大象传媒

Robbie
This story is submitted to the People鈥檚 War site by a member of Market Harborough Branch, Royal British Legion on behalf of Bernard Halsall MC and has been added to the site with his permission. Mr Hasall fully understands the site鈥檚 terms and conditions.

Robbie

It was May 1943.

Robbie looked over the side of the ship and thought of home. He had been at sea for two days, part of an escort to 150 German Officers captured in the desert and being taken from Alexandria to Algeria to be handed over to the American Army.

The ship鈥檚 previous load had been coal so it was in a very poor state when the parties went on board However, the Germans were highly disciplined even in captivity and in return for being allowed up on the starboard deck during daylight hours they had hosed down the entire ship until it was as clean as a new pin.

It was about 1600 hrs on the second day at sea when a colleague joined Robbie to check that all was in order on that quarter of the deck, and after a few minutes discussion he moved on. It was then that a young German Officer who had been standing a few feet away approached Robbie, saluted and asked "Excuse me did that soldier call you Robbie?鈥� Puzzled, Robbie nodded. 鈥淚s your name Robson?鈥�, the German asked, and Robbie, now very alert and interested,again nodded. 鈥淒o you come from Altringham near Manchester鈥�, had Robbie holding on to the side rail."Yes, I do" he answered quickly but the German had not finished. "Arkwright Street" he asked in a confident tone, adding "57?鈥�. Before Robbie could recover the young German Officer held out his hand. "I am Helmut-your Pen Pal in Germany since 1937.鈥�

They were still talking an hour later when I went on duty.

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