Wartime service memoirs of William (Bill) Birch, by Wendy Lloyd

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These notes are from a notebook that Wendy's Dad, William (Bill) Birch, put together in 1980, and in memory of him. Because of the recent 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War, Wendy feels that it is important information that should not be forgotten. I have word processed these hand written notes exactly as our dear Dad wrote them.

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WARTIME NOTES: ARMY SERVICE SEPTEMBER 5TH 1940 TO DECEMBER 31ST 1945

"Called up" for service in the 'Royal Army Service Corps' on 5th September 1940. I reported to Mansfield, where after two months training we were 'passed out' as trained soldiers. Several of us were sent by train to Bradford, to join a new company being formed - 27 Res. Co. R.A.S. (Later to become 350 G T Cop. R.A.S.C., which I was to be with which until it was disbanded in late October 1945). After a couple of weeks or so, when we had taken our lorries over, etc., the new company was ready to move away, which we did on November 19th 1940, for Luton. We reached Lutterworth about 7pm on the 19th and moved on next day to Luton where we were to be stationed.

We were to remain in this country until the end of November 1942, being stationed at Luton, Byrave, Bury St. Edmunds, St. Neots, Weedon, etc., as a ground transport Company going all over the country. Then in early spring of 1942 to Scotland; Ayrshire, Palny, & Kilmarnock, where we embarked in December '42 for North Africa.

NORTH AFRICA AND ITALY

After a very stormy crossing I was seasick for about nine days until we got into the calm waters of the Mediterranean. We docked in Algiers for a couple of hours, then set off in the late evening to move to another port, but we were hit by a torpedo and after a few 'scares' we stood on deck and the boat got into the port of Bougies.

On Christmas Day 1942 we left by train for the port of Bone, where we arrived after a few adventures several days later. After a while our lorries were docked at another port and we worked on the docks for a few months. We were then moved on through the months arriving in Tunis; working from there until the surrender of the Italians at Cap Bone (now Cape Bon).

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A postcard of a market in Tunis.

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After a time we left the port in landing craft for Italy where we landed in the port of Taranto. We continued as before, moving from time to time along the Adriatic coast, Bori, Faggia, etc., to Terme (Christmas 1943).

Shortly after this we moved over to the other side of the country to join the American Forces, just outside Cassino, supplying the amenities, etc. We then moved on to several other places and after a few months we were billeted in Naples. We were still there until Christmas 1944 and on into the New Year. In fact until after VE DAY. We then moved again, moving up by stages to Milan and then Genoa, where we were on VJ Day. A few weeks later we moved back down the country again to Bari. A few weeks afterwards I got a month's leave in England. I then flew back to Bari only to find that that the Company was breaking up.

Another couple of weeks later saw the end, and I was posted to a new company to find on arrival that the Sargent Major was a sergeant from the 350, so he made sure that I had a nice little job in the office to see my time out. We again moved to Faggia near Naples, where I remained until 15th December when I went to Transit Camp in Naples; finally leaving Italy by train to Rome, Milan, through Switzerland and France to Calais. We went by boat to Dover and on to Aldershot where I was demobbed on December 31st 1945.

GENERAL NOTES (WARTIME)

1940. Our house (83 Nicholls Street, pictured on the right) was bombed in the Blitz of Coventry, November 14th. On November 19th, having been unable to contact Coventry at all, I walked from Lutterworth to Pailton, left to Brinklow and then all around Coventry. I finally found my parents safe in a shelter, then Lilian and Frances (her sister) in Alderman's Green (Aunty Flo's house). I then returned to Lutterworth by cycle and rejoined my convoy at 6am.

1942. During the night the train in which we were travelling was partly derailed. The carriage I was in was turned over and my ribs were cracked. I was strapped up with Elastoplast for about three weeks.

Our company was a very lucky company on the whole. I myself was very fortunate on several occasions, as were many of us.

OUTSTANDING SIGHTS AND BUILDINGS SEEN DURING MY SERVICE TIME

The eruption of the Volcano Vesuvius by day and more so by night.
(Our family have four actual photographs of this, which our Dad purchased. Two of them are below.)

The San Carlo Opera House, Naples.

The Royal Palace, Naples (used as a N.A.F.F.I. by British Forces).

Milan Cathedral (revisited in the 1960s by Lilian and I, as well as Vesuvius etc.).

Ruins of Pompeii (ditto).

Vatican City, St Peter's Cathedral, where we soldiers had an audience with the Pope.

The Sistine Chapel and the Colosseum.

The fountains of Trevi and the Spanish Steps.

Bill Birch, 1980 & Wendy Lloyd, 2025

You might also enjoy reading Bill's Family war-time memories or his Short history of Coventry's Theatres and Cinemas.