´óÏó´«Ã½

A story of my service career as requested by those who I hope enjoy it.
As Told by George Walker of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders.

Chapter 01

Training in England feb 1940 - Oct 1942

I first registered on the 6th December 1939.
I January I had to attend a Medical in the Drill Hall in Huddersfield. I was passed A1. On the 12th February 1940 I received my call up papers to report to Stirling Castle, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders Headquarters, on Thursday 15th February 1940.

Being a humble Yorkshire lad I wondered, where was Stirling, and who were the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders? I soon found out.

I duly caught the train to Glasgow (via Carlisle and Settle route), changed at Glasgow for Stirling. Here came my first stroke of luck. Into the compartment I was in came a Scottish soldier, full regalia, kilt and all. There were five others in the compartment and he asked where we were bound for. I was the only one going to Stirling. I didn't know it then, he was an officer, the Quarter Master (in charge of stores, food etc in the regiment) and he said he belonged to the Argylls.

When we got to Stirling a truck was there to take anyone up to the castle, but the officer told the Corporal not to bother with me, he would see to me. We went up by taxi, checked me in at the Guard House and took me to the kitchen, where there was bacon sizzling and large slices of bread. He gave me cocoa, told me to help myself and would see me later. What a reception to army service! He came back with blankets and took me to the chapel, told me to make myself as comfortable as possible and someone would see to me and the others in the chapel next day. It was about 9.30 pm then.

I looked for a space, but could only see one on the billiard table, but there was a lad writing on it. He was the first one I spoke to. He was Arthur Child, came from Thonhill Lees. After travelling all that way a local lad. We became firm friends.

Next morning, Friday 16th, we were ordered down to the training camp at Raplock, below the Castle, which was full up. Thirty of us were put into Vimiera squad, our civilian liberties taken away from us by giving us an army number and the rank of Private.
During the day we were issued with Rifles and Equipment and Uniforms, all the things necessary to make us look like soldiers.

We did nothing serious the next two days, being the weekend — lectures on the history of the regiment, and how to march and clean the rifles and make beds up - but were only allowed out after tea.

Monday the real soldiering started. First a five-mile run in vest and shorts before breakfast, shave and wash in cold water and get ready for parade.
Then came my first brush with Army law. Although I’d given my rifle a good clean I was pulled up for a dirty barrel. It happened the next day although I had cleaned the barrel as I was going on parade. On the third day I left my ‘Pull through’ in the barrel until the last minute and the Sergeant saw me. He looked at it and nodded his head. Believe it or not, the officer pulled me up again and told the Sergeant to put me on a charge. When the rest of the Parade was dismissed I was told to stay where I was and the Sergeant had a word with the officer who cancelled the charge for a dirty barrel.
The Sergeant marched me up the hill to the Castle Armoury, where he gave the Armourer a rollicking and I got a new rifle. It was a beauty, light wood and well balanced, straight out of the factory.
It appears the old one had been fired sometime and the armourer had not boiled it out before issuing it, which made the barrel sweat.

The next 8 weeks were spent in drills, marches, and being made into soldiers, except for the last fortnight we were isolated, did not attend Muster parade, and did all the training by ourselves because a lad had meningitis.
A Corporal stayed with us the whole time, we slept with windows wide open, and we could not leave the camp.
In training at first we English could not understand what the Scottish NCOs were yelling, but we soon cottoned on to recognise the last word before the final command. We became the smartest ones at drill. I was always called on to be point for the Squad, was nominated best recruit in the Squad and promoted to Lance Corporal before going on leave in April.

During the training at Raplock, we used to have contests in shooting (Arthur and I were always the top two in shooting) football matches, cricket and boxing. I had my nose broken, though I won my contests. I didn't know it was broken until 1950, and had to have it reset then.

After leave we were taken to Tillicoultry to further our training. Before we finished it there, we were sent to France as reinforcements to the 51st Highland Division on the 2nd June 1940. (After Dunkirk).
We were evacuated through Cherbourg on the 18th June without having been posted to any unit after France capitulated.
We were taken to Dumfries, given 48hrs leave, then posted to the 8th Argyllshire Battalion Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders at Gailles Camp, Troon. They had just come back from France after losing most of the men, and managing to escape when the rest of the Division had been captured.
I was in No1 Section, 13 Platoon, X Company.

We went to Dunfermline, were issued with tropical kit, then went to Saltash near Plymouth and put into the Marine Division (1st Royal Brigade) to guard that area from the expected German Invasion, and also to train for Amphibious Landings for going back into France. I'm afraid none of us liked this; we had just left there.
About three weeks of practising with long boats and patrolling the coast on guard duties, the Battalion moved to Liverpool, to be put on board ship for DAKAR. Owing to overloading etc, the captain would not sail, so the Battalion was taken off to wait for another ship and went into barracks. X Company went to Mason St Barracks Edgehill. We did most of the training in Sefton Park and demolished buildings. We were put on another ship in October but taken off again to go into barracks in Seaforth.
Everyone was deloused having got lice from the last ship.
In late October we went to Hamilton. X Company was billeted in the Town Hall. It was during our stay in Hamilton we were issued with the kilt, worn in ceremonials and walking out and guard duties.

During the stay at Hamilton the Marine Div was put into the 110 Force (Invasion Troops) and were still on 24hr notice as we had been since Saltash. We kept going on boats for Amphibious Training mainly in Loch Fyne, Gareloch and Orkneys areas until in June we went to Galashiels, still carrying on with the same training.
I was at Galashiels when Valerie was born. While in Hamilton I had been transferred to the HQ by Intelligence Section for training, and it was in August we went to Timpendene farm near Jedburgh where some of the Batt were sent, some in St Boswells. We stayed in that area until May 1942 with the usual embarkations and training, and usual cancellation of places we trained to invade.
In November 1941 I was transferred to 10 Platoon B Company in St Boswells. I was in 10 Platoon in the invasion of N. Africa.
We left the area about April 1942, left the marine Division and were put in the 1st Independent Guards Brigade and went to Budden Camp near Cornoustic Golf Course. In May we went training in Ventnor, Isle of Wight for an operation, which was cancelled and returned to Budden Camp.
In August we went on a large exercise called DRYSHOD. (It rained every day during the exercise).
110 Force then was called 2nd Expeditionary Force, then later 1st Army. We went to Crieff, formed the 36 Brigade with the 5th Buffs and 6th RWK.
Then 78 Div was formed which we became part of with the Yellow Battleaxe on Black background (The Battleaxe Div).

After a weeks leave, the Battalion went aboard the ‘Cathay’ October 23rd 1942 at Gourock, and really did sail for operations.
The Battalion went to war again to N. Africa.

In DRYSHOD the starting point was Glasgow/Gourock area and we had to ‘ capture’ all the territory to Carlisle. The Poles and Home guard were the defenders.

It may be worth stating here that 110 Force, later 1st Army was commanded by a certain General Montgomery, when he was given command of 8th Army.

Some incidents and ‘funny’ things, which happened up to Oct 1942.

On Eva’s 21st birthday in 1939 we became engaged and said we would marry on her 22nd birthday in 1940. Although war broke out in Sept 1939 we said we would keep to that date. On my first leave in April we put banns in our district church and made arrangements at St saviours Brownhill, and also finalised all the other wedding arrangements.
Unfortunately, on June 2nd I had got leave but it was cancelled just before I was able to go to the station, and went to France. I was told I could not inform Eva and families for security reasons, and the Padre would inform them. I knew it would be on the Monday, so although we had all been told not to talk to any civilians, I wrote a small note asking whoever got this to send a telegram and put half a crown in it. When going to the bus I noticed a lad about 9. As I was checking my section on the bus, I gave this lad it, told him to give it to his mother and shouted for him to get on his way. The other lads gave me a rollicking until I told them what I’d done. I’m glad to say Eva received the telegram next day.
This being after Dunkirk we went to France with Hope and only 5 rounds between 30 men, and only the guards had them. When we were evacuated we came out with a lot more than what we went in with.

On evacuation from Cherbourg June 18th after France capitulated we were put on a Ferry ship called of all names ‘ Duke of Argyll’ which used to work around Argyllshire. I was put in charge of the guard on the top deck. It was bliss to take my boots and socks off under the cool water that came out of a pipe across the deck. When German planes came over bombing, I just couldn’t care less. I just stayed where I was, what Bliss!

On reaching Dumfries each man was given 48hrs leave but because I was an NCO I’d to wait until last. Eventually I got mine Wed 26 June.
I sent a telegram, but when I arrived at Eva’s the telegram was still on the mantelpiece unopened

Eva’s Mother was leaving it for Eva until she came home from work. Which was only in about 10mins time. I had no time to go meet Eva, so when she got home I was in the room. All her mother said was ‘There’s a telegram’. Eva opened it and said, ‘I’ll believe it when I see him.’ I don’t know whether it was a shock or surprise when she saw me. We went around rearranging the wedding for 1 o’clock Thursday. Everything went off very well considering.

I should have gone back that Thursday but waited until Sunday. When I got back to Dumfries there were only about 10 chaps there, with orders that I’d to stay until Monday and then take everyone who had reported back to Gales Camp Troon. Only one man was reported late because he should have been back before the others had left. There were four of us who were late, but I couldn’t report the others and not myself, could I?

After we went to Liverpool, one day we returned to Mason St Barracks after a mornings training, when Arthur Wright (a Sheffield lad) came to tell me that Eva was outside. She had come on a day trip by rail.
Arthur Child was on guard duty that day, you know, shouldering arms and marching a beat each side of the gate. When I went outside, there was Eva walking with him. It’s a wonder Arthur didn’t get court-martialled.
The company office window was just above the gate and as I was talking to Eva, telling her I couldn’t possibly get away until nearly five o’clock if I was lucky, the Sergeant Major popped his head out of the window and said he wanted to see me. I thought both Arthur and I were in trouble because he could hear everything.
However, he told me to stay in the office until he got back. When he came back he told me I could have the rest of the day off to see Eva until her train left. Who said G.S.M’s were hard-hearted?
He also arranged weekend passes when Eva came to stay.

My Platoon officer was a very Regimental type.
R.E.D CAMPBELL he was called.
Hamish once said (in fact in 1986 when Eva and I were at Stirling) that that officer wasn’t a soldier but liked playing at soldiers. He was transferred before we went abroad. Anyway, he did not like English men. He kept telling me as well, that NCOs should not walk with Privates. I got into trouble many times with going with my mates. Things came to an end one day and I told him what he could do with the stripe, so I relinquished it and went back to be a Private. Unfortunately it was that weekend when Eva was not supposed to come, but she did and brought Edith for company. When they came it was too late to get a pass, and the German’s were bombing Liverpool every night. So I stayed with them at the Vicarage where Eva and I stayed when she came.
On Sunday’s it was the usual practise (The Company Sergeant major’s idea) that instead of marching the Church of England men to church from Barracks, I take charge after the service to march them back, which was again good of him. When I went to meet the parade to go to church, the lads said the chap who had got my stripe was on the prowl, so I’d better get back. They said I’d been made Billet orderly (one of the others had stayed and was doing my job till I got back). The new NCO had noticed my bed hadn’t been slept in and they told him I’d gone for some cigarettes (I didn’t smoke). When I gat back he was uppity, and said I was on a charge for being absent all night and said I was confined to barracks (it meant I couldn’t leave the Billets). Now, as I’d been an NCO I knew he could not do that. I could not leave Eva and Edith, so I told him he hadn’t authority to do that so I went for the rest of the day. Next morning I was up in front of the Officer and he threw the book at me. I got 4 days CB (Confined to Barracks), loss of pay for 4 days and I lost a 48hr leave. If I’d still got my stripe, all he could have done was admonish me and take away the stripe.
The four nights on CB were spent guarding deserters in Walton Jail.

© Copyright of content contributed to this Archive rests with the author. Find out how you can use this.