10 November 1941. Transcript, quote: “10/11/41 DVR. W. Gatty 750930 D TROOP. 368/92nd Field Regt. RA Newtownstewart Co. Tyrone. My Dearest Elsie, I am glad to know that you are all OK, as it leaves me the same. Well dear, first of all I want to say that I received the parcel OK on Thursday morning. We have been away for 4 days, and it was while we were waiting to move off that the mail came in and before we could open it we were off. Of course we had to leave our packs behind, and my writing material was in it so I had to wait till we got back Sunday night, so I have answered your letter which came today (Mon). * I must say I was very pleased with contents of parcel which was intact, except for the pear which was a bit bruised but very nice, also the cakes were just as you sent them, and thank mum for cigs. Tell Pops that daddy says her orange was very nice. ** Yes dear if you send that watch to me, I will get it done over here. Well we had one good day away, the rest of the time was rain, rain, rain and got so bad we had to come back a day early, and when we arrived here we found half the camp under water, and it is still raining and blowing a gale. I had to go on guard when we got back, and what a night it was, still never mind it is all in the day’s work. I told you about that concert I saw, it was not quite so good as the first time, because the stage was not big enough for them to do their acts. I went to the pictures last Wed. and saw Wallace Beery in “Bad Men from Wyoming”, and there is no doubt that he is a wonderful actor. Also Ann Rutherford played with him. Well dear, what do you think of the news lately, pretty good one way and another, and I think we are getting toward the finish of it, at any rate let’s hope so. *** I see that you have been rather busy knitting things for the kiddies and I shall look forward to seeing Pops in her new pink dress so you will have to keep it by till I see it. Yes love I only wish you were here to go to the pictures with me, as it makes me envious when I see others together, still never mind dear we have got our time to come eh? I am sorry I never thought of Eddie’s birthday today (Mon.) so I want you to give him 7 bumps for me, not hard ones though. I don’t know but I seem to get mixed up with all the birthdays one way and the other. About that allowance I expect you will get it back-dated when it comes through, so I shouldn’t worry about it. I thought Billy had started his exam by the way he wrote, but I must have been mistaken. I am glad the coat fitted Violet alright. So Alice is going back to her old job is she, well that’s something anyway, so you are going to try later on. Well I hope you get a nice job. Yes dear I am glad that you are alright as we certainly don’t want any more as 4 is plenty. So you are going to celebrate Xmas when I come home well I hope it won’t be long after, if all goes well. You have pleased me very much by suggesting a piano at home as you know I have always wanted to have one, but don’t get yourself in a pickle over it will you. **** I am glad to hear that you are getting extra things this month which proves that things are not so bad. No dear, signalling will not make any difference to driving and I was put in just to make the numbers up. I’ll learn you the morse code when I have learnt it myself. Well dear I think this is all for now so will close with Fondest Love from Your Ever Loving Husband Wally. xxxxxxxx For nibs xxxxxx” Unquote. * the regiment’s DRAMA records the following, which must be what he refers to: “On 6 Nov the regt moved to the Sperrin Mountains Range for practice camp. There were two good days of shooting and then the weather became very bad and the camp had to be abandoned.” ** an orange indeed, not so easy to come by then I’d have thought, although I may be basing that assumption on the orange auction from Dad’s Army! *** what is the good news he’s talking about here? Clearly his optimism, a constant theme throughout his letters, remains unshaken, thinking the finish of the war is nigh. **** as I think I mentioned in the BEF thread, none of us grandchildren can remember ever seeing a piano in their house, but perhaps there was one before our time. (Image from IMDb)
A few months later: https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205198301 About 45 photographs of the Sperrin mountains during the war at IWM: https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/search?query=Sperrin&pageSize=&media-records=records-with-media
The next letter I have is dated 17 November 1941. I presume he is still in Newtownstewart as the next two letters, which were both in the same envelope as this one, are sent from there. I also think he has a lovely new pencil. As you can see, the top right corner of page one is missing, but I’m sceptical that it was maybe torn off by a censoring officer as that hasn’t previously happened to any of the others he sent from Northern Ireland, but what do I know…the Regimental history does not mention them being anywhere around this date that would require secrecy. Of course, the missing part could just be an accident. The letter, quote: “17/11/41 My Dearest Elsie, I am glad to know that you are all OK, as it leaves me the same, especially as I have just had a nice hot bath, so I can sit down quiet and write this letter in answer to yours received this morning. I know that you can’t manage a parcel every week and I don’t expect one, so don’t worry about that dear. I shall be glad the same as you dear when Xmas is over as it will certainly be nearer my time to hold you tight in my arms and not in a dream either. The weather here is still awful, wet and cold, but as we can’t do anything about it we must put up with it. Yes love I heard the speech after the Lord Mayor’s show dinner and it was good as you say. So Alice has gone back to Cornwall has she, I wonder if she will square up with you when she gets settled down as I reckon she owes you….. MISSING PORTION …only worse as there are no lights (sights?) at all, only fields either side, but we get along alright. * You say you will be able to go to the pictures now, but will you go now that you have the chance. So you have nearly finished Pops frock, and if Billy has a pullover like mine he won’t grumble. By the way I have not heard from them yet. I am sorry I never mentioned the lighter dear, I meant to, and I would like one very much, when you can manage it. Well dear I can’t say anything about Xmas presents for you, but in any case I won’t forget you when I come home you know that, as things are difficult to get out here the same as anywhere else. How is Fran getting on at B.P. also the Home Guard, I hope alright. Yes you get my letters Thursday morning and I get yours Monday morning, so that you know when to look forward to them. I have not heard from Aunt Beat yet nor Aunt Annie, nor Aunt Clara, but no doubt I shall later on. Well dear I went to the pictures last Monday and saw Marlene Dietrich in “Seven Sinners” with John Wayne and Anna Lee. It was a lively picture with quite a few scraps in it. Now on Thursday evening we had an E.N.S.A. show and it was given by Art Gregory and his band, who in peace time used to play at all the Astoria Cinemas and Dance Halls and the Gaumont State Kilburn. He also was on the Radio several times. With him were 3 Artists and a comedian. One girl was Sylvia Welling and the next was Peggy Carlisle late of the Carlisle Cousins. The other girl’s name I forget. Anyway it was a thorough good show although he never had his full band having only 8 in the band and his pianist was marvellous. Talking about pianists, some new fellows have just come to us and one of them is the pianist from Joe Loss’s Band. Some of the chaps have heard him play at a pub down in the village but as I don’t go in pubs I have not heard him yet but I don’t suppose I have lost the chance, the chaps say he is hot stuff and I quite believe it. ** On Friday there was a cinema show showing Deanna Durbin in “It’s a Date”. I got there after it had started, but I did not care for it so I came out again, as it was too sloppy. Well now on Saturday afternoon we had to parade in gym shorts for a run and was it cold. The run was 3.5 miles, and I did the first mile without stopping and I finished the course in short sprints and walks. A lot of the chaps were knocked up over it, but funny to say I never felt any effects of it only stiff thigh muscles, as I thought I would never do it, which goes to prove that I am not in such a bad condition considering that most of the chaps were youngsters. In fact I felt very pleased with myself. Well dear you know that Vera Lynn broadcasts on Sunday nights at 9.30 to the Forces, well one of our chaps has written to her on our behalf and asked her to sing a song in one of her broadcasts. The song is “When the Lights of London Shine Again”, so if you listen for the next 2 or 3 Sunday nights you may hear her give it out and you will know that I am listening too. Well love I think this is all for now so will close with Fondest Love from Your Ever Loving Husband Wally XXXXXXXXX For Nibs XXXXXXX P.S. Remember me to Mum and everybody XXX” Unquote. * apart from talking about Alice owing my grandmother, I’m guessing from what is still legible here that Wally is also answering a question she may have asked about what it’s like where he is based. ** I wonder who this was. This guy, Sid Lucas, perhaps? He’s the only pianist I can find connected to Joe Loss, but there could have been others before and after him, of course, I just don’t know enough. https://www.discogs.com/artist/1853881-Sid-Lucas https://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/person/mp134481/sid-lucas Here’s Joe Loss and his band in 1939 - whether the pianist here is the same man he writes about, I don’t know, but it’s possible. Guess he’d have been quite the star back in the day, must have been a thrill for them when he rocked up! Now for the guys he saw at the show, Art Gregory and his band, 1936: A nice movie for you next, with the legend that was Marlene Dietrich (nor forgetting the Duke, of course): (Image from IMDb) A trailer for an apparently sloppy film that caused an artilleryman to walk out of a theatre: (Image from IMDb) Wally mentions the Lord Mayor’s Show, which took place on 10 November 1941. I rather enjoyed watching this actually: Is this the speech my grandfather writes about, Winston Churchill at the Mansion House dinner? SPEECH BY PRIME MINISTER CHURCHILL AT THE MANSION HOUSE REGARDING INVOLVEMENT IN A US-JAPANESE WAR BY THE BRITISH Finally, it was really lovely to read about the Vera Lynn request. I wonder if she did sing it for them? We may find out in the next letters. I expect it would have been a request for the boys of D Troop, or 368 Battery, or something along those lines, as I guess they had to be careful what they read out publicly. Still, whatever she may have said before singing, if she did indeed sing it, how wonderful it must have been for my grandmother to listen to it and hear his outfit mentioned. Here we go, although I think we’ve had this one before after a previous letter he wrote mentioning this song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5IdgkNlya_0
Regarding the missing address , maybe a friend or neighbour wanted to write to him & your Nan tore it off to save her writing it out.
24 November 1941, the shiny new pencil he now seems to be using is still going strong. Quote: “24/11/41 DVR. W. Gatty 750930 D TROOP. 368/92nd Field Regt. RA Newtownstewart Co. Tyrone. My Dearest Elsie, Received your letter this morning and glad to know that you are all well as it leaves me fine. So Eddie has had some teeth out at last and he will soon get some more in place of them. I am glad to hear that he took it alright too. So you went to the pictures at last eh? And the picture you saw is on here today and tomorrow and I am going to try and see it tomorrow (Tues) and will let you know next time if I saw it. Yes dear Xmas won’t be long now, and they are sending extra men home for it, but I shan’t be one of the lucky ones as I am not near enough, but it should bring me nearer after Xmas, but will wait and see later. So Fran got paid for doing guards, very nice too, and glad to know that he is doing alright there and at BP too. * I would like to see Billy’s pullover as I bet it looks nice, and no coupons neither. We have P.T. every morning now at 11oc for 15 mins, which won’t do me any harm. So Biddy has got his papers at last, well he’s got to do his bit the same as everybody else, and I expect Alec will take over as I believe Baker is waiting to go too. Do you know that the more you talk about dear Pops the more I want to see her. Well dear if as you say Love keeps you young, you know what to expect from me. I should get a letter from Ben any time now unless it has gone down. I don’t know what your weather is like, but here it is simply chronic, as it is still raining and blowing like a gale, it nearly blows you over. I had a letter from Aunt Clara last week and 2/6 picture money as she calls it, but have not heard from Aunt Beat or Aunt Annie nor the children, but there will be later on I expect. We are certain of one party at Xmas as our troop are all paying 6d a week till Xmas for a troop party and I think there is a BTY Party as well so we should be alright. We had a Naafi show last week and in it was “May Bacon” and “Mark Anton”. May Bacon is a Screen and stage star and Mark Anton used to conduct the Paramount orchestra. I had seen them in France and it was a good show, although I have seen better. Also I went to pictures last week and saw Cesar Romero and Jean Rogers in “Viva Cisco Kid” a Mexican picture, but I am not struck with that sort much. Also saw Hugh Sinclair and Sally Gray in “The Saint’s Vacation” and that was the best picture of the two and it was British. Well love I am stuck for news so excuse short letter and will close with Fondest Love from Your Ever Loving Husband Wally. XXXXXXXXX For Nibs XXXXX PS. Remember me to Mum and everybody. What do you think of the news now. It looks as if things are moving to a finish, what do you say love? XXXX **” Unquote. * I think, but am not sure, that this reads “guards” - we know from previous letters that Fran was in the Home Guard at this time. Did they get paid? ** what news is this, and why would it make him think things were going to end soon? Tobruk? North Africa generally? I can’t think of anywhere else our troops were fighting at this time and certainly I didn’t think things were going great then for the Soviets either. Who knows what he meant or thought at the time, or if it is even the war he’s talking about here. Mae Bacon apparently performed with a violinist called Arthur Anton, not Mark. There is a paragraph here about her wartime entertainment career: Mae Bacon - Wikipedia Now, grab the popcorn… Good ol’ Cesar Romero, forever The Joker.
30 November 1941. This is the last of the three letters that I found all in the one envelope. Transcript, quote: “30/11/41 DVR. W. Gatty 750930 D TROOP. 368/92nd Field Regt. RA Newtownstewart Co. Tyrone. My Dearest Elsie, I am glad to know that you are all well, as it leaves me fine. I was surprised to get your letter on Sat. morning, as to send a letter and get a reply in one week is good going, and at the same time puts us where we were before, as you know I used to get your letter on Sat. mornings. I am glad the weather isn’t too bad, as there is plenty of time later for that. Over here it is still wet and cold, and now we are getting heavy frosts night and morning. As you say dear, it will be a good job when Xmas is over, as then we can look forward to seeing each other, and believe me, am I looking forward to it. Freddie, who has the next bed to me, goes home on Wed. (3rd) and last time I went six weeks after him, which makes it the second week in January, but I am allowing till the last week in Jan in case of any mistakes, so it should only be 7 or 8 weeks at the most. * So they have nabbed Ted for the service at last, and Baker too, just when they want them for Christmas. I suppose Biddy will be next. So Fran has got to get his licence now, well he would have got it sooner or later, and the extra 5/- rise will give him encouragement. As you have sent Billy’s pullover off, and finished Pop’s things, that’s another item off your mind, and I shall look forward to seeing you in your new jumper. Have you heard any more about the new allowance yet, as it is about time, as it came into force from the first of Nov. Well dear I managed to go and see that picture “The North West Mounted Police”, and as you say it was a beautiful picture, especially where Paulette Goddard goes all loving over that trooper. I wish I was that trooper and Paulette was you, what a time we’d have eh? ** I don’t know about enjoying myself Xmas as I expect I shall be more or less working in a way by playing the piano, not that I mind that at all, in any case we haven’t got a place to hold it yet as places are scarce out here. *** That book you told me about, I would very much like to see, so if you can, will you keep it for me. I am sorry to hear about Aunt Sue and hope it is not so bad as they expect. Well dear we have a quarter of an hour’s P.T. every morning and a 3 mile run Saturday afternoons, so I should be fairly fit, but don’t the wind whistle round my legs in shorts. I bet you would laugh if you saw me. Well love I think this is the lot for now, as I am now going to the Naafi to eat, drink and play the Ivory Keys, so will close with Fondest Love from Your Ever Loving Husband Wally XXXXXXXXXXX For Nibs XXXXXX Love to Mum” Unquote. * curiously, his B.103 does not show any leave granted to him between 1 October 1941 and 20 March 1942, when he is shown as having “embarked” to go overseas. This next page, however, does show him on “Home” Service until 12 March 1942, and then India from 18 March (not the 20th, weirdly) - could the six day difference be home leave before going overseas, or would they risk letting men go home that close to departure? The DRAMA records that on 29 January the Regiment found out it was to move overseas and that: “Embarkation leave was to start at once and mobilisation procedures were to be completed by 3 Mar.” His future letters may clarify if, and exactly when, he got his leave. I can’t believe he didn’t get any between this letter and leaving for India. ** funny this praise of his for the lovey dovey bit of the film - as you may remember, he complained in his letter of 17 November about a film being too sloppy and walked out! Maybe he was keeping my Nan happy by agreeing with her. *** clearly he was the music man at their parties. No mention of Joe Loss’s guy here. A cinematic treat for you now. This time, both Wally and Elsie watched the movie, but separately, sadly.
This next letter is dated December 7, 1941. Reading it gave me the strangest feeling, a shiver down my spine - it is a momentous day in history, a game changing day, but at the actual hour he puts pen to paper, on the “infamous” date that he writes this, he doesn’t yet know it. I understand that when Pearl was hit it was 6.18pm here (I stand to be corrected on that), but he must have already sent the letter off, as surely he’d have mentioned it otherwise. This link indicates that it was certainly announced by the BBC on the wireless on the night of 7 December, but I don’t know at exactly what time the news hit British airwaves. There would surely have been a few hours delay. How the BBC covered Pearl Harbor In a few of his letters, Wally has sounded very confident of victory, very bullish, but we will never know if this is what he truly believed, or if he simply wanted to keep Elsie’s spirits up. Of course, perhaps he really did believe we would always win, but if he did not, then it is possible that when my Grandfather hit the sack that night he, like Winston, “slept the sleep of the saved”. It reads thus, quote: “7/12/41 DVR. W. Gatty 750930 D TROOP. 368/92nd Field Regt. RA Newtownstewart Co. Tyrone My Dearest Elsie, I am glad to know that you are all O.K. as it leaves me still alive and kicking. Well dear this week your letter reached me on Friday morning which beats last week by a day. Glad you have got all your fruit for xmas pud & cakes and I am looking forward to a taste of cake and pudding. So you went to Aunt Sue’s eh, and I bet she was surprised to see you, still glad she is going on alright. Yes dear, all that side of the water must be in a terrible state after the bashing it had. What is the matter with Ann, is she never going to get settled down, I know if I were in Jim’s place I would get fed up with moving about all over the place. Still I am glad that you have somewhere to go for xmas, for as you say it will help you to pass the time more quickly. I am glad that Fran has got his licence so he shouldn’t be long before he is on the road with a lorry of his own to drive. Am I really going to get your photo at last, or are you going to let me down at the last minute, I think I will wait and see what happens. I don’t know when the 14000 Horsemen are coming over here love, but if they do I will try and see them, and perhaps I can borrow one of their horses to come home on. So you want to go with me to the Granada Welling do you, well that’s o.k. with me dear. Well dear what about that new allowance, you could write and see what has happened, as I don’t know anything this end. I would not have laughed at you sitting on the floor mending shoes, as I only wish I was home to do them for you, but perhaps I shall be able to do them on my leave. Yes dear wouldn’t it be nice if we had a piano by the time I came home, nothing would please me more, and if you are going to work to get one, I shouldn’t lose no time, but as I have told you before don’t knock yourself up will you, but you say you would have to do it sooner or later, I don’t think so as you would be excused with children. So I am going to get short rations when I come if I don’t write longer letters eh?, says you. Well dear I make my letters as long as I can and I have told you before that I must not put in my letters what we do or where we go, not even in a green envelope, and I don’t want to get in any trouble and I know you don’t want to see me in trouble either, so please don’t lead off at me. In any case my pages are written on both sides and they are twice as large as yours. All I can say is that I am still learning signalling every day 6 days a week, and I can read morse now fairly well, I shall be on it right up till January when I am supposed to pass out but that remains to be seen. Oh I had a letter from Violet during the week, quite a nice letter and she writes quite nice. I am still waiting for one from Billy but I expect he is busy with his exam. I have not heard from anybody else yet. I went to the pictures and saw W. C. Fields in “The Bank Detective”, but I did not like it as it was daft the same as all his pictures, but the other picture was good called “Get That Story” with Lorna Andre & Donald Reed. There is a picture coming here the last week in December and I am going to see it at all costs. It is Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy in “Bitter Sweet” and it is in colour, it should be a wonderful film. We have got all xmas week off except for an hour’s work in the morning, but I don’t know what we are going to do except for concerts and football matches to pass the time away. We have been told that we are getting turkey for xmas dinner, although I prefer pork, but beggars can’t be choosers. Did you listen in to Vera Lynn last Sunday, because if you did you would have heard her speak to us, but she did not sing our song. She said she was talking to the Drivers Billet R.A. somewhere in Ireland, you ought to have heard us cheer when she said it. We are still going to listen in case she sings our song “When the Lights of London Shine Again”. * Well dear I don’t know if your weather is any worse, but here the mountains round us are topped with snow and while I am writing this a bitter cold wind is raging outside and sleet is falling so snow is definitely on the way. I have been to church this morning and as Sunday is a half-day I am now going to get 3 hrs rest in bed so will close with Fondest Love from Your Ever Loving Husband Wally. XXXXXXXX For Nibs XXXXXXX P.S. Give Love to Mum.” Unquote. * this refers to his letter of 17 November in which, you may recall, he wrote the following: “Well dear you know that Vera Lynn broadcasts on Sunday nights at 9.30 to the Forces, well one of our chaps has written to her on our behalf and asked her to sing a song in one of her broadcasts. The song is “When the Lights of London Shine Again”, so if you listen for the next 2 or 3 Sunday nights you may hear her give it out and you will know that I am listening too.” It’s really good to know that she said hello to them, even if, at the time he wrote this, she’d not sung the song itself yet. Off to the pictures we go again now, and I can only assume that this is the film Wally went to see, as I cannot find any film called “Get That Story”, and this is the only one starring both Lona Andre and Donald Reed. I think maybe the movie was released this side of the pond under a more, ahem, suitable, less scandalous title for the British cinema-goer. A trailer for W. C. Fields’ movie, “The Bank Dick”:
The next letter is dated just a week later, 14 December, and was stored in the same envelope as the previous one. A week after Pearl Harbor, but strangely, to me anyway, he doesn’t mention it at all. I didn’t think he’d have known about that when he wrote and posted his last letter on the 7th, because of the time difference, but I honestly expected some reference by him to it in his next one. You know “we can’t lose now” sort of stuff…but zilch. I’d have loved to have known his thoughts about it, but there ya go, never mind. He writes, quote: “14/12/41 DVR. W. Gatty 750930 D TROOP. 368/92nd Field Regt. RA Newtownstewart Co. Tyrone My Dearest Elsie, I am glad to know that you are all well, as it leaves me fine. I am sitting by the fire writing this, as today is a whole day off and it is pouring with rain and cold too. I got out of bed at 8.15am, trotted round to the cookhouse, and sat down in the dining hut to cornflakes and milk, and egg and bacon which went down very well, believe me. You certainly are travelling about lately, and as you say it’s not very nice coming back in the dark on your own, but I am glad that you got back alright. Yes dear I remember Jim faintly, because it is a long time ago since I last saw him, and as he is at Woolwich you may be seeing him at home. Yes dear I think it is a good thing that Annie is going away as I think she would have you doing jobs for her and for nothing too, as I have no doubt you will have said farewell to that money she owes you. Yes dear you told me she is expecting another addition to the family and I am glad it is not you, for as you said before, we have quite enough to go on with. I expect Biddy wanted my address for Head Office, but we will wait and see, but in any case dear whatever I get you know that you won’t go short and you may get that dress yet, or frock. Well dear if Vera Lynn ever sings our song now I shan’t hear her because our wireless has gone back to the shop, because of an argument over it, and I don’t suppose we shall get another one, and believe me we miss it. I think I told you that I had a letter from Violet and this week I had one from Billy, so I shall answer them shortly. I am glad that dear Pops is getting on fine, and you can tell her that I shall soon be home, roughly 4 or 5 weeks time. Also I hope Eddie is getting on O.K. and Fran. Has he started to learn driving yet. The weather here is still bad with occasional bright periods, and the fellows that come back from leave say that the sea crossing is a bit rough, but I can stick that. So old Nob has to go at last eh? I bet it has upset the family a bit, not that it will make any difference. So he wants to be in the R.A.F. well that remains to be seen. I forget whether I told you before love, but we are having Turkey and Pork for Christmas dinner and mince pies and ham and egg for breakfast. I know that you won’t be able to get Turkey but I hope that you will be able to get a bit of Pork for yourselves. We are having a Xmas party on Xmas day and our Troop party on Boxing night so we should be alright for those two days. Last Monday night we had a mobile cinema show, and saw two Ministry of Information films, one of which was about the London Police Force in Training and the work they did in the air raids and it seemed funny hearing the sirens go after not hearing them for a long time. The big picture was called “Q Planes”, all about a new mystery plane which a foreign power was after. I had already seen it at Middleton, but it was worth seeing again. On Wed night we had a Naafi show called “The Rialto Concert Party”, and it was quite good. The Chorus consisted of three Girls called the Georgette Trio, and they were all from Plumstead so I was told, although I did not know any of them. Last night I went to the pictures and saw “The Return of Frank James”, with Henry Fonda, Gene Tierney and Jackie Cooper. It was in Technicolour, and was quite a good film. Also there was “Pluto the Dog” and I did laugh, altogether it was quite a good show. I am looking forward to the time when you and I will be going together which won’t be long now I hope, what say you? Well darling I can’t think of any more news now so will close with Fondest Love from Your Ever Loving Husband Wally XXXXXXXXXXXXX. For Nibs XXXXXXXX P.S. All these and more when I see you… XX. Give Love to Mum and Fran X” Unquote. I love the bit about the wireless, obviously some barney at the shop as clearly they must have rented the wireless set, a bit like you did with televisions back in the day. You don’t really appreciate the importance of the radio back then, do you, or the cinema, what with the television, internet, all the techy stuff and entertainment we have at our fingertips now. Kids today, they don’t know they’re born…gripe, rant etc etc Clearly they missed their set, I wonder what the argument was about…did the shop owner want to raise the price extortionately? Had Grandad’s Troop not kept up the payments? Try as I might I couldn’t find that Ministry of Information film about the police, nor anything about the Georgette Trio. The latter are maybe too obscure an act. Off to the pictures we go again, though, with our Wally. The Pluto film may not be the one he’s talking about, but I couldn’t find one just called “Pluto the Dog”. The one I have here was released in October 1941 - close enough, so it’ll have to bleedin’ do. As many of you will doubtless know, “Q Planes” has been shown on TV here quite a lot recently on Talking Pictures TV.
We move into 1942 now, 3 January, and although in this letter he talks of a letter written in ink that he’d sent to my Nan, unfortunately I don’t have it. The address on this letter now reads “Home Forces”, but he was still in Northern Ireland when he wrote this. According to the DRAMA, the regiment did not begin to leave Northern Ireland for England until 12th January. It left in the three different groups that I’m sure most RA regiments did - advance party, rail party, road party. The last to depart, the road party, of which one would assume “Driver” Wally was surely a part, did not set off back to England until 21st January. I had to redact a few bits of this letter, for personal reasons. I do apologise for that, but I know you’ll understand. The letter, quote: “3/1/42 DVR. W. Gatty 750930 D TROOP. 368/92nd Field Regt RA Home Forces My Dearest Elsie, Glad to know that you are all O.K. as it leaves me with a cold on my chest and a cough, but it is gradually getting better. I think I got it through having my hair cut as it was very cold that day. Oh, before I go any further, will you notice the new address above as that is what you must put in future, so don’t forget will you dear. Well dear I received your letter dated 27th, also your last letter today, so I am answering both at once. So you liked the cards eh and let’s see them on the sideboard when I come home. So Aunt Beat’s gift and mine were the only ones you had well that’s better than none at all isn’t it. I’m sorry to hear Ed + Pops are not well and hope they will soon be well again. I don’t want you to think I was doing you out of a letter as you know what the mail is like xmas time, and as for saying you will pay me out, well I don’t think it will come off somehow and you know it love. You’re telling me it seems years since I was home and I am telling you that I am just about fed up with being away from home, and am certainly looking forward to a rest. *** CENSORED *** Well dear all the cake has gone and was it nice. I gave a piece to one or two of the boys as they share with me, but I have not sampled the pud yet as that will keep and I get plenty of afters dinner time that I don’t feel hungry. I have not had the watch seen to yet as I have to go a place near the picture house and that is some distance away but will try and go next week. I am glad that you had a pretty good xmas dinner after all, and some port from the firm too, well have some more later on. Yes dear I’m glad too that xmas is all over. I know your birthday is on the 24th and I will bring your present home with me if I can get it. I am not certain yet but I may be home for your birthday as Sgt. Neve * who lives in in Churchbury Road or Churchfield Rd, I forget which it is, goes on the 20th or 21st and last time he was a day in front of me, but I won’t say anything definite till later on. I shall probably be home *** CENSORED *** but I shall chance that as I don’t want to put it back again just for the sake of 3 or 4 days, I think that’s best don’t you dear, as I shall have 14 full days at home which is not like seven. So Vi sent you a nice handkie [SIC] and she certainly must be growing fast to take 1s in shoes. I have not heard from either of them yet. So you look smart when you go out now, and I know you have nice shaped legs and looking forward to seeing them again. I am sorry to hear about Aunt Sue as I thought by the way you wrote earlier on that she was getting on alright. So it will cost you 2/5 to go to Annie’s what will it cost all of us I don’t we shall go there many times. Yes dear I will certainly sit in the armchair *** CENSORED *** No dear I don’t mind you smoking as long as you don’t make yourself bad and as you say a cigarette helps to take your mind off things. So you were surprised to get my letter in ink, well I found a pen holder and bought a nib and went halves with Fred in a bottle of ink, so there you are. The reason I am writing this in pencil is that I am on guard and writing this in the guard-room and don’t want to mess about with ink. So Fran went to Fred’s place xmas, I thought he would have stayed with you, but at the same time I suppose we can’t blame him for wanting a bit of life. I bet the kids enjoyed the panto as I believe you said it is a good show. Yes I am keeping Vi’s calendar as it is very handy. Glad you went to the pictures for a change and nice pictures too. I am sorry you were let down about the piano dear, but we ought to have guessed it being war time, it never mind we will have one later on. I suppose it was Wheatlands you went to as you never said. ** Nearly every night when I go to the Naafi, the cry goes round “Come on Wally give us a tune”, so of course I have to perform. Well dear I did go and see “Bitter Sweet”, and only just managed to get in and it was really beautiful and I only wish you had been with me. I am getting on pretty good with signalling so I shall be able to teach you. Well love there’s nothing more to write about here, so will close with Fondest Love from Your Ever Loving Husband Wally XXXXXXXXXXX For Nibs XXXXXXXX Give love to Mum. P.S. Do you ever see the Hirsts now.” Unquote. * this must be Serjeant Leslie George Neve. Sadly, he was killed at Anzio on 18 May, 1944. (image with kind permission of The War Graves Photographic Project) The war diary for that date states that three members of C Troop, 368 Battery were killed that day - Sjt Neve, Gnr Arthur Horton and Gnr Leonard Thompson. One other man was wounded. As you can read here, a premature, No. 3 gun was responsible. (images with kind permission of The War Graves Photographic Project) https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2373678/leslie-george-neve/ https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2373266/arthur-horton/ https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2374131/leonard-thompson/ Regarding the address that Wally is not sure about, Churchbury Road in Eltham actually connects with Wally’s own street, Gregory Crescent. Churchfield Road is in Welling, so I’m leaning more towards Churchbury being correct, although the line between Eltham and Welling can be somewhat blurred - can anyone confirm this for me on the 1939 census at all as, unfortunately, I don’t have access to it? Thanks. (Image from Google Maps) ** I understand that Wheatlands was a large chain of furniture shops with branches around London. There was one in Lewisham, 138 High Street, which could well be the one Elsie would have gone to. I’m not sure if there was one in Eltham. Here’s the Lewisham store: (Image from sainsburyarchive.org.uk) I also found this in the envelope, although Wally does not refer to it at all. Perhaps my Nan just popped it in there for some reason: I could not find the whole film that he went to see, but there is a trailer for you to enjoy. Having seen the trailer, I’m sure you’ll all be relieved that I did not find the whole thing! (image from IMDb)
This next letter is dated 12 May 1942, so a gap of four months from the last letter I posted here. I don’t have any letters for those “missing” months. It was written on board ship, presumably HMT Windsor Castle, as it sailed to Bombay, India, where they arrived on the 16th. The DRAMA records their departure from the UK thus: “On 19 Mar the regt entrained at Bromley South and East Croydon en route to Gourock on R Clyde. Arrived at 1200 hrs on the 20th and embarked by tenders in HMT L10 Windsor Castle at 1500 hrs. The convoy was one of the largest to have left UK and was escorted by a battleship, an aircraft carriers and a cruiser, besides auxiliary cruisers, flak ships and 12 destroyers. The regt was sharing the ship with 1 Y&L and during the voyage the two units shared their skills. On 6 Apr the convoy called at Freetown, Sierra Leone, for fuel and water and on the 7th the GOC and his complete staff visited the ship. On 9 Apr the ship sailed at 1130 hrs.” Would I be correct in thinking this was convoy WS 17? HMT Windsor Castle was sunk by a torpedo from a German aircraft in the Med on 23rd March 1943. It’s ironic that two ships that took Wally to war were both later sunk. The Fenella took him to France in 1939 and was lost at Dunkirk, and then the ship that took him to India in 1942 is torpedoed in 1943. Amongst other things he writes about here, you will see his pride for the Royal Navy - national pride doubtless, but I wonder if also, as a Dunkirk veteran, he had a new found admiration for the Navy and the crews that had saved him and his mates. An admiration that a pongo had, perhaps, not previously held… I’d not failed to notice the stains on the pages, of course, and the letter goes on to explain what they are - I’m not ashamed to admit to feeling a little emotional when I realised what I was touching. Or, rather, who. I’m a soppy old sod. He writes, quote: “12/5/42 DVR. W. Gatty 750930 D TROOP. 368/92nd Field Regt RA C/O Army Post Office 1850. My Dearest Elsie, I hope you are all well at home as it leaves me fine, but all of a sweat, and getting worse every day, as in a few days time we shall be running into port at the end of the voyage and a good job too, because it was getting a bit monotonous, and the food has not been so good as it was when we first started. But I am very glad to say that we have had a very nice voyage, with nice weather, and nobody interfered with us, which is saying something, considering the thousands of miles we have travelled, and shows that our Navy is still on top. By the way dear you will find these sheets a bit grubby, well that is due to the sweat dripping off my face on to the paper as I write, so I can’t help it, and I have to keep stopping to wipe my face and hands. I might tell you that I have come to the place where Mum said I was going, do you remember. * I wonder if you have got the news yet of our last stop as some were sent off by one of the canteens* (* Martin note - I’m not 100% sure this word is “canteens”) there, along with a post-card after we had left, so you should have them by now and it shows you what a nice place it is. My photo I had done on the sea-front in the amusement park, and the car you see belonged to the owner of the photographers. ** By the way dear that place at night was a lovely sight as it was all lit up, although they called it a semi-blackout. I should like to see it with full lights on. I also had a ride in a Ricksha, [sic] that is a two wheeled cart (CENSORED) but I was not struck on it as it was too slow, and when he trotted, you were simply jogged up and down. I preferred a trolley-Bus or Bus which was far more comfortable and was also free to troops, whereas a Ricksha cost you a 1/- a mile. Several chaps got in with people who took them home and for car rides, but we were not so lucky, so we (Tom, Fred and I) kept to ourselves. *** I didn’t tell you did I that oranges were 2’ each, apples 2’, grapes 6’ a lb and bananas 6’ a dozen. **** A couple of days before we left a load of Aussies arrived and immediately all the pubs shut down, you can guess why. ***** Altogether we had 8 days there, 6 of which I had ashore, the other two being spent on guard so I can’t grumble. On the journey out here I have seen several kinds of fish among them being Porpoises, Flying Fish and (Sharks), or rather the only part of the shark seen is a dirty brown fin cutting through the water. Well dear as I said just now we shall soon be in port so shall be able to tell you more in the next letter. I am getting quite excited at the thought of getting a letter from you which shouldn’t be long now. Have you started work yet, as I am wondering if you were keeping your word. How is Billy keeping as I expect he is quite settled now and that you have seen him, and don’t forget to let me have his address. Also I hope Fran is still going strong, also Mum and Eddie. Well dear about that extra 3/6 a week I can’t do anything till we get settled as the office hasn’t been notified yet so don’t worry. Well darling I wonder when we shall be all together again, soon I hope love, as I have just about had a belly-full. Jerry is beginning to crack up, and when he does it will soon be over and that can’t be quick enough for me, as I shall soon be sweating myself away. ****** Well darling I will close now till next letter so Cheerio Love From Your Ever Loving Husband Wally. XXXXXXXXX For Nibs XXXXXXX PS. Remember me to Neighbours and give Pops a nice big kiss for me. Keep your chin up. XXX” Unquote. * a not so sneaky way to let my Nan know where he was, I’ll wager, but clearly it got past the censor. ** I think that the photo he refers to may well be this one, there’s certainly a car in it. I also strongly suspect the others in this photo (left and centre) are the Tom and Fred he mentions. Sadly I’ve no clue as to their surnames. If he is also talking about another, separate, photo that he “had done”, it could possibly be this one, the classic WW2 portrait: *** this was South Africa. Quite honestly, I wouldn’t know if rickshaws operated there, but the Regiment did call at Durban on its way to India and I’ve also read before that South African families hosted many of our service men and women wonderfully well. Here is the relevant extract from the DRAMA, confirming their stay from 22 April to 1 May: “On 13 Apr the ship crossed the line, with appropriate ceremony and on 22 Apr arrived at Durban. From 23 to 30 Apr there were route marches every morning and for the rest of the day the troops were allowed ashore. The people of Durban were most hospitable and fleets of cars waited to take troops for tours of the district and to lovely homes where they were generously entertained. 5 Inf Div, with two of its bdes, were destined for Madagascar but 15 Inf Bde was to sail on to India. On 1 May the ship sailed for Bombay and arrived there on 16 May.” **** I don’t know if this is pence or shillings, as “d” was the usual symbol for pence, as I recall, but a shilling was “/-“. Here he seems to suffix each number with ‘. Given war time prices, it could be either I guess. ***** this did make me laugh. Clearly the Aussies’ reputation preceded them! ****** that ever present optimism again. If only he’d known there were still three long hard years ahead, three long hard years away from Elsie and the kids. HMT Windsor Castle: Her last moments, 1943: (images from https://www.bandcstaffregister.com)
