大象传媒

I volunteered for Royal Armoured Corp in 1942. I trained at Bovington and then went to OCTU at Sandhurst. I was sent to Normandy just after D Day with the reinforcements as a tank commander and then joined 13th 18th Royal Hussars.

I was part of the push to retake Caen and the thing I remember most was the dreadful dust as it was a dry summer. This was especially bad if you were not the column leader because of the exhaust from the tanks in front. Our sleeping arrangements were a little different! Four of the crew slept on the ammunition in the tank and one of us dug a trench and slept underneath. Empty shell cases made useful 鈥淭ankjohns鈥� The co drivers job was to make the tea ( Not just fire the gun ) Ours was a Liverpudlian so I got scouse with my tea as well.

Later on I was in the break out to Brussells and I was blown up by a German anti tank mine. The Tank was ruined but we were OK apart from a headache. Being left behind by the quickly advancing regiment we set up camp in an abandoned goods train. A local French family were very kind to us. Eventually we were rescued when our regiment returned and got a new tank which broke down when we got to Ath.

We were sent to support the airborne division near Arnhem but were unable to reach them because of stiff German resistance and being unable to get off the dykes. It was awful to be so near yet so far and know you could do nothing.
I got shot in the eye near Wesel and was hospitalised and flown back by Dakota to Swindon. That was the end of my war. I had to have the bullet removed from my face through the roof of my mouth and this was on my 21st birthday! The good thing was 6 months sick leave on full pay and a chance to court my future wife.

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