大象传媒

Petty Officers鈥� Mess,
Royal Naval Barracks,
Devonport, Plymouth,

Friday 19th, 1940
Dear Mum + Dad,

As you can see, I have finished training now + am in the Petty Ofs Mess. So if you want to write to me at all, just add my name on top thus;-
W.G. Poynor, E.R.A.,
Petty Officer鈥檚 Mess, etc.,
I鈥檓 afraid I鈥檓 not rated as a P.O. yet, but one of the chaps, in the same boat as me, has seen the commander once, about turning 21 whilst in training. He is going to see him again when sent for, as the Commander couldn鈥檛 give him a direct answer, as to whether he would be a P.O, or a Leading Hand. There is evidently no fixed rule about that. You last letter, written on Sunday, arrived up here before me. We shifted into Hut 1. last week and they thought we had shifted up here so sent it on.
As regards getting into the work-shops Dad; if we are kept here any time, the E.R.A鈥檚 do go into the work-shop + do odd jobs whilst waiting for a draft. On the other hand, however, we may be sent away tomorrow, who knows?
You said, 鈥渋f I asked when my training finished鈥�, well we only have eight weeks training (which I have just finished), after which we just wait for a draft.
It鈥檚 fine Jack getting a bike of his own, he won鈥檛 mind spending a bit on it now to get it properly ship-shape. I certainly wish I was home now. It shouldn鈥檛 need half as much repairing as Pat鈥檚 did, with it being a newer model. It was the best thing to do really, buy a newer one.
The shooting we had was at 100 + 200 yards. For 100 yards, we were given鈥� 鈥� 10 rounds to fire at our own time, the target going down after each sot, + coming up again with a black spot marked on it, showing where your shot went. Then we went to the 200 yards range + fired 5 rounds at our own time, then 5 rounds of 鈥榬apid鈥� firing, where the target came up for 35 seconds, during which time you tried to get your 5 rounds in. We then got 5 more rounds for 鈥榮nap鈥� shooting, where the target came up 5 times for 5 seconds each time. We had to fire a round in each 5 seconds. Below gives a rough idea of what the Range is like:- (a sketch is included)
There are twelve targets al-together, + the Ranges go up to 1000 yds..
I wish I could have been there to clean the car for you, it must have been hard work, on top of which you鈥檙e busy enough all ready. It鈥檚 worth it though isn鈥檛 it, but the only fault is, it doesn鈥檛 keep polished long enough. I wonder if anybody will ever invent a permanent polish, it would be a very welcome invention I鈥檓 sure.
I hope you enjoyed the 鈥淧layhouse鈥� last Monday. I went to a theatre myself to see a variety show, with I鈥檓 afraid I鈥檝e absolutely forgotten his name, he鈥檚 a very good comedian. The show was called, 鈥淥ld Soldiers never Die鈥�, it was very good.
I have heard no more about the Indefinite leave yet, but I鈥檓 pretty positive we won鈥檛 get it now, as the chap I came down with, when I first came, has gone to Scapa Flow. He is an E.R.A + if I hadn鈥檛 been in Sick Bay, + lost a week鈥檚 training, I鈥檇 be there now as well.
I hope it was the cigarette case you gave me, that you found in my suit. The one you gave me had a pattern on the front. I was sure I had lost it. I won鈥檛 need that small brown wallet, that was in my pocket, down here as I have this big one.
I鈥檓 glad to hear you have got a new allotment Book alright. I was wondering if I would have to make out a new allotment or not. Were any pages torn out of the back of your new one?
I鈥檓 certainly going to live in fine style from now Mum. We have chairs to sit on now in place of benches, table-cloths, + instead of helping yourself, a chap places a plate before you as soon as you sit down, with hot food on it. Supper tonight was fried egg + chips, -lovely + you can go in to meals at nay time. We have eight full size billiard tables here + pay 2 d for 1 half-hour鈥檚 play. We also have our own reading, writing + lounging room. There are six large settees, seven arm-chairs, + about 40 straight back chairs with arms on. Our own stamp machine is also in the room. Paper, envelopes, pens + ink, are supplied free. Long white curtains are on the windows, + the floor is polished linoleum. We can also stay in bed (hammocks) in the morning until we think fit when to get up. It all depends what time we start work. We have to report at 7-30 a.m tomorrow to the E.R.A.鈥檚 Regulating Office so I won鈥檛 get up till about 6-45. What a life!! I don鈥檛 know what we have to report for, it may be for draft, or it may be just to give us a job in the work-shop. If it is a draft, I will let you know right away.
We can also go ashore any time we like after 3-45 p.m., instead of having to wait for the liberty-boats at 4-15, 5-30 + 7p.m.
I hope every thing is going on well at home + Jean is getting on all right at school.
Well Dad + Mum, I think that is all just now, so I will close as I want to inspect my new quarters a bit closer.
So, Au Revoir,
Love
Bill.

P.S. I hope the hospital is doing better every week. It certainly seems to have caught on all right.
P.P.S: When I say 鈥渨e鈥� in my letters, I mean all our class. We all move about as 鈥榦ne鈥�.

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