大象传媒

I am one of those members of the Forces who by virtue of circumstances arising out of the Second World War did not return to their native town or city, in my case Plymouth, after the war but found a wife and pastures anew, namely Kings Walden, Hertfordshire, near Hitchin.

A short time before the start of the war there was an appeal for recruits for the Territorial Army and with my best friend and schoolmate we did in fact enlist - on the 26th April 1939 at the Raglan Barracks, Devonport. I was 22 at the time. Our thinking was that as we had motor bikes we would join the Royal Signals as despatch riders which we did.

During that summer we went on a training camp at Corfe Castle in Dorset. War was threatening at the time and we were apprehensive about going home after the Camp had finished but we did.
Anyway we were called up sometime in 1940 and we were posted to Crediton near Exeter. We were called up for service with the 43rd Wessex Division near Exeter. It was ideal for us at the time for Plymouth was not too far away and for many a weekend my friend and I and other despatch riders were able to get home very quickly through Oakhampton, Tavistock and over the Moors.
After doing a stint in Crediton we were then moved to the South East and my next location was at Horsham where I was attached to a Royal Artillery Regiment. It was whilst I was with them I had an accident on my bike and thereafter I was confined to the Joyce Green Hospital in Dartford Kent, and which was a LCC hospital. After a short time there military personnel were transferred to a hospital in Maidstone, Kent.

It was sometime during the time I was in hospital that wounded were being brought in following the evacuation from Dunkirk. The local people were very hospitable and I had a job convincing them that I had not been wounded during the evacuation. There were a few French soldiers in my ward and we conversed with one another as best we could.

When I was fit enough to be discharged from hospital I was told to report to No. 1 Command Signals at Weybridge in Surrey. There was however no further establishment for Despatch Riders at this unit but the Commanding Officer there apparently wanted a clerical man and apparently I fitted the Bill and became a member of the Orderly Room Staff. The Commanding Officer was Lieut. Colonel Rayner and he was also at that time MP for Totnes, South Devon.

However, about the end of 1940 it was decided to split Eastern Command into two Commands namely Nos. 1 and 7 and it was further decided that our Signals Unit should also be split into two, one half to serve No 1 (Eastern) Command and the other half to serve No. 7 (South Eastern) Command. We were told that our destination was Kings Walden wherever that was! Prior to leaving Weybridge we enjoyed a very nice Christmas with dinners for the Warrant Officers and Sergeants Mess and one for the Other Ranks and of which I was a participant.

In February 1941 we were on our way to Kings Walden. There was a truck load of us and once we had been through Luton and had started going in to the countryside we were wondering what sort of place we were coming to. However once we were there lorries were laid on (I think twice a week) enabling us to visit Luton (usually to the Corn Exchange where we were most welcomed) and also Hitchin.

In or about 1943 I was on my next move 鈥� this time to Northern Ireland. Incidentally whilst at Kings Walden I was a member of the Orderly Room which was located in the Bury. For more reasons than one I had enjoyed my stay at Kings Walden. The village hall was put at our disposal and the ladies of the village weighed in serving refreshments and we were very welcomed. Dances were arranged and socially we were well looked after. We were a very happy Signals Unit and I made many friends.

Col. Rayner had been appointed Chief Signal Officer for Northern Ireland and I was to accompany him to Headquarters situated in Lisburn just outside of Belfast. Life was a little different in Northern Ireland. Being at Headquarters was different from being with a unit. The Americans were very much in evidence in Northern Ireland at the time. There were quite a few shows on at the time I was there. I have still got the programmes of three shows which were on. One was of the 鈥淕host train鈥� and was produced by one Douglas Urquhart. He was in fact a Warrant Officer in the Signals and he was in charge of the Signals Branch Office in which I worked.

In June 1944 Colonel Rayner, later Brigadier Rayner, was called to London to take charge of the communications branch of a set up called the Control Commission and which was devised to reinstate Civilian Government in Germany once Hostilities ceased. Headquarters of the Commission were near the Albert Hall. I followed Brigadier Rayner to London to work in his office. Being in London I took the opportunity of revisiting Kings Walden for the occasional weekend. It was during the course of these visits that Joan and I decided to get married and we were in fact married at St. Mary鈥檚 on the 14th April 1945. At about this time Control Commission moved to Lubbecke in Germany which was a short distance from the 21 Army Group HQ and Bad Oeynhaufen. I therefore rejoined the Control Commission at Lubbecke and until I was released on the 4th January 1946 my time was spent with them and also with HQ 21 Army Group.

I cannot recollect whether there was any celebration when the Germans were defeated in Europe 鈥� rather, I think it was a case of waiting until the Japanese War was over.
As I have said I was released from the Army in January 1946. I suppose one could say it was quite an experience being in the Army, meeting up with different people and visiting different places. There were poignant moments when it was time to part from comrades with whom I had served and met and memories do linger on.

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