大象传媒

This story has been added by CSV Volunteer Linda Clark on behalf of the author Major E. Donald Nisbet of the Honourable Artillery Company. The story is based on his diary which was written between September 1944 and February 1945. The site's terms and conditions are fully understood.

On Tuesday September 24th 1944 we moved off at 09.00hrs. and made good progress but the billeting arrangements in Ghent had seemingly gone wrong. We split up and we went to Wetteren. It was curious to see how much neater Belgium was than France, with doll like homes. All the people were very pleased to see us and I made friends with a pretty girl in a caf茅 whilst waiting for our billets.

The men were billeted first and then the officers, the men being placed in a courtyard or hall of large houses. My billet was with a tax collector and he and his wife and three children were all charming. I never imagined such hospitality and they couldn鈥檛 do enough for me. I went to bed at midnight full of liqueurs after a long conversation with Monsieur and Madame. The others were equally well off and we couldn鈥檛 believe we weren鈥檛 dreaming. Everyone seems to think that we are angels sent straight from heaven. I was drunk when I wrote my diary that night but I remember being ordered not to get up until 09.00hrs. When I did get up I enjoyed a bath and bacon and eggs.

Breakfasts consisted of home made bread, cherry jam and gingerbread and after indulging in a very large breakfast on Wednesday the 27th I went out to draw rations. It was difficult to find the road, particularly as all the people speak Flemish. In the afternoon I wandered around the town and had a coffee and a cognac in a caf茅 with a blonde and Court-Cooper. Our conference in the evening with officers and O.R.S was very dull so, feeling a cold coming on, I spent the rest of the evening talking to my hosts.

I awoke the following morning with a beastly cold and later we wasted a lot of time with the old man being in a bit of a muddle, seemingly unable to make up his mind. I then visited two other detachments and ours seemed to be by far the most fortunate. Major Lordell was in a dirty caf茅 and he was furious.

By then we were pretty straight with office and mess in one room and the men鈥檚 mess and kitchen in the hall. James was a good clerk and the detachment was shaping well.

We found the shops well furnished and the shoes and clothing well made but the prices had nearly halved in the last three weeks. The windows of the pastry cooks were very tempting with layers of thick cream in evidence and there were plenty of watches, clocks and perfume. The shortage of food was only said to affect the very poor in agricultural districts as most people seemed to have friends or relatives on or near to farms.

The Germans on the whole were behaved well but they ate in separate cafes. The Air Force was very unpopular with the air raids being regarded as senseless massacres, having demonstrated very bad aim.

There were also multitudes of charming children who hung on to one but unfortunately they mostly only spoke Flemish. By now I had no money as my remaining money had been sent to be changed!

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