´óÏó´«Ã½

This story has been submitted to the People’s War website by Anne Wareing of the People’s War website on behalf of George E. Kitt and has been added to the site with his permission…

During the war I flew in Halifax’s and Lancaster bombers as a rear gunner. But his story is about TLC’s or Tank Landing Crafts.

My friend and I were on such a craft; they had thirty men on board, fifteen on each side. That evening we had been plied with rum, and told to hang a hammock each and get some rest, but to make sure we put it back once we had finished with it. What with having too much to drink and the rocking of the boat, we fell hard and fast asleep.

The following morning we were rudely awakened by the revving up of the tank as the rest of the airmen were already disbanding. We had to literally fallout of our hammocks and jump on the tank as it was rolling down the ramp, accompanied by some very snide remarks from our comrades. The Corporal wasn’t very pleased either, said we should be put on a charge, but then he let us off.

We eventually went through France, Holland and Belgium, then over the Reine into Germany, finishing up on the Baltic Coast. Our job was to follow the Army, about two miles behind, so that when an aerodrome had been captured it was our job to make it safe.

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