大象传媒

It was the dying wish of corporal John Henry Burdess better known to his friends as Jack who served in the 6th Battalion of the Durham Light Infantry in WW2, to have have it known to everyone that the old fallacy saying used by our troops in both World Wars, was "The only good German was a dead German" This is'nt strickly true in this case.

In the early years of the war everything that got in the path of the mighty German Wehrmacht fell: people and countries alike.
Jack would have been the last one in the world to change any sayings about the Germans. As from being a boy his Father & Grandfather had told him plenty about the happenings from the Germans in the first world war. So by now I hope that you the readers are interested enough to find out what made Jack change his mind about his enemy.

During some of the most bitter fighting in the North African desert campaign Jack along with a number of his mates had the misfortune of being taken prisoner by the Deutsches Africa Korps led by the fast becoming famous Field Marshall Erwin Rommel better known as the "Desert Fox". Being named such for his cunning and artfull battle tactics used in the desert which was gaining him victories.

So it was a sad day indeed for Jack and his mates to have been captured as it was a known fact that Jerry had never beaten the 6th. Durhams at Dunkirk as they with others had been chosen to help fight a reguard action which was done with very good effect as the enemy was halted, giving a much needed breathing space for those that were being rescued off the beaches of Dunkirk by the gallant little ships belonging to volunteer civilians and the Royal Navy. After a matter of time the rearguard were commanded to fall back which was done all the way from Belgium to Dunkirk in France. So it wasn't Jerry that had beaten them but orders which every good soldier must obey.

After capture and with many weeks of being moved from one one point to another in due course a sorry looking ship load of British P.O.Ws arrived in Western Poland. It wasn't one of the best places in the world to be in at the time as Poland was one of the first countries to fall from the horrific Blitzkrien enflicted on them by the German Lufftwaffe Airforce. After enduring being pushed and shoved they finally were herded into living quarters which consisted of just wooden huts, the next step by the Germans was to have them made up into work parties, then lotted out for work in the surrounding farms, and for some less fortunate into coal mines.

With food being in short supply the main thoughts on all the P.O.Ws minds was food, be it even a potato peeling, or scraps of anything edible that would help fill the empty space in the stomach to help take awaw the hunger pains that were with them all the time.
So from time to time lumps of bread given to the work parties by the Polish farmers was smuggled into the camp for an equal share out, each hut was responsible for it's own share out from the forageing.

It was on one of these bread smuggling occasions that Jack was topped by a gate guard and searched. With bread being found on his person he would be punished. Which meant he was to be stripped of all his clothes apart from his shorts, he was then made to stand at attention in the middle of the camps parade ground. Well Jack wasn't going to be humiliated by these Germans; not that he could do much about it but at least he would show them just how smart a British soldier could stand to attention, in uniform or not.

Now the winters start early in Poland and though there wasn't any snow about at that time the weather was still very cold.
Hour after hour Jack stood up straight but he was starting to find it very hard to concentrate. It was only his hate for the Germans that was helping Jack to keep standing. He started to feel very sleepy, his life seemed to be flowing passed his eyes like a drowning man. Then he collapsed unconscious to the ground and knew no more till he came round on the huts table under a heap of blankets and surrounded by his mates.

They told him that the second he collapsed they rushed outside to get him inside but were stopped by the guards who had machine guns and rifles trained on them, so they could do nothing to help him till the Camp Commandant gave permission to carry him into the hut.

After going through an experience like that only those who have suffered by the same cold weather elements can fully understand the pain he would have endured, who could blame him for his hate against the German race growing more bitter and stronger.
But he was alive and that was the main thing, life still had to go on and so had the work in the fields even if he did feel half dead.

Then another year had passed being a P.O.W., it was a late summer evening after a hard days work in the fields and they were preparing to march back to the camp when a German Guard came up to them. He spoke near perfect English and said "If you have anything, anything at all concealed on your person get rid of it now this very moment while you have the chance, "as the dreaded and much hated S.S. were in the camp giving a thorough search of all prisoners, reprisals would be made which could result in death in some cases".

Jack had lost all trust in these guards a long time ago with the memory of his late pain inflicted still fresh to remind him. But there was an appealing sound to this Germans voice, plus the added look on his face and eye's that made jack have second thoughts as he gently placed two hens eggs on the ground and the rest of the lads followed suit with what they had hidden. The guard just stood there looking amazed as he saw the eggs, bread small turnips and potatoes along with all manner of anything edible.
He told them that they had done the right thing in getting rid of all their loot. Unknown to them the guard promply hid the life saving treasures under potato tops in the near by field.

As they approached and marched through the camp gates sure enough they were being stripped searched one by one by the S.S., but nothing was found.
A silent prayer of thanks being given to the friendly guard on duty.

When night fall came they were all sat round a make shift table playing cards with nothing but promises for stakes when the door burst open and in came the English speaking guard with a sack in his hands like Father Christmas which he gently placed on the floor. "There I now return your treasure trove" he said. It was now the turn of Jack and his mates to look amazed with mouths fully open. Jack was the first to speak saying "Why do you do this for us when a threat of death would fall on you as it would for all of us prisoners by the S.S.?", as they did'nt pay any honour to the rules of the Geneva Convention. The guard looking straight into the face of Jack said that he knew of the risk he was taking and he was returning a compliment to all of you for all your past kindness given to my wife and children.
He went on to explain that his family were billeted in this camp and were just as much prisoners as they were. When your Red Cross parcels arrive you have shared some of the contents with them, I also could ask "Why" but I don't have to.

So the years passed and the two countries were once again at peace.
Branches were being formed so that veterans of the desert war could renew old frienships. Jack joined one of these called 'The Middle East Veterans Association'.. In Germany things were slowly getting back to normal, so were veteran branches over there for them. One of the most known of these is the 'Deutsches Afrika Korps'.

Once these branches of former enemies got to know of each others existance contacts were arranged between them and exchange visits made to each others country and so friendships were made from both sides.
Gifts were exchanged with the visits, so grew the friendship between the former enemies. So Jack learned before his time was up that it was far nicer to be friends and exchange gifts rather than bullets.

Time can be a great healer of all wounds as it did for him from that one act of kindness from an enemy so many years ago which had never been forgotten.

'Desert Rats' men of the 8th. Army earned themselves this title, they will never be forgotten as the determination of these veterans who over half a century ago fought in one of the greatest campaigns of the Second World War at a place called EL-Alamein.

After the wartime leader Field Marshal Montgomery of the 8th Army died a new association was formed called the 'Eighth Army Veterans Association' which holds reunions to continue a happy friendly and comradely atmosphere.
Veterans from America who served also in the desert along with members from the commonwealth countries. As guests comes veterans of the Afrika Korps and the Italian Volantari Di Bir Gobi - a good time is had by all.
What a shame that it has to take a war to make these sort of friendships.
J.D.Fisher.
Newton Aycliffe.
Co. Durham.

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