Ron Levett's memories of joining up and training in the Royal Armoured Corps during World War II.

At the end of October I was given seven days leave, which I realised was my embarkation leave. I think the reason for my being held back until this time was because I had just reached the age of eighteen and a half.

When I got off the train at Berwick I saw a Canadian soldier getting off. As he got closer I recognised him as a chap who was married to one of the girls in Alfriston. We could not find any transport so we started to walk to the village.

It was quite a cold day and after walking about half a mile the soldier, whose name was Grant, took a bottle of whiskey from his pack and suggested we have a little nip to keep the cold out. This procedure was followed a number of times and by the time we arrived in Alfriston we were both rather worse for wear. I think my mother was a little surprised at my condition but I soon slept it off.

On the 20th November the Royal Armoured Corps and the Royal Tank Regiment celebrate Cambrai Day, the anniversary of the first successful tank battle. The sergeants serve tea in bed to all the troops. The officers serve dinner at midday. This was very much like a Christmas Dinner, turkey with all the trimmings but a trifle instead of Christmas pudding.

I managed to eat two whole trifles, which, considering that they were made in an army dixie, which measures nearly a foot square was quite an accomplishment! I was so full up that I went up to the barracks, lay on my bed and slept all the afternoon.

In the evening a number of us walked down to Wool, where there was a very good pub, and drank all the evening. At about ten thirty we walked back to camp, but to be honest, I can't remember much about it.

A couple of days after this I saw my name up on orders for posting. It didn't say where to eventually but the first move was all the way to Barnard Castle in County Durham. Kit had to be packed as small as possible. To carry all ones worldly goods in a kitbag, a valise and a haversack is quite an accomplishment.

The following morning we travelled by truck down to Wool station and entrained. It was a long and tiring journey but late in the evening we arrived at Barnard Castle station and again were trucked up to the barracks.

These were very similar to the huts at Bovington with their central heating stove and double bunks. I think that the worse thing that happened right away was that we had to hand in our beautifully polished cap badges and belt brasses and were issued with a plastic cap badge and gun metal belt slides.

After a couple of days in camp we were told we were moving the next day and we started packing again. We had just finished this job when we were told that kitbags were not allowed on this draft. This presented us with quite a problem. A quart will not go into a pint pot.

There are, however quite a lot of ways of making more space. The toes of boots, for instance, will hold things like spare socks, handkerchiefs and any other soft objects. Mess tins can be filled with small items such as boot brushes, polish, etc.

We also had to hand in certain parts of our kit, such as one pair of boots, one shirt, P.T. kit and some socks. It was then decided that we should carry one blanket, rolled and fastened round the valise, which is carried on the back.

Reveille was at 0400 hrs and when we took the first step outside the hut we found that it had snowed during the night and we had to fight our way through a foot of snow to the cookhouse. After breakfast we climbed into the trucks and made our way back to the station.

We had to change trains at Darlington and I found that there is the original engine of the Stockton to Darlington line, called 'Locomotion' on a plinth on the platform. The train then proceeded south, bypassing London and arriving in Eastleigh in Hampshire late in the evening.

Trucks took us to a camp near the town and we discovered we were to get a taste of camping. We were to sleep in bell tents in winter! We had a Pay Parade soon after we arrived and were given Belgian Francs. After a hot meal we went to bed.

The weather had turned to rain and we were all a bit fed up, even more so when we were roused to be paid again. Apparently a further supply of money had just arrived. After an uncomfortable night, we woke in the morning to a hard frost and our boots were stuck to the frozen mud.

After breakfast we again joined the trucks and set off. We soon reached Southampton and we drove through streets where we had one or two cheers from people on their way to work. It seemed a long way to the docks but eventually we arrived beside the troopship, which I believe was called the 'Isle of Thanet'.

It seemed an interminable job to get us all on board. I don't know how many of us there were but they were all arms of the services, including RAF and even some RN