During that spring, after I had returned from my marriage leave word came to the medical section that I should have my tonsils removed if I wanted to do. I ended up at Leicester Royal Infirmary and had the tonsils removed. My Aunt Carrie, the wife of my mother’s brother Harry, came to visit me in the hospital as by that time they were living in Leicester. I was in a convalescent home at Oadby for a few days and Alice came down to see me, staying at Uncle Harry’s house. When I rejoined my unit I was granted seven days sick leave, which was very much appreciated as the operation had taken its toll. It is unusual for an adult to have their tonsils removed. It stemmed from the letter from my G.P., Dr. H. Milligan, to my unit’s M.O.. 1942 was slipping by and I had already been promoted to sergeant. After six months I received a crown, which made me a staff sergeant. The conditions of sergeants and above were far better than the junior rank, especially the dining side where we had our own sergeants mess and were served by waiters. During my months there we had found a little place in the village which was run by the local Methodist church members. They made us very welcome and we could purchase tea and snacks. I also attended their services on Sunday evenings, which were enjoyable, being attended by quite a number of our unit and also ATs, of which there was a large company on site. Ladies were conscripted at eighteen unless they were on war work or baking, etc. Many ladies joined the Land Army where they wore green jerseys and trousers. (e.g. my friend from my flight home January 2000)
We were extremely busy at the depot. Apart from North Africa and the Western Desert no military action was taking place on the ground apart from raids on Dieppe and St. Nazarre. For one particular session we used to have tea around five thirty and then go back to work till eleven o’clock. We were all very tired and if you wished you could be excused shaving the following morning but most of us did. The ATs likewise worked late, so they were long days. I received leave, which was every three months, but sometimes we could get a forty-eight hour pass over a weekend, Friday night till Sunday night. During that time I used one of those breaks to go to Leicester and Alice came down also. So we stayed with Uncle Harry and Auntie Carrie. During 1943 I was transferred from the small arms section to the wireless and signals section. Earlier on, whilst I was still a corporal, three of us were despatched on an identification of small arms. We had to go to Weedon. The course was rather intense and I received a ninety plus mark and a congratulation from our shed captain on our return. My transfer to Wireless and Signals was a big change as I had not had any experience with that type of store. The transfer came about as a result of the Lieutenant Colonel in charge of the stores depot requiring a senior NCO to go and sort out the chaos that had arisen in the W.&S. receiving area. New stores were arriving every day from many parts of the country so that I was detailed to go and sort out the mess. Along with a very good team of privates and ATs we eventually managed to clear the backlog and then deal with the daily intake of new equipment, which consisted of field telephones, wireless sets, along with any other items in the W.&S. section. I made some very good friends amongst that staff and the relationship was very cordial.
As the summer of 1943 progressed we were aware of the large build-up that was taking place for the intended invasion of Europe. So it came about at the later end of 1943 I was posted to a unit called 15 Forward Trailer (?) Section stationed back at Weedon in Northamptonshire. All the men had been drafted from various depots and areas and I was to be staff sergeant in charge of the wireless and signals. The unit was destined eventually to go to France. During our stay at Weedon, we were detailed to go on a driving course at Sowerby Bridge near Halifax in Yorkshire. The course lasted for six weeks and we were given instruction on driving heavier vehicles where we used to drive out onto Yorkshire moors and around Halifax. The posting was the nearest I ever got to home and after duties on Saturday I made my way via Manchester to Whittle where I stayed till Sunday evening whence I could catch a train from Bamber Bridge back to West Yorkshire. One weekend Alice came down to Manchester we had the afternoon together before going back to Whittle.
Continue to 25. Greenford and a Broken Wrist