Open Writing

The weather was very hot, but sometimes there were heavy thunderstorms and occasionally hailstorms with hailstones 'as big as moth-balls'. Our tanks were parked in the field adjoining a farmhouse at the back of which grapes and figs grew in abundance. The cookhouse was here, but most of the time we practically lived on fruit. After the way we had lived and existed for nearly four years, it was as if we'd moved into the Garden of Eden.

We had heard that the Andrews Sisters were to give a concert at Gorizia on the Yugoslav border not far away, so, although we didn't have much hope, Stan Betts and I decided to try to see them. We got a lift to Gorizia and by one means and another found our way to a big field where a small stage was set up. The field was full of soldiers, mostly Americans, and they gave us a very friendly welcome. We worked our way forward and sat on the grass in front of the stage.

First of all Arthur Treacher, a well-known English actor, at the time working in films in the USA, came on the stage, did a bit of patter, then introduced the Andrews Sisters. They came out of a little tent onto the stage - and they were fantastic! The huge audience clapped and cheered as they sang all our favourites 'Rum and Coca-Cola', 'Apple Blossom Time', and many many more. We wouldn't let them go — encore after encore, but finally they had to say: 'This really is the last.'

The sun blazed down, and we crowded round them as they came off the stage - streaming with sweat. They talked to us, signed autographs. I couldn't praise them enough for the way they'd sung in that heat and stayed to meet us afterwards.

Arthur Treacher heard my English accent and started to talk to me. He was most enthusias¬tic about cricket, and said he came over to England to visit his old mother whenever he could, and always went to the cricket matches. It had been a marvellous, unforgettable day.

The Irish Fusiliers, who were in Austria, had taken over a large house on the edge of a lake near the village of Egg am See, and our Regiment had arranged an exchange programme with them so that some of their soldiers could come and visit our area, staying with us, and some of us go to their house.

A dozen of us, including Colin, Ted and myself, were lucky enough to go and spend five days there. 'Gorgeous scenery, mountains and lakes as we drove to Austria.' The gardens of the house sloped right down to the lake where there was a small landing stage and a rowing boat.

The village itself was on the edge of the lake and we walked round there, watching the children playing on the small beach and jetty. Lovely
blond-haired children, and they all looked happy. We were impressed by the fact that the people, and the whole place, were so clean, and we 'did a bit of fraternising'.

This village was between the towns of Villach and Klagenfurt, and one night we went into Klagenfurt to see a performance of Die Fledermaus, which was excellent. Another day was spent riding a cable car up one of the nearby mountains: 'Quite a thrill going up there. Colin and I climbed higher, and what a glorious view. The air was thin and cool. There was a restaurant on top, and we had dinner there.'

The rest of our holiday was mostly spent swimming in the lake and going out in the boat. There was an island in the middle of the lake, to which we swam on a couple of occasions and which we estimated would be about a mile away.

Then on 5 August it was back to the squadron to find Sid just about to set off on 'Blighty leave'. Good for Sid. We also learned we were to move to another area in a few days' time.

There wasn't a great deal of mail coming these days. I had letters regularly from home and from Ronnie and Emily and other friends — but I wondered what had happened to Lucienne and Marie, and above all Suzette. I always hoped I'd hear again from Aumale — surely perhaps some day Suzette or her aunt would write again.

We were now into August but were waiting for September to come, for then we knew our four years overseas would be completed and we'd be coming home — for good.