- Contributed by听
- Pat Francis
- People in story:听
- Henry John Adam Lund
- Location of story:听
- England, France and Germany
- Background to story:听
- Army
- Article ID:听
- A2613287
- Contributed on:听
- 08 May 2004
HENRY LUND鈥橲 WAR
L/CPL Henry John Adam LUND (sometimes known as Jack Lund by his family)
ARMY NO. 818964 POW NO. 16975
ROYAL ARTILLERY (Coast Defence Units) CORPS OF MILITARY POLICE
INTRODUCTION
After many years of trying, I was eventually able to persuade Dad to write down his experiences during the Second World War. Sadly he died just a month after I had transcribed his notes. I am sure he would have been amazed by the wonders of the internet, which will enable people all over the world to share his and others鈥 stories.
Pat Francis
HENRY LUND鈥橲 WAR CHAPTER 1鈥楲EAVING HOME鈥
O
n 1st December 1939 I said goodbye to my wife at Addlestone Railway Station and made my way to join 800 other Reservists, all Police Officers Army Class 鈥楤鈥 Recruits, at the race track at Ascot, which at the time was the Royal Artillery Depot. From here 100 of us were moved to Mytchett where a Colonel greeted us with 鈥淭hank you gentlemen for volunteering for the MPs鈥. Here we were tested on motor cycles and trained in various methods of dealing with miscreants.
I was able to get home to see my wife for Christmas found her in bed with a threatened miscarriage. The doctor who attended her said it was not possible that she could carry the child and wanted to terminate the pregnancy, but she would not have this. We had only been married a few months and I think that anticipating what we both thought would happen she particularly wanted to keep the child. She was confined to bed that Christmas and I carried her to the window to look out on the snow.
On returning to Mytchett on I found that together with 32 other Ex-Police officers I had been ordered to report to 51st (Highland) Division provost stationed at Bordon. I was with the No 1 Section 154 Infantry Brigade.
On 18th January 1940 we had to moved to the outskirts of Southampton. As we stopped on the side of the road lots of very nice girls came up and gave us cigarettes, chocolate and lost of kisses and wished us luck. It appears that they knew where we were going, but we didn鈥檛 We stayed for two days in a school at Bassett and then on 21st January embarked at Southampton on Cross Channel Packet The Prague. We laid off Spithead for about 12 hours and then set off for France.
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