- Contributed by听
- Benjamin Hardcastle
- People in story:听
- Benjamin Hardcastle
- Location of story:听
- Arnhem, Holland
- Background to story:听
- Army
- Article ID:听
- A2078804
- Contributed on:听
- 25 November 2003
I was based at Arnhem Headquarters, near the Belgian border to Holland. From the base we supplied petrol, water and arms to the front lines.
One evening, a group of us were sat around the field. We had a fire with a steel funnel and a petrol blower which had a big flame, on which were placed four dixies where the cook was preparing a meal for us all.
Suddenly there were German planes flying overhead. The RSM shouted, 'Put that fire out!' I picked up a jerry can, thinking it was full of water, and threw it on the fire. The flames shot up to the sky. It was petrol I had thrown on by mistake. We quickly covered the flames with sods and soil to put out the fire. The planes just flew on - we were very lucky not to be bombed.
The RSM asked, 'What's that man's name?'
'Benjamin Hardcastle,' I replied.
I was told that I would be on charge the following day. I honestly thought I would be shot in the morning.
The next day I explained that there was no way of telling which jerry cans contained water and which contained petrol. I was let off the charge. Afterwards all the cans that contained petrol were marked in red. All the cans that contained water were marked in white. A lucky escape!
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