’s rather a long time in the post these days isn’t it?  Though I suppose it takes longer by having to go to your home address first.

            Very pleased to hear that you saw the Queen and Princess – bet you were thrilled.

            Congratulations on passing the course at all*** – I suppose you’ll be chucking me about when I get home again….

            It’s lovely and bright this morning – really September – though I think the Autumn will be a little tardy this year, in these parts at any rate.  It should be rather beautiful when it does come, as nearly all the roads are lined with trees.

            Mother had a letter from Monica**** recently telling her that her husband has returned to England from France with gastric trouble and ‘shellshock’ (now called ‘mental neurosis’ I believe, which is a kinder name), so I suppose he’s out of it for good.  I’d better write her, I suppose as she sent me a card on my last birthday.  Mother said she was after my address – a bad sign.

            I must close here, Darling as there’s plenty of work to be done, this sunny morn.

                        All my love, Chotie Darling

                                                                                    Dicker

*Geoff Winsor or Winzer or maybe even Windsor!

**Madelaine Gervaert

***Chotie was now a qualified PT Instructor and back at Dean's Farm, Hunt Court, Cheltenham where her Ack-Ack unit was stationed.

****Dick’s ex-girlfriend.

© Chotie Darling

 

50^th Division, with 61^st Reconnaissance, were now tasked with guarding the bridge and bridgehead north of Nijmegen, an area between the Rhine and Waal rivers known as ‘the Island’ – the new front-line.  On 30^th September a German infantry Division and seventy tanks attacked the section held by 69^th Brigade (the East Yorks and the Green Howards). The battle for ‘the Island’ had begun.

 

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 - D Day

This post is in memory of the 61^st Reconnaissance Regiment

 and their sacrifice 75 years ago on 6^th June 1944

For nearly a year the Allies had been planning in detail and in secret the invasion of France.  Secrecy was vital to maintain the element of surprise, keeping Hitler’s defences strung along the whole of northern France and the Low Countries.  The Germans knew an invasion was coming from the build-up of radio traffic and ships but poor air reconnaissance meant that the dummy army in Kent and Sussex left them expecting an attack in the Pas de Calais, nearest to Belgium, even when Allied troops and tanks had landed in Normandy.

Eisenhower’s ‘bravest act of the war’ (according to General Miles Dempsey, the Commander of 2^nd British Army) was to send the invasion force across the Channel on the night of 5^th June.  Bad weather made a postponement of the original D-Day from 5^th June inevitable.  On 4^th June the Supreme Allied Commander received a fresh forecast that the weather might ease overnight and decided that Tuesday 6^th June would be D-Day.  The Germans, who had much less accurate meteorological reports, thought landings would be impossible between the 5^th and 7^th June; Rommel, now in charge of ‘The Western Wall’ defences, returned to Germany for his wife’s birthday and the Kriegsmarine (German Navy) even cancelled their shore patrols of the Channel.

Meanwhile in Operation Neptune almost 7,000 ships, led by the minesweepers, had set sail from ports all along the south coast of England, coalescing in a ‘spout’ between the Isle of Wight and Normandy.  From midnight thousands of paratroopers were dropped behind enemy lines to seize critical bridges and guard the invaders’ routes inland.  A coded BBC message had alerted the French Resistance.  While the Navy policed the Channel either side of the spout the RAF and US Army Air Force had bombed road and rail infrastructure over much of northern France to interfere with German troop and tank movements and keep them guessing where the landings would occur.  Now, just before dawn, the Naval bombardment of the beach defences began and the Germans on the coast (units of 7^th Army west of the River Orne and 15^th Army to the east) beheld the largest invasion force in military history.

On ‘Utah’ beach, on the east side of the Cherbourg peninsula, the 4^th Infantry Division of US VII Corps landed with far fewer casualties than expected and began to move inland to relieve the paratroopers of the US 82^nd and 101^st Airborne.  To the east the defences around Vierville and St. Laurent somehow escaped the naval and air bombardments and the legendary ‘bloodbath’ of ‘Omaha’ beach began.  The 1^st and 29^th Infantry Divisions of US V Corps lost more than 2,000 and the American Rangers, who were to take the cliffs of Pointe de Hoc were decimated.  Survivors reaching the beach from their landing craft amid heavy fire found their way to the shelter of sandy bluffs or sea walls and eventually moved inland, the Rangers scaling 100 foot cliffs.

North-west of Caen on ‘Sword’, the easternmost of the beaches, the landing of British 3^rd Division was a ‘remarkable success’ but ‘they were slow pushing forward’ and, encountering 21^st Panzer later in the day, they failed to seize Caen.  The city, soon heavily defended, was not to fall to the Allies until several weeks later.

British 6^th Airborne Division had landed on their flank securing the critical connecting bridge over the Orne (now named ‘Pegasus’ in their honour) and blowing bridges on the River Dives to foil German attacks from the east.

The Canadian 3^rd Division, landing on ‘Juno’ beach, faced heavily fortified seaside villages and defences networked by tunnels but their follow-up units were able to move inland quickly through the fierce fighting of the first waves.   41 and 48 Commando, landing at the facing edges of ‘Sword’ and ‘Juno’ succeeded in connecting the beaches despite a determined advance by 21^st Panzer between the bridgeheads.

 

From 60th Anniversary - The D-Day Landings Northern France.

Our friends in 61^st Reconnaissance Regiment were destined to land on ‘Gold’ beach, between the Canadians on ‘Juno’ and the Americans on ‘Omaha’.  Eric Postles, Sandy Handley and Don Aiken boarded Tank Landing Ships (LSTs) with their vehicles at Southampton docks on 1^st June and spent the next three days in the Solent, north of the Isle of Wight.  On Sunday 4^th June they received final briefings on their landing beaches and targets inland and found out their destination was Normandy.  Eric Brewer boarded his ship on the Sunday but, though all were now prepared for action, they were delayed for another day.  The rough weather meant many were seasick and although the food was good all they were given to sleep on was a couple of burial bags as blankets!

To get inshore they had to drive onto flat-bottomed ferry-like landing craft called Rhinos.  Don’s ship lost one of the two Rhinos it was towing somewhere in the Channel.

“The 50^th Division attacking ‘Gold’, the most westerly of the British beaches, ran into their first serious difficulty in front of the fortified German positions at Le Hamel.  The 1^st Hampshires and 1^st Dorsets landed under furious fire from bunkers scarcely scarred by the bombardment and manned by the German 1^st Battalion of 716^th Division.  The British supporting tanks arrived too late to give the infantry immediate support and …very few of the Royal Marine Centaurs arrived at all” (having capsized in their landing craft).  “Three of the five landing craft bringing 47 Commando ashore struck mines…the survivors swam to the beach and regrouped to begin their advance on Port-en-Bessin” (the critical port east of Omaha beach defended by the experienced 316^th Division). “46 men and almost every wireless set had been lost.” (From ‘Overlord’ by Max Hastings, Macmillan 2016 edition)

61st Recce fared even worse:

"Nearly half the contact patrols with the assaulting infantry were killed or wounded on D-Day, either on the beaches or before reaching them.  Nevertheless, they justified themselves by getting much information back to divisional Headquarters before it arrived by the normal channels and some of the patrols, whose sets had been shot-up, did great work with their weapons.”  (From ‘A Reconnaissance Regiment in the B.L.A.’ by Lt-Col P.H.A.Brownrigg, D.S.O.)

By 9.30am the beach was secured against determined enemy resistance and during the rest of the morning the forces of 50th Division pushed inland four miles towards the town of Creully.  The battle for Le Hamel itself raged on until afternoon. (From 60th Anniversary - The D-Day Landings Northern France.)

Eric Brewer of B Squadron’s Assault Troop landed near Port-en-Bessin at 7.30 am with a bicycle (this soon got a puncture and he threw it away).  Pushing inland they got lost and seem to have ended up far behind enemy lines in the Caumont-l'Éventé area, about 20 miles from the coast, near Briquessard.  A machine gun opened up from behind a hedge, killing their carrier driver.  Eric finally found the rest of his Squadron in France on 8^th June.

Extract from Eric Brewer's diary copyright of Derek Brewer and family

 

By the time Don Aiken’s ship arrived in late morning the 1^st Hampshire’s had cleared the beach near Arromanches.  When his armoured car drove off the remaining Rhino he sank into a bomb hole leaving only the turret exposed but the Humber armoured car kept moving.  All the vehicles had been carefully waterproofed in preparation for an amphibious landing with a compound of grease, lime and asbestos fibres.  Moving to the de-waterproofing area, Don accidentally sent a smoke bomb into one of the nearby German minefields; luckily it didn’t trigger an incident – except with the British officer in charge of the beach! 

The Regiment was meant to reach a wooded hill about 15 miles inland to ‘seize and hold’ with the 8th Armoured Brigade but all the delays meant most didn’t reach it.  Don spent the night standing in pitch blackness next to his vehicle, wondering where the nearest Germans were.

Eric Postles also encountered issues with getting ashore: “The heavy seas caused problems for the ships towing Rhinos and we were late arriving at the beach.  After much effort our Rhino was linked to the ship’s ramp and my carrier was first on the ramp when the Rhino broke away.  We jumped off the vehicle and waited for the reconnection before finally getting onto the Rhino next to a bulldozer which was intended to lead us off.  We got near the water’s edge and the bulldozer which was intended to destroy obstacles drove off but disappeared under the water and we did not see the driver again.  The Rhino moved further along the beach and we all got ashore.  It was late afternoon.

There were beached ships and landing craft everywhere and we were directed to a track which led off the beach and through the sand hills.  There was a lot of enemy shelling activity and our heavy warship and rocket ships were firing over us.  There were groups of prisoners and we passed a line of British dead lying side by side.” 

Eric spent the night at the edge of a cornfield where there were a number of dead Germans.  “It was an uncomfortable night”.  (Extract from ‘My War Years’ by John Eric Postles ISO used by kind permission of the author.)

By nightfall 50^th Division’s 231st (Dorsets, Devons and Hampshires) and 151st (Durham Light Infantry) Brigades were just two miles short of Bayeux while the 69th (East Yorks & Green Howards) had linked up with the Canadians from Juno beach.

With the roughness of the sea and many Rhinos breaking away from their parent ships only half the 61st Reconnaissance contingent got ashore on D-day.  Sandy Handley’s ship lost a Rhino so not everyone could be taken to the shore.  He was still floating offshore near Arromanches overnight, grateful not to be one of the 50% casualties among the Recce who landed first on D Day.

Major Brownrigg, commander of ‘A’ Squadron, was also not able to land until 7^th June but the Regiment’s Commander Colonel William Mount was ashore and arranged a new rendez-vous well within the bridgehead. He was held up  reaching there by heavy machine gun fire and when Major Brownrigg called on the wireless he was told “Get off the air, I’m shooting Boches.”

All the 61^st Recce invasion squad had landed by the end of 7^th June.  Coming off the Rhino into about 4 feet of water, 50 yards from the beach, was nerve-wracking enough, even without heavy fire.  Engineers were still dealing with the underwater beach obstacles, many with mines attached.  Among the British dead the biggest Union Jack Sandy had ever seen was flying in a gentle breeze.  Later when Sandy saw a dead German by the side of the road he thought “A man the same as me doing what I was told to do.”

Despite the Humber’s engine catching fire as they drove away from the beach Sandy reached the 61^st Recce rendez-vous between Brécy and Rucqueville for the night of 7^th June and heard that 50^th Division had succeeded in taking Bayeux, the first city in France to be liberated after D-day.

 

Sources include ‘The Second World War’ by Antony Beevor (published by Weidenfield and Nicolson 2012), ‘Overlord’ by Max Hastings (Macmillan 2016 edition) and accounts by veterans of the 61st Reconnaissance Regiment.

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 - defending Bristol

At the beginning of March 1944 Dick and 61^st Reconnaissance Division , now attached to the 50^th (Northumbrian) Division, were at Whittlesford, near Cambridge.  Training for Operation Overlord kept them very busy – Eric Postles recalls they were given new vehicles and drove over central England running them in.  On one excursion Dick visited Bawdsey Manor, home of the top secret pre-war research on radar that became the Telecommunications Research Establishment in Dorset. 

His letter of 5th March also includes plans to meet up with Chotie during his next leave, although she hadn’t written for some time…...  When they met Chotie confessed to an infidelity, which Dick, though hurt badly, blamed on life in the services.  “It is in this state, of being so completely fed-up that you don’t give a damn what happens, that these things happen.”  Back in Whittlesford on 18th March he wrote: “You don’t need to ask me to forgive you, Chotie.  I shall always be prepared to forgive you anything – except leaving me entirely.”

By Tuesday 21^st March Dick was up in Scotland on one of the hastily arranged training courses to prepare for amphibious landings in France:

Letter written on Friday 24^th March 1944

Ayrshire, Scotland

Friday

Chotie Darling,

                                    Have just received your letter of the 19^th inst. which has been forwarded up from the unit.

            I was very pleased to see that Eric had replied to your letter and that I now have Eric’s address once again.  No excuse now, eh?

            Having a very pleasant time here doing absolutely nothing, as there seems no organisation of any sort here, and nobody worries about you.  I’m in a very cushy mess of practically every Regiment in the Army, though I’ve only met one bloke I knew before.

            I took the afternoon off and walked to Irvine* some three miles along golden sands** in glorious sunshine.  (I omitted to say that I had some three hours sleep in the afternoon on the beach.)  I then had a beer or two in Irvine and bussed back.

            Went skating on Tuesday and a dance in Ayr last night so I thought I’d have things a little quieter this evening, as I spent this morning up to my neck in the sea.***

            I’ll enclose some coupons in this letter.  If I remember that is.  What are they worth to you?

            All the pubs up here close at 8.30 pm except one in Ayr.  Unfortunately the barmaid there became much too friendly for my liking so I stay clear now.  She was a very charming little thing but obviously didn’t know her own mind.  So now I have to drink in the mess – very unsatisfactory. 

How are you behaving these days?  Being a good girl I hope.  Write and tell me all about him won’t you?  If he’s under forty I’ll be jealous, and if he’s over forty I’ll spank you.

            Must close here, Baby

                                                            All my love

                                                                                    Dicker

 

*Irvine is a town in North Ayrshire on the west coast of Scotland. A couple of Combined Operations WW2 camps were situated to the south of Irvine – HMS Dundonald trained all three services in signalling procedures to and from landing craft and the use of navigational aids to assist small landing craft find their way to designated landing places on hostile beaches.  HMS Dinosaur focused on tank landing craft training. (From the Combined Operations website.) 

**Barassie beach

*** “For the landings to be successful and for breakout from the bridgehead on the French coast to be achieved the men of all three services not only had to be equipped they also had to be trained.  It was to be training like no other, rigorous, realistic and relentless and much of it took place in Scotland.”  (Originally from the website www.scotsatwar.org.uk but this link no longer works.  Can anyone help me credit the source?)  

 © Chotie Darling

Meanwhile Chotie’s job was to help defend Bristol and the Severn Estuary ports from German air attacks.  The city received its first bombing raid since 1942 on 27^th March 1944 with 139 Luftwaffe planes targeting the harbour.  13 of those planes were lost and the ‘Baby Blitz’ was unsuccessful due to Bristols’ excellent defences (my mother was always prepared to take full responsibility for this) and poor target marking by the Germans.

German planes on bombing mission

The Allies’ strategic bombing of Germany was now achieving important results, not just through the impact on targets (although cities had been devastated and much infrastructure disabled) but particularly through the loss of Luftwaffe planes and experienced pilots.  This success, due to the deadly long-range fighter planes that now escorted the bombers, was to prove critical to the eventual outcome of Overlord and the Battle of Normandy.

The United States Army Air Force attacked Berlin with a huge force of bombers and fighters on 4^th and 6^th March and the RAF followed up with a thousand plane raid on the 24^th.  Stuttgart and Nuremberg also suffered heavy air attacks by the RAF and Bomber command began strategic attacks on northern France in preparation for the Allied invasion.

The National Council for the French Resistance published its plans for the future of a free France after the war on 15^th March.  On 26^th March in Haute Savoie 10,000 German troops and French militia attacked the 465 Maquisards gathered on the Plateau de Glières , now maintained as an important monument to the Resistance.

In the Ardeatine Caves near Rome the Germans executed 336 Italians in revenge for partisans killing 35 German police.  The Allies were struggling in their attempt to reach Rome - a third attack on Monte Cassino failed on 23^rd March and the forces landed at Anzio were still held in the beachhead.  However, airfields in southern Italy were now used to support Tito’s communist resistance in Yugoslavia.

On 19^th March the Hungarian leader, Miklos Horthy, who had been secretly negotiating with the Allies, was arrested and German troops marched in to occupy Hungary.  The SS immediately began deporting Hungarian Jews to Auschwitz.

The Russians were now very near (see Atlas of the World Battle Fronts).  On 15^th March in Poland they reached the Bug River, the boundary agreed between Russia and Germany when they invaded in 1939, and on 28^th March Soviet troops crossed into Romanian territory near the Black Sea.

Burma (Myanmar) was another critical zone in March 1944.  On 7^th March 100,000 Japanese advanced from north-west Burma into India in Operation U-Go.  Behind Japanese lines the airborne British Chindit expedition, Operation Thursday, had landed near Indaw in central northern Burma on 5^th March and the American ‘Merrill’s Marauders’ were fighting for control of Myitkina in the far north near China.  Allied forces in the far western Arakan, near the port of Muangdaw, continued to advance the southern frontier against the Japanese.  However, the Chindits lost their unconventional leader, Orde Wingate, in a plane crash on 24^th March.

75 years ago - 61st Reconnaissance Regiment

Dick joined 61^st Reconnaissance Regiment at the Medieval Lympne Castle in the second week of November 1942.  Before starting work as an officer he had nine days leave with Chotie at his home in Pagham, Sussex.  His first letter to her as a 2nd Lieutenant is "rather sketchy but the security angel cuts out everything worth writing – almost …."  We know from Eric Postles that 61st Recce were on coastal defence duties, patrolling between Folkestone and Romney in Kent. 

Managing to get back to Pagham on a 24 hour overnight pass on Wednesday 17^th November Dick was re-united with his brother Brin and his sister Diller, both home on leave (Diller from the pay Corps and Brin from Officer training).  He nearly got stuck at Brighton station on his way back having lost his wallet but was helped out by the local YMCA.  Around this time he also met up with Don Johnston, his old friend from 43^rd Recce (later killed in the sinking of the Derrycunihy soon after D Day).

61^st Division was also a training unit and Dick was involved in a week’s exercise in the Kent countryside in mid November.  He wrote to Chotie on his return:

Letter written on Sunday 28th November 1943

2/Lt R K Williams

‘B’ Sqdn. 61^st Recce Regt

Recce Corps, Home Forces

Sunday 28^th

Chotie Darling,

                                                I’m now back again and settled down after the scheme, which lasted for its original duration much to everyone’s disgust.

            On the whole I had quite a happy time, as I either stayed at, or passed through, several old haunts well known to the family in the old Morris Cowley* days, and coupled with the opportunity so often missed of worming my way into a vast number of period farmhouses and the like.

            The weather was excellent, cold but dry and as we stayed in one little village for three days without doing anything of military importance, we managed to get sufficiently well organised to hold ABCA*** periods and run a football tournament.  I evaded these two popular pastimes however, and mooched about a local farm until the daughter of the house asked me in for coffee and CHOCOLATE Biscuits!  Her undoubted charms left me cold, but I took a lively interest in the biscuits.  Lovely old house, with a massive oak beam over the fireplace marked 1600.

The major** came back yesterday.  He appeared quite a good type – reads Balzac, so I’m well in.

Nothing much happens here.  I’ve just finished a 48 hr spell of Duty Officer, rather a cushy appointment.  I get another 24 hr next Wednesday so I may go up to ……….. (word inked out).  There’s nothing to do here, or locally, but the snag is the fare.  It will be the second day I’ve had off in three weeks, which isn’t so good, to my way of thinking.

Many thanks for your letter, Darling, most welcome at the conclusion of an exercise.  Glad to hear you’ve got, or rather you’re getting, a rise****.  I bet you’re getting more than me after all.  After I’ve paid income tax, messing***** etc, I get the equivalent of Lance Corporal’s pay….

Must close here for dinner.

                                    All my love precious

            Dicker.

*presumably the family car from his childhood at Orpington in Kent.

**Army Bureau of Current Affairs – an organisation set up to educate and raise morale among British servicemen in World War 2.

***possibly the Regimental second-in-command, who was a Major, or maybe the Major commanding ‘B’ Squadron. Dick was one of 23 to 30 subalterns in the Regiment – commissioned officers below the rank of captain, generally comprising first and second (junior) lieutenants. Dick, as a newly commissioned officer, was a second lieutenant.

****due to her new qualification as Operator Fire Control?

*****Commissioned Officers were required to eat in the Officers’ Mess and pay a subscription fee for supplies and upkeep. They would also be expected to wear formal attire for evenings in the mess.

 © Chotie Darling

Dick, of course, was now in the regiment of the Recce Men we’ve been following.  All were in ‘B’ Squadron: a reconnaissance regiment consisted of the Regimental HQ with HQ Squadron and three Reconnaissance Squadrons (‘A’, ‘B’ and ‘C’) of about 150 men each.  Every Squadron had its own HQ, three Scout or Recce Troops consisting of one Recce and two Carrier sections - and one Assault or Infantry Troop.  (From ‘The British Reconnaissance Corps in World War II’ by Richard Doherty, Osprey Publishing 2007).  In 1943 Anthony Rampling and Eric Brewer were in the Assault troop (lorried infantry called in to overcome enemy resistance) while Dick and Eric Postles served in Scout Troops. 

 
Dick's Recce officer lanyard

Although Home Defence was still important (particularly Anti-Aircraft response) Britain was becoming more relaxed about the possibilities of invasion.  The fascist leader Oswald Mosly was released from prison, on grounds of ill health, on 17^th November 1943.  The next day the RAF began a series of very heavy raids against the German capital of Berlin, killing thousands of civilians.

In Poland as Operation Reinhard (the plan to exterminate Polish Jews) reached its culmination, 42,000 Jews working in forced labour camps were murdered by the Germans in the so called ‘Operation Harvest Festival’.  The world was waking up to the horror of the Holocaust when the dreadful atrocity of Babi Yar - the ravine where Nazis had shot and buried about 100,000 men, women and children - was revealed soon after the Soviet Army took the Ukrainian city of Kiev on 6^th November.

Wet and wintry weather was hitting both the Eastern and Italian Fronts.  In Italy the Allies advance slowed as General Mark Clark’s 5^th Army reached Monte Camino, the mountain ridges defending the main route to Rome.  The failed British attempt to take the ridge on 5^th November resulted in its nickname of ‘Murder Mountain’.  Montgomery’s 8th Army was now approaching the strategically important port of Ortona on the Adriatic coast but the Germans fiercely defended the town for another month.

In the Mediterranean Sea, Germany’s sinking of HMS Rohna, with the loss of 1,138 of the US troops she was carrying, would have been such a blow to Allied morale that it was kept secret until 1967!

Americans were engaged in terrible conflict with the Japanese in the Pacific.  1,000 US Marines were killed in the 3 day battle for tiny Tarawara Atoll in the Gilbert Islands - as well as 5,000 Japanese and Koreans - and on 1^st November the battle of Bougainville Island, east of Papua New Guinea, began and lasted until August 1945 (the end of war in the Pacific).  On 25^th November US planes based in China started to bomb the Japanese Island of Formosa (now Taiwan), contributing to a massive Japanese offensive against the airfields in early 1944.

Chiang Kai-Shek, the Chinese Nationalist leader, met Roosevelt and Churchill at a conference in Cairo http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ww2peopleswar/timeline/factfiles/nonflash/a1140364.shtml (BBC History website) on 22^nd November to confirm their strategy against Japan.  Russia had not declared war against Japan and so did not attend but the two western leaders met Stalin together for the first time in Iran, at the Tehran Conference on 28^th November, where he agreed to join the  fight against Japan once Germany had been defeated.  Roosevelt and Churchill promised that they would invade France in a second western front by May 1944.  This was to be Operation Overlord and the beginning of Dick's war in Europe....

75 years ago - Commissioned

Chotie was in Whitby in Yorkshire when Dick wrote to her on 9th October to plan his November leave.  On 13th October he filled in a preference form for the Recce Corps and staked a claim to the 61^st Recce (based on family or ‘territory’), possibly because they were by then in his home county of Kent, or maybe because they were not far from his family at Pagham in Sussex

In mid-October he had a “glorious time on exercise in the Cotswolds.  Went to Cheltenham, Gloucester, etc.” – from letter to Chotie back in Easton-on-Gordano on 23rd October.  By 26th October his plans for leave with Chotie were definitely shaping up, mainly based on the Pagham pubs.

On 30th October 1943 Dick received his commission as an officer in the Reconnaissance Corps and was appointed to the 61^st Reconnaissance Regiment.  He had already served in the Recce Corps:  from April to July 1942 he was in 1^st Air Landing Reconnaisssance Squadron; then moved to the 43^rd Reconnaissance Regiment and trained as a Driver/Mechanic before beginning officer training in March 1943

 

We have been following 61^st Recce through the lives of Eric Postles, Eric Brewer and Anthony Rampling, who were now troopers with the Regiment on anti-invasion duties.  Eric Postles writes:

“61 Division was downgraded to home defence and moved to Kent.  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.”   (Extracts from ‘My War Years’ by John Eric Postles ISO used by kind permission of the author.)

By October 1943 the threat of German invasion was low.  The Allies were advancing on east and west fronts.

After the loss of Kursk and Kharkov in July and August Hitler had at last authorised a retreat to the River Dnepr in central Ukraine, defending a line from Smolensk to Kiev and the Black Sea.  Smolensk had been taken by the Soviet Army at the end of September and on 24^th October they broke through the southern end of the line near the Sea of Azov, threatening to isolate the German Army left on the Crimean Peninsula. 

Pressed by the Allies, Franco ordered the Spanish volunteers of the Blue Division, fighting with Germany on the eastern front, to return to Spain.

Meanwhile the Allied forces in Italy broke through the German’s Volturno line of defence at Termoli at the beginning of the month and by the end of October had also broken the Barbara line to the north.  However, these had only been holding positions while the German’s built major defences along their so called ‘Winter line’ across the mountains protecting the route to Rome and to the Adriatic coast at Ortona.

Badoglio’s Italian government declared war on Germany on 13^th October.  Three days later the Nazis began to round up the Jews in Rome – 1,800 were sent to the Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp and murdered.  Jews had generally been safe in Italy or the Italian-occupied territory until the September Armistice and Italian people under German occupation continued to protect many.  However, almost 10,000 of the 46,000 Italian Jews had been deported by the end of the war.

On 1^st October Germany had also begun to deport Jews from Denmark but thanks to the Danish people and a German diplomat, Georg Ferdinand Duckwitz, most were already safe in Sweden – 500 Danish Jews were deported during the Holocaust and 120 of these were killed. 

At a conference of high ranking Reich officials on 6^th October Heinrich Himmler spoke frankly for the first the time of the Nazis aspiration for the ‘Final Solution’,  for the Jewish people to ‘disappear from the earth’ and admitted women and children were being killed as well as the men.  Four days later there was an uprising at Sobibor death camp in eastern Poland - of the 300 prisoners who escaped only 47 survived.  250,000 Jews are believed to have been killed at Sobibor from 1942 to 43.

Another barbarous act of the war was coming to its culmination on the other side of the world – on 17^th October the Bangkok (Thailand) to Rangoon (Burma) railway was completed, built by Asian forced labour and Allied Prisoners of War.  The cruelty of the Japanese and Korean overseers was so horrific that more than 70,000 of the enslaved workers died during the construction.

The United Nations War Crimes Commission, which was to prosecute many of the perpetrators of these atrocities, was established on 20^th October 1943.

Britain continued with the night bombing of German cities – Munich on 2^nd October and Kassel on 22^nd, where more than 10,000 people died in the explosions and fires.  Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur Harris’s determination to destroy German cities was seen by many in Britain as just revenge for the Blitz although others have viewed it as a potential war crime. Harris seemed to believe he could bring the war to an end with bombing, avoiding the need for an Allied invasion of France.  Aerial bombardment by Axis or Allied powers, was never prosecuted as a war crime, apparently because it lay outside the scope of international conventions.

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 - Re-union in Poole

Dick and Chotie met again for the first time since December at the Hollies, Chotie’s home in Poole for the weekend of 7th to 9th August.  There are some very happy family photos of this brief time together. 

Chotie's father William Chalkley is on the left, Chotie and Dick on the right and her brother Jack in front.

 

Dick wrote to Chotie at Henbury, Bristol, on his return to Sandhurst :

“I’m beginning to feel that I’ll be damn glad when this show’s over.  How about you?  Then maybe we can get down to things as they should be got down to.” 

On 12^th August he moved to HAC Squadron , the OCTU for Reconnaissance Officers, requiring considerable proficiency in wireless and morse but at least things were ”on a sane basis once again” with good prospects for his career as an officer.  Later in the month he wrote again

5731671 OTC Williams RK

77 Tp HAC Sqdn, 100 (Sandhurst) OCTU          

RHC RMC, Camberley,  Surrey

My Darling Chotie,

                                                                                    I’m very sorry I haven’t been able to write before but have only just got back from a wireless scheme and am also squadron Leader into the bargain.

            You always seem to be on the move*, which is a good thing as you see a little more of the country than I did for the first year or so.

            Just had a letter from Brinner – passed his WOSB easily – the same one that I went on at Betchworth Surrey.  He’ll probably go the (sic) Wrotham pre-OCTU, where Johnny went.

            I get a long(?) week-end in a fortnight’s time which is when Diller gets her leave so I may manage to see her then.

            Had a good time on the scheme although we worked until eleven every night.  Our particular group consisted of four cadets, 2 cars and 2 ATS.  They were very good, doing nearly all the cooking and egg-scrounging from the farms.  We slept in the hay-loft of a barn and they slept in the farmhouse itself.  Quite fun.

We do nothing but wireless schemes all the next fortnight which are pretty cushy physically but pretty bloody mentally.

            I’m trying to write this on my knee – murder, isn’t it?

            I can still see my old tree from our new room.  It’s just beginning to turn brown… As one of our Canucks** said “I guess that means the fall”…

            Haven’t read anything for ages – or seen a flick for that matter.  ‘Spect you still manage to find time for a little quiet reading.  Wish I could.

            No news of any kind – nothing seems to happen these days, except in Berlin.

            Will close here as there’s simply nothing to write about.

                                                            All my love, precious

                                                                                    Dicker

 

*Chotie’s unit moved to Portishead, on the coast west of Bristol, in late August/early September. 

**Canuck – slang for Canadian.

© Chotie Darling

 

Dick’s future Regiment, the 61st Reconnaissance, were still training in the Chilterns. 

 

While Britain was bombing the hell out of Germany with Air Marshal Harris’s ‘blanket bombing’ strategy the Luftwaffe continued to attack our ports, including Portsmouth, where Dick had been stationed from June to September 1941.

The RAF had bombed the devastated city of Cologne again on 2^nd August and on 23^rd August 717 bombers began a series of raids on the German capital, Berlin.  From 17^th August the V2 rocket development site at Peenemunde  on the Baltic Coast was also a target.  Production of this deadly weapon continued inland dependant on forced labour from the camp at Nordhausen.  Another German radio controlled and rocket propelled missile, the Henschel Hs293, was first used against Allied ships in August 1943.

Meanwhile Britain, the United States and Canada were secretly agreeing to share atomic energy research under the Quebec Agreement.  This led to the production and use of the first atomic bombs against Japan in 1945.

The USAAF (United States of America Air Force) was suffering heavy losses from its daylight bombing campaigns focused on military and infrastructure targets.  In August these included attacks on the Ploesti oilfields of Rumania and the Schweinfurt and Regensburg aircraft factories in central and southern Germany.

By August 17^th the western Allies were in occupation of Sicily and Patton entered the port of Messina with the US 7^th Army.  However, beginning on 11^th August the Germans had organised a very effective withdrawal conveying 110,000 troops across the Straits of Messina to the Italian mainland.  As German leaders met with the new Italian government in Venice, German troops were also pouring into Italy from the north.  Hitler suspected that without Mussolini the Italians would quickly surrender to the Allies.

In Eastern Europe one of the most significant concentration camp revolts took place at Treblinka in Poland on 2nd August.  Jewish inmates staged an uprising enabling more than 300 prisoners to escape (although only 100 survived the subsequent Nazi manhunt).

In Bulgaria King Boris III died suddenly on 28^th August  in mysterious circumstances having resisted Hitler’s demands for Bulgarian Jews to be sent to the concentration camps (although Jews were deported from the Bulgarian occupied territories in Macedonia, Thrace and Serbia).  On the same day the Danish government resigned rather than hand over resistance saboteurs to the German authorities.  Denmark became ruled by Germany who imposed martial law but thousands of Jews managed to escape to Sweden thanks to the help of Danish sympathisers.

To the east Russia was commencing a huge offensive to regain its occupied territory.  North of Kursk, Orel was taken following the German retreat and then Briansk while to the south Belgorad and then the eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkov were liberated.

Churchill and Roosevelt met with the Canadian Prime Minister Mackenzie King at the Quebec conference on 17^th August (Stalin had also been invited).   They agreed the plan to invade France from Britain (later called Operation Overlord) and established a South-East Asia Command to be led by Vice-Admiral Louis Mountbatten.  The ‘independent’ Burmese government, established by Japan on 1^st August, had declared war on Britain and Burma was a critical supply route for south China.

On 5^th August US troops finally took Munda airfield on New Georgia in the Solomon Islands where the US Navy was also fiercely engaged with the Japanese trying to land re-enforcements.  A US destroyer captain, John F Kennedy, became marooned on an island with the crew he’d helped to survive from his stricken ship but was rescued 6 days later.  He later became the 35^th President of the United States.

Letters to a New Recruit

In June 1943 a new recruit had joined up and was training at Fulford Barracks near York.  Private Eric Brewer was to become one of the brave Assault Troopers of 61^st Reconnaissance Regiment, fighting in Normandy, Belgium and the Netherlands before he was injured in December 1944.  He kept these letters from when he first joined up and a diary, which is an important record of 61^st Recce’s war (included in Roy Howard’s account of the regiment ‘Beaten Paths are Safest’, Brewin Books 2004 and on this blog from 17th May 1944).

Extract from the letter sent by Eric Brewer’s mother from the family home at Grays (between Basildon and Dagenham, Essex) to Private E Brewer, No 5 Squad, A Company, No 15 Primary Training Centre, Fulford Barracks, York and postmarked 22^nd June 1943:

“Monday

My Dear Eric

So many thanks for all your three letters that I have received today. I was so pleased to hear from you and to know that you had arrived okay and that you were so cheerful about everything. I do miss you Eric but your letters did cheer me up because they were so cheerful.

I expect the inoculations have made you feel rather bad; still I expect they will be for your good afterwards.

I do hope you still will make the best of everything because it helps to pass the time more quickly for when you come home and you bet, you shall have a lovely piece of steak and chips as soon as you arrive.

So your uniform fits you twice - perhaps that is so that when you have finished this six weeks training you will fill out and fit the uniform….

I’ve enclosed an addressed envelope, write as soon as you get time…I expect I shall get used to you being away but I do miss you Eric.  Take care of yourself because I’m counting the weeks until I see you….”

 

Eric’s brother, Captain B Brewer (‘Bas’), wrote with an offer and experienced advice from his station in No 6019180 REME, attached to 537 Battery RA in Danbury Essex:

“Well Eric you certainly seem to be having a time at York but from what I can gather this lousy army doesn’t seem to appeal to you too much, or should I say very little . …. Anyway Eric I’ll do my best to try and get you into this mob. That do you? There’s no “spit and polish” here.” ……

…..And another thing, don’t get in the front row of a parade, always get in the centre one. You see the front row and the back is much more noticeable. And again if the Sergeant ever asks for volunteers for a job or to go out the front on a lecture or such thing, don’t volunteer.

How did you get on at firing the other day? OK I hope but not too good. You see they sort out the good shots for snipers and that’s a lousy job I can tell you, so if you go firing again don’t be too good at it……”

 

Eric must have got pretty ‘good at it’ to be in a Reconnaissance Assault Troop.

He was transferred to the Recce Corps in July 43 and went on to combined Recce training at Catterick 12^th August 1943.

 

  Photo taken in York, summer 1943.  Eric Brewer is in the centre row 4^th from the left.

Extract and photo copyright of Derek Brewer and reproduced here by kind permission of Derek and his family.

75 years ago - Defending Plymouth

At the beginning of June 1943 Dick was at the Royal Armoured Corps Officer Cadet Training Unit (Sandhurst) near Camberley in Surrey.  He went to battle camp in Snowdonia from Sunday 13^th June to Saturday 19^th (or 26^th?) June

Chotie had moved with her Anti-Aircraft battery - 462 Hy (M) – to the Plymouth area at Millbrook on the Cornish side of the Tamar.  Co-incidentally (or predicted by British Intelligence eg through code intercepts?) since on Monday 14^th June Plymouth suffered a heavy attack by the Luftwaffe with more than 70 high explosive bombs dropped on the city in just half an hour, hundreds of incendiary bombs falling on Saltash (just north of Millbrook) and phosphorous bombs falling on Mount Edgecombe Park (just south of Millbrook).  Chotie was already having ‘a lively war’. 

Luftwaffe aerial photo and map of the approaches to Plymouth and defences including Millbrook, January 1942

Dick wrote to her on a Tuesday earlier in the month (presumably 1st or 8th June ):

5731671 Officer Cadet Williams RK

77 Troop ‘B’ Sqdn

100 (Sandhurst) Octu RAC

R.M.C. Camberley, Surrey

Tuesday

Thanks very much for your letter and photo*.  It’s quite good don’t you think?  I’ve got a God awful photo of my troop taken the first day we had here.  (Actually I haven’t yet got one – it’s on the way).  We had one taken at Blackdown and that was so horrible that everyone refused to buy one.  I paid for mine and am still hoping to get my money back…. 

            I’ll send you one of the Sandhurst ones when they arrive.

            I’m writing this during a Gas lecture under pretence of writing notes so I have to keep stopping and pretending to look interested.  I don’t think I’m kidding this bloke, though.

            Well, how do you like Plymouth**?  You appear to have struck it lucky in getting such frequent changes of location.  I always seemed to stick for months in really horrible places.  Brinner had ten months at Basingstoke and I can’t think of much worse than that.  Mind you move Eastwards next time.  Somewhere about Lilliput*** would be rather handy or even Chichester or somewhere like that.

            (It’s a murderous job trying to write on one knee watching the lecturer with one eye and trying to appear reasonably attentive.)

            I get quite a nice time here on Sundays as all O/D’s**** draw cycles to go to church in Camberley.  Needless to say no one goes to church.  For my part, I repair to a certain YOCH I wot of and there drink gallons of tea (no sugar ….), smoke a pipe or two, and read ‘Country Life’ ‘Tatler’ and ‘Field’ until about noon when I lazily mount the crate and trundle back to my present abode at approx... 2mph.  However, we make up for it during the week, especially in PT which consists of pretty bloody runs of about 3-4 miles over obstacle courses in battle order.  Quite fun when you get used to it.  I shall have to use pencil from here as I’ve run out of ink.

            Life here, however, is quite pleasant on the whole though I hope to get transferred to an Infantry OCTU before I finish here.  Recce’s all right but I prefer the old infantry.

            Diller as you know I expect went to Leicester for initial training.  I bet it’s shaking her.  I went to Leicester once from Branksome***** if you remember but wasn’t impressed.  Good huntin’ country.

            Read Rose Macaulay’s ‘And no man’s wit’******, also Noel Langley’s 'There’s a porpoise close behind us’ (re-read).

            Plenty of swimming here, nearly every day in fact – I’ve got quite brown (-ed off…)

            I’m supposed to be going home this weekend for a few hrs.  Only wish I could get to Plymouth but it’s really too much.  I could have made Bristol I think.  However you may move this way soon. 

            I was slung on a charge last week!  Late on parade – but spun the Squadron Commander a yarn and got admonishment – cushy.  I’ll never make it again though, at any rate not with the same bloke – a Grenadier Guards major.  All the officers here are either Grenadier, Irish or Welsh Gds.  No Scots or Coldstreams. 

            It’s now Tuesday evening and as I have a few minutes before dinner I’ll round this letter off.  We’re on parade again at 9 o’clock for a night march….

            It’s been alternate sun and rain here all today, which is a good thing, for this place gets pretty dusty, also the rain helps to fill the swimming-pool.

            The library here contains the Encyclopedia Britannica and Oxford so I’m quite happy to spend a few weeks there every now and then.

            Our troop officer goes by the name of Brixey – Battle-mad Brixey – who’s really very decent and very cushy.  The Guards Officers here nearly all wear long puttees, the old style, that is with service dress slacks.  Very comic appearance until you get used to it.

            I’m afraid this letter’s rambling on in my usual inimitable style (?) ….

            (I’ve put your photo on my chest, furniture not anatomical – looks very good).

            I’m very lucky in having Brian & Chunky as room-mates as we never seem to fight although we argue incessantly of course.  Chunky being a Londoner hates the country period houses, beer, smoking, in fact all the luxuries of life.  Brian being Irish and a pianist in the bargain is often moody and sometimes says hardly a word all day.  He’s over six feet, about fourteen stone and will make a brilliant soldier.  Plans to stay in the army after this show.

            Chunky’s married but being ultra-modern has no children.  Brian says he’s going to get married on his next leave.  I believe I told you he was a ham before joining-up, and was a Captain in the IRA for two years.  Nice people…..

            Warrant Officers here call us Sir and we call them Sir so everyone’s happy.  Occasionally the Sqdn Cmdr or someone dines with the troop which means about an hour and a half in the mess making conversation over really horrible coffee.  Happily I smoke and get rid of the coffee to Brian who eats like a horse.

            Well, Darling I’ll close here as I’ll have to post this before Dinner and the stunt tonight.

            Hope to see you soon, Chotie Darling

                                                            All my love

                                                                        Dicker

    PS. Sorry half is in pencil but no-one has any ink at the moment I want it.

*See group photo of ATS from Bristol .

**This letter was addressed to W/242328 Pte Chalkley B.E.

ATS OFC ‘B’ Tp, 462 Hy (M) AA Bty RA, c/o GPO. Millbrook, NR Plymouth       

***a little village by the Harbour in Poole

****Officers of the Day or Officer Developers?

*****Dick was stationed in Branksome from September 1941.  See To Branksome

****** Rose Macaulay’s ‘And no man’s wit’ is a novel based on the Spanish Civil War. Noel Langley’s ‘There’s a porpoise close behind us’ is set in the backstage world of London theatre.

 © Chotie Darling

 

On 11th June 1943 Allied planes prepared for their first invasion in Europe, Operation Husky with the bombing of Sicily but also bombed Greece, Sardinia and northern Italy to continue the deception of Operation Mincemeat.  On 20^th June the RAF adopted the tactic of ‘shuttle bombing’, with planes leaving England to bomb Germany, reloading in North Africa and bombing Italian territory on return.  The Allied airforces also implemented the Pointblank Directive of co-ordinated bombing – the Americans flying ‘precision’ bombing by day and the RAF ‘saturation’ bombing at night.  The German city of Cologne was ‘saturated’ on 29^th June leaving almost 5,000 dead.

‘Radar' was officially adopted as the term for ‘radiolocation’ but remained very secret until the end of the war. The Admiralty at last changed their communications code – Naval Cipher 3 had been decrypted by the Germans in March 1942 leading to tragedy for the Allies in the Atlantic.

De Gaulle trumped Giraud by forming a French government-in-waiting (le Comité Français de la Libération Nationale) to avoid occupation by the other Allies or a communist take-over in the event of an Allied victory.  However, his Conseil National de la Résistance leaders were captured, including Jean Moulin on 21^st June (he died from torture without revealing information) and the communists began to increase their influence in the resistance.

Leaders of the Polish government in exile, including General Sikorski, were killed in a plane crash on 4^th June – a convenience following the discovery of the Katyn massacre that led to many conspiracy theories.  Following the destruction of the Warsaw Ghetto Heidrich Himmler decreed that all Polish and Soviet ghettos were to be liquidated.

On the other side of the world the Allies, led by General MacArthur, began Operation Cartwheel – an attack on the strong Japanese base of Rabaul on New Britain Island, New Guinea, through capture of the surrounding islands and bases – on 30th June 1943.

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 - Defending Bristol

On 6th April 1943 Chotie moved to Markham Camp at Easton-in-Gordano (east of Bristol and the River Avon and south of the important port at Avonmouth).  She joined ‘B’ troop of the 462 Heavy (M) Anti-aircraft Battery as a radar operator or 'spotter'. Easton-in-Gordano also had rocket firing or ‘Z’ sites and it may have been these that terrified her on her first night as ‘Ack-Ack

Rosemary Stewart was ‘B’ troop’s Lance Corporal and she remembers Barbara Chalkley as the only girl who insisted on using eye lash curlers (with boot black if she couldn’t get mascara) before going on parade.

Chotie's ATS Anti-Aircraft unit that defended Bristol in 1943. Chotie has ringed her face at the right-hand end of the second row from the back.

 

Dick had written to Chotie on 28th March while home at Pagham (Sussex) for a few hours.  He’d ‘passed out’ of his first 3 weeks of pre-OCTU training at Aldershot: “ie the hard graft and get it much cushier for the next six – nearly all theory” and his sister Diller was also home prior to enlistment.

He wrote again on 11^th April:

Same address

Sunday

My Darling Chotie,

                                                Many thanks for your letter and the news of your change of address.  Hope you prefer it to Oswestry, - at least you’re a little nearer home ….

            I shall be here for the next seven months or so – at least in this neighbourhood I suppose.

            ‘Fraid I don’t know Bristol – all the blokes in my room at Dover came from this most antique of ports, and, needless to say, consider it the model town of the whole country.  The Clifton Suspension bridge is considered one of the chef d’oeuvres* in the structural engineering world.  I also know a BA who lives at Clifton, hails from the varsity.  That about finishes my knowledge of the town.  Glad to hear you’ve made a friend there.  Always seems to help matters.

            I’ve dropped for Guard Commander for Tuesday next so I’m spending the weekend blancoing etc.

            I start on wireless tomorrow – for a fortnight then a fortnight gunnery – then leave and Sandhurst, maybe…

            I believe I told you there’s an RA** crowd here (ATS).  Always seem to be doing predictor stuff.

            (Have stopped writing to have chat with bloke who’s hobby was mountaineering – very interesting.  Another bloke here – the medico - says his greatest ambition in life is to become a member of the Royal Yacht Squadron!  Nothing like aiming high, is there?  He’ll probably make it.)

            We’ll have to arrange something about my next leave.  You may be able to get a 72hr or something.  I’ll let you know all details when they arrive.

            Had two days out driving last week.  Went to Brighton on Thursday and Oxford on Friday.  Saw Gloucester*** arriving through Oxford in his Rolls.  (One of his Rolls).  Also went through Bicester, Aylesbury, Windsor Great Park, etc.  Made quite a change as I don’t really know this area.

            The country round here is pretty marvellous but the Army of course have got their hands on most of it.  There are literally hundreds of period houses, mostly Tudor cottages which have been used as weekend hide-outs, I should imagine.  It makes me wince every time I see the military in them.

            I’m reading (in brief snatches) Gabriel Chevallier’s ‘Clochemerle’, which is a rather licentious tale of life in a French village.  Very amusing.

            I’m boring you again I suppose so will close here.  Will let you know of any developments as regards leave, etc

                                                All my love

                                                            Darling

                                                            Dicker

P.S.  Excuse envelope – it’s all I have.

* ‘chef d’oeuvre’ – French for masterpiece

** RA – Royal Artillery

***Presumably Prince Henry, the Duke of Gloucester and third son of King George V. He was appointed potential regent by his brother George VI should he die while his daughter, the future Elizabeth II was a minor.

© Chotie Darling

 

Meanwhile our friend Eric Postles was in the Chilterns and had been joined by Anthony Rampling in the 61^st Reconnaissance Regiment – Dick’s future unit.

 

History was with the Poles in April 1943.  On 12^th April German radio announced the discovery of the remains of nearly 15,000 Polish officers and intelligentsia near Katyn in Russia.  The massacre had taken place in April 1940 but was denied by the Soviet Union until 1990.  It caused a diplomatic crisis among the Allies.

On 19^th April German troops stormed the Warsaw Ghetto and met with fierce resistance.  The Polish Jews managed to hold out for another month as the Ghetto was destroyed by fire and flood – those that survived were sent to the Treblinka death camp.

In North Africa the Allies were approaching victory as their forces from the east and west met in Tunisia on 7^th April. Allied planes from African air-bases shot down a record number of Luftwaffe planes on 18^th April but over Germany the RAF and US Eighth Air Force were suffering huge losses.

One of the most famous successful attacks on an aircraft was the US destruction of the plane carrying Admiral Yamamoto, the Commander of Japan’s Imperial Fleet, shortly after he’d ordered the greatest Japanese air strike since Pearl Harbour against Allied bases in the Pacific on 17^th April.

Hitler was busy giving pep talks to his European allies to keep them in the war, particularly Italy.  Britain and America had agreed at the Casablanca Conference that their next step after Africa would be the invasion of Sicily but the US were not yet convinced they should advance into Europe via the Italian Peninsula before attempting to cross the Channel.  (From ‘The Second World War’ by Antony Beevor, published by Weidenfield and Nicolson 2012)

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 - A Very Happy Leave

On 2^nd December 1942 a team of scientists working on the Manhattan Engineering District Project achieved the first self-sustaining nuclear chain reaction.

Atrocities against Jews continued in countries under German occupation.  By the end of December 1942 approximately four million Jews had been killed, as well as 40,000 Roma (on 16^th December 1942 Himmler had ordered that all Roma or gypsies were to be sent to the concentration camps).  News of the death camps had begun to reach the Allies command and on 17th December Britain and the US vowed to avenge Nazi war crimes against the Jewish people.

Fighting continued in terrible conditions on the Russian front.  On 12^th December the German’s Operation Winter Storm attempted to reach and re-inforce their starving Sixth Army at Stalingrad but the Soviets attacked in Operation Little Saturn, forcing withdrawal with the loss of 10% of the Luftwaffe’s transport planes.

In Africa Rommel (unlike the obedient Paulus, commander of the Sixth Army) had defied Hitler’s orders to ‘stand to the last’ and was withdrawing his remaining forces west.  Montgomery’s Eighth Army attacked on 11^th December, in the Battle of El Agheila, but failed to stop the Panzerarmee Africa’s retreat towards Tripoli.  Although Operation Torch in West North Africa was diverting much needed men and supplies from the Axis in Russia, it was not going to plan.  The Germans rapid occupation of Tunisia included the critical north coast port of Bizerte.  However, US planes were now able to attack Italy from airfields in Algeria and Naples was heavily bombed on 4th December killing 900 people.

In the Far East Australian forces at last took the Gona bridgehead from the Japanese on Papua New Guinea and on 21^st December Britain launched a doomed offensive to recapture the Mayu Peninsula in Burma’s Arakan (they were forced to retreat to India after three months and 3,000 casualties).

Nearer to home the new navigational radar system, known as Oboe (and developed by the Telecommunications Research Establishment in Dorset and Malvern) began to be used on 21^st December, greatly increasing the accuracy of RAF bombing.  Six ships were destroyed in Bordeaux Harbour on 11^th/12^th December – not by bombs but with limpet mines attached by Royal Marine commandos who paddled up the Gironde in ‘cockleshell’ collapsible canoes in the heroic Operation Frankton.

Despite the cold-blooded murders under Hitler’s Commando Order the role of commandos was developing. In the Bournemouth area the newly the 3rd Special Services Brigade (which was to see service in Burma) trained under the eye of the novelist Evelyn Waugh, a Staff Officer in Dorset’s Combined Operations command based at Anderson Manor.  Dorset was also hosting the first tests for Barnes Wallis’s bouncing bombs on the Fleet Lagoon.  The county continued to suffer from German bombers, with civilians killed in Poole and Bridport in December 1942 and an attack on the Armoured Fighting Vehicle School at Lulworth Camp.  However, church bells were heard for the first Christmas since the beginning of the war - they had been silenced for use only to warn of invasion but once again rang out in celebration.

 

In late November the 43^rd Reconnaissance Regiment was subject to inspections by General Sir Bernard Paget, the Commander in Chief of Home Forces and Lt-General Stopford, the XII Corps Commander. The Corps, then based in Kent, included Major General Ivor Thomas’s 43rd (Wessex) Division). Dick wrote to Chotie on 26th November 26^th November only of his forthcoming leave and being ‘wet through’ all day.  Individual training continued in December although Dick had a ‘very happy’ week on leave with Chotie from 2^nd December. Chotie returned to Dorset for her sister Margaret’s wedding to a guardsman, Ted Lewis.

Chotie as bridesmaid at Ted and Margaret's wedding

On 13th December 43^rd Recce were issued with light khaki berets, to replace their ‘field caps’.  There were Divisional and Regimental Skeleton exercises before Section Training started on 21^st December when Dick’s HQ Squadron Company went on a route march:

 

Letter Tuesday 22nd December 1942 

PPS.  Good book “Tambour Terrace” Eleanor Dunbar Hall

As before

Tuesday

My Darling,

Sorry I haven’t been able to reply to your last before now, but I’ve been away on a scheme for the last few days.  This culminated in a route march which finished me off – I was wearing new boots, so today finds me on the sick list.  There’s a run on this afternoon and being excused running for five days I’m able to write to my Chotie.

Thanks for the letter and cake.  You must thank Margaret for me – when next you see her.

I had a letter or rather a note from our mutual friend Lightfoot*, last week.  Apparently he’s in Colchester (Essex).

Brinner has also moved to Essex – rather in the wilds, I gather.  I’ve despatched a letter to Diller – shake her I expect – as I’m not sending any cards.

Let me know as soon as you see anything in the cheese-dish line – I hardly remember what they look like.

            Hope your medical** went off all right.  Let me have the dope as soon as possible.  Also the Dance.

Went to a whist drive last week.  No luck of course.  I should have been well in, but went down 12-1 which finished everything.  Really stupid girl for a partner…Ginger.

                        Look like the Fighting French in our berets.  Remember that photo you had of cadets?

                        No news of course.  Devilish dull here – though we don’t get much time anyhow.

                        (With Doug’s letter came a Pkstone Cong***. Magazine.  Know who sent it?  Sure I don’t)

                        Roll on Christmas … (Incidentally which Christmas is the war going to end by now?)

                        Must close here.

All my love Darling

                                                                        Dicker

1. Will send you something if I should ever see anything.

*Doug Lightfoot

**On 17th December 1942 Chotie was enrolled into the Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS) at Southampton.

*** Parkstone Congregational Church (now Parkstone United Reformed Church), opposite Chotie’s home on the corner of Chapel Road and Commercial Road, Parkstone, Poole Dorset.  Chotie met Dick at the church Youth Club when she was fourteen.  Her family left the house in the 1960s and it was knocked down and replaced with a tyre shop.

© Chotie Darling

 

Chotie was about to start a very different life in the ATS so posts particularly concerning Dorset end here.

75 years ago - the End of the Beginning

November 1942 was the month that the tide of the war turned for the Allies. 

In Africa the legendary success of Montgomery and the British Eighth Army at El Alamein pushed Rommel’s German and Italian forces into a retreat from Egypt to Libya.  On 3^rd November General Dwight D Eisenhower was flown from Hurn Aerodrome in Dorset to the Rock of Gibraltar, his base for command of Operation Torch in West North Africa and on 8^th November the American landings began in Algeria and Morocco.  Although initially US troops found themselves fighting the Vichy French, Hitler’s aggressive response to this new threat - sending German troops into the south of France in breach of the 1940 Armistice Agreement - led the French leaders in Africa to declare a ceasefire.  Germans also landed in Tunisia and very soon American forces were engaged in fierce fighting with the Germans for the first time since World War I.  Eisenhower accepted the Vichy French Admiral Darlan as head of French North Africa to the disgust of General de Gaulle, the leader of the Free French.  Admiral Laborde, having been reluctant to hand the French Fleet to the Allies, scuttled the Fleet in Toulon Harbour rather than let it fall into German hands. 

The US Air Force bombed the ‘U’- boat docks at St Nazaire in western France (which was already under German occupation) but their daylight ‘precision bombing’ was proving less than accurate and their airmen paid a high price for flying with visibility.  In Norway British and Norwegian commandos were attempting to destroy the German heavy water plant (critical for the development of German atomic weapons) at Telemark without success.  Denmark had resisted adopting anti-Jewish legislation so Hitler installed a Nazi, Erik Scavenius, as Prime minister.

Hitler (increasingly crazed by amphetamines?) doomed his Sixth Army to annihilation at Stalingrad by commanding the beleaguered forces to again attack this ferociously defended city.  They made their final push on 11^th November - just as the cruel Russian winter took hold - leaving a weakness in their flanks, held by the Romanians.  Operation Uranus, the Soviet encirclement of the Sixth Army, had been planned since September.  Advancing on 19^th November the arms of the circle met by the 22^nd.  Although a diversionary attack at Rhez, Operation Mars, was a disaster, the Red Army could now draw the net around nearly 300,000 men.  The Führer forbade his army to attempt a retreat.

In the Pacific the Second Battle of Guadalcanal left the US Navy finally in command of the waters around this critical stepping stone to victory.   By the end of the month the Japanese had also abandoned their attempt to take the capital of Papua New Guinea, Port Moresby, and had retreated to their original bridgeheads.

As Churchill appositely said in his speech of 10^th November:

“Now this is not the end, it is not even the beginning of the end, but it is perhaps the end of the beginning.”

 

Dick was still kicking his heels in the 43^rd Reconnaissance Regiment at Dover.  On 29th October Corps he sent Chotie a Recce broach and wrote of the “rain, rain, rain for days on end” but with “glorious sunsets”, books and cinema to pass the time.

The Reconnaissance Corps badge

At the beginning of November 43^rd Recce commenced the “Winter Routine” and a 6 week period of intense individual training.  Dick was on exercises, cross-country runs and route marches with lectures on guerrilla warfare from China.  His letter of 6th November sadly mentions friends dead or missing in action: “I’m afraid we’ll all miss someone before this wretched show is over”.  Chotie was still thinking of joining up – she wanted the WRNS initially (a smarter uniform) but was persuaded to join the ATS to work on something new and “top-secret” (radar location of planes for the anti-aircraft guns).

In Dick’s letter of the 10th he’d visited Canterbury, where he was at school before moving to Poole.  He’s also called in on his former girlfriend, Monica – now married and pregnant – and had a frosty reception.  The news was “brightening up” (see above)and Dick writes with some foresight “the importance of command in Libya cannot be over-emphasised as it means command in the Mediterranean, which we hope will lead to the elimination of Italy as an Axis Power”.

On 17th November he writes:

Address as usual

Tuesday

My Darling,

                                    Once again I find I’m able to reply to yours just received instanta, but I’d better not make a habit of it ...

            Well, my Dear, you seem to have some news this time – whether good, bad or indifferent I leave you to judge, though from your letters I see a sort of aloof indifference.  As my literary hero said “There’s a divinity that shapes our ends, rough-hew them how we will.”*

            I was pleased to see that you’re sticking out for a specialised job – for which I think you are very wise.  The main criticism offered against this procedure is that you tend to get into a rut; but a comfortable rut is preferable to wandering de place en place as most of us appear to do.

            I was, needless to say, even more pleased to hear that you will not be going before Xmas.  By all laws and statutes I should get my leave a fortnight today, ie the 2^nd of December – but you know what leave can be, or you soon will...

            En passant, I think you are in error as regards the leave; most blokes find that the feminine services are able to get leave when their ‘soldier hero’ gets his.  Naturally this is not always the case but I think you’ll find that in general practice it can be wangled.

            Sorry to hear that Diller’s given me the bird.  Maybe I’ll write her one of these fine days.  You might tell her that I’m giving the matter considerable thought.

            Well, there’s no news from this end.  I managed to get Saturday and Sunday – quite a change, and saw “The Saint’s Vacation”** and, at last – “Reap the Wild Wind”***.  Neither was particularly outstanding.  Always grumble, don’t I?

            Well, I suppose I must close here, not having anything else to hold your attention.

                                    Hope to see you soon, Darling

                                                all my love                                                   

                                                              Dicker

*Shakespeare’s ‘Hamlet’ – Act 5, Scene 2.

**a film based on one of the Simon Templar a.k.a. “The Saint” novels by Leslie Charteris. The film was reset in the Second World War with Nazis as the villains.

***a swashbuckling adventure film set in the 1840s along the Florida coast.

© Chotie Darling

75 years ago - Driver Mechanic, Mortar Troop

On 21st August 1942 Dick (a Francophile and fluent French speaker) wrote to Chotie horrified at the list of French celebrities published as traitors for collaboration with the Germans.  Some of the boats from the disastrous raid on Dieppe had left from the Sussex coast and the county had received attention from the Luftwaffe – Dick’s mother was shopping in Bognor Regis shortly before the Odeon was bombed and Dick, who “saw most of the action in the Channel” was “machine-gunned in the streets”.  On 29th August he got very drunk with some French-Canadians, who may have been involved in the commando raid, carried out by mainly Canadian forces.  He was still enjoying other delights of Brighton with frequent visits to the cinema, as well as the ballet.  He seems very keen to become engaged to Chotie in his letter of 30^th August, but as far as I know there was no engagement.

‘Polyfoto’ of Chotie just before her nineteenth birthday.

On 2nd September Dick passed his trade test as a Driver Mechanic with good results. He wrote to Chotie the next day to let her know he would soon be back in Dover and wish her a very happy nineteenth birthday. He’d also visited the opera and made a new friend, the Italian Benetti.

On Tuesday 8^th September, back with 43^rd Recce he wrote again:

5731671 Tpr Williams R

A/TK Troop, HQ Squadron

43rd Recce Regt,  Recce Corps,

Armed Forces

Tuesday

My Darling Chotie,

I'm in a lecture at the moment, so I'm writing this in my notebook under pretext of taking some notes…  I got your letter this morning - for which many thanks.   Hope you can read this scrawl but I never could write on my knee.  Glad to hear you celebrated your birthday in style - wish I could have been with you.

            (The bloke here is a yawning on about internal combustion engines - very dull after six weeks of it.)

By the way - in your last letter but one, you told me about your ‘change of employment ', but it was, if you remember, in the form of a postscript, which I missed of course, at the first reading.  When reading it again at a later date (a very sound habit of mine), I came across it, and needless to say, would have congratulated you in my last epistle.  Anyhow - nice work.

            (I very much doubt whether you can make head or tail of this scrawl.  I've got a job to understand it myself - but persevere, Darling.) 

I have to keep answering questions all the time to this wretched man - a Sergeant from the Ordnance Corps.  Up to now, I've managed to keep just one jump ahead of him.  He's not really very bright - typical of the R.A.O.C.*, but writing a letter as well has its snags.

I've been enquiring about my leave, and may get it on the 16th i.e. next Wednesday (a week today), but it seems rather doubtful.  What can you manage if I do?  I'm afraid I can't say definitely, because the Squadron Office don't know themselves.

I've been put on fire guard for a week (!) which means I work evenings as well.  I haven't been out since I've been here.  Not that there's anything of interest.  I went out on an exercise yesterday morning, and passed through some marvellous villages, would have delighted Frances B. Young**.

Glad to hear you met Jones.  Where is he stationed these days, or didn't he tell you?  Did I tell you that Brinner was on a course in North Devon?   

Are the old Dorsets*** still with you?  It would mean that they've been there a year now.

I've got a cross country to run this evening after tea, a Devil, isn't it, seeing that I haven't done PT of any sort for seven or eight weeks.

My two Scotch friends have gone on leave to bra’ wee Ayr, and left me disconsolate, although they are both in ‘A’ Squadron, and I don't see much of them.  (The lecture has at last ended, 1½ hrs, so I'll finish this tonight - maybe...)

Well, Lulu, after the lecture I heard I'd been transferred from the Anti Tank Troop to the Mortar Troop****, and having seen the Troop Commander about my leave, feel more confident about the 16th - but remember it’s still not definite.

This mortar job appears cushy - driving - but not quite so cushy in action.

Well, Darling, I must close here with all my love,

                always yours, Precious

                                your loving

                                            Dicker

P.S.  I mentioned our “engagement” to the old folks at home in my last letter.  I haven't yet had a reply ... keep your chin up, Lulubelle..

*Royal Army Ordnance Corps – responsible for supplying weapons, ammunition and equipment to the Army.

**A Frances B. Young wrote a biography of Mary Sidney, Countess of Pembroke (an Elizabethan writer) but the origins of this reference are obscure.

***Dick’s original regiment (see Chotie Darling Part 1 ‘The Blue Cockade’) last heard of at Branksome in Poole.

****A Reconnaissance Regiment consisted of one HQ Squadron and three Reconnaissance Squadrons. Mortar Troop was one of the four Troops in HQ Squadron (with Signals, Armoured Tank and Admin) and used 6 x 3” mortars. Mortars are portable. Fixed to the ground they are used to fire small bombs in a slow high arc into the enemy at close range.

 

In September 43^rd Recce received orders to mobilise complete with re-inforcements, which presumably would include Dick. There were Brigade exercises ‘Break in’, which Dick may have been involved in and ‘Break out’, which he would have missed while on leave.

Later in September the Sunday Pictorial (now the Sunday Mirror) published an article on the Recce entitled “The First Thrilling Story of Britain’s ‘Reccies’ – our Secret Army is Ready”:

“The men of the Reconnaissance Corps have taken on one of the toughest jobs in the war – the spearhead of our attack on Germany. They are as elusive as guerrillas, fast as scouts, tough as commandos…..every one picked for brain as well as brawn…everything is improvised, time reducing, hazardous…an army which will roam behind enemy lines…their job, to spy on the enemy a close quarters…every scrap of information they get will be fought for” etc.

(From ‘Beaten Paths are Safest’  by Roy Howard, courtesy of the Sunday Pictorial, now the Sunday Mirror.)

 

Back in Dorset Chotie had “a change in employment” – since she was in Beales’ knitwear department in June 1942 perhaps this was when she went to Plummers, the employment she recalled after the Land Army episode? Certainly her last civilian job before January 1943 was as a window dresser at Plummers (Chotie called herself a “Display Artist”).

Luftwaffe attacks continued with 5 people killed by a bomb not far from Chotie’s home in Parkstone on 11^th September.  In the Channel planes from Warmwell sank two armed trawlers on 9^th September and 21 people died when a famous Poole flying-boat, the Clare, caught fire over the English Channel the 14^th. A new aerodrome that was to play a critical role on D Day and in Operation Market Garden was now under construction at Tarrant Rushton.

Poole’s Small Scale Raiding Force successfully obtained captured German wireless operators and Naval codebooks from les Casquets lighthouse in the Channel islands on 2^nd/3^rd March but their founder and leader, Major Gus March-Phillips was killed in another raid on 12^th/13^th September on a beach at St Honorine in Normandy, later better known as ‘Omaha’ (from the D Day landings).

 

On 3^rd September 1942 a National day of Prayer was held in Britain for the third Anniversary of the Declaration of War.

Germany began a major offensive in Stalingrad on 13^th September with orders from Hitler that the entire male population of the city should be eliminated. (From ‘The Second World War’ by Antony Beevor, published by Weidenfield and Nicolson 2012)   Fierce Russian resistance and cunning was eventually to save the city but Stalingrad became a legend for the huge numbers killed on each side – possibly 750,000 troops and approximately 40,000 civilians.

On the other side of the world thousands of Japanese soldiers and US Marines were killed on one day, 12^th September, in the ‘Battle of Bloody Ridge’ over the airfield on Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands.

75 years ago - Leave at Pagham

At the beginning of June 1942 the German Army advanced on the Crimean Peninsula (in the north of the Black Sea) and battled fiercely to take the well defended port of Sebastapol.  In the Atlantic the Allies were haemorrhaging ships and supplies at the mercy of the U-boat wolf-packs.  British code breakers at Bletchley Park were struggling to decipher the Enigma upgrade, which they called “Shark” and the Germans had cracked the Admiralty code (Naval Cipher 3).  In contrast US code breakers deciphered signals from the Japanese Navy to reveal a huge task force had set sail to attack the Pacific US base on the Midway Islands.  By 7^th June the US Navy had won a decisive victory, critical to the war in the Pacific.

In Africa the Germans were again on the attack.  On 21^st June Rommel’s troops captured the critical Libyan port of Tobruk (which had been gallantly defended by Australian troops under siege for most of the previous year).  The Allies retreated as Axis forces swept into Egypt taking thousands of prisoners at Mersa Matruh.  Churchill, in America for talks with Roosevelt, was devastated by the fall of Tobruk.  However, he obtained an agreement that US troops would be involved in an invasion of French North Africa (Morocco and Algiers) called Operation Gymnast (and later Operation Torch).

 

In Dorset, where Chotie lived (and was again working at Beales department store in Bournemouth) bombing attacks continue.  This time the Royal Navy's explosives factory near Poole was saved by decoys on the heathland at Arne on the night of 3^rd/4^th June, although Poole was hit by a number of incendiaries causing serious fires.  Mr Whittaker, a volunteer firefighter (and the future father-in-law of Chotie’s bother Jack), recalled throwing a number of smaller devices off Poole Quay into the water.  There were other lucky escapes – most of the RAF petrol supplies for Dorset and Hampshire were held in the Hamworthy RAF depot and although they were blown open, the vast million gallon slick didn’t catch fire.  A large bomb hit the Sona, a Naval headquarters ship moored at Poole Quay but didn’t explode until after adjacent buildings were evacuated.  On 6^th June it was Bournemouth’s turn to receive the attentions of the Luftwaffe – almost 500 properties were damaged in an attack on the railway line.

Dorset, with its central Channel position and proximity to Cherbourg, continued playing a critical role in Britain’s war effort, despite the loss of Telecommunications Research Establishment.  RAF Hurn (now Bournemouth Airport) was used as a base to fly SOE (Special Operations executive – spies!) to France, as well as supplies for the French Resistance, while a small aerodrome established north of Sherborne was to become the Fleet Air Arm station at Yeovilton (RN Fleet Air Arm Museum website).

 

In the British Reconnaissance Corps nomenclature changed on 6^th June adopting the cavalry terms of troops, troopers, squadrons and regiments (the army’s reconnaissance role had traditionally been discharged by the light cavalry).  Already in 61^st Recce (the unit Dick fought with for most of the Western Europe campaign), Eric Postles was training in Northern Ireland for the rest of 1942.

 

Dick, still training with the 1^st Air Landing Squadron, was based at Bulford on Salisbury Plain.  He was granted 10 days leave from 10^th June and went home to his family at  Pagham, Sussex.  Ironically, 1^st Air Landing went to train on the Dorset Coast at Kimmeridge while he was away.  Back in Wiltshire Dick was sick with bronchitis.  By now he must also have been diagnosed with temporary hyperglycaemia (“sugar in the blood”) and was awaiting transfer from the Airborne. Although he was not diabetic the risk of possible problems meant he was one of the many weeded out at this early stage of training (otherwise he could have been involved in the brave fiasco of the bridge at Arnhem , which gave eternal fame to the 1st Airborne Reconnaissance Squadron.  He wrote again to Chotie on 28^th and 29^th June:

Letter written Sunday 28^th and Monday 29^th June 1942

1^st Air Landing Sqdn

Recce Corps, Home Forces 

Sunday

My Darling,

                                                                        Thanks for letter with all the news.

             I've started writing this letter without much hope of finishing it this evening. 
However, the fact that I've started it is certainly a move in the right direction.  It is such a devil of a job to find anything to write about in this God-forsaken dump.

            I went out this evening but came back after half an hour or so - there being nothing whatsoever to do.  The Garrison Theatre, although a very good show only has the one programme for the week, and once you've seen it, it's no use going again the same week.  There's a play on next week, - “While Parents Sleep”, which I've seen, - but I shall go again, as of course it will be a different cast, etc.

            I've been sick for the last week with a sore throat which developed into bronchitis or so the M.O. said.  Personally I didn't agree, but also didn't argue as it gave me a cushy time for a few brief days - no P.T. etc, of course.

            I managed to go into the nearest town (?)* on my day off, yesterday.  It boasts some very excellent pubs – the “George” Hotel and the “Bell” being very
famous in Georgian days.  The beer however tasted very flat - perhaps because you were not there with me.  I had no one to talk to about Herne Bay and the various professions which help to make the social system what it is.  Just imagine what you'll have to put up with when we are married... but perhaps you'll see H.B. for yourself and perhaps I'll have a profession...

            I haven't yet heard from home and am getting a little worried on that score.  I hope Mother’s all right - but maybe I'll get a letter tomorrow.  There seem to be so many worries that separation brings so cruelly in its wake.

            Does this letter seem very morbid, Darling?  I don't want you to think that
I'm too browned-off**.  After 2 years in this Army I think I can stand anything. 

             I'm going on a three days scheme on Wednesday, so I won't be able to write of course - so don't be over anxious if you don't get a letter for some days.

            It's nearly lights out, Chotie Darling so I'll say Goodnight my Precious, and write some more tomorrow.

            Well, Lulu, it's now Monday Lunch-time so I'm writing a bit more. 

            It's terrifically hot today - and we have to wear respirators on Monday morning. Was I exhausted!  I'm now trying to get an hour's relaxation before going on Parade this afternoon.

            I may go to the Old Garrison to-night and see this wretched play - that's if I can get out in time. That's one of the troubles here; even if there was anything to go out for, we rarely get out before Seven pm or so - which is rather late.

             Well, Darling, by the time you get this letter, I’ll be on this stunt so I hope to write again next Saturday or perhaps Sunday - and I'll say bye, bye for the present, and remember, Darling, I still love you, very very much.

                                                All my love, Chotie Darling

                                                                                 Dicker

*Amesbury

**Dick must have been disappointed to be transferred out of Air Landing after only a couple of months.  (After training in Tunisia from April 1943 1^st Air Landing Squadron went on to be involved in the invasion of Italy near Bari in September and Operation Market Garden in September 1944, when the elite 1st Airborne were sent in to defend "a bridge too far" at Arnhem with disastrous results.  (Dick was among the ground forces racing towards Arnhem.)

© Chotie Darling

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 - Singapore surrenders

There are no letters from Dick to Chotie in February 1942  - he was certainly close enough to meet up with her on the 11^th and 23^rd February when he visited the dentist in Bournemouth.  Dick, who had volunteered to join the paras, may by now have known that he was heading for the new airlanding forces.  Eric Postles, meanwhile, had joined the regiment Dick would fight with in Europe, the 61^st Reconnaissance Regiment.

Dorset was a centre for secret operations in February 1942, not only David Niven's 'A' force, located near Poole and the Telecommunications Research Centre in Purbeck.  The Small Scale Raiding Force (No 62 Commando) were active in raids across the Channel and perhaps the most famous small raid, known as Operation Biting (on the German’s secret transmitter at Bruneval near Cherbourg) was  organised from Louis Mountbatten’s Combined Operations HQ at Anderson Manor, inland from Poole.

The code breakers at Bletchley Park in Buckinghamshire, received a bitter blow in February 1942 when Germany changed its settings on their Navy’s Enigma encryption machines.  It took them 10 months to crack the code – during 1942 the Allies lost 3 times more shipping than they had in 1941.   The German battleships Scharnhorst and Gneisenau managed to escape the Allies blockade in Brest, and attacks in the Channel, to reach safe harbour in Germany on the 13^th February.

 On 15^th February the island of Singapore, which Churchill had considered impregnable impregnable, fell to the Japanese.  Japan was very much on the offensive, advancing in Burma and bombing Darwin in Australia. (Australian troops were ordered to return home from Europe to fight the Japanese.)  The Battle of the Java Sea for Indonesia began on 27^th February. 

 

Singapore in February 1942.  The black smoke in the background is from the British Naval base’s oil dump bombed by the Japanese on 6^th February. (Source Australian War Memorial on 'To those who served' website.)

75 years ago - Introducing Eric Postles

The stories of those who survived fighting with 61^st Reconnaissance have brought to life Dick’s wartime experience.

Eric Postles was born on 8^th September 1922 and lived in the village of Burscough in Lancashire.  His parents, Mr and Mrs H. Postles lived at 7 Moss Nook, Burscough bridge, Nr. Ormskirk, Lancashire. His war years began 75 years ago:

 “When men and women reached 19 years of age they were conscripted and, unless you were in a reserved occupation, you were called up for the forces or munitions work etc.

I had a medical for the forces at Wigan an on 15^th January 1942 I, along with Harry Parr* from the village and Dennis Crumbleholme from Ormskirk, reported to the Castle at Carlisle as part of a big intake of men from north-west England for the Reconnaissance Corps, a newly formed corps to provide regiments to recce for Infantry Divisions.  I became 10602580 Trooper J.E.Postles.  The role of the Reconnaissance Corps was to gather vital tactical information in battle.  Our badge was a spear with flashes of lightning on either side and the words 'Reconnaissance' on a scroll beneath.  The Corps lanyards were green and yellow and on top of our sleeves we wore the word ‘Reconnaissance’ in yellow on a green background, the Divisional sign and beneath that a bar of green and yellow.  Similarly our vehicles were recognised by the number ‘41’ on a green and yellow square and the divisional sign on the front and rear.  We wore forage caps, later changed to khaki berets and then black berets when we became part of the Royal Armoured Corps.  We also changed our steel helmets to ones similar to those worn by the airborne troops, which gave more protection. 

Our pay was 1 shilling and 9 pence a day but shortly after joining it rose to 2 shillings and 6d and 6d was paid in towards a gratuity given at demobilisation.  After an IQ test I was allocated to 61st Division Recce Regiment.  The Divisional sign was a blue square with inset red diamond.  Harry and Denis went to 59^th Division Recce Regiment in Ireland.

My regiment, also in Ireland, was moving to a new location so instead of joining them at the outset we went by train on 18^th January to No 10 I.T.C. (Kings Own Scottish Borderers) to do our basic training at Berwick-on-Tweed.  The camp was on the cliffs next to the sea.  It was bitterly cold and snowed heavily.  There was a lot of visible enemy air activity off the coast although the camp was never attacked. 

(Extracts from ‘My War Years’ by John Eric Postles ISO used by kind permission of the author.)

*Harry Parr joined the 59 Division Recce regiment.  In July 1943 he “was killed on an exercise in Kent when his heavy armoured car turned over and he was crushed by the gun.”

75 years ago – The World at War

All we know of Dick in December 1941 is that he visited the dentist in Bournemouth on Friday 19th.  Perhaps he even spent Christmas at home with Chotie?

In Dorset the early radar mapping discoveries (called ‘Blind Navigation’) were encouraged to enable bombers to find targets in poor weather at night. 

Dick’s future unit, the secret 1^st Air Landing, became established in Shaw House, near Newbury in Berkshire,under the leadership of Major ‘Freddie’ Gough (later of Arnhem fame).

On 2^nd December the new National Service Bill introduces compulsory war service for single women aged between 20 and 30.

 

Hitler’s armies were in striking distance of Moscow at the end of November but a surprise counter-attack by Soviet forces on 5^th December halted their advance. 

In Libya Operation Typhoon successfully led to the withdrawal of Rommel’s troops and the lifting if the siege of Tobruk. 

In Norway Combined Operations’ newly formed commandos successfully destroyed 16,000 tons of German shipping in a raid.

However…..

On 8^th December 1941 (7th December in Hawaiii) Japanese forces successfully sprung a surprise air attack on the American Fleet in Pearl Harbour, Hawaii and the USA and UK declared war on Japan.  On 9^th December China, already at war with Japan, declared war on Germany and Italy and two days later the USA was also at war with Germany and Italy.

World War 2 was now truly global.

Japan also attacked US bases in the Philippines, destroying half the US Far East Airforce, Guam (in the Mariana Islands) and Wake Island (between Hawaii and the Marianas).  In China they moved into Shanghai.

Japanese forces landed in Malaya, launching air raids on Singapore, and sinking the great British battleship HMS Prince of Wales and the battle cruiser HMS Repulse, sent to defend the colony.  Their troops landed in Borneo and Burma and on the British held Hong Kong Island.  Hong Kong surrendered to the Japanese on 25^th December, Christmas Day.

Churchill was, by then, in America, in urgent conference with the US President and essential ally Franklin D. Roosevelt, relieved that at last the USA was entering the war.

(From ‘The Second World War’ by Antony Beevor, published by Weidenfield and Nicolson 2012)

75 years ago - Invalided out of the Land Army

“I left Beales to become a Land Army girl, age seventeen, after a tiff at home.  A lovely farm at Church Knowle in the Purbecks.  Miss Grace, the farm owner, let me live in her beautiful cottage under Creech, the highest point in the Purbecks.  Walking across fields in early morning, the mist fell in between the hills like small lakes, quite awesome.  Also awesome was my cycle ride from Corfe Castle station to Church Knowle, on a moonlit and part cloudy evening.  How ghostly Corfe Castle looked.

The Land Army was not for me.  After too much rich food I suffered a bilious attack and hours of mangold pulling, milking cows and trekking across fields took its toll.  Dad took great pleasure in saying I had been invalided out of the Land Army much to my annoyance.  Beryl* joined at a later date and made quite a success of it.” (From ‘Chotie’s Story’) 

*Beryl was Mum’s younger sister, ‘a success’ in the Land Army. 

Winnie Lawes and Beryl Chalkley, Chotie's sister, in the Land Army.

 

Reputedly my mother lasted three weeks in the Land Army before she was ‘invalided out’, always a source of much amusement in our family.  Dick’s posting to a location so near to her home may have had some influence on her desire to leave the rural idyll of Purbeck.

 

There are no letters from Dick between 7th October 1941 and 20th April 1942, (the Missing Winter) when records show he was transferred from the Dorsets to 1st Air Landing in the Reconnaissance Corps.   

The British 1st Air Landing Brigade was formed on 10th October 1941.  On 27^th October Lord Louis Mountbatten became Head of Combined Operations and appointed Frederick Browning as commander of the Paratroops and Airborne Troops, which on 31^st October became the first Airborne Division.

On 15th October the Nazis initiated Operation Reinhard, the plan to systematically murder all Jews in land under German control.  In France there were large-scale ‘punishment killings’ of civilians in retaliation for the assassination of German military commanders by the Resistance.

Churchill was still hoping that the USA would enter the war in support of the Allies – on 31^st October an American warship was destroyed by a German U-boat while escorting a British convoy.

75 years ago - The Intelligence crew

By June 1941 the Allies were on the attack again – bombers from Dorset Warmwell aerodrome raided German held Cherbourg in France.  America (still not yet in the war) froze all German, Italian and Japanese assets in the US and evicted all the Axis consulates.  Hitler, however, was looking in another direction. On 22^nd June 1941 he launched Germany’s surprise attack on Russia, Operation Barbarossa.

Meanwhile Dick, now a Private once more, was in the Mechanical Transport Section of HQ Company at Fort Brockhurst, Gosport.  On 19th June he narrowly missed seeing Chotie during a brief visit to Bournemouth and Poole. He was restless and keen to volunteer for a new elite corps - the parachutists (the Special Air Service was founded on 1^st July 1941 and the Parachute Regiment on 1st August 1942).

Dick seems to have been granted his seven days leave at the end of June and, thanks to Operation Barbarossa, which had removed some fear of an imminent German invasion, may have been able to go bathing with Chotie again on the re-opened section of beach at Sandbanks. The West Dorset coast, though, was far from peaceful with air attacks on Chideock and West Bay and, on 9^th July, the Battle of Lyme Bay.  German schnellboots attacked an Allied convoy sinking a tanker, four freighters and an armed trawler that was acting as escort in the Bay.

Dick didn’t join the SAS or the Paras - at least there is not record of this.  By 7^th July he had moved to the Intelligence section:

Saturday 12^th July

FAREHAM SERVICES INSTITUTE

Intelligence Section

HQ Company

70th Dorsets

Gosport

Hants.

My Darling Chotie,

                                                                                    Having just been to the flicks and finding myself at the above address, I thought I’d write you to let you know what news there is and that I arrived back safely but very late.  The trains were all over the show at So-ton and I had to go all the way to Romsey, from Totton, and then back on the same train to So-ton.  When I got to Fareham the last bus had just gone, and consequently in the company of several others I had to walk (!) to Brockhurst - about six miles!

            And not one car passed me all the way.

            In the interests of National Economy I am using both sides of this note paper.   

This Intelligence game is proving to be a cinch, ---- all to do and plenty of time to do it in.  It is in fact, just my vocation.

            We've just been to see ‘ Honeymoon for Three’ - quite amusing.  I was going to see ‘Rebecca’ again but it was on in some vague suburb of Pompey*, and consequently I changed my mind.

            I went to the Coliseum again last night.  Annette was there again – strip-tease.  I regret to say I got hopelessly tight afterwards.  There were four of us, and I've no idea how we got back again and believe it or not, I was by far the most sober of us all.  After an hour's steady drinking, it developed into a competition, and we started on Brandy and Chablis.  Gertie (Kirkwood) was crawling about under the table before long, and Welsh, a bloke from Plymouth Grammar, looked decidedly ill. Billy Ede has lived most of his life in France & Germany and is consequently rather hardened. After that we got split up and Bill and I later found the others in Gosport trying to climb a pile of sandbags.  I managed to get to bed, but got up again about midnight and had a cold shower which sobered me up considerably. 

            I'll never forget that night.  We're all on Intelligence.  What a crew. I had the devil of a hangover this morning, but luckily it's Saturday so there's ---- all to do.        

            Well, Darling, there's no news as usual.  I hope you managed to get back all right.        

            I've written with some pens in my time, but I've never seen the likes of this one.  The ---- nib keeps getting crossed.        

                                I must say bye bye now Darling as I have to get a bus back to Brockhurst.                                                                                   

                                                                                    All my love,

                                                                                                Darling,

                                                                                                            Dicker

Je t’aime encore de tout mon coeur**.

*Portsmouth

**French - "I love you always with all of my heart"

© Chotie Darling

 

75 years ago – Reverting to Private

On 24^th May the popular Picture Post magazine predicted that Poole, where Chotie lived, would be one of the main landing areas for the still anticipated German invasion. Dick sent a telegram to Chotie on 24^th May and they managed to meet up in Southampton the next day. 

On Tuesday 27^th May Dick wrote to Chotie while guarding prisoners on Southampton Common.  Rumours that he’d heard about moving proved true and, as Allied troops were evacuated from Crete (following the German paratrooper  invasion), Dick was preparing for a move to Fort Brockhurst at Gosport near Portsmouth.

In June rationing was extended to clothes – Chotie found this increasingly miserable.  She was an avid fashion fan and trained as a window dresser at the Beales fashion store in Bournemouth (later bombed).

The move to Gosport on 3^rd June found a very disgruntled Dick comparing the place to a chicken coop and fed up with his duties as a Corporal.  On 7^th June he reverted to Private at his own request:

Letter posted Monday 9th June 1941

 ‘D’ Company

Fort Brockhurst

Gosport.

My Darling Chotie,

                                                                        Thanks a million for the letter.  I've only just got it as I suppose it was held up at Soton.

Well, Honey, I've got some news this week!  I'm now a private again.

            I got so utterly fed up with this Battalion, that I sent in an application to the Old Man to revert to the ranks.  He refused, saying he considered me better as an NCO, than as a private.  He then asked me why I wished to revert, so I let him have it!

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

            He asked me whether I'd like to go on MT*, driving, probably on a motor-bike, should there be a vacancy.  I told him I would, so may start there soon.  At any rate I'll get a transfer.

I told the Old Man that all the NCOs did here was to wet-nurse a lot of kids who should be in the Boy Scouts.

            So here I am.  Being a Private will give me a wonderful chance to swot up, which I intend to do.  Besides, driving is more fun than fooling about in barracks, etc.  I shall probably break my neck, but that's how it goes.

            (Don't forget to address all correspondence to Private name & number)

Will you still love me as a private, Darling?  That's all I'm worried about.

            George was going to chuck his in, but he's got some sick leave, so I don't know much about it.

            I went to the Coliseum at Portsmouth, yesterday, and saw a Strip-Tease Act.  The compere said “The more you applaud, the more she takes off.”! Did the boys give her a hand!  I went with John and Ted Rendall, - we nearly killed ourselves laughing.

Later   The only good thing at this place is the showers.  They're hot almost always.  I've just had one, after dinner, and do I feel ‘in the pink’!  I could kill an ox.

            Well, Darling I must close here, with all my love.  Please write and tell me you still think of me now & then.

                                                                        Bye, bye, Darling

                                                                                    Your own loving hubby,

                                                                                                Dicker.

*M.T. = Mechanical Transport

© Chotie Darling

75 years ago - the Intelligence Course

In May 1941 rationing was beginning to bite in Dorset as both Viscount Cranborne (the Lord Lieutenant of Dorset) and the Earl of Shaftesbury (Member of Parliament for South Dorset) were taken to court for buying black market butter.  Chotie’s family were relatively comfortable since they ran the Creekmoor Farm Dairy in Parkstone.

Creekmoor Farm Dairy, on the corner of Chapel Road and Commercial Road, Parkstone c.1932. The children are Chotie's younger sister and brother, Beryl and Jack.

 

The first ‘Bailey Bridge’, later to play an invaluable role in the Normandy landings and liberation of North-West Europe, was tested on the River Stour in Christchurch.  Bombing went on in Dorset with significant attacks in Weymouth and the loss of the famous Maia flying-boat in Poole Harbour. 

A number of Poole men lost their lives when the battlecruiser HMS Hood was sunk in the Battle of the Denmark Strait on 24^th May.  Revenge was swift with the county’s cruiser, HMS Dorsetshire, finally sinking Hitler’s prize battleship the Bismark and ending the battle on 27^th May.

Southampton’s Blitz produced its last casualties at Hedge End in the air-raid of May 1941. 

Dick was able to take his seven days leave at the beginning of May so was home in Poole for a while with his family and Chotie.

Corporal Richard Williams of the Dorsetshire Regiment with his father, Dudley Williams, in home guard uniform and his younger brother Brin, a cadet.

On 13^th May Dick was back in Southampton on sick leave, writing to Chotie from a hut on Southampton Common on Church Army paper.  The week’s Intelligence course he’d heard about on 25th April was in Winchester (where Ordinary Ranks were recruited for the Corps) from 18^th to 24^th May.  Dick was confirmed as a full Corporal while he was on the course.

 

Wednesday 21^st May 1941  

Winchester

Wednesday Morning

Darling,

                                                                        Sorry I haven't been able to write before. I've been on the course for 2 days now and so far haven't had a spare moment.

            I don't mind that so much, but unfortunately I won't be able to receive any mail whilst I'm here. This means I won't hear from you until Saturday night at the earliest.  Rather a blow, but these things can't be helped.

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

            Incidentally, I get back on Saturday night, which means the CSM will try to jump on me for guard on Sunday.  If, however, I can evade this, I’ll send a telegram on Saturday night to let you know whether I can get the day off.  I’ll probably have to go on Church but still, we get back about 11.30. I believe.

            I’m afraid I can’t write any more, Darling as it’s now nearly 0900 hrs.  We have to be in the Lecture Room by 0930 and it’s a fair way to walk.  (I’ve just had a marvellous breakfast!)                   

                                            Bye bye Darling,

                                                                Your adoring

                                                                                    Dicker

© Chotie Darling

75 years ago - moved to Southbourne

After long lonely nights on guard at Lee-on-Solent Dick did get home on 18^th January and met Chotie again for the first time since October. He got caught up in a blitz in Southampton while returning to his unit. Towards the end of January he writes to Chotie about peace as 'something to be fought for' but also seems determined to marry her when the fighting is over.

Compulsory fire-watching was introduced in January 1941 and as an employee of Beales, the Bournemouth department store, Chotie took her turn as ‘Roof Warden’.

On 1^st February the BOAC flying-boat service in Poole Harbour expanded with a route to Portugal – the only safe staging post in Europe to reach the African front. On the same day Project Fougasse or ‘Sea Flame’ successfully set fire to the sea off Studland, lighting up the East Dorset night sky so brightly you could read a newspaper in Bournemouth.  (From ‘Poole and World War II’ written by Derek Beamish, Harold Bennett and John Hillier and published by Poole Historical Trust in 1980 and ‘Dorset’s War Diary - Battle of Britain to D Day’ by Rodney Legg, Dorset Publishing Company 2004.)

 

On the first weekend in February Dick wrote:

Rye Cottage

Marine Parade W

Lee-on-Solent

Hants.

Darling Chotie,                                                                              

                                    Thanks for the letter. As I'm on Guard again I thought I'd write. It's about the only time I get. I'm on the Beach Hut Guard with no stove and only a candle for light and heat, and is it cold!

            It's now just eight o'clock Saturday evening, and I'm faced with the pleasant prospect of staying in this wretched hut, awake, ‘till ten o'clock tomorrow morning. It's so damn cold now that I can hardly write - Heaven knows what it will be like by about midnight.

            There was an inspection of these guards by a General a few days ago. From what I can gather from various sources, he condemned the conditions and I believe there is the chance of moving again. I don't know where it will be, of course.

            Everyone's fed up with this place as, apart from the food, there's nothing to be said for it. It's one long Guard - up to our necks in mud and only one wretched cinema, when we get any time off.       

            Anyhow, Darling, I still love you so much that even Guards become a pleasure when I think, of the glorious time we're going to have when I get back. And I don't mean maybe...        

            About every ten minutes someone, some clumsy ---, knocks over my candle, and if it were not for my lighter, Darling, I don't know what I'd do. I'd certainly have used a good few matches tonight.

            I'm afraid as usual there's very little news - if any. Nothing of any real interest ever seems to happen.         

            I hope to meet Eric again soon. He's at Gosport (about 5 miles from here) and I'm trying to arrange a reunion. The snag is that it's difficult for us to both get the same night off duty. I expect we'll manage it soon - Eric's a born wangler.

 

Sunday Evening

            I came off Guard and after a bath and some din-din, felt a lot better.

            I'm afraid I can't write any more, Darling as it's just on Supper Time, and I must post this in the NAAFI as it's the only chance I’ll get.     

                                        Bye, bye Darling,

                                                            All my love

                                                                        Dicker

 © Chotie Darling

 

Soon after this letter Dick’s unit was moved to Southbourne in Bournemouth – near enough to see Chotie regularly so there are no letters until 12^th March.

He may have seen some action from the coastal battery at Hengistbury Head firing on German Schnellboots close to the shore on 12^th February.

On 20^th February Dick was again promoted to full Corporal.

The Last Post

WAR DIARY of 52^nd (Lowland) Recce Regt RAC March 1945

– Lt Col J.B.A. Hankey OBE

Date 30^th        Place WOOD:             1 casualty                             Weather – Dull

Strength - 904 men, 188 tanks/armoured cars/guns

‘Regiment moved over RHINE to concentrate area at MEHR 1348 and at 5 hours’ notice to move less ‘C’ Squadron who are earmarked for Prisoner of War duties.  One subaltern of ‘C’ Squadron killed in traffic accident.’

(From the War Diary of the 52nd Reconnaissance Regiment held by the Archive and Reference Library, the Tank Museum, Bovington, Dorset.)

 

Sandy Handley tells the story:

“Now over the Rhine into German countryside.  We didn’t know then but it wasn’t ‘til the beginning of May that it would be over. 

Soon after the Rhine crossing, towards the end of March, we halted at a farmstead (we were in reserve that day).  Our Troop Officer learned his brother, also an Officer, was in the vicinity so he set out to visit him.  We had made ourselves as comfortable in a barn as we could under the circumstances, brewing up and heating tins of stew etc (I did smoke then), generally lounging about, being in reserve that day.  Sometime in the afternoon Mr Williams’ brother came towards us and introduced himself and said “Mr Williams, your Troop Officer, is dead”.  Naturally we were stunned.

Apparently Mr Williams and his brother were in a small Daimler (Dingo) and had gone over a pot hole or small crater made by a shell or bomb.” 

 

Sergeant J.F.Rose’s diary entry for the end of March:

‘There was a tragic accident last night.  One of the officers from ‘C’ Squadron (Lt. Williams), who had not been with the regiment long, had met his brother in the neighbourhood quite by chance.  He was taking him back along the road in a scout car and apparently lost control of it, the car overturning.  He was killed instantly… His brother was fortunate in escaping with cuts and bruises.’

(From ‘Shankey’s Ponies’, the wartime diary of Sergeant J.F.Rose held by the Archive and Reference Library, the Tank Museum, Bovington, Dorset.)

 

Tony Rampling remembers that Dick took an armoured car to go and meet Brin.  Since Dick was never an armoured car driver this probably wasn’t a good idea and could have contributed to the accident.  The Germans had deliberately blown up the roads as they retreated and any travel was hazardous.

Sandy continues:

“Later we (the No. 15 Troop) attended a small burial ceremony conducted by the 52^nd Division Padre for the burial.  I think we all wanted to pass our condolences on to Mr Williams’ brother, who sat in another staff car with his fellow officers, but sadly never got round to it.

We would miss Mr Williams.  He had been with us from Normandy June ’44 to March ’45.  From a trooper’s point of view this Officer had looked after his eleven men and never asked us to do or risk anything that he couldn’t do himself.  We liked Mr Williams and we were going to miss his coolness.  He thought his troop were a good team too. 

Back in Normandy when we’d taken over those slit trenches from the American Airborne he used to always come along and ask if everything was alright and just used to stand there, not too much in the open, but just smoking his pipe as calm as anything.”

 

‘It seemed ironic that a man could live through the many hazards and horrors of war, from the beaches of Normandy (where the 61^st had become the first Reconnaissance Regiment to come ashore) and through the terrible fighting on the Rhine, only to be killed in a traffic accident.  Perhaps most tragic of all though was that the young officer had just returned from some leave and had been married for only three weeks.’

(From and Ex Trooper S Handley’s ‘61 Recce - Memories of Normandy etc 1944 – 1945’, unpublished and ‘The Fighting Fifty-Second Recce’ by Carl Shilleto, Eskdale Publishing 2001)

 

 

Chotie was at Spurn Point in Yorkshire:“in the large mess hall, full of people, the Sergeant Major handed me the telegram to say Dicker had been killed.  The saddest moment of my life. 

We had been married in Chichester Registry Office just three weeks before.  After two days together he had to return to his unit and me to 462 battery. 

He seems to stay with me in many ways and I hope more than anything to meet him again in the ‘hereafter’.”

 

 

52^nd Recce Roll of Honour for 30th March 1945 includes:

Lieutenant Richard Kelner Williams (age 23)

who is laid to rest in the Reichswald Forest War Cemetery, south-west of Kleve in Germany – Plot 54, Row A, Grave 18.

We have remembered him.

Dick's grave (photo courtesy of Anthony Rampling)

‘They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning

We will remember them.’

Spring in Yorkshire

Letter Form from Chotie written Friday23^rd March 1945

W/242328 Pte. Williams B.E.,

“B’ Troop. O.F.C. A.T.S.,

462 Hy. (M.) A.A. Bty RA.,

Fort Godwin,

C.  G.P.O Easington,

Nr. Hull, Yorks

Friday 23^rd March 1945

My darling,

                        Have just returned from a lovely walk along the beach.  It is decidedly better up here, now that Spring is here and, if we have any warm weather, well, I shall not grouse.

            Edie, came with me, the girl whose husband is in the Recce.  She has just returned from seeing him, in a hospital in Surrey, as he has come back wounded in the leg.  Rather badly too, so things are not very happy with them.  I do hope that he will soon be better.

           

I am enclosing a cutting I found in the paper today.  Surely, it’s your Uncle’s school, isn’t it?

           

Nan is insisting that she gives us a wedding present, darling.  Probably, a table lamp – won’t it be nice? She was quite thrilled about the boys who wanted to write to her.  I am hoping to get a pass next week, to go home with her.

            I have managed to scrounge some choc. so I am sending it to your Mum.  Also a ration card that I did not use.  Just to help things a bit.  Must write to her tonight.

           

This is very brief, my dearest, but I will write again tomorrow.

            How’s the ‘tache growing.  Must be, at least 4” long before you come home, - make it soon, precious.

                        All my love, darling

                                                Chotie x.

© Chotie Darling

The Other Bloke -Tuesday 20th March 1945

 

Dick’s 1945 diary for March:

20th Fri – Wrote Brinner & Cho.  Letters from mother, Cho & Bryn.

 

52nd (L) Div Recce Rgt

RAC   

BLA.

 

Tuesday March 20^th

Chotie Darling,

                                    Have just received your letter per Bryn along with others from mother, etc.

            I can see my name in ‘News of the World” headlines, ‘writing to his AWOL wife’ – what a shocker you are!  Really I can’t think why I have anything to do with you….  I expect you’re back with the fold again now, which probably isn’t too pleasant. 

            I’ve settled down again, after nearly getting’ ‘done-in’ by a shell which killed the other bloke I was with.  Awful business. However I’m way out of it now with a cushy old job which I hope will last some weeks anyhow.

            I’m living in a cottage – at least 300 years old (having evicted the ‘civvies’), which is really quite pleasant as the weather has been excellent for the past few days.  I’ve spent the past 48 hours painting signs (of all things for an officer (?) to indulge in!).  Imagine me in shirt-sleeve order, smoking the old pipe and humming airs from “Rigoletto*”!

            I’ve just written Bryn, just to prove to him I am still alive, and give him what dope – I can – not much!  He seems much happier with the Berks** than at RAU’s*** which I suppose is understandable.

            The countryside around here is really lovely in the pastoral sense (nothing majestic about it) - very much like Kent.  Some very charming farms, and a very well-fed populace.  Children (girls and boys) wear long black stockings and the little girls have the inevitable plaits – and big blue eyes.

            The ceilings are so low in this place that even I have developed round-shoulders and a permanent stoop.  My bedroom is about 10ft by 6, and the bed completely fills it.

            I’ve had about fifty eggs since I came back – all presented by the locals – and pork galore.  I’ll soon be thinking about my figure….You’d love it here.

            I’ve been on to the Orderly Room ref. the allowance but of course they haven’t any of the pukka forms left so I’ll just have to wait until they turn up.  In any case we’ll get the “back-pay”.

            (Break for Supper….)

            Well, darling, I’ve had some eggs and chips, and it’s pretty late so I’m off to bed.

                                    Goodnight, my Darling

                                                            Dicker

P.S. Have you cashed other cheques yet?  I enclose Rita’s.  Where do you want allowance paid to?!?

 

*Giuseppe Verdi’s Italian opera concerning the licentious Duke of Mantua, his jester Rigoletto and Rigoletto’s daughter Gilda.

**Presumably the Royal Berkshire Regiment.

*** Regional Administrative Unit?

© Chotie Darling

Returning to Hull

On the night of 17^th/18^th March 1945 the city of Hull was under attack for the first time since 1943. A lone Heinkel dropped fragmentation grenades (with inbuilt fuses, detonating on impact with the ground) and opened up with machine guns killing 13 people and injuring 22. (See BBC News for 17th March .)  

Chotie, however, was still in Parkstone….

Letter written Sunday18^th March 1945

Sunday March 18^th 45

My darling husband,

                                                This is going to be short, because I feel pretty ‘B…..’ as I am going back to camp tomorrow.  Have to start at 8 o’clock in the morning – unearthly hour.

         

While cleaning out, this last week I found this tie, which I have enclosed.  Is it light enough?  If it is not wearable send it back and I will dye it or something.

           

Don, Ted’s brother, has been down and we went to Church* this morning. Everyone was congratulating him thinking he was my husband.  Poor Don.

            Margaret, Beryl & Don & I went down to 'The Sloop' last evening.  Poor Marg had to have shandy because of feeding Roger.  None of the ‘old crowd’ were there, except the ‘man from Kent.’

            Don & I sneaked down after Church, this morning, for a quick one.

           

We have had another present, darling.  Three pre-war tea-cloths (what you wipe up with) from Mrs Johnson.  Jolly useful.

            I phoned up Ethel & Cyril, my cousins, today.  They wished us all the best and are going to dish out something when we get our home – when?  They both wished you all the luck in what you are doing out there.

           

I must finish now, my dearest and get on with my packing.

            Will write when I reach camp.

            Take care, darling – God bless,

            All my love & kisses,

                        Chotie.

XX

 

*Parkstone Congregational Church opposite the Hollies in Commercial Road – now Parkstone United Reformed Church.  Dick and Chotie met at the Congregational Church Youth Club. The Hollies, including the dairy, was knocked down in the 1960s and replaced with a tyre shop.

 

 

Enclosed with this letter was a small notice from a newspaper:

A ‘Special Licence’ enabled couples to get married without waiting the usual three week period for ‘calling the banns’ – giving notice of the proposed marriage for three successive Sundays in church.

Chotie and Dick had evidently decided to get married while he was on leave and could not have done so in the time without special licence.

 © Chotie Darling

 

 

WAR DIARY of 52^nd (Lowland) Recce Regt RAC March 1945

– Lt Col J.B.A. Hankey OBE

Date 18^th Place MENZELEN:            2 casualties                          Weather – Fine

Strength - 905 men, 188 tanks/armoured cars/guns             

‘Regiment less ‘A’ Sqaudron ordered to do Traffic Control for Operation PLUNDER. Two casualties in ‘C’ Squadron from shelling.’

‘A’ Squadrons detached.

(From the War Diary of the 52nd Reconnaissance Regiment held by the Archive and Reference Library, the Tank Museum, Bovington, Dorset.)

 

52^nd Recce Roll of Honour includes the following who died on 18^th March 1945:

Trooper Jack Weston (age 22) of ‘C’ Squadron

who is laid to rest in the Reichswald Forest War Cemetery, south-west of Kleve in Germany.         

(From  ‘The Fighting Fifty-Second Recce’ by Carl Shilleto, Eskdale Publishing 2001.  See photo.)

We will remember them.

Ginderich, Germany

Dick’s 1945 diary for March:

13th Tues – Gilderich (Ginderich) resting.  Letter from Ronnie.

Photo labelled Ginderich March 1945

(See The Daimler Fighting Vehicles Project for more information on the car).

 

Second Letter written Tuesday 13^th March 1945

Tuesday 13^th Mar.

My precious,

                                    I do hope you find the enclosed alright.  Margaret sent the Ovaltine tablets*, for you, with lots of love.  That T.C.P.** is awfully good for cuts or spots and anything – I always use it.

Just now, I feel pretty wretched – specially as it’s our Wedding Anniversary.  This afternoon I had a tooth out - it took two dentists about half an hour to do it.  Mr Harris & Mr Dunman – I think you know them.  You see, last night I had some of Mummy’s home-made toffee, unfortunately, and it removed half this wretched tooth & its stopping, so I had to have the rest extracted.  Cost me 6 shillings too!

            When I returned from the dentist, there was a letter from my unit.  My leave is granted providing I can send a certificate of confirmation from your Officer in Command that you will be in England for 14 days and I can be with you.  So I’ve had that.

            What I intend doing now is to make out I received the letter tomorrow afternoon and ring them up, just to see how things are.  Probably get charged or something in any case.  They have enclosed a terrific sheet of ration coupons - I think I’ll use them.

          

Ted’s brother is coming down for the week-end.  He has been moved to a factory near Southampton so it’s quite handy for here.  I was hoping to see him, maybe I will - -

            Poor old Mary & Dil, going back tomorrow.  I should by rights too.

           

I do hope, my darling, you are quite well.  Have a good time with Bryn, if possible.  Take care of yourself, & eat up all these pills & things – then I’ll send you some more.  I could not get any glucose, but those halibut things are pretty smash!

            All my love, precious, for ever & ever,

                                                Your loving wife,

                                                            Chotie

P.S.     I was going to enclose this with the parcel I hope you will soon receive, but Margaret says you must not put letters in with parcels.  She should know!

 

*made from milk, malted barley and wheat flour

**an antiseptic

***probably halibut liver oil, a fish oil product taken for vitamins A and D.

 © Chotie Darling

A.W.L. in Parkstone

Letter written Tuesday 13^th March 1945 and embossed ‘THE HOLLIES, COMMERCIAL ROAD, PARKSTONE.’

13^th March 45

My darling husband,

                                                I have been hanging on before writing you in case I heard from my unit - but I haven’t so really I am A.W.L.*  What an awful wife you have?

           

Received a letter from your mother yesterday with £1 enclosed from Hilda**.  Apparently her husband decided that £2 was not enough for us – don’t forget to thank them, darling.  I am enclosing with this  a letter and cheque from Rita, some more to add to our little store.  Would you endorse it?

            I have managed to get you some stuff to take, darling, so tonight I will pack it all up & send it.  Hope you get it alright.

           

Yesterday afternoon, Mary  & I were doing some shopping in Poole and who should we bump into but SAS & Johnny Jones.  They had just crawled out of 'the Antelope', pretty well gone, and were going to the flicks to sleep it off.

            Johnny’s moustache just covered his face – awful.  SOS looked pretty smashed up, poor chap, but quite cheery.  They thought our marriage was a terrific cause for celebration.

            Right now, Mary & I are supposed to be in 'the Sloop' – boozing with them.  But really they are shocking types and Mary can’t stick Johnny Jones – never could.  We are dreading that they might barge in here or something.  God only knows what Mum would say.

            Anyway, they both heartily wished us every happiness.

           

Daddy took Beryl****, Mary & I to the Palace Court, last night.  We saw Terence de Marney*** in “The Crime of Margaret Foley” – Quite thrilling, & very well acted.

INK SMUDGE

(The dog has been walking over this.)

           

Have just washed my hair, so Mary & I are sitting in the garden – it’s quite warm and sunny.

            Mummy is shouting about dinner being ready, so I must close.

                                    All my love, darling,

                                                            Chotie xx

 

*Absent Without Leave.

** This letter came from Aunt Hilda of ‘Cairo Cottage’ 14 Broad Oak End, Bramfield Road, Hertford.

***The British actor, theatre director and writer – he was the author, as well as the star, of ‘The Crime of Margaret Foley’.

****Chotie's younger sister

 

© Chotie Darling

A Noble Sacrifice - Monday 12th March 1945

Letter written on Monday 12^th March 1945

‘C’ Squadron

52^nd (Lowland) Recce Regt

BLA.

Monday 12^th March

Chotie Darling,

                                    I’m writing you at my first opportunity, which hasn’t presented itself up ‘til the present moment.  I’m still at the half-way stage, and may well stay here another day or two as there’s an acute shortage of transport, it seems.

            I spent a day or so with Brinner, who unfortunately got himself posted yesterday.  Strangely enough he was very profuse with his congratulations on our behalf and gave us both his blessing!  He says he’s going to write to you.  I expect that’s as far as he’ll get, however, as he’s an even poorer correspondent than I am.

            I had a much better trip over than I had at first expected, and managed to sleep most of the night.  Since then of course I’ve been bandied about all over the place.  The food here tho’ is really excellent so I can’t grumble on that score.  You would be in your element.

            Chotie Darling, at risk of sounding very trite I must thank you very much for your noble sacrifice in marrying me.  I must be an awful person to live with.  You must find me terribly moody.  I try not to be, but since the beginning of the war I find I’m completely dis-orientated at home.  I’ll try to make you happy, Darling, which is what you deserve after all this time.

            Am I writing awful rubbish?  I’ll try another tack.  There are some fourteen OR*s here, mostly from my troop also waiting for transport, but who are at least half a mile away which means that I spend most of my time running from here to there, trying to tee-up the transport question.  All very trying.

            To compensate however, they opened an Officers' Shop, the first I’ve had a chance of visiting since I came over here (D-day I mean!) so I bought a few necessary articles of kit, pyjamas etc.

            There’s also an excellent bar here, so I can sink a steady schnapps now and again.  I’ve also got a bottle of whisky to go back to….

            I must close in rather a hurry, Darling as my transport seems to have turned-up.

            I’ll try to write you again when I reach the regiment.

                                                Goodbye, my Darling

                                                            Your favourite husband….

                                                                                    Dicker.

*other ranks i.e. not officers.

 © Chotie Darling

 

Dick’s 1945 diary for March:

12th Mon – Returned to Unit

 

WAR DIARY of 52^nd (Lowland) Recce Regt RAC March 1945

– Lt Col J.B.A. Hankey OBE

Date 12^th Place MENZELEN 1636:                                       Weather – Dull

Strength - 907 men, 188 tanks/armoured cars/guns

2 Prisoners of War taken              

‘ ‘C’ Squadron took Prisoner of War who crossed RHINE.  Commanding officer went to Divisional Commanders’ Conference.  ‘A’ Squadron under command of 155 Brigade (the South Scottish).  ‘C’ Squadron under command of 157 Brigade (the Highland Light Infantry).  Rest of Regiment in Divisional reserve.’  General Officer Commanding’s notes attached.  Operations Instrument No: 3 attached.

From the 12^th March 52^nd Recce were again in formation with 52^nd Division. ‘A’ & ‘C’ Squadrons were detached.

(From the War Diary of the 52nd Reconnaissance Regiment held by the Archive and Reference Library, the Tank Museum, Bovington, Dorset.)

‘C’ Squadron reaches the Rhine

52^nd (Lowland) Reconnaissance Regiment:

On 10^th March ‘C’ Squadron were ordered to advance to Menzelen (south-east of Xanten) and secure Gest and Ginderich in the Wesel pocket, the bulge of the Rhine opposite Wesel.  The enemy were now retreating across the Rhine and no opposition was met at Menzelen, although a number of prisoners were taken.  There was more resistance around Ginderich but, with infantry arriving to back them up, a force from the Squadron reached the bank of the Rhine and established an outpost.  Here they were able to observe hundreds of Germans on the east bank, working furiously to construct minefields and trenches. The enemy were rapidly bombarded by Allied artillery ensuring these defences were never completed.

(From the War Diary of the 52nd Reconnaissance Regiment held by the Archive and Reference Library, the Tank Museum, Bovington, Dorset and the Reconnaissance Journal Vol.1. No 4 April-June 1945.)

 

Dick’s 1945 diary for March:

9^th Fri –  Travelled overnight Calais – Bourg Leopold.

10^th Sat – Met Brinner – spent day with him at B.L.

11th Sun – Day at Bourg Leopold with Brinner

Separation

Letter written Friday 9^th March 1945

Pagham

9 Mar. 45

My darling,

                        We are all sitting in the porch, idly taking the sun.  It’s such a beautiful day & yet, I feel perfectly “B… - it is so empty with-out you here, my precious.

            Still, it does really seem as though you will be back again soon – the news being so excellent.

           

Have decided to write this to Brinner, as he should know, more or less, where you are.

You know my bracelet, - well after all that, I lost it.  This morning I popped into Bognor, but no luck.  Enquired all over the place, but I guess I have “had it”.  Still, who cares?

            Not having you to shove me out of bed in the early hours of the morning, I had a jolly long lie in this morning.  Did not rise until about 10.30 – shocking.

           

Hoping to catch a train home, about 5.  Dilys & Mum are coming into Chichester with me.

            I do hope, darling, that you got back quite alright & comfortably.  You must have felt pretty hellish.  One thing, Dicky, we shall have loads & loads of time, to be together for always.

            It was very wonderful to be with you for even this short while, so it is a glorious thought that we have a life-time to spend.

            Don’t feel too blue – I am trying not to.

           

I will write tomorrow from home & give you the latest dope on any presents & things.

            Take care, my darling, & come back soon,

            All my love, my husband,

                                                                        Chotie

 

Dick’s 1945 diary for March:

9^th Fri –  Travelled overnight Calais – Bourg Leopold.

Last Days Together

Dick’s 1945 diary for March:

7^th Wed –  Came home again for last day of leave.

8th Thur – End of leave.  Left Bognor for Dover via Victoria.

 

Photos taken at St Margaret's, 9 Sea Lane, Pagham on 8th March 1945:

Dick and Chotie

Chotie, Dick, Ma and Pa Williams

Chotie, Dilys, Ma and Pa Williams

Dick and Chotie with Pa Williams and dog

Chotie 8th March 1945

Dick 8th March 1945

 

 

On 7^th March US forces managed to take and hold the bridge across the Rhine at Remagen (between Bonn and Koblenz) and establish a bridgehead on the east bank.  Hitler had ordered that all the bridges across the Rhine should be destroyed but a rush attack by the Americans on the still intact Ludendorff bridge was successful and thousands of Allied troops were able to cross here.  (See World War II: The Bridge at Remagen)

 

52^nd (Lowland) Reconnaissance Regiment:

52^nd Recce was ordered to move to the centre of the Rhineland taking over from 53rd Recce. ‘B’ and ‘C’ Squadron assumed positions with ‘B’ maintaining contact with Americans forces now on the right flank of the regiment. RHQ and ‘A’ Squadron moved to Geldern.

(From the War Diary of the 52nd Reconnaissance Regiment held by the Archive and Reference Library, the Tank Museum, Bovington, Dorset)

 

Married

Richard Kelner Williams, a bachelor of 23 years,

marries Barbara Elizabeth Chalkley, a spinster of 21 years,

in Chichester Register Office on 6^th March 1945.

Richard (‘Dicker’) is resident at ‘St Margarets’, 9 Sea Lane, Pagham, near Bognor Regis and his occupation is Lieutenant Reconnaissance Corps (previously Public School Student).  His father is Dudley Kelner Beresford Williams, a retired Master Mechanical Engineer.

Barbara (‘Chotie’) is resident at “The Hollies”, Commercial Road, Parkstone and her occupation is W/242328 Private A.T.S. (previously Drapery Store Window Dresser).  Her father is William James Chalkley, the Managing Director of a Dairy Firm (Creekmoor Dairies).

The marriage is witnessed by Elizabeth Chalkley (Chotie’s mother), Alice Maude Williams (Dick’s mother), J. Dilys Williams (Dick’s sister) and B.H. Hall (Betty Hall, Chotie’s eldest sister).

 

Dick’s 1945 diary for March:

6^th Tues –  Married at Chichester.  Left for Spreadeagle* Midhurst.

*The Spread Eagle is a lovely historical hotel in Midhurst, West Sussex where Dick and Chotie spent the one night of their honeymoon.

 

Telegrams were received saying:

 “Wishing you both all the luck in the world and every happiness” from Margaret, Ted and baby Roger in Parkstone (Chotie’s other elder sister and her family),

“Congratulations all best wishes” from Jack in Parkstone (Chotie’s brother),

“Congratulations and best wishes” from Mary in Poole (Chotie’s best friend at home) and Ethel & Cyril from Christchurch, Pat & Douglas from Parkstone

 “Heartiest congratulations and best wishes love Nan” (Chotie’s best friend in the ATS) from Hull,

“Congratulations and very best wishes” from Nellie and Alice in Parkstone (sisters of Chotie’s father)

“Best wishes for the future” from Mr & Mrs Johnson, Margaret and Leslie in Parkstone

 “Congratulations best wishes for the future” from Mr & Mrs Gladdis of Wimborne (the parents of Margaret’s fiancée Tom LINK who was killed early in the war)

“Congratulations and all good wishes” from Auntie Mary & Robert of South London

“Just heard great news heartiest congratulations” from Cyril & Dora,

“Best wishes for complete happiness” from Fred, Hilda, Audrey and Alison of Hertford,

 “All the best for future happiness” from Dutton and Gillespie of Pagham

“Congratulations best of luck” from Joan and Tony of Pagham

“Congratulations and good wishes for future happiness from all at Cheltenham”.

Letters of congratulations were sent by Aunt Hilda (of ‘Cairo Cottage’ 14 Broad Oak End, Bramfield Road, Hertford) and ‘Rita’ and a card from Donald and Mary Hoare (of 15, Grasmere Road, Purley, Surrey). 

 

On 8^th March another telegram was sent from Parkstone:

“Good Luck and God Bless You love Mum Dad and all”.

Home at last

 

Dick’s 1945 diary for February:

28 Wed – Arrived home on leave.

 

52^nd (Lowland) Reconnaissance Regiment:

On 28^th February ‘C’ Squadron disposed of a small enemy recce patrol from the south of Afferden, emerging from the water of the anti-tank ditch to be met by a Bren gun.  Recce parties of 45 Commando arrived to take over the Regimental responsibilities but these orders were suspended until 2^nd March.