大象传媒

Theo was born on 13 April 1917 and died on 24 August 2004. He was a cipher operator from 1940 to 1945 and an interpreter with the Army in Austria till early 1947.
As a family we have always been aware of Theo's diaries and have been able to pinpoint some of his stories. His narrow escape, in a career that saw active service in North Africa, Italy, Greece and Austria, was when his train from Leeds to Kings Cross was machined-gunned and a bullet richoceted from the carriage-door handle adjacent to him. It was 23 December 1940.
His entry for Friday 23 October 1942, after cipher duties from 1 - 6, reads (with underlining) 'Big noise at 9.40. Continued all night'. He was near El Alemein.
Over the years we have used these 8 diaries to share Theo's experiences with younger members of the family when 'doing' World War 2 at school. The most recent was with my grand daughter, Tessa, earlier this year following her 'evacuee' experience day at the Time and Tide Museuem in Great Yarmouth with her class. We noted his entries for her birthday each year from 1940 to 1945 and we would like to share them with you:
May 10
1940 - Fri. Holland and Belgium invaded. Terrible war scares re invasion. Phoned Kay and met her. Worked in garden and went for a walk. Drizzled, very dull.
1941 - Sat. Weather fine and warm. Rose at 7.30, generally pottered and walked to Blackheath. Had a lvely tea at Lyons. Bad news in London tonight. 39 planes brought down. Very noisy.
1942 - Sun. In Mina. Rose at 6.30. Worked in morning. Went to Cairo in afternoon. Heard Tchaikoski's 4th Symphony and Violin Concerto. Great. Strolled, read and had tea at Shepard's. Evening in Victory Club. Heard Rachmaninov's 3rd Piano Concerto, Dvorak and others. Miss Kay terribly.
1943 - Mon. In Monaster. Rose at 8. Sunbathed in morning and received letters 137 to 141 from Kay, having taken 8 months to come. We have taken 20,000 (or 50,000?) prisoners here. Wonderful victory. On duty pm. Very hot.
1944 - Weds. In Karkur. Rose at 7. Off duty am. Did laundry and went to village. Afternoon had sleep and listened to wireless. Had tea with friends.
1945 - Thurs. Rose at 6. Left Bertinoro at 7. Through Fosli and along Route 16 all day. Through shattered Ferrara, thence to Padua. Saw train in ruins. Had tea and walked to village (Lineca?). Great welcome. Listened to wireless and slept in open. Lots of fireflies about and the scent of the flowers is overwhelming.

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