大象传媒

? June 13 1940. Saturday afternoon. Tidworth.
Dear Mum and Dad,
I鈥檒l write you a letter while the going鈥檚 good, because I鈥檓 awaiting the corporal to fetch us out for a bit of trench digging or spud peeling. We鈥檙e in trouble once more. On Thursday night鈥檚 orders we were supposed to get an old overcoat for driving in, and as it was our first night off for ages, we all went out and when we read the orders, the stores were closed. Some of us went up on Friday dinner time but they were closed again. So at the 2 o鈥檆lock parade on Friday dinner, the Sergeant-Major saw us wearing our great coats and asked if we had drawn our old coats. Of course, we said 鈥淣o鈥� and tried to explain, but he wouldn鈥檛 listen and asked the orderly corporal to take our names for a dose of fatigues, so that鈥檚 that. On the same day, those who were not driving were pulled up for closing 2 windows before 1 o鈥檆lock dinner time, and there is 12 in the room. The Orders are that every window should remain open until 1 o鈥檆lock, and the officer who inspects the rooms noticed these two closed and reported us. We closed them because we were changing into gym kit, and forgot to open them again.
I think my luck was out on Friday, although it鈥檚 the 13th today. When I fetched my coat at teatime, it wanted every button stitching on, and there were 15 of them.
I don鈥檛 know what the weather is like over home, but since last Wednesday it鈥檚 been cold, raining and very windy. It still is, as I write this.
The lorries that we drive about in have only got two little window screens and a bit of canvas roof and the rain just pelts inside the cab. Sometimes a gust will blow the roof up and the pool of water will pour in. Thanks to our greatcoats and steel helmets, we managed to keep ourselves dry.
We have another corporal now. I don鈥檛 know whether I told you, but our own corporal has gone to take a new squad over. The new one is as different again. He鈥檚 always joking and telling tales about when he was in India with the niggers. He says the niggers will give all they鈥檝e got for a rifle, and when they go to the barracks to try to steal one, they strip and plaster their bodies with grease, so that if someone did try to catch hold of them, they would slip off. I don鈥檛 know if you ever saw Ned Sparkes but our corporal is the dead image of him and acts like him.
When we were up the stores, drawing our old coats, the Squadron Leader came out of his office and asked us if we were after our leave passes. Of course, we said. There was no such luck, but he said, don鈥檛 worry, your turn will come very soon, perhaps during our next fortnight. I notice that 20 and 22 squad are on leave this weekend, and 24 next weekend. Perhaps we will go with them if they can spare two squads again. But if they can鈥檛 spare us, it will be our turn the following weekend. It鈥檚 only a very short leave, you know, from Friday teatime until Sunday midnight, including travel, but I shall come over.
The food we鈥檙e having now is champion; for breakfast every morning this last few weeks, we have had porridge, bread, marmalade and bacon or something else in place of bacon. There鈥檚 been plenty of it too, and dinners have been good too and plentiful. We can鈥檛 grumble at all about the food.
There鈥檚 two corporals who take us for driving and one comes from Crewe, and the other from Tideswell in Derbyshire. It鈥檚 nice to be with corporals who know the Potteries and surrounding districts.
Is Levi鈥檚 face better now? I suppose it is by now, I hope so in any case.
I hope you鈥檙e not having any air-raids. Eveline hasn鈥檛 mentioned them this last week or so, and no news is good news I think. We still keep pretty free from them.
Did you know Arthur Pickin is billeted in an hotel in Barmouth. He鈥檚 fairly lucky, it鈥檚 a very nice quiet place. I can鈥檛 see what use soldiers are around that area. Eddie Sambrooks from Burslem is expecting his girl down here at tea-time, to stop until Monday Morn. He鈥檚 all excited and putting his best boots and suit on.
Well, I鈥檓 hoping to see you on Saturday or the following Saturday. I鈥檓 all right for everything, money included, so don鈥檛 send anything until I come over. It鈥檚 nearly tea-time now and I must close. Good afternoon. Remember me to Uncle Sam, Auntie Ethel, Uncle Levi and family and all others.
Cheerio and all the best. From your loving son, Albert. Xxx.
The corporal didn鈥檛 come after all, perhaps he is saving it for tomorrow.

June 16 1940. Sunday. Tidworth.
Dear Mum and Dad鈥�
I had your letter on Sat. We went out all day on Sat, complete with full kit, all types of guns and ammunition, ready for action. I don鈥檛 know what the idea was, but we all enjoyed it. We stopped at a village pub for dinner. It was a feast, we had bread, butter, potted meat, lettuce, and rice pudding, of course a drink to top it up. It was a very nice village, thatched cottages, roses round the door etc. We came back through Marlborough and past the White Horse on the hills.
We鈥檝e been driving all week and our usual run took us past the White Horse. One day we passed a convoy that had drawn up for dinner. It was 1陆 miles long, about 300 lorries and endless motor-bikes. They were all Canadian. It鈥檚 nothing but military vehicles around here, and the petrol they waste is shocking.
On the parade ground, all the lorries are standing there with the engines running for about 10 minutes before we start and they only do 8 to 10 a gallon. They found out we could drive all right on Monday, so instead of saving petrol, time etc, they took us out all week, and it was all wasted. They could have learned dozens more and given us something else to have gone on with. It suits me though, but when we have to economise so drastically, it makes me mad to see 100s of gallons of petrol wasted every week.
We are working over now until 7.0 every night, and last week it was rumoured about that we should have to work 7 days a week. Anyway it hasn鈥檛 happened yet. It鈥檚 nothing but rumours round here.
Do you know it鈥檚 just over a week ago we were told that we were to be rationed with food. You can imagine how our hearts dropped and yet it was all in vain. Ever since then we have had really decent meals and plenty of it.
I鈥檝e been to church this morning, with the church parade, about 100 of us. It鈥檚 the same old story though, standing on the square for 3/4 of an hour, being inspected and a little bit of drill just to please the captain. . . ( unfinished or page missing).

June 23 1940. Sunday. Tidworth.
Dear Mum and Dad,
I had your letter on Friday, but have only just had time to reply. All our squad have been put on guard for 2 or 3 weeks. We鈥檙e guarding a big aerodrome about 6 miles away, although I鈥檓 only a waiting man for fear a chap doesn鈥檛 turn up, I have to get on parade with them. I was wanted last night. We are like on active service, with our blankets, greatcoat, equipment, guns, ammunition, etc, and we slept in tents. It鈥檚 a lovely aerodrome and the chaps live a lords life, everywhere spotless, tiled walls and posh baths and hot and cold water, a good NAAFI and nice living quarters. It鈥檚 called Upavon, the biggest of 8 around here.
We鈥檙e working like niggers now. Starting last Friday we have to do an hour and a half鈥檚 digging trenches every night and this morning we鈥檝e done some, and while I鈥檓 waiting to be called out this afternoon, I spot my chance to drop you a line. It鈥檚 not that we鈥檙e working endlessly all day, but we don鈥檛 get 2 or 3 hours off at a stretch. I鈥檒l bet we only do 9 or 10 hours a day, but after each period of instruction there鈥檚 10 or 15 minutes allowed to change clothes or smoke, and when we have about 11 periods and 3 mealtimes a day, the time soon goes.
While on guard we have to parade at 8.20 every night. It takes 20 minutes to get ready and we are called up at 5.0 am at the aerodrome to get us back at 6.0 am.
Taking it all round, it isn鈥檛 a bad life now. They allow us plenty of time between the periods, but I would rather do, say, 3 hours or 4 at a stretch and have a substantial break. Anyway, we鈥檙e nearly half way through our training and we may be posted somewhere in England, perhaps nearer to home.
All last week I was having a series of lectures on motor cars and lorries. When I get home again, the car will never see a garage again, unless it wants a new body or chassis. It鈥檚 surprising what we did learn, almost everything about a Morris, and they had working models of electrical gear, engines, gearboxes, back axles, etc.
We were examined on it on Friday afternoon. I got 43 out of 50. I might have got 50 but I just couldn鈥檛 think how an Autovac petrol pump stopped when it was full of petrol, and as soon as I came out of the room, it dawned on me, but the damage was done.
It鈥檚 funny weather for midsummer. All weekend it鈥檚 been raining and it鈥檚 very cold too, more like December, and yet on Friday it was the hottest ever. My fags were ready lit when I drew them out. It must have been 99 in the shade.
Eveline told me how much she like the coat dress and material. She says they鈥檙e beautiful, and she and I thank you very much indeed for them. You certainly paid for them. You must accept that 拢5 I gave you to save. I shan鈥檛 need it so please take it towards the cost. They were terribly expensive. I told Eveline about the shoes, but I haven鈥檛 had a reply yet. I only posted it on Sat.
I should like to bring you around here after the war, if only to see the corporals and sergeants and talk to them as a civvy. But apart from this, the surrounding countryside is beautiful. There鈥檚 dozens of fields that are half filled with poppies, and one field I鈥檝e never seen a sight like it in my life, it was absolutely crimson all over, just as though some-one had painted it. On Monday we went on a run to Stonehenge, it鈥檚 not like I expected. You could walk round the stones in half a minute, but it鈥檚 really marvellous. The stones are 25 ft high, and similar stones are placed along the tops, they weigh about 20 tons. They got them up by placing hundreds of logs and making a slope of them up to an upright stone, then hundreds of chaps pushed and pulled it to the top. Those logs that were jammed they burnt away. It鈥檚 the old story, the field is fenced off and people are charged a shilling to go around them. We saw them from the road and an NCO told us their history.
I see Daddy Horwood couldn鈥檛 resist his annual how-do-you-do. I suppose the list of names was just an excuse, because the outing is off.
Levi is having it rough isn鈥檛 he. What he wants is a few days off and keep plenty of Johnson鈥檚 oil on. It鈥檚 wonderful stuff. I will always use it. It did Eveline鈥檚 chilblains good, and cuts and scratches are healed up in no time. I opened your box of chocs on Friday night and they鈥檙e nearly all gone now. Were they with tea coupons? I forget. Anyway, they were lovely. I鈥檝e been eating them like grapes. Thanks ever so much for them.
Eveline told me you are going to send a parcel between you. I don鈥檛 know what to say, but I don鈥檛 want you both to go to too much expense I know things are tightening up in Civvy Street. Thanks all the same, they鈥檙e all welcome and very much appreciated.
The White Horse is a carving in the hillside, about 180 ft long and it鈥檚 carved out of chalk. It鈥檚 always white and can be seen for miles. We saw it last August when we came back from Torquay and when we stopped at that big manor, Erlestoke, in Wiltshire, we saw it about 25 miles from there and nearer to home.
Erlestoke Manor is only 20 miles from Tidworth. There鈥檚 no news about leave. We鈥檙e all confined to barracks. We鈥檙e classed as on active service. Up to last Sunday it was possible to get an 18 hours pass for Sun from 6 am to midnight, but that鈥檚 stopped now. If it resumed I think the Pottery lads will try to hire a car. We are all drivers so we can take it in turns to drive. According to some of the lads, they say, if we can get enough petrol to come home, they鈥檒l be able to see us back again. We鈥檒l have to wait a week or two yet, I鈥檓 afraid. I can鈥檛 see why they shouldn鈥檛 let us take our guns and some ammunition to go home with. We would be just as useful at home as we are here, perhaps more useful because we would be spread out.
That Greek, by the way his name is 鈥淕eorge Constantiza Christa Adoula鈥�, well, he was missing on Friday 2.0 parade and nobody knew where he was, so he caused quite a commotion between the sergeants, corporals and the Serg-Major, because he should have been there. The corporal decided to slip up to the room and have a look for him. And there he was coiled up like a hedgehog and fast asleep on his bed. The reason we didn鈥檛 notice him was because his bed is up in the corner and his mattress and blankets hid him. They were piled up on the end of his bed. The NCOs only laughed at it, but if it had been anyone else, they would have been behind the bars now.
Well, Mum, I鈥檒l have to close now. Remember me to all. By the way I haven鈥檛 heard off Aunt Polly or Uncle Sam yet. Good afternoon and good luck to you all. I鈥檓 feeling fine so don鈥檛 worry.
Bye-bye, your loving son Albert. Love to all - xxx.

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