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rest. After the plane was refuelled they were then brought back again. They boarded the plane and off it \vent without even a "Thank You". I am afraid Gracie went right down in my estimation. Some afternoons we would go swimming in the harbour of Tobruk and one day we went on a boat trip around the harbour to look at all the wrecked ships. The most spectacular was the Italian cruiser "San Georgio" and there was a large Italian liner, I think it was the "Rex". The harbour was full of half sunken ships of all sizes. The instrument section also had an adjoining photographic section so we were able to do our own developing and printing. I had some very good lads working for me, one was very good at repairing watches and one day a new chap arrived from No 10 Staging Post Cairo West, his name was Sankey. His home was Nelson in Lancashire. He was a bit of a lad but I got on well with him and he was a very good worker. I now had to read DROs (Daily Routine Orders) very carefully every day to see if my name was there for repatriation. One day everyone was called to the duty crew room and there I saw three officers sitting at a table. We each in turn went to them and they asked us questions as to where we were on different dates. They were trying to find out what medals we were eligible for. It turned out that I was entitled to wear the clasp to my Africa Star for my work with 46 Squadron at Benghazi in 1942. On 26th November 1945 my name was on the DROs for trooping in December and on 27th November I received news from home that my cousin Jack had arrived safely home from his service with the 14th Army in Burma. In the evening of 10th December 1945 I was taken by truck with a few other lads to the railhead near Tobruk for a train journey to a camp in the Canal Zone. I must say that I enjoyed my time at El Adem. Although all hostilities had now come to an end there were plenty of aircraft passing through and it was very interesting working on the different types. I arrived at Kasfreet 21PTC on 12th December. Every day there we would parade on the square waiting for our names to be called and to get a ticket for a berth on a boat back to England. Eventually I did get a ticket and on 20th December 1945 I was taken by road to Port Said and there I boarded the "S.S. Ascania", a single red funnelled ship of the Cunard line, I think. On 2lst December we sailed away from Egypt on the way home. I had been abroad for three years and ten months. The ship reached Malta on 24th December and anchored in Grand Harbour, Valetta. In the evening we left Malta on the way to Toulon in the South of France, but the Med now got very rough so Christmas Day wasn't a very pleasant one. Eventually we docked at Toulon and were then taken to a transit camp on the racecourse. We were billeted in old bell tents, there were duckboards everywhere, and it was so muddy and cold. On the evening of 28th December we were taken to the railway station and got on a train, which was to take us to Dieppe. The only lighting on the train was by hurricane lamps in each compartment and they gave us an extra blanket to try to keep warm. On the journey the train would stop at a station so that we could have a meal. Field kitchens were by the tracks with French civilians serving us. We also had a wash and shave - all very primitive. Whenever we stopped lots of the local people would gather round. They looked so miserable and half starved. They were so grateful to us for anything we could give to them, especially blankets or items of clothing. We arrived at Dieppe and were taken to a transit camp for the night and here we had a Christmas dinner. Next morning at 0600 hours we boarded a ship, the "Isle of Thanet", and set sail for Newhaven. On the way we each had a telegram form to fill in to let our folks at home know that we had arrived back in England. The ship arrived at Newhaven at about 10 o'clock and England was just as white as when I left it. There had been a very sharp frost. It was so cold. A train was waiting there for us and on every seat was a morning newspaper. The train departed from Newhaven and late in the afternoon we arrived at R.A.F. Hornchurch. That evening we had another real Christmas dinner. The next day we handed in unwanted kit and collected what pay was due to us (I think I picked up about £60 and I had £250 in Savings Certificates), given a travel warrant and were then sent home on six weeks leave, to be informed later as to just where posted. I remember I was with a chap from Dudley so we both got on the train for "Brurn" at Euston. When the train was on its way an Inspector came through the train and on seeing us said: "You can't sit here" - evidently we were in First Class. All this after nearly four years abroad. I arrived back home at about 10 o'clock at night so I could not see until next morning all the flags out for my homecoming. I was so glad to see my cousin Jack had come back safely. Chapter 10
My posting arrived whilst I was on leave. I was to report to R.A.F. Valley. I had no idea just where Valley was so I went to see the R. T.O. on New Street railway station. He informed me that it was on the Isle of Anglesey near to Holyhead. Leave over, I arrived at Valley railway station, the date was 24th January 1946 and would you know it, it was raining as I walked to the camp. I left my kit at the guardroom and picked it up later. I reported to the Orderly Room at HQ. I was told where my billet was and first to go to the Stores and get a cycle. You certainly needed one to get around the camp. I was in a wooden hut with cast iron stoves at each end. Each hut had a ration of coal so fires were going only at night. The stoves were filled up before we retired and I remember when I woke up during the night both stoves would be glowing red-hot. Now that hostilities had finished there really wasn't much to do at Valley. In our section were another Corporal and two W.A.A.Fs. This was the first time I had worked with women. Over the far side of the airfield were about eight white Liberators waiting to be flown back to the States. These planes had to have a daily inspection and sometimes an Aer Lingus Dakota would come in for refuelling. That was about all the activity. Although Valley was a diversion 'drome it was always open when other airfields were closed to aircraft. I had to read DROs very carefully every day because I was to do something that I had never had to do in all my service before - that was Orderly Corporal for a day. This duty started by waiting outside the cookhouse at breakfast time to take the names of all reporting sick and then take the list to the M.O. (Medical Officer). I then went to my section until lunchtime, then I would go to see the N.A.A.F.I. was clear of personnel after lunch. Then back go the section for the afternoon. Just before it got dusk I would go to the control tower and take down the standard (flag) and take it to the main guardroom for safekeeping. Then back to the N.A.A.F.I. again to see it was all locked up for the night. I then returned to the main guardroom to sleep. I was awakened about 0530 hours. I would proceed to the cookhouse to collect a dixie of tea and take it to the SPs in the guardroom up the end of the lane to the camp. Back now to collect the standard and hoist it again near the control tower. My duty as Orderly Corporal was then over. I certainly did a bit of cycling on that duty. |
