Connie Nicoll admits her wartime memories are a bit “hazy,” but she remembers Bob Dixson well.
She met the Hamilton area resident, who was a member of the Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry Highlanders, while she worked as a Bell telephone operator at Base Borden in Simcoe County.
Nicoll, who was originally from Weston and now lives in Elora, said she was good friends with Dixson. After he was sent to Europe, Dixson continued to write Nicoll, but she is unaware of what became of her friend.
“I have a feeling he did make it home, but I never did find out,” she said.
The following is a shortened version of the only letter that Nicoll still has, written by Dixson on Oct. 28, 1944 while on active duty in Holland.
Dear Connie:
Just received your air mail letter of 24 September, 1944. By the time you receive this you should have a couple of letters I mailed a while ago …
I just came back out for a breather last night to have the first bath and haircut I’ve had in six weeks.
At present I’m sitting in a Dutch house which has had the windows blown out and part of the roof is missing, but it’s at least out of artillery range for a change and you can take a deep breath. Outside it’s raining cats and dogs and a real cold October night.
I drew my monthly ration of whiskey today and that’s going to keep me warm in my bed roll tonight; a whole quart of Johnny Walkers Special, it costs us 100 francs (Belgian) and the ration is one quart per month to officers; the men get beer.
Speaking of getting warm, I blush when I tell you this but I’m afraid I have sinned greatly. I slept with a young Dutch girl in my bedroll last night just like For Whom the Bell Tolls … I’ll give you a description of her: blonde, curly hair, blue eyes … weight 56 lbs no more, age about 3 or 4 years. Some romance eh! … The cutest wee kid I ever laid eyes on [Dixson, who was jokingly teasing Nicoll, found the young girl alone and crying, so he comforted her and later reunited her with her parents] …
The civies are in the pocket and all we can do is hope we don’t hit them and the Germans make full use of that too. The boys say they’ve seen things like that a hundred and one times so it’s not important actually, but when it comes close to you, you really feel it …
As for the Newspapers talking about this “do” being over, I wish they’d put their typewriters in their hip pockets and I could take them for a little walk. They might get the idea to put the victory ballyhoo back in the box and get us some reinforcements and supplies, because if this thing is due to collapse soon, everybody knows about it but Jerry, and he is the guy who should be told.
As for wanting to have a go at the Japs (providing this show ends and I’m still alive) … the answer is most definitely NO, in fact they’ll have to send me in chains … If I ever get out of this show in one piece, I’ll never lay hands on so much as an air rifle again. I’ve seen enough killing and hell to last me a lifetime. I used to think my hand didn’t shake very much, but I know it does now …
Infantry is the thing if a guy really wants to fight and really get introduced to Jerry …
Well Connie, don’t take anything I said to heart, I’m just letting off steam. We manage to hear the odd News broadcast and see the Newspapers now and then and get an idea what the outside world seems to think and … it makes your hair curl at some of the crazy ideas they get. I saw one where the headlines say “Enemy short of guns” at the same time he was shelling hell out of us, at least we’d never notice it.
Remember the movie at the Alexandra, well that’s pale and weak to what it’s really like. That was taken before they really got going. Don’t get the idea I’m a hero, I’m not but I’ve got a lot of company and the whole gang deserve leather medals for the show we just finished.
Well Connie, its 21:00 so I’m going to close now … Write soon and often; it’s good to hear from civilization now and then.
As ever,
Bob.
