´óÏó´«Ã½

For John C Third.

HQ 59 Agra, 1944–5

The 59th Infantry Division had been broken up in Walcheren, the Netherlands, in late 1944 to reinforce other units prior to the assault on Germany. At this time, the campaign in Burma was progressing, and AA regiments, formerly deployed for the defence of Calcutta, were being converted to Field and Medium Artillery regiments.

The unit was formed from the division’s HQRA (Head Quarters of the Royal Artillery). An experienced headquarter unit was needed to take command of the latter, and the 59th HQRA was selected. It would transfer to the Far East as quickly as possible.

A brief respite in the UK

The HQ returned to the UK and was temporarily billeted in Lynford Hall at Mumford, near Thetford in Norfolk. The former stately home of Lord Calder, a notable brewer in pre-war days, this was an exceptional property to be requisitioned.

In the early 1930s Calder’s wife had been seriously injured during a storm in the North Atlantic when returning to the UK on the liner Aquitania. Permanently disabled, she was confined to a wheelchair. To comfort her Lord Calder built a full-sized replica of the Willow Pattern design in the garden, complete with a bridge and mature pine tree, all within view of her bedroom window.

From Gladstone Dock, Liverpool

The stay in Lynford Hall was brief. The initial plan was for the unit to be flown out to India. There it would take command of the regiments involved in the assault on Rangoon, the next major operation to clear the Japanese from Burma.

When the news came through that that some large and fast troopships were about to be released from transatlantic service, this plan was abandoned. The first available was the Cunarder Mauretania, soon to arrive in Liverpool at Gladstone Dock. The move to the ship took place by road and rail in late January 1945.

Larders of white sugar, bread and fruit

The service personnel in charge of the passengers were from the RAF. This was probably because the next shipment was to comprise 4,000 RAF, 1,000 WAAF and 500 army personnel. The officers and senior NCOs were on A-deck, the WAAF on B-deck and all other ranks on the lower decks.

The ship’s last port of call had been New York. Consequently, its larders were stocked with things not seen since 1939, such as white bread, white sugar and all sorts of fresh fruit.

No explanation was ever given for the ship’s location in Gladstone Dock. The dock had a narrow entrance and was very difficult to negotiate for a ship of the Mauretania’s size, even on a calm day. In February 1945 the Mersey suffered very strong winds throughout the day, indeed every day for three weeks. The tugs came alongside at each high tide, but the ship could not be moved. The troops on board wondered if they would ever sail.

A route march through Bootle

There were no complaints about the food, but sleeping accommodation was difficult for everyone. For example, on A-deck there were ten officers in a cabin intended for two passengers.

After the second week someone in authority decided that the troops were tiring of being cooped up on board. Exercise was needed. Consequently, a route march through neighbouring Bootle was organised for all the services, with the exception of the WAAF.

Then a cross-country run

To deal with possible deserters, the route was guarded the entire way by police, Home Guard and any other service personnel who could be found. All sorts of excuses were made by some determined to stay on board, not least the most popular complaint of bad feet.

However, the real reason the route march turned into a cross-country run was the marchers’ realisation that the lead-swingers on the ship had all the 1,000 WAAF on B-deck to themselves. The sooner they were back on board the better.

In dry dock

Troopships were dry, although there was a liquor allocation. By week two all the HQ’s stock, initially taken on board to last the voyage, had gone. However, where the 59 AGRA was concerned, this was remediable. The unit’s strength was Padre Dalton, whose civvy parish happened to be in Bootle.

The padre had no difficulty organising brief leaves of absence to visit his sick parishioners, some of whom, by coincidence, or so he said, were in the licensed drinks trade. The deep pockets in his raincoat proved to be invaluable.

A change in the weather

Toward the end of week three the wind dropped. The ship managed to squeeze out of dock under the guidance of several tugs and immediately set sail. There was a destroyer escort for the rest of the day round Northern Ireland, and at dawn the following morning Rockall was in sight.

The escort took off, and the ship headed south, unescorted, at a maximum speed of over 30 knots. Two days later off the coast of Morocco, near Rabat, a cruiser escort took over to see the ship through the Straits of Gibraltar then unescorted again it headed east until its arrival at Port Said.

Grounded in the Suez Canal

The passage through the Suez Canal was immediate and largely uneventful. On just two occasions the ship was momentarily grounded by travelling too fast in the narrower sections of the canal. Drawing 13m (38 feet), and with her considerable beam, whenever it went too quickly draught was lost, and the ship grounded. Slowing down allowed draught to be regained, the ship to refloat and continue.

With the improvement in the weather, permission was given for those in the most crowded parts of the ship to sleep on the open decks at night. There was entertainment too, most memorably an exhibition of boxing, given on the foredeck by Freddie Mills, who was in the RAF at that time.

Bombay within 11 days

The ship arrived off Bombay ten and a half days out of Liverpool. For the first time, using the ship’s voyage address of APO 7955, mail was brought on board. Disembarkation for most of the army personnel and some of the RAF was to take place the following day. The ship would then proceed to Ceylon to deliver the others, including all the WAAF.

Among family

In a letter from my wife I was surprised to learn that my wife’s cousin Edward, who was in the RAF, might be on board. According to his parents, he had given the same APO address in his letters to them.

In no time at all, I proceeded to the ship’s adjutant’s office to enquire if Edward was among the RAF personnel on board. This was confirmed straight away, and almost immediately followed by an announcement by the duty officer over the ship’s PA system that ‘LAC Rutherford, E. No. **** should report to the Adjutant’s Office immediately.’

Within a few minutes there was cousin Edward, as large as life outside the office, wondering what he might have done to be so honoured before the ship’s company. He was equally surprised to learn that we had been on board the same ship for over four weeks. The following day, however, we went our separate ways.

Beaten by a man with bare feet

Edward was to turn up again about a year later. This time he was among a group of ex-professional footballers, who, similar to Dennis Compton’s exhibition side, were touring the Far East for the entertainment of the troops.

A match was arranged against the 59 AGRA Select (chosen by another part-time Group Sports Officer). Edward, who had played for Glasgow Rangers before call-up, could not forgive being on the losing side. He said it was all due to the Madrassi from the 1st Indian Medium Regiment, who scored the winning goal playing on the right wing bare footed.

Absorbed into the army of Pakistan

The unit finally moved to the North-West Frontier Province and became the HQ 2 Ind. Agra, where it served for 20 months before being absorbed into the army of Pakistan.

Does anyone else perhaps know of any subsequent permanent associations that were formed between B-deck passengers and others on board the Mauretania?

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