From the home of Santa, best seasons wishes to one and all forum members. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
Wishing all the members of this wonderful forum a splendid Xmas and a Happy & Healthy 2019 . With my very best regards Ron
Merry Christmas everyone - my Christmas will be a very "chilly" 38C/100F (perfect beer weather!!) Looking forward to everyone's post throughout 2019.
Merry Christmas everyone ! Finally finishing work and off to the Pub ! I've posted this here before but here's my Dad's letter home from Korea, Christmas 1950 Boxing day ‘50 Hello Darling, Had a nice Xmas ? I hope you have. I got drunk proper on Xmas Eve and suffered for it yesterday. I was on guard last night too. I didn’t have my stocking filled Xmas Eve (except with my foot, I got into bed with them on) but we had tea in bed at Reveille served to us by the Sgts. I didn’t get up for breakfast and only just managed to rise for dinner. We had pork, turkey, apple sauce, tinned veg and dehydrated spuds. Of course the old pudding was there and any amount of beer. We also got fifty fags as a gift. For tea we had different kinds of fruit, jelly, cake and mincepies. There was a sing-song in the evening but I was out in a slit trench on guard. Still it wasn’t a bad guard and it didn’t get cold till three. I came off stag at eight, had a lie down till ten and went for a kick about with the ball. A kid out of our room has spent Xmas in the guard room. He let off his rifle in this room on Xmas Eve. The bullet went through the floor into the Officers Mess and just missed the Mess Sergeant. The kid said he didn’t know it was loaded. He’s got seven days Field Punishment. He’ll look in future to see if it is loaded. Another bit of excitement over Xmas was the Sgts Quarters catching fire. The roof caught alight and we were all dragged out to help put it out. As the place is joined to the cookhouse we all dashed to save the Xmas dinner. We dashed all over the place looking for cans of water and my car commander, Taffy Watkins, cursed like anything because he couldn’t find a can of petrol in mistake for water. We managed to put it out, though after making sure that plenty of water went over the RSMs kit.
Merry Christmas and best wishes to all. Been looking through war diaries of 5th Camerons to see what they were up to in 42,43,44 and 45. came across a Christmas greeting of sorts from Monty to the 8th Army.
I offer you the best and worst of Christmases during the war: The 1/4th Essex spent Christmas 1942 at El Adem, close to Ed Duda, the site of an historic fight by the 1st Essex exactly a year before. "It was the least pleasant of all wartime Christmases," said Major Beckett, "owing to a shortage of N.A.A.F.I. supplies." But this was only one of many causes. All felt disappointed to be lying inactive instead of taking part in the pursuit to Benghazi and beyond, and there was all the discomfort of a battle area without the moral stimulus of actual battle. "It was bitterly cold (even with five blankets if one could get them), water was extremely short, and the half-bottle of beer a head as the Christmas ration came as the final straw." Source: The Essex Regiment: 1929-1950 by Col. T. A. Martin M.B.E. Alternatively, just twelve months later: A day of feasting. The Brigade Commander attended services at 0800 and 0930 and visited companies at midday meal. A most successful Christmas with everybody in high spirits. Most men were of the opinion that this was the best Christmas they had spent since leaving home [three years earlier]. Source: WO 169/10208: War Diary--1/4 Essex Regiment (Jan-Dec 1943) To all of my friends and contributors here on the message board, may I wish you a festive season that partakes far more of the latter than the former. Happy Christmas.
Merry Christmas. 3RTR near Dinant in the Ardennes Christmas Day 1944. Dad: back row second from right.
Wishing all the forum members both old and new,a very happy Christmas and success in all your WW2 research / investigations throughout 2019. Graham.
