´óÏó´«Ã½

Extracts from Arthur’s Letters to his wife, Gladys, January - March 1943

20-1-43 Today, as I had a guard yesterday, I was put on a fatigue — a light duty so called — which consisted of loading coal on a wagon, then riding on top of the coal and distributing supplies to all parts of the camp. It was raining and my overalls were soaked and I got into a filthy condition. This work went on all day until about 3.30 pm and then the last job we did was to load the wagon with some hay which was chaffy and created a terrible mess clinging to our wet things. I hope that tomorrow they’ll put me on heavy duties again.

Guard duty consists of patrolling from dusk to dawn around the gun parks, wagon lines and stores; we each take turns, 2 hours on and 4 hours off and it’s a dreary job although fortunately the weather was fine last night. In daylight we merely walk up and down in front of the guard room without challenging anyone — at night we challenge everybody including vehicles — and saluting officers at calling out the guard should the colonel or important beings like that come along.

I can quite understand that you get depressed, especially in view of the air raids, but I don’t think the Nazis will continue their raiding having already proved that London can’t be beaten. They obviously sent a few raiders in answer to our severe raids on Berlin in order to uphold the Berliners’ morale.

24-1-43 Thanks for your letter and the parcel containing envelopes, notepaper, socks and newspapers. It’s awfully nice of you to send me these things. I must refund you for the notepaper and envelopes because I know that stationery is expensive today.

I don’t think there’s any doubt about my leave maturing in due course because only very exceptional circumstances would delay it. You see at the end of 8 weeks our training should be completed at this camp, so we’ll automatically get the leave due to us before passing on to our unit.

I think that in my last letter I told you that we don’t hear from Jerry and it’s a strange coincidence that, just after I’d sealed the envelope, for the first time I heard an air raid alarm. I was detailed for fire picquet duty that day which means that during air raids I must patrol the camp ready to help deal with any fires. Therefore I put on my coat, tin hat and gas mask and began my tour. The guns soon went into action but the barrage was slight compared with those in London. As far as I know no bombs were dropped although I saw fire reflected in the sky and fountains of flames shot upwards. I heard later that a plane was brought down.

I’ve just been to tea and had spam, bread and treacle, and cake. Yes I smoke a good deal — about 3 ozs a week; I generally have a pipe between breakfast and first parade when cleaning of buttons, sweeping floors etc takes place. Sometimes I have another pipe at the morning break at about 11 o’clock. Occasionally during the days work the sergeant will give us 5 minutes for a smoke and smoking is allowed during lectures. Then in the evening I smoke a pipe or two.

26-1-43 I’m not feeling so miserable now sweetheart. At times one gets awfully sick of things; there’s nothing attractive in the surroundings here — the huts are an eyesore and the interior of them is particularly unattractive; wooden beds ranged along the walls, rough wooden beams unshaded electric lamps, iron stoves with pipes leading through the roof and equipment decorating the pegs on the walls and the tops of the lockers. Las night I couldn’t stand it any longer so I went to the Marske super-cinema and saw a Wild West thriller. It passed away a few hours and when I came back I shaved and went to bed where I read a book for a time.

Yesterday was a day of lectures and gun drill. Today we’ve spent practically all the day in the gun park at gun drill. I didn’t have a very interesting job being an ammunition number and having the job of carrying about a 100 lb shell. The weather was far better today — the sun was shining and the sky was blue though a cold wind was blowing so we quite enjoyed being out in the open.

Dozens of dogs of all breeds, or mixtures of breeds, and every shape and size move freely about in the camp, even in the dining hall there are always several dogs, one or two cats and generally a few birds which fly through the windows.

28-1-43 This afternoon a detachment of men took a wagon and gun down to the sea. These are heavy guns and weigh about 7 tons and when the motor wagon has carried the gun as near as possible to the firing position it has to be manhandled by the team. Well a bren gun was fastened to the barrel of the gun and the big gun was layed on a target but the bren was fired. The object was to see whether we were laying the heavy gun correctly because the bren was attached in such a manner that only if the heavy gun was handled correctly would the bren hit the target. We used tracer bullets so we could see exactly where they struck. The target was two brass balls attached to cables with a distance between equivalent to the length of a tank and we fired between the balls. It was an excellent beach and ideal for the purpose — as smooth as a billiard table and stretching for miles. Of course civilians aren’t allowed on the beach and we had to pass along one of the few pathways between the mined areas. We could just see the tops of the mines protruding from the sand banks. The beach was strewn with pieces of wreckage — spars and beams and suchlike flotsam and jetsam from unfortunate merchantmen or, possibly, warships.

29-1-43 Thanks for your letter of Wednesday which reached me this afternoon in the parcel containing washing, chocolate, cakes, mince pies, sausage rolls, and the newspapers. For all these things I am most grateful. It was most kind of you to cook me all these nice things my darling wife, but I feel guilty about taking all this food from you because you cannot afford to use your materials out of such meagre rations as you receive.

Was issued with a lanyard and a jackknife today as a further part of my equipment. A lanyard is a length of cord looped around the right shoulder generally and you may have seen soldiers wearing them. Actually only gunners are entitled to wear them as they are fixed to the firing piece on the gun and then pulled to fire the gun. Other troops wear them for decoration but gunners really use them.

31-1-43 Yesterday began with a brisk route march which took about 1½ hours. After break a lecture then our work was done for the week. Directly after dinner Bill and I caught a bus to Redcar. Looked around the shops, bought tobacco, petrol for lighter, laces and a set of brass regimental buttons. I got these because my other buttons are such a bad colour and will not take a high polish. Dull buttons are viewed askance by the bosses here.

We had some meat rolls, cake and tea at a Toc H and were allowed a couponless bar of chocolate each. Walked along the esplanade — it was blowing rather roughly but it’s good healthy weather. Just out to sea we could see the remains of a small boat, beam ends up, but had no knowledge of what had overtaken the luckless craft.

Went into a cinema and saw ‘Broadway’, featuring George Raft…of course I began thinking of the times we were in the pictures together and how much I wanted you with me dear wife.

After the pictures went into a nearby NAAFI and had an excellent fish supper. Also managed to get the first packet of pipe cleaners I’ve been able to buy here, and, to our astonishment, the girl offered to let us have half a pound of chocolate each without coupons — which we naturally accepted.

2-2-43 ´óÏó´«Ã½ goes on as usual with lectures, gun drill and the usual routine. I won sixpence this morning by remaining last in what they call Grady drill. The instructor drills us but prefaces some commands ‘O’Grady says…’ and these commands we obey; the others we disregard. It sounds childish I know but tends to promote alertness.

7-2-43 About your purchase of a new bird [canary] and cage I don’t consider it an extravagance if it gives you pleasure my love. Anything would be cheap if it brought you any pleasure.

16-2-43 Yesterday we were gassed. We had to go through a gas chamber and remove our gas masks for a few minutes. The gas was a DM a nose irritant and it made us feel rotten for an hour or so; we were coughing and sneezing and it made our eyes, noses and chests sore;’ it’s not a lethal gas of course. Also we were smeared with mustard gas and had to treat it ourselves. This did not hurt because of treated correctly and immediately all these gases are quite harmless.

Have had a gas test today in which we had to adjust gas respirators correctly and answer a number of questions.

18-2-43 Today have been on a scheme, i. e. a day’s exercise outside the camp. The battery of 4 guns was limbered up to 4 matadors (this is the name given to the motor tractors used for drawing artillery) and we and the guns’ stores were carried inside. Each gun has a quantity of stores — ropes, brushes on long staves for cleaning the base of the gun and various others, which must always be carried around wherever the gun goes.

We went for miles across the moors and stopped at a number of places according to instructions from the officer in command, unlimbered the guns, loaded, fired (only dummy rounds this time) and went through all the drill which we have learned.

At dinner time we came to a halt at a hotel, the Fox, in a place called Guisbury, and here we ate sandwiches and tins of herrings which we’d brought with us, and drank cocoa which the landlord heated up for us.

It was terribly muddy on the moors and often the tractors or guns, or both, would get stuck in it and then we would have a terrific struggle to get them out.

I’ve just been busy cleaning the mud off my equipment and clothes and blancoing webbing. I’ve got to have everything cleaned by tomorrow because tomorrow at 4 p.m. I am on a picket duty until 9 a.m. on Saturday. This means that I shall be patrolling 2 hours and resting 4 hours for the whole of this period so I shan’t be able to write to you tomorrow darling.

There are only 12 days now before I go on leave…

7-3-43 Returned from leave I am back safely at the camp and had quite a comfortable journey. Arrived at Darlington only a quarter of an hour after scheduled time which is very good for wartime.

It was awful having to part and I still feel very sad…life here seems terribly empty now…

By the time you receive this letter I shall be in new quarters. When we arrived here they told us to prepare to leave this coming Monday for Cromer in Norfolk. It’s a lot better than being in Yorkshire as it’s only 140 miles from home and it may be possible to use short leave passes. In that event I could apply for 48 hours in about 4 weeks time.

15-3-43 from Cromer I have three letters of yours to answer darling and hope you won’t think I am neglecting you because I omitted to write you a letter to reach you over the weekend. The fact is I literally have not had a spare moment at this place. On Friday I was on guard: this guard began at 6 p.m. and I didn’t get excused duties until 4.15 p.m.when I had to get my tea and my pay and perform the multiple tasks required of one when on guard — cleaning and polishing equipment and rifles as well as clothing, washing etc. I just scraped in in time and the inspecting officer found fault with the whole guard and instructed us to parade at 6 p.m. Sunday with everything cleaned to perfection. Came off guard at 6.30 p.m. Saturday and went out to a canteen which was crammed with troops so I got back little before lights out. On Sunday morning was up at 6.30 as usual and during the morning had to attend 3 different inspection parades. Immediately after dinner started blancoing and brass cleaning. A complete kit takes 4/5 hours to complete…I was awfully sorry not to be able to write but it was just impossible.

17-3-43 On Tuesday we went out on the drill order and made various drops, i.e. dismounted from trucks, unlimbered guns and went through the drill of laying, loading and firing the guns. It was interesting work because we go out as a self-contained unit with signals, dispatch riders and all the rest of it, and we enjoyed it. The weather was glorious and the country, though flat, was looking fine.

21-3-43 I’m in our rest room, a room on the ground floor at the front of the house probably in better times used as a drawing room. The wireless is on and broadcasting a programme of gramophone records. I wonder if you are listening to it too: I expect you are.

There aren’t a lot of dogs here as there were at Marske and Canterbury. This is quite a different kind of camp and stray dogs wouldn’t be permitted so you wouldn’t like it darling.

Next week we go out on more drill orders and, I believe, fire live ammunition. Yesterday went to a rifle range and fired at various targets. A field canteen came to the range and so we were able to get tea and cakes.

28-3-43 Thanks for your letters and the parcel of comestibles …the eats are all very good and I’ve just finished the bread pudding. You must have used all your ration of fruit on me which is naughty of you but it was awfully good of you to go to so much trouble.

On Thursday went out on the scheme and it was a beastly morning. Got up (reluctantly) at 5.15 a.m. and left camp at 7. It rained heavily at the first drop we made and since we were only in our overalls I got wet through. We fired live ammo and with satisfactory results. Later in the day the rain ceased and my clothes dried. I’ve not suffered any ill effects so must be hardening — it’s far better to get hardened to this sort of thing under training than to wait until one is in action.

Today, my birthday, is bright and sunny and I can imagine us at Kew Gardens or walking in the country if I were at home.

A tragedy has happened here. Our laundry in Norwich has been bombed so I’ve had no clean clothes for a fortnight and shall get none this week either.

31-3-43 I’ve had an awfully busy time this week. Preparations for the scheme kept me on duty until 8 p.m. on Monday. We were up at 5.15 on Tuesday and left the camp at 7. We worked throughout the day and a t 6 p.m. stopped in some woods for a meal. Dug trenches in which fires were lit and rested our mess tins on these to cook the contents, namely, Maconachie, which is a mixture of meat and vegetables already cooked in tins and merely needs heating, rice and potatoes. These were half cooked when the air raid alarm sounded and the fires had to be extinguished so we ate what we could and left the rest. We were due for a rest period from 6 — 9 but the preparing of food etc filled most of this time. During the whole period from Tuesday morning until Wednesday night I’ve had no sleep — I was on sentry duty form 12 — 1 a.m. and it poured with rain but I had my coat on. Afterwards until dawn was digging gun pits. Then at dawn stand to was ordered and later breakfast was delivered from the camp. I can scarcely keep my eyes open and so darling Gladys I hope you won’t mind a shorter letter this time.

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