LIFE IN THE ARMY - Chapter 6 – Lockerbie and I meet Nessie Bell
By Actiondesk Sheffield
People in story: ARTHUR WARD, 2nd Lt. Dawson, 2nd Lt. Haynes, Captain Kup, Nessie Bell, Gunner Jimmy Coe, Bill Turner, Tom Perkins, Regt. C.O. Colonel Studdard, Wilf Dalby, Major Jarvis, Medical Officer, Capt. Hudson, 2nd Lt. Green, Bill Turner, Norman Harrison, Wilf Dalby, 2nd Lt Weston, AI White, Les Davies, Charlie North
Location of story: Lockerbie, Peebles, Melrose, Swallownest, Woodhouse, Sheffield, Hingham
Unit name: "C" Troop 279 Battery
Background to story: Army
This story was submitted to the People’s War site by Roger Marsh of the ‘Action Desk – Sheffield’ Team on behalf of Arthur Ward and has been added to the site with his permission. The author fully understands the site's terms and conditions.
LIFE IN THE ARMY
by
ARTHUR WARD
Chapter 6 – Lockerbie and I meet Nessie Bell
November 15, 1940
LOCKERBIE
Reveille 0500 hrs. Moved off with our new issue of 18/25 pounder guns through Biggar to Lockerbie - a distance of 67 miles.
We were billeted in a disused cheese factory right at the side of the main railway line from London to Edinburgh. Every time a train passed at high speed it nearly shook us out of bed.
The local people made us very welcome during our stay in Lockerbie; we went to dances at the Town Hall and to the picture house for films. Lockerbie was a town of about 2,000 people.
I had been detailed to work part time in the Sgts.' Mess but after a few days, I decided I'd had enough of the job so I became a full time gunner.
November 20, 1940
Reveille 0530 hrs. Battery Drill Order.
We went out on manoeuvres and I was No. 2 on C sub FREDDIE troop. We were back in billets at 1530 hours. The weather was very cold and wet.
November 21, 1940
Maintenance and gun laying. I had a driving lesson which only lasted 10 minutes.
November 22, 1940
Battery dance, but I was unable to go as I was on guard duty.
November 24, 1940
Church Parade. We marched to the main church in the town.
November 26, 1940
I passed a gun laying test with a possible 96 points out of 101. 2nd Lt. Dawson and 2nd Lt. Haynes were in charge of the test.
November 27, 1940
On guard again so I missed a football match and a dance.
November 30, 1940
Inspection of the troop by Captain Kup. 'F' troop were best this week.
Played football for F troop and we lost 2-1 to Don troop and HQ. I played at centre forward and scored our goal.
December 01, 1940
Mother's birthday so I wrote home.
December 02, 1940
Went to cinema and saw "Mrs Smith Goes to Washington".
December 04, 1940
Gun laying and maintenance.
Went to a dance at the Town Hall from 2000 hrs to 0200 hrs.
I met Nessie Bell, 85 Park Place, Lockerbie.
I was with AI White and he danced with Nessie's friend. We enjoyed the dance and during the conversation I said that my mother had always wanted a sprig of white heather, and in the next few days Nessie went out and found some and sent it through the post for her.
Another incident occurred at Lockerbie when Gunner Jimmy Coe who was the battery Bren gunner, had a fit in the middle of the night and picked up his Bren gun and sprayed the billets in the town hall which had about 50 men sleeping in it. Fortunately all were laid flat on the floor and no-one was hurt. Jimmy was overpowered and taken to hospital (in 1944 when in action Jimmy won 2 military medals for bravery).
December 05, 1940
Reveille 0530. Parade 0830 FSMO.
We moved off at 0915, I was in C sub gun tractor No. 7 and we travelled via Lymington and Biggar to Peebles, arriving at 1430 hrs. We carried on at Peebles as before.
December 10, 1940
On manoeuvres near Melrose where we fired blanks.
December 12, 1940
I completed 1 year,s service in the army for which I received a raise of 3d (3 pence, less than a 1½p) per week.
December 13, 1940
On the radio (wireless) we heard Lord Haw Haw broadcasting propaganda from Germany and he said that there had been a blitz on Sheffield, and there had been many casualties. This turned out to be true but I did not receive any word from home until a letter arrived on 19/12/40 saying that everything was OK. At the time the railway and post office had been put out of action in the Sheffield area.
December 16, 1940
Heard that there had been another heavy raid on Sheffield.
December 19, 1940
3 letters arrived from home and they said they were all OK after the air raids.
December 22, 1940
A trip out in a truck to Neidpath Castle with AI White, Bill Turner and Tom Perkins where we gathered Holly for Xmas decorations (Tom Perkins was killed in action with the Regt. In Africa in 1942).
December 23, 1940
We went out on manoeuvres practising emergency actions. I was now the gun layer in C Subsection.
December 24, 1940
We decorated the Drill hall ready for Christmas festivities.
December 25, 1940
XMAS DAY
Reveille 0730.
1015, Church Parade at Peebles Parish Church. Afterwards we had a good Christmas dinner, in the drill hall we had free drinks and speeches from BC Major Jarvis and the Regt. C.O. Colonel Studdard.
I then went to the first house of the pictures with Norman Harrison, Bill Turner and Wilf Dalby.
2100 hrs I went on guard duty.
December 26, 1940
On guard again until 1700 hrs.
December 27, 1940
Reveille 0730 hrs. Parade 1000 hrs.
1 hour maintenance then remainder of the day free from duties. We went to the free matinee at the playhouse where we saw E Powell and Fred Astaire in Broadway Melody of 1940 - very good. We went to the Empire at night to see "Vigil in the Night".
December 28, 1940
Inspector of billets by the Battery Commander, Major Jarvis, Medical Officer, Capt. Hudson and 2nd Lt. Green.
December 31, 1940
Had a drink at the County Hotel with AI White and several other lads, then went to the dance at the Drill Hall.
It was a special New Year's Eve dance, but the band of the RAOC based in Edinburgh was 1½ hours late due to the heavy snow.
At midnight we all joined hands and sang Auld Lang Syne, then we went to a party at May Irving's parents' house with a gang of the lads and a party of girls. We let in the New Year which is called 'Hogmanay' in Scotland and we stayed for ½ an hour, then went back to the dance which ended at 0200 hrs.
1941
After the dance a large party of us went back to May Irving's house for a party. We arrived back at billets just before 0400 hrs. Bill Turner, Norman Harrison, AI White, Wilf Dalby and myself were all in this crowd.
January 01, 1941
Reveille 0630 hours!!!
0900 lecture until 1000 hrs then the remainder of the day was free from duties.
We went sledging and snow balling with a crowd of locals on the golf course.
At 1900 hrs we went to a dance at the YMCA canteen until 2200 hrs. Then I left and caught a train at 2236 hrs for 7 days' leave. The train travelled to Carlisle, Leeds and Sheffield arriving at 0545. It was 1½ hours late due to the snow. I caught an early workman's bus (route 21) and arrived home at 0650 hrs.
I had a bath and breakfast, then had the usual visiting people, dancing and the pictures for the next 7 days.
January 03, 1941
A typical day on leave. I got up at 1030 had a walk down Swallownest. Later went to the pictures at Woodhouse with K Spencer and Doug Allen and saw "Three Men And A Girl" with the Ritz Brothers.
The air raid sirens sounded at 1915 hrs and the all clear at 1930 hrs. We walked to Handsworth and caught a bus home at 2130 hrs.
January 04, 1941
Went on a bus at 1520 with K Spencer (Rotherham) and had our photos taken, then went to the Regal and saw Shirley Temple in the "Blue Bird".
January 06, 1941
Went to Sheffield and saw the damage done during the Blitz. I went to W Sewells house for tea on the Manor Estate. I caught a bus home at 2140 hrs.
January 07, 1941
Received new orders in the post from the Battery Office - at the end of my leave I had to report to the Attleborough Police Station near Norwich instead of returning to Peebles.
I did my usual visits on leave. Mrs Tombs gave me 40 Senior Service cigarettes, Mrs Armstrong 5/- (five shillings, 25p)and 10 Players, Uncle Jim 5/-. I had tea at Auntie Frances' many times.
January 08, 1941
Regent pictures in Sheffield and saw "Andy Hardy Meets a Debutante" then called at Auntie Grace's at Woodhouse Mill.
January 09, 1941
Left home at 1455 hrs. Train from Waleswood at 1555 hrs. Lincoln 1710 and held up until 1820 due to an air raid, arrived March 1905 in Attleborough at 2330. I reported to the Police Station and slept on the floor in the Drill Hall.
January 10, 1941
HINGHAM
Reveille 0830. Washed and shaved and started walking to HINGHAM. After 4 miles, an RHQ army truck picked us up and took us the 5 miles to Hingham, arriving at 1215 hrs. We were on fatigues for the remainder of the day.
Hingham is quite a large village about 17 miles away from Norwich and has 4
pubs and a village hall where dances were held. It had a grassed area in front of the church where we held battery parades and guard mounting parade.
The first night we went to a dance in the village hall (which was an ex army hut). The band was "Yvonne and Girls" but it was not very good.
January 11, 1941
Reveille 0630. Inspection of guns and equipment. Then ½ day free from duty. We went for a drink but decided that the beer was terrible, so we drank draught cider.
January 12, 1941
Reveille 0730 hrs. Church parade at 1030 hrs to Hingham Parish Church. This was said to be the largest church in Norfolk.
January 13, 1941
Dance cost 9d. Not very good. Not many girls.
January 14, 1941
Drill Order at 0830. We were taken to gun positions which had been prepared in case the Germans invaded Norfolk.
January 15, 1941
Started snowing.
January 16, 1941
Mounted guard on the village green. 2nd Lt. Weston was orderly officer.
January 17, 1941
Moved our guns to the rear of our billets. This big house was called Quoin House and had been taken over by the army, it was in a small square and next door lived Field Marshall Ironside, so everyone had to be "on their toes" when he came on leave.
January 18, 1941
Inspection of gun limbers and ammunition. 1420 boarded bus for ½ day in Norwich for 6d. We saw 2 Spitfires firing at a German bomber.
We had tea for 1/3d (one and threepence, or in some areas, pronounced "thrupence" (6p) and went to the De Luxe cinema, cost 1/2d and saw "4 Wives". We visited a cafe for supper - fish and chips, bread and tea, cost 1/3d - smashing. Arrived back at billets at 2130 hrs.
January 19, 1941
Clearing snow. Then on Church Parade. There was an air raid alert and we heard bombs dropped not too far away - possibly Norwich or a main railway line.
My address is now: Gunner A Ward 954330
"C" Troop 279 Battery
70th Field Regt. RA
c/o GPO Hingham, Nr Norwich.
January 24, 1941
On guard.
At this time the guard consisted of 1 Guard Commander (NCO) and 8 men. They were inspected by the orderly officer and the smartest man on parade was dismissed and his duties for 24 hours were to look after the guard house and make tea etc. for the men on guard which was a "cushy" job so everyone tried to be selected.
At this time my best mates were AI White and Les Davies (from Keighley) and we all helped each other clean boots, buttons etc. and used each other's equipment, so usually one of us managed to be dismissed as the "best" man.
January 28, 1941
Battery Drill Order. Reveille 0400. Went out on manoeuvres, we dug gun pits and erected camouflage nets. We slept under canvas. It rained, so it was all very miserable. We fired 30 (imaginary) rounds.
Our 'Quad' driver was Charlie North (later he lost a leg and Monte Cassino in Italy). A Quad is a 4 wheel drive square type vehicle which towed a 25 pdr gun and limber.
February 01, 1941
Trip to Norwich with AI White. We saw Charlie Chaplin in " The Great Dictator".
February 02, 1941
Church Parade, we marched from the square to Hingham Church.
February 06, 1941
I passed a laying test for the second time with 97 points out of 100.
February 08, 1941
Another inspection of men and billets by Battery Commander.
February 10, 1941
Inoculated with second dose of T.A.B and had 48 hours rest.
February 13, 1941
Pay Parade at 0830 hrs. Then to public baths.
February 20, 1941
Saw the "OKES" Divisional Concert Party which was very good.
We were now in the 46th Infantry Division (North Midlands) which had an Oak tree as its emblem.
February 22, 1941
To Norwich with AI and Les and saw Harold Ramsey playing the cinema organ at the Hippodrome - very good.
February 23, 1941
Church Parade.
February 26, 1941
Had a new intake of men join us. We thought they were old men (their average age was 30!!!).
We took them to Thetford Rifle Range to show them how to fire rifles.
March 02, 1941
Church Parade.
March 04, 1941
Had a day on the flat roof of Hingham Church tower. For this duty we had a pair of binoculars and had to keep a look out for German planes. We enjoyed this duty when it was warm, but not so good during cold, wet or snowy weather.
March 05, 1941
Gun Drill then maintenance and half day off duty.
March 13, 1941
I helped N.C.O's to give instructions on how to'lay' the guns to 4 learners.
March 14, 1941
Cleaning the guns before they went on display at East Dereham War Weapons Week.
I then had a bath at public baths.
March 16, 1941
Church Parade.
March 18, 1941
Gas Drill. We had to go into a caravan fitted out as a gas chamber for tear gas.
A terrible experience!!!
March 19, 1941
I passed a Gun Laying Test - 87 points out of 100.
March 21, 1941
Reveille 0515. Left in trucks at 0700 to Attleborough via March. Had 2 hours wait in Doncaster. Arrived Sheffield 1610 hrs and arrived home at 1650 hrs.
Had tea, bath and went to dance at Church Hall in 'civvy' clothes. It was from
2000 to 0200 and the New Mayfair Band played for dancing.
My 7 days leave included the usual visits to cinemas and various houses for tea.
March 28, 1941
Left home 1445. Train from Waleswood at 1540 hrs via Worksop, Retford, Lincoln, March, Attleborough at 2145 hrs. Hingham 2215.
March 29, 1941
Passed Medical Examination by M.O then on 24 hours guard.
April 02, 1941
Whole division on manoeuvres for 3 days. We were sleeping in the fields near Aylesham.
April 05, 1941
Handed over our 18/25 Pdr. guns to 277 Bty. We were very disappointed at losing our 'beloved' guns.
April 06, 1941
Received fresh guns which were battered old 1917 models of 75 mm field guns.
We had done some training on some similar to these at Wydale. They had large wooden 'cart horse' wheels with steel rims, no tyres like more modern guns.
We had 2 days 'slugging' ammunition which is very hard work.
April 13, 1941
70th Field Regt. on parade and inspected by Field Marshall Ironside and many more senior officers. He took the salute whilst we marched past and 3 RAF Lysander planes dived low in salute.
April 15, 1941
Gun Drill then played football, 279 Bty 2 v 449 Bty 1.
April 16, 1941
I played for the Regiment at football in Dillington Park. We lost to 58th Anti Tank Regt 6-2.
April 17, 1941
I had a week on cookhouse. I was supposed to learn how to cook! Not a success.
April 21, 1941
Our Regt. CO Colonel Suddard completed 20 years service with the Regt so we were all given a day off duty.
April 22, 1941
Played football for battery and drew 3-3 with 277 Bty.
April 23, 1941
Reveille 0630. Took up anti tank positions near Brackdish.
We slept in a village hall when not on guard.
April 24, 1941
Reveille 0330. We dug gun pits and advanced over River Waveney. We slept in an empty house.
April 25, 1941
Reveille 0345. Fired 50 imaginary rounds. Back to Hingham at 0230 hrs.
May 03, 1941
Charity Cup Tournament.
RAF 3 279 Battery 0
A good crowd paid 6d (2½p) each for admission and proceeds were given to hospitals.
Bobby Robson of Sunderland played for RAF.
Pr-BR