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Lahore
At last we arrived at Lahore — and again we hit the language barrier. Although it was late at night the station was still crowded with natives — and very brightly lit. We tried to find an office but there were no lights in any of the buildings. We were like two lost souls so the only thing to do was to try to find someone who could speak English. We had a few attempts but each person just shook their hands and heads to indicate ‘no’. At last one of the locals had the sense to take us to an official-looking man who could speak English. He took us to an office and 'phoned the No.1 Engineer’s Depot to say there were two ‘British Officers’ who required transport. After what seemed like hours, a truck arrived with an Indian Army driver and you may guess he didn’t speak a word of English. The official who had telephoned for us spoke to the driver and once again we were on our way. We were taken to a large building but as I have said, it was late at night and the building was in darkness. We had a look round but it was hopeless. (We found out later that it was the Officer’s Mess). The driver carried on and we came to a few small bungalows. One had a light on and so we indicated to the driver to stop and we went and knocked on the door. To our great relief, a British Sergeant opened the door! We told him our troubles. He said the best thing to do was to stop with him for the night and he would help to sort us out the next morning. The sergeant’s regiment was the Durham Light Infantry who had been stationed in India for six or seven years. Their barracks were not very far from the Engineer’s Depot so he took us there the next day. We found out that it was a base for Indian soldiers but there were a number of British officers. We went to the Adjutant’s office. After we had given our papers to the British officer and he’d looked at them for some time, he told us that he didn’t know why we were there. He told us to go and look round the bazaars and go back to see him in two or three days. My mate Harold Sills asked about money as we’d spent all we had on food on the train journey. The officer told us that he couldn’t do any thing for us as they were paid monthly.
The next thing was where were we going to billet? The officer gave us a note to take to the Durham Light Infantry and so we finished up sharing with some soldiers from that regiment.
The bungalow where we were finally billeted was one of a number of similar construction. They were about twenty yards long and were built on a large concrete plinth, which was two steps high. Right around the building was an enclosed veranda inside which was a second enclosed veranda. Inside the second veranda was the dormitory. The double veranda arrangement was no doubt there to help keep out the mosquitoes and other unwanted visitors.

The Punkah
The first thing we couldn’t help noticing in the dormitory was a strange contraption that we later found out was the ‘punkah’. This was a complicated device, which provided the only form of ventilation. There were a number of short lengths of rope attached to the ceiling in pairs, each pair being about six feet apart. Two poles, which ran the length of the dormitory, were fixed to the ropes. From the poles was hung a second set of ropes. Attached to each of these second pairs of ropes and at right angles to the long poles was a series of six-foot long poles. Attached to each of these poles was a piece of rough cloth. The whole contraption was driven by an electric motor, which swung it backwards and forwards. This worked like a fan circulating the air and gave a slight cooling affect. As the long poles moved backwards and forwards they touched the walls making a tapping noise. To make matters worse, as it swung it also squeaked. So all the time it was running, it was tap — squeak — tap. I didn’t know how we were going to live and sleep with that noise going on, but after a few days we became used to it and it didn’t bother us at all.

The Bearer
There was a local man who, for one or two Rupees (about one shilling and six pence in those days) would launder your clothes just like an English butler. As he did the laundry for all the lads in the bungalow, he was so well off that he was able to employ a couple of boys to do most of the actual work. The man was called the ’Bearer’.

‘T³Ü³¾²ú´Ç±ô´Ç’
After three days, we reported back to the Adjutant. Still he hadn’t found out what we were supposed to be doing and so he told us to have a look around the bazaars for another day or two. Again we asked if we could have our pay but again he said no because it wasn’t payday. By this time we were both getting a bit annoyed and said we might as well have stayed in England. Once again we could do nothing but mope around the bungalow, feeling rather depressed, frustrated and sorry for ourselves. This carried on for five or six weeks!
One day a lad for the Durham Light Infantry said he was fed up with seeing us hanging around and asked if we would like to go to the Battalion Bingo and he would treat us. He suggested that if we won we could share the winnings. In India they didn’t call it ‘Bingo’ but ‘Tumbolo. This is derived from the Indian words ‘tum’ — which means ‘you’ and ‘bolo’ — which means ‘speak’. So we found out that Bingo is ‘T³Ü³¾²ú´Ç±ô´Ç’ which means ‘You Speak!’ Anyway Harold Sills and I did go and our lucky star must have been shining on us because we each won about twenty Rupees. One Rupee was equal to one shilling and six pence in English money so at last we thought we were well off. That was until the lad who had treated us said there was a really big game in Lahore and would we like to chance our luck again. As this lad had treated us in the first place we could hardly refuse and so bang went our twenty Rupees. However, he did say if we won it would be a lot of money. The prize money for a line could be as much as three hundred Rupees and a ‘full house’ could be worth nine hundred Rupees. And so off we went to Lahore. The Bingo Hall was a really large place and it was crowded mostly with British families all dressed up to the nines. (We were in our old ‘battle dress’ which the British people did not recognise. I overheard an officer trying to tell someone. A lot of them had been in India for so long, I began to wonder if they had any idea what England was like at that time). So it was fingers crossed and ‘eyes down’. Our star must have been shining really brightly that night or someone had taken pity on us. Unbelievably each of us came away with about three hundred Rupees. My mate won a line in the first half of the proceedings and the lad who had introduced us to Tumbolo won a full house in the second half. We thought we were millionaires! I did offer the lad part of my winnings as he had treated us in the first place but he said no as he was quite happy with his share. So at last we were able to pay off our debts at the sergeant’s mess although we still had no army pay.

The Heavy Bridge Company
Whenever we went to the Engineer’s Depot the guard commander, who was an Indian, always brought the guard to attention and presented arms. Although we did our best to tell them it was not necessary by shaking our heads and hands, it had no effect on them and they always did it. Even when we had learnt a few words of the language and could say ‘no’ (nay) it made no difference. So we gave up and let them salute us. Anyway, one day we went to the Engineer’s Depot and surprise, surprise we were told that three officers had arrived from our company; Colonel Grant and Lieutenants Ward and Worsdale. And so at last we did find out what was happening. Our company was No.1 Heavy Bridge Company (Royal Engineers) and it was in Basra in Iraq on the Persian Gulf. My mate and I had been sent to Lahore to collect a lot of equipment. We were given a long list of thing we had to collect. The locals did all the lifting and packing. We had to point to the things we wanted, check them off and make lists of what was in each packing case or bundle. After ten or twelve weeks we had nearly finished getting the stores together and were thinking we would soon be joining our company and wondering what else we would be meeting up with. We still hadn’t received any pay.

Christmas in Lahore
My first Christmas abroad was in 1941 whilst we were still in Lahore. Harold Sills and I were invited to spend the day with an English couple and what a day it was. I don’t remember their names but I do remember there was just the man and his wife, Harold and me. First a really large car came to take us to the theatre to see a show in English. We were then taken to the couple’s home. It was huge and the luxury was unbelievable. The man must have had a really good job; I vaguely remember the Kodak Company being mentioned. In the dining room were three Indian servants in spotless white robes, standing like statues, just waiting to attend to your smallest need. The meal was a banquet - a proper Christmas Dinner. We were offered a large selection of alcoholic drinks but only had a small Port each as we didn’t want to spoil the day. They drove us back to the barracks and we thanked them for a wonderful day. Although it had been a wonderful day, my thoughts were back in England with Ivy and Margaret, wondering how they were getting on and what kind of a Christmas they had had.

A Night Out in Lahore
A few weeks before we were due to move on, our two officers — Ward and Worsdale — told my mate and me that they were going to take us out for a treat as we had had it a little more than rough. The evening started well with a trip to the cinema. Then we went to a really posh restaurant and dance hall. After dinner, we went into the main dance hall. It was then I did the silliest thing that I’ve ever done. Sitting at a rather large round table was our Colonel Grant with three or four other officers. As there was plenty of room we were invited to join in with them, which we did. All the officers were drinking whisky, not in wineglasses but in small tumblers. And they were drinking it like lemonade. As each round was ordered both Harold Sills and I were included and we thought we could keep up with the officers. After a while we both jumped up and dashed to the toilet. I don’t remember much after that and I never did know what happened to Harold. They found me in the middle of the next day on top of a load of camouflage netting with a really thick head. If I was offered a king’s ransom, I couldn’t say how I managed to get there but it was obviously comfortable. It took me a full day to get over it. The experience taught me a lesson. The one and only time I ever have another drop of whisky was at my retirement "do". In fact I became almost tea total only having the odd half-pint of beer or shandy. The two lieutenants did tell us that they had a right telling off from the Colonel for letting us go off in such a state.

The Trip to Calcutta
Hurrah! — at last the Colonel told us we were to get some pay. We were offered fifty Rupees but we said that would hardly cover our debts. So we were given one hundred Rupees, which at least enabled us to pay our debts and still left us with a bit of pocket money.
And so at long last we were on our way to join our Company. As we left Lahore to go the Calcutta to catch a boat, the Indian soldiers put large garlands of flowers around our necks, which was for our good luck. We sailed from Calcutta to Iraq where our company was still stationed just outside Basra. Once again we had our own cabin, lounge and dining room and so again travelled in comfort. The only problem was that it got so hot that a few of us again decided to sleep on the deck with a blanket and a kit bag for a pillow. There at least we got a bit of a breeze.
Most of the men on board were Indian Infantry and members of the Pioneer Corp. We hadn’t been at sea for more than a day or two when an Indian sergeant came to me and said all his men were ill. I tried to explain that they were seasick and they would be all right in another day or two. I’m certain he didn’t understand, as no doubt most of them had never been on a boat let alone a ship. A few days later I was leaning on the deck rail when the sergeant came up to me again. This time of all things he asked me how we knew the world was round! The more I tried to explain, the more complicated it became. I asked him if he was frightened that he may fall off the edge of the World. He didn’t give me an answer to that but just walked away.

Basra and the Heavy Bridge Company
So after a voyage of some four weeks, which took us right round the coast of India and up the Persian Gulf, we landed at Basra and were able to join our company, which was a few miles inland from Basra in the desert. This is where the mighty Euphrates and Tigris Rivers join to form the Shatt al Arab, which drains into the Persian Gulf. That was when we found out what hardship really was.
The company was made up of a Head Quarters and three Bridging Platoons. In the Head Quarters was Colonel Grant, one other officer, a sergeant major, a staff sergeant and two other sergeants. The sergeant major was responsible for discipline and he certainly managed that. (I will tell more about him later). The staff sergeant was in charge of the workshops, which were built into lorries and included all the engineering equipment; everything from lathes, drills, milling machines, welding plant and even a blacksmith’s forge. The other sergeant was his right hand man. The rest of the company consisted of the three bridge platoons. Each of these consisted of:
 Fifty lorries to carry the bridging equipment
 A breakdown lorry to deal with any problems with the vehicles
 One small lorry fitted with a large water tank, which was most essential
 One Jeep
 Two motor bikes
 A motorboat, which was carried on a special trailer with a permanently mounted winch.
So each platoon was an independent unit and could be sent to different places to work. Each had one officer, one sergeant, one corporal, two motor mechanics and of course the lorry drivers. The drivers apart from driving had to help with the bridge building.
The ordinary soldiers, who in the Royal Engineers are called ‘Sappers’ and not ‘privates’, numbered about one hundred and eighty in total.
The company was so large we even had our own doctor and medical staff.
Each member of the company was issued with a small tent, a ground sheet, a rough blanket and a mosquito net. Your kit bag had to be used as your pillow. The tent was so small that if you didn’t tuck up, your feet were out one end and your head was out the other.

I was the sergeant for one of the bridge building platoons and after we had sorted ourselves out, my officer was Lieutenant Ward. The first thing we had to do was the very big job of cleaning and checking the lorries and the bridging equipment as it had been covered in sand standing waiting for us to arrive. We also had to make sure everything was mechanically sound as we had a long journey across the Iraq Desert to a place called Al-Habbaniyah. Al-Habbaniyah has a large lake to the West and the River Euphrates to the East. It is also quite near to Baghdad, which we were able to visit.

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