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15 October 2014
WW2 - People's War

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A Special Licence

by Woodcoca

Contributed by听
Woodcoca
People in story:听
Alfred George Evans and Doris Young
Location of story:听
Italy/Dartford, Kent
Background to story:听
Army
Article ID:听
A4027024
Contributed on:听
08 May 2005

I am the youngest child of Alfred and Doris, Alfred known as George died Christmas 1976 as a result of absorbing the parasite Bilharzia whilst serving in Iran and Iraq in 1942/3. Doris died in 1995. George joined an Artillary Regiment early in 1939, he knew he wanted to be prepared for what was happening on the continent.
Doris and George met in 1939/1940 when George spotted Doris serving teas in Dartford. She was engaged to another man at the time, but they fell in love. George was away for the next five years with no leave, fighting in the Middle East and eventually Italy. After VE day George heard of a place available on board a ship coming back to Greenock for supplies and repairs. The place was raffled and George got the place. He sent a telegram to Doris who was serving in the ATS at Warrington, asking her to get a special licence from the Bishop of Rochester and to organise a simple celebration to bring the families together.
The Licence was granted, a wedding dress was borrowed and on June 30th 1945 the marriage of Doris and George was conducted.
Unfortunately George needed to be back in Greenock the next day for the return voyage to Italy. So trains were boarded and they returned to their duties.
When George arrived in Greenock he found the ship was not ready to sail. So another telegram was sent to Warrington asking Doris to obtain some leave and join him in Glasgow for a few days.
Doris caught the train North and waited at Glasgow Central Station for three hours wondering what could have happened to George who was nowhere to be found.
George meanwhile was standing at Queen Street Station wondering what had happened to Doris. Eventually George discovered his error of the two railway stations and walked the short distance to find Doris.
With no ration books and nowhere to stay, they found themselves in Sauchiehall Street. The warmhearted Glaswegians took them in and fed them for the few days they spent together. Word came that the ship was ready to sail and they were parted again.
George after being demobbed trained to be a teacher in Dartford whilst remaining in the territorials. Ten years later he rejoined the regular army and served another 25 years.

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