Dad's Navy Days: October 1943 - Homeward Bound (19)

"I heard mess deck buzz. We were getting a lot of money

and going on leave." LS Doug Harrison, October 1943

The Queen Emma, a Dutch liner, carried loads of troops safely back to the UK (from Sicily and Italy) in the fall of 1943, to barracks and mail and money and leaves and some peace. No one would have been happier than my father, 23 years old at the time, especially after he settled an old score.

 ["Travel in 'true navy style between the two buttons": Map found

on pg. 7 COMBINED OPERATIONS by C. Marks, London]

He describes his first homecoming of sorts and final WW2 battle in the following way:

     We arrived at Niobe barracks in Scotland [very near number
     4, upper left on UK map] and in true navy style were put on
     a train and sent to Lowestoft in England, not too far from
     Norwich, England (my hometown’s namesake or visa versa) on
     or near the east coast. [near no. 44, lower right on UK map] 

     About leave. When I was in southern England I put in for

     Glasgow and received two extra days for travelling time. But

     I never really saw Glasgow. I went, paid off a grudge, and

     immediately put in for the return trip to London. 

     Do I have a reason for such odd behaviour? Yes. One day at

     Roseneath camp in Scotland, we ratings were all fallen in

     ranks, when out comes black garters and he says, “Any one of

     you guys a fast runner?” I stepped one pace forward. “Okay,

     run over there,” says black garters, “get a wheel barrow,

     shovel, fork, hoe, and go with this man and clean up that big

     estate garden.” What a hell of a shock and what a hell of a job.

     It had been left for years. I made up my mind then that I would

     get back at black garters, and I connived to do it while on a

     leave, and I damn well did. [pg. 38, "DAD, WELL DONE"]

I think a couple of lessons can be learned here. Don't mess with my father. If you want his help, ask for it, but don't play tricks on the poor boy. He'll remember where you live and come-a-knockin'.

Fortunately, that was the last of Leading Seaman Doug Harrison's confrontations on the continent and shortly after a bit of a do ("We were due for a do and we did it up brown [i.e., with brown ale]. You couldn’t possibly lose me in London, England even when I was three sheets to the wind. No way."),  he was homeward bound for Canada and his mother's arms.

["Navy boys home in Canada; Buryl (top), Chuck, Doug"]

     After my leave I went back to Lowestoft, then to Greenock
     [Scotland], then was loaded on a ship [The Aquitania] back to
     Canada and 52 days leave. Mum waited at Brantford Station
     for every train for days and I never came. And when I did arrive
     she wasn’t there. But she sure made a big fuss when she saw me
     and we cried an ocean full of tears. It was nice to be home again,
     Mum. It was coming up to Christmas and quite a few times I
     thought I would never see another one. I thank God for his
     protection. [pg. 38, "DAD, WELL DONE"]

Until only a few years ago I believed that father's trip home ended his participation in World War 2. But, through interesting circumstances, I learned he performed several other duties related to Combined Operations for almost two years on Vancouver Island, British Columbia. However, that story will be for another day.

["Combined Ops ball team, Comox, B.C., circa 1944 - 45;

rare Comb. Ops badge on breast of ball jackets"]

Photo by GH

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Please click here to read October 1943 - Homeward Bound (18)