Description
Object description
187 ms letters written by anti-aircraft gunner Sergeant Jack Henry Taylor, Royal Artillery (RA) to his parents in Surrey, dated December 1939-March 1945, describing his experiences of being stationed at Woolwich and RAF Middle Wallop during the Battle of Britain before serving with West African force, stationed in Takoradi, Gold Coast (Ghana) from 1941 (firstly 3rd Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, then 2nd Coast Regiment, West African Artillery). His letters go into great detail about the pay and conditions of British Servicemen in the early period of the conflict, as well as their equipment and training. He describes military discipline citing examples of Court Marshals for various offenses such as absence-without-leave, fraud and theft. Whilst stationed in Takoradi he relays his sense of separation from his family as well as the prevailing attitudes of British forces towards the local population, in which he describes his relationship with his Ghanaian orderly, Gabriel. He makes special emphasis on how he was coping with the climate and conditions, especially the ever serious threat of contracting malaria. He also describes in emotional and excited detail his whirlwind engagement with a young South African WAAS servicewoman, whilst on six weeks leave in Johannesburg (September - October 1942).
Content description
187 ms letters written by anti-aircraft gunner Sergeant Jack Henry Taylor, Royal Artillery (RA) to his parents in Surrey, dated December 1939-March 1945, describing his experiences of being stationed at Woolwich and RAF Middle Wallop during the Battle of Britain before serving with West African force, stationed in Takoradi, Gold Coast (Ghana) from 1941 (firstly 3rd Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, then 2nd Coast Regiment, West African Artillery). His letters go into great detail about the pay and conditions of British Servicemen in the early period of the conflict, as well as their equipment and training. He describes military discipline citing examples of Court Marshals for various offenses such as absence-without-leave, fraud and theft. Whilst stationed in Takoradi he relays his sense of separation from his family as well as the prevailing attitudes of British forces towards the local population, in which he describes his relationship with his Ghanaian orderly, Gabriel. He makes special emphasis on how he was coping with the climate and conditions, especially the ever serious threat of contracting malaria. He also describes in emotional and excited detail his whirlwind engagement with a young South African WAAS servicewoman, whilst on six weeks leave in Johannesburg (September - October 1942).
Physical description
Private papers
History note
Catalogued by RWR