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Life as a Desert Rat

This account is part of the writing which my father did for his family so they would know what he experienced during World War 2.
Name:- Vernon Sumner Ingham [1912- 1987]
Royal Corps of Signals - Signal man [Private} to rank of Corporal.
Starting pay — one shilling a day

On arrival at the desert headquarters I was further posted to the 8th Armoured Brigade which was attached to the 10th Armoured Division, so I became one of the Desert Rats.
Now things became much different. It was obvious that I, along with many more, was going to be really amongst the fighting. The Brigade consisted of heavy tanks and armoured cars. Fortunately for me I was one of the signal office crew, five in number. The office was a fifteen cwt truck on which was fixed a switch board with room for provisions and kit, together with a sort of canvas side tent which could be erected with the aid of steel supports whenever it was necessary to stay put for one or more nights. When travelling, two rode on the front seat, three on the back seat behind the switch board. When we did stay put for one or more nights linesmen would connect the switchboard to several telephones held by senior officers in order that communications could be kept moving. The switchboard was worked on a shift basis, day and night.
We had to make our own meals, bully beef and very hard biscuits being the chief items on the menu. Sometimes we got bread which quite often had cockroaches cooked inside. Milk was powder, the potatoes and other vegetables were in tins. Fruit and carnation milk we had to buy when the NAAFI van came in the area which was not often, so when it did arrive the aim was to buy as many tins of fruit etc as one could afford. It was very rough living in a very hot climate surrounded by sand and very little protection from the hot sun. We did get a weekly ration of fifty cigarettes [no use to me so I gave them away] and a bar of dark chocolate.

Having settled in as it were with the 8th Armoured Brigade exercises became the order of the day, these being in preparation for the next offensive. Much activity was taking place; then on 23rd October 42 battle commenced in reality. The moon had risen and was shining, but visibility was poor because the guns were firing on the enemy artillery, infantry was advancing. We too were on the move passing through clouds of smoke with shells flying overhead hoping that none would hit the truck as it kept moving forward. It was a terrible battle. On the following morning one could see gun crews lying dead besides their big guns, tanks burnt out and crews lying dead, some on the ground, some who had been trying to get out of the tank with head partly blown off by a shell. However in spite of what could be seen we had to keep moving, advancing, hoping that the truck would not get a direct hit.

As we drove on following another vehicle which was approximately 15 to 20 yards in front of us something unexpected happened. It blew up; driver and passenger were killed and the truck was blown to fragments. We stopped dead because we had driven into a minefield. The problem was how to get out without a disaster so a short discussion took place between the five of us. It was decided that the driver should turn the truck round in as small a circle as possible and drive out of the minefield on, as far as possible, the tyre marking made in the sand as we came into the minefield, so we all boarded the truck not knowing what would happen but fortunately the idea was successful and we came out safe.
After this we did not travel far before a senior officer came over to us and ordered us to stop and await further instructions. Shells kept passing over but the infantry were progressing pushing the enemy back whilst we stopped. Troops were making paths through minefields, fencing the danger areas off. The battle of Alamein was a terrible experience. Italian and German prisoners, captured by our troops, were being marched behind our lines to become prisoners of war, many dead were being buried not far from where we had our signals truck. Tanks were advancing behind the infantry the artillery were pounding away firing shells rapidly. We stayed put for a few days awaiting instructions to go forward, on no account was Monty going to retreat; he had made this clear to all rank both British and foreign. At last news came from the commanding officer telling us to pack up and move on as advancing troops were making successful gains along the front line. Although this was desert warfare the going was extremely rough up hill then down in a wadi, up again and so on, sometimes getting stuck in the sand having to be towed out by some other army vehicle that was near at hand. However we kept going forward but were frequently under attack from the enemy air force which came along diving extremely low and opened up their machine guns. When such incidents occurred it was a case of abandoning the truck,running and falling on the desert sand for protection. These events were frightening. Eventually we got on the coast road, stopped and received fresh instructions.

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