大象传媒

The reason for our Battery having been detained in Bone for those 3 weeks did not become known to me until the 50th Anniversary of the end of WW2 (1995)The Express newspapers published a special supplement in the Sunday Express of 7th May 1995 in which appeared a photograph of myself and great-grandchild,with a small article alongside it.

As a result of this. I then received many letters and 'phone calls from comrades who had seen the item. It now became known that prior to having arrived at Algiers on 17th January, 1943, a ship behind us had suffered enemy attack and went down with all of our 25-pounder guns. Apparently there were panic measures immediately adopted to have urgent replacements sent out from England.

I understand that a few men were lost on that ship and that others had to swim amongst the flames upon the water! It seems that the incident took place near Gibraltar.

On the 5th of February the Battery set off from Bone for its final destination, travelling by land convoy via Tabarka (a delightful spot on the shore of the Mediterranean), Setif and Constantine, where we made a stop and were given a very warm welcome by the ladies of the locality!

On along treacherous winding roads through the Atlas mountains, and when darkness approached our convoy proceeded slowly but surely, tail-to tail, with dimmed lights. I was in the rear of what was known as a monkey truck i.e. (M1,M2, or M3) of the signal section.

After travelling some distance, I was horrified to see our water-wagon behind leap into the air and roll down an embankment. Shortly beforehand, the driver who had driven thus far, had changed over with the person beside him, who had been standing up as a look-out for enemy aircraft.

I immediately tried to alert our own driver by frantically banging upon the back of our truck, but to no avail. Thereupon, I decided that the only way in which to get him to stop was by climbing over the top and hanging on to the metal supports like grim death, owing to the extremely bumpy road. Finally, I was able to shout as loud as possible 'the water-wagon has overturned'

It was found that the metal hood support was across the look-out's chest and that battery acid had covered his face. Two of us were left behind on one of the most eerie nights of my life, high up in those mountains and with the howling of Arabs' dogs for miles around.

We were gladdened by the sound of approaching vehicles, but each time we requested one to stop and load the body, they were reluctant to do so. Finally, a medical vehicle arrived and were we grateful when they accepted the body and took both of us on to our RHQ. in Beja, where we were able to snatch a couple of hours sleep.

The dead man was given an official burial, before we were taken on to what was to later become our battlefield at Sidi N'Sir some 20 miles or so to the east of Beja.

Upon arrival on 7th February 1943, at what was at that time the most Easterly position of the 1st Army,some 12 miles in advance of its front line, we were greeted by an ancient railway station bearing the name of Sidi N'Sir.A narrow gauge track ran alongside it.At least we then knew where we were. At first we had accommodation in a railway wagon, whilst our dug-outs were being prepared for us, and what a pleasure awaited many of us when the first mail was distributed. I myself was 'over the moon' when handed a letter from a female friend wishing me all the luck in the world and telling me that she herself had just joined the A.T.S.Postal section in Wrexham.The new 25-pounder guns as replacement for those lost earlier on, were 4 on either side of the road (E Troop and F Troop respectively)and were just around the bend of the road from us.Our sand-bagged Command Post was built into an embankment of the track above, the latter being on the Western end of Hill 609, our O.P.being at the Eastern end.I remember being very elated indeed, when our Battery Commander said that he wanted me to be his signaller! We were then the sole occupants of the C.P., ready to face whatever was to follow.

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