大象传媒

We loaded the eighth army machinery and soldiers, and sailed for Sicily. We enjoyed the company of the Desert Rats. They slept on deck and so did we. It was too hot below decks. We got the news Italy had capitulated, good news, but the Germanys still had plenty of armies in Italy and the war ending seemed a long way off.

We finished our trip taking our Dessert Rats to Taranto in Italy. A destroyer had been mined in the Harbour. They made the Eyeties recover the bodies of our men out of the harbour. Our soldiers gave the Eyeties a big tin of corned beef and some biscuits like our ship鈥檚 biscuits.

I went ashore and bought a lot of picture post cards of Taranto. We were not allowed, when writing home, to mention the places you were in, or where you were going. I took a chance and posted all my Taranto cards to most people at home.

They all received them.

We left Toronto and returned to Egypt, this time Alexandria; the Italian navy fleet sailed in to surrender. I will treasure that memory for the rest of my days, all the British ships and their crews lined their decks just grimly watching. No one jeered or shouted to the Eyeties. It was very quiet.

Reg, our PO, left us and we got another PO. Our skipper asked the navy to make me PO but the Navy told him I had to pass an exam and course first, ashore. We carried on regardless. We went to Algiers, Oran, Sicily and Naples. Vesuvius erupted; lava came down.

We were taken to Pompeii for a day and saw people who got covered in Lava all those years ago. Very small people in those days, also directions in those days to the brothels, the signs were men鈥檚 penis鈥檚 and there was a big cupboard affair with a man inside from years ago, weighing his huge penis on a weighing scale, the other side of the scale was filled with gold. I think it meant something was worth its weight in gold. The church in Pompeii was the best I have ever seen. The alter was gold from top to bottom. I was told that Hitler wanted to take the gold, but the Italians resisted him. We had lunch with men playing their violins. I forgot all about the war.

We went to Algiers again. We went to Syracuse in Sicily. A boat came out to us, and asked if I was on board. He told me that our ship was going to Alexandria and that I should pay off the ship and go for my exams for Petty Officer. I had been on the 鈥滶mpire Capulet鈥� for twelve months and it was the best ship I had been on. The lads made it a very happy ship and I loved every one of them.

____________________________________________
From www.hullwebs.co.uk
Posted by Alan Brigham

漏 Copyright of content contributed to this Archive rests with the author. Find out how you can use this.