大象传媒

This is a transcript of the diary of Laurence Butler, my father, from March 1940, when he went to France as part of the BEF, to June when he arrived back in England having been evacuated from Dunkirk. I found it among his effects in 2003 nearly seven years after his death.

Dad had joined up at the outbreak of war without waiting to be drafted. With his interest in things mechanical and driving it was natural for him to join the RASC where he would get his fill of driving. I think he ended the war in 509 Company RASC but whether this was the same unit with which he started it I do not know although I think so because on May 10 鈥�509 reputed to have got Dornier鈥�.

I guess he started the diary to record his experiences when it was clear that he would be going to France with the Army to try to stem the German advance. Was this so that he could relate his experiences to Dilys, apparently the girlfriend of the time? I think probably so. Who was she? What happened to the relationship?

The diary stops on the 1st June immediately after his return from France via Dunkirk. Too tired to continue? Too busy? Did he start another diary in another book that I have not found? We will never know.

I鈥檓 sure the diary is contemporaneous. Dad was an immensely neat man and the whole thing is in his immaculately neat writing, very small to fit in the limited space for each day and with numerous crossings out. If he had rewritten it there would have been no crossings out and the colour of the ink would have been consistent rather than shading between light and dark. For six days he has clearly inked over pencil entries.

It all sounds very mundane at the beginning, moving around seemingly aimlessly, going to a caf茅 or cinema in the evening as if there was no war going on. Mucking around, waiting on orders, weeks short of his 21st birthday. Then they start moving north and slowly things start to warm up. On May 8 he was with friends in a caf茅, on May 9 at the cinema and on May 10 鈥渧illage bombed鈥�. But it was back to the caf茅 on May 14! Then on May 25 鈥渞etreat started tea time鈥�. Dad was obviously lucky, not only surviving but also getting out of Dunkirk as early as May 30 apparently without having had to spend long on the beaches.

I have tried to interpret and identify place names as well as I can but some remain guesses (usually shown in red).

Who were Dick, Bunny, Scotty, Bill Field, Ginger and Les Brown? The only other names in the diary, for no obvious reason, are Cpl Carlsen C T 117460 and Dvr Collins J 583768 鈥� who were they and why were their names and addresses in the diary?

1940

Sunday March 24, Easter Day
Left Yeovil first thing in morning. Drove to Southampton. Went out with Dick and Bunny to see 鈥淯nder-pup鈥� (sic?).

Monday March 25, Lady Day, Bank Holiday
Loaded lorries on 鈥淟ycaon鈥� all day at docks. Went out with Dick and Bunny to Forum Caf茅 in evening.

Tuesday March 26
Loaded lorries again today. Saw 鈥淒ouala鈥� arrive at Southampton docks.. Saw Gulliver鈥檚 Travels with Dick and Bunny.

Wednesday March 27
Left 鈥渞est camp鈥� at approx midday and marched to docks. Embarked about 3 and dropped down to off Portsmouth and Ryde to wait for convoy.

Thursday March 28
Sailed at 2am. Slept most of way. Woke at 5am. Sea somewhat choppy. Arrived about 6 at Cherbourg and marched to camp in tents. Unloaded some lorries.

Friday March 29
Put up superstructures. Went out with Dick, Scotty and others to caf茅 in evening.

Saturday March 30
Left Chg (Cherbourg) in morning, drove to D. le Guillaume. Funny driving on the wrong side of the road. Arrived about 8pm.

Sunday March 31, Low Sunday
Billeted in barn. Maintained lorries in afternoon. Walked round and spent rest of day in Estaminet with Bunny, Dick and Scotty.
Wrote to Dilys.

Monday April 1
Maintained lorries. Spent evening in Estaminet with gang.
Wrote to Dilys.

Tuesday April 2
Mucked about all day. Spent evening as usual.
Wrote to Dilys.

Wednesday April 3
Went to Le Mans with Bill on lorry for emergency rations. Evening with Bunny & Scotty as Dick on picquet.
Wrote to Dilys

Thursday April 4
Maintained lorries and filled with petrol for tomorrow. Told no letters to be written. Evening as usual. Gang teaching me bridge.

Friday April 5
Unit moved to Evreux (West of Paris) for night, approx 120 miles. Went out with Dick and Bunny for drink. Slept in disused house.

Saturday April 6
Carried on with move & arrived at Fouilloy (East of Amiens on road D1) after dinner. Billeted in village dance hall. Drank and played cards in evening.
Wrote to Dilys.

Sunday April 7
Helped clean billet in morning. Went for walk with Bunny & wrote home in afternoon. Usual in evening.

Monday April 8
Hall duty man. Cleaned billet. Usual in evening.
Wrote to Dilys.

Tuesday April 9
Maintenance. Had two marvellous letters from Dilys, one in morning and one in afternoon. Oh boy! Oh boy! What letters! Usual in evening.
Wrote to Dilys.

Wednesday April 10
Mucked about all day long at cheese factory. Usual in evening.
Wrote to Dilys.

Thursday April 11
Mucked about in morning as usual. Cleaned for patrol in afternoon. Patrol evening and all night. Went caf茅 in evening despite picquet.

Friday April 12
Training in morning. Started out to break bulk in afternoon after pay parade and then didn鈥檛 go. Usual in evening.
Wrote to Dilys.

Saturday April 13
Lecture and training in morning, stayed in in afternoon and wrote letters. Usual in evening.
Wrote to Dilys.

Sunday April 14
Church parade in our billet in morning. Supplied in afternoon. Were *** convoy **** for coming ****. Played bridge with gang in evening.

Monday April 15
Did training in morning. Programme washed out owing to rain but trained all the same. Did more training in afternoon. Usual in evening.
Wrote to Dilys

Tuesday April 16
On cookhouse fatigue in morning. Went to DSD (Division Supply Depot or Dump?) with Ginger in afternoon and then column HQ. Picked up oranges. Played bridge.
Wrote to Dilys.

Wednesday April 17
Maintained ready to move. Went to bath parade. Arrived back about 8. Played bridge in evening with gang.
Wrote to Dilys.

Thursday April 18
Left Fouilloy in morning. Went to DSD and loaded rations. Delivered them to 58 FR (Field Regiment?) and returned to Sericourt (near Frevent, South of St Pol, level with Berck-Plage on coast) approx 10pm. On picquet during night.

Friday April 19
Took S Details loaders to Chocques (on N43 West of Bethune) in morning. Waited for convoy and followed them to Humieres (on N39 West of St Pol) in morning. Broke bulk in afternoon and evening. Sleeping in barn.

Saturday April 20
Lazed about at vehicle park all day. Drove Les Brown鈥檚 Ford on rations in evening and then went to caf茅.

Sunday April 21
Went from Humiere to Chocques to load bulk in morning. Broke bulk in afternoon then wrote to Dilys. Had two marvellous letters from her today. Went to caf茅 in evening.

Monday April 22
Did maintenance in morning. Sat drinking coffee in afternoon. Delivered rations in early evening and then wrote to Dilys. Had another letter and ripping photograph from her today. Slept in lorry in wood after going to caf茅 then sitting round camp fire.

Tuesday April 23
Lazed around all morning. Went to new supply depot and *** rations in afternoon and evening. Slept in barn in another village.

Wednesday April 24
Cookhouse in morning. Supplied in afternoon to Bailleul (near Belgian border South-West of Ypres). Went through Bethune, Estaires and Armentieres in process. Went to caf茅 and wrote to Dilys in evening.

Thursday April 25
Changed rations from C Section lorries onto ours. Supplied in afternoon to Bailleul. Returned to Lapugnoy (on D70 West of Bethune) via Neuve Chapelle and Bethune. Went to caf茅 in evening.

Friday April 26
Went to railhead in morning. Broke bulk in afternoon. Went drinking with fellows in evening. Wrote to Dilys.

Saturday April 27
Cookhouse all day. Took section out to celebrate my 21st in evening. Wrote to Dilys

Sunday April 28, Rogation Sunday, 21st Birthday
Loaded up at railhead at Chocques. Broke bulk and reloaded. Went out and celebrated with Dick and Bunny.
Marvellous note and parcel from Dilys.

Monday April 29
Totally blank 鈥� was it a very good 21st birthday celebration?!

Tuesday April 30
Railhead in morning. Rations in afternoon. Caf茅 in evening. Wrote to Dilys.

Wednesday May 1
Hall duty all day. Caf茅 in evening. Wrote to Dilys.

Thursday May 2
Railhead in morning. Loaded rations in afternoon. Caf茅 in evening. Wrote to Dilys.

Friday May 3
Supplying all day. Caf茅 in evening. Wrote to Dilys.

Saturday May 4
Railhead in morning. Got ready for picquet in afternoon. Picquet all night.

Sunday May 5
Supplying all day. Evening in caf茅. Wrote to Dilys.

Monday May 6
Railhead in morning. Loaded rations in afternoon. Caf茅 in evening. Wrote to Dilys.

Tuesday May 7
Out on convoy all day supplying. Caf茅 in evening. Wrote to Dilys.

Wednesday May 8
Maintenance in morning. Loaded rations and went to J Section in afternoon. Evening in cinema. Wrote to Dilys.

Thursday May 9
Out on convoy all day supplying. Evening in caf茅. Wrote to Dilys.

Friday May 10
Woken up by Air Raid sirens at 4am. Village bombed. 509 (509 Company) reputed to have 鈥済ot鈥� Dornier. On Cook house all day. 7 raid warnings during day. Saw HA and AA fire at times. First time aircraft only about 1000ft up. Section supper in caf茅 in evening. Marvellous letter from Dilys. Woman killed in 1st raid. Time bomb exploded late.

Saturday May 11
More Air Raid warnings. Out on convoy all day. Crossed into Belgium at Comines at 4.30 in afternoon for first time.

Sunday May 12, Whit Sunday
Loaded at railhead in morning. Prepared for picquet in afternoon. Picquet in evening. More air raid warnings. Found shrapnel near bomber crater.

Monday May 13, Bank Holiday
Still on picquet until evening. Picquet was 鈥渂omb picquet鈥�. Wrote to Dilys.

Tuesday May 14
Acted as loader at railhead in morning and then loaded at supply depot. Sat on hill behind farm in afternoon and wrote to Dilys. Evening in caf茅.

Wednesday May 15
Out supplying about 30 miles into Belgium to Wortegom (??). Met thousands of refugee鈥檚 cars on the way. Waved and cheered at in every town. Out from 8.15am to 10.30pm.

Thursday May 16
Broke bulk all day. In caf茅 with Dick, Bunny and Scotty in evening.

Friday May 17
Out supplying to Wortegom. Returned to new HQ at Moorsele. Refugees all along roads.

Saturday May 18
Hall duty all day. Went to caf茅 for few minutes in evening. Refugees passing through all day.

Sunday May 19, Trinity Sunday
Hung around all morning. Drove Les Brown鈥檚 Ford to Hardebe, 132 Fld Ambs. On picquet in evening. Helped bring some KO.RRs back from front. Many air raids until 1am. More refugees.

Monday May 20
On picquet all day. 9.2 guns fired very early in morning. Lay on grass in vehicle park all day and read. Went to caf茅 in early evening. More refugees. Section went to railhead. No pack trains 鈥� no grub. Brought back the dog.

Tuesday May 21
Lazed about all day. Much air activity in evening with AA fire. 9.2 firing in evening. Left Moorseele soon after midnight.

Wednesday May 22
Arrived at Moorslede at about 3.30am . Slept until about 8.30. Went to Rouleau scavenging in afternoon after lazing all morning. Dropped bulk at supply depot. Left at about 11pm, then to bed. Saw British troops returning from front and Belgians going to the front all day.

Thursday May 23
On cookhouse all day. Lorries unloaded onto No 1鈥檚 lorries in morning. Large enemy bomber formation came over lunch time. Packed up in evening and went via Paeschendale to Zonnebeke. Parked lorry in Polygon Wood and went to sleep.

Friday May 24
Woke up and went to Chateau and had caf茅 and bread and butter in kitchen. Unloaded at supply depot and bombed by Dorniers. Large enemy formation came over some time. Bombs fell in fields half mile away. Much AA fire. On picquet in evening. Ypres and Coutrai reported bombed. Saw Gt War Dugout. Heard shell pass over just after air raid.

Saturday May 25
On picquet all night. Shells over onto Ypres road frequently. Went up church tower in morning. Six men, LMG + Corny (??) sent out to stop MG in afternoon, me among them. Belgians in full retreat. Crossroads 150 yds away MG鈥檇 by Heinkel 112鈥檚. Retreat started tea time. Looted supply depot. Saw ammo truck blow up. Driving all evening round no mans land.

Sunday May 26
All round no mans land to Dikkebush. Saw Spitfire get Dornier. Out supplying to Nieppe early. There until afternoon. Back to Dikkebush in evening. Broke bulk during night.

Monday May 27
Slept in lorry. Out to Nieppe supplying very early. Returned to Atheele. Bombed and machine gunned and shelled all day. Dive bombed at Nieppe in morning, bombs fell on village quarter mile away, had to detour to get to Atheele.

Tuesday May 28
Slept in lorry. Broke bulk and got to meeting point. Meeting point shelled and all troops retreating. Joined retreat and dive bombed soon after. Drove all day and night. Lorries, guns etc dumped all the way along road.

Wednesday May 29
Drove all through night in turn with Bill Field. Went through Doperinghe all the way down to Dunkirk. Arrived about 3.30pm. Town and beach bombed and shelled until dusk. Slept in open barn just outside town.

Thursday May 30
Wakened at 2.45am. Marched to beach. Waited with rest of blokes until dawn. Bombed by Dornier soon after. Waited all day on beach on beach in trenches dug in sand. Pier being shelled all day. British planes kept off Germans while embarkation took place. Embarked 10pm on HMS ***. Lost *** and Bill Field who went on another boat.

Friday May 31
Arrived Dover about 2am. Straight on train. Went to sleep and train came to Bulford Camp. Put up in huts and treated like kings all the time. Ripping meals. Paid in evening then went to canteen.

Saturday June 1
Slept until 8am. Roll call parade at 9. Moved to Bulford field camp under canvas before lunch.

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