Saturday, 14 November 2009

Again a letter that portrays life during the Phoney War period and expalins why it was such an apt phrase for this opening period of the war in Western Europe. The main concern of the soldiers appears to be the letters and packages from home.

14/11/39

881937 Gnr. Faulkner
157 HAA Battery RA
53rd HAA Regt. R.A.
A.A.S.F.
British Expeditionary Force

Dear Edie,

This time I have three letters and a parcel to thank you for - 1 letter from Dad dated 7th, Edie's dated 5th and her letter included in parcel of 6th. It was a well thought out parcel and traveled well, too. A third of the cake has gone already and appreciated by myself and a few friends. By the way it arrived on the 12th.

Yesterday I collected 5 bags of parcels for the men but no letters. Maybe fog (I hope not worse) had possibly delayed them.

I still have not heard from Auntie Edie with the socks she is knitting but suppose as usual they are very busy!

I notice you are putting B.E.F. on my letters although I have always shown c/o A.P.O. Orders have now been issued that B.E.F. is now the correct address so you are right. I'm told that 'B.E.F.' was given out on the wireless, is that so?

The people in the office are now permitted to listen in to the news at 9.0pm on the officers' radio. I heard Winston Churchill the other night and thought his was a good speech. He returned in full all the mud slung at him by Hitler and his pals. As we don't get up to date newspapers the wireless does keep us in touch with home and other news. We also heard the Queen speak one evening followed by the English and French National Anthems.

The French and English soldiers then toasted the 'King' and 'Le President' in the café and infact wound up with a very convivial evening.

The French have now left the village and it seems quite deserted. All the same, it a change to have a drink and move about in comfort.

The weather remains quite fine and warm and as you can guess we have not moved from this place (11 words censored to the end of the paragraph)


As regards washing clothes and handkerchiefs. A woman in the village has been doing it for us but I must call and see her again soon as I have only one lot of laundry since arriving here. She charged 5 francs for washing 1 shirt, short pants and an under-vest. Not bad! I believe arrangements are being made now for our laundry to be done free of charge similar to the arrangement we had in England.

Dad 'chips' me about cups and plates but I'm sure he doesn't begrudge me a little extra comfort while there is a chance. Regarding church parades - we don't!

Have just been given the opportunity of having a bath so will finish up now in case I don't get a chance later.

Very many thanks again to Edie for the grand parcel and all of you for the newsy letters.

Am feeling very fit and have dodged the bad colds and coughs, flu etc, which others have had. It must be Anne's prayers!

Love to all and xxxxxx for Anne.

Frank
(Censor - Major Chivers)
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1 comment:

  1. Unknown10 August 2012 at 17:53

    Whilst at Vaudesencourt I was posted to a military hospital in Epernay for a first aid course. Whilst there I went into town one evening with some friends for a spree. We went into a cafe where there were other troops including some French soldiers. We had a bit of a barney with them. I was struck quite hard by one of the 'froggies", in fact he knocked me out. When I recovered at gone midnight, I managed to get back to the hospital OK. However, on entering the gates I was challenged by the Guard who arrested me for breaking the curfew of 10pm. Next day I was marched to the Commanding Officer who gave me ten days jankers. He said he would give me rifle drill but had no rifles (except the guards) so I was detailed two jobs:
    (1) Medical Orderly in the VD ward which consisted of three or four long tents in the grounds of the hospital. I had to serve milk and some tablets to the unfortunate guys, paying particular attention to a CSM in a little tent on his own. He was so upset, poor chap, and had the photos of his wife and baby in a frame next to his bed. A nice gentle sort of CSM a pity he had gone astray.
    (2) Twelve British soldiers were killed in a train crash near Espernay. Apparently they were something special on a secret mission! The '5th column' were blamed for the crash. I had to help in the rescue operation. Bringing bodies to a temporary mortuary which was a tent deep in the forest. There was just a wooden floor in the tent. I was detailed to guard the 12 bodies arranged in a circle on their backs. My job was to shake each body every 20 minutes by the feet to make sure no rats attacked them. It was officially an offence if the bodies had been damaged by the rats, looked upon as an insult to the King (King George VI) as these men were going to have a military funeral. I was put on duty at 7pm one night in January 1940 and not relieved from the mortuary guard until 7am next morning. I had just an oil lamp in the pitch dark and about 2am I saw something white approaching through the gloom. A big white cat. I could hear the rats scampering around but I did my job thoroughly. When I went into the tent about the second time one body started moving to a sit-up position! It was rigor mortis. I nearly froze on the spot. I think that is why I feel the cold so much now at nearly 88 years of age! After completing the first aid course I returned to my unit at Vaudesencourt.

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