To War With The Bays: 74 – So Near . . .
...20 June: 'The Med. this morning is the calmest I've ever seen it, I doubt if it could be calmer, for there's hardly a ripple, it's just like a great lake. Passed Capri about 1.30 p.m. Dropped anchor in Naples harbour in the afternoon. Not disembarking till tomorrow. Went to horse-racing [a game played on board ship], won three races with No. 6 —changed money into lire.'...
Although the war in Europe had ended, Jack Merewood was recalled from home leave in England to his regiment in Italy.
To read earlier chapters of Jack’s book please click on http://www.openwriting.com/archives/to_war_with_the_bays/
8 June, 1945, was a miserable day. I wasn't going back to the fighting. That was everything to be thankful for. But it was wonderful to have been at home for so long and I didn't want to leave, especially to go all the way back to Italy. I appreciated how lucky I'd been, but all the same, leaving home again was an unhappy occasion.
I caught the train from Huddersfield to Leeds, where a special train ran straight from there to Ibrox Park, carrying hundreds of soldiers like myself, bound for the Mediterranean. There was con¬solation in the fact, however, that overseas service for troops was now limited to four years, whether the war was over or not, which meant I should be on my way home again in three months. It seemed a bit pointless now having to go back to Italy.
Next morning we left Ibrox by train, straight to Greenock and onto a lighter, out into the Clyde where a French boat the Felix Roussel was waiting for us. There were a number of men with whom I'd become friendly on the way home, who now, like me, were on their way to rejoin their regiments.
10 June: 'Up at 6 a.m. (groan). Beautiful morning. Finished one or two letters as they had to be posted to leave the ship at 11 a.m. In charge of blinkin' mess table, saw about canteen etc. Played solo with "old school". Sailed at 4.45 p.m. and am I (and hundreds more) fed up. Thank God I won't be doing this journey again.'
12 June: 'Got out really hot and sunny and sea calm. This boat isn't too bad, very clean, food so-so, tea awful.'
The weather was warm enough to sleep on deck, which many of us did. There was now no fear of U-boats, so we were not in a convoy and were kept in touch over the wireless of our progress.
13 June (Wednesday): 'Told we'll be in Gibraltar at approximately 8 a.m. on Friday, and at present are sailing down the coast of Portugal between 50 and 100 miles from land. Went to lecture on navigation — very interesting.'
14 June: 'Slept on deck as usual last night. The old ship still rolling a bit, but not so bad as yesterday. Played cards most of day. Sunny but breezy. At 2.30 tomorrow morning will pass over where Battle of Trafalgar was fought; went to a lecture about it and enjoyed it very much indeed. Slept on deck, very windy but not cold.'
We arrived at Gibraltar at 7.30 a.m. on the 15th and a number of sailors disembarked. After being there all day we sailed at 4.15. surprisingly not for Naples — but for Algiers.
16 June: 'Beautiful sunny day today and the Med. the usual deep blue - just an ideal day for a cruise. Algiers sighted in the evening at 9 p.m. Dropped anchor in bay off Algiers, troops disembarking tomorrow morning. Algiers ... 20 miles to Chebli, another 80 to Aumale. Oh I wish I could get ashore here for a day or two. Looks grand at night lit up - nothing like Cape Town did, but nice to see the lights. Suzette is just out there ... and Bachir ... I wonder what they're doing, if only I could get to Aumale ... it's so near.'
17 June: 'Slept on deck last night as usual, the lights of Algiers twinkling on the shore. At 7.30 this morning pulled right into dock. Oh to think of Aumale - Suzette and all her family and I can't get off. I'd like to see dear old Bachir again. I'll come back again one day and bring Jessie.' We left Algiers at 2.15 p.m.
18 June: 'Following along the coast of Tunisia this morning, and
left it about 3.15 in the afternoon. Later passed Cape Bon. Played cards, wrote, read and lazed in the glorious sun. Wonderful day and the bluest of seas. Went to lecture in evening about Italy and enjoyed it...
19 June: 'Bright sunny morning, soon in sight of Malta, and just on 8 a.m. we dropped anchor off the harbour of Valetta. Malta looks very nice and picturesque from here. Plenty big buildings and what look like castles on some of the hills. Sailed from Malta at 3.40 p.m. after being alongside harbour since 8.30 a.m. Beautiful night.'
20 June: 'The Med. this morning is the calmest I've ever seen it, I doubt if it could be calmer, for there's hardly a ripple, it's just like a great lake. Passed Capri about 1.30 p.m. Dropped anchor in Naples harbour in the afternoon. Not disembarking till tomorrow. Went to horse-racing [a game played on board ship], won three races with No. 6 —changed money into lire.'
