大象传媒

Johnny was a T.A. Soldier when war broke out on September 3rd 1939. By 1940 after Dunkirk along with the rest of the regiment(2nd Northants Yeomanry)he had traveled all over the south of England as a driver of a "Guy armoured car," always expecting an invasion by the German forces! As we know this did not happen. During the winter of 1940 his regiment spent the month learning about the in's and out's of a tank known as a "Valentine" and Johnny emerged in the sping of 1941 as a driver of a "Valentine tank"
Apart from normal training and exercises, one of our efforts was to be on loan to the local Home Guard unit who on their Sunday exercises required a few tanks to improve their image of reality. On one particular effort as normal, the exercise ended in the village square as a general 'free for all' with both sides (friends and enemy)taking the opportunity to settle old scores. During this we, the tank crews, would close our flaps and watch the progress through our periscopes. Johnny had his front visor open (about the size of a letter box slit) to watch things better. Unfortunately one enterprising Home Guard thinking to capture a tank thrust his rifle through the visor (just missing Johnny's face) and demanded a surrender!!
Johnny, not being best pleased, grabbed the rifle barrel and snatched it from the Home Guard's hands and closed his visor leaving the irate Home Guard outside pleading "G'is me gun back" As always these 'Sunday battles' had to be thoroughly discussed as to who had won or lost? In the local pub as I recall a deal was arranged and a ransom paid 'Beers all round' for the return of the captured rifle.
An honourable end to an amusing incident.

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