大象传媒

This story has been submitted to the People's War website by Liz Andrew of the Lancshomeguard on behalf of Wallace Ivor Jones and added to the site with his permission.

I joined the Forces in 1944 - I was eighteen years old and a bit of a lad.I did 6 weeks training in Ireland. Then I did 10 weeks of Infantry training in Carlisle and a further five weeks in Ulverston. Then I was badly injured when an anti personnel mine exploded and I was in hospital for a while. But I was one of the lucky ones - one or two others were killed - It was a dreadful shock. We were in an enclosed hut when it happened. Our platoon sergeant was giving a demonstration of how a detonator could be booby trapped and it went off. Fortunately I had been at the far end of the hut with my back to the centre.

There were so many accidents in training - While I was in hospital they were always bringing people in who had been hurt in accidents.

Being in the army made us all grow up - we had to live with different people - but as soon as we put the uniform on, we were all on the same level. You soon learnt how to look after yourself and the comradeship was a wonderful thing.

After I came out I was sent to Belgium with the British Liberation Army. There was a lot of trouble and we were really doing policing duties. We were in a kind of peacekeeping unit.Many of the civilians had collaborated with the Germans and there was lots of trouble. We had to make sure everything was kept under control.

I eventually came back to England in late 1945 but, due to the injuries I had sustained, I finished up in hospital and had two major operations and I came out of the army with a pension.

I am now a standard bearer for the South Shore, Blackpool branch of the Royal British Legion.

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