…….. AND HOME UNDER OUR OWN ARRANGEMENTS
As Remembered By George Kirman
Six soldier members of 73 HAA Regt RA MELF 15, were given authority to travel back to the UK under private arrangements and at their own expense. We were National Servicemen due for release with 16 or 17 group. We were granted 24 days release leave and we could not claim back the cost of the passage or any accommodation, even rations. We were not allowed to wear uniform outside the area of MELF (excluding UK) or outside the Canal Zone in Egypt.
We managed to put our gear into a wooden ‘ammunition’ type box with coarse rope handles. We left Geneifa in a 3 ton truck with canvas sides on or about 14th July ’52, to be driven to Port Said where we embarked on the Charlton Star (of notorious fame) on a rather rough journey to Cyprus. We landed off shore at Famagusta and stayed only one night before getting a taxi for Larnaca where we embarked on the SS Philipo Grimani. I well remember the smell of olive oil and the unusual (for me) circular loos set in the floor requiring a crouch position!
Our journey from Cyprus took us first to Athens, where we climbed up to the Acropolis and had a photo taken outside the Parthenon. It was rather windy and a Greek Girl Guide lost her hat.
On board again, we passed through the Corinth Canal out into the Ionian Sea, which we crossed from east to west (100 miles) to pass through the Straits of Messina. I remember passing the Stromboli volcano lighting up the sky at 4 o’clock in the morning. We docked in Naples having rounded Capri, where to our amazement former King Farouk and Queen Narriman had sailed into exile – at least their yacht was there!!
We were fortunate to see Pompeii before going up to the crater of Vesuvius. There was a shop selling cameos and I bought a necklace for my mother. Our final port of call was Genoa, where we saw two Italian liners with their prominent red, white and green border livery. From Genoa we travelled down the coast to Viareggio – a resort once visited by Edward VIII. One of our party (Bdr. Keyes) managed to arrange accommodation for us and we enjoyed seeing pizza made in brick ovens for the first time and drank chianti.
We took a bus trip to Pisa and looked round Puccini’s house at Tierra del Lago. Of course, we went up the Leaning Tower and saw the famous Baptistry. The house was furnished, with a monument to Caruso and his hunting guns and boots were ready for the next outing! Puccini was a smoker and the Americans. we were told. had reduced the length of his cigarette at his statue nearby.
Back to Genoa, the coastal railway passed through various tunnels via La Spezia and the roadside scenery was magnificent (such a contrast to the desert sand!). We boarded the train for Calais and changed at Milan where the ticket official wondered if we had a box full of cigarettes and unfortunately we had to reveal the truth, that we had no contraband!! Knowing we had a Scotsman in our group he was fascinated by the story that the Scots wore nothing under their kilts but in this case he was not required to prove the fact.
We got off the train in Paris and spent one night there at a "pension" – the money was running out!! We finally reached Calais – but the luggage (ammunition box) went to Dunkirk. We crossed the Channel and joined the luggage, and reached Victoria Station and finally, somewhat tired, we reached the RA Barracks at Woolwich, where we were discharged and ordered to attend the requisite TA Unit.
I enjoyed my travel leave and would dearly like to know what happened to my fellow travellers after all these years. They were: L/Bdr. R.J. Keizer, Gnr J.A.G. Hartley, Bdr. A.D. MacKay, L/Bdr. E.S. Gormley and Bdr. D/M/ Keys. All served with the R.A