After two weeks the whole of the 2/6th QRR travelled from Haltwhistle to Kent. We initially went to a village between Canterbury and Faversham. All place names had been removed and the local people did not seem very keen to let us know where we were. After pulling their legs they said that it was Boughton Stour. We were not allowed to go out of the village and we had to go around with a rifle and 50 rounds at all times. After a week or so we moved to the Isle of Sheppey. Later our unit moved around various parts of Kent and were based in Kent until November 1941. I noted that on the coast there were lots of empty houses and it seems that most of the children were moved away. On the daily orders we would read such things as that now every soldier has a rifle; or the unit had now been equipped with 2 inch Mortars, or that 3 inch Mortars had now been received. Also, we were told that we were now members of the 56th Heavy Infantry (London) Division and we were told to sew on our uniform a Black Cat, the divisional badge, on a red background. Those soldiers who could not read or write were told to ask from those would could read about what the daily orders said. Generally speaking the soldiers spent some time waiting in lorries or coaches in case the Germans might try to land and we practised and practised again how to retreat. We were told, however, that you must never run away from the enemy! When we were on manoeuvres, vans provided by the Salvation army used to turn up driven by middle class ladies who seemed cheerful and friendly to us; selling cheap buns, tea, coffee, blades, toothpaste etc.

I remember 1940 as a lovely summer in which we were left to face the German forces alone. About 100,000 French soldiers who also escaped from Dunkirk to England went back to France. Only 7,000 of them decided to stop here in England and fight with us. I also understand the 50,000 British persons were conscientious objectors. The communist Party of Great Britain with 53,000 members was against the war until Sunday, 21st June 1941 when Hitler stabbed Stalin in the back. Then they all changed their view and demanded an immediate second front, trying to get us all killed for their cause! The Government had closed the Daily Worker newspaper and I understand that Mr Churchill considered stopping the Daily Mirror since it became too critical of the Government. One Member of Parliament was put in prison as was Sir Oswald Moseley Leader of the Blackshirt Party.

We saw the battles in the skies above us such as when three German fighters were shot down in five minutes above Minster in the Isle of Sheppey. A Corporal and a Private soldier got in their vehicle and drove up to one of the downed German pilots who was lolling against his machine. The Corporal said “what is your name?” The German told him upon which the Corporal said “I can’t remember that, we will call you Fritz”. Fritz, the German asked for a cup of tea. The Corporal said “I am sorry Fritz, we can’t do that” but he offered him a fag and the Private gave Fritz a light. Then the two English soldiers looked at Fritz and they discussed with each other that the German had two arms and two legs and one head just like us. They noted that he was tall and smart and that he spoke good English. They then had a laugh to think that this German could speak English while they could not speak German and that the German seemed able to speak better English than them! The Company Sergeant Major (CSM) known as ‘the snake’ came in a huff and tried to tell the Corporal off because they had been too friendly to the German! Then a Military Policeman came and drove the German away by van while they got the German airplane to Farnborough when it would be examined.

Both in Minster and in East Church, because lots of the local people had left, we had empty houses that we were able to use as billets. Soon after we arrived, I and a few other soldiers were moved two miles from Faversham towards Sittingbourne with the brigade HQ. On some occasions we had to take all the files, typewriters, desks, chairs and other equipment of the brigade HQ, we were the 169th (London) Brigade, into a lorry and then drive quickly to the north of Faversham and then stop. After half an hour the whole of the brigade HQ returned. This was called a practice retreat and some soldiers had to protect the HQ at night while others slept in tents.

We had to drive the local police around to visit every garage in the area. The police officer used to speak to the owner of the garage and say that if the enemy came to this part of Kent then they must destroy all of the petrol to prevent it falling into enemy hands. We started at 9 a.m. each morning and finished at about 4 p.m. I then drove the police officer back to Faversham and went to our petrol depot to top up for the following day. When the police had completed their visits to all the garages we went back to our unit in Minster and East Church. Soon after we had settled in Kent, firms were pleading for those soldiers who had been working in the aircraft industry to go back into the factories. I don’t remember exactly how many in our unit went back but I think it was about 30-35.

On 7th September 1940, on a Saturday afternoon, we were playing cricket two miles from Faversham when about 500 German bombers came over us, not heading to bomb the airfields but to the London docks; we saw them attacked by about 15 British fighters. Before long the docks were alight and persons who lived in Kent and who worked in London had to get a pass to travel into London. On a few other times I saw about 500 bombers flying over Faversham.

At the end of September 1940 our unit (the B Company) moved to Badlesmere staying in a large house called Lords about 4 miles from Faversham. On Sundays we used to attend services at the local church. The vicar used to say to us that, if we were not that keen on the service, we should instead think of our friends and relations. He was a kindly old gentleman.