8th December, 1946 - Underway, Ron witnesses a lunar eclipse and is frustrated by poor "blanket" etiquette on board ship.

Sunday, 8^th December, 1946

After a sound night's rest I was awakened at seven by the Deck Sargeant’s cheery voice shouting “Wakey, wakey, rise & shine!” or words to that effect.

I half rolled, half fell, out of the hammock and pulled on that part of my uniform I discarded.  I folded my blankets and hid them from ‘borrowers’ and packed my hammock away.  Then I took my washing kit and queued up outside the ablutions.  Shaving was difficult with cold water but it seems we will get used to it.

Source: wikipedia..

Nothing exciting happened today.  A church service was conducted by and Air Force Padré this morning.  The sea was a little choppy in the early part of the day but was very calm at noon with bright sunshine.  In the afternoon we passed an Island which I think was Corsica.  Just before retiring we saw two lighthouses which we supposed were on Sardinia.

A cinema show was held on deck but was not very successful as only one projector was used.  The troops voiced their disapproval everytime a reel was changed.

At about 6.50pm “Egyptian Time” a total eclipse of the moon occurred.  This we saw very well.  A “running commentary” was given by one of the ship’s company who opened with “A total eclipse of the moon is about to commence, it will begin in the bottom left hand corner.”

My blankets were missing when I retired tonight.  I soon found mine but someone else’s were missing then.  This stupid state of affairs is gone through every night and sometimes during the night.

7th December, 1946 - In which Ron and his comrades embark on their journey and Ron finds out about the "joys" of hammocks...

Saturday, 7^th December, 1946

We were awakened this morning at the unearthly hour of half past four.  It was still dark outside and it had been blowing a gale all night and continued still.

Braving the intense cold we went to the open sheds in which we performed our ablutions and washed, scantily I must admit, in icy water which was the hardest nature I had ever met.  After this we had breakfast, packed our hut and at 8.30 paraded for roll call and inspection.  This over we were marched to the dispersal square where, with the army fellows who were to travel with us we were loaded into trucks which took us from the camp to Toulon Port where we were to embark.  This truck ride over the cobbled stones was very rough but it afforded us a good opportunity of seeing a little of Toulon with the surrounding Alps.  The town has been pretty badly knocked about during the war, particularly the Port area.  Partially, this was done by our ships and may account for the dislike its inhabitants have for us.

We boarded our ship with about 1500 troops at 4pm and set sail at half past five.  The ship is the M.V. “DUNNOTTAR CASTLE” of 15,007 tons, a ship of the Union Castle Line.

Photo of the aircraft carrier "Colossus" now under French.
In Toulon Harbour alongside "Dunnottar Castle" just
before we sailed for Port Said

I'm guessing this is a shot taken in Toulon
harbour prior to embarking

" 7.12.46.
Toulon Harbour taken from the Deck of "Dunnottar
Castle" as we left Toulon en route
for Port Said and Palestine. "

We, as civilians, were expecting other accommodation to that enjoyed by the troops but

our great expectations were not fulfilled.  On our deck were about 350 people and we found it difficult to stow all our kit.  We had a meal soon after boarding then boat drill with our life jackets.  While in the middle of our drill, the ship cast off, drifted away from the quay and out into the bay.  We now obtained a much better general view of Toulon harbour and could see the partly submerged vessels lying awash in several places.  I took a few snaps of the harbour with my recently purchased film.  When we were well out to sea the wind whistled along the decks but the sea was calm.

It was now late evening and after seeing all the signs of land disappear I decided to retire for the night.  Apparently, everyone entertained the same idea and there followed a mad rush for hammocks and mattresses.  I secured a hammock and with the two blankets issued to Palestine Policemen for use on the ship, started a hunt amidst a forest of swinging hammocks for a convenient place to sling mine.  I found a space and after lashing up the hammock somehow managed to climb into it.  I had many misgivings about my strange position.  The floor seemed so far away and the ropes so thin.  However, I soon went to sleep even in so foul an atmosphere as soon existed in that crowded space.

6th December, 1946 - In which Ron comes up against "Army Discipline" and learns a little about Palestine...

Friday, 6^th December, 1946

This morning I walked around the camp and had my photograph taken in uniform by a French civilian.  When I returned to the barrack room I found that the others had collected their kit bags from the hut where they had been deposited on our arrival at camp.  I was under the erroneous impression that these kit bags were to remain in the hut until we were ready to leave the camp.  Several others with me had held this opinion and like me had not been informed otherwise by our I/C the hut as he had been instructed to tell us by the camp officer.  Consequently we did not collect our kit at the correct time.

Not one of Dad's photos
Source: http://history.farmersboys.com/Postings/Malta/malta2.htm

We all had to go before one of the camp officers who in typical military fashion could not listen to reason and gave us all “Fatigues” as a punishment.  I had to go to the N.A.A.F.I. kitchen to peel potatoes for an hour and a half, and the worst part of it, in the company of French and German workmen.

After this little incident everything ran smoothly again.  In the evening a batch of two thousand troops arrived at the camp from Port Said on the way home to be demobilised.  I talked with some of them about Palestine where they had been stationed.  Their opinions of that country were many and varied according to the degree of optimism or pessimism in their characters.  They were all in agreement on two points: one, that the Arabs were tolerable to a much higher degree than were the Jews; and two, that the life out there was what one made it.

We were informed that we should be sailing tomorrow and would be called early in the morning, so some of us decided an early night was in order.  Others however thought otherwise thinking a celebration was called for as this type usually do at the slightest possible provocation.  We were therefore disturbed by these and could not settle down until after midnight.

5th, December 1946 - In which Ron gets a cold wash, explores the camp at Toulon and takes the bus to the neighbouring town of Hyeres

Thursday, 5^th December, 1946

This morning we were to be wakened by reveille at 7am but either it was not sounded or we were sleeping too soundly to hear it for no-one did hear it.  We slept on to be wakened at 8am by our friends in the next hut.  We rose, dressed, and went to the washroom for we had not washed since Tuesday morning for there were no facilities for toilet on the train,  The water in camp was bitterly cold, but very refreshing, and hard, giving very little lather.

Breakfast was the next thing to be taken care of and after cleaning up this was had in a large mess hut.  We cleaned our utensils in big drums of water at the rear of the mess.  There were three of these drums one marked “clean” filled with almost boiling water, another marked “rinse” filled with tepid water, while a third was marked “sterilize”.  After the hundreds of chaps in the mess had passed by those drums I doubt whether any of them could fulfil their purpose.

Our inspector met us in the hut and told us that we would probably spend a few days here and that we could have the day off when we had cleaned the hut up.

NAAFI canteen tokens
source: http://www.timelineauctions.com/lot/british-army-naafi-tokens--9-/14702/

My friends & I changed some money into Francs as we wished to go into Toulon in the afternoon.  We purchased some cigarettes in the camp at 9d for twenty then we went to the “reading-writing” room to write letters.

After lunch we were free so my pal and I decided we would go to Hyeres rather than Toulon as at the latter we had heard of disturbances occurring.  The people there are to a degree Anti-British while at Hyeres they are more or less friendly.

We walked to the main road and caught a bus on which to ride the 4½  miles to Hyeres.  The fare each was 15 Francs; this we paid from the French currency we had obtained at the “field cashier,” the name given to the camp money changer.

Arriving in the town I had already decided what I wanted to buy.  As we walked along we compared the prices of the things in the shops here with those at home.  We found that the necessities of life were in short supply and very expensive while luxury goods were plentiful and at reasonable prices.  Children’s toys were quite plentiful and made more strongly that the majority of British toys at the moment.  I was able to buy a film for my camera an item I needed to record my journey.  My chum and I both being philatelists went to the Post Office where he, having more Francs than I, bought 200Francs worth of current issue stamps, I had to be satisfied with 75 Frs worth.  The rate of exchange (legal) from Sterling to Francs at the moment is 480 Frs for £1.  On the Black Market however, £1 Sterling will bring as many as 800Frs.

I have reached the conclusion that France or what I have seen of it has very few middle class people.  The business class man either is non-existent here or else leads a secluded life away from the public.  The poor are everywhere, spending their time in obtaining material with which to feed the Black Market and so obtain a living.

These people just crowd around our troops asking  “Avez-vous des cigarettes ou des savants.” [I think Dad means "savon" - soap! CB] If our chaps were to be caught selling N.A.A.F.I. cigarettes they would face a court martial trial.  A packet of 20 cigarettes will bring 80 Francs or more while a tablet of soap sells for 50Frs.  In the town square there were stalls set up with very old women tending them, selling sweets etc 20 Frs each sweet.  We talked with several people who we found very interesting once one avoided the Garlic.  We arrived back in camp too late for supper so went to the N.A.A.F.I. and played cards, drawing our beer ration.

4th December, 1946 - In which Ron and his comrades travel through France and witness how the country has been affected by the hostilities of WWII

Wednesday, 4th December, 1946

After such a poor night we were awake at dawn and eager for our breakfast.  We arrived at Dijon where we changed trains then we retraced our journey for some fifteen miles to an army camp.  Here it was we breakfasted.  We were so hungry now that the poor quality food was eaten with little comment, in a hut which was in semi-darkness.

Before leaving the camp we were given two bread rolls, a sausage roll, a cake and a bun.  These were to comprise our “haversack ration” and were to be our only food until we reached Toulon.

With this sorry prospect we once more climbed up into the train to continue our journey.

Travelling parallel to the River Seine we saw farmers

in the fields ploughing with teams of oxen.  The land lies very flat and I found it uninteresting, broken only occasionally with a cluster of trees or a stray village.  At a little after midday we passed through the village of Saint George.

At two in the afternoon we arrived in Lyons where the train came to a standstill.  Immediately Frenchmen came alongside the carriages shouting up to the windows from the low platforms.  Asking us for cigarettes & soap.  Knowing these were in short supply we decided to barter for things we needed.  My friend and I were philatelists so asked them in our very imperfect French whether or not they had any postage stamps to exchange.  At first they thought we wanted them in order to post a letter and they told me that we being military did not need stamps to post mail.  When I explained that I collected stamps they searched their letters, wallets, pockets etc, but only one man had any at all.  These were two three franc stamps for which I gave him three cigarettes.  This pleased both him and I and I believe that is how all bartery should be concluded.  He was also able to tell me that Toulon via Marseilles was a distance of 600km.

Leaving Lyons at about two o’clock we continued our journey and being in hilly country we passed through many long tunnels.  We saw on some of the hill  sides caves we supposed had been constructed and used during the war years for some purpose.

All the countryside has about it a dark foreboding atmosphere.  I cannot quite account for this air.

There has been no great and obvious ruination en route though Lyons has obviously been the centre of larger struggles.  Only temporary bridges span the Seine in this city.

On passing through Valencia our route took us through a valley in the French Alps whose snow capped peaks lay about a mile distance from us on either side.  Trees have also become more prevalent in the picture, these are principally Poplars with firs planted as wind breaks.

From Avignon onwards it began to darken until at 6pm we could no longer see from the carriage window.  As the sun left us so the cold came in making us shiver in our seats.

After being in the train for some twenty six hours we arrived at our destination Toulon, at 9pm.  We piled out onto the platform and were loaded again, this time into a truck with our kit.

"The recruit en route.
Toulon 1946"

During the latter part of the train journey we had all changed into our uniforms.  Khaki battle dress and khaki shirt complete with batchelor buttons, black heavy boots and a blue peaked cap.

We travelled through cobbled streets of Toulon and out into the country for about fifteen miles to army transit camp.

I don’t think during the whole of our journey from Calais to Toulon that we saw more than thirty Frenchmen.  At ten in the evening the streets of Toulon were deserted but for corner queens.

We found the army camp to be very big consisting of wooden huts and buildings.

We were lodged in several of these huts, twenty six of us sharing one with double bunks along the walls.

We were each given a palliasse and three blankets and told to do what we liked with them.

From breakfast we had had only our haversack ration so were feeling very hungry.

We went to the dining hall each with his plate, knife, fork, spoon and mug.  We queued up and were ladled out our meal which had been cooked and served by German prisoners.

These prisoners were very friendly and do all they can to help you, such as cleaning cutlery etc.  In conversation with some troops I asked them whether they thought such acts were done out of kindness or indirectly for their own benefit.  The troops told me that on the whole they preferred the German prisoners to French working around the camp.  The French in the camp are not trusted and our troops if in a generous mood will rather part with cigarettes to Gerries who will smoke them themselves, than Frenchies who will sell them in the town on the black market.

We turned in at eleven and although the atmosphere of the hut was foul and heavy from the dust of the recently installed palliasses, I slept soundly.