Chronology of Noteworthy Events - Part 2 (Continued) By 1943 Tweedsmuir Camp personnel were feeling very much at home and local dignitaries such as Sir Bruce Thomas, who owned Dye House at the time, were in constant communication with camp command. The Lorne Scots Regiment were easing themselves into the village community by, for example, helping out with events like garden fetes. The camp saw its first New Year's party for children of Thursley Village and later in the year a high tea for civilians in the Sergeants' Mess. 1943 2 January 1943 In the evening officers attended a dance at Green Farm, Churt. 10 January 1943 Lorne Scots Unit attended a special service at Thursley Parish Church where a brass plaque was unveiled by The Right Reverend J.V. Macmillan (Bishop of Guildford). Click the image for a larger picture and summary of the occasion. 21 January 1943 Children from Thursley were invited to a party in the Officers' Mess. The occasion started with Popeye films followed by drinks, sandwiches and cakes. Later in the day the children enjoyed a Punch and Judy show. At the end of the afternoon, gifts were presented to each child and "... all went home feeling quite happy with the event." 23 January 1943 "Good news came through", wrote the diarist. "The 8th Army entered Tripoli at 0500 hrs." 25 January 1943 A Court of Inquiry, presided over by Capt. Bullock, Lieut. Denman and Lieut. Tulk, was held this day, "... reporting on an accident that occurred on the morning of 30 December 1942 on the Portsmouth Road near Thursley." Two vehicles were involved, one from 1 CARU and the other from 1 Transport Company on loan to 1 NETD. No one was seriously injured with only "... slight cuts and bruises ..." being reported. 26 January 1943 The medical grounds were "beautified" with climbing roses around the front entrance. Heavy rain caused the "... gun pits to cave in" but all repairs had been attended to. 31 January 1943 "A terrific gale" with winds reaching "70 miles per hour." In the camp a large pine tree was uprooted behind 1 Officers' Hut, bringing down a telegraph pole and wires. 1 February 1943 Strong winds continued to blow across Surrey, causing further damage in the camp. This time they brought down a tree that damaged a hut door and windows. 6 February 1943 After 4 months of waiting, anti-freeze had been obtained to free a frozen bath pump. "The unit soccer were beaten by the team at Elstead." 8 March 1943 "Bombs were dropped south of the camp, quite some distance away, which shook camp buildings." 13 March 1943 Private WH Arnold, one of the Category 'E' men awaiting return to Canada, arrived in the camp "... last night with his 10 month old baby under one arm and the baby's clothes under the other. His wife had skipped. Sgt. Pritchard's wife (was) caring for the child." Private Arnold was sent to Canada on the next draft. (No mention is made whether or not Arnold's child went with him). 20 March 1943 Hamilton Spectator, a Canadian Newspaper, announced that NDHQ had promoted Lieutenant Colonel Louis Keene to Colonel, with address of his next of kin. Hereafter Keene has been referred to as Colonel Keene of Oakville, Ontario. Keene's promotion made him the highest ranking Lorne Scots Officer serving in western Europe - Doug How, Canadian War Correspondent, Hamilton Spectator, 4.12.1944. 25 March 1943 "Strict Mentals arrived from Banstead Mental, Military Hospital with an escort of 1 Sgt. and 14 L. Cpls. from the Canadian Provost Corps." 31 May 1943 "The following letter was received by the CO from Sir Bruce Thomas. Dye House, Thursley May 30, 1943 Dear Col. Lent We appreciate very much indeed your assistance in our "Wings for Victory Week" by letting us have use of the Village Hall on so many days and by providing the operator and projector for the cinema shows. Many thanks. We had a successful week and raised over £12,000. Yours sincerely (Signed) Bruce Thomas." (Lt. Col. Lent took over Tweedsmuir Camp command from Col. Keene who was temporarily commanding "F" Group, CRU at this point in time). 8 June 1943 A long entry was made about a "very dishevelled" woman who entered the camp in the evening. "... a woman dressed in slacks and very dishevelled staggered down the road into the camp and in the blackness nearly got run over. Capt. O'Connor, Transport Officer, rescued her and escorted her to the Officers' Mess kitchen and called the Medical Officer and County Police. ... Shouts were heard from the Officers' Mess lavatory and on investigating discovered Capt. M Feeney hanging desperately to the feet of this damsel who was trying to escape through the window. Apparently she had "played with fire" and was so slightly pregnant and disheartened that she ... swallowed 100 aspirin tablets (just enough to kill a horse) and started wandering. Our gallant Medical Officer took charge and administered an emetic, which took away the danger but the damsel was severely distressed and wanted no further part in this mortal life. The police finally took her away to hospital in Godalming or Guildford. The police had to be loaned some petrol for their car. ... So the Canadians are making young soldiers for the next war extremely fast, but in the meantime there are plenty of heartaches." 25 June 1943 A "truck" was sent to CMHQ to collect 220,000 American cigarettes "... for sale to all ranks of this unit." 16 men out of 38 qualified after firing on the rifle range. 26 June 1943 A Prisoners of War fete was held on the lawn of Dye House, the home of Sir Bruce Thomas. Its success was "... greatly due to Lt. Col. Lent who provided ... help for erecting stalls etc." Field Marshal Lord Ironside opened the proceedings and inspected the guard of honour sent from 5 CIRU. Air Defence Office reported that Lord Ironside also inspected the gun post. (Before becoming Lord Tweedsmuir, John Buchan met Edmund Ironside [later Field Marshal Lord Ironside] during WWI. In his book the Thirty Nine Steps Buchan's main character, Richard Hannay, is based on a young Edmund Ironside). 1 July 1943 Respirator drill for the whole camp up to 1030 hrs. Sir Bruce Thomas and Mr Harrison cut the grass in front of the Officers' Mess in preparation for golf practice. 5 July 1943 "A case of live detonators was brought into the camp by one of the Category 'E' men. He had found some children playing with them on the heath." At 2215 hrs air activity was reported. Anti-aircraft gun fire could be seen and explosions heard in the distance. 6 July 1943 Authority given for the formation of No. 14 and No. 15 POW Escort Detachment. 8 July 1943 Lt. Gen. Crerar inspected the 26 Tank Regiment on the parade ground. 30 July 1943 Special meeting called by Col. Lent who stressed "... emphatically that security measures must be tightened up ..." because he had discovered they were not being adhered to rigidly. He then requested that personnel "... sign and reafirm their loyality to this." 10 August 1943 Personnel for return to Canada reported in from hospitals and various units, including one soldier on a stretcher. In error, his documentation specified that he was part of 15 POW Escort. The diarist couldn't help responding by writing the following flippant comment: "It can be gathered from the powers to be that the Hun prisoners can be guarded by stretcher cases." Another Category 'E' man walked into the camp with a sewing machine to take back with him to Canada. 11 August 1943 "Pte. Barclay arrived in camp with his 18 month old baby with the intention of taking it back to Canada. However, his wife arrived the same evening and returned back home with the baby." 12 September 1943 A number of civilian guests "from outside the camp" attended high tea that was served in the Sgts. Mess. 13 September 1943 21 men were put through Light Machine Gun practice. Only 10 qualified. (A similar event took place on 21 July). 4 November 1943 Capt. JD Batten, Auxiliary Services Officer, entertained the ladies who worked at the Thursley Services Canteen. Maj. Wiseman, OC Salvation Army, Canadian Auxiliary Services thanked the ladies for their hard work. 20 November 1943 A few Lorne Scots Officers attend a dance at Millhanger in aid of The Prisoner of War Fund. 25 December 1943 "Christmas Day and quite a few lonesome hearts walking around the camp. Some awaiting their repatriation to Canada, others (administrative staff) just waiting. A number of the office staff and others in camp have the day off to spend Christmas with friends, wives and relatives. Still the work must go on and our office staff are hard at it for the next draft. Never much rest between drafts these days." 29 December 1943 14 CMHQ Officers inspected the camp "... with a fine tooth comb." The whole site was under the microscope, including offices and personnel. 30 December 1943 Some of the CMHQ staff remained in the camp to continue their inspection of personnel, infantry drill and the like. The following day the Lorne Scots returned to their usual routine of returning to Canada Category 'E' personnel. Copyright © 2006: Zen and Wies Rogalski