From Guildford, Surrey via Catterick, Yorkshire to Trieste, N.E.Italy.

Called up for National Service 7th August 1947, basic training at Stoughton Barracks, Guildford, then to Baghdad Lines + Loos Lines Catterick Camp training as a Radio Mechanic with the Royal Corps of Signals (as it then was).

Train to Sessay station for a short stay at Dalton transit camp (ex-airfield, very spread-out !)Then by train via Kings Cross and Liverpool Street to Harwich.

Embarked on the S.S. Vienna for a very rough crossing to the Hook of Holland. After breakfast (and the crudest Army bogs I have ever seen !) entrained on the MEDLOC "C".

After a seemingly endless journey across Europe (2/3 days?) reached Alamein transit camp in Villach, Austria. A week of nothing but trying to stop local kids from pinching our kit, boarded another train down to Trieste on the Adriatic coast.

Eventually reached the Signals billet in Via DonaDoni where I served out my time as one of the 5,000 British troops comprising BETFOR (British Element Trieste Force) together with 5,000 American troops of TRUST (Trieste United States Troops).

Our task, set by the United Nations was as a peace-keeping force between the Italians and the Yugoslavs. I understand this peace-keeping lasted from 1945 until 1954 when Zone B was incorporated into Yugoslavia and Zone A incorporated into Italy.

I set this page up at the request of Hector Thomas, formerly of West Kirby, Cheshire, now of British Columbia, Canada, who also served in the Free Territory of Trieste(FTT).

Did you ever suffer the "Trieste Trembles" due to piu troppo vino rosso ? or were you ever bowled over when the Bora blew ?

Below you will find the ability to leave your Trieste reminiscences for posterity and/or read what others have written. Thank you !

21027009 L/Cpl Blaxall Sah !!

p.s. If you need to refresh your memory regarding the area, click on World-wide Map below and when the MapQuest page appears, click on MAPS, then scroll to find Italy and then enter Trieste. When the map appears, scroll up to find the control sequences for re-centreing, zooming and panning. You can also sign-up (FREE) to preserve your own map(s).