大象传媒

Following our hasty retreat from France in June 1940 the 1st Kensington Regiment patrolled the south-east corner of England. We were awaiting the much expected "operation sealion" - Hitler's code name for the proposed invasion of England.

We were stationed at Wardens Point on the Isle of Sheppey manning a heavy machine-gun post. Edgar, my number 2 on the gun was very popular with the rest of the platoon. He was easy going but he had one great fault, he could never obey an order and he would invariably do the opposite of what he was told. Edgar had another disability. He was unable to read. I was given Edgar's letters from his mother to read to him. I had to edit them most carefully as mother would often relate the activities of Edgar's wife Poppy and her fondness for the company of Canadian soldiers. She invariably refered to Edgar's wife as "that painted doll"

One day when I left the post for just a few minutes Edgar could not resist the temptation to press the firing button although there was a clear notice in the dugout saying this gun will only be fired following a command from HQ. It will be defended until the last round. It will then be defended by the use of bayonets and by other novelties (milk bottles filled with petrol and plugged with cotton wool). Of course this meant nothing to Edgar but his firing killed a goat which had been grazing in a nearby field. I approached the farmer and by good luck I found he used to live in Droylsden, my home town. We became friendly and he understood what had happened. I organised a whip round and gave the farmer some money. The whole incident was carefully hushed up.

A short time later we were posted to Herne Bay. Once again I was forced to leave the gun position and despite my warning Edgar fired off a cone of fire across the sea. It so happened that a German Dornier reconnaissance plane was flying low over the sea taking photographs. Edgar's fire cut into its side and severed the controls. The plane plunged gently into the sea and it did not sink immediately. The observer had time to loose a pigeon before the plane sank and the pilot and observer swam ashore.

This time there was no cover up. Edgar was asked why he had fired when there was a clear notice telling him not to. His firing had given valuable information to the enemy. When asked why he had fired Edgar's reply was simple "I cant read, Sir"

I was severely reprimanded for not making this known and was fined six week's pay. An enquiry disclosed that several other men in the Company could not read. I was commanded to teach them to read in my off duty time.

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