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Letter from Mr S
Morgan to Mr Webster in April 2005
with his reminiscences from the war Years. |
Lyneham
Wiltshire
Friday, April 29, 2005
Dear Mr. Webster,
I was looking up on the computer
and came across your address, and if ever an address aroused
my interest yours did, and I will tell you why.
In 1943 I think it was, I was
stationed in a house in Verwood and it was our job to go to
pick up men of the Pioneers Corp's that were stationed in a
large house just off the main road out of Wimborne. This
house laid back from the road and was on the left hand side,
down a drive of about 50 yards
Our HQ was a rather large house
called Haddon House it's approach was down a lane, off the
main Wimborne - Ferndown road. And I can tell you many the
time I walked from Tricketts Cross to Verwood ( I was going
out with a young girl) in the pitch dark no street lights in
war time. The locals use to say that Three Legged Cross was
haunted,-and I can tell you the first time I walked pass,
and you must remember I was a young raw recruit not a soul
about at 2 in the morning and pitch black. Coming up to
Three Legged Cross I saw what I thought where eyes looking
out from the hedge. I can tell you I felt like doing a
runner, but went over and on closer inspection saw they were
glow worms. From that day to this I have never seen anymore.
So much for the local superstition.
As I said we picked up the
pioneers and dropped them off by a turning on the right hand
side just before you got to the level crossing at West Moors
Railway Station. If my memory serves me right there was a
rather high hedge of some 15/20 feet and I think it was some
sort of market garden? I along with some other R E drivers
parked our Lorries in one of these roads and we went on to
the heath and there was a hive of industry. Machinery of
every description, railway lines by the mile. All of this
was getting ready for D Day I can only describe it as a vast
flat sandy area of something like a mile in length and about
the same it width.
My recollections working on this
site was one of heat, dirt, and dust.
During that time I was posted at
Haddon House and Verwood I was in 607 Railway Construction
Company.
Also I remember Verwood Village
Hall and the dance's that were held there, not much chance
of using one's ground sheet, the Mothers kept a very
watchful eye on there young daughters. If my memory serves
me correctly the village hall was on the comer of the cross
roads.
All this was a long time before
Uncle Albert in Only Fools and Horse's lived there.
I don't know if I will ever go
back and have a look around ? I know I don't live all that
far away, but I remember when Ringwood, Picket Post, St
Leonards, West Moors, Three legged Cross, and Verwood were
pleasant little English villages. Maybe it is best to leave
these places dusty in my mind.
Also I think I remember there
was a large military hospital somewhere around Ringwood.
From Verwood I was posted to
Beaulieu and Bucklers Hard where some parts of the
Mulberry
Harbour
was built ready for D Day. Little did I
foresee that I was going to transfer to 9 Squadron Para's
and be one of the first to land in France. But that's
another story and I'm sure I'm not going to bore you with
that.
Mr. Webster, I do hope I've not
taken up to much of your time, and I trust this letter finds
you in the best of health.
yours
sincerely Ken Morgan
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