Pte. Richard Walter Meadows
British Army Seaforth Highlanders
from:Wigan
My Dad Richard Meadows's Notes: I was 16 years old when this was taken at Cartmell in 1930. I was at camp with the 5th Manchester Regiment Territorials which I joined in 1930 because I had a row with my step father. I gave my wrong age so that I could join up. I said I was 18 years old. We had to attend the Drill Hall in Greenough Street Wigan two nights a week until we had a good idea how to drill with a rifle, and then we went to a place called Cork in Cartmell for two weeks camping where we had to do route marches till we had got hardened to a Soldier’s life. This was taken at the Border Camp Harts. I transferred to the Regular Army after we came back from camp. I was sent to the Castle Carlisle for 6 months training. When the 6 months training was over I was posted to Guadaloup Barracks Border Harts. This photo was taken outside the Barracks Room. I did 6 months and then I was posted to Palace Barracks Holywood Northern Ireland when I became a drummer in the band, and while I was there trouble broke out, but it was not as bad as it is now. Although there was a curfew on and we had to patrol the streets at night to see that everyone stopped indoors. The badge on my collar representing a battle, however, before my time.
The photo 1941 Corporal Meadows with his drummer - This was taken at Fort Widley near Portsmouth. In the meantime I had been promoted to Corporal to form my own pipe band out of the conscripts. We were practicing marching while playing for the church parade on the Sunday. It was whilst I was there that we were given instruction to train for active service in the Middle East and I found out that I would be expected to lead 35 men into Battle and I felt I could not take the responsibility for so many lives and I gave up my stripes and became Private Meadows again, and having been on active service I am glad that I did. I was transferred to the Seaforth Highlanders for the purpose of going into battle at El Alamein and I was wounded on the first push on the 10th of November 1942, about the same time our Alison was born. I was in hospital for 2 years and had 4 operations then I was sent to arrest camp prior to coming home.
I had been at the rest camp for 3 months when I got a letter from your mam… she thought I wanted to stay out there. The reason was that one of the chaps that was in my ward had been posted home. He had the same injury that I had and when he came home he was a traveler for Coleman Mustard. He knew my address because he had written a few letters for me when I was unable to write after my operation. He told your mam that I should be home as the medical officer had told him I was due for discharge. I wrote to the Medical Officer myself and I got a letter back telling me to report to the 15th Scottish Hospital Cairo. I had an interview with the O.C. of the next camp and explained about the letter but I was told off and told I would be in trouble when I got back for not going to the OC in charge of the rest camp. When I got to the 15th Scottish I told the Medical Officer I was in for trouble when I got back but he told me to forget it as I was going home after having another operation, which I did.
