Discharged From the Army
My leave went all too quickly but I had a grand time. It was so good to be able to go where I wanted and when I liked. I had some bad dreams but it was lovely to wake up and find that it was only a dream. Phil came to see me, he was on his honeymoon. He didn’t waste any time in getting married and we had a lot to talk about. I visited all my relations and was made welcome wherever I went.
The 12th of July came around and I had to report to Hodgemoor Wood near Amersham, Bucks. I was back with the Army once more, with its discipline, but it was quite an easy time. There were more medical inspections and interviews. We were given papers with lots of questions, all so simple a child could do them. We felt disgusted with them and the majority of us didn’t answer them. There were also a lot of simple tests, putting tools together. They only needed two or three nuts and bolts to complete them and we didn’t do these either. I think they must have thought we would come back like a bunch of half wits. Nothing was ever said about us not doing the tests. They then asked if there was anyone who wanted to volunteer for the Army. They didn’t get anyone; we hadn’t been back long enough to forget the last five years and want to volunteer again for the Army.
We spent most evenings in the pub as there was nothing else to do there. After going to a Military Hospital nearby for further tests and X- Rays I was discharged from the Army on the 27th of July 1945 as unfit for any further service and sent home with a disability pension, plus one hundred and seventeen days leave. Altogether I had served a total of Six years and thirty one days in the Royal Sussex Regiment.