大象传媒

Chapter Seven: Farewell to the Desert

The battle began with a terrific barrage which lit the sky and shook the earth, the prelude to the long march to push the enemy out of Africa. It was as Prime Minister Churchill said 鈥�...not just the end of the beginning but the beginning of the end鈥�
We in our situation having recently been relieved, the usual rumours began their rounds. There were those who thought that they knew; they had heard it from someone who was in the 鈥榢now鈥�, that it was 鈥榙efinite鈥�; 7th Armoured division was going home.
So many times had we heard it before and yet at that time I myself thought that it might possibly be true, it was not to be though. We had fought our last desert battle but our destination was Sidi Bish, Alexandria where I had been with the 2nd Tanks in 1941. I wondered where those lads were who were my comrades then; 鈥楤atty鈥�, 鈥楥hesty鈥�, 鈥楽tormy鈥�, 鈥榁ini鈥� and the others - were they in the jungle? How many of those lads who set out from Liverpool were still alive?
The tented camp there at Sidi Bish was only a stopover, a temporary base obviously, so that once again we contemplated what they would do with us. Having heard of a 鈥楽econd Front鈥�, 鈥楤lighty鈥� did seem to be a reasonable possibility, maybe we would be needed there. Then we thought that we might be used in Italy - it was all conjecture and as always it was a matter of wait-and-see.
In the meantime we were able to enjoy a shower to get ourselves cleaned up and to appreciate our improved diet, with the welcome addition of bread. Our desert sores were attended to, the healing treatment was not very pleasant but it proved to be a sure cure and in a very short time.
A black orderly cleaned away the tops of each ulcer with a soap-laden toothbrush, dabbed them dry with cotton wool and then pressed a lint pad soaked in peroxide on them. It was only a matter of days before the sores began to heal and new skin appeared.
There were lots of parades and sports, also reinforcements arrived arrived to fill the gaps in the strength of the regiment. One special parade was called, where everyone whoever they were - no-one was excused, clerks, cooks, fitters, batmen, mess staff, all attended and formed up into a square. The exercise was to reallocate among the squadrons, each as his name was called would march to his newly-designated squadron.
I didn鈥檛 have to move, but I lost a lot of mates who I had been with for over nine months; I also had to settle with a new crew and almost a completely new troop. The reason for such drastic changes and so much upheaval was never made clear to us but we suspected that it had something to do with the poor showing of the regiment in the previous May at Bir Hakeim. If that was the reason then it appeared that the rank-and-file were the culprits and were required to take blame for the decision-makers, if indeed there was anyone to blame.
The RSM took all of us junior NCOs away into the hills beyond the camp where we could shout words of command at one another. He would from a distance have us shout such orders as 鈥淨uick March, Order Arms, About Turn鈥� - dozens of others, for about one and a half hours or when he decided that each individual鈥檚 standard was to his satisfaction.
One duty that I was called on to carry out and which was new to me was when I was detailed to be a member of a Guard of Honour for a lad who died while in camp, the RSM drilled us for that. A very respectful drill, carried out as in peacetime with an armed guard to fire a volley over the grave. That lad at least was given a burial more fitting than some of those men who copped it in the desert.
During one of those dashes back in retreat our squadron office went missing, whether captured, blown up, or whatever, the result was that all of our records went missing with it which meant that the record of pay of each individual had gone. It was a difficult situation and a problem which had to be solved.
There were those men who for months had drawn no pay while there were others who had no credits at all. The outcome of it was that the whole of the amount was divided equally giving each individual an average payment, taking into account one鈥檚 rank. It was probably the fairest decision although it did hit those thifty men who possibly had forgone a leave in order to save cash, on the other hand there were probably those who gained by it. Nothing changes very much, some you win and there are other times.
When off duty there were passes to Alex. but the frequency in which we were able to take advantage of them was governed by the amount of cash which we could draw on pay parade. With that in mind Dave, George and myself devised a way in which we could sample some of the culinary delights offered there without spending what little cash we had. We chose the best restaurants, those where we had dined when on leave, usually around Mohammed Ali Square; what we intended to do was to order a meal and drinks and after having eaten leave one at a time and jump on the nearby tram at a distance of about a hundred yards away, leaving just one of us to pick up the bill and pay if he couldn鈥檛 also leave.
Choosing a table near to a door we ordered drinks, making sure that our berets were on show, either on a chair or the table, and ordered from the immense choice of dishes available; we ate leisurely and ordered more drinks. We tipped the waiter early during the meal which discouraged him from hanging around then, when our appetites were appeased, first one would leave followed by the other, leaving behind a part of their drink and their berets with only one of us remaining. After an interval he gathered up all three berets and himself made for the tram. At the time when we carried out these ventures we always made certain that the dining room was at its busiest so that not too much attention was paid us.
It was always a relief though when reaching the camp to find the others waiting there because there were patrols of Redcaps in Alex. and to be seen minus headgear was to invite trouble, certainly in the form of a charge of being 鈥榠mproperly dressed鈥�. It was not possible either to pass through our Guard Room where our own Regimental Police would be on the alert. We avoided being caught for about half-a-dozen times but thought that we ought not to push our luck too far; if ever our cap badges had been recognised when at one of those restaurants and traced to the regiment there is no doubt we would have been severely punished by the CO for bringing disgrace to the regiment.
One night Dave was almost caught, when being 鈥榣ast man鈥� and about to leave, found his way through the door blocked by an Egyptian waiter; fortunately for him and for us there was an open window which he dived through. To the lads in camp it was quite amusing and they applauded us on getting a little of our own back because we knew that we were always overcharged, and in some cases especially the new men, they were fleeced.
Most of the men in the squadron having heard of those winings and dinings were keen to know where and how we fed, making their mouths water when we explained and described all the dishes. They were pleased to know that there had been some recompense for the way we had been cheated in the past especially as many of the population were hostile to us, and among them were Nazi sympathisers for certain.
After those wonderful feasts it was back to Army rations which including a new addition, new to us anyway, they were the Yams (sweet potatoes). Piles of mail arrived, months old of course, some dated early June, it then being September. There were letters from friends and relatives and lots of newspapers but among the letters there was one which although I was not aware of it then, was to change my life, it was from the girl I was friendly with who worked at the laundry office and who I hadn鈥檛 seen or heard of since I left home three years before.
She apparently had seen my name on the Works notice board and details concerning myself which she had read in the local newspaper. She had written and visited my parents who encouraged her to write to me. It was quite a 鈥榥ewsy鈥� letter telling me of boys and girls who I had known and about life at home. She had joined the Land Army. Her own engagement had broken off as mine had. I was pleased to reply to her and that first exchange of letters was the beginning of a further four years of correspondence.
Our quartermaster was not a well-liked man, although in the past I had managed to avoid his disagreeable manner I should have expected that by the law of averages it was bound to happen and it did; he put me on a charge of Negligence. I was fully aware that I had broken the rules, I was definitely guilty but if he had admonished me the result would have been the same - I would have learned my lesson. But he didn鈥檛 work that way, it seemed that it had to be the Charge Sheet.
It came about one morning when the whole troop was almost late on parade; we all had to scurry to make it on time, consequently between myself and the lance-corporal we failed to secure the chains holding the rifles to the centre tent-pole and the quartermaster had made the point of coming round and checking.
We were all aware of what a necessary precaution it was as a safety measure against the local arabs who were always on the look-out for an opportunity to steal them. Normally I relied on the lance-corporal to see that it was done and I would then check. Anyway, being senior, I was at fault and had to take the blame, that was fair enough, hence the charge was made.
Sergeant-Major Atkins marched me in before the squadron leader who gave me a severe lecture on my misdemeanour with particular regard to safety, and was marched out to begin seven days 鈥榗onfined to camp鈥�. No great hardship really, I felt that I had been treated leniently.
The camp in the evenings was quiet with hardly anyone about with the exception of the Duty men, and one or two in the NAAFI. I felt that I would be in for a week of lonely evenings, I was surprised therefore when after pay parade Sergeant-Major Atkins said 鈥淕et yourself ready, stay in your tent, 鈥淚鈥檒l pick you up鈥�, and he did just that.
He backed a 15-cwt truck up to the tent flaps and unseen by anyone I jumped in the back. He took me to a Warrant Officers鈥� club in Alex. where we had a meal and a quiet drink of a few brandies; he took me again once more during the week. When he referred to my being charged he considered that I ought to have been given a warning, he thought that might have been sufficient.
It was obvious that he had little respect for the Quartermaster; Tommy, a regular soldier was known for his easy-going manner, for his fairness and his judgement; his calmness and awareness of situations in the field was well appreciated.
I found him to be good, enjoyable company, I knew that he had put me in for a sergeant鈥檚 stripe on several occasions; in taking me out of camp he took a considerable risk because there was every chance that we would be seen in Alex, or I might have been missed in camp. He had in fact been assisting me in disobeying an order, the consequences of which if caught out could have been severe. Apart from any other punishment he could have lost his rank at least.
There had been an old 鈥榰nfit for service鈥� football thrown out with the waste from the stores, and I fished it out. The case was in need of sewing and the inner tube wanted a patch or two, but with the help of the fitters I was able to make it usable. That ball stood up to a terrible amount of punishment while it lasted, it was first used in the soft sand at Hemeimat, before Alamein.
At Sidi Bish we belted it about between the lines of tents; whenever there was an occasion to do so someone would be bound to call 鈥淧ut the ball down, Dig鈥� then there would be a mad rush of Army boots kicking up sand in all directions resulting in many bruised ankles. Whenever we were on the march that ball was either packed flat in my pack or it was tied to my backpack, then it was used whenever it was 鈥渇all out for a smoke鈥� time until it was 鈥減ick up your kits鈥�.
The news from the desert was that the battle was proceeding well and the Afrika Korps was on the run; part of our regiment was still with them, once again we heard that a move was imminent, the rumours were once more rife. The one most passed-on was that the Desert Rats were no longer needed in the Middle East and were going home to fight in Europe.
It seemed the most feasible of all the many stories doing the rounds, but wrong again. We were definitely not homeward bound, not yet anyway, and that was assumed to be official because it came from what was known to be a reliable source - a squadron clerk who was reckoned to be the first with any news.
So it became time again for speculation as to where the next move would take us, Italy was always a thought and there was the possibility of a posting to the Far East where Singapore had fallen and the Japs had advanced into Burma. Several other suggestions were discussed but all were well wide of the mark, because no-one had foreseen that our destination would be Syria.
Apparently the Vichy French there were being troublesome and threatening. Although we were minus tanks we were to sort of 鈥榮how the Flag鈥�; it was a lengthy train journey and we were based in a tented camp in Beirut where we marched from the station, once there there were many parades and lots of 鈥榖ull鈥�; smartness of dress and bearing was essential.
We carried out numerous route marches in order to let the dissidents know that the Desert Rats had arrived. After a few weeks the problem became less serious and seemed to be resolved, for the time being anyway. So it was 鈥榩ick up your kits鈥� time again.
No-one had a clue, no-one came up with the intended destination, but a long dusty train ride deposited us at Port Said, on the same dockside where we had disembarked in September 1940. We were based in another tented camp where it was thought we must be waiting for a ship and more thoughts of home.
In camp there were the normal duties, guards, pickets and cookhouse, but during the day most of the men were on duty at the docks, unloading ships. After they had been so employed for a day or two at this work I began to wonder why my troop should all be volunteering to do it without waiting to be detailed for it. Knowing them as I did I guessed that there was something not quite as it should be, there was something suspicious in their behaviour. It was all revealed one evening when I found several bottles of wine inside my blankets.
It was then that I learned that there had been a cargo which included a consignment of altar wine destined to be supplied to padres and clergy throughout the Middle East. I supposed I had been bribed although I found it quite palatable. It began to get out of hand and a bit worrying, when they came back worse for the drink, singing and as merry as if they had been in a bar all night.
I feared someone would take notice, and if what they had been doing came to light there would be some punishment meted out, I also would be involved. I warned them to take more care, to take it easy. It appeared that they did heed my warning because it went unnoticed, maybe they had had their fill, I don鈥檛 know but there was no further problem.
Our Christmas was spent there at Port Said and we sat down to a traditional Christmas dinner served by the officers. The last time I had eaten Christmas dinner was at home in 1938, five years earlier.
In the New Year for about two weeks we were left to fill in our time as we wished and were told that we were to board a ship to Cyprus, where we were to train and accustom ourselves to the fighting conditions similar to those we were likely to find in Europe.

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