Nostalgia with Margaret Watson: Ronnie Ellis’s memoirs part two

Margaret Watson writes: This week we continue with his memories of what happened when at the age of 18 he received his call up papers.

He had to report to the Seaforth Highlanders depot in Edinburgh for basic training which proved to be fiercely hard.

In his memoirs Ronnie writes:

“I don’t think I’d ever been as fit in my life. Being a milkman had kept me quite fit but some of the lads had worked in offices, taken little exercise and were in quite a state.”

The trainees were eventually posted to various regiments and Ronnie was sent to Hadrians Camp, Carlisle on December 29, 1944 for driver training.

“As I had been able to drive my dad’s Ford 8 van since I was 12, I soon adjusted to larger vehicles,” recalls Ronnie.

“When I’d been at Hadrians Camp a few weeks I met my good mate Tom Rhodes from Hanging Heaton, who was also doing his driver training.

“We bumped into Stanley Fryer, also from Hanging Heaton, who was in the RAF. He took us out for some nosh which was very much appreciated by two hard-up drivers.”

Then came a welcome seven days leave, going by train from Carlisle to Leeds.

“As we arrived after midnight we had to wait for the early morning train to Batley. Leeds station was famous for the canteen near the platforms.

“When you went for a cuppa it was served in jam jars. I’ve spoken to chaps all over and when you mentioned Leeds station during the war they always say:

‘Do you remember the jam jars?’

Ronnie was posted again to an ack-ack gun site at West Pilton, near Edinburgh, as a truck driver towing searchlights to different locations.

His mother became ill and was taken to hospital and he was granted 14 days compassionate leave, but when her health improved he returned to camp.

“I arrived back and got the shock of my life because all my pals had gone to Washington in County Durham to join a draft for Kenya and then on to Burma for the assault on the Japanese.”

The following day Ronnie was collared by a captain, who needed a driver for some shopping.

He asked why he’d not gone with the others to Durham and he informed him of his compassionate leave.

The captain told him the rest of the Company was now going to a town named Dewsbury in Yorkshire.

“When I told him I only lived a mile from Dewsbury town centre he was

amazed and thought I’d be most useful with my knowledge of the area and wondered if it was possible for me to be included in the move.”

Ronnie had his fingers crossed and the move duly came about and the soldiers were billeted behind the then Congregational Church on Longcauseway in Dewsbury.

“We were all assembled outside the church when Grandma Ellis walked past. She glanced at us all, shook her head and walked on.

“After visiting the cookhouse behind the Majestic Cinema later to become the Galleon Dance Hall, I was able to catch the bus home.

“The folks were absolutely gobsmacked when I walked in. Grandma had told them she’d seen me but everyone said she was doting.

“I was given the job of billet orderly which gave me a little more freedom to nip off home.

“I also initiated some of the soldiers in a taste for dripping and bread and a mug of tea, all at 3d from Crossland’s Cafe, opposite the covered market.

“We used to congregate there for our morning break and the cafe did a roaring trade. Uncle Fred delivered milk to them and let it be known I was his nephew so I got my fat and bread for nowt.”

Ronnie’s habit of using his role as billet orderly to nip home before lunch was brought to an end by the Company Sergeant Major, who told him: “I’ve been trying to catch up with you for ages, but it’s all going to end now.

“You’re coming to work in the company office and you are moving to the top floor of the billet in Union Street. NOW”

Within an hour Ronnie was working in the shop in Wellington Road next to the Turks Head pub.

Later he was given nine days leave which he spent helping out on the milk round at home and watching cricket at Hanging Heaton.

“The club staged charity matches” recalled Ronnie. “Jack Appleyard from Leeds would bring a team of stars, mostly county players who were in the Forces, and Hanging Heaton would have guest players.

“Our Commanding Officer enjoyed cricket and golf, so I introduced him to a neighbour of ours, Norman Lodge, Hanging Heaton Golf Club secretary, who was only too pleased to fix him up with a game.”

Ronnie was in Dewsbury town centre when the war with Germany ended. “The girls were hugging and kissing every soldier in sight and most of our lads were drunk.

“Our sergeant was on top of a lamp post in front of the town hall and hanging on for dear life.”

The end of the war did not mean the end of military life for Ronnie and in January, 1946 he was sent to the Middle East.

His ability as a sportsman got him into cricket, football and rugby teams and helped keep him fit.

His knowledge of vehicles also proved of great value to his unit, and his experiences near the Suez Canal were many and varied.

It wasn’t until January, 1948, he was eventually told he was going home. “I had the massive sum of 45 pounds, 13 shillings and one penny to start me off in civvy life again.

“The war for me had lasted eight and a half years, thank God I made it, many of my friends were not so lucky.”