- Contributed by听
- roy.j.scott
- People in story:听
- Roy.J.Scott
- Location of story:听
- UK / Italy
- Article ID:听
- A3632212
- Contributed on:听
- 07 February 2005
Following the accident at Marchwood at what is now No.1 Transportation Port, opposite Southampton Docks, where we were building the Port itself,and building and assembling
Mulberry harbour ready for "D"Day,June 6th 1944. I was taken to Southampton General Hospital, where some complications, including the intervention of Gas-Gangrene delayed any immediate recovery. After 2/3 weeks whilst in another Hospital near S/hampton. "D"Day arrived and with the clearing of all the available Hospitals on the South Coast for the reception of Casualties from France, I found myself in a miles long convoy of ambulances heading for Netley Hospital where there was a direct rail connection.
Whilst waiting on the platform on a stretcher to be loaded on the train I made my first acquaintance with the American Nurses,complete with their all white outfits including stockings, which was a new dimension to the war scene. Being loaded onto the ambulance train it departed at about 17,00hrs.in the evening. After travelling thro' S/hampton to the accompniment of Flag waving residents alongside the track, we were taken up the scenic route via the West of England and Abergavenny overnight, eventually arriving at Manchester Victoria station the following morning. Being transported to Stepping Hill Hosp. Stockport where I stayed for treatment including Skin-Grafts, followed by convalecense at Compstell/Marple and Richmond Park Convalecent Depot. Whilst at Richmond Park I was able to go home at week-ends to Welling in Kent.However this was not without incident Avoiding one flying bomb which landed at the gates of Richmond park one evening, then on another occocasion dodging one at Welling, and then after the First V2 had landed, and been reported as a Gas Explosion. Heard second V2 arriving after it had exploded in the early hours of the morning and deduced what it was before it was announced. Before being posted here to Chilwell barracks, in the East-Midlands where I eventually made my Home.
Whilst at Chilwell I was transferred from the Royal Engineers to the R.E.M.E. thus losing contact with my own unit and Regiment.
After a short stay at Chilwell, I was posted to Italy,leaving Port Glasgow
and going through the boom on the Firth of Clyde at Midnight on 1st April 1945
Straight into a force 8/9 Gale in the Irish Sea.However despite the attention of some "U"Boats before we got to Gibralter we disembarked at Naples on 10th April 1945.
After a short stay in a transit Camp, it was off up country via Rome, to Borgo san Lorenzo north of Florence, where I joined
the REME 622 Light Recovery Unit, and General Mark Clark'sAmerican 5th Army.
Ready for my next and episode towards the end of the war.
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Message 1 - Another resident of Welling, Kent
Posted on: 21 March 2005 by Scrooby70
Hello Roy,
You have said in your story that you "went home to Welling". I lived in Welling during the war - Lyme Road did you know it? I have contacted a few people that came from our old town. My story is called, An "old" boy's story.
Regards, Peter Lewington
听
Message 2 - Another resident of Welling, Kent
Posted on: 04 April 2005 by roy.j.scott
Scrooby 70, thank you for your note about Welling, my family and I were bombed-out,by a land-mine in New Cross
in 1942,and then were living temporarily with relations near Charlton Park. Later moved to Bexley- heath off Wickham lane and near King Harold's Way where a V2 Rocket landed
one Saturday Lunch-time, when I was home on leave for the week-end. My mother was out shopping at the near-by shops. I was concerned for her safety, and was close enough and in time to recover piece of the Rocket
propellent cylinder still covered in frost from the decompression of the gas which it had contained. Fortunately there were only two casualties,one by the rocket itself,
and one other, "a pet dog",which was killed by the lady owner who had witnessed the explosion from the end
of the road and collapsed on her pet. Sorry for delay,but owing to family health problems time and access to being on line is somewhat resricted.
Yours truly Roy Scott.
听
Message 3 - Another resident of Welling, Kent
Posted on: 04 April 2005 by Scrooby70
Hello Roy, great to hear from you. I have been racking my brains trying to remember where King Harold's Way is situated - it's a long time since I was in Welling. I shall have to look it up on a map. I don't know if you have read my story yet. In it I have detailed my history of living in Welling during the war.
I have made contact with a few people who lived in Welling but probably, like you, thier use of the internet is limited for one reason or another and they sometimes never get to reply again. One now lives in Australia and the last message that I received from him said that he was about to become a great grandparent so maybe that is keeping him busy. Another sent a message about two months ago telling me that he only gets to go on-line when his daughter visits him.
There is one person who I am in contact with on a regular basis by e-mail is a lady who now lives in Canada. She is a real keen 'Silver Surfer'.
Well Roy, once again it has been great to hear from you. If you can, please let me know what you have been doing since the war.
Regards, Peter.
听
Message 4 - Another resident of Welling, Kent
Posted on: 10 May 2005 by roy.j.scott
Hello Peter,Sorry about delay in replying,but withthe advance of "tempes fugit" and my wife being diasbled I'm having less and less of it to devote to my computer classes!
However I can tell you that I have a number of grand children,and great grand-children. In addition I can tell you that I lived in Plymstock Road,Welling.I spent Ten wasted years
on the Footplate of Loco's on British Railways,then joined the Power Supply Industry. I started at a Power Station,at Castle Donington in Leicestershire.which was the biggest in the UK at the time 6X100MW,on to another bigger at Willington Derbys. Then Commissioning and Operating Units of 500MW at Ratcliffe-on Soar
2000MW Station. Representing the Industry on the Continent, whilst
helping to introduce an incentive scheme before taking early retirement
owing to my first wife's illness.
Regards Roy Scott.
听
Message 5 - Another resident of Welling, Kent
Posted on: 12 May 2005 by Scrooby70
Hello Roy,
Thanks for your reply. sorry to hear that your wife is disabled. It must be a great strain on you and if, like me, you like to 'go on line' and find what is happening in the world. I myself use my computer for 'setting' copy for our local magazine. I mainly do the advertisements and as I was in the printing idustry for all my working life - 28 of those years I was employed as a compositor working for The Times newspaper - I really enjoy what I can do with a computer after hot metal. I left Welling in 1957 when I married for the first time. It did not last long. I lived in London and the suburbs for some time until I married again, in 1972, and we are very happy.
After I was made redundant (forceably by Mr Murdoch) we moved up to Scrooby, Nottinghamshire and have not moved in 18 years.
Well Roy, I hope that you will be able to do some more surfing soon, all the best, I will look out for your reply,
Peter.
听
Message 6 - Another resident of Welling, Kent
Posted on: 04 December 2005 by Scrooby70
Hello Roy,
As you may know this sight is closing soon and I would like to send my best regards for the future.
Peter.
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