大象传媒

John Francis Nolan (Army no. 7592192) was called up in 1939, and saw active service until injured by gunfire. Below are his notes, transcribed from his original pencilled handwriting, describing his first month or so from being called up, and shows the culture shock and the way of life new recruits had to get used to.

Called up 1st Sep 1939, left Blackburn 10.45am. Landed Hillsea (Portsmouth) 7.0pm. Slept on floor in school 1st, 2nd and 3rd (Sunday). Inocculated Sunday, passed doctor and got uniform.

Moved to Fort Brockhurst, Gosport Mon 4th (Thomas, Janson, Hirst, Nolan). Food, beds good. Moved on to Christchurch in Bournemouth Friday 8th; left here for Southhampton Fri 22nd. Camped out in tents Fri and Sat nights.

Boarded 鈥淧rincess Maud鈥� at 1.30pm, sailed 4pm. Anchored off Isle of Wight, with convoy waiting for escort. Sailed for France at 12.30pm Sunday, landed at Cherbourg 11.15 Mon. Saw Duke of Windsor land from destroyer.

Billeted in cow sheds full of rats Monday 25th until Fri 29th; left at 4am Friday by road (open lorry) about 5 miles and entrained in cattle truck for 300 mile run to Frenvent on Belgian border. Billeted in shed at Beauque Maison after 6 mile full-kit march in rain. Landed 10 o鈥檆lock Sun morning31st Sept.

(Frank spent the next week encamped at Bouguay Maison)

Left Sunday morning 8th at 6am, landed at Flumes about 2pm. Billeted in school 14 kms from Belgian frontier (flooded out). Guns dug in Mon 9th 鈥� Wed 11th 鈥� Wireless Gracie Fields, Blackburn mentioned.

鈥︹赌︹赌︹赌︹赌︹赌︹赌︹赌︹赌︹赌︹赌︹赌︹赌︹赌︹赌︹赌︹赌︹赌︹赌︹赌︹赌︹赌︹赌︹赌︹赌︹赌︹赌︹赌︹赌︹赌�.

Amid the hectic schedule, Frank found time for High Mass at church on Sunday; and he probably took solace from that 鈥� the first taste of 鈥渘ormality鈥� since he left England.

Frank saw active service until he was injured (his Ministry of Pensions entitlement document lists 鈥淕unshot wound left arm, multiple gunshot wounds). Mr Nolan鈥檚 injuries were so severe that, on being carried on a stretcher for treatment, his leaking spinal fluid 鈥渟tuck鈥� his body to the cloth of the stretcher. His injuries were such that his bandages gave him the appearance of , in the words of his son Eric, 鈥渁 mummy鈥�. Frank spent a long time in hospital, and was obviously held in high regard by his comrades as they had a whip-round to buy him cigarettes, and sent them to hospital. Unfortunately, Frank was in no position to smoke them as his injuries and the way he was bandaged up somewhat restricted his movements; indeed, the nurses used to squeeze grapes over his lips into his mouth as a kindness. The letter accompanying the ciggies lists the names of the soldiers who contributed to the whip-round, and is submitted in the hope that you will recognise some of the names.

Dear Frank

I trust that these few lines will find you in the best of health and that you will soon be with us again.

Forgive me for not writing before, I meant to do so, but anyway Wilf has kept me up to date with your progress.

Please accept this small token of the DVR鈥檚 of H.Q.鈥檚 appreciation for what you did for us overseas. Well, look sharp and get well old boy.

Your sincere friend DVRIC Taylor.G
鈥淕inger鈥� to you.

P.T.O

Remember old 鈥淎mmo鈥� No 10 Frank, I was sorry that I had to leave all your kit behind when I left her, if I had known I should have asked you to stay with me, then maybe things may have been different. Still Frank I sincerely hope that you will soon be once more the man you were out in France.

All the lads send their best wishes for a speedy recovery, so look sharp and return.

Your old pal Ginger

T.S.M. Boyer
SGT. WILKINS
Q.M.S. BATCHELOR
BDR LOVEGROVE
BDR NEW
BDR MIDDLEHURST
L/BDR TAYLOR G (stores)
L/BDR INGRAM
L/BDR OLDFIELD
L/BDR HOUNDSOME
L/BDR HOLICK
DVR I.C. SWINTON
DVR I.C. TAYLOR G
DVR I.C. HARMOND
DVR I.C. BROWN A
DVR I.C. COLLS
DVR I.C. RALFE
DVR I.C. HARVEY
DVR I.C. HIPPWOOD
DVR I.C.HOWDEN
DVR I.C. SHOWCROFT
DVR I.C GOODWIN
DVR I.C. EVANS
DVR I.C. ASHMORE
DVR I.C. BENNET
DVR I.C.ELSEY
DVR I.C. McADAMS
DVR I.C. CROUCHER
DVR I.C. THACKER
GNR NISBET
B.S.M. SMITH
Lt HORGARTH
SGT. HUNT
SGT. RHODES

Collected from the boys of H.Q. 9/13th Medium Battery

鈥︹�︹�︹�︹�︹赌︹赌︹赌︹赌︹赌︹赌︹赌︹赌︹赌︹赌︹赌︹赌︹赌︹赌︹赌︹赌︹赌︹赌︹赌︹赌︹赌︹赌︹赌︹赌︹赌︹赌︹赌︹赌︹赌�.

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