Alan Forster - welcome!

[Walt's Daughter]

I like that Sarge, I like that!

 

Your father was very wise, and I'm glad he imparted his knowledge to his sons. It makes one a better person to admit those. I don't think much of people who are unable to utter those phrases.

 

[Sgtleo]

Marion

 

Want to make a bet???

 

I'll bet you a nickle(big sport) that you won't hear SIX (6)

of any or all combined in the next 6 months. Try it you'll like it

 

[AlanF]

I'm sorry that I haven't replied to this topic recently as I have been away on vacation in S.E. Asia. (Note that I started with one of Marion's 3 sayings!)

 

Being new to posting on the website I hope that I am going about doing it the right way!

 

I have been interested to see the result of what I have started.......not quite what I expected, but nevertheless interesting.

 

It seems that both Sgtleo and Colin both know more about Basingstoke that I do! However, I have actually been there (some time ago) and even stayed at the Basingstoke Hilton (not as grand as it might sound!) though I do not remember a lot about the town other that it was having a considerable amount of 'concrete' redevelopment and that there was still a rather nice bit of the old centre left. (I have just noticed that the spell checker has underlined centre!!)

 

Sgtleo, it sounds as if four and a half months in the area wasn't all work, as you seem to know where the markets, cinemas and pubs were located!!

 

I am interested to hear about the Coasties being beached in Hants, although they were probably not those of the 4th Flotilla. They only had infantry carrying LCI's and were based around the South Devon area. They did, however, go on a number of training exercises that brought them to the Portland area but as far as I know they did not land near there.

 

 

 

[Walt's Daughter]

Welcome back from southeast Asia, Alan. Hope you vacation was all you expected it to be and more!

 

It will be interesting to see where this topic goes...

[Sgtleo]

 

Alan F:-

 

We were assigned the duty of mapping any and all approaches/through/around Basingstoke.

The Americans had many men and/or equipment in England North of Basingstoke so we had to know any and all routes to facilitate their movement to the ports when D-Day was coming.

 

Believe me we were not sitting on our butts as we had duty every day. The pubs and so forth were also something we had to know to get men back to their units when the alert was given.

 

Also there were two cases:- one American General that, in his cups, spoke of things that earned him a trip back home after the loss of his command. That also happened to a ranking Brit officer.

 

I have friends that live in the residential section of Basingstoke and they have a beautiful home surrounded by other beautiful homes. The area around the railroad station is full of shops and car parks now and many of the places I spoke of have been demolished. Do you know where the Hatch Warren section is???

 

It's also because I have an excellent memory(LOL)