Sigmn. Arnold Varley
British Army 97 Tele-Ops Coy. Royal Signals
from:Ashton-under-Lyne
My father, Arnold Varley, served in the Royal Signals for most of the war as a teleprinter operator. He spent most of the war in England, and he spent long periods in the SW of England, outside Bristol. He actually played football for Bath Football Club. He also spent some time at Wilton House, Wilton. Eventually, his unit went to France on D-Day +Six. He was so sea-sick that he was left on the beach in France for two days and a truck was sent to pick him up.
After the break-out he moved north into Belgium where he and his friends were befriended by a Belgian family, whose daughter, Odette Croisier, was a well known singer for many years after the war. Eventually, his unit moved into Germany but I do not have much knowledge of detail. My father made life-lasting friends whom he met up with fairly often after the war, a couple I remember are Bill Porter (from Folkestone) and Bert Frost.
For a little time the actor, Anthony Sharpe, was with his unit, although he moved on quite quickly. I have a copy of menu card for a re-union held in 1947 for 97 Teleops
