大象传媒

Alfred John Boon鈥檚 war.

Part 2, 1943 to 1946

7610470 Alfred John Boon joined the Royal Army Ordnance Corps on 4 October 1939, and trained as an Armaments Artificer at Lydd.

He was promoted to Corporal in January 1940, Staff Sergeant in October 1941, WOII in September 1942, transferred to the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers 1 December 1942 and ended his career in the army on 28 February 1958 as a WOI.

He left an account of his war experiences, from which the following has been compiled. His account, in the form of a diary, is headed;

'Re-written from various notes. Extracted gory and most unpleasant parts. At 84 years memory poor. Dates may not be right, or locations. However...'

He must have destroyed his original diaries, which have not been found.

1944
鈥楯anuary. Gun sites set up - Torre Annunziata, Castellamare, on Vesuvius, and at other points overlooking Naples docks, even on in a convent grounds. Sites also Sorrento and Salerno, with overlooking hills, covering Salerno and docks. Haven鈥檛 seen an enemy aircraft for some time.
Jan 16th Took a party to Capua, to service and repair field guns, that had been pulled back from 鈥渓ine鈥�, including 7.2" rare species (Spike Milligan's regiment. Stayed 4 days, some Light Aid Detachment workshop activity, and recovery. Plenty of ground activity, no air.'

His duties included repairing equipment in the workshop, and also on site, travelling to such places as Salerno, Caserta and Volturno.

'Mar 19th Vesuvius very restless.

Mar 20th Even more so.

Mar 21st Eruption starts. Could see lava erupting from crater. Go up to sites on sides to help evacuation with recovery vehicles. Earth tremors most of the time.

Mar 22nd Tremors during day with loud explosions. Night clouds of smoke with pulsating glows. Showers of ash falling. Continual equipment evacuation.

Mar 23rd Evacuation continues. Canopies on vehicles burnt by ash. Wear balaclavas and helmets night. Great boulders being spewed. Electric storms. Above the crater, lava runs as quick as a stream.

Mar 24th Pity the vineyard owners. Their yards are buried. Help them with their property if possible. Explosions are blowing doors open and causing some structural damage. 鈥淩ed snow鈥� falling today. Blows in everywhere.

Mar 25th Very little 鈥渟now鈥� today. But some rain to churn it up. Material from crater, looks like billowing cauliflowers. Talked to a Volcanologist on mountain. Suggested it was a bit dodgy in their observatory. Said he stay there no matter what. Had waited for it for years.

Mar 26th Very quiet. Dust blowing out to sea. Most equipment moved. Not a lot of damage. Burns mostly to canopies and cables. In Torre Annunziata the dust was a foot deep.

April 1st-4th Visited sites Naples, Salerno, Sorrento. Went to opera Castellammare. Cavalleria Rusticana and Pagliacci.

July 14th Took advance party to Lubico, near Rome. Passed through Cassino. How stupid to smash a place up like that. Didn鈥檛 do any good.

July 22nd Went to Scafati. E. and M.E. school, A.O.D. Pontegragnano, Pompeii ruins, and Castlamara, collecting stores and documents. (Not at Pompeii, that was a visit).

This place we are in is 12 Command Workshops H.Q. with all the supporting trades, wireless, instrument, blacksmith, etc. All bull, blanco and other 鈥淏s鈥� and saluting. Glad I鈥檓 not part of it. I was appointed Q.M.S., so all stores and equipment were my responsibility. So I started my travels all over again. From Rome, Pontegragnano, Salerno, Caserta, etc., gathering vehicles, and various stores. It kept me away from the blanco dust, and as I stayed at some of the places for short periods it was very educational.

We sometimes collected stores etc. from the Salerno area, and I would arrange this on a Sunday. No 9-5, 5 days a week for the services. We would travel along the Torre Annunziata, Scafati, Nocera road on the outward, but would lose our way on the return and use the coast road Amalfi, Positano, Sorrento, possibly the most beautiful coast road anywhere. Our stopping place would be a little fishing village, Vietri. We and the inhabitants would gather in the local wine shop. We were wined and fed with all sorts of sea food, lovely grub, with hot bread. The same visitors would be there whenever we called, a few Americans, British and Canadians. The village boys looked after our vehicles and stores. They had their reward. The fisher folk, although their hospitality was freely given, didn鈥檛 lose out. Chocolate, cigarettes, tinned grub etc., not to mention lira

I had a few days in Rome. Visited St Peters, Coliseum, Forum, St Angelo Castle etc. Met Harry Secombe and Spike Milligan in a restaurant. Uproar.

I and a few comrades waved the lucky ones goodbye, leaving us imprisoned in the blanco barracks, and at the mercy of the C.O. and the Regi(mental) Officer, white belt, gaiters, peak of cap resting on top of nose. As one of the three S/Sgts we had quaintly put it, as the RO strode across the square, 鈥渓ooks like an 鈥榓djective鈥� racehorse鈥�.

Hostilities having ended in Italy, as stores were going direct to R.A.O.C. depots, so the workshop was being run down, and my journeys became few and far between. I was put in charge of a medical centre within the workshop. 3 Medical Officers, 4 orderlies and 2 Italian nurses, and a 10 bed hospital, for short term patients. On call at night if necessary, so no other duties. Picked up some more medical knowledge with lab tests, jabs, blood pressure etc.

Blanco City had its good points, visits to the opera, swimming weekends at Torregravita. Opera free at San Carlo, nice to have a few show biz friends. Being in the entertainment group, got lots of time off. This of course applied to referee jobs in some of the good stadiums, Vomero etc. I also did coaching for referee exams. We climbed Vesuvius to the crater. Hard work, but well worth it. Along the coast road north is Pozzuoli. This seaport has about 25 earth tremors a day, nearly all the inhabitants had left when I was there. Nearby is Solfatari, where there are caves with molten pumice bubbling out of the ground. All the surroundings are yellow with sulphur. Very nice stink. Pozzuoli has a very battered amphitheatre, older than Pompeii鈥檚.

The NAAFI in Naples was in King Umberto鈥檚 palace. Must have been the finest NAAFI that ever existed, marble staircases, painted ceilings etc, and connected by underground to the San Carlo Opera House. Had some leave on Sorrento, and went by sea. In charge of camp was Andy Beatty, the Scottish international footballer. He knew my Uncle Peter and family. Had a trip to Capri. Later had a couple of days in Ischia. I think it was a referee job. Visited Herculaneum (think the spelling correct) being excavated, buried the same time as Pompeii, but on the coast.鈥�

1945
鈥楳ay 8th German surrender
With hostilities over, very busy on pre-medicals for repatriates, conscripts first, (rightly so) not only our own people, but outside units. Those that were not being repatriated were given leave - LILOP. Leave In Lieu Of Python. Python was repatriation.
On 8th Aug 1945 I went on leave. It must have been about 5-6 days to reach the channel port. Starting from Garibaldi Station, Naples, we puffed our way through Capua, Cassino, to Rome. I suppose owing to damage, we went across to the east coast to Piceno. We travelled by day and night, and the holdups, numerous. Going through Ancona and Pescaro, we turned inland to Bologna. The sea looked very inviting, and the stops long. One idiot said he would go for a swim, when the railway puffed along the shore. The train puffed off without him. I reported his absence at Bologna. We arrived at Milan. The journey had been marvellous. Scenery, cost a fortune today. Milan Station - one of the best I have seen. Transport took us to Navara, where we staged for two days. Had a visit to Milan. Lovely city. Continuing from Milan, we went up the mountains to Lake Maggiore, then on to Domodossolo. The scenery was unbelievable.

So on through the Simplon Tunnel, to Brig in Switzerland. Here we alighted for the only time in Switzerland. Even though the war was over they were very neutral. Change of locomotive, and we were on our way. The mountains and valleys beggar description, as did Lake Lausanne. We went through Montreux and stopped at Lausanne. The welcome was out of this world. The crowd, mostly girls, handing out drinks of all sorts, chocs, cigs, new bread, with cheese and various meats. You name it, it was there. The route after was Dijon, Troyes, Paris, Calais. We stayed overnight in Dover Castle. The train to London was well organised, a Sunday paper on each seat, and continental refreshments from the W.V.S.

I have no recollection of the return journey to Italy. It must have been nearly the same route. Arriving back about the end of September, not much had changed, except the military depleted and civilians in their place. In a cafe, I was offered a watchmakers lathe for about 拢20. I arrested the Italian and confiscated the lathe. I suppose he got off. An employee in the instrument shop was caught with stolen goods. The Military Police phoned and said they had made a search of his house and had found 12 watches. This was after, by phone, altered to 10. The culprit was charged with illegal possession of 9 watches. That was the number returned.

In the workshop compound was, separate from 12 Cmd W/S, a manufacturing workshop. This was to manufacture all types of furniture - cabinets, tables, desks, some of these with leather tops. The goods were highly professional. The machinery was tip-top class. Very few military were employed, the staff being civilian. In charge were an officer and W.O. It seems these two had Italian wives. When the workshop closed they flogged and shipped out all the machinery, waited to be arrested, they were tried by court martial, and given custodial sentences. I don鈥檛 know how long, but I bet they were soon back with their rich Italian wives. As I was back handling attractive stores, binos, watches, scientific instruments, I was always being approached. I could have made a fortune. Families being allowed to come to Italy, but only in fully protected areas like Naples. I was posted to the workshop at Pontegragnano, to take over from Bob Beauman, whose wife was joining him. Beauman was a W.O.I., and it was his first time abroad.

The billets at Ponti were tents in a walnut grove, very nice but freezing in the morning. There was also a large house, and I soon managed to get in there. I found workshop management boring, after being so nomadic. Being so near Salerno and Amalfi, the weekends were enjoyable. I was posted to Greece, and sailed in the Empire Eddystone, to Piraeus on the 24-4-46.鈥�

16 Base Workshops, Naples, put on a production of 'Cinderella' in 1946
Alfred John Boon, wrongly billed as Arthur, played Buttons.

1946
鈥楢pril 21st Passed Stromboli (smoking like a chimney) and through the Straits of Messina at 05.30 hrs.

April 22nd Off the Greek Archipelago.
April 23rd Landed at Piraeus, and went by road to Athens. Went around seeing the sights - Parthenon, Acropolis etc. Also saw the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior. Sentry in his kilt regalia leaning on his rifle, smoking.

April 26th Embarked on the Ocean Vigour for Salonika. Sailed north up the Aegean with its many islands. Quite a sight. Saw Mount Olympus ahead, starboard, stern, port, ahead, etc. Greaser told me an engine had broken down, common complaint on this vessel, and they were just keeping way until it was repaired. I made the acquaintance of a Col. R.E.M.E., I forget his name. He was a 鈥渞anker鈥� and like a lot of his sort seemed lonely. I was moved into a cabin next to his, and spent a lot of time with him. I don鈥檛 know where he was posted in Greece.

April 28th Landed at Salonika. I was billeted over a cafe.

April 30th Picked up by a vehicle from my new unit and went to Novasa. Given choice of being Motor Transport Officer or Motor Transport Officer. Picked M.T.O. During the take-over I was shown the same pile of tyres twice. Clever stuff. What a mug. Found out when I had a recheck with two ordnance sergeants, who eventually put it right. The W.O. culprit had long since flown. I lived in a nissen hut near a little wood. Crowds of cuckoos by day, and nightingales by night. Although I was with this unit about 10 weeks, I can hardly remember anybody in it. It was quite a big workshop. Capt. ? South African, always in the Sgts. Mess. Chick Grey workshop A.S.M., W.O. II Hemsley (married a Greek fortune), the two ordnance Sgts., Sgt Bull and 鈥淏od" Work started at 4.30am - 7.30 breakfast - 8.30 - 12.30 stop. One of our 鈥渓arks鈥� on a Sunday was to put two or three cases of canned beer in a jeep, and go up in the mountains, put the beer in a stream. The result was iced booze.

One Sunday we were in a town called Kastoria. We did our usual climb up the mountains, through a pass, cooled and drunk our refreshment, ate our grub, and returned some hours later to Kastoria. The Greeks told us we had been over the Albanian border, and we had been unarmed. I spent a little time in Edhessa, checking some of our unit vehicles. A nice town. The unit moved to Veroia. This was an old town; the Greeks quite nice, as Greeks go. One of the vehicle shop workers was arrested with stolen parts. Sentenced to 3 months jail. I saw him in town within a few days, and wanted to know why he wasn鈥檛 in prison. He had paid a sum of money to the local Communist Party, and bought himself out. I was told this was quite normal.

Our new 鈥渉ome鈥� was only about 30 miles from the sea. A permanent camp was established for leave, and weekends. The main ingredients of the camp - beach lounging, the occasional swim, and a diet of Ouzo and prawns. Apart from work, referee in a few matches, including a couple of Greek League. Rather surprising, these quite pleasant. Coach to unit tug-of-war team, at services sports, lost in final. While I was lounging on the beach one day, a driver with vehicle arrived 鈥渉ot foot鈥� to take me back to camp to hand over, as I was going home. One couldn鈥檛 see my ass for sand.

June 27th I arrived in Salonika.

June 29th Embarked on "King David" for Athens.

July 1st Arrived at Piraeus. Transferred to Athens. Palled up with an A.S.M. I think we listened to the Cup Final on radio Derby v Charlton. John Oakes put through his own goal, and Jimmy Oakes scored for Charlton H.T. 1-1. I think that Stamp scored 3 times in extra time for Derby. Hard luck 鈥淭he Addicks鈥�. I believe that Charlton beat Burnley 1-0 after extra time in the next year Final.

July 4th Embarked at Piraeus on "Empire Battleaxe".

July 5th Sailed at 0500 hrs. This was to prove a good sightseeing voyage.

July 6th Passed through the Straits of Messina at 1400 hrs, quite an old friend.

July 7th Passed Montecristo at 1500 hrs, and Elba at 1620 hrs. Went through Straits of Bonifacio between Sardinia and Corsica.

July 8th Docked and landed at Toulon. There was documentation, pay etc., and most of those from the ship were fed, rationed and put on a train. I and a few others were left behind.

July 9th Under another Warrant Officer, I was second-in-command of another train in the morning I should think the full consignment was only about 50, were we glad we hadn鈥檛 travelled the day before. They were 8 to a carriage, and the journey 4 days. Everybody had a seat to themselves, so could get a good kip. We two had a first class coach to ourselves. Route Marseilles - Avignon - Lyons - Dijon - Auxerre - Paris - Abbeville - Calais. I think we put into sidings for the night. Tents available, but we stopped on the train. German POWs run the camps, and fed us, cleaned all our equipment. Everything was spotless, like the POWs we had in Tunisia. Nice sightseeing all the way.

July 11th Arrived at Calais, crossed and put up at Duke of Yorks barracks, Dover.

July 12th Went by train to Otley, Yorkshire. Documentation, pay etc.

July 13th Went on disembarkation leave.

Aug 7th Went back to Otley and on 9/8/46 was posted to Bordon, Hants. Bordon was a Royal Engineers store and depot, very large, with steam engines chugging about all over the place. There was a R.E.M.E workshop, dealing with motor transport, but the only instruments were pressure gauges on the locomotives, and speedos on the vehicles. They put me on the Bordon Flyer and waved me on my way to Otley. Posted to Blackdown. Start of another era.'

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