HK Aftermath in England

Aftermath in England

In the clerical course, we had typing lessons and lessons in office procedures. After about a month, there was VJ (victory over Japan) day and the war was finally over all over the world. After completing the clerical course, I was posted to Pay Corps in Lancaster, in northern England. What was novel was that we were given a subsistence allowance and lived in “digs”, a rooming house. I lived in Morcombe, a seaside resort, about 45 minutes from the office in Lancaster. I was with Harvey Lawrence and several other guys in this rooming house. Harvey and I stayed good friends. We worked in tobacco together after the war and he was my best man at my wedding and for many years exchanged Christmas cards.

The work at the Pay Corps was Mickey Mouse and consisted of processing Canada Savings Bond applications. This work lasted until just after New Year’s 1946. Harvey didn’t have the points and so was reassigned to the Army of Occupation and I was posted back to a camp outside of Southampton to await a ship home. The camp was Quonset huts and not rundown barracks that I had been used to. My hut contained the Canadian Army Entertainment Unit. Included in this bunch was Dave Broadfoot of later Airfarce fame.