大象传媒

This story was submitted to the People's War website by Pam Riding of Kirklees Libraries and has been added to the site with his permission. The author fully understands the terms and conditions.

FINAL TIME IN THE ARMY FROM MY ARRIVAL HOME 28TH MAY 1945 TO MY DEMOBILISATION 20TH MARCH 1946.

During my last months in the Army I never kept a diary; so from now until my demobilisation I shall have to rely entirely on my memory. Previously, where doubt arose I could usually find something in the diary that would put me right so far as the relevant dates were concerned. I shall have to do my best.

On arrival home on the 28th May I was on repatriation leave for four weeks to begin with. This was soon lengthened by another two weeks and later by another week. I think that the powers-that-be were having difficulty in deciding what to do with returned POWs who were not likely to remain in the Army for long and in many cases would want to get on with their civilian lives. We had time to get back into better health and meet all the family and friends. At first it was very exciting and the tales we had to tell were eagerly listened to. I did some work at Smith and Calverly's mill to get myself used to the idea of normal work. This was a factory making cloth and where our firm did a lot of maintenance work to the buildings and any repairs to the flues and brickwork of the Lancashire boilers that were very common at that time. I quite enjoyed myself

Naturally, after a time we settled down and like everyone else waited for the war against Japan to end, although at that time, no one knew when that would be. I had a weeks holiday in Blackpool with my Mother and a friend. Whilst there I was ordered to go for a medical examination in Leeds. I was seen off from the railway station in Blackpool, and could not help but laugh as the send off was as if I was going away on active service again, instead of a day visit to Leeds. It was only a few weeks ago that I had been in Germany.

The medical was OK and I soon had orders to report to a camp in Horsham near the south coast. There we had a few weeks of fitness training and body building. I remember one walking race that we had. It was about two and a half miles long and [don't ask me how] I won it fairly easily. BUT! The agony afterwards was so great that it took me two days to recover. I have never been so stiff in my life! After about three weeks there, we had another leave. I still think that the authorities did not know what to do with us.

On leave, on the 6th August I was visiting my Auntie Bertha and her friend Rose, when over the radio came an announcement that an atomic bomb had been dropped on Japan. One of the great moments of history and the idea of warfare had changed. Three days later and another bomb was dropped. I was then at the end of my leave and I returned to Horsham.

There I stayed for the surrender of the Japanese and for the V J Day. To me this was not so emotional as V. E. Day in Luckenwalde but at least I rejoiced in England. One of our main topics of conversation at this time was to guestimate the place where we should go to, to complete our war service. I thought that anywhere in England, Scotland or Wales would be fine for me, because there would be some place within striking distance where I would find people I had met during my wanderings. Both before being in action and later being a POW I had been in many places, often spending weeks and sometimes a month or two in one village or town.

I should have known more about the Army! You never get what you want. About six of us were posted to Holywood near Belfast in Northern Ireland. The area was completely new to me. Our party was made up of two sergeants with the rest privates. Neither of we two sergeants wanted to be in charge of the party so I said that was easily settled. Who was the senior? I was called up on the 16th October 1939 the other Sergeant said that he was called up on the 12th October 1939. That settled the question, he was to be in charge. This had an interesting outcome a little later.

We were given train passes and the next day we were on our way. First by train to London and then to Stranraer in Scotland. It did not take us long to make ourselves comfortable for the overnight journey. The carriage was an open one and we made places to lie down in, between the seats. The remainder of the compartment was full of recruits. I think they were duly impressed by our conduct but they did not follow suit and spent the rest of the journey sitting upright. It did not take them long to find out where we had been. We were learning to shoot a line almost as well as the RAF.

In the morning, at Stranraer we boarded a ferry for Lame in Northern Ireland. The sea was rough but could have been worse. On arrival our train was waiting in the station and we were soon installed in a compartment for eight or so. We had put our arms and kit bags in the guard's van and got ready to enjoy the final part of the journey. So we thought! Then the end of the world! Whistles sounded, Military Police ran along both sides of the train shouting as they ran, not that I paid much attention as I could not make out what it was that they were shouting about. I soon did. The compartment door was violently opened by an Officer who asked us where our arms were. On being told that they were in the guards van, he nearly exploded and soon took particulars of the party and the name of the Sergeant in charge. After we had retrieved our arms, the train started and we were soon in Belfast; catching our connection for Holywood, a small town, [suburb] very close by.

The camp was small and next to a large barracks near by. We were now seconded to the RAOC. Here I was made in charge of the pay section of the unit. This was owing to a test we had been given at Horsham to find out what we were best fitted for during the remainder of our stay in the Army. I liked the job as it was not very onerous and as I had a corporal named Clasby to work with me, it became almost a sinecure. Clasby had been doing the job by him self up to my arrival. It was easy for the two of us.

Clasby had been a ballet dancer before joining the Army. I had always been under the impression that ballet dancing was a pastime for wimps and not for me. I learned how wrong one can be. From a standstill position Clasby could jump twice as high as I was able to do, and he could take up positions with his arms and legs that I thought only contortionists could get into. He had been in the Ballet Rambert but said that because of service life, he would only be able to continue in non-classical ballet as he had been out of serious training for so long.

About a week after our arrival, the sequel to our bother at Lame was completed. I was called to the Company Office and had to escort the sergeant in charge of our party before the Company Commander, on a charge: He got a rep but for four days that could have been me.

I found out that the Medical Officer in the larger Holywood barracks was the Medical .fficer. we had had in Luckenwalde. This was not the only surprise I had. Later whilst having a meal in a large department store in Belfast and as usual, looking around, I saw sitting at a table not far away; Paddy from our room 16/12 in Bankau. We had a chat and reminisced a lot. I learned that he was on demobilisation leave and would be back in Dublin, permanently, within a week. He was visiting friends at that time.

The first night in our quarters, in bed but before settling down for the night; the ex-RAF sergeants, [there were about six or seven of us after our arrival from Horsham,] started to tell their individual stories about their experiences. Bombings. shootings, near escapes, some clearly had fictional additions and we went on until the early hours of the morning, everyone trying to cap the other stories. In the morning a Staff Sergeant came to me after breakfast and started to tell me that he had been in Holywood since joining up in 1939 and that the only action he had seen was the bombing of Belfast from a distance. He seemed apologetic, as If he had been skiving. I told him that all of us would have stayed away from the fighting if we could and that no one in the Army could pick where they had to serve.

I soon attached myself to the local Methodist Church and spent many hours there. I had always been fairly good at ball games and for the first time in my life played Badminton in their hall. In their annual Badminton competition, I was drawn to team up with a very good lady player. Because of her skill we were given the biggest handicap. Even so, after our first game, our handicap was doubled. We still won the cup. I must admit that she was brilliant at the net and I could hold my own at the back. I have never played badminton again. What a pity! I shall have to live on that one triumph for ever.

I had one leave from Holywood and on the crossing from Lame to Stranraar, it became so rough that we had to be battened down. The journey became very unpleasant. People were sick all over the place, and the stench became truly awful. I managed without fetching anything up but was only saved by the ferry entering calmer waters near the Scottish coast. Two days or so later, the ferry, Princess Victoria, sank in St. George's Channel and many lives were lost. Again I think how lucky I have been. I might have been on that crossing.

Life here was very much an anti-climax; duties light, and pleasant off duty times in Holywood or Belfast. Apart from the incident with our rifles on the train, I never met any of the so called "troubles". There seemed an air of difference when Roman Catholics were mentioned but only the same kind of thing we had at home when the Whit-Monday procession took place. As a child, I remember that our [Zion Methodist] banner was always the best, as was everybody else's.

A sad note was struck when a Dispatch Rider was killed in a road accident. The funeral was most impressive. The Last Post was played and the Guard of Honour very smart. I felt very sad as I watched the relatives around the grave. He had had years of danger without serious effect and then one miscalculation and everything was lost.

One thing I do remember of my stay in Northern Ireland was that rationing was not as severe as in England. Every week I sent home a fowl or meat to my parents and the same in rotation to my relatives. I was able to send sweets home for the children. [Now in their fifty and sixties.] I even managed to get some clothing coupons from the Company C.O. so that I could buy some handkerchiefs.

At last, the time came for me to receive my demobilisation details. The O.C. told me to write my own character reference, which I did. Somewhere in the archives, the form with the reference on is still there but it is a long time since I read it. It was obvious that the reference was not expected to be taken seriously, although it must have been read by the C.O. as one sentence had been deleted.

At last the 20th March 1946 came round and I left Holywood and journeyed to York for demobilisation. There, I was given a civilian suit, shirt, shirt, tie, socks, shoes, Macintosh and hat. Possibly there were other things that I have forgotten. I seem to remember that there was a month's leave as well but I never used it as leave because I started work at Smith and Calverley's Mill immediately. Of course the money was useful.

Very much a quiet ending to my career as a soldier. Not that I had at any time a wish to have a career as a soldier but six years and four months becomes very much like one. I have come to the conclusion that adventure is for others, not me, but having said that I would not have missed it for anything.

FROM THE 20TH MARCH 1946 MY ARMY CAREER IS ENDED AND I
AM AGAIN A CIVILIAN. ONLY TO BECOME AN OFFICER IN THE
CADET FORCE WHEN WORKING IN AN APPROVED SCHOOL IN EXETER

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