大象传媒

Mid May 1943 and the war in North Africa was over. Never again would we be 鈥榞oing up鈥� in the winter and 鈥榗oming back鈥� in the following summer as we had over the last few years in what came to be known as the 鈥楤enghazi Stakes鈥�.

Now, one thought only pervaded our every waking moment 鈥� whither next? We, as part of an ack-ack brigade had long been conscious that a lessening of Axis aircraft to shoot at might well result in many of the guns being re-deployed, e.g. as field pieces or anti tank units in other theatres.

But our service company was in luck. We had been selected as one half of two companies given the job of preparing the newly-arrived 鈥楧UKW鈥橲鈥� (quickly re-labelled 鈥榙ucks鈥�) the amphibious vehicles which were intended for use in the coming offensive in Southern Europe. Sure enough within days the first of these 鈥榙ucks鈥� arrived complete with 6 or 8 naval ratings who, in the month to come, were to introduce us to the intricacies of 鈥榖ilge pumps鈥� and 鈥榮tuffing boxes鈥�. At the Navy鈥檚 insistence two only 鈥榦fficial鈥� drivers were to be allowed to road or sea test these vehicles and I was very pleasantly surprised to be selected, together with Bill Chick, a lad from deepest Devon.

It hardly needs saying that we got on famously with the navy lads, that is, until the claims for the fitness of personnel in the respective services surfaced as a topic. The navy were scathing, claiming that 鈥渢he only time the army was to be seen on the move, perched on top of kit-laden lorries鈥� while in counter-claim the army argued how was it possible to keep fit cooped up in ships?

A showdown was demanded by both factions and as it happened this was easily arranged. From where we were on the outskirts of Monastir in Tunisia there were salt-flats close at hand which lent themselves as being very easily laid out for track events. The suggestion that a day be given over to the Navy v Army mini-Olympics was put to our Commanding Officer. He agreed immediately and the day before the navy was due to leave us was chosen as 鈥渃ombat day鈥�.

The field events, taking up most of the day, were to be followed in the cool of the evening by a scratch football match after which both victors and vanquished would repair to our canteen and do justice to the beer we鈥檇 been hoarding for the previous 2-3 weeks.

Now with some days to go before 鈥渢he day鈥� it occurred to a few of us that the occasion needed some tangible evidence of ever having happened and finally a solution came. As vehicle electrician and bearing in mind how hard new spares were to come by I had squirreled away in a number of tea chests any likely vehicle component capable of further service and these included several vehicle distributors. It needed only the expertise of Ronny Deans out machinist to stick these one at a time in his lathe, turn off all the surplus metal and knobs before finishing up with a very passable 鈥渃up鈥�. Six were made and even hardwood stands for each.

Came the day of the contest - except it was hardly any contest at all. The Navy simply wiped the floor with us, high jumping, long jumping, running - even out-tugging us in the tug-of-war! Some respectability was restored in that we did beat them at football.

Following the debacle of the day the navy lads were invited to come and collect 鈥渢heir trophies鈥�. Mystified they followed us into the Company Office where the six cups were handed over to cheers all round and a few less than dry eyes! One of our lads who鈥檇 done a bit of hand-chasing at home invited the Navy to leave any inscriptions with him and he鈥檇 have them ready in another few days.

And so, on this memorable note we said goodbye to N Africa 鈥� three weeks later we were on Sicilian soil.

P.S. In post-war years I came across a few of these 鈥榙ucks鈥�, some in the unlikeliest of places. The last I saw was on Caldy Island off South Wales. There being no one about I couldn鈥檛 resist hopping over its side and within seconds installing myself as 鈥榙river鈥�. With closed eyes and a 鈥渧room, vroom鈥� it was 1943 again, I was back at Monastir and sliding out into the waters of the 鈥淢ed鈥� to put another bilge pump through its paces.

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