大象传媒

This story was submitted to the People鈥檚 War site by Elizabeth Perez of Stockport Libraries on behalf of Mary Blood, Harry鈥檚 widow, and has been added to the site with her permission. She fully understands the site鈥檚 terms and conditions.

From his call-up into the Army in January 1941 until his 鈥榙emob鈥�, Harry Blood kept a diary. It followed his early progress from Glasgow to Egypt, around the Cape of Good Hope, through the Western Desert to Sicily and Italy. Near the end of his service and his diaries, he had a chance meeting with W.A.A.F. Corporal Mary Pettit at a tram stop in Brussels. Not lacking in graphic and humourous descriptions, there came a happy ending as he and Mary married not long after, having a long and happy marriage. Only minimal editing has been done to exclude one or two brief entries which contained little of interest.

Fred Kennington
Stockport
March 2002.

鈥�16th October. This morning the unit moved by road to Naples passing through the modern town of Pompeii. It was a fine drive, and we got some good views of Vesuvius. Reached Naples in the afternoon, and started cleaning billets again. Our billets and depot here are a disused brewery. There are hundreds of cases of empty beer bottles to be moved to get our stores in. The water and sanitation are OK, but there is no electricity yet. The rooms to be used as bedrooms are situated at each end of the flat roof of the store. My pals and I picked the most remote room possible 鈥� on the end of the building furthest from the offices and at the very end of the passage. There are seven of us in the room. Six had been determined to get together and the other one soon moved out.
They are: - Harry Thompson, Cpl., from Stoke; Clem Simpson, Mansfield; Tom Cousins, Leeds; Bert Foster, Liverpool; John Burling, Reading, and me.
The window faces across a road and an open drain to some typical, tall Neapolitan tenements. It was soon to be known rather fondly as 鈥楽ewerside!鈥�

17th October. Helping the cook to peel potatoes until 9.30am, then had a short walk with John Burling, trying to get our bearings. Later we started carrying the beer crates I mentioned earlier and stacking them in rooms we didn鈥檛 intend using.
This work continued for the next few days after which racks were put up and stationery sorted out.

22nd October. I started in the Depot office, setting up the registration job. John Burling and I were surprised to find a stamp collection scattered about a room in a battered building nearby 鈥� some in envelopes, some just loose. Got them together and divided them between us in the evening."

There were air raids on Naples on 20th, 22nd and 23rd October and 5th November.

"From late October through November and much of December we were kept very busy setting up and running the depot. Guard duties and other fatigues cropped up too often as well and I made few entries in the diary. One notable one was that I had a quarter of a day off on 21st November!

25th November. The shops are beginning to open again. It seems the stuff, having been hidden, is now being brought out!

8th December. A very strong rumour started among the Italians that Germany has surrendered. We didn鈥檛 know what to believe. All very disappointed next day.

11th March 1944. Heard that Gerald is back in North Africa with a head wound and 鈥榮light concussion鈥�.

20th March. Vesuvius erupting. Could be seen from the flat roof of our room.

About this time 鈥� March 1944 鈥� someone, probably John Burling, put a Latin? Motto up in large letters on the door of the typewriter workshop: - 鈥楴il bastardo carborundum鈥�. When visiting officers asked the meaning they were told, politely: - 鈥楴ever let the so-and-sos get you down鈥�, since when I have adopted it as my family motto.

21st May. I sent home some snaps of our group taken on the flat roof outside our room: - John Burling; Bert Foster; Tom Cousins; Clem Simpson; Harry Winup, and myself.

It took us a while getting well settled in Naples. We were there from 16th October 1943 to 27th April 1945. Although there was plenty of work we soon started to get around. Sunday was normally the only day we had off and we made many theatre trips, mainly to the Bellini 鈥� the Garrison Theatre 鈥� and to the San Carlo Opera House, a great place. Despite being an Opera House, it was used for everything from Sir John Barbirolli to a boxing match.
The Palazzo Umberto became the Forces Club 鈥搗ery grand 鈥� a fine place for reading, writing letters, meals, table tennis, etc. Spent many hours there. We discovered 鈥楶ops鈥�, a small wine and general shop, on the ground floor of a large tenement opposite our room. Very handy for evenings and we used it as our 鈥榣ocal鈥� 鈥� getting introduced to vermouth, marsala and other vinos. Usually I went across with Bert Foster, Tom Cousins, Clem Simpson and, later, Harry Winup. When 鈥楶op鈥� got to know us, he used to move us into the back room after closing time, a privilege much appreciated!

19th August. Mike Dimond and I started a week鈥檚 leave.鈥�

[The leave covered only the Naples area]

鈥淎t 4.30pm we got a lift on a transport plane from Capodichino Airfield to Galero Airfield near Rome. The flight was in an American transport plane, which was in use carrying casualties from the front further north then returning empty to Rome for more. So 鈥� no problem, but what about coming back?鈥�

From Galero they got a lift on a lorry to Rome.

鈥淚mmediately after arrival we saw two M.Ps (Military Policemen). That could have been very awkward as our leave passes were for the 鈥楴aples area鈥� and we were a couple of hundred miles out of bounds. Still having our kit with us it must have been obvious that we had come in on leave. Mike went across immediately to the 鈥楻edcaps鈥� and asked the way to the Y.M.C.A. 鈥� for leave accommodation. They pointed him in the right direction and never asked for our leave passes! Rome had only been relieved about five weeks.鈥�

While at Rome they did the sights! The first was 鈥榓 trip up the tower鈥� for a view of Rome followed by an orchestral concert in the Teatro Adriano. Next day it was the Pantheon and St Peter鈥檚 Basilica where they managed to see, and speak to, the Pope. And so it goes on, seeing the Forum, the Colosseum, the Spanish Steps, Castel san Angelo, etc. 鈥� a very useful leave. It was Mike Diamond and Harry, who spoke to the Pope. Mike was the son of a Methodist Minister. Another of the lads was a Catholic. He was not present in time to see the Pope and was most put out as the non- Catholics had seen him. Also reported elsewhere than in the diary is that Harry and Mike decided to take out a rowing boat on the Tiber. They got so far before realising that the river was flowing much faster than they thought. They made a (moderately) quick turn and had to row very hard to get back up the river 鈥� three times as long as they took outwards.

鈥�25th August. Went to Galero Airfield trying for a plane to Naples. No chance, they are all going back with the wounded. They told us to try Littorio Airfield. At Littorio they said, 鈥楥ome back tomorrow鈥�.

26th August. Off to Littorio early, we have to be back at our unit today. After a slight panic, we got a lift in a Mitchell bomber. That took us to an airfield near Naples 鈥� Marchianese Airfield 鈥� in forty five minutes, so Mike and I went into the U.S Red Cross Club with an American, who was also on the plane, knowing that we were able to report to our unit as necessary - after a very eventful 鈥榣ocal鈥� leave!鈥�

In September Harry had an attack of 鈥榮and fly fever鈥�, a left over from days in the Western Desert, and for which he had to be hospitalised. His diary for 26th September reads: - "I wrote home saying that I had been out of hospital for several days now, referring to my sand fly fever. I still got round Naples in my 鈥榟ospital blues鈥� while convalescing. The Palazzo Umberto was a very useful 鈥榩ort of call鈥� during those days!鈥�

10th March 1945. Harry and Vic Hunt visited Pompeii. A change of officers with Lt. Shapland 鈥� no longer Sgt.Major 鈥� taking over from Capt. Aze. The officers for 862 A.S.D are Hussey, Shapland and Hall.

鈥�22nd March. I am promoted to L/Cpl, backdated to 5th March 鈥� 6d per day!

24th March. Saw fleet of about thirty-five planes, thought to be Dakota troop carriers. Has this any significance?

17th/18th April. Forty-eight hours leave with Tom Cousins and Bert Oldfield 鈥� the last leave in Italy. We are being posted.

26th April. Packing and loading stores. Supposed to have day to ourselves but FFI (free from infection) in afternoon then loading G.1098 which took until midnight. Very hard work and no visit to 鈥楶ops鈥� 鈥� the last visit there would be last night!

27th April. Left 21 S.D. at 2pm, marched to Docks with full kit, sweating like hell! Boarded 鈥楽taffordshire鈥�, sailing at 6pm. That鈥檚 the end of us in Italy. Hammocks again! Very calm.鈥�

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