My War - Chapter 12

Chapter 12

After the business on the NW frontier we returned to Mauripur near Karachi and the rest of the crew flew back to the UK. I was left behind presumably because I was due to be demobed. I hired a cycle and went to the sand spit for a swim on many afternoons. One afternoon the waves were about six feet high and I had to dive under the wave to get past it. When I came up on the other side the water was filthy with seaweed and rubbish so I beat a hasty retreat and that was the end of my swimming there. Every Friday morning the whole camp was smartly dressed and marched to a large hanger where announcements were made. I went along as a supernumerary. I marched behind the others hoping to hear news about when I may be setting out for home. I spent some time in Karachi shopping. I also discovered that I had a large cavity in two double teeth so I thought I had better get them fixed.

I made an appointment with the dentist and he started to fill the first one.

The poor chap had to work the drill with a foot treadle and in those temperatures it could not have been much fun for him. Also I did not get an anaesthetic and each time he stopped to have a rest he squirted my tooth with icy cold water which caused the tooth to ache. It was agony. The drilling took about an hour to complete. So I did not go back thinking that I could get it fixed when I got home. I did not know about the new health service. It was impossible to get treatment for months, as the demand was so great.

After about eight weeks the message came up to prepare to leave. I as a flight sergeant I was in charge of the others, they were six in number all other ranks. We were provided with a box of food for the journey, which was mainly tins, and a lorry took us to the station in Karachi. We boarded a train to a small station somewhere in the north and had a long wait for the connection to Bombay. At lunchtime we opened some of the tins and had a meal. Later after we were finally on the train bound for Bombay I said let's have another feed, but the lads said we had eaten all the food. So we had nothing to eat all night and the next day. About 5pm we had to change trains and it was then that I spotted an RAF officer, a padre. I told him about our problem i.e. that we had run out of our rations the day before. He quickly organiser a meal for us just in time for us to make the connection.

So we finally arrived in Bombay. After a short wait we went onboard a liner.

The airmen had the lower deck and the WAFS had the use of the upper deck but I think we all shared the dining room. We were seated twenty to a table at meal times.
It was not the most luxurious type of cruise, but at least we were heading for home.

Part of the route was through the Suez Canal into the Mediterranean Sea and from time to time an arab standing on the left bank would see the WAAFS on the top deck and he would lift his robes and expose himself.

Eventually we reached the Med and one night there was a terrific storm and the next morning I was the only one at my table for breakfast the other nineteen were too sea sick to eat any food. In short I had all twenty breakfasts to myself. The rest of the journey to Liverpool passed without further incidents.

We were transferred to the discharge unit where we were issued with a civilian
set of clothes i.e. a suit, shirt, under wear, shoes, socks, greatcoat and trilby hat and no doubt other essentials for civilian life.

At one point we were told that if we wanted a driving licence we must go into a hanger, but I thought that I was not likely to be driving a lorry, very few cars about in those days, so I did not bother. That was a big mistake.

We were issued with about £50 gratuity and the pay due and given a warrant for the train journey home and driven in a garry to the station. So that was it. All over.

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