大象传媒

Word has got around about the paper that I wrote regarding my wartime experiences in Normandie and France in 1944, it was written for the City Council of Caen requested by the CEO. By request from the Imperial War Museum and several friends I have made some extra copies, especially as this year will in all probability be the last of the Normandie and Victory of WW2 widely international commemorations/celebrations.

The paper was well received, so I have decided to write up my war memories and information on the 鈥渢rip鈥� through Belgium Holland and in Northern Germany. I have not seen the actual lead up to the final surrender in North West Europe as it happened in the British Army鈥檚 part in the final stages of the war in Europe. Except of course the signing of the document by Field Marshal Montgomery and General-Admiral von Friedeberg on Luneburge Heide. We often see the American and the Russian versions of what happened. I thought it opportune to bring to light (very briefly) what actually happened during those exciting days leading up to the surrender of Germany on the 4th of May 1945. For 4th Tp it all started to build up when Lt Tony Hunter leading 4th Tp took the surrender of Buxtehude at 0805 hrs on 22nd April, and put in the bag 1 Admiral, 50 Officers, 450 other ranks and 500 German Wrens.

On the 3rd of May 鈥淒鈥漇qdn The11th Hussars, was given the honour of leading 7th Armoured Division into Hamburg for the Divisional Commander to take the surrender of the City from General Wolz. The city was completely devastated and made even more eerie by the curfew. The next day Lt Tony Hunter MC, led 4th Tp to a new start line on the Hamburg/Kiel Road north of Quickborn. General/ Admiral von Friedeberg, representing Admiral Doenitz the new Fuhrer together with a small delegation, entered the British lines and the Admiral gave himself up to Mr Hunter who alerted the Sqdn Ldr.

The Admiral and his staff had come to surrender all German Land, Naval and Air Forces in North West Europe, a memorable day for 4th Tp, the Sqdn and the Regiment. The Sqdn Ldr Captain Toby Horsford MC joined us within minutes. He waited to receive the staff officers from Field Marshal Montgomery鈥檚 Headquarters who would escort the delegation to Luneburg and then he sent us back on patrol along the road to Kiel.

Captain Toby Horsford had cheerfully greeted the senior staff officer; a full Colonel from the Field Marshall鈥檚 HQ, 鈥淲e don鈥檛 often see you buggers this far forward鈥�. This caused Admiral von Friedeberg to split his sides with laughter. Probably the last laugh he enjoyed before the humiliation of the surrender. (From 鈥淭he Cherrypickers鈥� by Lt Col Peter Upton)

Some Random Notes in Passing.

The 4th of May was indeed a proud and memorable day for 鈥淒鈥� Sqdn (Battle group Shambles,) and in particular 4th Tp. When the 鈥淐EASE FIRE鈥� was announced at 8a.m on the 5th of May, SQMS 鈥楤innie鈥� Barnes sounded the Cease Fire Call on his cavalry trumpet. And so hostilities had now officially ended. Admiral Hoffmann C in C the German Fleet arrived to hand over the German Navy but the proceedings were held up for a while because Admiral Hoffmann鈥檚 driver鈥檚 watch 鈥榙isappeared鈥�, which caused consternation in the 鈥淗alls of Olympus鈥�. This because the Admiral refused to go any further until the watch was returned. However peace was not held up for long. On the 6th of May we moved back to RHQ and on the 7th we crossed the Kiel Canal to Bendorf where we celebrated VE Day on the 8th May with Rum Punch, and listened to the King鈥檚 speech on the 大象传媒. Then came the turn of Mr Churchill followed by SQMS 鈥楽kem鈥� Emery who had fought with the regiment from 1939 in North Africa and through to the end of the war. Binnie Barnes and Skem Emery were L/Cpls in the band when I joined the regiment as a boy trumpeter in March 1939 at Helmieh in Egypt. It all seemed to be so long ago,).

Soon our Colonel Bill Wainman arrived and he was invited to light the Sqdn鈥檚 vast bonfire, and afterwards he visited every Troop in the Squadron to say his personal 鈥渢hank you鈥� for all that we had achieved in the fighting in North West Europe from the beaches to the surrender of Germany. When he drove out of our lines, we spontaneously fired every one of our small arms weapons into the air. As the spent ammunition fell to earth making a splattering sound on the rooftops and buildings, we looked back over our armoured and scout cars. The paintwork peeling, mudguards bent and dented, the cars looked tired and appeared to be sagging, even our kit lashed to the cars looked bedraggled and the cars looked scruffy. After all we had been through together, little wonder that there was a feeling of immense affection and gratitude for them. They had, protected us, carried us in safety and served us well over the past eleven months. Towards the evening and as the fire eventually burnt out and after a short while of euphoria, there was the inevitable moment of sadness that we all felt for our lost friends.

So much has been written about the fighting from Normandie to Hamburg. The dangers and the acts of courage by so many people who are not even mentioned, still the spirit of the regiment emerged. Colonel Bill Wainman and our Squadron Leaders brilliantly led the regiment from the invasion over the Normandie Beaches, right up to the end of the war. There were so many acts of bravery, gallantry and skilful judgement displayed by the 11th Hussars Troop Officers, Sgts, Car Commanders and men that it is impossible to enumerate them. The fighting between Normandie and Hamburg was usually bitter and dangerous when advancing to contact the enemy. We had to fight and gather reconnaissance information down straight roads and narrow tracks with ditches or Bocage on either side and it was not always amusing. The enemy on the whole were determined and very good marksmen with rifles, Spandau machine guns, anti tank guns and Panzerfausten. The eleven months of fighting from the Normandie beaches to the final surrender will be remembered by our considerable successes. And because of the high number of casualties suffered particularly during the last two and a half months of the war.

Providentially, soldiers are not given to dwelling too much on the fate which they may meet in war, but sometimes in reading the bare history of battles won and lost, one has to pause for a brief moment to think how they would have appeared in the mind of the individual soldier fighting them

When the Sqdn left the area of the Kiel Canal we were sent to Tonning the capitol of the State of Eiderstadt in Schleswig Holstein where the Sqdn Ldr had complete rule of the Kingdom. Eiderstadt is a peninsular and therefore an ideal place to 鈥榮tore鈥� thousands of prisoners of war. There were about 168,000 POWs and a civilian population of about 15,000 for the Sqdn to look after. The 88,000 prisoners that arrived from Denmark were from the 233rd Panzer division and the 166th Infantry division. The other POWs were from around Friedrichstadt and the rest of Schleswig Holstein. It gave us some satisfaction to ask senior officers particularly the 8 generals we had in the bag, to dismount from their horses and to say goodbye to them. Tommy Trendall 4th Tp Sgt picked 8 German soldiers who could ride well to help him to ride a caravan of some 17 horses down to Regiment HQ in Buttel by road. They all arrived sound in wind and limb on the 30th May.

During our time in Tonning we carried out security patrols to make sure that our charges were not getting up to any mischief. Occasionally some of the chaps would look around in the Kriegs Marine stores sheds to see if there was any thing that would make life easier for us all. We enjoyed many amenities including the use of 41 fishing smacks, several motor picket boats 2 German 鈥淓鈥� Boats and there were two complete goods trains. In one of the wagons we found enough black overalls so loved by the Panzer Divisions and the SS, to last the regiment for many years after the war. In another were hundreds of Bearskin fur coats. Everyone in the Sqdn had one. The Sqdn was also given the Island of Langeroog as an R and R centre. We used the boats we had to act as ferries to and from our island.

Some of us who could get by in German acted as escorts on the 鈥淓鈥� Boats that were sent out daily to blow up any sea mines that they found that had surfaced. I will admit that my first patrol I was a little anxious because the crew had rifles and all that we had were our 38 revolvers the skipper told us that there was no need for anxiety because the crew quite liked the 10 men compo packs that we gave to them baring in mind that the crew was down to just six men and all we ate on board was one meal. this bonus in food for the crew was sufficient incentive to prevent any mischievous intent.

We were living in luxury. Good housing, fresh fish, fresh eggs and butter daily but soon, someone 鈥榰p there鈥� above us must have taken note of our lifestyle and so we were pulled out of the Kingdom and made to return to the Red Tape of officialdom in order to get ready for our entry into Berlin.

Copyright- Matt Guymer MBE

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