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Wartime Reminiscences

Mrs P. F. Johnson >

"The Mount" in Welsh Street with its beautiful gardens, squash courts etc. was requisitioned early on in the war. (Parts of gardens now part of the Danes Estate.) The London Scottish were there in the early part, then the Americans and then British troops again. (Sorry, Officers at the Mount.) Troops were in St Maurs House, Welsh Street, and Nissen huts in its gardens on the racecourse. Anne Morgan, who lives in Park View, is the daughter of Mr and Mrs Lionel Pegler, owners of "The Mount".

As everyone knows "Piercefield House" was used as a target. Several people remember going into that house pre-war when you could walk up the staircase and round the gallery.

The Home Guard worked tirelessly to be ready for the enemy. They were pure "Dad's Army" but very smart and had many plans to give the Germans a bad time if they dared to venture in the direction of Chepstow. They were certainly going to man the Portwall and plans to pour boiling oil from the Town Arch were not all rubbish!

In charge Colonel Barnsley a charming bachelor who enjoyed a cup of coffee or tea at The Bunnery in Welsh Street (situated just about where the road goes through to the Car Park.) There were two maiden ladies there who were very fond of him, - sisters!

My father was second in command, Major H. Rimmer Clarke. He had finished the 14-18 war as a Captain and was a chemist next door to the George Hotel. My Grandfather, also a chemist, was working at the shop freeing my father for the various duties of the Home Guard.

They used regularly to go on manoeuvres in Tintern Woods over the weekends. One can imagine a lot of middle-aged men and reserved occupation people crawling on their tummies through damp undergrowth. They loved it, most of them!

Anne Rainsbury has an excellent photograph taken of the entire Company, which I gave to her a few years back.

The London Scottish joined the Tennis Clubs and Golf Clubs and many were entertained in our house, also the Americans. One evening very close to D. Day we had visits from a Cpl Aubyn, Capt. Golden and Colonel Bacon. The Cpl. arrived first, he had just come to say goodbye. (All ranks had been confined to Barracks.) Later the captain arrived at which point the Cpl. went out of the back door and over the fence back to the Racecourse. Soon there was anther ring on the bell. My father had a quick look. "You'd better go", he said to Captain Golden. "It's your Colonel." The Captain replied, "I'll stay, he shouldn't be here either!" There was quite a bit of my father's whisky consumed that evening and when our visitors had gone my father said to my mother, "They're moving out,-there's something big on". This was obviously D. Day. We never saw them again although we had letters and then Mrs Bacon came to stay, because she wanted to see the place where her husband had spent many happy hours and, I believe, considered the best time of his war. They were all so different, the Colonel about Ike's size and the Captain a big bear in the Jeff Chandler mould. The Cpl. was small and thin. Colonel Richard Bacon died soon after the war; his home was Santa Barbara. Their son let us know when his mother died.

We had German and Italian Prisoners of war in Chepstow, but this might have been after the war. Some of them are still here. They took over the Nissen huts in St Maur gardens.

Heavy-duty Army vehicles gouged many lumps out of the Town Arch.

People say quite a few Chepstow girls became G. I. Brides, but I don't remember any.

Mr and Mrs Joe Price had two sons, Cleeve and Punch, both in the Royal Air Force. Cleeve married Jean Reyne with a slap-up white wedding with red roses. Cleeve was shot down soon after. Punch's widow lives in Tutshill. Mr and Mrs Guy Bowns' elder son, Dougie, died in the RAF in Africa. All these were my sister's contemporaries. The Woodgate boys Stan and Wyndham from "The Dingle", Mount Pleasant were evacuated from Dunkirk. They were in the Army. In a letter written recently Wyndham, now in Australia, told me how orderly was the evacuation. The patience of the men boarding the boats and the bravery of the French who saw and helped them to leave but stayed behind to fight a rear-guard action.

My sisters' wedding was a very quiet affair in December 1939. Her husband, a Flight Lieutenant, wore his uniform and my sister a navy coat and hat. Rationing had not begun so we had a super meal at the very smart 鈥淪edbury Park Hotel鈥�, now a nursing home. Three RAF friends stationed at Filton left very soon after the meal, only to return in a plane to 鈥渂uzz鈥� the Hotel, nearly shattering the glass in the dome. They had driven to Beachley and got on a ferry, then a short drive to Filton and back to astonish us all, especially the Bridegroom!

Gardens were cultivated and in season fruit was put in Kilner jars to use in the winter.

Mothers were endlessly imaginative. We didn't see many bananas or oranges, they were like gold!

Army Camps Mrs P.F.Johnson

"The Mount" in Welsh Street with its beautiful gardens, squash courts etc. was requisitioned early on in the war. (Parts of gardens now part of the Danes Estate.) The London Scottish were there in the early part, then the Americans and then British troops again. (Sorry, Officers at the Mount.) Troops were in St Maurs House, Welsh Street, and Nissan huts in the gardens of it and on the racecourse.
As everyone knows "Piercefield House" was used as a target. Several people remember going into that house pre-war when you could walk up the staircase and round the gallery.
The London Scottish joined the Tennis Clubs and Golf Clubs and many were entertained in our house, also the Americans. One evening very close to D. Day we had visits from a Cpl Aubyn, Capt. Golden and Colonel Bacon. The Cpl. Arrived first, he had just come to say goodbye. (All ranks had been confined to Barracks.) Later the captain arrived at which point the Cpl. went out if the back door and over the fence back to the Racecourse. Soon there was anther ring on the bell. My father had a quick look. "You'd better go", he said to Captain Golden. "It's your Colonel." The Captain replied, "I'll stay, he shouldn't be here either!" There was quite a bit of my father's whisky consumed that evening and when our visitors had gone my father said to my mother, "They're moving out-there's something big on". This was obviously D. Day. We never saw them again although we had letters and then Mrs Bacon came to stay, because she wanted to see the place where her husband had spent many happy hours and, I believe, considered the best time of his war. They were all so different, the Colonel about Ike's size and the Captain a big bear in the Jeff Chandler mould. The Cpl. was small and thin. Colonel Richard Bacon died soon after the war; his home was Santa Barbara. Their son let us know when his mother died.
We had German and Italian Prisoners of war in Chepstow, but this might have been after the war. Some of them are still here. They took over the Nissan huts in St Maur gardens.
Anne Morgan, who lives in park View, is the daughter of Mr and Mrs Lionel Pegler, owners of "The Mount".

Home Life Mrs P.F. Johnson

Gardens were cultivated and in season fruit was put in Kilner jars to use in the winter.
Mothers were endlessly imaginative. We didn't see many bananas or oranges, they were like gold!
Personal Events Mrs P.F. Johnson

Mr and Mrs Joe Price had two sons, Cleeve and Punch, both in the Royal Air Force. Cleeve married Jean Reyne with a slap-up white wedding with red roses. Cleeve was shot down soon after. Punch's widow lives in Tutshill. Mr and Mrs Guy Bowns' elder son, Dougie, died in the RAF. All these were my sister's contemporaries. The Woodgate boys Stan and Wyndham from "The Dingle", Mount Pleasant were evacuated from Dunkirk. They were in the Army. In a letter written recently Wyndham, now in Australia, told me how orderly was the evacuation. The patience of the men boarding the boats and the bravery of the French who saw and helped them to leave but stayed behind to fight a rear-guard action.
My sisters' wedding was a very quiet affair in December 1939. Her husband, a flight Lieutenant, wore his uniform and my sister a navy Coat and hat. Rationing had not begun so we had a super meal at the very smart Sedbury Park hotel, now nursing home. Three RAF friends stationed at Filton left very soon after the meal, only to return in a plane to buzz the Hotel, nearly shattering the glass in the dome. They had driven to Beachley and got on a ferry, then a short drive to Filton and back to astonish us all, especially the Bridegroom!

Voluntary Organisations Mrs P.F. Johnson

The Home Guard worked tirelessly to be ready for the enemy. They were pure "Dad's Army" but very smart and had many plans to give the Germans a bad time if they dared to venture in the direction of Chepstow. They were certainly going to man the Portwall and plans to pour boiling oil from the Town Arch were not all rubbish!
In charge Colonel Barnsley a charming bachelor who enjoyed a cup of coffee or tea at The Bunnery in Welsh Street (situated just about where the road goes through to the Car Park.) There were two maiden ladies there who were very fond of him, - sisters!
My father was second in command, Major H. Rimmer Clarke. He had finished the 14-18 war as a Captain and was a chemist next door to the George Hotel. My Grandfather, also a chemist, was working at the shop freeing my father for the various duties of the Home Guard.
They used to regularly go on manoeuvres in Tintern Woods over the weekends. One can imagine a lot of middle-aged men and reserved occupation people crawling on their tummies through damp undergrowth. They loved it, most of them.
Anne Rainsbury has an excellent photograph taken of the entire Company, which I gave to her a few years back.

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