Wednesday 25th October 1939

Pair work with lamps at Galleywood – as we used to do on Friday evenings in TA days. It was colder now though! Mr Adams came across to where Pond, Dean and I (“lance-snakes” in a huddle as usual!) and told us of a rumour that the Yeomanry might be horsed once more. “Plenty of riding facilities for riding at Newmarket, sir!” said Pond cunningly. “Oh but we’re not going to Newmarket” said our officer. “We are sir!, I exclaimed definitely. “Well, I felt as sure as you yesterday Dawson” he said in worried tones, “Then fresh orders came through this morning. We’re going up North somewhere, quite soon.”

Sure enough, by tea-time, everyone in the unit knew that we were destined for an obscure town in Yorkshire!