I Section 23rd AA Battery RA 8th AA Regt. RA (SR) Year 1940 - France - Transferred to 79th AA Regt. RA 6th March 1940/4?

Landed in France 29th December 1939
In Action 12 noon 27th December 1939
War for Freedom 1939/1940
Left home 28th November 1939

Firing Party 2?th February 1940 Military Funeral
Firing Party 29th February 1940 Military Funeral
Firing Party 27th March 1940 Military Funeral

Easter Monday night our Section loses its first man since we came out - Gunner F. E. Hill, killed on Active Service, a good man & chum gone West - Loved by all in his Section

Sent Etta New Years Card & David a Postal Order for his birthday - Parcel from home - sent Etta two little handkerchiefs
St. Patrick's Night in France, Toasts Shamrock & Ireland

JANUARY

January 1 Monday
Heavy Snow. On 24 hrs Guard Duty. Thinking of home, wife & kids
January 2 Tuesday
Mail from Home. 12 hrs Gun Duty. Heavy Snow. Wrote letter home.
January 3 Wednesday
Heavy Snow Storm. 12 hrs in Gun Station. thinking of home.
January 4 Thursday
Mail from home, all well. Heavy Snow. Wrote letter home, thoughts on home. 12 hrs Action Station.
January 5 Friday
Snow Storm. 24 hrs Guard Duty. Very cold. thinking of home
January 6 Saturday
Mail from home, all well. Wrote letter home. Stop snowing, heavy frost. 12 hrs Duty
January 7 Sunday
Heavy Frost. Church Service. Wrote home, still love them all. Freezing. 14 hrs Duty
January 8 Monday
4th AA Regt Loses 4 men killed in Action by enemy plane. Heavy snow.
January 9 Tuesday
Air Raid Warning, enemy planes 5 miles away, chase away by R.A.F. Snow & Frost. 24 hrs Duty
January 10 Wednesday
Mail from home, all well, thinking of home. 12 hrs Duty
January 11 Thursday
Writing letter for home. Heavy snow. 14 hrs Duty
January 12 Friday
Heavy snow & frost. Guard duty 24hrs. thinking of home, wife & kiddies.
January 13 Saturday
Gun stationer 12 hrs. Mail from home, I love them all. 14hrs Duty.
January 14 Sunday
Gun Station 12 hrs. Church Service. Still snowing & very cold
January 15 Monday
Heavy Snow & Rain. 14hrs Gun Stations. thoughts on home
January 16 Tuesday
Freezing. Mail from home. Thinking of home. 12hrs Duty
January 17 Wednesday
Wrote letter for home. 12 hrs Gun Stations. Thinking of home
January 18 Thursday
Free all day. Thinking of home
January 19 Friday
Gun Stations 12 hrs. Thinking of home
January 20 Saturday
Guard Duty 24 hrs. Mail from home
January 21 Sunday
Gun Station 12 hrs. Church Station. Raining. 14hrs Duty
January 22 Monday
Raining. Gun Station 12 hrs. thinking of home.
January 23 Tuesday
Mail from home. Wrote letter home. 14 hrs Gun Station.
January 24 Wednesday
Gun Stations 12 hrs. 12 hrs Guard Duty. Raining.
January 25 Thursday
Raining. 12 hrs Gun Stations 13 hrs
January 26 Friday
Gun Stations 12 hrs. Raining. thoughts on home. Mail late
January 27 Saturday
Mail from home, all well. Wrote letter home. thoughts on home. 12 hrs Duty
January 28 Sunday
Church Service. Gun Stations 14 hrs Duty. Raining
January 29 Monday
Guard Duty 24 hrs. Raining & Foggy. thinking of home.
January 30 Tuesday
Raining. Gun Stations 12 hrs. Mail did not arrive
January 31 Wednesday
Mail from home, all well. Writing letter for home. Gun Stations 12 hrs

Summary
Bought Presents For Home. Parcels from home. Parcel from Peggy & Larry

I Section - India - 1942 - 23rd Battery
on back - To Etta Eva Dave Ginge with Love hugs kisses from Davie xxxxx

FEBRUARY

February 1 Thursday
Rifle Drill in Morning for Scotties' Funeral. Half day off. Bought David's birthday card & got photo took. Raining & Foggy. Mail late. Scottie Dale landed in France 30th January 1940. Killed in Action 31st January. 1 day in France  He gave his all, his life.
February 2 Friday
Mail arrived. Letter & two papers, all well at home. Scottie Dale buried with Military Honours. In the Firing Party. Wrote home, send David's card
February 3 Saturday
Mail Late, did not arrive. Posted David's birthday card & photos/ 8 hrs on Gun Stations. Weather sunny & fine. Inspection officers Command. Thinking of home.
February 4 Sunday
off duty. Church Parade. Started letter for home, mails late. mails arrived, paper but no letter, thinking of home.
February 5 Monday
12 hrs Guard duty. 12 hrs Action Stations. Visit by member of Royal Family, Duke of Gloucester & Commander in Chief. No mail. thinking of home.
February 6 Tuesday
No mail. Football match with K Section 1-1 each.  Barb wiring. thinking of home. 6 hrs Duty
February 7 Wednesday
13 hrs Actions Stations. No mail. Raining. thinking of home.
February 8 Thursday
Two letters two parcels from home, all well. Weather fine. Wrote home. 12 hrs Duty.
February 9 Friday
David's birthday. 13 hrs Action Stations. Weather fine. thinking of home.
February 10 Saturday
Letter & Paper from home. Weather fine. 5 hrs Gun Stations. Army Concert in Canteen. Wrote letter home. all well at home.
February 11 Sunday
12 hrs Action Stations. Church Service. Weather fine but very cold.
February 12 Monday
Thinking of home. 4 hrs Actions Station. 12 hrs Guard Duty. Started snowing.
February 13 Tuesday
Still snowing. 12 hrs Action Station. Cigs & letter from home, all well. Wrote letter home
February 14 Wednesday
Stop snowing but very cold. 2 hrs march. Inspection. Writing home. Thinking of home.
February 15 Thursday
13 hrs Gun Duty. Weather sunny but cold. Mail late, got parcel, 2 letters & papers from home, all well at home. thinking of home.
February 16 Friday
6 hrs Gun Stations. Wrote home, bought Evelyn a present. Heavy snow. Half day off. thinking of home.
February 17 Saturday
13 hrs Gun Stations. Heavy snow turning to rain, Mail late. Letter from home, all well. thinking of home.
February 18 Sunday
Church Service. Snow & rain, Wrote letter for home. thinking of home. on patrol with machine gun.
February 19 Monday
13½ hrs Gun Station. Rain, very foggy at night. Sent letter to Mr. & Mrs. Wilson & writing one for home. thinking of them all.
February 20 Tuesday
5 hrs Actions Stations. Very warm. Letter from home, all well. Writing home. thinking of home.
February 21 Wednesday
13½ hrs Action Stations. Very warm. Send Etta little handkerchief. Posted letter home. thinking of them all.
February 22 Thursday
4 hrs Action Stations. 24 hrs Guard Duty. Letter from home, all well. Very warm, turned to rain. thinking of them all at home, I love them all, God Bless them all.
February 23 Friday
13½ hrs Gun Stations. Very warm. Received papers from home. Wrote letter home. thinking of wife & kiddies, I love them all.
February 24 Saturday
6½ hrs Gun Stations. Sent Etta handkerchief. Very warm. Finished letter for home & posted it, Received everybody's from home. thinking of them all.
February 25 Sunday
13½ hrs Gun Stations. Clock goes forward, nights longer. Received no mail from home. thinking of them all at home. Very warm, little rain.
February 26 Monday
On duty at Head Quarters 9½ hrs. Very mild. Writing home, thinking of them all, I love them all.
February 27 Tuesday
13½ hrs Gun Stations. Got letters from home & two papers, letter from Peggs & cigs too. Wrote home, all well. thinking of them all.
February 28 Wednesday
4½ hrs Gun Stations. Writing letter for home. Very wet. Thinking of home.
February 29 Thursday
Mail from home. 13 hrs Gun Stations. Finished letter & posted it, all well at home. On patrol with M. C. Section.

India - 1942

MARCH

March 1 Friday
Very warm. 12 hrs Guard Duty. 13 hrs Gun Stations. Thinking of home.
March 2 Saturday
Letter from home & everybody's all well. Very Warm. 13½ hrs Gun Stations
March 3 Sunday
Very warm. Posted letter for home. Church Service. Football match, Service Corps. won 4-2. Thinking of home.
March 4 Monday
Weather very warm. Enemy planes. Thinking of home. 14 hrs Gun Duty.
March 5 Tuesday
4 hrs in Gun Stations. Letter from home. Weather warm. thinking on home.
March 6 Wednesday
Transferred to 79th Reg. Villerville. Very warm. Thinking of home.
March 7 Thursday
Weather very warm. Parcel & letter from home, all well. Thinking of them all. with M. C or G Section
March 8 Friday
Weather very warm. Writing letter home, thinking of them all at home.
March 9 Saturday
Very warm. Football Match drew 1-1 each with 9 or I or J Section. Thinking of home.
March 10 Sunday
Weather very warm. Letter from home & posted one for home, all well, Football Match beat 4-2 by French team.
March 11 Monday
Weather very warm. Football Match drew with H.G. Section 4-4 each. Thinking of home. All night guard. Came off guard.
March 12 Tuesday
Received letter from home, all well. Very wet
March 13 Wednesday
Route march. Very dry. thinking of home.
March 14 Thursday
Raining & snowing. Expecting letter from home, wrote home & a letter to Larry & Peggy. thinking of them all.
March 15 Friday
Very dry & warm. 2 letters & papers from home, all well. thinking of them all.
March 16 Saturday
Very warm. Wrote letter & posted it for home, thinking of home. Honfluer 7 HQ 2
March 17 Sunday
St. Patrick's Day. Very wet. Sing Song at Camp all Happy & thinking of home. This night will live in my memory Comarades. (Comrades)
March 18 Monday
Very warm. March 4½ hrs. Wrote home. thinking of them all.
March 19 Tuesday
Left Regt. for 3 days. Weather good. Wrote letter home. Thinking of home.
March 20 Wednesday
Weather good. Thinking of home. Bought two hankies.
March 21 Thursday
Weather good. Thinking of home. Wrote letter home. Bought George wee clogs.
March 22 Friday
Very dry but dull. Letter from home, Etta worried about getting no letters. Wrote home & posted it. Thinking of them all.
March 23 Saturday
Very dry but dull. 12 hrs Guard. Wrote letter home. Thinking of them all. George Formby with the Troops.
March 24 Sunday
Weather fine but dull. (Easter Sunday) Rejoined our Regt. after 5 days away from it. Got letter from Etta, all keeping well & wrote letter for home, thinking of them all.
March 25 Monday
(Easter Monday) Good weather. Wrote letter & received one from home. Football Match, played the Officers & won 9-1, thinking of home.
March 26 Tuesday
(Easter Tuesday) Weather very wet & frothing down. Lost our first man since we came out Last night. Thinking of home.
March 27 Wednesday
F. E. Hill Buried with Military Honours somewhere in France. Received letter & cigs from home, all well. Thinking of them all. Good weather
March 28 Thursday
Very wet & snowing. nothing doing all day. Wrote letter home. Thinking of them all. Bought Etta a little present.
March 29 Friday
Very dry but a strong wind blowing. Bought Evelyn a present. Received letter & Ulster from home, all well. Thinking of them all.
March 30 Saturday
Very stormy & wet. Received letter from home. Inspection for all the troop. Writing home, all well at home & thinking of them all.
March 31 Sunday
On 24 hrs Guard. Very cold & dry. Posted letter for home. Thinking of them all at home.

x - George Allen, Surrey

APRIL

April 1 Monday
Came off guard. Wrote letter for home & posted it. Thinking of home. Very cold & dry.
April 2 Tuesday
Got letter from home, all well. Wrote letter & posted it. Thinking of them all. Rain & Dull.
April 3 Wednesday
Very wet. Posted letter home. Busy all day getting ready to move. Thinking of them all at home.
April 4 Thursday
Transferred from 79th AA Regt. back to my own 8th AA Regt. at Abancourt. Thinking of home. Very wet.
April 5 Friday
Arrived at Abancourt. Very dry. Thinking of home. Very tired, all night journey. Thinking of home.
April 6 Saturday
Wrote letter home & posted it, Very dry. Long march to Camp. Thinking of home.
April 7 Sunday
First leave starts. Very wet. Thinking of home. on patrol all night.
April 8 Monday
Very warm. Received two letters from home, all well, thinking of them all.
April 9 Tuesday
Very warm. Wrote two letters home & posted them, thinking of home.
April 10 Wednesday
Very wet. Leave stopped. Thinking of home.
April 11 Thursday
Very wet. Got letter from home, all well. Wrote home, thinking of them all.
April 12 Friday
Very wet. Making new gun positions for our guns. Wrote home, thinking of them all. Going on guard.
April 13 Saturday
Finished 12 hr R.H.Q. Guard. Bitter cold all night & heavy rain. Thinking of home. Nearly dead with the cold after guard.
April 14 Sunday
Church Service. Got 2 letters & parcel from home, all well. Thinking of them all at home.
April 15 Monday
Very warm. Wrote 2 letters for home. Thinking of home.
April 16 Tuesday
Very warm. Convoy to Beauvais. Thinking of home.
April 17 Wednesday
Very warm. Got letter from home, all worried. Posted letter for home. I love them all.
April 18 Thursday
Very warm. Convoy to Amiens. Petrol. Wrote letter home. Thinking of them all.
April 19 Friday
Very warm. Convoy to Beauvais. 4 hrs Gun Stations. Thinking of home.
April 20 Saturday
Very warm. 8½ Gun Stations. Got letter from home. Posted letter home.
April 21 Sunday
Church Service. Very warm. Got letter from home. Posted letter home. Thinking of them all.
April 22 Monday
Very warm. Got parcel from Etta, jam, bread. Posted letter home.
April 23 Tuesday
Very warm. Got letter & cigs from home, David not too well. Wrote home, thinking of them all.
April 24 Wednesday
8½ Gun Stations. 12 hrs Guard Duty. Very wet. Thinking of home.
April 25 Thursday
In Convoy to Beauvais all day & night. thoughts on home.
April 26 Friday
12½ hrs Gun Stations. 2 letters from home, all well. thinking of them all.
April 27 Saturday
Very warm. Football Match Beat 22nd 3-2. Thinking of home.
April 28 Sunday
Church Service. Very dry but dull. Got letter from home, all well. Thinking of them all.
April 29 Monday
R.H.Q. 12 hrs duty. No mail, thinking of home. Very warm. Got tea & supper in Sarcus
April 30 Tuesday
R.H.Q. 12 hrs duty. No mail, thinking of them all. Showery.

Summary

March 22nd Midnight Heavy Fighting & Heavy Firing of guns of all Batteries. Enemy planes in the air attacked by three of them. Got my machine Gun going 3 hrs before it ended. 1 plane, German, brought down by our fire, another brought down by R.A.F. plane.

Darjeeling Station

MAY

May 1 Wednesday
R.H.Q. 12 hrs duty. No mail, thinking of home. First leave left for home. Leave started. Very warm.
May 2 Thursday
R.H.Q. on Duty. Got birthday cards from Etta & the children. Wrote home, thinking of them all. Very wet, thunder & lightening.
May 3 Friday
In Convoy to Beauvais. Letter from home, all well. Thinking of them all. Writing home.
May 4 Saturday
My birthday. In Convoy to Forges Du Thil Troops for Norway. Posted letter home, thinking of them all.
May 5 Sunday
2nd leave party left for home. Church Service. Wrote letter home. Very warm & wet. Thunder & lightening. Thinking of home.
May 6 Monday
In Convoy to St. Florin & St. Samson & Company. Thunder & Lightening. Got letter from home, all well. Wrote home.
May 7 Tuesday
All night Guard. Battery removed to Sarcus. Letter from home, all well. Thinking of them all.
May 8 Wednesday
In Convoy all day, Very warm. Thinking of home.
May 9 Thursday
Got letter from home & postal order, all well. Thinking of them all. Very warm.
May 10 Friday
Belgium & Holland at war. 100 enemy planes shot down Abbiville Combed enemy planes over all day in Action all day & night.
May 11 Saturday
In action 4 o'clock in morning till 9.45 at night. Wrote letters home. Thinking of them all. Got letter from home, all well.
May 12 Sunday
In action 3 o'clock in the morning all day & night. Church Service in the morning in a Field in France. Got to bed at 11.45 at night. Thinking of Etta & kiddies.
May 13 Monday
In action 3 o'clock in the morning till 10 at night. Wrote home. Very warm & thinking of them all.
May 14 Tuesday
In action 4.30 in the morning. 24 hrs Guard. Got parcel from home. Thinking of them all. Very warm.
May 15 Wednesday
Very warm. Came off guard tonight & work on the gun in Action at 9.30. Three enemy planes tried to bomb us. Thinking of home.
May 16 Thursday
Got letter from home, all well, thinking of them all. In action 3.30 in the morning till 10 o'clock at night. Very tired, no sleep since last Friday, thinking of home.
May 17 Friday
Very warm. In action at 6.30 in the morning. Two enemy planes a bomber & a fighter. Thinking of home. Wrote letter home & posted it.
May 18 Saturday
Children, old men & women moving out all over, leaving their homes behind & walking miles to safety, some has no where to go & some can hardly walk as they are very old. Very pitiful to watch.
May 19 Sunday
In action 3.30 in the morning. Women and children lieing dead on all roads. Terrible sights. Very warm.
May 20 Monday
In action 4 enemy planes brought down, all post stopped. Thinking of home.
May 21 Tuesday
In action 1 enemy plane brought down, in retreat, fighting our way out.
May 22 Wednesday
Got away safe, travelled all day & night, no smokes or food. Thousands killed. Thinking of home.
May 23 Thursday
Everything mixed up. Post Office Towns Buildings Blown to bits, thankful to be alive, thinking of home, Love them all.
May 24 Friday
Somme Abbeville
No sleep for days & nights, hardly nothing eat. Arras & Amiens retaken by our troops. German Tanks beaten back, thinking of home.
May 25 Saturday
Getting ready for Convoy. Enemy planes overhead all day. Posted letter home & hope it gets through & card also. Thinking of home. Left for Rouen.
May 26 Sunday
Took up new positions for guns outside the City of Rouen. Got letter from home & postal order, all well. Did not get letter with snaps, thinking of them all.
May 27 Monday
Somme & Amiens Front
Left Rouen for Dieppe. New gun stations. Weather dull. Thinking of home. On the road all night.
May 28 Tuesday
Weather dull. 3 enemy planes got away. Air raids on the Town. Thinking of home.
May 29 Wednesday
Dieppe bombed. Hospital ship bombed & sunk. Many killed & buried under the ruins of their houses.
May 30 Thursday
Enemy planes over Dieppe again but beaten back by A.A. Batteries. Dropped his bombs on people on the roads. Two killed & many wounded.
May 31 Friday
Left Dieppe for Neutchatel on the Somme. Heavy fighting all day. Very warm. Thinking of home.

Summary

9th May midnight, enemy making one big push, houses blown up, people running everywhere for shelter, one girl killed in trying to get her young sister out of the wreckage of a school house, children crying & lost, some have lost their mothers & fathers in the raid. How I hate Germany for all this.

May has been a month of sadness for the people of Belgium, scenes that I will never forget & I want to fight all the more, for Germans are only Cowards as they kill women & children.

16th May 1940. Belgium & Holland entered the war & Antie his craft batteries entered Belgium to meet the enemy, who had broken through Belgium. Belgium troops holding out, houses blown to pieces by bombs, women & children killed, 40 planes brought down, very heavy fighting all over. School house blown up, children & teachers all killed. Mothers looking for their babes in the wreckage of it.

     
on back - No 12 Hut & Indian Servant - India 25th August 1942              on back - No 8 Hut - India 1942