大象传媒

"This story was submitted to the People's War site by CSV/大象传媒 Radio Nottingham on behalf of Eric Middleton with his permission. The author fully understands the site's terms and conditions"

1943 WAS A COLD WINTER WITH NUMEROUS BURST PIPES IN RAYNES PARK AND SOME OF OUR LINESMEN, WHO CONSIDERED PLUMBING TO BE EASY COMPARED WITH CABLE JOINTING, WENT AROUND TOUTING FOR WORK. IT WAS POSSIBLE, TOO, IF ONE COULD GET TIME OFF, TO GET EMPLOYMENT WASHING BARRELS AT ONE OF THE LONDON BREWERIES; SUNDAY WAS PAYABLE AT DOUBLE TIME BUT ONLY IF ONE HAD WORKED FOR ONE OR MORE DAYS IN THE PRECEDING WEEK. MORE TOMY LIKING WAS THE ARRANGEMENT WHEREBY, IF ONE COULD GET A PASS FOR LONDON, IT WAS POSSIBLE TO GET A FREE MATINEE TICKET, FROM A WVS OFFICE IN TRAFALGAR SQUARE, FOR ALMOST ANY WEST END SHOW; I SAW QUITE A FEW OF THEM.
ON ONE OCCASION A FEW OF US GOT TICKETS FOR THE WINDMILL THEATRE WHERE THE PROGRAMME WAS ON POLAND. THE GREAT ATTRACTION WAS THE NUDES WHO ADOPTED VARIOUS POSES WITH TITLES SUCH AS 'STRICKEN POLAND', 'POLAND IN CHAINS' OR 'POLAND ENSLAVED'. ANY MOVEMENT BY THE NUDES WAS BANNED BY THE LORD CHAMBERLAIN AND THE STAGE WAS COMPLETELY BLACKED OUT BETWEEN POSES. WE WERE IN ONE OF THE FRONT ROWS AND HAD COME PREPARED. AS THE STAGE LIGHTS WENT OFF THE BEAMS OF A DOZEN ARMY TORCHES WERE DIRECTED ON TO THE NUDES. THIS RAISED THE BIGGEST CHEER OF THE DAY FROM THE AUDIENCE.
FROM TIME TO TIME ARMY TROUSERS CAUSED CHAFING ON THE INSIDE OF MY KNEES, POSSIBLY BECAUSE I WAS SLIGHTLY KNOCK-KNEED AND I HAD THIS TROUBLE WHILST AT RAYNES PARK. I USED TO APPLY GERMOLENE OINTMENT FAIRLY LIBERALLY LAST THING AT NIGHT AND I REMEMBER COMING IN ONE NIGHT AFTER LIGHTS OUT, WHEN THE BLACKOUT SHUTTERS WERE REMOVED, AND GIVING MY KNEES THEIR USUAL DRESSING. WHEN I TURNED THE BLANKETS BACK IN THE MORNING (WE DID NOT WEAR PYJAMAS, OF COURSE), I WAS HORRIFIED TO SEE THAT BOTH MY KNEES HAD TURNED - BLACK. I HAD VISIONS OF GANGRENE AND OTHER HORRIBLE MALADIES AND IT WAS ONLY ON CLOSER INVESTIGATON THAT I REALIZED THAT I HAD USED A TIN OF BOOT POLISHIN MISTAKE FOR A TIN OF GERMOLENE; I DO NOT RECALL ANY FURTHER SUFFERING FROM CHAFING!
WHILST AT RAYNES PARK I VISITED WIMBLEDON THEATRE FROM TIME TO TIME AND SAW THREE OR FOUR GILBERT AND SULLIVAN OPERAS INCLUDING 'THE MIKADO' AND '.......OR THE PRINCE'AND THE PERI'.

FROM THERE WE WENT FOR A WEEK OR SO TO LECHLADE, WHERE WE WERE ACCOMMODATED IN OLD EMPTY COTTAGES. -
LATER WE MOVED TO HERNE BAY WHERE WE WERE AGAIN ACCOMMODATED IN EMPTY HOUSES ALMOST ON THE FRONT. MOST OF OUR TIME WAS TAKEN UP WITH EXERCISES OF VARIOUS TYPES. WE WERE MARCHED OFF THE END OF A JETTY INTO THE SEA TO PRACTICE SWIMMING FULLY DRESSED WITH STEEL HELMET AND RIFLE AND THEN WENT FOR MARCHES IN OUR WET CLOTHES. ON OTHER OCCASIONS WE WERE ISSUED WITH SHELL DRESSINGS AND WENT IN LORRIES TO THE DOVER AREA WHERE WE DROVE AROUND AT NIGHT, FLASHING OUR HEADLIGHTS AND DRIVING WITH FULL LIGHTS ON APPARENTLY TO MAKE JERRY THINK THAT PREPARATIONS FOR INVASION WERE BEING MADE. IT WAS ALSO HOPED BY THE ARTILLERY AND RAF THAT HE WOULD OPEN FIRE ON US SO THAT THE POSITION OF THE GUNS COULD BE PINPOINTED. IN THIS THEY HAD NO SUCCESS!
THE BEACH AT HERNE BAY WAS SUPPOSED TO BE MINED BUT I USED TO ACCOMPANY EDDY CAMERON, A KEEN AND STRONG SWIMMER, IN SEE BATHING. WE DIVED OFF A JETTY AND USED TO SWIM OUT TO A BUOY, WHICH WAS ABOUT AS FAR AS I COULD SWIM, AND THEN SWIM BACK AGAIN, NEVER PUTTING OUR FEET DOWN AT ALL. I WAS ABLE TO MAKE CONSIDERABLE IMPROVEMENTS TO THE SPEED AND DISTANCE I COULD SWIM.
ABOUT THIS TIME WE WERE ISSUED WITH NEW RIFLES. THERE WAS NOT A GREAT DEAL OF DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE OLD AND THE NEW EXCEPT THAT ON THE NEW ONES THE SIGHTS WERE QUICKER TO SET AS THEY HAD ONLY TWO POSITIONS, 300 YARDS AND 500 YARDS, AND THE SIGHT COULD BE FLICKED FROM ONE SETTING TO THE OTHER. THE SIGHT ON THE OLD RIFLE WAS ON A SLIDING SCALE WHICH COULD BE ADJUSTED TO ANY DISTANCE BETWEEN 200 AND 1500 YARDS. BUT OH! THE NEW BAYONETS! THEY WERE JUST LIKE HUGE NAILS. THE OLD ONES WERE LIKE SMALL SWORDS AND WERE VERY HANDY FOR OPENING TINS AMONGST OTHER THINGS!
OUR NEXT STATION WAS AT HOUNSLOW, WHERE WE OCCUPIED THE FORMER GOVERNMENT TRAINING CENTRE WHICH HAD BEEN VACATED BY THE MINISTRYOF LABOUR. AIR RAIDS WERE FAIRLY FREQUENT AT THAT TIME AND I REMEMBER KICKING FIRE BOMBS OFF THE FLAT ROOFS.
IN MAY 1944 I WAS TOLD I HAD BEEN AWARDED THE 1939/43 MEDAL (THE DUNKIRK MEDAL AS IT WAS THEN KNOWN) AND WAS AUTHORIZED TO WEAR THE RIBBON.

AS I LEFT FRANCE ABOUT 19 JUNE 1940 AND WENT BACK ON D-DAY I MUST HAVE BEEN AMONG THOSE HAD THE SHORTEST ABSENCE FROM FRANCE OF ANY.
I CERTAINLY GREW IN WEIGHT AND STATURE DURING MY SERVICE.
ON ENLISTMENT IN SEPTEMBER 1939 THE FIGURES WERE: HEIGHT 5'8Y4" WEIGHT 141 LB CHEST 37'/z" WAIST 32" ON DISCHARGE IN JANUARY 1946 THET WERE: HEIGHT 5'101/4"WEIGHT 194LB CHEST 44" WAIST 36"
AFTER SIX MONTHS ON CIVILIAN RATIONS MY WEIGHT WAS BACK TO 10 STONE (140LB)

2364208 SIGNALMAN MIDDLETON ERIC

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