December 1940

[This will be the last month that Granddad summarizes week by week.]

1-7 December 1940

Battalion church parade this morning. Two daylight air raids this week. Training being carried out as laid down by the weekly training syllabus. Cleaning up the billets prior to our departure fro Brighton on the south coast. Moved out at 0830hrs on Thursday 5 Dec and arrived a Roedean School on the East side of Brighton where we relieved the PPCLI. BHQ stationed at Roedean school. Outposts being manned along the coast. Raining and foggy and all ranks confined to barracks.

8-14 December 1940

Church parade held in Roedean School Chapel. There was a nice pipe organ in the chapel and I played it for the services. It was a long time since I played even a piano and it was certainly was the first time that I had ever played a three manual church organ. Various red alerts given through the days. The body of a German airman was found 450 yards west of the main gate of the school. Recognized by remnants of uniform. Several reports of German aircraft received. One of the drummers in the band, Pte. Lou Murphy, was struck by a truck on the Main Front Rd and severely injured. He was in a coma for a long time and eventually returned to Canada but never regained the full use of his arms and legs and his speech was severely impaired. I seen him after the war and he was indeed severely handicapped. I was employed at this time as a runner at Battalion Headquarters.


15-21 December 1940

I played the organ again this Sunday for the church parade in the chapel. Company training being carried out when the troops were not on station in the various posts along the coast. We were allowed to go into Brighton if we were not required for duty and provided we had a pass. Reports of strange lights received from time to time which usually proved to be of no importance.

22-28 December 1940

Church parades held in the chapel and I played the organ again. Christmas Day was spent at the school. This was the second Christmas that we were away from home. I received a letter from Canada stating that I had been accepted as an apprentice musician with the R 22e R Band in Quebec. Needless to say I could not go back. Air raids reported in Brighton together with reports of bombs.

29-31 December 1940

We left Roedean School in the Brighton area at 1100hrs on Sunday and handed over to the RCR's. Back in Kingswood area and settling in. Short route march held on Tuesday and nothing special was planned for New Years Eve.

This ends the first full year away from Canada.