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1940. Thursday night, 9.05. Tidworth.
Dear Mum and Dad,
I have had your two lovely parcels this afternoon and two letter s this morning, 3 rather, because one off Eveline was delayed yesterday and came this morning. I told her in my last letter that I did not have one off her yesterday. I bet she was worried because there was a 10/- note in it. It’s been like a birthday today, what with all that food, 10/-, 5/-, 3 letters and etc. I want to thank you very much indeed, it’s certainly very welcome and much appreciated. There’s enough to last me until Wakes. Thank Uncle Sam and Auntie Ethel for me please, I don’t think I will be able to write a letter for them yet.
We’ve been very busy these last three weeks, since we’ve learned how to use and fire a Bren machine gun in our own time at nights, and this last week all the whole squadron have been digging trenches at nights.
They’re speeding everything up here. It used to take 26 weeks to train a man, and now it takes 20 weeks or less.
We’ve had three air raid warnings this week, and lost about 9 hours sleep. Monday night was 12 until 3 am, same on Tuesday and Wednesday, but we’ve never seen any planes or heard any bombs. As soon as they are reported over the coast we have to get ready for action, whether they head this way or not.
How do you like the AR warnings? Do they upset you? There’s no need for it really. The chances are a million to one. We take no notice already. I think we would stop in bed if they would let us.

Well, it’s 10 o’clock so I’ll say goodnight and thanks again, Mum. I’m doing fine so don’t worry about me. Hoping you’re all OK, remember me to all.
With love to you all from Albert. Xxx.

1940. Thursday night. 8.30. Albert of Tidworth.
Dear Mother and Dad,

Eveline tells me about your long spells in the shelters, but you feel safe and that’s something to be thankful for. This last fortnight we’ve been pretty free from them, there’s only been a couple or three warnings and we haven’t even seen a plane. Sometimes I wish he would come over and let us have a go at him, he would never come again.
What a poor gate at Stoke, you didn’t say how they went on, or who they played, but it doesn’t really matter. I’m not very interested. I’m a Port Vale supporter and if Jack goes up on Saturday, tell him to give me a shout. I bet he will be waiting for the gates to open, so he can lead the gallant 25 in.
Tomorrow we finish our driving instruction and go on a three weeks gunnery course. I had my tank out again yesterday, they’ve managed to repair it, and on Monday I had the honour of being the first trooper in Tidworth to drive a nice new tank. It had 32 bogy wheels, 4 big wheels and 2 pulleys and 16 runners along the top. It’s a terrific affair. The armour plating is a minimum of 4 inches all round and it’s got periscopes for the driver and gunner. There were many envious eyes as I drove out on it and, what’s more, I brought it back all in one piece. Guess how much petrol I used for 34 miles - 17 gallons and that was mostly in top gear on the roads. On the plains it works out at one mile a gallon on the average. What a bill for a week’s running.
I was a bit disappointed about the bike practice, but I’ve had the opportunity of driving six different kinds of tanks and now I feel quite confident in all of them.
One kind of tank is a real thrill, it has a big Rolls-Royce engine and 6 speed, self-changing gear-box. All I have to do is start the motor and, without touching the clutch, put the lever in 2nd. Then when I put my foot on the clutch, I can put it in three, four, five or six, and although I’m travelling in second, and perhaps the gear lever is in 5th, nothing will happen until I put my foot down and let the clutch up. Then I’m in 5th. There’s no grinding of gears, it’s impossible. As a matter of fact it’s child’s play. If Mother ever wants to drive, we had better have one of these gear boxes.
I’m glad Mr Chipperfield has put the tax right until the war’s over. Eveline never mentioned it because she said she didn’t want to worry me. I don’t know when I shall ever be able to write and thank him

July 16 1940. Tuesday night. Tidworth.
Dear Mum and Dad,
I have had four letters today, one that should have come yesterday off Eve, one today off her, one off you and one off Jimmy Daniels. It looks as though the pencil sharpener will be working overtime.
I’ve done a smart trick tonight. We have to have an hour to an hour and a half’s cleaning at night on the lorries. It generally fetches 7 o’clock. Well, the guy lorries’ bonnets are on an hinge and lift up in one piece from the front. I was cleaning the engine and the bonnet fell squarely on top of my head. I saw stars for a few seconds, but was all right afterwards. It has made a 2 inch cut and it bled a little. The corporal in charge took me to 5 different First Aid places before I could get attended to, and the chap who did do it cut about 3 inches of hair off and put iodine on. I am feeling fine but they say I must report sick in the morning. I don’t want to but it appears that I must. I don’t mind, it will be a change from ordinary routine.
There’s no news of leave yet, but I think we will get it a week on Friday. Starting this Thursday night we are guarding that aerodrome again so it rules leave out for this weekend, because we don’t come off it until a week Thursday.
Somehow that Greek managed to get 48 hrs leave this last weekend and a free travelling warrant. Of course, he cuts the Sgt Major’s hair and a few officers’ hair, so that may explain it. He says he had a real good time in Birmingham. All his lodgings were free, most of his bus rides were free. He had a 50 Players given him and he went in a pub and could have got drunk free, but didn’t, so he made a profit on his leave. Much to our surprise he came back at the time stated, although when we said Goodbye to him on Friday night, we meant it.
Fancy Kents leaving. They have made a bad move this time, and to think that Wedgewoods will soon be removing, and it will mean another move for them. I suppose they know best, or think they do. I see Etruria will be deserted when I come home. . .(unfinished or page missing).

July 21 1940. Sunday morning. Tidworth.
Approx one week before first leave of 48 hours.
Dear Mum and Dad,
I have had your letter yesterday afternoon and one off Jimmy Daniels early in the week. I’m going to answer it this afternoon or he will have to wait until next weekend.
I’ve Been up since 5 o’clock this morning. That’s the trouble with this guard. Every day they call us up at 5.0 am and there’sthen we have to dash down to the barrack room for a wash and put the equipment on, ready for a parade at 7.30. I write a letter to Evleine at dinner times or she would never get one. There’s only 3 more night’s after tonight, and then we hope to get Thursday night off to see about trains, ready for Friday we’re hoping to get leave this weekend, the squad before us are on leave now, it’s only 48 hours. From Friday after duty until Sunday midnight. There’s a train I believe at 2.35 that gets to Stoke at 11.20, but we will have to beg some time off to catch it, and the 5.35 train gets in Stoke at 3.30 am. We’re all going to ask for the afternoon off or the leave will be nearly useless, because we have to start back on Sunday dinner time and come back via London. a rush every night. We are cleaning the lorries from 5.30 to 6.45 and
Things are slackening off a bit round here. We used to carry our respirators with us everywhere we went, even on PT. Now we can leave them off unless we go out of the barrack area. There has been another leave resumed, for chaps who have done 3 months without a leave and have completed their training. They will get a week’s leave at once. I wish it applied to us, but we have only about 7 more weeks to go. The last squad to go on draft from here went to Rotherham near Sheffield, and quite a few lived at Sheffield.
I’m losing my pal today. He’s volunteered to go on an electricians course for 16 weeks at East Ham. Sometimes I wish I had volunteered, but they’ll want more volunteers soon and it may be nearer home. Then again I may be drafted near home, so it’s a matter of luck I’m afraid. About 4 weeks ago they wanted volunteers who are willing to do almost anything and must be able to swim with kit on, drive cars, motor-bikes, lorries, used to sea travel, able to fly as a passenger on planes and be prepared to go anywhere at any time. They got 4 out of our squad, but only one would pass. Our squad is diminishing now. Two chaps were put back to 28 squad about 6 weeks ago; then two chaps went to join the office staff; 3 chaps are going today on an electricians course and one more is going on a fitters course with them; another 2 are on a list for an instructors course and that Greek is going on a cooks course soon.
There won’t be many left by the time our training is finished. It should make it better for our leave, because they only let a certain number away at a time.
My head is nearly better now. I should have gone on the sick parade on Friday morning, but there’s so much messing about that I didn’t bother. It’s rather strange but I never felt anything after Tuesday night. I am feeling fine now, in spite of a fortnight’s rotten weather. I don’t know how you are going on with the weather but every day here it’s cold, rough and nearly always rains. I can’t understand it for this time of the year.
I’m sorry about phoning. I can’t possibly manage it. We’re confined to barracks this week. As a matter of fact we have been confined to barracks 7 weeks out of 12. I might phone up on Thursday night if there’s anything important to phone about, regarding leave.
How about this. I had my hair cut a week last Friday and I had another one on Wednesday night because of a special parade on Thursday morning. Then on Friday morning, the sergeant tells me to get a hair cut, and he meant it. It was no use telling him how many I had had, because he says that he doesn’t care if we have to have one every day, but it’s a bit too thick to have 3 in less than a week. Anyway, I’ve escaped his eagle eye so far because I didn’t get one, and what’s more I have to shave every day now, although most days I don’t need one. I daren’t risk being told too many times.
Eveline sent me some chocs and a 50 Craven last Thursday and asked if I want any money. Well I have my fare put away and I do believe we will have a free pass, although it’s not certain, but whatever happens I shall be all right.
I see Levi didn’t part with his bike. I can’t understand him wanting to do, because it’s one of the finest bikes in the world, and there will be a scarcity of them this next few years.
I must close now. Remember me to all, Auntie Ethel and family.
Your loving son Albert. Love to all at home. Xxx.

After first leave. Pages 1 and 2. Journey back from leave. How different from today’s fast travel.
Monday night. Albert of Tidworth.
Dear Mum and Dad,
it’s just blown 9.30 and at last I have a chance to write. There’s such a lot to say and so little time.
First we didn’t arrive in Euston until 7.30 and as it was nearly an hour late we missed our connection at Waterloo, so from Waterloo we were told to try Paddington and we couldn’t get from there until 5.30 am. So we got our passes signed at all 3 stations, by the Army Railway Transport Officers to cover ourselves and went to the Church Army Hostel to stop the night. It’s the cheapest place ever. The bed cost 1/-, supper was 4 sausages, 1 egg, B and B and a cup of tea, at the very low price of 7½d and breakfast at 4.30 am was 2 eggs and chips, B and B and tea, costing 1/-. Not bad was it. Well we got on the train at 5.30 am, it was a very long train and it was packed. We stood up until it reached Reading. Then the trouble started. It kept stopping for signals and, instead of getting in Swindon for us to catch our connection, we missed it again, and we actually arrived in barracks at 10.30 instead of 7.30. well, we went to the guardhouse to report and hand our passes in and they told us to see our Squadron Leader, Capt Lomax.
Well, we all went to see him and with a lot of ceremony, saluting and what-not, we all six faced him. Well, he told us how we had infringed law so-and-so, paragraph so-and-so, number s0-and-so, of the King’s Regulations etc, and Joe was asked first what reason we could give. Joe told him every detail of how it happened and that did it for us all. So, as it was the railways to blame, we got off, not scot-free, because they’re stopping 2/- out of our pay, representing 1 day’s pay. That was a relief, I must say, although it’s a bit mean.
Well, we’ve been driving little tanks this afternoon and what a thrill - they tear along at 35 - 40 mph over the plain, and ride like a motor-boat in a rough sea. I can drive very well and feel quite at home in them. We nearly set the thing on fire. A chap who was sitting with the driver left his respirator in the back and it fell on the exhaust pipe. We could smell burning but it wasn’t until it was well ablaze that we found out, and I flung it out, stopped the tank and played the extinguisher on it, although it was late. It was near to the petrol tank but we found out in time.
The poor chap who owns it has also lost his steel helmet on leave so he is in a real fix.
Well, Mum, I could almost jump for joy. We’ve heard that the Serg is leaving us soon. I hope it’s true, that will make life a little better.
Do you know what we’ve had to do tonight? Clean all the brasses on our equipment, blanco it where necessary, clean rifles and polish boots, ready for his own parade during our dinner hour tomorrow. It’s only our squad that’s on it. Never mind, it will soon be over I think.
Well, Mum, I’ve got settled again now and I’m all right. It’s 10.10 and I’ll have to write a bit more next time.
PS. We are night driving from 10 - 12 tomorrow night.
Goodnight all. Cheerio. Remember me to Auntie Ethel,
Your loving son, Albert. xxx.

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