Post by Diarist on May 12, 2014 19:54:05 GMT 1
My name is Robert John Carter and I'm a Lieutenant in the British Army. Until recently I was assigned to the Imperial General Staff, (IGS), in the War Ministry but last week I was summoned to an interview and after being asked many questions in German and French I was informed that I will be transferred to a new organisation, so new that it doesn't even have a name yet. My new commanding officer is Lieutenant-General Lord John Gort. I'm no stranger to this General because my uncle served under him in Belgium during the Great War. Lord Gort is a Victoria Cross bearer and my uncle always spoke with the highest praise about the then Major Gort.
My new place of work and home is an 18th century country residence near Saffron Waldon north of London in the NW corner of Essex and I have a room in the north wing of the house. There are less than a dozen of us at the moment but I'm told that more are to arrive soon. Lord Gort informed me that I'm to be the unit historian and I shall be accompanying him wherever he goes. "Welcome on board and I hope you enjoy travelling", were his departing words at our first meeting. The following month we flew to France together with members of the new government to meet their French counterparts at Cherbourg on the English Channel coast. The talks lasted two days and after returning to our HQ the General asked me what I thought of "Training and Doctrine Command" as our unit designation. "Sounds fine!", I replied. TRADOC was born and I'm the unit's official historian.
This diary will be a personnel view of the events which lay ahead. General Gort encouraged me to do this as long as I leave out the 'secret' material. Where do I start though? Hitler's speech in the Reichstag started the ball rolling. But more later in my Diary.
My new place of work and home is an 18th century country residence near Saffron Waldon north of London in the NW corner of Essex and I have a room in the north wing of the house. There are less than a dozen of us at the moment but I'm told that more are to arrive soon. Lord Gort informed me that I'm to be the unit historian and I shall be accompanying him wherever he goes. "Welcome on board and I hope you enjoy travelling", were his departing words at our first meeting. The following month we flew to France together with members of the new government to meet their French counterparts at Cherbourg on the English Channel coast. The talks lasted two days and after returning to our HQ the General asked me what I thought of "Training and Doctrine Command" as our unit designation. "Sounds fine!", I replied. TRADOC was born and I'm the unit's official historian.
This diary will be a personnel view of the events which lay ahead. General Gort encouraged me to do this as long as I leave out the 'secret' material. Where do I start though? Hitler's speech in the Reichstag started the ball rolling. But more later in my Diary.