DISBANDING OF THE ROYAL WARWICKSHIRE REGT 1948
As Remembered By Jack Hill - ex: 2nd Btn 'C' Coy
This was taken during May/June 1948 at Quassasin, Egypt
just prior to the
Disbanding of the 2nd Btn Royal Warwickshire Regt.
We had recently arrived there after serving in Jerusalem. The British Mandate there ended on the 14th May 1948 and that is when we got out – taking 3 days to get to Quassasin across the Sinai. We were all glad to get out – all our kit had been sent on ahead, leaving us with just our knife, fork, spoon, mug and mess tin (not even our beds). We kipped on our ‘biscuits’ on the floor and survived on banana’s, eggs, prunes and ‘pom’ for our last 9/10 days there.
We had some hairy moments while in Jerusalem, always watching your back, and with ‘one up the spout’ most of the time, your rifle was your lifeline and it was always by your side, even chained to you when you were able to get some kip.
Still, we eventually got to Quassasin and to compensate they gave us 4 days leave at Sea View Holiday Camp at Port Fouad which went down very well.
In the photo I still remember a lot of the squaddies names – Major ‘Dizzy’
Dirks, 2nd Lt Robinson, Ron Elbury, Starkey, Ron Buck, Frank Shelley, Ron Phillips,
Dave Kelly, Cpl Johnson, Don Chapman and so on. I often wonder how life has
treated them since those days – now nearly 59 (in 2007) years ago. Looking
back the memories are still there – some good, some not so.