After the hectic night on V.J day I had to settle down to the routine of a ship changing from a wartime to a peacetime footing. I was under punishment for 14 days, so I couldn't go ashore on leave therefore I never saw the Hattons for a week, then one afternoon Flo and her friend called at the ship after work and I was able to go on the jetty and talk to them.
I told them I was sorry I couldn't make it to their house but I would definitely be there on Saturday ( when my punishment would be over). The week passed slowly, almost everyone was ashore and I was pretty miserable- however on Saturday I was able to get a weekend pass from noon Saturday to Monday morning. I travelled up to Hammondville and we had the village dance on Saturday night and Sunday swimming in the creek.
On Monday morning I was on board the ship by noon and I was told to report to the radar officer after dinner. The radar officer informed me that I had been selected to go on an R.P.2's course in Sydney. This meant that I would be leaving the ship for good as the ship was going back to the UK and returning to its old job of cargo ship so after a year of chasing and serving on the Lothian, it was goodbye. I shook hands with all my old mates and promised to write to a couple of them, then started to pack my bag.
The Lothian would be calling at Singapore and Bombay on the way home and taking some troops home.
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