大象传媒

This story was submitted to the People鈥檚 War website by Terry Cleaver of 大象传媒 Radio Kent and has been added to the website on behalf of Mr Gerald Jeffery with his permission. He fully understands the site鈥檚 terms and conditions.

When war was declared on 3rd Sept 1939 I was a school boy of 13 years and lived in Southborough, Tunbridge Wells and have continued to live there throughout my life.

My story starts during December 1943 when I was conscripted into the army. Within 6 months I was to be involved in the invasion of Normandy, taking part in the battle codenamed 鈥淥peration Epsom鈥� which resulted in my being wounded and subsequently taken prisoner. This battle began 26 June 1944 and ended 30 June 1944. My time as a P.O.W was about 5 weeks, which ended with my release in Rennes by the American Army. The 5 day battle 鈥淓psom鈥� was a bitter one which began for our unit at Le Mesnil Patry and proceeded through Hant-du-Bosq to Cheux and then to Grainville.-sur-Odon. During this battle I encountered the surrender of 3 Germans within a cornfield, becoming isolated from the company, a close shave with a tiger tank, recovering a dead officer in a sort of no-man鈥檚 land, witnessing the distressing sights of wounded men such as having a limb blown off and horrendous sights of men having been charred and killed by flame throwers. Other incidents included coming under fire from a sniper hiding in a church near Grainville-sur-Odon and causing such casualties that it appeared all around me had fallen dead or been wounded. After the battle there, we advanced south of Grainville with a view to join other forces to veer east in the region of HILL 112 to encircle Caen. My regiment, the 鈥淐ameronians鈥� were to be relieved for a rest behind the lines at the end of June 1944, but I had to join a patrol of 10 men to make a reconnaissance behind German lines which then resulted in my being shot in the foot and ankle and captured. The officer and 2 men were able to return fire to the enemy and presumably leave the area, leaving the remaining 7 of us to fend for ourselves. During this little battle the Germans lobbed stick grenades over the hedge whereupon a colleague (1451884 Rifleman Allan Stratham Watson) received injuries from which he died during that first might of captivity. I remained with the enemy at the front for 3 days after which I was stretchered away to be interrogated by a German officer, later receiving some verbal abuse by the Hitlerjugend (1255 PANZER GRENADIERS) before being transported to Rennes in a bexman ambulance. That ambulance was already crowded with 4 wounded Germans that I had to crouch on the floor at the rear and suffer agonising pain from my wounds. Eventually I was discharged from the army as medically unfit for military service. All this happened whilst still only 18 years old.

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