大象传媒

When I was stationed in Cerne Abbas, Dorset, I met Ann Holloway, a farmer鈥檚 daughter and local school teacher. We became engage in 1943 and decided to marry in April 1944. We all knew that the Allied Commanders were planning the invasion of France and one day I would probably be sent overseas as a soldier in that invading army.

I was due for a week鈥檚 leave and we planned to use this leave for our wedding and a honeymoon at Lynmouth in Devon. However, a few days before my leave was due, our C.O. called me into his HQ and informed me that the Area Commander had issued orders that only weekend leave would be permitted! The C.O. knew I was about to marry and said he could allow me an extended weekend of leave from Friday to Monday. I managed a phone call to Ann from the local phone box and she was able to contact the B&B at Lynmouth to say that we would only there for 2 days and not 5!
As our camp in Dorset was less than 25 miles from the South Coast we were now in a restricted zone and the only movement in or out was for military personnel or people residing or working in the area. However I managed to obtain a special permit from the C.O. for my parents to travel down from Birmingham for the wedding in Ann鈥檚 home village.

The wedding took place as arranged on Saturday April 10th 1944 and despite war time rationing, Ann鈥檚 family and friends rallied round to provide food for the reception and some American troops stationed nearby, turned up unexpectedly on the Saturday morning with tins of food 鈥� meat, fish, fruit etc!

It was a lovely Easter wedding in the village church and after the reception we were seen off in the local taxi one of the few cars in the village. We travelled by train via Yeovil and Taunton and arrived in Lynmouth with just two days honeymoon to spend together.

We had to return on Monday afternoon and I managed to get back to camp in Dorset by 2359 hours one minute to midnight. Arrival after this time meant that the guard commander could place you on a 鈥渃harge鈥� and you would have to spend a rather uncomfortable night in the Guard room!

I don鈥檛 think the new bridegroom would have enjoyed that experience, especially as the honeymoon had already been cut short!

This story was submitted to the People鈥檚 War site by Anastasia Travers a volunteer with WM CSV Action desk on behalf of Harry Reeves and has been added to the site with his permission. Harry Reeves fully understands the sites terms and conditions.

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