Letter : Azure Blue in Iran

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

In this letter to my parents, Allan describes his surroundings. From diary entries, this is while the division was based at a camp near the sacred city of Qum in Iran. They were at this camp until 31 January 1943, then they retraced their route which they had made 4 months earlier, back to Bagdad, Iraq through snow covered Iranian mountains (photo). From Bagdad, they crossed the desert arriving in Syria on 12 February.

Letter

2332853
Sigmn Stoddart A
“A” Section,
No.1 Company,
5th British Div. Signals,
P.A.I. Force

12 December 1942

Dear Florence and Bill,
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
I would enjoy a walk around the countryside, even a walk of 8½ miles, which I reckon will be about my stretch nowadays. The trees in their autumn tints, or the trees minus all foliage would look good to me. God! What does a tree look like anyway? From my present location I have an excellent view of all the surrounding countryside (for miles) but can I see a tree? Can I hell. I can see dry, deserted, wasteland, covered by a soil which is neither good earth nor sand. I can see hills, dozens of them and many with snow on the top. And that’s all. Never the less, I must admit that this country is not without its beauty. We see some very fine sunrises and sunsets, colours such as we’d never see at home — golden, purple, and the azure blue of the East. And I certainly can’t deny that the air is as fresh and pure as any around Scotland. The time, by the way, is about 4 a.m. I am sitting with a blanket under my feet, one around my legs, and wearing a greatcoat with a jerkin on top. You’ll realise that it aint too warm. However, under present circumstances I can’t complain about life at all. There are, I think, about two things which matter in life and these are a) food and b) sleep. I have a place to sleep and enough to eat. Throw in enough to smoke and drink now and again and what more can a man ask? Well Well. Not much good at philosophising at 4 a.m., I’m afraid.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Cheerio meantime and all the best.
Allan

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