"Fancy one of our type houses being sold for 750 pounds – a nice little profit that shows, due to War prices.
Several letters from my father Vincent Crocker were kept with memorabilia he brought home with him. He wrote his memoirs in several exercise books after his retirement. These were typed and subsequently published by Trafford Publishing in 2005.
The title of the book – There’s a Soldier at the Gate – is a remark by me (his son, Colin) when I saw him from a front window on his return home in November 1945. I had only been one-and-a-half years of age when he joined the 10th Royal Hussars in October 1940.
A copy of the book was given to The Imperial War Museum shortly after publication.
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7919770. L/Cpl. Crocker. V.
"C" Squadron, X.R.H.
AUGST. 1st
Dearest Hilda & Colin,
This morning I was delighted in receiving no less than Four letters, – a letter from Gavin, letter cards from Mother, Dad, Cliff, & your one of July 27th (No 152). We are having several days off – Free, Easy time & do as you please. Pat, I enjoyed a Full day out in Rome yesterday & decided today to stay in Camp to write off some letters, & perhaps have a Bathe this Afternoon. Thus the Big mail arriving was "Just the Job" for I can now settle to answer some. Before I go further let me tell you that I took my pen into Rome & succeeded in having it repaired (new Rubber bag to hold the Ink) & Thoroughly cleaned. Also fitted a new Screw piece on the End, covering the Press button filler, & I decided on a new nib – a nice fine one for small writing. It is only a steel nib but I really did need a new one, & didn’t come away without the original Gold one. Thus darling your Pen Present to me of some years standing, is once again serviceable as a Fountain Pen. Well love it looks as though you are once again going to become established as a Teacher at Downend – my views I aired last time – so will only add, my Good Wishes to your Work, but whatever happens do not allow the job to get you down, or in other words, don't take it too much to heart as being a very serious business. The cash side of this work will, as I said before, be a big help in our Future. Thank you love for thinking of that, & laying yourself open to increasing responsibility. It is great to know you are in such splendid health, that's the style, for I want to see you looking good & feeling good when the great time comes, & may-be that will be sooner than either of us may think, for the War is looking pretty for Us these days. Gee! how we do eagerly swallow up the news along now. We even stay up to hear the late European news at 10.45 P.M, even including each night now, a New Order of the Day by "Joe". Usually midnight as we finish discussing "all the latest" & airing our various Hopes for the near future. The song "I'm coming, "I'm coming & my head is bending low" etc. must be very unpopular in Reich just now. The "Come & Get it" shout for lunch dear, so will see you later. Well, my lunch consisted of Tomatoes, Lettuce, slice of cold Beef (not Bully) a piece of Cheese, Three slices of Bread & marg. & some marmalade. Not to bad that dear, is it. Strange you should mention about Mrs. Walter – we must have both had the same thing in mind at about the same time. I understand from Pat, that his mother is likely to visit Devon, provided she can persuad a a lady friend of hers to accompany her. Fancy one of our type houses being sold for 750 pounds – a nice little profit that shows, due to War prices. We were very fortunate to be Wedded & settled in a home before all these World Troubles & the rise in prices of everything. It is good of your Mum & Dad to keep an eye, & to have Master Colin during times when you are away on duty & so forth. He doesn't mind a bit I expect, & I can almost hear him say "Mummy goes to school now too". How are little grouse darling – Please do not allow your mail to be less regular than it has been – never mind if the news has to be considerably cut, for I know well enough the time it takes for a concentrated letter of much detail. One a week will be quite O-K even if only containing 50 or 60 words of your health & Colin. We have had to do a little Fire Fighting during the past week, around this area there has been lots of Bush or grass Fires. One day a fire of this sort spread rapidly to within short distance of our leaguer area, so that a watch was put out, but the Wind took it away from our Camp into a Field or two beyond, When night came however the breeze died away & the Fire turned towards us again, so we were all called from our beds at about midnight to deal with the Flames. It is amazing how quickly such Fires spread, in fact just like "Wild Fire. For safety we take the top turf off in a circle around tents & Vehicles & about 4 or 5 feet wide. In Rome this last time dear we saw the Dungeon where Peter & Paul were imprisoned. A beautiful church now stands above it. That was the only sight-seeing we did, & spent the rest of morning having my Pen repaired – buying a new Pen for Pat, & purchasing a few odds & ends such like Combs & Post cards. The early Afternoon was spent at a Forces Cinema where the advertised Programme was cancelled because of the arrival in Rome of the News Reels of Events from June 5th – 15th. This was a show of a number of News Reels joined together thus making a fairly long Picture of the Fall of Rome, the Processions etc. which followed, & also of the great Invasion of France. Churchill received a cheer when shown walking along the Beaches – Cigar in mouth & in company of "Monty". Later went into the huge building which houses The Canadian Club & saw a display of Art pictures of The War in Italy. There were some amazingly good paintings, & I should not mind possessing some of the Paintings of Italys Scenic beauty. From here we enjoyed an Ice Cream & then went into a lovely Park with Flowering Tree avenues & had a quiet sit down for an hour. After dinner at the Club we went to an E.N.S.A. Variety show, at the same opera house as before. It was all South African Artist & was quite good. Now I've missed out an interesting item – that being during the past week we again lined a road, all cleaned & Polished up, to await H.M. the King's pleasure. Yes dear! I've seen the King more times this past three years than I have seen you, but I suppose it makes a big pull in Moral & Politics. This must conclude my news for this time love – hope I have not kept you reading to long.
Lots of love, Vince. XXXX
Tagged:Europe
Contributed by:Colin Vincent Crocker
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