59 The Royal Canadian Legion MANITOBA & NORTHWESTERN ONTARIO COMMAND www.mbnwo.ca Early in March he left all the cockroaches to their own devices and was posted to an American military camp at Taunton, Massachusetts - Camp Myles-Standish, one step closer to overseas. The food there was unbelievable - real milk, bacon and eggs, chicken, roast beef and no cockroaches! He couldn’t figure out why the American rations were so much better than Theirs. (The answer: they were on British rations!). On March 9, 1943, at 5:05 a.m., under cover of darkness, (his 21st birthday), he climbed aboard the former luxury liner, the Queen Elizabeth, and sailed from New York harbour on a 2500-mile sea voyage to Britain. The Q.E. was a fast ship so didn’t need a convoy escort for submarine protection. She carried a human cargo of 17,000 military personnel. Planes, corvettes and balloons saw to it that they were safely on their way; from then on they were on their own. As they approached the Bermuda coast, they ran into a violent storm. His appetite vanished. A few cookies and two chocolate bars kept him alive for more than one day! On March 13 they saw four whales or sharks. The Atlantic Ocean seemed an endless stretch of choppy water. On March 16, at 12:02 a.m., they were met by Sunderland flying boat, and next day at 4:45 a.m. they docked at the Scottish port, Greenock. The Irish Sea seemed actually green. At 3:27 a.m., before they docked, the German air force tried to sink them, both bombs missed (fortunately). That was his initiation to the Luftwaffe! (On the Queen Elizabeth he made a gallant attempt to get horsemeat to go down but alas, - someone hollered “whoa”. That didn’t help a bit. He knew it wasn’t beef!). At 11:30 that night they had all piled off the Queen Elizabeth and had their first ride on an English train. The countryside was beautiful, so green and lush. Thomas was billeted in room 15 W at the Hawthorne Hotel in the south coast former resort area at Bournemouth, in England. This was a holding unit for RCAF personnel. Small cars in very small numbers and bicycles appeared to be second to walking as a means of getting from point A to point B. Barbed wire entanglements covered the beaches as a defence against an anticipated German invasion. On March 21, 25 miles from Bournemouth, at 10:00 p.m. the shrill whine of air raid sirens told them that an enemy air raid was in progress over Poole. Thomas wondered about the tragic results. March 24 was pay day, in English currency, an education in itself: one pound - $4.47, a quid was a pound, a shilling was two-bits, a crown was half a dollar, six pence was about .12 cents and a penny was a cent, more or less! Next day he was posted to Middleton-St. George, 420 Squadron (Owl Sqdn.), an RCAF bomber squadron. This was to be his unit for many months to come. March 26 was a beautiful moonlight night. A two-mile march with a 60 pound back pack was handled not too badly. 420’s Wellingtons and Halifaxes took off for a night bombing raid over “enemy occupied territory”. (Later they were told it was Berlin). Thomas wished he was still in air crew. Letters and parcels soon began to arrive from home. Very good therapy for lonesomeness as well as the stomach. April 5 found Thomas on a nine-day leave in London. So much to see! The underground trains were fast and efficient. Hundreds of people huddled in the underground for air raid protection, especially at night. He felt so sorry for the elderly people and the little kids. They seemed to maintain good spirits and were a source of encouragement to anyone with apprehension. He ate pancakes (free) in the Beaver Club, went to the “flicks” (movies), met his brother (RCAF H.Q. – Harrolds’ Dept. Store) and was introduced to the “thrill and excitement” of Picadilly Circus. That was an education to an innocent country boy like Thomas! Business appeared to be brisk! Thomas toured the Westminster Abbey, attended a session in the House of Commons, and watched the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace plus visiting other historical places like St. Paul’s Cathedral. On April 27, a rumor surfaced that 420 Squadron was going to move to the Middle East. This was confirmed next day via a muster parade. The C.O. told them he expected them to be halfway to Berlin by summer’s end. Desert clothing and gear was issued, anti mosquito “salve”, sun helmets, “toad stabbers” and Sten guns, tin mug and plate, eating “irons” and bed roll. On May 9, Air Marshall Edwards, head of the RCAF overseas, presented 420 Squadron with our Africa Expeditionary Force Crest and symbol. A very touching ceremony. On May 13, they lost two Halifaxes over Duisburg. One returned with the rear gunner badly shot up, nearly dead. A foot shot off completely. This is really war. DELGATY, Thomas Neil (continued) (Continued)
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