Snow in 1947 - but the world got on with it

22/03/2007

The recent snowfalls brought back to me the snows of 1946 and 1947. It was bad, but most people grinned, grumbled and accepted it. In my case I was required to report to the Royal Marines Depot, Deal, Kent on the 11th February, 1947(60 years ago). I had travelled only with my father, a builder of farm machinery, and had a good knowledge of the Midlands and the North, but the South East was an unknown area.

It snowed for three days before the 11th, and then stopped. The drifts were about four feet in the urban areas, but in surrounding villages it was difficult. There were no local bus services, so my father walked (I never knew how he did it) about half a mile to my grandmother's farm, Park Hill, borrowed a horse (16 hands) and we went to the railway station. There was little road movement, but everyone got to work when they could, and all the schools were open.

I got to the station and discovered that the train to Derby was 20 minutes late due to snow. The porter apologised. I said goodbye to my father, and got on the train. The drifts on Doveside were tremendous, and the train stopped several times. I got into Derby at about 9am and found the St Pancras platform. I had to wait an hour but the train came puffing into the station, and off we went to London. A normal three hour journey stretched into five, and I got some excellent advice from the ticket collector on the best method to get to Charing Cross Station.
I made my way across London - the snow was heavier, and still falling. I got to Charing Cross about 4pm, and walked on the platform for Dover. The train was waiting and the ticket collector said, “We are going in five minutes, and we only have three passengers on board”, and suggested I went first class. I was impressed.

The South East had suffered, with snowfall heavier than the North. We finally arrived in Dover at 8pm and I went into the stationmaster office, who said that transport had waited all day and now returned to the depot. He rang them and they said they would fetch me. I enjoyed a porter's bacon sandwich and finally a truck arrived. By this time three other would-be Marines arrived. We went to the barracks, and were allocated a bunk.

My life as a Royal Marine had started. I was impressed at how the world got on with its business through weather conditions I have only experienced twice, in 1940 and 1947. I was able to look from the barracks at the sea frozen over nearly to the Goodwin Sands. Eighty men were expected, and fourteen of us got in on duty day. It took another four days before everyone arrived who should have done. It was my first long train journey.

John P Mellor, Wolverhampton
Cpl POX 126481 Royal Marines, 1947-1950