What I think is the next letter, as explained previously, but I can’t be certain. You can just see the “2” of “1942” top left of page one, which helps not a lot. Since Wally didn’t talk about Fran’s calling up and army life in that previous letter, I assume he didn’t know about it and that that letter crossed with the news of it. Fran signed up on 10 September 1942 and reported on 15 October, as you can see here (I really should post his records in full on here, although there’s over 60 pages of it, find out some stuff about his war): The letter: Quote: “DVR. W. Gatty 750930 D TROOP. 368/92nd Field Regt RA P.A.I. FORCES My Dearest Elsie, I have just received your air mail letter dated 21st Oct, also airgraph dated 2nd Nov both together and am answering the two straight away, hoping that you are all as well as can be, as it leaves me o.k. I see by your letter that you have been feeling ill and I am sorry to hear that dear and hope by now that you are better. I should say that you are overdoing things at work, and you must ease up a bit or else you will find yourself laid up properly and that must not be, so please take things steady dear. Do you know, it gave me quite a shock when I read that Fran had been called up, as I have not received any letter yet telling me about it. It’s either gone astray, or else you sent it by surface mail and it hasn’t arrived yet, so you must let me know all about it dear, as I was under the impression that he was still going strong at the firm. So he has been inoculated eh? Well he will get a few more before he’s done. As for him getting plenty of food and tea, he’s lucky, for we don’t, as food seems to be very scarce out here the same as everything else. Well darling, I hope that you get your slacks for the winter, as they will be warm and should suit you. As you can’t tell me where you are working, you are excused, and as long as you are happy there that’s all that matters. I quite understand what the girls said when you broke down dear, and maybe that’s right, and if they can’t do anything about it, I can and will when the time arrives which I sincerely hope won’t be long. So you are getting heavier, well I think the boot is on the other foot with me, and if I had a pair of wings I should be able to float in the air. You suppose wrong in thinking I didn’t get you anything from India, because I did, but I shan’t say what it is. Yes dear I thought of both the kiddies’ birthdays, but couldn’t send any cards as you can’t get them here. Now that Pops is 5 will you send her to school or is it too far. Glad to hear that Billy and Vi are still doing well, as I haven’t heard from them yet. From what you say dear, things are certainly dear at home, but it’s just as well to get what you can. It’s very dear here too, for example, a box of nougat with 8 in, the size of a 2/6 bit, each costs 20 rials and a rial is just under 2d which works out at just over 3/- a box. * Eggs are 2 rials each and (censored) cigs are 2½ rials for 10 (5d) and they are proper chokers too. A large tin of Blacking costs from 10 to 12 rials (1/8 to 2/-) so you can see money soon goes here. ** I had a bit of luck the other day, I managed to get a dozen packets of Rizla papers from the Naafi in town, as we were allowed a few hours in there, but I can’t get any tobacco, but in any case they will keep. I shall be glad to hear from Fran to see how he likes Army life. I have not heard from Biddy yet and I am wondering whether you will get anything this year. Let me know if you do, as you know I want you to have it. Well love this is all for the present so will close with Fondest Love from Your Ever Loving Husband Wally XXXXXXX For Nibs XXXXX Keep your chin up it won’t be long now XXX” Unquote. * I think, if my calculations are correct, therefore, that he must mean they were charging 20 rials, i.e. tuppence, for each piece of nougat in that box, not for the whole box. ** I have assumed the deleted currencies to be rials, as the regiment was in Persia/Iran at this time. Whether the redaction before “cigs” is “Persian” or “Iranian”, or a brand name only available in certain countries, I don’t know. Clearly, though, it also would have revealed something the censor didn’t like.
You are spot on Martin. The blue pen brigade would have looked upon the Rial references as giving the game away location wise, and hence struck out. And the bigger picture in '42, and the likely cause of Wally's finance observations. Historical Documents - Office of the Historian It's a dry read. Kind regards, always, Jim.
Again, the date on this letter is missing, but it must have been written on 23 December 1942, as he refers to there still having been no Christmas mail with just two days to go to Christmas Day. I am sure you will all also join with me in relishing Wally’s boils affair! Some of you may never see a pear drop in quite the same way again. It reads thus, quote: “DVR. W. Gatty 750930 D. TROOP. 368/92nd Field Regt. R.A. PAIFORCE My Dearest Elsie, I was very pleased to get your airgraph two days ago dated 8/11/42, and am answering now hoping that you are all o.k. at home, but as for me I am not so good, as these last few days I have had a nasty cold and cough, and also a couple of boils on each side of my neck. I have just been to the M.O.’s this morning and had one squeezed and the core taken out, which was as big as a pear-drop. Of course dear it’s due to the weather I think because as I said before, at nights it is bitter cold and then turns quite warm during the day, except for today which is quite cold and occasional showers of sleet are falling, as it will soon be winter here, and we have been issued with jerkins lined with wool as well as gloves, so I guess it will be getting a lot colder before long, which won’t suit me, as I felt a lot better in India than I do here, still dear I suppose I shall get over it. Glad to hear you are still O.K. at work, as that is everything as long as you are happy. Sorry to hear that Eddie and Pops have colds, but no doubt that’s due to the weather. I still have not heard from Fran or Vi, or Billy, there must be a hold up somewhere. We haven’t even got any xmas mail yet, 2 days before xmas day, then I suppose it will come all at once. I managed to get a look in at a Mobile Cinema show Sunday night and saw “It All Came True” with Ann Sheridan, Humphrey Bogart and Zazu Pitts. It was quite a good film though old and the talkie part was very bad, but it passed a few hours away. Have just come back from seeing our football team play a match and are they good? They are playing for a cup and haven’t lost a match yet, and three of them are in my tent, and I think they are good enough for any professional team. Well ducks of course by now your xmas has gone and I hope you had as good a time as you could. I don’t know what sort of time we are going to have, not much I’m afraid as conditions won’t allow, but we are definitely having turkey for dinner, or at least what’s left of them after they have been plucked and cooked. We manage to get a bit of tea and sugar from the Canteen, and a tin of milk if you are lucky so we get a cup of char every night, which your old man makes, and as there are twenty of us in the swindle, I have a busy time making it and dishing it out. * Well love there isn’t a lot of news to tell you, as I think I have put in all there is to put, so will close for now with Fondest Love from Your Ever Loving Husband Wally xxxxxxxx For Nibs xxxxxxx P.S. How do you like the news lately, I think it’s gradually coming to a finish don’t you dear, and the sooner the better it will be for all of us. Bye Bye Darling xxx ** Unquote. * I’m sure this does read as “swindle”. At first I thought it maybe meant a tent, but the only thing I now think it could be is, perhaps, a syndicate of some sort, a tea club? “Swindle sheet” is something to do with expenses and I read that in golf a swindle is a group of mates who play together regularly, so here I’m going with the golf angle and guessing it’s a group of pals in a tea club or just a plain old group of mates. I confess to never having before heard this word used in any other context than the usual. There is also this post from 2006, which hints at some sort of coffee club, rather than a trick or deceit: ** what can I say, good old Wally, victory is close at hand! Just not that close… Finally, a very brief treat for you: (Image from IMDb)
Possibly he might mean a Cockney swindle They all blagged the tea and milk in a bit of a cheeky fashion The Cockney Swindle Similar to the blag, the swindle involves the use of cheeky deception in order to get something out of you that you would not normally be willing to give.
Not a bad suggestion either mate. Whatever he meant, it’s another interesting turn of phrase from that time that I’ve learned, another piece of social history. Regarding the date of that letter, although he reveals it anyway from that Christmas mail remark, I’ve only just noticed that you can just make out 23 on the postmark top right.
The next letter is dated 27 December 1942, and the regiment is still in Persia, where it will winter. I quote below the DRAMA extract which records the period in which these last few letters were written. You can see here a mention of Major G. B. Aris, who would later go on to command the regiment and write both the histories of the 92nd and also of 5th Division: “From 17 to 25 Nov the regt was employed digging in the camp for the winter. From 8 to 10 Dec the regt took part in a 15 Bde Ex CROCUS, support in a mountainous area. On 15/16 the regt took part in 3 Corps Ex WALK which was a live ammunition exercise with plenty of movement. On 18/19 Dec there was anti-tank practice in which the average percentage of hits between the six tps was 49% and the highest 65%. From 21 to 23 Dec RHQ and BHQs took part in 3 Corps Signal Ex GASOMETER. 1/1/43 The regt was stationed at Qum, Persia, and 75 miles southwest of Teheran. The strength was 38 officers and 599 ORs and 11 ORs ACC. The 2IC was Maj GB Aris, the Adjt Capt PG Hill and the BCs, 365 Bty Maj HS Hirst, 368 Bty Maj WD Topley and 467 Bty Maj CH Antrobus. On 10 Jan short leave to Teheran was authorised. During Jan each bty carried out Ex TROT involving quick movement over broken country.” It is interesting to note that whilst the letter was written in Persia, the stamp bears “India Postage”, so either the troops were issued with Indian postage stamps or the mail was routed via India on its way back to Blighty? The letter, quote: “27/12/42 DVR. W. Gatty 750930 D TROOP. 368/92nd Field Regt. R.A. P.A.I. FORCE. My Dearest Elsie, I received your airgraph 23/11/42 on Xmas Eve, and am answering now, hoping that you are all well as it leaves me better than I was the last time I wrote although I still have a bit of a cough, due I think to these Persian cigs we have to smoke. * So you received 3 letters together did you, well that goes to prove that there is an occasional delay in the mail service doesn’t it dear. Well love xmas is now over, and I only hope you managed to have a decent time. Xmas here was very quiet, but we had a very nice dinner consisting of Turkey, Beef, roast spuds, carrots and a small Yorkshire pudding each. Afterwards, duff consisted of 1 mince pie, Xmas Pud and custard, of which I had 2 helpings, also 1 Bottle of Beer per man but I only had a small drop of mine and gave the rest away as you know I am not gone on it. We had Fri. Sat & Sunday off but could only spend the time in the tent except for a football match I saw on Sunday. ** Xmas night I was on guard, but as it was the same as any other night it didn’t matter. Snow has fallen here and it is now quite cold, but as I have changed into woollens I don’t feel it so much and don’t want to either, as I think I prefer the heat to the cold, so you had better get another fireplace put in. I’m glad Billy is still doing fine and also that you can still go to see him. I have had an airgraph from Aunt Clara and Aunt Beat, and both are well, and Aunt Beat says she has sent me 200 fags but weather [sic] I shall get them remains to be seen. *** I also had a letter from Vi and she is quite well and happy and told me what a nice time she had at home. She also told me that she didn’t know Eddie at first, and that Fran is in N. Wales, and that’s the first news I have had of his whereabouts. **** That is all the mail I have had this xmas and not a card among them although they may come later as we have learned that a lot of mail has gone astray and will be coming along later. I have still not heard from Billy yet but I expect he is busy at school. ***** I suppose when dear Pops goes to school she will go with Eddie, and she will be better for it. By the way dear I want to remind you again about your photo also the kiddies as no doubt I shall see an alteration in all of you so don’t let me down love. As for myself, to have a photo done here is almost out of the question as we cannot get films, but will have one done at first opportunity. Don’t worry about fag papers as I have plenty, but can’t get tobacco so they are not much use yet. Well darling I think this is all for now and I am just going to get into kip so will close with Fondest Love from Your Ever Loving Husband Wally XXXXXXXXXXXX For Nibs XXXXXX P.S. Give my love to Mum. Did you get anything from the firm this year.” Unquote. * compare the complete lack of censorship here to that of a different censor in that last but one letter, where the blue pen had a field day! ** so a long weekend basically, as Christmas Day 1942 was a Friday. *** I wonder if he ever got them or whether they went “missing” with the rear echelon mother…… **** Eddie was born in 1934, Vi in 1932. Not much difference age-wise, but clearly Vi had been away from home that long as an evacuee that she didn’t instantly recognise her own brother. As regards Fran, looking at his records he was with 36 P.T.W., 23rd Field Training Regt, RA, at this time. A dental examination sheet is stamped Newtown, Mont. (Montomeryshire), but I can’t find anything about the 23rd Field Training Regiment. Derek’s site only shows the 23rd Medium & Heavy Training Unit, and that was in Devon, not Wales. ***** this is a recurring theme, Wally not having heard from Billy (my Dad). Sadly, Billy is also no longer with us as I’d loved to have pulled his leg about not writing to his father enough. The Regiment on the move from Persia to Kabrit in February 1943, courtesy of idler. Maybe that’s Wally driving that Quad! (image from The Ninety-Second, by G. Aris)
It is with great sadness that I now have to tell you all that was the very last of my Grandfather’s letters. That I have, anyway. I cannot begin to tell you how disappointed I am that this is the case, but that’s life, eh. I would have loved to have read more about his war, especially from Sicily and Italy, NW Europe in 1945, but they are likely now lost to the mists of time. My parents and my aunt found these letters when clearing the house after Wally passed away in 1982 and, thank heavens, saved them from destruction. There must have been more, I can’t believe that no more mail passed between them for the following years of the war, but it seems they somehow did not survive. What happened to them, who knows. It seems strange that my Grandmother would keep the letters from 1939-1942, but not the others - a mystery and will likely remain so. Perhaps they somehow got discarded in the confusion of clearing the house, perhaps they went to other members of the family. As I have been sharing these with my Australian cousins, Eddie’s lads, it is clear to me that they don’t have any more either. For me this has been an emotional and enlightening “journey”. I have learned a lot about him and about his relationship with Elsie. My grandparents clearly loved each other very much. I also learned he could tinkle the ivories, something I absolutely never knew before - now both my parents are also gone I can’t ask them about that either. Stories about that would have been good to hear too. I guess it has been like chatting with him. And what wouldn’t I give to actually be able to do that now - I wish in my younger days I had given him more time when he was here to talk with me! But I didn’t. That’s my cross to bear. They say have no regrets - they’re wrong, I regret that very much. I hope you have enjoyed these letters, and those from his time with the BEF, “meeting” Wally, as much as I have. What you were reading for the first time, I too was reading for the first time. They have literally been with me, in the same house, for over 40 years, but I’d never looked at them until now. It has been a pleasure and privilege sharing them with you and as I say, I am just sorry, and sad, that I cannot share more. God bless you Wally and Elsie, thank you for the memories - all of them. Niederkrüchten, Germany, 1945:
Not a dry eye Martin, not a dry eye. The reading of, and what you have so freely given your time with in the sharing of, is a wonderful and mighty insight into a serviceman's life above and beyond any "official" story or history. Thank you so very very very much for sharing Martin; all you have done and posted has been, and always will be, supremely uplifting. Your words Martin, with Wally's, have made this thread. And with Wally's words, to the end, have made me smile so much. "I still have a bit of a cough, due I think to these Persian cigs we have to smoke." The soldier's lot and fags. Cough-sticks, coffin nails, smokes. "We have to smoke" Wally's wisdom. Unforgettable . Kind regards, and thank you, and Wally for the writing, always, Jim.
Yes, as if they were forced to smoke! I’m amazed they were fit enough to fight Jerry, cough, splutter… Kind words Jim, thank you very muchly, and I’m so glad the letters have made you smile - that ain’t a bad thing now, is it. I have been most grateful for your many contributions to these two threads, the ever humorous, the touching (the railway send-off photos, for example) and the educational. I’ve learned lots as I mentioned - who knew what a housewife was other than the obvious! (Cheers Owen) Something I forgot to add to my “farewell Wally” post - and that’s to thank all of you who contributed with answers to things I wasn’t clear about and, well, for the general banter. You have all been most supportive, have said some very nice things to me, most appreciated, and helped to make both these threads a marvellous and memorable experience. Cheers
One more thing I wouldn’t mind your help with please. When did Wally actually go home to the Blighty for good? 1945, obviously, but there are quite a few dates floating around on his record, so I’m not sure. I suspect some time in August, but there also stamps from September and December on the various pages. I know he had leave to the UK from 8 to 18 May of that year, it records that here: So he saw Elsie and the “Nibs” again before his demob, but he’d had to have gone back to Germany again I’m sure for a while. The various dates below. Medical dated 3/8/45, but stamped 13 September: This suggests he went home on the 21 August 1945 (my favoured option of the choices): Here, released to Class Z (T) Reserve 5th December: What looks like 19th August, and also 6th December, on this one: Another 5 December here: Finally, Y List release 28th August and another CLASS Z for 5th December: I favour the 21st August only because it says “EMB BLA for U.K. SoS…”, which I presume means he embarked for the UK on that date (no idea what BLA means), and also “struck off strength”, but quite a few other dates there. Thanks for helping this idiot again.
I'm with you and your thinking on this one Martin (and Wally put August '45 for his Discharge on his Medal Application Card too) Kind regards, always, Jim.
Thanks mate - all I had in my head was that it was some port in Germany and I couldn’t identify which one. I think I need to get some brekky in me, my brain’s not working this morning.
"I need to get some brekky in me". Black pudding. And three hard boiled eggs. "Is this contract binding? No, but something will be!" Kind regards, keep off the haggis, always, Jim.
