When my time for demob came, I left having attained the rank of Lance Corporal. My return journey to England was made with one other soldier and after getting to Cairo our return journey really started.  We travelled on to Alexandria and then boarded a troop ship bound for Toulon in southern France that sailed via Sicily, Sardinia and Corsica. We then travelled overland by train through France to Calais, and then by ship again to England; our journey was complete when we finally arrived at Aldershot. In Aldershot we were prepared for “Civvy Street” with a new suit and an overcoat. I kept my army greatcoat as a practical souvenir as it had proved its worth with its hardwearing properties. I do not know what material it was made from but I have still got it and it still does not have any moth holes in it and more surprisingly no sand !!!  I had that greatcoat all my army life and it came in very useful in my very first winter back home.  I returned home in February, 1947, and this coincided with the worst Arctic winter for many years; coming from the heat of Egypt this was a great shock to the system. The sea actually froze in the Medway and snow laid on roads and pavements for about 7 weeks.