大象传媒

The 142 Field Regiment, R.A. was formed out of the latter- mentioned R.D.Y.Artillery and it remained in Okehampton during that coldest Winter since 1881.Just before we moved in May, 1940 my Brother who was in the R.A.S.C.had been transferred from Catterick, Yorks. to Higher Barracks, Exeter and one day made me a surprise visit. We spent a while in the Naafi canteen and we tried to kid ourselves that the war would be over in about 6 months!I waved him good-bye when he left by train for Exeter but did not know at that moment that I would never be seeing him again, because he was killed in Libya on 27th May. 1942.Our Regiment moved to Robertsbridge,E. Sussex,Where we were told that we were now regarded as being on active service and were told that we were now entitled to write any letters free of postage simply by writing O.H.M.S. on the envelopes!Our next move was to Horam Road, North of Eastbourne, where we had to examine passes carried by passengers in public transport and where some of us slept in an Oast House for the very first time!From there to Brickwall House, Northiam, North of Eastbourne, where on 15th September,1940 we had a grandstand view of the Battle of Britain.The 6pm news stated that 185 German 'planes had been shot down that day, but later on those figures were believed to have been much less. However, there appeared to be 'planes coming down in all directions and it was horrific to have seen our pilots baling out of their Spitfires, and being fired upon by German Messerschmitts encircling them as they were landing! One pilot being brought into our unit requested whilst dying, that his parachute should be well cared for because it had saved his life several times.We were instructed to keep our eyes open for possible enemy parachutists landing and the message 'to the whites of the eyes -if you do not get them, they will get you' was drummed into us repeatedly. At this point the 142 Field Regiment, R.A. was to become the 4th Defence Regiment, consisting of Defence Batteries to be deployed for coastal protection in the event of invasion, this covered Eastbourne to Dungeness(Lydd)I myself was stationed in the best area and started that part of my service at St. John's School, Bexhill-on -Sea, East Sussex. After a very pleasant spell in this delightful place, we then moved to a place called 'The Crumbles' which could not have been more aptly named. Desolate farm-type buildings on the outskirts of Eastbourne, with adequate air-holes in the walls. At breakfast on the first morning, our cook, speaking with a spooky type of voice informed us that 'behind this stove on which I have just cooked your pancakes, were found the clothing of Emily, Beilby Kaye and her bones were found underneath the floor boards in that room over there', the boards could be seen through the open door. I immediately vacated the kitchen and vowed never to eat anything there again, however long we were destined to stay there. Fortunately 2 days later we vacated that dreadful place. It turned out to have been featured in one of Sir. Bernard Spilsbury's famous murder cases, the murder having been committed by a Patrick Herbert Mahon in 1924, only about 17 years previously.

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