Description
Object description
163 letters (316pp, August 1940 – February 1946), written to his father (in Bournemouth, then at home in Buckhurst Hill, with notes of when they were received) talking about his experiences and news about his older brothers, Geoffrey Charles Thorogood and Maurice Frank Thorogood, and his twin brother Allan Barnard Thorogood, written while with 5th Field Training Regiment, RA, in Connaught Barracks, Dover (August – November 1940), in a squad for Potential Officers, with details of bombs landing on his camp in Dover (August 1940), being an active unit during the invasion scare (September 1940), German shelling across the channel, volunteering for a possible move to Royal Armoured Corps, leave periods, seeing bomb damage in London and Woodford, seeing people sleeping in the tube stations, 5th Field TR RA moving to Dalmonach Barracks, Bonhill, Alexandria, Dunbartonshire (November 1940 – January 1941), as a Cadet at 123 Officer Cadet Training (OCT) Regiment RA, at Catterick Camp, Yorkshire (January – April 1941), views of officers of the old school tie snobbery kind, details of the OCTU, as a Cadet in Anti-Tank Battery, 122 OCT Regiment RA, Larkshill, Wiltshire (April – July 1941) being put back a month, commission as a 2nd Lieutenant, RHQ 57th (East Surrey) Anti-Tank Regiment RA (44th Infantry Division) at Canterbury, Kent (July – August 1941), joining 227th Anti-Tank Battery, 57th Anti-Tank Regiment RA in Northbourne, Kent (August – November 1941), moving to Wootton, Kent (November 1941 – February 1942), teaching gunnery to Home Guards, exercises as troop commander and realisation of responsibilities, moving to Chatham, Kent (February – April 1942), then Wimbledon (April – June 1942), prior to going abroad his CO, Lt Col Anderson-Smith gave his wife's address for relatives to contact, embarking in the US ship SS MACANDREW, sailing from Scotland to Suez via South Africa (June – August 1942), life on troopship, stopping in Cape Town, time in the desert, in hospital with dysentery (August 1942), morale boost from seeing Winston Churchill give him the 'V' sign, a spell of leave in Alexandria (October 1942), the Battle of Alamein, seeing the aftermath of the Battle of Alamein (November 1942), finding out he was on the same convoy as his brother Maurice, posting to RHQ as Assistant Adjutant, Christmas and New Year celebrations on the Egypt and Libya border, appointed Adjutant (June 1943), hearing that his brother Allan had become a father, holding off Rommel's counter-attack at Medenine (March 1943), meeting Monty, swimming in the Med (April 1943), coming under enemy mortar fire, the joy and anti-climax of the German surrender in North Africa (May 1943), his pride in the Eighth Army, a rest period on the coast and entertainment (June 1943), posting as Troop Commander of 226th Battery in Tripoli (July1943), reminiscing about unpleasant experiences in the desert, his nickname 'Pullthrough', moving to Italy in a Tank Landing Craft to Salerno (October 1943), Allan being turned down by a WOSB, looking into insurance as a future career, homesickness, trips to Naples, his brother Geoff being posted overseas again (April 1944), saying he was in charge of stretcher bearer at the crossing of the River Garigliano back in January 1944, taking his troop into action again "a few days quite successful shooting at Jerry" (May 1944), news of the Second Front and hearing Allan is in France (July 1944), fear for his family from 'buzz bombs', the death of friends and family, leave in Rome (August 1944), in action, tired of war especially as they are now 'back page news', promotion to temporary Captain at RHQ in Perugia (December 1944), Christmas celebrations, appointed Quartermaster Captain of his old battery, 227th Battery in Tolentino (January 1945), fear and excitement before a 'big push', leave in Rome, transferred to 192nd Battery (April 1945), being in the advance, a trip to Venice, (May 1945), meeting Geoff in Rome, returning to 226th Battery, guarding prisoners of war on the Adriatic (May 1945), getting prisoners to prepare a cricket pitch, Commanding 226th Battery (July 1945), going to a commercial law course in Perugia (October 1945), leave being cancelled, his displeasure at a posting to 709th Workshop Company (later 'M' Section), 750th Base Workshop, Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME) as an admin officer in Naples (November 1945), details of Christmas, his complaints about his posting leading to his returning to 226th Battery in Campolonga (January 1946), running courses in anti-tank gunnery for junior NCOs, the last letter in February saying he was due home soon, prior to his release in March 1946, with throughout details of his movements, accommodation, air raids, weather, entertainment, books read, annoyance at lack of permanent promotion and constant moving about, and news of war on other fronts. Together with: a ms list 'Army Record' giving details of his postings and promotions (3pp); a ms list of places he had been (2pp); a ms Troop Record Book (SO Book 135), containing a nominal roll by detachments, the types and makes of guns, vehicles used, serial numbers of the guns, Bren guns, binoculars, rifles etc, the weapons carried by each of his men, the gun stores, ammunition, and notes about duties of Nos 1 in action, field gunnery, laying guns, observation, and equipment of the 6 Pounder troop (June 1943); an Italian notice leaflet, in Italian and Arabic, to the citizens of Tripoli discussing the possibility of occupation by enemy forces, and ordering the citizens to obey the rule of law (January 1943); a British propaganda leaflet in Italian 'Prepare to evacuate (Preparatevi Ad Evacuare)' advising citizens of Tripoli that the English do not make war on civilian populations but that they could not guarantee citizens' safety during the inevitable disorder, so they should leave for Italy; a printed booklet 'Army Training Memorandum No 46, 1943'; a booklet 'Italy Works Her Passage' (published by the British-Italian Society, edited by G Valentine Selsey, 1943); a Programme for the Teatro S Carlo (5 December 1943); a photocopy of 'An Outline History of 57th (East Surrey) Anti-Tank Regiment Royal Artillery, 1939 – 1945' (31pp, June 1945); a message form to OC 226 Battery allotting seats at Sessa Theatre for use by Thorogood's POW troops (1945); a note by Thorogood relating to VD cases wondering what confidential covering notes to send with them, with a reply saying no need for a covering letter (2pp, n.d.); a ts message from Thorogrood to OC 225th A/Tk Bty RA thanking him for the return of a 'pin-up girl', and hopes in view of the friendship of their batteries that the other pin-ups, light bulbs and chairs are also returned (September 1945); a ms letter (2pp, 26 December 1946) from his old CO, Lieutenant Colonel John Anderson-Smith, reminiscing, and mentioning 57th A/Tk Regiment dinners, and working on his new garden; a photocopy of Lt Col Anderson-Smith's ms account (c.120pp), with a ms extract (2pp) from 29 April 1943 which mentioned Thorogood ('Pullthrough'); a programme for El Alamein Anniversary, 21 October 1949, at Empress Hall London (12pp); two newsletters of the 57th (East Surrey) Anti-Tank Regiment Royal Artillery History Project (February 1997 and November 1998); and a photocopy of a photograph of Thorogood in uniform of a subaltern.
Content description
163 letters (316pp, August 1940 – February 1946), written to his father (in Bournemouth, then at home in Buckhurst Hill, with notes of when they were received) talking about his experiences and news about his older brothers, Geoffrey Charles Thorogood and Maurice Frank Thorogood, and his twin brother Allan Barnard Thorogood, written while with 5th Field Training Regiment, RA, in Connaught Barracks, Dover (August – November 1940), in a squad for Potential Officers, with details of bombs landing on his camp in Dover (August 1940), being an active unit during the invasion scare (September 1940), German shelling across the channel, volunteering for a possible move to Royal Armoured Corps, leave periods, seeing bomb damage in London and Woodford, seeing people sleeping in the tube stations, 5th Field TR RA moving to Dalmonach Barracks, Bonhill, Alexandria, Dunbartonshire (November 1940 – January 1941), as a Cadet at 123 Officer Cadet Training (OCT) Regiment RA, at Catterick Camp, Yorkshire (January – April 1941), views of officers of the old school tie snobbery kind, details of the OCTU, as a Cadet in Anti-Tank Battery, 122 OCT Regiment RA, Larkshill, Wiltshire (April – July 1941) being put back a month, commission as a 2nd Lieutenant, RHQ 57th (East Surrey) Anti-Tank Regiment RA (44th Infantry Division) at Canterbury, Kent (July – August 1941), joining 227th Anti-Tank Battery, 57th Anti-Tank Regiment RA in Northbourne, Kent (August – November 1941), moving to Wootton, Kent (November 1941 – February 1942), teaching gunnery to Home Guards, exercises as troop commander and realisation of responsibilities, moving to Chatham, Kent (February – April 1942), then Wimbledon (April – June 1942), prior to going abroad his CO, Lt Col Anderson-Smith gave his wife's address for relatives to contact, embarking in the US ship SS MACANDREW, sailing from Scotland to Suez via South Africa (June – August 1942), life on troopship, stopping in Cape Town, time in the desert, in hospital with dysentery (August 1942), morale boost from seeing Winston Churchill give him the 'V' sign, a spell of leave in Alexandria (October 1942), the Battle of Alamein, seeing the aftermath of the Battle of Alamein (November 1942), finding out he was on the same convoy as his brother Maurice, posting to RHQ as Assistant Adjutant, Christmas and New Year celebrations on the Egypt and Libya border, appointed Adjutant (June 1943), hearing that his brother Allan had become a father, holding off Rommel's counter-attack at Medenine (March 1943), meeting Monty, swimming in the Med (April 1943), coming under enemy mortar fire, the joy and anti-climax of the German surrender in North Africa (May 1943), his pride in the Eighth Army, a rest period on the coast and entertainment (June 1943), posting as Troop Commander of 226th Battery in Tripoli (July1943), reminiscing about unpleasant experiences in the desert, his nickname 'Pullthrough', moving to Italy in a Tank Landing Craft to Salerno (October 1943), Allan being turned down by a WOSB, looking into insurance as a future career, homesickness, trips to Naples, his brother Geoff being posted overseas again (April 1944), saying he was in charge of stretcher bearer at the crossing of the River Garigliano back in January 1944, taking his troop into action again "a few days quite successful shooting at Jerry" (May 1944), news of the Second Front and hearing Allan is in France (July 1944), fear for his family from 'buzz bombs', the death of friends and family, leave in Rome (August 1944), in action, tired of war especially as they are now 'back page news', promotion to temporary Captain at RHQ in Perugia (December 1944), Christmas celebrations, appointed Quartermaster Captain of his old battery, 227th Battery in Tolentino (January 1945), fear and excitement before a 'big push', leave in Rome, transferred to 192nd Battery (April 1945), being in the advance, a trip to Venice, (May 1945), meeting Geoff in Rome, returning to 226th Battery, guarding prisoners of war on the Adriatic (May 1945), getting prisoners to prepare a cricket pitch, Commanding 226th Battery (July 1945), going to a commercial law course in Perugia (October 1945), leave being cancelled, his displeasure at a posting to 709th Workshop Company (later 'M' Section), 750th Base Workshop, Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME) as an admin officer in Naples (November 1945), details of Christmas, his complaints about his posting leading to his returning to 226th Battery in Campolonga (January 1946), running courses in anti-tank gunnery for junior NCOs, the last letter in February saying he was due home soon, prior to his release in March 1946, with throughout details of his movements, accommodation, air raids, weather, entertainment, books read, annoyance at lack of permanent promotion and constant moving about, and news of war on other fronts. Together with: a ms list 'Army Record' giving details of his postings and promotions (3pp); a ms list of places he had been (2pp); a ms Troop Record Book (SO Book 135), containing a nominal roll by detachments, the types and makes of guns, vehicles used, serial numbers of the guns, Bren guns, binoculars, rifles etc, the weapons carried by each of his men, the gun stores, ammunition, and notes about duties of Nos 1 in action, field gunnery, laying guns, observation, and equipment of the 6 Pounder troop (June 1943); an Italian notice leaflet, in Italian and Arabic, to the citizens of Tripoli discussing the possibility of occupation by enemy forces, and ordering the citizens to obey the rule of law (January 1943); a British propaganda leaflet in Italian 'Prepare to evacuate (Preparatevi Ad Evacuare)' advising citizens of Tripoli that the English do not make war on civilian populations but that they could not guarantee citizens' safety during the inevitable disorder, so they should leave for Italy; a printed booklet 'Army Training Memorandum No 46, 1943'; a booklet 'Italy Works Her Passage' (published by the British-Italian Society, edited by G Valentine Selsey, 1943); a Programme for the Teatro S Carlo (5 December 1943); a photocopy of 'An Outline History of 57th (East Surrey) Anti-Tank Regiment Royal Artillery, 1939 – 1945' (31pp, June 1945); a message form to OC 226 Battery allotting seats at Sessa Theatre for use by Thorogood's POW troops (1945); a note by Thorogood relating to VD cases wondering what confidential covering notes to send with them, with a reply saying no need for a covering letter (2pp, n.d.); a ts message from Thorogrood to OC 225th A/Tk Bty RA thanking him for the return of a 'pin-up girl', and hopes in view of the friendship of their batteries that the other pin-ups, light bulbs and chairs are also returned (September 1945); a ms letter (2pp, 26 December 1946) from his old CO, Lieutenant Colonel John Anderson-Smith, reminiscing, and mentioning 57th A/Tk Regiment dinners, and working on his new garden; a photocopy of Lt Col Anderson-Smith's ms account (c.120pp), with a ms extract (2pp) from 29 April 1943 which mentioned Thorogood ('Pullthrough'); a programme for El Alamein Anniversary, 21 October 1949, at Empress Hall London (12pp); two newsletters of the 57th (East Surrey) Anti-Tank Regiment Royal Artillery History Project (February 1997 and November 1998); and a photocopy of a photograph of Thorogood in uniform of a subaltern.
History note
Cataloguer SJO