An Englishman at War

by James Holland

  I shall have to ring up tomorrow and find out if Henry has heard anything. Captain Frank Bowler of the Greys, who is adjutant here, is Henry’s brother-in-law. I didn’t see him this evening but I did hear that he was very worried.

  I sent all my photographs home via Heathershore. I shall be most annoyed if they have gone to the bottom of the sea.

  Mussolini had not warned his Axis partner, Adolf Hitler, that he intended to invade Greece, but nonetheless this was what he did, giving the new theatre priority over North Africa. Hitler, who was with Mussolini in Florence at the time, was furious. Of more immediate concern to many of the Sherwood Rangers, however, was the sinking of the Empress of Britain, the 42,348-ton flagship of the Canadian Pacific Steamship Company. At around 9.20 a.m. on 26 October, as she was sailing some seventy miles north-west of Ireland, she was spotted and attacked by a German Focke-Wulf Condor, a big, six-engine long-range bomber. The Empress was struck twice by bombs, and although there were initially few casualties, fires started to spread and at 9.50 a.m., the captain gave the order to abandon ship.

  Tuesday, 29 October

  It is certain that the colonel or (ex-colonel) and Lady Yarborough, Rona Trotter and Sydney Morris’s wife were on board the Empress of Britain. But we have heard no news yet. A priority cable has been sent by the War Office. If our sergeants were on the boat, including Heathershore, those who were in this regiment during the last war will have been through it twice: going out to Gallipoli in the last war they were torpedoed and lost every single horse, and only one man. This time it’s the Empress of Britain that has been bombed and sunk.

  Usual programme of work during the day.

  I wish there was more chance of getting exercise here. After dinner I went to a cinema in Sarafand. We saw Wallace Beery in a very good sea film. Sarafand seems to grow every day both in size and number of troops.

  Wednesday, 30 October

  During the morning we had a very excellent demonstration of concealment by Captain Court. We were taken onto an open field and within 50–80 yards nine Bren guns were so carefully concealed and cleverly that it was just impossible to spot their positions.

  Thursday, 31 October

  I went to dinner at HQ Sarafand, and both Mark and Donny were there. As I came into the mess I found two officers I had never seen before, one just out from England, by name Gunlan, another an SSM from the Greys commissioned to this regiment. I went and had a talk with Donny Player. He told me that Dandy Wallace had received a cable from the ex-colonel from Glasgow telling him that Toby, his wife, was missing from the Empress. He never mentioned anything about himself or the other wives.

  Dandy has been struck off the strength of this regiment and works at the force HQ Jerusalem. Donny told me that they had sent him down to us for a change and to get him out of the office.

  Both Donny and I are afraid that since the colonel didn’t mention any of the other wives it would probably mean that he knew something had happened to her, and had cabled him in this manner to lighten the shock. It really is most dreadful to think about. I have never met a more kind or charming woman. She was quite the salt of the earth and had waiting for her in England two of the sweetest kids alive.

  When I was in England, just before leaving Malton for Brocklesby, I got a bad kick in the stomach. Toby kindly had me to stay at their house, and made me terribly comfortable. I had never met her before and she could not have been kinder. The children are grand, especially the little girl, Jane.

  We can only hope for the best. So far Henry has not had a word from Rona, or Sydney from his wife Dorothy. It’s most disturbing for everybody.

  I had a long talk to Mark about our future. We are now to be made into an armoured division. We are to be a brigade under Joe Kingston, with the North Somerset Yeomanry and Yorkshire Hussars. These two regiments will be cruiser tanks and our regiment will be a motorized infantry battalion in the brigade. One brigade of horsed cavalry will remain including the Greys, Yorkshire Dragoons and another regiment. They apparently will go immediately to the Syrian frontier. The Household Cavalry and Royals will be mechanized.

  During the morning we had an excellent demonstration at the Jaffa ranges. We all fired the anti-tank rifle. We did some extra work during the afternoon.

  Today is Daddy’s birthday. How I wish we could have dined together at the Savoy.

  Friday, 1 November

  Usual routine during the morning. In the afternoon we had a rifle inspection followed by quite a good lecture on zeroing the rifle by Jack Finny.

  I had a twelve-page letter from Jean Morris written from Canada. While she was staying at Fenton, Michael was there on embarkation leave hence no letters.

  She had a terrible journey across the Atlantic all alone with the four children. The boat was terribly overcrowded and they ran into a full-scale hurricane. It was so bad that the children had to be on the floor on their backs all during the day.

  Saturday, 2 November

  After work in the morning I did some revision in preparation for the exam on Monday.

  Today we had confirmation that Toby Wallace had been killed by machine-gun bullets while leaving the Empress. It’s a terrible tragedy. Poor Dandy. What will he do without her? Why should it have been Toby? She was more like a saint than any other woman I have ever met. It’s upset us all terribly.

  The Empress did not sink after the initial attack and most of the crew and passengers managed to take safely to the lifeboats. A day later, two ocean-going tugs arrived to try to tow her back to port, but despite a destroyer escort, the Empress was attacked and hit by U-boat U-32. At 2.05 a.m. on 28 October, she sank off the coast of Donegal.

  Sunday, 3 November

  I left Tel Aviv early to return to Bir Salim as I wanted to do some work. The first part of the exam is on Monday: Hotchkiss gun and anti-tank rifle.

  As I drove up this morning I saw lone figures wandering about the field talking to themselves or to the trees. Everybody saying their lessons to themselves for the exam tomorrow. It really is like school again.

  Monday, 4 November

  Today we had the first part of the exam. You have to get 65 per cent for a pass and 95 per cent for a D (i.e. Distinction). Two tests on the Hotchkiss gun and one on the A/T rifle. Unfortunately I did not bargain on getting stoppages as one of the questions on the Hotchkiss. I put all my money on ‘Firing’ Lesson Three! And learned the whole thing by heart! But still I got 80 per cent on the whole thing and was second in the class. The next half of the course is Rifle and Bayonet.

  I sent a cable to the Yarboroughs and Rona Trotter congratulating them on their escape from the Empress of Britain. I also wrote to Dandy.

  Tuesday, 5 November

  The second half of the course started today and I have been moved to another squad, this time all officers and no NCOs. Quite an amusing collection.

  One of the students, an officer from an Indian regiment, has been recalled to his regiment in Egypt. It looks as though they may be going off to Greece. The Greeks appear to be doing wonderful work, and pushing on into Albania with tremendous drive.

  Guy Fawkes Day today, who would have thought it?

  Today I sent off all my Christmas cards, 20 in all. I only hope they will all arrive in time.

  Friday, 8 November

  One of the instructor officers from the Rifle Brigade thought we were so bad at thrusting the bayonet that he gave us an extra parade this afternoon, much to our wrath and the wrath of our instructors as we all agreed that we were trying like hell!

  Two letters today, one from Mummy and the other from Ione Barclay that was, now Ione Cassell. Both letters dated 20 September. Mother said that London was most uncomfortable with all these raids and that she had been without sleep for a week. She had now gone down to spend a few days with Daddy at Shaftesbury. Dad she told us was very much better, which was a great relief.

  Ione answered three letters of mine written in May and June so it shows how long it takes to get an answer.
Most extraordinary thing, Ione writes most regularly, and all her letters are most sentimental and loving. She told me in one that she has always been in love with me, and if I had asked her to marry me she certainly would have. Of course I have known her for simply years but I have never made love to her or even kissed her. That’s probably the reason why. I am very fond of her and she is a sweet kid. I don’t know this fellow Cassell, whom she has married.

  In the evening I dined with Donny Player and George Massey-Smith at the Gat Rayman Hotel Tel Aviv. George was on this course having come up from the Western Desert. He is in the 7th Hussars. He has seen quite a lot of active service in Egypt, and I understand has done very well. His squadron leader was killed in the very next tank. Donny sent me back here in his car. It was beautiful, and the moon shining through the gum trees and over the buildings of Bir Salim made a beautiful picture. The peace and stillness made me think how wonderful this world of ours can be.

  Saturday, 9 November

  London still continues to be bombed. Chamberlain is gravely ill. Hitler made a speech in which he said Germany would fight to the end. Turin was bombed by the RAF from England. So was Munich. British troops have arrived in Crete and the Greeks are standing firm.

  Sunday, 10 November

  A very enjoyable day. Michael Laycock came over and picked me up and we went to the Jaffa club and had a game of squash. The first game since I left England. I beat Michael 4–1 and thoroughly enjoyed it. Afterwards we had a bathe. The Jaffa club is certainly a lovely spot; I have not been there since we were at Jaffa in about March or April quelling the riots.

  In the afternoon and evening I did some work in preparation for the exam next week.

  15,000 people have been killed through air raids in England since the war began. Not much news on the wireless this evening, except that Chamberlain passed away this morning. He must have died disappointed, but universally he was regarded as a most upright, sincere, hard-working man. I was at Winchester with his son Frank, a charming person. Winston Churchill is an old man. He is nearly 70 and one wonders what would happen if he suddenly went out.

  Tuesday, 12 November

  Three letters arrived from Daddy, one written on 16 September, another on the 20th, and finally the 27th. London is getting very scarred but the morale and spirits of the people are quite wonderful. Chelsea appears to have had it in the neck particularly badly.

  I really am starting to work hard now for this damned exam.

  Thursday, 14 November

  Working all day. They certainly make us work here and there’s plenty of it. But it’s interesting. I am trying to get a D.

  Saturday, 16 November

  This morning we had an oral exam on rifle and bayonet. We were first required to give an introduction speech on the rifle. That went off all right, then two lessons on the rifle to criticize; one was all right, the other not so good and finally a lesson on the bayonet to criticize, which was not so hot. I would much rather give a lesson than criticize, like the Hotchkiss exam.

  Jack Fany, officer instructor from the Rifle Brigade, told us that our results were disappointing and that we had all got about 70 per cent, one under. We don’t know our individual percentages yet. I am disappointed – I thought I’d got about 80 per cent.

  Sunday, 17 November

  News came through on the wireless that Coventry had had one of the worst air raids of the war: 1000 casualties. London had also had a bad one.

  Great surprise: I learned that I got 84 per cent for the practical exam on rifle and bayonet, which was top of the squad.

  The bombing of Coventry particularly shocked Britain because it was the first time the centre of a British town had been so comprehensively destroyed, including the cathedral. In fact, 568 people were killed, but 4300 homes were reduced to rubble and two-thirds of the city’s buildings damaged. Around one-third of Coventry’s factories were also destroyed.

  Monday, 18 November

  Written exam for the first two hours during the morning. I liked the questions, of which there were five, except one, and I hope to get 80 per cent on that paper.

  Tuesday, 19 November

  We had a demonstration by two aircraft of planes attacking troops. They showed us high bombing, medium bombing and dive-bombing. The planes they used were old Lysanders and did not really give a true picture of the tremendous speed of the German dive-bombers.

  We had our farewell speech from the CO, who expressed the hope that we had learned something and would pass on what we had learned to our units.

  My total percentage was 86 per cent, which to my mind was very satisfactory. You have to get 90 per cent for a D.

  Wednesday, 20 November

  The course officially ended today. It’s been great fun, but real hard work. I don’t think I have worked so hard since leaving Winchester. I had a fond farewell with all my friends, especially Bill Ryder, the New Zealander, and ‘Guns’ Downing in the artillery. Both were charming persons. A lorry came to fetch me about 10 o’clock. I arrived at RHQ Sarafand just as Bob Knight was about to leave for Jaffa station to return to England, so with Donny and others I went to the station to see him off. I think he felt sad at going and we shall all miss him; he was a great quarter master, but at the end I am afraid the job was too much for him. Dandy Wallace was on the train. The shock of losing poor Toby seems to have knocked him up. He is only going home for the children’s sake.

  Thursday, 21 November

  A very long day. Stephen and I went on the Jaffa ranges from 8 o’clock until 3.30 in the afternoon. An order has come from Brigade that all men who have not so far fired the Hotchkiss gun should do so. As a result we have had men coming on the range who have never seen the gun before. A huge waste of time and ammunition.

  Stephen and I had our lunch out there. Actually it was a beautiful day and not too hot.

  Monday, 25 November

  Flash Kellett told me today that I was to be transferred to B Battery as second-in-command. That means I shall leave C, who I have been with since joining the Regiment. I shall simply hate leaving the men in my troop, they are such an excellent crowd, but I shall get back again when we are re-formed into mechanized squadrons. Basil Ringrose is my new battery commander. Flash was most decent, and said that he was transferring me because he wanted some greater drive in that battery, which I suppose was a compliment.

  Tuesday, 26 November

  I had a cable from Rona Trotter in answer to mine congratulating her on her escape after the Empress of Britain had been bombed and sunk.

  Life at the moment is most hectic. Each morning I motor over to Bir Salim with Stephen and four NCOs to do a course on the Bren. In the afternoon we are lecturing to our cadre class.

  At 6.30 I have to take another lecture on the anti-tank rifle. It is done by means of a cinema, which is rather a good idea.

  Sunday, 1 December

  Fancy, Christmas is almost here. The weather now is perfect. Sunshine all day but not too hot.

  Today Donny Player, Lawrence Biddle, Stephen Mitchell, Jack Abdy and I went on a trip to Ashkelon. The ruins there are most interesting. In the evening I did some work on the Bren gun and prepared lectures for tomorrow.

  Monday, 2 December

  I have been made an acting, unpaid, first lieutenant and have been posted to B Battery as second-in-command. The same has happened to Lawrence while he is acting adjutant. So now we wear two pips. It is certainly a step in the right direction, as we have gone over the heads of about five other junior officers. I can’t complain but I wish I could go back to C Battery now, especially the men in my troop, and even more so Corporal Lee, now Sergeant. It’s rather annoying that I shall have to leave this cadre class of NCOs. Stephen will continue to run that now.

  Thursday, 5 December

  In the evening Stephen and I made out the examination paper, which they will get on Saturday afternoon. After dinner I discussed the paper with Sydney and the colonel.

  Before leaving for Bir Salim th
is morning I inspected the cadre class before they went on the square under Sergeant London.

  Before the inspection I put my lighted pipe in the pocket of my trousers. While inspecting I smelt a very funny smell, and looking down, much to my consternation, I found that my shorts were alight. I managed to hide the fact from the squad, which I considered a jolly good effort on my part and most noble.

  Friday, 6 December

  It has come out in regimental orders that we can send a letter home by airmail consisting of one thin page, free, which will arrive in time for Christmas. I wrote one off to the family.

  Monday, 9 December

  It really is great fun being battery commander, and being in sole charge here. The whole battery has to be trained in the Bren gun, so we have a busy time before us. I gave a lecture on fire orders in the morning and another on the Bren in the afternoon. The colonel paid a visit in the afternoon and stayed for tea.