The Gale and Polden Booklet

David's first email had attached pages from a booklet entitled 70th Battalion,

The Royal Warwickshire Regiment.

This not only provides a small insight into Edwards experience in this Battalion, but also appears to be where a number of the photos (pages) in our own family collection were originally removed from. It was these photos, specifically those of Lt Col Bates-Oldham which lead David to conclude the 70th is where Edward was likely stationed.

David was able to copy further photos to those we have already explored which provide both evidence of the activities that took place and also some places they visited aiding our location timeline.

The first collection of extracts feature three photos. The first, a walk in the new forest which notes: "this may be HQ COY as one or two of the M.T Platoon are present". This places one of Edwards likely early movements in Hampshire.

The second and third photos are of St Donats Castle in South Wales and confirms not just this location but also a date (1941) and the Battalions activities in erecting barbed wire defences on the coast, adding further to our understanding of Edwards movements. The Castle now appears to be an events venue though does open it doors to visits at certain times of year also (https://www.visitwales.com/attraction/castle/st-donats-castle-uwc-atlantic-experience-1169722).

The second page of extracts finds the 70th at Fort Brockhurst (in 1942) tackling the Captain Harry Bissons assault course. The photo shows men crossing a moat that encircles the fort. It further highlights that the medical officer fired live ammunition at the men as they crossed.

Fort Brockhurst also in Hampshire (Gosport) is a 19th Century fortress with a moated keep. It is now run as an attraction by English Heritage (https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/fort-brockhurst/).

So it seems Edwards early wartime consisted of in part, training and home defence activities in the UK. This would make sense given his age and the early threat of invasion hanging over Britain.

These extracts finally provide me with an idea of Edwards war during the first few years. But what more did they do and how did they link to Edwards eventual move to the Mediterranean theatre? I hoped the second book presented by David would provide more detail.