Whilst in Singapore transit camp we had been informed that our demobilisation centre would be at York, so much to our surprise and joy when we arrived at Reading, I was told that I was being demobbed at Ashton-under-Lyme, which was a great relief as it was much nearer home and convenient for Manchester. Our stay in Reading was very short and our spirits were high. It was the 16th May when we disembarked and I had sent a telegram from the ship to Alice to say we had docked . We spent the night in Reading and early the following morning we were all up full of anticipation. We had a shower and breakfast, there was a very sharp frost and a cuckoo was shouting. We had to hand in our webbing, which consisted of pouches, braces and small pack. We had also received a booklet of coupons with essentials like clothing coupons for civilian life, as everything was still very restricted, a quantity of petrol coupons was also in the booklet and civilian ration coupons for food. After handing in our surplus equipment which was no longer needed, we were allowed to keep our “big pack”, which of course was full of our own personal items, along with our kit bag and another large pack which I had obtained whilst at Port Dickson. We eventually made our way to the station where we entrained for the North. It was now the seventeenth of May and we finally got moving. It was a long journey and seemed to take hours but we finally arrived, I think it was Guide Bridge, and we were taken to Ashton-under-Lyne, demob camp. As it was getting late the staff said they had finished for the day but after a meal some of the staff decided to process some more of us, which was only a matter of a few minutes. We were at one side of the table where we had our books stamped and then walked around to the other side of the table and we were out.
A truck driver volunteered to take us down to Manchester Victoria station and as it was getting late I was hoping the ten o’clock train to Chorley still ran. Having tipped the driver I made my way to the platforms, the 8.15pm of course had been long gone, so I found the 10.00pm still was running, much to my joy. How thrilled I was to board the train for Chorley where I duly arrived. Whilst at Ashton-under-Lyne, we had had to go to Oldham to receive our demob suits, shoes and trilby and then went back to Ashton U L. So I was really loaded up with all my kit and demob suits etc boxed up. At Chorley station I asked the staff if they knew of a taxi and, as I was wearing my bush hat, they could see I had just come back from overseas, so they kindly phoned for a taxi and one came within a few minutes. Joy oh joy! I was bound for Whittle-le-Woods, having served for five years and seven months. On arriving at Prospect House, I threw little pebbles up to the window where I knew Alice would be and she was down in a very short time, having only just gone to bed, as it was by that time well past eleven o’clock. I think Alice had heard the taxi and my voice. The reunion was marvellous and ecstatic when I had trundled all my luggage in. What a difference to the seventeenth of October 1940. Again the seventeenth.