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This contribution is a transcript from a treasured souvenir of the end of Ken Stimpson’s wartime service in India. It is submitted to the People’s War site by a member of Market Harborough Branch, Royal British Legion on behalf of Mr Stimpson and has been added to the site with his permission. He fully understands the site’s terms and conditions.

A Fond Farewell (an echo of Empire — from 1945)

“Address represented on the occasion of the repatriation of Capt K. Stimpson R.E. O.C 754 I.M.E. Platoon I.E.

We have this day assembled here to pay our humble respects and homage to our worthy and sympathetic Commanding Officer on the eve of his repatriation to his Home, The United Kingdom. As such our feelings can well be imagined. We are not only very sorry to have to part with him, but we are rather perplexed about it. No doubt, Sir, you must be having any amount of pleasure in looking forward to your happy return to your awaiting kith and kin. Every one should like the same. We also do envy it. But at the same time our feeling at our having to part with you are intense.
You will agree with us that we, under your able and enthusiastic guidance have done our best to keep up the traditions of the Indian Engineers and have done our bit towards precipitating the victorious end of the war. We can never remember single occasion when we let down the cause of Victory. really speaking it is not only all due to your unparalleled qualities of initiative, sympathy and appreciation. But it should be needless to mention that your treatment with every body from a sepoy to a V.C.O was such that it not only inspired our admiration for you, but simply won our hearts.

As such we pray to God to shower upon you and your nearest and dearest ones the choicest of his blessings that he can possibally have in His Stores and let the places where your feet take you flourish in roses and nightingales.

Before you leave us, Sir, we desire to impress upon you that you are leaving your goodwill and happy memories behind, which we always shall cherish for the rest of our lives. That will be our only consolation.
We hope, that your successor, Capt K.O. Perry, will do his best to keep our spirits as nice as have remained hitherto. In him we foresee the same traits of character as we have appreciated in you and we take this opportunity of assuring him that we will leave no stone unturned to maintain the same healthy relationship and efficiency in the unit.

A word here about Lieut B.H.C Robinson, R.E, we think should not be out of place. He has been all along quite understanding and magnificent towards us and we pray for his promotion in the near future.

In the end we request you that in case any one of us has happened to annoy you in his unguarded moment (Though we think that this never have been done - much less meant) you will bury it here and not allow our happy association in any way to be marred thereby. As a humble mark of our gratitude, we are presinting before you a humble token with a view to ever remind you of us and we request that you will very kindly accept it in the same spirit. This reminds us of one of the most passionate poets of your country in the name of Shelley when he composed the historic words that, “Our sweetest songs are those that tell of saddest thoughts”

So be it understood that our sweetest memories will be those that will represent our feelings of this time of having to sadly part with you.”

In recalling this event, Ken Stimpson reflected on the respect the Indian troops had for the wartime British soldiers in contrast to their pre-war counterparts. “Why are you so different?” he was once asked by one of his NCO’s.

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