- Contributed by听
- AgeConcernShropshire
- People in story:听
- Alec Evans
- Background to story:听
- Army
- Article ID:听
- A8438600
- Contributed on:听
- 11 January 2006
Mr Alec Evans, Clee Hill
After I finished my training in Aldershot, I was put on a troop ship heading for Egypt. It took two months to reach our destination. It took us two months to reach our destination. When our unit arrived we were immediately involved in the battle of El Alamein. After that we headed north, eventually ending up in Tunis. During this time in the desert our daily water ration was only two pints of water a day. My only break was when I suffered with dysentery. From Tunis I then took part in the invasion of Sicily.
I came home for Christmas 1943, primarily to get ready for D-Day.
From D-Day I was attached to the Engineers driving Sappers to forward positions to build river crossings where bridges had been destroyed. This took me from Caen in France through Belgium and Holland, eventually ending up in a village just outside Hanover in Germany.
In April 1945 I was sent home on 10 days leave, which gave me the opportunity to get married. I was then aged 24.
A few days before VE Day the order came not to take any unnecessary risks and on the day there were no great celebrations. Army routine just carried on as normal. I then stayed in Germany until I was demobbed in 1946.
After a while I was allowed to go to the local cafes, where local people were always friendly and on one occasion I met a German soldier who had served in the same area of Africa.
漏 Copyright of content contributed to this Archive rests with the author. Find out how you can use this.
Recommended story
Story with photo