1945
1945
1st January
Brought in the New Year feeling sorry for myself. At midnight two Scots doctors came into the ward singing "Auld Lang Syne" and wishing us a "Happy New Year". Wonder how the men without limbs must be feeling and what the future holds for them.
2nd January
Still suffering a lot of pain. Tablets seem to cause depression, however, I can't grumble when I look around the ward. A RE Corporal across from my bed lost an arm and a leg defusing a booby-trap mine. Sister Jones ordered an ambulance to take him and a few other patients to the pub to try and cheer them up. Came back drunk as could be. Made them forget for a short time. The ward is being cleared of all who are on the mend, the Red Cross train being due in tomorrow.
5th January
Didn't take notes last few days. Off MandB tablets and the depression is beginning to lift and am now taking an interest in life again. A parcel, which had been sent to Brussels, turned-up at the Royal today from the 9th British Hospital. To keep me occupied the Red Cross gave me material to crochet a fire screen with the Gordon crest as a centre piece. One of the nurses is making a grand job of it in her spare time.
6th January
Stitches removed today. The surgeon seems to be a bit worried about the state of the wound and decided to operate the afternoon again.
29th January
Near the end of the month and I'm still in Dartmouth Ward. Didn't feel like taking an interest in anything; couldn't even be bothered taking notes for my diary. The surgeon seems to have the answer to my problems. A throat specialist, on his rounds, examined my tonsils and he was quite sure that they were poisoning my whole system. Another time, to look forward to.
30th January
Told to be prepared for a tonsil operation tomorrow. Asked Sister Jones if it could be postponed as it was Jimmy's birthday on the third of February. The surgeon was contacted and he agreed to let me home for the occasion.
1st February
Wound examined, clean wadding put on and bandaged up. An ambulance was laid on to catch a train for the north. Put into a first class carriage. A RAF officer complained to the guard as NCOs are only allowed second class travel (even in hospital blues). The guard assisted me to another compartment. Transport laid on, at Kilmarnock, by RTO to take me to Prestwick. Arrived home late afternoon.
3rd February
Enjoyed my two days at home even if I was house bound and suffering a certain amount of pain. Had a party for Jimmy with everyone from Outdale Road coming to keep things going. Was able to relax for a short period.
4th February
Departed for the south, in the afternoon. Taxi to Kilmarnock to board the train for Wolverhampton arriving there at 1500. Feeling tired but grateful for the kindness of the surgeon and Sister Jones.
10th February
Tonsil operation carried out on the 5th February and have been feeling pretty miserable the last five days. Unable to eat any food, fed on brandy and cream, wouldn't like to go through the same operation again. Still walking with a limp but the swelling in the leg is decreasing. Beginning to take an interest in life once more.
14th February
Operation worked wonders. Surgeon now considers I', fir to leave the Royal to make room for other casualties. Discharge papers will arrive tomorrow. Will never forget the kindness of the doctors, Sister Jones, nurses and the people of Wolverhampton, the despair on the faces of the men who had lost one or more limbs, men who had nightmares and the nurses doing their best to bring them comfort.
15th February
Left Wolverhampton by road in the forenoon arriving at 114 Convalescent Depot, Saiton Park outside Chester. Now billeted in nice comfortable huts.
16th February
Medical in the forenoon. Graded 111 until further notice. Missing the attention received at the Royal (Dartmouth Ward). Nothing to do all day. Spent the evening, in the Sergeant's mess with a Sergeant Malladay.
17th February
Commenced light training. The PT instructor, CSM Cook (ex Celtic footballer) was in charge. Spent the evening in the mess reading and writing letter; something I have been neglecting recently.
18th February
Went to mass in the Garrison Theatre attached to the camp. No duties so far. Nothing much to do bar going to the NAAFI and reading. Leg still weak for walking very far.
19th February
PT and light training finished a lazy day. Packed my kit and put it into store in the afternoon. Going on leave tomorrow.
27th February
Leave finished. Left Prestwick at 1000 arriving back at camp about 1700 feeling browned off. Will soon get back to normal.
28th February
Medical inspection in the forenoon. Graded 11 which means that I'm on my way to be able to do normal duties.
1st March
Commenced training. PT and a short route march was the day's training. Leg swelling and still have a limp. MO expects the swelling and the limp to disappear in due course. Met Sergeant Harkness from Prestwick recovering from wounds received in Europe while with the Cameron Highlanders.
2nd March
Dodged about in the forenoon. In Chester in the afternoon with a Sergeant Bird. Went to the pictures "Harvest Moon" in the local cinema. Finished the evening in the mess.
3rd March
Went to mass in the nearby American hospital. Plenty of local talent in the area; must be plenty of cigarettes and silk stockings available. Pictures in the evening "One Night of Love", it passed the time. Wondering if I'll be fit enough to go overseas again. Not looking forward to it: I've had enough.
9th March
Usual routine the last few days. Orderly Sergeant as from 0900 today, assisted by Sergeant Whipp. As he is a local man I took over his duties to allow him to go home. In charge of the usual camp duties. Owing to the number of absentees the biggest job was filling-in charge sheets. Don't hear much about the war in this area.
15th March
My birthday today, celebrated it as Orderly Sergeant. Reveille at 0600, paraded ORs at 0730 to give them their duties for the day. Paraded and inspected defaulters at lights out and handed over to my relief.
17th March
PT in the forenoon, Chester in the afternoon. Had my tea in town. Returned to the camp and went to the pictures "Hook or by Crook" in the Garrison Theatre. Finished the day.
18th March
Went to mass in the Garrison Theatre at 1100. Invited out to meet Sergeant Whipp's family. Enjoyed my night out and returned to camp at 2230.
19th March
On a charge at Company office for failing to parade the Company yesterday for church parade. Got the usual reprimand. PT and short route march completed the day's programme. Medical board, downgraded to B7 which means no more heavy training. Chances of going back overseas are pretty slim. The leg can't take the strain.
20th March
Reported to Company office to sign my regraded papers. Couldn't believe my eyes when I read the daily orders instructing me to report to holding Battalion at Ayr racecourse. First time, in over five years, I have a posting near home. Fell 100% better already.
2nd April
Reported to the holding Battalion - Ayr - after nine days leave. Now in charge of a Platoon of B7 graded men. Training consisted of short route marches and PT; taking it nice and easy.
3rd April
Asked for and received a sleeping out pass plus ration cards. Will be able to sleep out every night except when on duty. Discipline is difficult to maintain. Most of the Company are ex German held prisoners of war with leg problems. Keeping the Company office busy with lots of defaulters.
4th April
Marched the Platoon to Prestwick bathing lake. Used PT shorts as bathing costumes and had a good time all afternoon. Asked Mrs. Anderson of the Homestead if we could have a cup of tea and something to eat. She was delighted to oblige (no charge). Returned to the camp in the afternoon after a very enjoyable day.
5th April
Escort to a Sergeant awaiting a court martial for uplifting a good quality Australian blanket from the CQMS stores. Managed to slip through the wire at night to sleep at Manson Avenue and returned before reveille.
20th April
Nothing to take notes of the last few weeks. Just normal duties and doing as little as possible. Detailed, with two escorts, to bring in a deserter found working on a farm near Perth. Left by train, in the forenoon arriving at Perth police station in the afternoon. The deserter caused no trouble until I was putting him in the guard room at the race course when he decided to make a break for it. Managed to bring him down with a rugby tackle. He apologised for causing trouble but the thought of detention was too much.
21st April
Prisoner brought in yesterday. Made a RP band out of a bit of his blanket and walked out of the camp as a member of the Regimental Police. I don't think the power that be will bother looking for him again.
29th April
Acting RSM for a week to cover for the HLI RSM who is on a weeks leave. Responsible for running the Battalion during his absence including ceremonial guard mounting with the duty officer during camp inspection. Guard mounting is tricky with plenty of NCOs and ORs ready to criticise every order. Parading all duties and defaulters at lights out for inspection.
30th April
General Ritchie, ex CO 8th Army, visited the camp in the afternoon. Turned out the guard, gave the present arms then the open order for inspection. Everything seems to have gone alright, at least, he complimented me on the display. Glad when it was all over.
8th May
The war in Europe finished today. A sort of anti-climax as I had waited so long for this moment, and feel nothing. I suppose it will sink-in in a day or so. Nothing much to report just general camp duties and sleeping out when not on duty. Doing as little as possible.
Discipline will become difficult now especially with the ex prisoners of war. A prisoner of war camp at Doonfoot, housing about 500 Germans is supplying us with work parties for camp duties. Keeping the place tidy and doing a grand job as dining room orderlies.
Detailed today to go to their camp and take 25 of them to the Rozell estate to put up marquees for a garden fete. Marched them across the Belisle golf course with two of an escort and a Junkers pilot as an interpreter. Two women lost golf balls in the rough, gave the order for the party to extend and search. found the two balls which were received with thanks as they are almost unobtainable.
Proceeded to Rozell. On arrival a girl on a swing started screaming and ran into the house. I learned later that she was a German Jewess evacuated from Germany. She panicked when she saw the soldiers. Erected the marquees and stalls then returned to Doonfoot.
9th May
In charge of the working party in the morning to dismantle tents and tidy-up. Found the prisoners easy to work with. The Sergeants had quite a lot in common with us. None of them were SS just ordinary soldiers wearying to get home.
10th May
Went to Doonfoot again this morning looking for prisoners who had experience of interior decorating. Senior officers at the racecourse, needed their houses painted. Got quite a surprise when I was given a continental style wheel barrow for young Jimmy. It had been made by the inmates using only a pen knife. It was their way of showing their thanks for the odd cigarette and decent treatment.
30th May
RSM duties for another week. Ceremonial guard came from the Cameronians. Giving the orders is a bit difficult as they carry their guns at the trail, instead of the slope. Made it more difficult as the Corporal in charge was an ex-Massey manager from Paisley Road, West Glasgow. Was making faces etc. managed to get through the drill, I think, without making any mistakes. Usual reporting all duties and turning out the guard at lights out for inspection by the duty officer.
1st June
NCO hut is full of Sergeants waiting their turn to be demobbed. HLI, Cameronians and Gordons. First in, first out. Quite a large number had decorations, mostly the MM. A Sergeant of the Cameronians had the DCM and bar and the MM and bar. He is more or less bomb happy. Doesn't do any duties; allowed to leave the camp and go to the pubs at any time of the day. He must have had a pretty rough time of it. There are three Sergeants names James Robertson, including myself. The other two come from Aberdeen.
14th June
Prisoners, in the military wing of Barlinnie Prison rioted and smashed-up the dining hall. Detailed to take a batch of 25 to Taunton in Somerset. Left the camp in the forenoon with an escort of six other ranks. Issued with entrenching tool handles for self protection. Embussed the prisoners at Barlinnie to take them to the Central Station to entrain on a special carriage attached to the south bound train.
Arrived at the Central station to find a mob waiting for us. Managed to get through with police help but lost a prisoner (the crowd closed-in on him when I tried to grab him). He was picked-up, in Gordon Street, by the police. Looked a bit roughed-up when he arrived at the carriage.
About an hour out of the station one of the carriage windows was smashed. I moved in on the prisoner; he tried to slash his throat with a piece of the broken glass. Used my entrenching tool handle to subdue him. More trouble outside Birmingham when the train stopped in a tunnel, five prisoners jumped out and got away in the darkness.
Arrived at Taunton after the carriage had been shunted about from train to train. Had been on my feet for over ten hours, unable to relax. By now the prisoners had quietened down as they realised that they were going to the toughest military prison in Britain. I don't know how many Red Caps were waiting but the prisoners were soon at the door with boots to help them on their way.
15th June
Reported to Company office at 0900 to report yesterday's loss of prisoners en route to Taunton. A court of enquiry will be held but I don't think that the powers that be will worry too much about it. Like myself they are wearying for the end of the war. Discipline is not what it used to be.
24th November
Stopped taking notes since June; just lost interest. Did as little as possible. Went home, when not on duty, to Manson Avenue usually accompanied by a Corporal of the HLI and a Lance Corporal of the Cameronians both of whom visited people in the area.
At home for our wedding anniversary on the 9th September, the first since I got married six years ago. When we decided to get married on the 9th September 1939 we didn't realise that a war would separate us for so many years. Japan surrendered on the 2nd September; so that is the end.
Now the day has arrived that I've been waiting so long for. On the notice board this morning 2888211 Sergeant James Simpson Robertson of the Gordon Highlanders will parade and take charge of a party at 0745 on the 27th November and proceed to be demobilised and fitted out with civilian clothes at the Redford Barracks in Edinburgh.
So at the head of the most important party in my army career (3 Sergeants, 4 Corporals and 36 other ranks( marched out for the last time. That's it. With leave due I will be finished with the army on 29th January 1946 with £90, in the Post Office, to show for nearly six years of married life. Attended a welcome home party. A speech by the Provost of Prestwick, a present of a wallet with £2 enclosed and that was that.
James Simpson Robertson
Prestwick
Ayrshire
May 1988