BBC HomeExplore the BBC
This page has been archived and is no longer updated. Find out more about page archiving.

15 October 2014
WW2 - People's War

BBC Homepage
BBC History
WW2 People's War HomepageArchive ListTimelineAbout This Site

Contact Us

Stories categorised in 'The Lighter Side of War - by Reg Reid'. These stories may contain references to other themes.
icon for Story with photoStory with photo

More stories

The Lighter Side of War - Chapter 1 TA RASC 39th Ack-Ack Sheffield. A father's advice - June 1938

R.W. Reid, D. R. Langford and Winthorpe Halls A4222333 Chapter 2b George Bennett shows naked ambition...

The Lighter Side of War - CHAPTER 2a: 39th Ack-Ack Newark, Notts. R.W. Reid, D. R. Langford and Winthorpe Halls

Names Reg remembers from those far-off days are Privates George Bennett, Pete Underwood, Will Wright, Stan...

The Lighter Side of War - CHAPTER 2b: George Bennett shows naked ambition

Early one Sunday morning at Winthorpe Hall, George Bennett cast a joiner's eye on the heavy wine cellar...

The Lighter Side of War - CHAPTER 3: Maryhill Barracks/Springburn Ministry of Labour Training Centre Glasgow Fitters Course Janu

He suggested that Stan went along with his brother in law, yet another Smith at Langford Hall, and with Reg...

The Lighter Side of War CHAPTER 4: - Vauxhall (Bedford) engine plant, Luton July-August 1940

Her sister was going out with an Irish lad, a lorry driver intending to join the British Army. Friendships...

The Lighter Side of War - CHAPTER 5: No. 1 Heavy Repair Shop (HRS) RASC High Wycombe September 1940 - January 1941

Luftwaffe night raids had hit London in September and October 1940 and his mam and dad wondered how safe...

The Lighter Side of War - CHAPTER 6: 133 Coy RASC South Littleton, Evesham, Gloucestershire, February - April 1941

Reg had landed on his feet again - or rather on his back, on a table, precisely, with nowt on, surrounded...

The Lighter Side of War - CHAPTER 7a: `A' Platoon, 133 Coy RASC

An Irish lad, `Paddy', a driver in `B' or `C' platoon, the selfsame Paddy he'd met in Luton...

The Lighter Side of War - CHAPTER 7b: Reg becomes BUTCH thanks to Smith and Wesson and lands himself in trouble

Lush suggested he hid Butch's handgun in his lorry - he'd got a pass and was going home to...

The Lighter Side of War - CHAPTER 8: Military Prison-Fort Dahlen Barracks, Chatham.

One day Butch noticed a RAF prisoner walking, staggering rather, with two full buckets across the square. A...

The Lighter Side of War - CHAPTER 9: Back with `A' Platoon at Broxmore,

Brotherstone, Powell and Rumsey Williams, and `young sods' mates, drivers Wheeler, Warhurst and Petty,...

The Lighter Side of War - CHAPTER 10a: Dunipace House, Bonnybridge, nr. Falkirk, Scotland.

Falkirk - Butch and Cheesborough can't compete with the dancing Welshmen. Rice' Cheesborough...

The Lighter Side of War - CHAPTER 10b: Butch goes on `chicken detail' for Lieutenant Errington

So it was that, half an hour later, Lieutenant Errington, looking down from the second floor window of...

The Lighter Side of War - CHAPTER 11: Attleborough, Norfolk Mid September - early November 1942

Amidst the increasing military activity Butch, Brotherstone and Powell did get time to go to the seaside;...

The Lighter Side of War - CHAPTER 12: Notes on the war in North Africa prior to 133's landing

At the same time, German General Rommel arrived in Tripoli, in turn launched lightning attacks when the...

The Lighter Side of War - CHAPTER 13: By Cruise Liner - Glasgow to North Africa 8th November 1942 "Operation Torch"

Churchill was satisfied though, since he wanted to ensure that the main focus of the American war effort...

The Lighter Side of War - CHAPTER 14: Blida, Algeria. A Dear John letter Lieutenant Baker replaces Errington

Butch couldn't hold back: "'A' platoon under Lieutenant Errington were acting on their...

The Lighter Side of War - CHAPTER 15a: Algeria: Blida to Constantine to Medjez el Bab Tug Wilson's diving lesson

There were British, Empire and Commonwealth fighting troops there, French and American troops nearby, as...

The Lighter Side of War - CHAPTER 15b: Lieutenant Baker thinks ahead - then leaves Butch in the desert

Lieutenant Baker led `A' platoon in a convoy to the docks at Bone, an Algerian port near the border...

The Lighter Side of War - CHAPTER 16: March to May 1943 - Butch and the `Entente Cordiale' - The final push against Bizerta and

General Alexander ordered General Bradley II Corps to go for Bizerta, the British 1st Army, to take Tunis...

The Lighter Side of War -CHAPTER 17: Kairouan - A Holy City - June 1943

In the 7th century A.D. Muslim Arabs had conquered the Middle East and Egypt, then Okba, a companion of the...

The Lighter Side of War - CHAPTER 18a: Sousse by the Sea - July 1943

Sousse: Butch joins workshops platoon, mends lorries and sells tea. So at the specified date and time the...

The Lighter Side of War - CHAPTER 18b: Sousse: Couscous then where to next? Italy? Blighty? The Riviera? A Restcamp?

Frej, the lad who worked in the army cookhouse, heard that Butch and two friends had had couscous at the...

The Lighter Side of War - CHAPTER 19: Tunis to Glasgow - October 1943

In Fitzalan Square, Sheffield, Butch met a friend of Ron Gregory's who thought it remarkable that Butch...

The Lighter Side of War - CHAPTER 20a: Clacton to Bognor to Lymington and the Solent D. Day. January to June 1944

Butch and Workshops Platoon were made responsible for waterproofing the lorries, Austin pick-ups and jeeps....

The Lighter Side of War - CHAPTER 20b: D - DAY! D - DAY! - 6th June 1944

The LDV then returned as fast as it could to England with Butch and the other pick-up driver, an...

Explore the archive
Browse the full archive list

Most of the content on this site is created by our users, who are members of the public. The views expressed are theirs and unless specifically stated are not those of the BBC. The BBC is not responsible for the content of any external sites referenced.



About the BBC | Help | Terms of Use | Privacy & Cookies Policy