28 October 1939

Frank finished the letter he started on 27 October 1939 on 28 October 1939.  he provides some insights in to daily life and work in France for a British soldier in 1939.  I posted his letter on my blog in 2009 so scroll down to find it.

The 157th HAA Battery Diary records the following:

Villers-Marmery 28/10/1939 0800 Position at AIGNY abandoned and position at JUVIGNY which is east of V.P. in course of preparation.  Billets in VAUDESINCOURT inspected and arrangements made to take them over from French Air Force a.m. 30/10/39 - Billets here very good - Billets in AIGNY empty houses and barns - fair.  Impossible to move to billets in JUVIGNY as whole village occupied by French troops.

The 53rd HAA Regiment was well away from the rest of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) which was further north in France.  The Regiment was assigned to protect the airfields of the Advanced Air Striking Force which were located around Reims, hence they had greater interaction with French soldiers.