大象传媒

This story has been added to the People's War site by Allan Price on behalf of George L Low and has been added to the site with his permission. The author fully understands the site's terms and conditions.

In 1940 at the age of 19 years, I went to enlist in the Gordon Highlanders. As I was only about 5 ft. 2ins and very slim, the Recruitment Officer told me to go home to my mother and come back when I was old enough. I was so angry and annoyed at being turned down (I really wanted a kilt) I promptly went next door and joined the RAF. I left Aberdeen two weeks later. I was kitted out at Padgate. Then posted to Morecambe for training. This was quite an experience, but my years in the Boy鈥檚 Brigade stood me in good stead 鈥� at least I could march! After my initial training at Morecambe, I was posted to St Athans in South Wales for approximately 18 months. Being a Butcher by trade and not having enough to do to keep my occupied all day, I was sent for training as a cook and became a cook/butcher.

In 1942 I was posted overseas and found myself on the SS Orangi leaving Liverpool for an unknown destination. This ship was an RAF controlled vessel and the RAF personnel had some of the best quarters, enjoying the upper decks and cabins. En route to our destination we docked in Durban in South Africa, where we were decanted on to another ship The New Amsterdam, which was a more luxurious vessel, but controlled by the Army. Consequently the RAF personnel found themselves below deck, in very crowded airless conditions and having to sleep on hammocks. The older and more experienced airmen among us were up in arms about this and incited us to leave the ship demanding better quarters. Of course, we followed and found ourselves standing on the quay being addressed by a senior Army officer with about a dozen riflemen standing at the ready, their guns pointed in our direction.

The officer informed us, in no uncertain terms, what we were doing was Mutiny and if we did not return to the ship, he would instruct his men to open fire. At this point I found myself wishing I had never left home. After what seemed like ages the 鈥渞ingleaders鈥� relented and started to file back on board, with us scurrying behind them. I was absolutely terrified at what had happened and some of my comrades went AWOL before we set sail once more.

We travelled up the Indian Ocean into the Red Sea and landed at Cairo, where I found myself attached to RAF 45 Squadron part of the 8th Army, fighting against the Germans. I was working in a mobile cookhouse, in intense heat during the day, but was surprised that the nights were very cold. We were on the move all the time, advancing and retreating as necessary. Eventually Rommel and his Army pushed the 8th Army out of North Africa. Our squadron had lost all its planes. We retreated from Tobruk in Libya, through Egypt back to Cairo, where we boarded a Tramp Steamer at Port Truffik, again bound for yet another unknown destination.

We travelled in convoy heading for Singapore although we were never told, but heard rumours. All the time we were at sea, I found myself cooking in very cramped and extremely hot galleys. The troops and the crew had to be fed, but rations were meagre and there was not much of a variety. We were also constantly on the alert for u-boats and enemy aircraft which were never far away. Unaware that Singapore had just fallen, the first ship entered the harbour and was immediately boarded by the Japs, who took all on board prisoner. Fortunately I was on the second ship and can only assume that our ship and the rest of the convoy was not to enter, as we made a hasty retreat and landed in Ceylon. I counted myself very lucky to have escaped the ordeal of being a Japanese Prisoner of War. An Aberdeen fellow, a friend of my brother鈥檚 happened to be on board the first ship and, of course, endured years of deprivation at the hands of the Japanese. He did survive and return home to Aberdeen, but his memory had gone and his health had also suffered. He died a comparatively young man in his late thirties.

After taking aboard fresh water and other supplies in Ceylon we headed for India. We travelled by train for more than a week from the south of India (Madras) heading towards Calcutta. Conditions on the train were equally as gruelling as those on board the Tramp Steamer. Cooking had to be undertaken at the side of the railway line in horrendously hot temperatures with make-shift kitchens and without much shade. After reaching Calcutta where the squadron was re-established as part of the 14th Army, Mosquito Aircraft were brought in and they were manned in the main by Australian Pilots.

Talking about mosquitoes ie the insect type, by this time I had suffered several bouts of Malaria, which to say the least were most distressing and very debilitating. I was treated in Field Hospitals which were really well equipped, catering for the wounded as well as the sick. At times I thought I would die. All this time the squadron was moving back to Burma. We suffered many casualties, both men and planes. It was particularly demoralising when planes failed to return to base, to the see the names of the aircrew being deleted from the Operations Board in the Mess.

The enemy was no the only hazard we encountered. As well as malaria, there was Dengue Fever, Dysentery and, of course, 鈥淧rickly Heat鈥� when the skin was covered in a very hot rash. We got a little relief from this distressing complaint when the monsoons came and we stood outside, naked, in the cooling rain to relieve the terrible itch. The monsoons brought other problems. The buildings in our camp, mostly constructed of Bamboo and similar materials, were very easily blown down with the relentless wind and rain, and there was mud everywhere. Cooking in these conditions was particularly difficult. The jungle could also be classed as an enemy, especially when on guard duty during the night when we were very aware of the many wild animals and snakes etc. that lurked nearby.

By this time I had been promoted to the Rank of Corporal, and was in charge of a group of Indians who now cooked for the camp. I now had a lorry in which I collected supplies, moved kitchen equipment nearer the front line and also on occasion personnel. Around this time our Squadron was camped on a location quite near the American base. The men in our camp found out that the food supplied to the Yanks, was much superior to the food we were getting. For the second time in my Air Force career I found myself in a near Mutiny situation. But after much deliberation by the Headquarter Staff, I was instructed to go to the American Supply Depot to collect rations. This made life much easier for the cooks and was appreciated by the men. For the first time in years, we were supplied with some fresh vegetables and meat. We had been eating and cooking dehydrated food for so long, we were delighted to say the least.

Once incident I will never forget, was when during a lull in the fighting, my sergeant and myself were invited by a pilot to accompany him on a short test flight on a Mosquito which had just been repaired after suffering some mechanical fault on its last mission. This was highly irregular, as the plane only had two seats. During the flight one of the engines faltered and finally packed in or was turned off by the pilot (I never established what had happened) but the pilot gave the 鈥渢humbs down鈥� sign and the sergeant jumped from the plane. We had been given parachutes, but no instructions. I had seen several films of men parachuting from planes, and seemed to remember that the action to be take, was to jump clear, count up to ten, then pull the chord. But I was too scared to jump and decided to stay with the pilot. We finally limped back to base and landed safely (an experience I would not like to repeat). The Sergeant was also safe having landed several miles away and fortunately on the right side of the firing line.

Meanwhile the Squadron had moved on to Cox鈥檚 Bazaar, near Chittagong and were now equipped with Vultee Vengeance Aircraft which were used by several RAF Squadrons during the Burma campaign. We were slowly moving towards Imphal.

During one particularly severe attack of Malaria, I was admitted to Hospital at Chackratta. After getting over the worst and my raging fever having subsided, I was sent for convalescence to a tea plantation in Assam. The Scottish Tea Planter and his wife could not do enough for me and nursed me back to health. The journey to Assam was quite hazardous in my weak state, but the climate when I got there was well worth the discomfort. I was sorry to have to return to camp, but counted myself very lucky to have had the break from his hostilities. Enemy planes regularly bombed and strafed our base and we had severe casualties. Whilst in Imphal the battle of Kohima was fought and won, with great loss of life.

As a holder of the Burma star and a member of the Aberdeen Branch of the Burma Star Association, we regularly remember the fallen through the Kohima Epitaph which is said at every meeting and Church Service. I quote the Epitaph below:

When you go home
Tell them of us and say
For you tomorrow
We gave our today

For the remainder of my 鈥渢our鈥� I remained at Imphal, the war had ended and in 1946 I was shipped out of India from Bombay weighing a mere 7 stone because of the Malaria, but glad to be going home to Scotland. It was almost seven years before I stopped taking bouts of Malaria, which fortunately were getting less and less severe each time.

I cannot say that I enjoyed being in India during WWII, but I was proud to have served in the RAF. I will never forget the camaraderie enjoyed by myself and my fellow servicemen. The good and the bad times that we shared. I remember the morale boosting concerts we organised with men dressed as chorus girls, and getting up to all kinds of antics. The Indian Wedding which we were all invited to in a primitive village, where we sat on the ground and ate dodgy looking food presented to us on leaves. Our hosts were most upset if we didn鈥檛 eat all that was set before us. Seemingly the wedding celebrations lasted for three days, but 鈥渇ortunately鈥� for us we were only given leave to attend for the one day. I remember the time in the Bay of Bengal when we were attacked by jellyfish and several of our men went to hospital with severe breathing difficulties and the time when, after a very hot day in transit, we decided to cool off in a very inviting pool, only to find our bodies covered in leeches which were reluctant to drop off, even when they were burned using the end of a lighted cigarette.

As I remember these events, I wonder how many of my comrades are still alive today 鈥� 60 years on.

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