大象传媒

I鈥檝e never known the Basudas [native troops] to be used. As far as we were concerned they were just pioneers, for labouring. Not a trained gun crew.

In the desert 鈥� We got fed, watered, sleeping. Not much else to do.
I never saw a book to read. We got cigarettes something.
We had nothing. Things were scarce. We washed our shirts in petrol.

The jerry-can was excellent. It was the best invention. Top invention of the war, when you compare it to ours.

I thing the LRDG contacted us looking for volunteers. They wanted to round up a few bodies to join the LRDG.

There was a bloke from Newtownards was in the LRDG.

I had appendicitis. I think I was taken to Cairo.

[The diary states it was Alexandria]

Siwa was palm trees and desert. There was a well.

Quatarra depression was hundreds of miles of nothing
I had a saying about the Quatarra depression. I said 鈥淚 never thought f-all could be so big!鈥�

[Did you get and leave in Cairo?]
That was great. There was a bed and breakfast place called 鈥淐apsis House鈥�.
I was in Cairo for a week. Robin [Martin] was with me, I think.

In the desert we were up and down. Rommel chased us, we chased Rommel. 鈥淒esert greyhounds鈥�, they called us.

We were stuck somewhere 鈥� There was an opportunity. They were looking for volunteers to become signallers. In the army they always say, 鈥淣ever volunteer鈥�, and I wanted to see why not!

I was moved to Cairo, and from there to the Middle East Signalling School. There I was taught to transmit and receive messages in Morse code. Those were the only communications systems we had then. It was very interesting. I had to operate the machinery. The wireless set was carried on my back.

I was Battery trained, in the time back when the battery was Light AA shells fired by our Bofors gun. But when it came to signalling, it was a different world. I was allocated an officer in the field regiment I was transferred to. I moved out of a Battery of AA guns and into a battery of Field-guns in this particular regiment in the 8th Army.

I was to stay with the officer in the outpost. I was 鈥渙utpost assistant鈥�. The officer took me with him. We went in front with the infantry to dissipate orders to the 25-pdr guns behind us.
We managed to get there, and that got to be a habit. By which time, thank goodness Greece was in civil war and we had to go help them.

I had been taught the signalling, I was interested in the signalling, so I asked for and got a course so I could become an instructor. So I finished up. Particularly I did very well. I became Regimental Signalling instructor. I got extra pay.

[how much extra pay did you get?]
I鈥檝e no idea. It was in Piastres. There were more Piastres.

I was transferred to a Field Artillery regiment. I was with them for a distance along the right-hand side of Italy in the 8th Army. The 8th Army were people who had been fighting in Egypt and the North Africa Area. They still continued to fight up the side of Italy for quite a long time.

I was on leave in Rome. It was marvellous. I had no money, but I borrowed some of a black chap. He got his money back.

[was he an African-American? I didn鈥檛 know about black soldiers
There was never any contact at all with the Americans. He was an Englishman.
I think there were. He was one.

I went up to the North of Italy as well. I met the North Irish Horse, of all people!

There was a man from Comber 鈥� Stanley Harper. He was in the North Irish Horse. We were away at the top end of Italy. And I was sitting at the side of the road, and I saw this armoured car appear. Up went the lid, and up came the body - of Stanley Harper! I knew nobody in the whole countryside but Stanley Harper.

It was well-received from all the NI people. It was great. Worthwhile being there.
But Stanley鈥檚 well-gone now.

We heard a civil war had started in Greece. We were transferred to Greece.
From there I came home. It was 5 yrs from when I left Coleraine to when I came back home again.
The happenings in between are quite 鈥�
It was interesting, up to a point. It became a bit tedious after a certain length of time.

Robert McDonald was demobbed in 1946.

[Did you see Churchill when he visited Greece in late 44?]
Did he come? He didn鈥檛 call on me!

The King came. In Italy.

[What about VE day?]
I was in base camp with Royal Artillery. I can鈥檛 remember a bit, but I had the day off.
But it was worthwhile.

漏 Copyright of content contributed to this Archive rests with the author. Find out how you can use this.