大象传媒

This is a story of Lance Bombardier Allerton, 1467727, which is told through extracts, and letters which he had sent to his mother for the past 5years. It shows the initial excitement, complacency, resentment, anticipation, and sadness over a war for the people.

It was on the 29th and 30th of September 1938, we were issuing gas masks, to Yardley Secondary School, on the Medina Road. Later in October, we began the Drill Hall, in Carters Green, West Bromwich. It was on the 13th November 1938, when we moved to Trinity Hall in Coventry. Later that Month I had received a letter form my mother, part of it reading 鈥淚f the shirts now issued are of woollen material I have reason to believe, I am inclined to suggest you wearing the other vests of which you have three. This would be an advantage as you would always have a spare. That is however for you to decide.鈥�

In early December on the 4th I was at Trinity Hall. 鈥渋t is reminiscent of breaking up at school with me feeling like a boy with no home to go to.鈥� On the 15th of December 1938, at Trinity Hall I had received a general newsletter, the feedback on it was quite positive, and factual giving us the impression of a start of an adventure.

On 16th January 1940 we moved to Rest Camp, Coatteridge, which was 10 miles form Glasgow, this place seemed too full of factories, something like West Bromwich. In early April 1940 from Rest Camp, Coatteridge I intended to write this letter yesterday but with two visits from Hitler spare time was rather curtailed. The previous day we had a visit from well known artists Tommy Trinder, Beatrice Lithe, and Douglas Byng. The show was quite fun, although smut was very prevalent as is to be expected for a show for the troops. On April 14th 1940 the I.O.C. News is being broadcast mainly dealing with events in Norway, and the North Sea.

In early June on the 12th 1940, we had moved to the 293rd Battery, Longhope, Stromness, and Orkney. From here 鈥渨e watched the progress of the war with great interest, going up and down with success, and defeats or apparent defeats. I can not believe that we can lose this struggle having what belief I have in someone greater than myself. We are certainly fighting for the right cause and deserve to win. Without any flag waving sentinels we are certainly fighting for civilisation and a Christian existence for everyone. May this war end soon and end in the right way.2

In Longhope they told me the raiders were over Birmingham on Tuesday. We were old to use the air raid shelter, as they serve very a very useful purpose as you know. The chance of the bombs hitting the targets were very remote, as their aims was not to accurate.

Later the following month of July 1940, there were rumours, that we might receive free cigarettes, or duty free, or even both, but as of yet we have not seen any. If it might have materialised it might have been of a good saving for me, as I smoke so much, but what more was there for me to do?

On July 8th 1940 we visited Kirkwall for privilege day out over the water. Having to get my eyes tested I was spending the day there, and tasting civilisation for the first time for weeks.
Its funny but there is some sort of satisfaction in being already up when Reveille is blown. The trumpets were blowing, and I can still picture those poor souls in the huts cursing the sound of that instrument which was absolute torture. The trumpet was not a very welcome sound, the only ever welcome note we preferred was lights out.

On the August 8th 1940, we were still here in Longhope, and it had now been 12 months for living here. With a visit the following day from Evelyn Haye pending, much cleaning was required. The idea was to show off our hut as an example of how we live, so as usual spring cleaning had taken place on a large scale, boots must be cleaned and kits tidied, buttons and mess etc were to be polished.

On September 29th 1940 we had moved to AA Battery RA, Ryton on Winshore,Nr Coventry, and I became Lance Bombardier. The previous day a raider was brought down, as we saw smoke, presumably caused by the burning plane, rising a hundred or so feet into the air. (Photocopied). December 12th we returned to Ryton, and later in January of the New Year we had arrived in Liverpool. It was 2 months later in March 18th 1941 we had arrived back at Ryton. In April, I had visited home, more regularly, and on the 14th of that month, we had moved to Gunnery Wing, School of AA Defence, Monorbier Camp, Tenby, and Pembrokeshire.

We were in Monorbier 28th April 1941 where we had an A.J.G. who picked on small blokes a little, which was a little difficult at times. On July 16th 1941 we moved to M Battery, Technical Unit, 133 OCTG (RA) Shivenham, Swindon. 鈥淥ur job is to simply drill, drill, and more drill, and I hated it. I am expected to know and teach light AA my only experience of which was a fortnight at Manorbier. After spending two years on heavy A.A. and my interests being there, I think I should be of more use on a gun site especially my own. One things is certain, had I been returned to unit immediately I would certainly have got promotion, but on I say there seems little hope there in this sphere. I often rue the fact that I never followed my bent towards chemistry about the only subject I was really of any use at. I might have been doing something in which I was really interested by now, and possibly making a better hob of it and consequently being of more use to my country (photocopy).

Life until the end of the war was not easy but eventually the war ended. 鈥楢nd so the war is over. The war in which men fought for things that were not theirs and the others to retain those things which rightly belonged to them.鈥�

This story was submitted to the People鈥檚 War site by Anastasia Travers a volunteer with WM CSV Actiondesk on behalf of Elizabeth Greaves and has been added to the site with his permission. Elizabeth Greaves fully understands the sites terms and conditions.

The picture is a photocopy taken from the original and submitted with the owners permission. It is not taken from a newspaper. The submitter fully understands the sites terms and conditions

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