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.....My time in the army was nearing
its end Oct/Nov 1947. I had hoped to remain, as I had climbed through the ranks
to Company Sergeant Major, in charge of approximately 120 personnel. The battalion
was destined for relocation to Hong Kong but that move was cancelled, so I
decided to go home, as the unrest in Burma and India was very real, and not
a pleasant situation to be in, both countries wanted their independence. It
was said how could a few thousand British troops control millions of Assam
people of different religions. At the end of 1947 I think they got there independence
from British rule.
.....I never felt any animosity towards the Japanese although they were cruel
I don’t think they new any different they were taught what they had to
do, us likewise, it did upset me when we entered Fort Dufferin seeing some
British prisoners wearing loin cloths, and near to starvation, also covered
in sores. I can’t forgive them for that.
.....Some of the Japanese we had, and spoken to had been in combat for 12/14
years. The war with China. But what many people forget is that when we were
in conflict with other country’s years ago India, Africa we were not
all that innocent against mankind.
.....I and several other chaps were put on a boat at Rangoon, and our first
stop was Bombay where we were allowed to go ashore, I visited some friends,
a civil servant who I had stayed with when I had a three day pass, escorting
two of our chaps to prison in Calcutta, my friends were also getting very anxious
regarding the situation as there jobs were on the line eventually they return
to England.
.....The journey home for me was quiet pleasant, unlike the journey out from
England. While I was working in the galley preparing vegetables, unbeknown
to me, stand too was called at the time I did think it was odd no one around,
also I did hear a lot of noise banging eventually chaps returned saying what
the hell you doing down here, did you not hear the stand too siren. Evidently
U-Boats were in the vicinity, any rate the matter was soon dropped, I did feel
a Charley.
.....We landed at Southampton Oct 47 I was first off the boat followed by a
few hundred service personnel, it did seem strange after being overseas so
long, seeing brick and stone buildings, instead of bamboo and mud buildings.
.....I think it was Petersfield, Hampshire where I had been demobbed, and after
we had chosen our clothes, suit, shirts, underwear, shoes, socks, we made our
way to our respective homes, I making my journey to Wincanton Somerset arriving
home the same day, what a welcome flags out, I thought Wincanton was beautiful
no mud, no jungle, no enemy hiding in the bush, or long grass, and the electric
lighting in the evening was wonderful, as when I went away gas lamps illuminated
the town, and of course they were extinguished during the war years. It was
great to sit at a table with my parent’s brothers and sisters. Although
two brothers were out in the Middle East, doing their two year service, while
I was doing my bit, that still left four plus me at the table. I had paid leave
for one month which I took before going back to work, why should I not get
acclimatized to Civvy Street, also I had a lot to catch up.
.....I return to Cow & Gate, but after living outside more or less in the
Far East, I felt penned in, so I took a driving examination at Yeovil which
I passed. I gave in my notice at Cow & Gate and got a driving position
at the Wincanton Laundry collecting, and delivering soiled and clean linen
to the public, after I think two years, I moved with my wife Rosemary and son
to Sherborne Dorset, doing the same type of work with Guarantee Laundries,
but again moving my position of sales and transport manager.
.....I stayed there until my retirement in 1989, again I could write a book
as during the years of 1960, and 70’s the company had four operative
laundries five depots plus 36 shops plus a large depot in London. I was lucky
to have had a hand in the organization and setting up the transport with the
washing machine, with home made fabric coming onto the market, the domestic
side of the business was coming to an end, so diversion had to made we had
to move to the industrial side, i.e. hotels, shops and factories in other words
linen hire, and garment rental.
.....My life in the armed forces also Civvy Street and my retirement has been
exhilarating not a dull moment, but at times hard work with long hours. After
about 45 years I had not given much thought regarding the time I spent out
in the Far East, until I was canvassing for work in the Bournemouth area, a
chap came to the door, and before I could say a word, he said I know you, I
replied, I’m sorry I don’t you, your Sgt. Shave he said, that’s
45/50 years ago I replied after a lengthy conversation it all came back his
name was Reg Tully who was a Batman to one of our officers, after a while he
rang telling me that our Coy commander, who was now a Colonel retired, name
John Hill, and lived at Poole just off Bournemouth, I rang him to congratulate
him on his book, up until that time I did not belong to any association Royal
Berkshire’s, or the Burma Star Association, we met up, sure enough with
a little persuading I was roped in, meetings at Brock Barracks Reading, Royal
Berks, and at the Poole Burma Star Association. Unfortunately he died two years
ago age 83 after suffering an allergic reaction to prescribed drugs. A very
nice man, others I met Bill Lowe, our Coy Clerk Ron xxxx, from the 2nd Battalion
Welch Regiment, and Guy Jenkins who were both muleteers, Bob Court, and Norman
xxxx, who were R.A.F. stationed at Mingaladon just off Rangoon. Obviously other
Burma Star veterans I did meet but not from the Royal Berkshires or the 19th
Indian Division sadly the end is nearing for our associations, as when I attended
these functions numbers were diminishing, we say, give the association another
five years and it will be goodbye.
.....I was always asked what I was going to do on my retirement, I did not
know at the time, but I soon found out it was the other way round, how did
I find the time to work, we all say that of course you had to live. I can never
find time, the wife is always finding me jobs and with the functions that we
attend, R/Berks B/Star plus holidays, also we have a 1942 U.S.A., G.P.W. Jeep
which takes up a lot of time during the summer months, shows and rally’s
never a dull moment in our retirement, 16 years.
.....Well I think I have concluded my memory and thoughts in this write up
from the age of two to the present time, although other incidents keep cropping
up.
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C.S.M. Theodore Martin Shave