117637 Lieut. H. Guy.
Leicestershire Regt.
B.W.E.F.
29 June 44.
Letter 1. 4.0. p.m.
Here is the first letter from France.
It will be simplest if I give it in diary form. First of all, many happy returns of the day if this gets home before the 1st; I don't suppose it will though, because. I understand letters at the moment are taking about 9 days.
Mon. 26 June.
Started from Reinforcement Camp at A- at about 1030 and marched in rain, with a band, to the station. Train started midday, and two hours later arrived at the port where we embarked. This was only about 3 miles (or less) from my last station before I went to the Reinforcement Camp. We got onto L.C.I.(Landing Craft Infantry), and I bought some Mars bars on the quay before leaving. That evening steamed out and rode at anchor for 4 hours about 11/2 miles out to sea. Went to bed after talking in Ward-room till about 11.30 p.m.
Tues. 27 June. Scarcely any sleep because of lashing of propellers all night, and stink of oil; also ship rolling, so didn't get up till 1 o'clock in the afternoon.
When I did, felt sick, but had had no break-fast or lunch. Came up from below at about 2.30 And could see coast of Normandy and masses of shipping. We stopped about 2 miles out waiting turn to unload. All round ships were as thick as files; I gave up counting at 135. Sat on deck in sun. Myriads of balloons floating over beaches and
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a few of our planes about. Signal lamps winking to shipping from naval station in bombed house on shore. We ran in to improvised jetty at about 5.30 p.m. and dumped heavy kit near beach. Saw truckload of German prisoners here. Marched along road from beach (Achtung - Minen; attention - mines,' on both sides), through V-s - M- and C-, with bag of Mars bars. Villages were bashed about by Navy. Inhabitants look grey and dirty, but buildings very well built of grey stone. Passed church (picture in Daily Mail) that had held sniper. Out of villages into open fields, and stopped just north of village called T-. Here we were to spend night before being sent to here. Our area for the night was edge of wheat strip on some rough. previous troops had built slit trenches,
and we chucked some Kale-haulms in for softness. Our kit was not brought up from beaches, so I put on gas-cape (windproof and almost airtight) for warmth, and wrapped head in towel (if head is warm rest of you is) and got as much sleep as I could, using life-belt (which had not yet been handed in) as pillow. The country from here looked quite English - rolling, woods and corn, and stone church spires above the trees.
Wed. 28 June. Got up at about 8.0. Coldish, but sun shining. Washed and shaved as best I could in my mug(!)standing in slit trench. Actually these trenches were not necessary ; I haven't seen a German plane yet. Ate breakfast
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from 24 hour ration pack. Rest of morning lay in corn waiting for trucks to bring us here. Sun scorching hot and face got very sore. Took off boots and socks to rest my feet, and basked. At about 2 o'clock troop carriers arrived. Got on them and came by roads and lanes to here. Rode in cab of my vehicle and was nearly boiled alive. Arrived here about 5.0. after many halts and jams. The other officer from the Leicesters and I were sent down the road from the H.Q. to this sub-unit We were given some tea, and are in a tent with 5 others; we are camped round the edges of a field, with a stream nearby. That's the news as far as last night. I'll write letter 2 later giving the news of today. We get scarcely any news here, so could you send me a weekly newspaper, e.g. the Times Weekly Edition, which gives the week's news in one paper. I don't know how long I shall be here. If they are just building up I hope for some time. It's just like a camping holiday this time we're not pestered with German planes. At night, though, if you look South, the sky flashes and rumbles with artillery.
Writing again later.
Letter 2. Same address.
29 June. 44.
Read letter 1 before you open this.
I am writing them separately so that I can say more less obviously.
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Some time ago you bought 2 books for 4d. each and had than bound. In the first of these, dealing with the time of Guy of Credan, a place is probably named fairly often. We are about a mile north of that, if you can guess where the place is. Has Bun finished the embroidery on the table cloth yet? Don't let her forget the picture of 'Hic Est Hugo Wido', if she hasn't.
I shall be at the address already given until further notice, so write to that when you do.
Thursday. 29 June. This morning walked into the Place hoping to get a bath. Very old-fashioned. Baths were full, with quite a lot waiting, so came away and bought some postcards in a shop;
I even jabbered a bit of French. If I can collect a set of the postcards will try to send them home for you to keep for me. Also visited the local church - dates from Norman times judging by the arches in the nave. Came back at about 11.30.a.m. and had lunch here, and have been sitting about and writing ever since.
Rained a bit this afternoon, but am in a tent. Am now sitting by the edge of a pond.
That is all the news up to 4.45 p.m. today, and tea has just been called, so I'll close down.
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Letter 3. 32. R.H.U.
101 Reinforcement Group
B.W.E.F.
1 July 44.
8.30.p.m.
Many. happy returns of today, mamma; perhaps before Phoebe's birthday comes round this will all be over. At least everyone seems confident enough to say that September will see the end of the European war.
Notice the change of address. The group of Leicesters has come to this R.H.U. Reinforcement Holding Unit) because the other one was overflowing.
Now for the days:-
Fri. 30. June. Yesterday evening it poured. The sky quickly became covered with a brown heavy cloud, fairly low, and coming in from the west. If someone had said it was a gas cloud we shouldn't have been surprised.
Suddenly it started to rain, and came down in buckets. Our tent was a foot below ground level inside as protection against bomb-splinters (if any), so the rain chose to rush in through the door. My bed of course had to be next to the door. It didn't get wet, though, because I held a mess-tin under the Gulfoss while another officer built a Siegfried Line of mud across the entrance, and the bailing and building eventually did the trick.
Today I did little but moon about in the morning. At two o'clock (after lunch)
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we were told we were moving to this R.H.U. because the old one was bursting;
It is about one mile further north than the old one, so it wasn't far to march. But it means we are a little further from the Centres of Civilization. I came ahead to get the tentage organized at this end, and then went back to guide the rest in. We are in what would be an orchard if the trees were fruit-trees, i.e., they are in rows wide enough to fit tents between. It is very low-lying (near a stream - almost stagnant in parts- with water-lilies in it) and the ground will get parched very quickly. Nearby is a farm where lashings of butter can be bought. In Normandy cheese and butter are unrationed, I should think it makes Daddy green with envy. At any rate, it provides a pleasant change from tinned this, tinned that, and tinned the other. The tents are not dug in here - but then there is no need; the German planes keep off.
During the evening our ack-ack opened up at a Spitfire. It was totally black without any white stripes and we thought it was being flown by a German who thought he could spy on the beaches etc. by means of a trick.
At about 8 p.m. masses of Fortresses and Lancasters with escorting fighters flew over our heads. There must have been 300 bombers. 5 minutes later they were flying back towards England. The column must have been 6 miles long and a mile wide; I've never seen so many together before. The wireless says
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that an area the size of the Arsenal football ground near Villers Bocage was bombed - probably a tank harbour.
Sat. 1 July. Today we were paraded and told the rules and regulations of this new R.H.U., and after that, at about 10.30.,
I walked to the centre of civilization for a bath. I had to wait for my turn, but it was quite pleasant, because the centre of the quadrangle that we were in was a garden, and one side was a wall, one the house, and the other two the baths. The baths (9 in number) are like loose boxes, and inside is a cross between a Greek helmet and a coal-scuttle i.e. the bath; the taps are in the shape of ducks' heads, and if you turn them so that they look at you the water runs in, and if you turn them away it doesn't. The baths are either iron with the copper showing through or copper with the iron showing through. At the junction of the two sides of the quadrangle is the boiler house. The buildings are stone, and look about 100 years old - not 1000 as you may have thought. The garden has grass plots, oval in shape, and geraniums, so waiting was quite pleasant. Price - 15 francs, i,e. 1/6d., and it was a jolly good hot bath too in spite of the appearance of the place.
Later on I applied for a cash Advance Book, i.e., a cheque book, from the Field Cashier, and went into several shops. I bought a thing or two of interest which I shall send home so as to save lugging them about. I got two of each, and shall send them home in 2 packages on different days so that at least one package should get
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home safely. The reason is that the things are of interest to Daddy and me but no-one else:) and are very cheap - the most expensive one being 2/6d. - so I want to make sure I can get one while I can. When the packages arrive will you put them in a safe spot until I come home and remember where you have put them?
I'll send them early next week.
I then walked back to camp, and this afternoon have done little. The others have all gone out, and a drizzle has set in, so I think I shall go to bed soon. So you can picture me sitting on my bed at one end of the tent - a ridge tent - with the flaps up, and looking out on a wood of small saplings with a strewn over-grown with rushes and grass about 20 yards away, and a drizzle coming down. On the far side of the stream two calves are tethered.
Remember the change of address and to put my parcels on one side. Tomorrow is Sunday so we don't getup early. By the way, if you are thinking of sending any parcel to me could it include the following:-
(a) Some envelopes eventually. I have enough for now.
(b) Some brown paper for sending oddments.
(c) Nothing heavy.
By the way, postage to me is 1 1/2 d. not 21/2 d.
N.B. If you save these it will save my writing a diary - which I should never keep up anyway after a week.
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12th Parachute Battalion.
B.W.E.F.
4 July. 44
Letter 4. 10.0. p.m.
As you see I have been posted again; the address may shock you, but you need not worry, it is only a temporary attachment while the paratroops are being used as infantry in the line. When they are taken out and re-formed we shall get posted elsewhere to infantry. I hope I can get back to a battalion of the Leicesters; when you are detached from your regiment you get shot from pillar to post.
Sun. 2 Ju1y. We got up for breakfast at about 9.0. a.m. today. At 10.50. two of us went to a lecture at a nearby H.Q. giving us the situation in the bridgehead, and things seemed to be going; very satisfactorily. The sun was shining today for a change, When I got back to camp I brushed up my German until lunch-time. From lunch till tea I lay on my bed and tried to sleep, and from tea till supper. In the evening I changed my clothes, and that was all I did all day!
Mon. 3 July. At 9.15. a.m. today we two from the Leicesters and two other officers were told we were to be ready to move to this and other airborne units at 10.15; so we had an hour to get ready. We paraded at 10.15 - it was drizzling - and waited in the field until 12.30 when we went back and got a meal from the R.H.U. At about 1.15 the transport to take us arrived and we set off. At about 4.15. we arrived after a slow journey owing to
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the traffic on the roads. I can't say where I am of course, but it is due east of where I was, as the crow flies We debussed near a cross-roads after passing a stretch of road signed 'Keep moving south or you will go west - Jerry can see you'. they had put up screens alongside the road to block his view of the traffic. We then hiked about 1/2 miles to an open field, where the General greeted (!) us with about 6 words. We were then split up into our units, and here I left the Leicester officer who had been with me since I was posted to Seaford. At the unit we were fed and given items of equipment we hadn't got. I got to bed at about 11. p.m., and although the unit was back in the rest area couldn't get to sleep owing to the incessant gunfire; nothing landed near us though.
Tues. 4 July. Reveille was at 5.0. a.m. today, so I got up eventually at 5.45. It was so early because we were moving forward to the line. I got my kit organized to take as little as possible and leave the bulky stuff behind, and at 8. a.m. left in a jeep with the C.0. and another officer for my platoon area, to see it before the platoon arrived. The platoon I have been given is composed to a large extent of Welshmen! When the platoon arrived I took the area over from the outgoing platoon. It is a farmyard and orchard, previously occupied by the Germans judging by their kit left behind in the outbuildings. One or two of the paratroops are driving captured
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