Snippets from one who "had enough of war"

September 1939

Called up from the reserve, George went back into the cavalry of the line, and back with Lt. Col. Browne of the 16th/5th lancers.

France

In France, George travelled ("worked my way up") up the coast then was transported across the Channel to the East Anglian Coast. Arrested as a spy, as he made his way overland, he was taken to Newmarket for interrogation. He was sure one of the interrogators was Randolph Churchill. Luckily he was recognised by an officer, and so lived to tell this tale.

Harrogate.

George accompanied Col. Browne for treatment at Harrogate after his car was hit while travelling in convoy. Being busy with administrative duties prevented him from 'casting his hat' at a very pretty prim W.A.A.F., who was stricken by him.

London. April 1942

George had 72 hours privilege leave to marry that stricken W.A.A.F. - Anne Norah Badger. They had conducted a courtship largely by post, using coded messages to outwit the censors.

Argentina.

In November 1942 George was in Buenos Aires. He had arrived on the S.S Moreton Bay as a deckhand, and he was with Col. Browne. They were there to ensure food supplies for the troops. George was impressed by a visit to one huge building. "Cattle walked in one end, tins of meat, horns, bags of fertiliser and skins came out the other end - nothing was wasted".

U.S.A

The journey home was via the U.S.A. In Connecticut they stayed, royally, with Mrs Starr, and George visited local schools to talk about the war. Mrs Starr gave George suits that had belonged to her dead son.

Hospital

George was taught to embroider whilst out of action - crinolined ladies in English country gardens.
Scars over the left kidney area were "just shrapnel".

London

Before discharge George was sent to St. Bartholomew's Hospital. Along with other service personnel suffering from arthiritis, he was given experimental cobalt ray treatment. It did not induce leukaemia, as it did for some, but neither did it cure the arthiritis.

Barnard Castle. October 1945

George was discharged (medically C2) from Barnard Castle where he was WS/SQMS to the 61st Training Regiment Royal Army Corps.

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