1944 Post D-DAY (Bayeux) Description of fighting in soldiers personal letter

[Grimebox]

I recieved this photograph from my uncle of John ADDY today - He did become a Dispatch Rider after all! (He's the one on the right)

[Adrian Stevenson]

Nice photo ( I saw the others you showed too. Love the Me262.) The bikes are Matchless G3L's.

Cheers, Ade.

[Blackpowder44]

'Dispatch rider' Now why didn't I think of that!! Makes sense given the later reference to motorcycles. You wouldn't know what R.H.V camp and T.C.V's are would you?
It's difficult to tell from the letter whether this is a period over 6 days or longer. It is written 'together/concurrent' as in there are no gaps or pages missing as it is numbered by hand, but the feeling I get from reading it is that it is over a longer period than 6 days. It obviously meant something to him as he took the time to write it down there and then and then hide it away for all these years. I will deceipher the other scraps of paper at some point, however they relate to 1947 and his return journey home by sea (written in the smallest handwriting possible)

TCV = troop carrying vehicle,i.e. lorrys. John.

[Grimebox]

I have finally deciphered the other 'diary' that John ADDY wrote when he left India in 1947 and made his way back home and civilian life. It was kept in a little 'envelope' which was in the back of his military driving licence.

#### Indicates a word that I cannot decipher.




1/ August 1947
on my way back to good old England
1947

1st Aug.
Friday
Last day with KOYLI. It was ###### day. Had good time (very good food)

2nd Aug
Sat
Left Batt. at 14:10hrs. Said goodbye to pals and George. 15:00hrs reached H.B.T.D. Only 1 (54 Group) in camp and that was myself. Expect more 58 group from KOYLI.

3rd Aug
Sun
Land. Day in H.B.T.D. Not long now, expect to sail on the 9th Aug (1947). Am in #### with staff. Will sail with 58 Group. Glad to go with KOYLI pals (Roberts) ect. On guard at officers lines

4th Aug
Mon
Spending much time on my bed nothing else to do. No money. Tea on the book / met old Indian pal. Sent me money

8th Aug
Paid 70 Rupees for 2 weeks pay.

9th Aug
The great day had come, on my way to the ship. Saw the last of Dedali. About six hours run to Bombay. Train very slow (16:00hrs approx) on board. Sleeping deck at the bottom of the ship. Very hot, many men to a deck. 900 married families on board. Indian and Anglo Indian.

10th Aug
14:00hrs ship started voyage. Very funny? To see last of India. 2 tugs pulled us away from side of (GrumGate) docks. Lots of Indians on shore waving goodbye to friends on board. I thought all us soldiers would make much more noise when we moved away, But not one man said a word. It was a strange feeling seeing the last of India for all time.

16th Aug
Have been on the sea for over 6 days. Now in the Red sea. Just as I thought, nothing but sweat. Very hot. Slight wind now and again, but a very hot wind. Roll on the time when we can see the last of the RED SEA.

17th Aug
Still very hot. Slept in hammock for the first time last night. Not a bad sleep. 1 ½ days left in this Red Sea (Roll on)
Today has been just about the same as all of the rest of the days on board. 150 more troops coming on our deck at PORT SAID. Not enough room as it is now, but still it will be getting a little cooler (I hope)

18th Aug
Not quite as hot this morning. Today we get a F.F.I . We don’t have to put our cases and trunks down in the hull. (Boat Drill). May get shore leave at Port Said (may). Last night saw picture (Caravan). Very poor, could not see screen. Not to good a sleep. Longing for it to get cooler. Hope to send a Telegram soon as I reach Liverpool.

19th Aug
Reached Port #### early this morning, good to see land each side of the ship. Will soon be at Port Said. Now much cooler. Not long now whiped a cig case off a Egyptian who came on board. lost it again. Bought 20 american cigs for 1/- also peanuts. First since I left for India. Passed many men of the army and air force on shore. Made some cracks as we passed, but felt a little sorry for them.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Port Said 19:00hrs. Many hours late, been late all the time. Look a very big port. Lots of small boats (motor) going up and down the river. Men selling things at the sides of ships.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Troops come on deck soon as we stopped. NO SHORE LEAVE
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

20th
Last night had good sleep. Awoke at about 15:30hrs to find that the ship was on the move again. Goodbye Port Said. Now on the last lap. WENT BACK TO SLEEP AGAIN. Got up just in time for a mid night time getting a little cooler.

21st Aug
Were all told to sleep below deck. 1/c deck saw M,O,C,O and aj. Got our own way at last. Slept on deck after a few words with C.O. Anyway slept like a log. This morning got up late just in time for breakfast. Saw picture ‘To have to have not’, seen it about 3 times in India, didn’t mind seeing it again because its very good (about 8 more days to go) My battle dress is hung on the wall ready to use when it gets too cold.

22nd Aug
Slept on deck last night, good sleep, had a dream. Could hear mother singing in the kitchen clear as day. Pay today 15/- . Lost 6/6 at cards last night. Had bottle of beer ice cold, very good staff (7 days left). Just about fed up with the ship. Just can’t wait to get off this ship and home (Roll on)

23rd Aug
Had very good sleep last night, the best yet. Saw picture today, not bad. At 12:00hrs passed most northerly point of Africa (6 days to go). Will be mess orderly tomorrow.

24th Aug
Passed #### at 09:15hrs. Started messing duty this morning, not a bad job (about 5? More days to go)

25th Aug
Monday 2nd day of mess duty. Cooler today. Passed Gib, Saw large water tank. 4 days to go.

26th Aug
Tuesday last day of mess duty. Went sick this morning with boil on my face

27th Aug
Get up nice and late. No mess duty today. Boild caused by swelling on my face. Treatment at 10:00hrs

[Grimebox]

And here's a better picture of him.

[Normandie]

I've been in Bayeux, best village/town in Normandie!!!
Recommand everyone to go there and stay the night at the hotel "Matilda" or something like that! ! ! Cheap too!!

[Salzburg]

Grimebox: That's amazing stuff, thank you for sharing. My Grandfather was a D.R., or 'Don R', with B Coy, 1st Bat, Leicestershire Regiment which was part of 49th (West Riding) Division so would have been involved in many of the actions that John Addy was. I remember him talking of being up against the "Hitler Youth" (12SS Hitlerjugend Division), Tigers and stories of the "Moaning Minnies", or Nebelwerfers and how their moaning used to get on everybody's nerves, to say the least.

49th Div started to land in Normandy on June 12th, 1/4th Bat KOYLI being 146th Inf Bde and 'The Leicesters' being 147th Inf Bde. Whilst not riding his 'Matchless' motorbike, Pvt Sewell spent time in Bren Carriers. Tough battles in Normandy, 'Epsom', Le Havre and right through to Holland (Roosendaal, Hilversum); C/o Capt 'Topper' Brown shot through the head by a sniper whilst taking his customary early morning stroll; spending the night in a straw-filled barn with the sound of breathing and not knowing whether its British or German (turned out to be a pig!) and standing around a pig (different one) with a group of mates thinking that it would be good to supplement rations with fresh bacon, but nobody knowing the correct way to slaughter a pig (somebody 'stenned' it in the end)....and so it goes on.

These sort of personal accounts really get me going! I think I'll pay a visit to my dad and dig out Grandad's old letters and photos.

Cheers, Martin

[Didier]

Hello Grimebox,

My own family (on my father's side) happens to be from Bayeux and lived there at the time of the D-Day landings - they accommodated British soldiers after D-Day and made friends with some of them. From what I understood, a couple of these soldiers stayed on from July to September 1944, at the time when the 'by-pass' road was being built by British engineers around Bayeux. I will post the photos and letters I have later...

Best regards,

Didier

[Grimebox]

Here are the original images from the thread (which I managed to delete!)

[Didier]

Very interesting documents indeed! I've got quite a few books about the liberation of the Bayeux area - I'll try to find relevant information about this episode.

Cheers,

Didier