大象传媒

On another occasion we were just sent out as an ordinary platoon. This was to get as close to the Germans as possible and observe what was happening at the German Front. We had tramped about 6 miles towards the German lines, led by Lieutenant Marsden who came to take over from Lieutenant Slack together with Corporal Freeman from Nottingham. We dug in, in the early morning light and on our left side we postioned the bren gun. The other slit trenches were dug in half moon shape. Les went ahead of us and with another 3 men on forward patrol. Usually, Les and I shared a slit trench but on this occasion we went ahead a quarter of a mile to make an observation there and report back. Eventually, they reported back that there was a large German fighting patrol heading directly for our position. I was instructed to assit TOJO (Albert Wilkinson was his real name - his nickname which resulted from his thick steel rimmed glasses. I was told to go to the bren gun with Tojo. Les and the others from the forward patrol were in their trenches only 10 minutes when they saw this patrol coming towards us getting closer and closer. Tojo aimed the bren gun at the leader and when they were close enough they opened fire. The gun didn't work, he fired again, he re-cocked it and fired again but still it didn't fire. They were now only 40 yards away from us. I aimed my rifle at the leader who was by now only 30 yards or so away. He fell to the ground and immediately the rest of the patrol fell to the ground in these woods. There were 18 or 20 of them and the next thing I knew they rattled out instructions and set up two spandaus which are a quick-firing machine gun. All hell let loose in our trenches. Tojo attempted to get the bren guns going, even at close quarters, but as he crouched behing the gun, the crossfire swept through the butt of the weapon and 4 or 5 bullets hit his jaw and neck. He was paralysed immediately in that firing position. He was obviously dead - one couldn't have wounds like that and survive. Every time I tried to fire over the trench the spandaus just opened up with crossfire. Our trench had been dug rather hurridedly and the gun on the left side was not well camouflaged. The Germans had it pin pointed. I saw a German 30 yards away at the base of a tree and I fired at him. A few seconds later they threw a stick grenade which landed on top of our trench which blew the bren gun right over the top of poor Tojo and me. It was useless using my rifle now as it was simple identifying our position at such close quarters, so I thought the best thing I could do was to use a luger pistol (German) which I had found at a farm and also I had a hand grenade and withdrew the pin. I had the pistol in my left hand and the grenade in my right hand and waited for the end to come. I crouched down in the bottom of the trench and thought, the first person to put his head over the trench will get the luger and I'll toss the grenade. I was very frightened. I heard more shouting and crossfire and it became rather clear that the Germans were withdrawing. Those minutes in the trench seemed like hours. I looked around for the pin to put in back in the grenade but couldn't find it anywhere. I knew it was somewhere in the sand, mud and blood but I just couldn't find it. There I was holding that grenade to stop it from firing, I decided to try and take a piece from Tojo glasses to use as a pin. This took a long time to achieve as I was only one-handed. I didn't want to drop the grenade. Eventually, I managed it. Much later, when the firing had stopped completely Sergeant Freeman and Lieutenant Marsden instructed me to go back to Company HQ which was about 6 mile back, and exchange the bren gun for another. That was a lonely 6 mile walk on my own. After I had got back to HQ I was given a meal and a replacement gun. I then I had to lead a fighting patrol out to our position where they were very depleted. During this few hour period the Germans had returned to their base and had instructed their artilliary to shell our location. They couldn't miss as they had our exact position. It was dark before I found our platoon and they were completely shattered. We returned to HQ and I can say that this is a day I shall never forget. I think of Albert Wilkinson(Tojo). He was only 18 years old and he died at his post honourably.

On Another Occasion

In another action I remember well we advanced five or six miles into enemy lines. We came upon a large village or small town, I cnnot remember the name of it but we were well ahead of the rest of the company, and found ourselves in a small haberdashery shop. For some unexplained reason there were about 10 trays of eggs amongst the haberdashery (these abstract scenes stay in your memory). Anyway we went right through the shop to see if there was anything of value and we found a bottle of gin. Les and I filled our water bottles for consumption when things got drastic.
Harold (from Herne Bay in Kent) found a telephone. At that time there was a comedian called Sandy Powell, whose catch phrase was "Can you hear me, Mother?". This was a popular phrase amongst the lads. Harold picked up the telephone and said, jokingly "Can you hear me, mother?".
A German voice on the other end said "Hello" in boken English. Of course the telephone was connected right back to the German exchange so this brief conversation had identified our whereabouts. Sergeant Freeman came over and snatched the phone out of the wall and shouted "Quick, everyone into the cellar!" The whole section moved hurriedly to the cellar of the shop which was 4 or 5 storeys high. Once we were all in the cellar, the seargeant said "Right, I want 2 of you to go upstairs to ground level and watch for the counter attack". Sure enough the artillery were not long in firing on us and we were shelled and sustained several direct hits on the upstairs part of the building. We took over 2 at a time relieving the watch. The shells were coming over fast and blowing the shop apart. It was time for Les and I to go up. We were the last 2 to take our turn and we knew that the Germans had us pinpointed. Les and I postioned ourselves and fortified by the gin, we waited for the shelling to continue. It was like standing in front of a firing squad, but once again the gods were with us because shortly after, the shells stopped and another patrol was sent to bring us out of this demolished building. I shall never forget that village although I never knew its name.

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