The colourful life of John Davis

Last week we published an article entitled: 'Milford on Sea and the New Zealand Prime Minister' which told the story of Helen Clark, a former prime minister of New Zealand, and her husband, Milford on Sea born Peter Davis.

Bob Braid has told us more about Peter's father, and Milford on Sea resident, John Stanley Davis.

John was in Milford on Sea during WW2 and stationed with the London Scottish Regiment at Westover, (Which became Westover, and now The Beach House). During this time he met his future wife and eventual settled for the rest of his life in the village.

His life took him to many corners of the world, which he recalled in his memoirs published in his book East Wind, West Wind in 2002.

War & Romance at Westover

John recalled his time at Westover, and how he met his wife, in a document held by the Milford on Sea Historical Record Society, entitled 'War & Romance at Westover'.

War & Romance at Westover

In 1996, John writes about his Westover memories starting from August 1942 when WW2 air raids were close by, and England was expecting the Germans to make a sea invasion.

At this time, he was stationed in Westover commanding a company of the London Scottish regiment. They had been posted here to defend any invasion of the local coastline.

He also describes what the Milford on Sea sea defences looked like, how there was a practice firing range on the cliff top, and explains that all road signage had been removed.

John details who was in billeted in Westover, and how the 4 officers and 100 troops lived.

He goes on to recall the day a pretty girl visited with a message for her mother. She was dressed in a navy blue Red Cross uniform, and he discovered that she worked in the convalescent centre for wounded soldiers at Passford House just outside Lymington in the New Forest.

John went on to meet her often during his four months at Westover. She came to the dances which were held in the main hall at Westover, and joined him to watch football matches in New Milton. They played tennis at Milford Country Club and he had meals with her family in Milford on Sea.

Two years later, John was back in Milford on Sea, getting married to her in All Saints Church before settling in the village.

East Wind West Wind

Recollections and Memoirs of John Davis.

Book published in 2002.

John was Born in 1918 in Tientsin, China, one of the Treaty Ports occupied by the British for over a hundred years. The port was handed back to China in 1941. 

His education was divided between Tientsin Grammar School and King's Canterbury. He started his career teaching Physical Training in Tientsin, after which he was apprenticed to the Stock Exchange in London.

He was a man who lived through the decline of the British Empire. He had been in India during Partition and the end of the Raj, and at the celebrations when Tanganyika gained independence to become Tanzania in 1963. 

Having joined the Territorial Army, he was mobilised for the war in 1939 joining the London Scottish regiment. He was stationed at Westover in Milford on Sea as well as other places.

John's first post-war job was in Dunlop Tyres (India); thereafter he joined a firm of mica merchants working for them in Tanganyika and India. He returned to England in 1968 and became self-employed in Hampshire.

He then deepened his earlier study of Yoga, later becoming a British Wheel of Yoga teacher. In 1976 John was introduced to Viniyoga and he then followed this yoga tradition.

His memoirs provide an informed insight into a period of dramatic social change.

------------------------------

John Davis has a number of audio recordings of his memories held by The Imperial War Museum. To listen, please click here.

To read the previous article, please click here.