|
|
Fred
Caroe part 9
From Fred Caroe
Y.M.C.A. Hostel
Nairobi
Kenya
1st Aug 1956
Dear Dad,
Thank you very much for your letter
written from Salcombe which I picked up on Monday from
the G.P.O. Before I tell you about our stay up country
we learnt a bit of startling news, good in one way and
not so good in another. John rang the M.O. at RAF
Eastleigh to find out when the plane was due to go back
to Aden, well it is going to be 9 days later than
originally estimated, it means we get another 9 days
leave- the M.O. said he would attach us to RAF Eastleigh
after the end of our leave on Aug 10th to keep the
records clean, but says we can continue our leave !!!
That is the good news, but the bad is that our finances
will not run to it.
We are going to Mombasa tomorrow for
a week by train --£5 return- and hope the hotel will be
30/- a night. We have given up the idea of going to
Zanzibar, it would cost too much. I hate to ask but
could you send me £10 please, we need £10 because John's
parents are cruising in the Mediterranean and he can't
get hold of them. As soon as we get back to Aden and get
paid, John will give me the money to send to you. We'll
be back at the Y.M.C.A. here in Nairobi next Thursday,
so could you send it to me c/o Y.M.C.A. Hostel P.O. Box
5024, Nairobi, Kenya.
|
Nairobi |
We had a glorious time with the Bonds
on their farm, we got there on Mon;23rd, went buck
shooting at night and on Wed: and Thurs: we went in the
Vet's 3 ton truck round Mt Kenya. We spent the night in
a mud hut at the home of Mr Bond's brother who is a
District Officer near Meru.
|
|
We got back on Thursday afternoon and on Friday night
lions attacked the cattle at 2.0am, what fun we had.
They killed a cow and injured another before we drove
them off with .303 rifles.
We came
back to Nairobi on Sunday- early in the morning by Land
Rover. In the afternoon Mr Thornton took us 28 miles out
to tea !! The only disappointment here is the weather,
the sun hasn't shone, it has drizzled often and it is
quite cold.
We are
going to the theatre tonight to see "The Burning Glass"
ticket 7/6 each !
We have
listened to the amazing Test Match from Old Trafford,
Jim Laker getting 19 wickets - extraordinary.
The
Egyptians are a bl... nuisance we have been told there
are no
troopships allowed through the Suez Canal, it will
more than likely delay me as those that would have gone
home by ship will have to fly. Hope N.S. men get
priority !!
£60
sure doesn't go that far out here ! 51 days to demob !!
Love Fred
|
|
From Fred Caroe
Palace Hotel,
Mombasa,
Kenya.
Sat 4th August |
 |
Dear Dad and Jane,
Here we are at Mombasa, I am writing
this on the verandah outside our room sitting in the sun
(10.am). Nice to see the sun after the dull weather of
Nairobi.
We left Nairobi by the 6.30 pm train
on Thursday and arrived at 8.15 am on Friday, we
travelled 2nd class- their being three classes, each
compartment is both a sleeper for 4 or sitting for 6.
The backs of the seats fold upwards to make berths, they
were very comfortable too. We had dinner and breakfast
on the train as expensive as British Rail but far better
with excellent service. As soon as we got to Mombasa we
went about looking for a hotel, fortunately we got the
last room in the Palace but rather expensive at £2 a day
full board not including tea. The room is very nice with
palms growing in tubs on the verandah and with a good
view of Mombasa and all its green lawns and flowers.
Yesterday we went for a long walk down to the sea and
round the town, Mombasa itself is on an island, it has a
rail bridge but everything else has to cross the 1/4
mile to the mainland by Ferry.
On our way back to the hotel John
called to see the pharmacist at a local chemists. He
turned out to be a 27 yrs old Englishman by the name of
Ryan.
Later in the day Ryan picked us up
and took us out for a couple of beers then invited us
out to dinner at the Carlton Hotel where we had a
magnificent meal -- 6 courses!!. After that we went to
the Nelson Inn an Olde fashioned place and chatted over
a few more beers, we got back at midnight -- no
licensing laws here, it is just agreed that everything
closes at midnight! We had a good nights sleep. Ryan is
taking us out to Nyali Beach this afternoon for a swim.
We will have to go back to Nairobi on
Wednesday night, we cannot afford to stay here any
longer, altogether the trip here, fares hotel etc will
cost over £20.
The situation over Suez sounds a bit
awkward, I see they are calling up Ex Army Regulars,
hope to goodness they don't keep me in past my two years
!
I expect you will be going to Heswall
Show today -- bet it's wet and muddy !
You seem to have had a rotten summer.
I hope Andrew is as fortunate as me,
does he want to go overseas?
Hope you have sent me £10 !!!
Love Fred
|
From Fred Caroe
Y.M.C.A. Hostel
Nairobi
Kenya
Thursday 9th Aug
1956.
Dear Dad,
Just a short note
to say we got back from Mombasa this morning.
The next question is how long we are stuck in
Kenya for. |
 |
The "Casevac" Hastings has been
cancelled due to the Suez trouble and C.O. is going to
try and get us on a schedule flight to Aden next week if
he can. Another bad bit of news is that ALL trooping by
air and sea has been cancelled so no one can leave or
enter Aden. Troopships will
have to go round the Cape. It looks at the moment that
if I do get back to Aden next week the chances of
getting home on time are not bright.
|
We had a great time in Mombasa and
everyone we met was most anxious to help. We paid a call
on the Danish Vice Consul Mr Knudsen who is also the
manager of the Old E.A. Trading Co. Ltd. He lent us his
car and driver for the morning to explore Mombasa
Island. He knew you by name.
Must close now and find out more
about what is going to happen. If there is a war I hope
it stays in Egypt.
My love to you all. Fred
|
Moi Rd
Mombasa 1964 |
P.S. Just received your letter of 1st
August.
We are leaving the hostel tomorrow,
the Thornton family have offered to put us up at their
home until we can get a flight back to Aden -- wonderful
people.
|
From
2734823 SAC Caroe CF.
RAF Hospital
Steamer Point
Aden
Thursday Aug 23rd
1956
Dear Dad,
Well we are back
in Aden, courtesy of the Hastings. We were so
loaded up that taking off from RAF Eastleigh was
hair raising. |
 |
|
We flew right past Mt Kenya which was
covered in snow at the top, a wonderful sight. We
stopped in British Somaliland to take on fuel and got
back to Aden on Monday.
I posted from Nairobi two reels of colour film
one to Kodak Ltd and one to Agfa Ltd in England. |
Mt Kenya |
They will each be processed by the respective
firms-- no cost as it is all in the price when you buy
the film. I sent them about 10 days ago so if they
arrive home you can open them and look at them. They
will be transparencies and you have to hold them to the
light to see them.
Please be careful not to touch the
film as it spoils them, hold them by the card edges.
Please let me know if they are any good --if they arrive
!
Tomorrow I am sending home a large
parcel by Sea Mail containing civvy clothes and odds and
ends, it weighs 17 lbs.
Depending on all sorts of
circumstances I may beat it home or may not ! You had
better open it straight away.
There is no news about a plane to
take me home and it may well be 2 weeks before I hear as
I am still not due for demob for 29 days.
Much love to you all, Fred
|
From 2734823 SAC
Caroe
RAF Hospital
Aden
Wednesday Aug 29th
1956, |
 |
|
Dear Dad and Jane.
Well here we are hold our breath.
I was told this morning that I am
coming home or rather leaving Aden on a Hermes Aircraft
on September 4th- next Tuesday. |
Hermes |
I believe it is due to reach U.K. on
the morning of the 5th. I should be home between the 6th
and 8th. I will not believe I am on my way until I get
on the plane on Tuesday morning and it takes off. You
realise how the RAF muck one about.
Tomorrow I start the long tedious job
of clearing all the various departments, although it is
a sweaty job I shall not mind doing it one bit. I must say it is hard to believe I am
so near to coming home. I might write one more letter before
I leave.
Love to you all, Fred
Peter -- true to form we were
delayed 24 hrs due to technical trouble, but it was just
as well because the lads threw a farewell party for me
up at the Signals station and after 5 hours I had to be
carried back to my billet. At 5am I was shaken awake and
told to be ready in 45 mins as transport was leaving for
Khormaksar -- I was not feeling at all well --surprise
surprise and all the lads in the billet packed my kitbag
and case and got me dressed into my blues -- it was
stinking hot.
Got to the airport, waited 2 hours
(no air conditioning there) then had to come back to the
billet while the plane was repaired --I was very glad to
get back on my bunk !!! I don't think I really sobered
up until we were flying over Eritrea the next day !!!
We landed at Khartoum, Benghazi
and Malta, finally reaching Blackbush at 6am on
Thursday. Went to Gloucester to be demobbed
-- had to pay for my sun glasses which I had lost, and
got home at about 6pm on Friday.
The letters have brought back many
memories-- could almost write a story using the letters
!!
Fred
Thankyou Fred for sharing your
personal letters. They lend a unique and fascinating
first-hand insight into the life of a serviceman in Aden in the fifties. Peter
Pickering
More of Fred's letters:
Page 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
|
This page last updated
Saturday, 02 August 2008
|
