大象传媒

[Continued from " From Sussex to Yorkshire"]

From Yorkshire my trail led to Scotland, bound for Algiers. The ship I travelled on was the "Strathmore", which sailed from the Clyde in convoy with other Royal Navy escorts.

Shortly after we left port the guns were tested on the ship. The very loud noise upset me greatly. I was sent to the sick bay and given pills to calm my nerves. I walked onto the deck but collapsed on the ropes. Two sailors helped me back to the sick bay. I stayed below deck for the rest of the voyage.

How grateful I was for our escorts as we were attacked by German submarines. During the attack it was going to be either them or us. Fortunately it was them in this instance. However I was taken very ill during the journey due to my previous accident in Yorkshire. I was left in the sick bay of the ship, waiting for a doctor to see me. I should have been sent to hospital on arrival in Algiers, rather than be left in the troopship. Due to a communications black-out, nobody knew where my regiment had gone. The officer in charge didn't understand that I was not "A1". He said "Don't be so silly, Romell is out there".

On detachment here I was in yet another road accident near a place called Phillipville. The ration lorry I was travelling in lost control, ending up in a field. This did more damage to myself and made me so very ill that somebody somewhere must have made more enquiries as to where my regiment had gone to.

During my army career in North Africa I met many American soldiers. They were always willing to help us, giving us many tins of food. Of course they were much better paid than us.

I came down with a severe attack of dysentery, ending up in hospital again. From there it was decided to return me to England, though how I cannot remember. I was so unwell that I was unsure about everything.

Back at my regimental HQ in Richmond, I was transferred to the Wharncliffe Emergency Hospital in Sheffield. Whilst recovering, I was invited by the local Rotarians to lunch. I was put on the top table, quite an honour. From there I was sent to a selection centre at Matlock Bath in Derbyshire. After a medical I was discharged from the army, but with no pension. Back in civilian clothes, I returned to my parents jewellery business in Kingston upon Thames.

After the war I became a Rotarian in Streatham. Later I joined the Bournemouth No.1 past Rotarian club.

(PK)

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