Letter : Spring is almost upon us

Introduction

My uncle, Allan Stoddart died in 2004 leaving a widow, Jean with many happy memories and a collection of war time letters he had written, some photographs, diaries and memorabilia. Allan had wanted to tell his story and maybe he did tell some of it but it was never recorded. Jean has given me his letters and so far I have transcribed those written to my parents, Florence and Bill and a few to Allan’s mother. Using extracts from some of the letters, photographs and memorabilia and information from diaries, a small glimpse of his story is now told. Jean and I understand the site’s terms and conditions.

Allan enlisted in Dundee in January 1940 and was UK based until he sailed on the troop ship, S.S. Almanzora with the 5th Division Signals to India in March 1942. Over the next 3 years, the war took him from India to Iraq, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Egypt, Sicily (landings), Italy (including Anzio), Egypt, Palestine, Syria, Palestine, Italy, Palestine, Italy, (home leave), Belgium, Germany. The 5th Division moved about so much they were nicknamed the “Cooks Tour Mob”.

This Letter

From diary entries, Allan was somewhere between Sassano and Naples when he wrote this letter to my parents. In January they encountered heavy snow which must have made progress towards Naples more difficult. They reached Naples on 3 March 1944. On the 8 March they boarded a ship and the next day they landed at the Anzio beach-head.

Letter

2332853
L/Cpl Stoddart A
“B” Section, No. 1 Company
5th Div. Signal
C.M.F.

1 February 1944

Dear Florence and Bill,
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
There is not a great deal to tell you about sunny Italy that might be of interest. I wouldn’t mind a change myself to less sunny climes. The Italians on the whole are a poor lot, although as I remarked in my last letter home, the women are superior to the men — mark you, in my humble opinion. They work hard and long. Our path through this country is marked by the demolition work of retreating Jerry, whose performance of this noble task leaves nothing to be desired — literally speaking. His engineers must have a good take to themselves and they must give ours a headache from time to time, although I think ours have done a marvellous job all the way along from the beaches of Sicily. But I guess you’ll know all this already and mayhap, have seen pictures of it, at “the pictures”.
My vista at present consists of one or two shattered houses, a field and a bomb crater or two. The craters are handy. They fill up with water and provide a convenient water (washing, for the use of) supply. Apart from that there is nothing interesting to look upon, not even a few Signorinas with whom to pass the time of day.
The weather grows warmer and it feels as if Spring is almost upon us, (according to plan). “If winter comes then Spring etc, etc.” I can’t tell you where I am, as you know, and for that matter I could hardly tell you where I am myself according to a map. But I am leading a quiet life, doing a job and plodding steadily towards the end of the war. Maybe sometimes I forget that I’m a very lucky fellow, but not often. Complacency is a bad thing.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Allan

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