大象传媒

This story has been submitted to the 鈥楶eoples War鈥� Web Site by Betty & Don TEMPEST of Lancshomeguard on behalf of Mr Henry OLDFIELD and has been added to the Web Site with his permission

鈥楺uaint Speaking Englishmen鈥�.

In 1941 I was 18years old and in 1942, on 12th. January, I joined the Royal Navy and went the HMS Ganges which was a Training ship.

Our training took six weeks, but I stayed behind as a training instructor for a second six weeks.

After that I went to Chatham Barracks and from there to my first ship, H.M.S. Vesper, which was a V & W Destroyer. In December 1942, together with five other Destroyers we sailed to Deippi to try and sink two German Armed Merchant Cruisers and their 鈥楨鈥� Boat Escorts. We had a terrific battle and we won, but we were damaged and had to go into dock for repair.

I went back to barracks and then I volunteered for the 鈥楲ST鈥� Draft. These were ships with tanks aboard and the LST meant 鈥楲anding Ship Tanks鈥�.

I got ship number Nine and we had to go to America in an old Russian Liner, named the 鈥楨mpresso of Russia鈥� but which was renamed 鈥楽cotload鈥�.

We sailed unescorted to America and whilst we were crossing the Atlantic we encountered a hurricane. We arrived in New York about five days after setting off.

We went to New Jersey, by ferry, and stayed at the Berkeley Hotel. The nearby Hotel Monterey was where we ate, and the food was excellent.

We were there for about two weeks and then travelled by train to New Orleans, but we stopped off at a place called Hattiesburg.

We were allowed off the train and we went shopping. We noticed that everyone stopped talking when they saw us. They thought we were German sailors who had invaded America.

However, later, when we got to New Orleans we got a newspaper report saying that 鈥淗attiesburg had been invaded by 鈥楺uaint Speaking Englishmen鈥�, us鈥�

We boarded the LST 9 ship and sailed from New Orleans to New York and at Statton Island we loaded up with ammunition. We set off to the Mediterranean, because, as we found out later, we were going to invade Sicily.

We got across the Atlantic without any trouble and arrived at Oran on the North African Coast. No one needed the ammunition we were carrying, so we sailed along the African Coast to Bizitre, where we eventually unloaded. The morning after we arrived, we had not yet unloaded, I went for a smoke on the deck. Suddenly someone shouted 鈥楩ire in the Tank Space鈥� Someone, I don鈥檛 know who, had set fire to some wood at the back of the Ammunition. Well, fortunately the fire was soon put out and everything was O.K., but it was a near thing.

The invasion of Sicily was imminent, but we loaded up with troops and went to Sfax in North Africa. After unloading we went back to Crux and there we were told that we were going on an operation, a dangerous one, and it was expected that we would loose half our men.

Well, we went back to the ship and set off for Sicily, landing at Bark South. Our raid was successful so we carried on up the Sicilian Coast, loading up and unloading as we went.

Our next stop was Messina and from there we went to the Italian mainland. We landed at the foot of Italy had we had a very big battle. We were under constant fire, so much that we had to abandon ship and hide in a tunnel, together with Army personnel and Civilians. The 8th. Army rescued us during the night.

Our next landing was at Anzio and there we had a very big battle. After that we had to return to Scotland for repairs. It was because of those repairs that we were a day late for 鈥楧鈥� Day.

When we did arrive we went to 鈥楽word鈥� Beach and then onto a Pontoon Bridge. After that we visited many ports with supplies and troops.

After VE Day, we went to Antwerp and had a quick refit and then sailed to Bombay.

In Bombay we loaded up with Indian troops and we were going to make a landing at Penanc, but then, as we reached the tip of India, the Americans dropped the 鈥楢tom Bombs鈥� and the Japanese surrendered.

We all said a big 鈥楶rayer鈥� of thanks.

We went to Hong Kong and then to Borneo, moving Japanese prisoners.

Then we went to Australia, where I met a family in Brisbane called Jones. They were lovely people.

So, that is my war. A very busy and hectic one, travelling all over the world, but perhaps the funniest bit is being regarded as a 鈥楺uaint Speaking Englishman鈥�.

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