大象传媒

This contribution was submitted by Major Arthur V. Marment from his diaries. It is added to the site with his permission.

Thursday March 26th
The behaviour of the cabin whilst in Port has been interesting David Anderson was drunk most of the time, but became very quiet when in this state. Dennis Caulfield Kerry left a 鈥淔rench letter鈥� in the tunic shirt that I lent him, so enough said. Danny was obviously up to no good with the taxi cab chauffeuse.

I suppose at 60% of the draft went ashore to find a prostitute whilst William Anderson (Royal Scots fusilier) was escort to 鈥淢y Travels鈥� who is under close arrest on board on a charge of 鈥渋ndecency with a private soldier鈥�.

A very, very hot day and the morning letters was a farce. We just melted and it came to a sticky end after 50 minutes. In the afternoon we slept and I came to the conclusion that I would pitch my camp bed on the boat deck after dinner. In the very early morning the crew hose the deck down without me having to move. It was marvellous and I left the cabin each evening for the boat deck for the rest of the voyage. They used to hose the decks so I had to make sure the bed was six inches off.

Sunday March 29th 鈥� 31st
Today I had an amazing fortune. I won the sweep for the run for the day, but even better still, yesterday鈥檚 winner didn鈥檛 claim his so I collected the total- 拢11.00 for one shilling.

The heat is incredible. Everybody is dripping. Humid heat in the Indian Ocean and quite unlike the South Atlantic. Then tremendous downpour, and on both nights I had to retreat from the boat deck at 0130 and 0430. Shall still disappear from the cabin and I think I have lost my money belt, but fortunately no money.

Our convoy cruiser HMS Glasgow came alongside in the afternoon and the Royal Marine Band played for 30 minutes. It was lovely and very much appreciated鈥�.and so ends March in a happy manner.

April 1st 鈥� 4th
Various lecturers such as First Aid, The Bofor Gun from Sweden, Anti Tank Gun. All were good, but nothing so valuable to me as reading Rudyard Kipling鈥檚 Kim. It taught me more about India and the Frontier than any book until Mollie Kaye wrote 鈥淭he Far Pavilions鈥�, the 鈥淪hadow on the Moon鈥� etc. If you red these three you will have an understanding of this vast country which will far exceed many soldiers with 40 years service. Mollie Kaye鈥檚 husband, Brigadier Hamilton bought Kipling鈥檚 house in Sussex and came of a Frontier Regiment as far back as the Ist and 2nd Afgham Wars.
I met Mollie Kaye in Harrods signing her book 鈥淭he Far Pavilions鈥� She had relatives in, and had been to, Kenya. She told me that Jock Kensington i.e. Lord Kensington had died there. He was a distant relative of my Grandma Lewis and lived at Sealyham in South Pembrokeshire. Like Brigadier Hamilton he belonged to the Guides based in Mordon and a very famous Cavalry Regt whose forced march to Delhi in the Indian Mutiny saved our Indian Empire. I went down to see him at Rangoon after VJ day but he had gone on leave. But I had to rely on Kim as we took the march to the Relief of Dalla Khel, leaving Shonkerouri on July 13th鈥ut that all comes later.

Easter Sunday, April 5th
There was a grand attendance and the Reverend 鈥淧rickly Heat鈥� gave an amazing sermon on the 鈥淚mmortality of the soul鈥� I cannot remember what he said but I have always envisaged the Roman Gallaper on a wonderful Arab stallion dashing through the main gate of Jerusalem on Easter with Herod鈥檚 message to the Emperor in Rome.

April 6th 1942 (Easter Monday)

Money handed in. A big partyand the news sounded a little more cheerful.

April 7th: As we put into Bombay, the bar is closed for alcoholic drinks, because of some hooligan.

April 8th: Anchored in the bay about 10.00. A magnificent city as seen from the decks. We are destined for the Officers Training School at Bangalore.

April 9th: I spent an appalling day in the sick bay as escort to Captain 鈥淏y Travels鈥︹��.鈥� An interesting chap with obviously a 鈥渒ink鈥� somewhere. He had obviously come from a very good family with many connections. A sad story with a sad end too for the last escort, I鈥檓 sure. (On May 21, heard that Bamford shot himself. Escort was exonerated. Bamford guilty.

April 10, 11, 12th

We went alongside on the Friday and went ashore on the Saturday and were not allowed to return even when we were meant to entrain at 22.50..and didn鈥檛 until 0200 on Sunday. I can understand how the Captain and the Officer in charge of the Draft were getting worried. Discipline ws beginning to break down everywhere and 25% if the officers were at breaking point and put up an awful show.

April 12th/13th
Trains coming in the opposite direction were full including the roofs and hangers on and organisation at breaking point.

With the benefit of hindsight, the school was well laid, but staffed by keen young lectuers who were likely to learn a lot from the Draft, but had not the experience of modern weapons nor any active service. The elderly instructors were just 鈥渓ooking for the best鈥� or 鈥減laying out time鈥�. Very little was learnt from them, but it gave the Draft a chance to get acclimatised if they used their time wisely.

The food was good and the reasonable discipline was maintained, but in such a big Draft there will always be 10 to 20 % who will never fit in, and are a damn nuisance wherever they go.

The political position was always on a knife edge. With many rumours and fears that the Japanese Fleet might threaten the west coast, Madras and Ceylon. My old friend Malcolm Husband whilst flying from Ceylon at about that time, experienced the extinction of his Squadron when they took on the Jap. Naval Squadron. He was blessed鈥is aeroplanes was not fit to take off. A faulty tyre made it impossible.

We had very hardworking and keen Urdu Munshi. Ours was a Pathan, and he was very happily surprised when I asked him out for dinner at the leading hotel before I departed. He had never mixed with a British officer before and was excellent company.

Likewise I enjoyed mixing with the Indian cricketers on the B.U.S. ground. (Now a test match ground) We were playing in winter and were welcomed in a competitive and enthusiastic manner. We made them start to mix and it did a lot of good. We played a lot of squash and I even played against Bats the Cornish Champion whilst as a wicket keeper. I was judged to be better than Farmer Levitt of Kent and Eliot of Derbyshire, both of whom played for the MCC the previous winter.

On May 4th 1942: Had the first letter from Mother giving me all the news. Marjorie Dor engagment, the stockman for Barbara鈥�.and lots of other tit-bits. The letter had taken a month and will be read and re-read!!

Sunday May 10, 1942
With the benefit of years of experience, I have found many strange and unusual circumstances which started to unravel W>E>F> this date: e.g. Kohima/ D.I.S. IN 1944/ Our marriage on May 7 1958 etc etc.
On this date my diary reads 鈥淲ent to 0800 communion service at the Garrison Church and enjoyed it no end鈥� I made several other visits before I left Bangalore and pray to God that I would love the many Peoples of this vast land and hoped in turn that they would like me.

My prayers were answered and at the age of 85 I realised how it all worked out, and how grateful I should always be. Without doubt, I had many failings, but, 鈥渨hen I could, I did鈥� I shall try and summarise my background and failings before I land at Liverpool in November 1945 (went to communion with Dick Albertson)

May 18th: I have been appointed Mess Secretary and am licking that outfit into shape. Whilst I won in Bombay I opened a bank account with Grindlays, and from this day always transported excessive balances in 拢50s to my Nat. Prov acct in Cardiff.

May 26th Played hockey. Got a crack on the jaw when playing left back. Some BF using his stick like a flail. Had my jaw bound up. Went to dentist as my mouth had been cut inside. The Sikhs are the fastest hockey players I have ever seen.

May 29th Who should turn up this morning but my K.S.L.I. (Kings Shropshire Light Infantry) Platoon Sergeant Barber, now 2nd Lieut. Barber from Bridgnorth. I was delighted to see him, he has done me credit and has got the pioneering spirit to come here. Took him out to dinner and a film. I was surprised that he was accepted by 5th R.G. Rifles.

Sunday May 31. Went to communion with Dick and played cricket v. Gunners. Barber watched.

Friday June 12th 鈥淒ear old Grandpa Marment died at the age of 87 at 26 Royal Crescent. He was a marvel and I shall never forget his kindness and cheerfulness. 鈥淏ravo Laddie鈥� he would say as I made some progress somewhere. He came of a great age and possessed many qualities and had drive. He leaves a name that will never die in Cardiff and was buried in the family grave behind the Lady Chapel of Llandaff Cathedral.

We are now on a week鈥檚 leave and playing cricket each day. Desmond Walker and John Mills both joined me for Communion and it was good to be with them. Desmond went back to Oxford University after the war, and I only saw him once during the War and later on Witney Cricket Ground. Sammy Walker too. He captained the Lions in South Africa in 1938 and was the Irish skipper. As we break up I shall miss them.

Friday June 19th
Left Bangalore at 22.30 on Friday June 19th with Danny Daniels, Johnny Govan and Otto Kerr. I never saw last two again, but Danny of the R Welch Fusiliers came to work in Wales and lived outside Cowbridge. He had married with one baby, and had tea one Sunday at his country home.
On this longest of journeys, the Punhab Mail was three hours late at Delhi. I changed there on the Frontier Mail and it left at 0100 on Tuesday June 22. No breakfast, but ate large lunch in Lahore. The Frontier Mail reached Rawalpindi on Wednesday June 23 and met two very decent chaps from the 4/15th and 4 from the 1st Gurkha Rifles. One from 15th Punjab Regiment must have been Johnny Whitmarsh Knight, one of the Gurkhas was Lt Sidney Templeman who was A.Q.M.G. of 7th Indian Division and later a Lord of Appeal junior to Tasker Watkins but senior to Roger Parker.

They took control of everything. We had dinner out and had a real bath. Fortunately our coach had been unhooked at Rawalpindi and by 10.00 on Wednesday morning were having breakfast in the refreshment room on Havelion Station. Only bus transport so we took the 40 mile route to the Shinkiari Camp. So ended a very long and interesting train journey.
Left Bangalore on Friday June 19 at 22.30鈥rrived Shinkiari on Wednesday June 24 at 1400鈥�.after about four and a half days journey.

The C O. or Commandant, Lt. Col. Babs Carey is on leave and the 2/i/c Major Derek Leeming was commanding. I spent the next 36 hours looking around in this beautiful tented camp, with its lovely trees and its pleasant climate. The 40 miles from Havelian was a good road and continuously climbing with U bends and S bends. A few camels were used for transport and about 40 South African mules had just arrived to join about eight chargers.

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