蜜芽传媒

Both my brothers had left home and had joined the air force. Dad too was once again wearing uniform as a member of the 蜜芽传媒 Guard, with the rank of sergeant. Many more men and some ladies were now in uniform and others were daily receiving their papers as part of the general call-up.
One incident which I recall during that leave was that once again Jane鈥檚 mum brought up the subject of marriage and the allowance that we would be entitled to, I listened but managed to assure her that the war would soon be over and that I preferred to wait until more normal times. There was still no evidence of full-scale war, the newspapers called the period the 鈥楶honey War鈥� but we wondered what Spring would bring when the weather would make it possible for Hitler to launch an armoured offensive.
After our leave and back at Tidworth our squad 鈥榩assed out鈥� on both foot and rifle drill, which was just as much a relief for our instructors as it was for ourselves. We felt that we were beginning to perform as soldiers, having passed out we spent more time with the vehicles and guns. No modern equipment had arrived, we were continually told that they were due any day, or that the regiments in France naturally had first call on any new tanks or guns. It was our opinion though that it was still on the production line; it was disappointing that we should have to train for possible tank warfare on what were little more than First War relics.
There had been a landing by a British force in Norway but it had to be withdrawn after about three weeks because it happened too late. The Germans were already well established there so that the enterprise was not a success. At home the rationing of butter, sugar and bacon began.
In the inter-house football final we played number 4 squad and the winners were to receive a 48-hour weekend pass. I had played in all the previous rounds but for this final I had to play in goal as the usual keeper was not available for some reason. No professionals were allowed to play on that occasion, the pitch was heavy from recent rain with many puddles, each goal area contained a miniature lake.
The match was evenly contested, we went one goal in front early on and it remained that way until a few minutes before time when a penalty was awarded against us. I had the distinction of stopping it. It was pure luck that I got it out, I had to make a dive that took me into a deep puddle, by doing so I earned ourselves a weekend鈥檚 leave and for a while I was most popular.
We booked a local bus to take us on leave and set off on a morning when the weather could not have been worse for the journey; it was snowing heavily making it difficult for the driver to see right from the start. Those were the days before heated window screens and motorways. He was forced to drive with his both his screen and side windows open, it was a very slow journey and certainly a strain on the driver. However we did eventually arrive at our first drop which was Towcester, the next one was ours at the Clinton Arms, Far Cotton, now demolished to make way for the road (St. Peter鈥檚 Way). It was late evening and very cold but we had made it home.
There were other lads to be dropped in town and the remainder were bound for Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire. If anything the weather had worsened. Throughout the next day, Sunday, it continued to snow, at the appointed time of return we waited at the Clinton Arms and after about an hour the driver phoned through to say that he was somewhere or other and snowbound. Jane had come to see me off so I saw her home, and then took Danny home with me as it was not possible to return to Woodford.
On the following morning we, Walt, Danny and myself made our way up to the barracks in Barrack Road, to do so we were forced to plough our way through high-piled snow where locally-based troops were digging out pathways.
After reporting in we were issued with railway passes with orders to return to Tidworth as soon as possible. The next day, the weather having eased a little, allowed us to begin the return journey. Altogether that was not a very pleasant leave.
The wintry conditions which we found on our return to Salisbury Plain were even more severe, with power lines down and villages cut off. Deliveries were disrupted so that our coal supplies were used up. There was no coal in the barracks at all, our big iron stove which stood in the centre of the room was always hungry but for a day or so there was nothing with which to feed it. Then we were allowed out onto the Plain with Bren Gun carriers to cut down trees, this we did for several days and apart from providing ourselves with an adequate fuel supply it came as a change from our normal duties. We enjoyed driving the carriers and hauling back the cut down trees on them. Quite abruptly the weather changed and soldiering resumed as normal.
Not everyone in the squad was happy in their new existence as a soldier, but it suited me fine; I really enjoyed what I was doing, not that I didn鈥檛 find something always to grumble and moan about but that was part of a soldier鈥檚 make-up. I don鈥檛 suppose that I was a particularly good soldier but I liked the challenges which we faced, not many of my mates would agree with me but I even looked forward to 鈥榮quare-bashing鈥�.
The life offered so much and as I was a keen sportsman and loved the open air it was there to enjoy. Very importantly too, although I had many friends at home, the closeness of Army life brought with it much fellowship which I found over the years invaluable in some of the situations in which I found myself.
The regiment was in training for the Garrison Cup cross-country run; I had run in several squad events and was proud to be chosen for the team to challenge for the Cup. I was the only one chosen from our squad so I would on the day have quite a number yelling and shouting me on. The regimental team intended to have a couple of practice runs before the big day and I felt honoured when ordered to accompany an officer and driver to map out a course for the first of them.
I was enlightened to know how the Army measures distances for events such as that; it was a smashing morning for February, fresh, calm and bright. A delight to be out. The intention was to set out a ten-mile course making use of varied surfaces, different terrain, through woodland, over and down hill, muddy or stony stretches, through streams - the officer included it all.
After we鈥檇 marked out to ten miles and I had planted the markers, he decided that we should ride on just another mile or so 鈥榡ust to make sure鈥�. The runners would be under the impression that they had run ten miles but in actual fact it would have been all of thirteen, the phrase used in the Army in those situations was 鈥榯hat鈥檚 near enough!鈥� I found that to be the case also when weighing-in for a boxing match, more often than not the 鈥榥ear enough鈥� attitude was to my disadvantage, the opponent being a few pounds heavier.
The weather on the day of the contest was clear and fine as we set off on the Saturday afternoon. I don鈥檛 know the distance set for us that day but do remember it being well-chosen. Over four hundred entrants began the race and although it was just the best conditions for running, it was arduous, I felt leg-weary and short of breath a little over half-way round. But the field thinned and I pushed on to finally reach the cinder track of the stadium and that was really hard going but when round it I breasted the finishing tape in position 38.
I was both satisfied and pleased with that; I knew that I had run well, to the best of my ability anyway, a greater satisfaction was to find that our regiment, the 53rd Training Regiment were the 1940 winners of the Garrison Cup and each of us were awarded a medal which I was most proud to own. Back in the barrack room my mates were pleased for me and offered congratulations, I had developed quite a large blister on my heel so it was not too comfortable when having to pull on Army boots.
There was one disappointment as the outcome of that race, and that is that I was only in possession of the medal for a few days as it was stolen. It happened that some of us had been notified that we were to be posted and were duly moved to another barrack room where it was taken from my locker. The men in the room were a new intake, unfortunately I didn鈥檛 realise that it was missing until I began to pack my kit to move out, too late to report it. I would have been proud today to have shown it to my grandchildren, I wonder what sort of pleasure whoever stole it derives when telling how he came to own it.
On parade one morning before the cross-country run volunteers were being called for to join the boxing team, I did not make an offer but was pushed forward and was in. It got me out of a lot of duties and was another interest; I had three contests before I left, winning two and the other I lost easily, being knocked all over the ring.
The contests were held in the Drill Hall. Our opponents were from other garrison regiments. They were memorable occasions for me, the hall would be packed to the limit, the crowd yelling and shouting, urging on their own team, all my squad mates would be there. The front rows were occupied by officers, their red tabs bright, seated there with their ladies arrayed in all their splendour. They were nights to remember and cherish.
The comradeship of the barrack room had developed over the months we had spent together, although it was only natural and to be expected that there would from time to time be the odd flare-up, altercations and petty disagreements which led to arguments.
I know that I had my share but none, as I am aware, ever went beyond that stage. Never a raised fist except I regret to say it was me who was engaged in an act of violence. It was nothing serious but nonetheless I was guilty of raising my fist against another lad. In mitigation I could say that I was provoked; it happened within the first few weeks of training and right from the onset this particular boy made a nuisance of himself at Reveille by taking it upon himself to make his way round from bed to bed and to shake each one of us in turn so that he was not very popular as everyone tried to get that last precious minute in bed and not until the last second did we jump out and only partly awake raced down that iron stairway for roll-call.
He was dubbed from the beginning the 鈥楲ittle Corporal鈥�. I was not over-concerned early on but as he persisted I warned him that he was asking for trouble. Although at the time I had no intention of taking any action, it just happened that one morning as I heard him coming I felt that I had had enough, all the others as he came round were cursing him, I made up my mind that I did not intend to stand for it any more, with that I waited for him. He came to the foot of the bed, he presuming that I would still be asleep, I shot upright, lunged forward and clipped his chin so he fell backwards to a chorus of 鈥淕ood old Dig, it serves him right鈥� and 鈥渉e鈥檚 been asking for it鈥�. It was a pity that it had been me who had to act but it taught him a lesson and from then on left us alone.
We were moving fast toward the end of our training and the deadline which I forecast for the war to end approaching too. We had received the results of our tests for driver-mechanic and gunnery and although I thought that I had little chance of passing either I was surprised to find that I had and became mustered in both. I鈥檇 just not put my mind to anything very seriously all along, believing that it was only for Six months鈥� and to make the best of it and enjoy the sporting activities.
There were lads who worked hard, worked while some of us played and they were the ones who were kept off any draft for France because with the general call-up then in force Instructors with which to train the new intakes would be in demand. The remainder of us knew our fate, we were destined to join a regiment, probably in France. The British Expeditionary Force had been there since the outbreak, consisting of Regulars, Reservists and Territorials. Their ranks then being increased by militia men.
Actually our training ended in five months and before parting to go on leave we had a farewell evening in the village pub along with our two instructors. We anticipated our fate as we waited for the postings to be pinned to the notice board. What we asked ourselves was, would the regiment to which we were posted still be in England and somewhere near to home or would it be over the Channel?
I found my regiment was to be the Fife and Forfar Yeomanry, and on inquiring discovered that they were in France. There were several of us for that regiment including Wardie, Danny and the 鈥楲ittle Corporal鈥�. Walt was to join the 9th Lancers, also in France. There was quite a group of us who left on embarkation leave after handshakes all round and a goodbye to Tidworth.

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