大象传媒

This contribution to 大象传媒 People鈥檚 War website was provided to Beah a Volunteer Story Gatherer from 大象传媒 Radio Norfolk Action Desk at the Event attended by the Norwich, Norfolk and Suffolk Pensioner鈥檚 Association. The story has been written and submitted to the website with the permission and on behalf of Jim Fraser.

When war against Germany was declared in 1939 I was serving as a regular soldier in the Royal Tank Regiment, having enlisted in 1937 just after my seventeenth birthday, giving my age as eighteen.
During the war years I served with the 6th and 8th Royal Tank Regiments. Saw action in both the Western Desert and Italian campaign. At the battle of Sidi Rezegh in November 1941 I was awarded the Military Medal. In Italy in 1945 I was mentioned in despatches at the crossing of the River Senio. During the Desert Campaign I was the driver of General Montgomery鈥檚 Command Tank (an American General Grant tank) at the Battle of El Alamein. I was wounded on three occasions, twice suffering third degree burns to my face. The General Grant tank was fuelled by high octane petrol that made the tank a very high fire risk. A small spark could result in an explosion that would tear the tank apart quicker than a bully beef tin opener. The tank crews called the grants 鈥渕obile crematoriums鈥�.
In June 1942 at the Battle of Knightsbridge my tank was knocked out of action by a German 88mm anti tank gun, three members of the crew were killed, I was wounded, picked up by one of our tanks taken to a field ambulance, transferred to the Military Hospital at Tobruk. Evacuated from Tobruk by hospital train the day before the Garrison surrendered to the Germans.
What I have written so far is only a general background to my war years; there have been so many incidents each one having a story to tell that has left me with a mixed memory chest of the bad and good times. One will never forget the bond and strength of friendship, companionship, comradeship, call it what you may but one thing for certain was we were a true band of brothers, an exclusive club.
The period I spent as Monty鈥檚 driver was more than interesting. It was his order that a Command Tank would be supplied, a General Grant was chosen. The turret of the tank housed a 37mm gun that was replaced by a wooden replica in order to make space for additional communication equipment. It was also under his orders that the tank was named 鈥楳onty鈥� and painted on the front of the tank.
When I first saw him I wasn鈥檛 impressed, to me he didn鈥檛 look like a General. He was small in stature, thin with hawk-like features and a high pitched voice. He was wearing a pair of shorts that were far too big and an Aussie bush hat covered by regimental cap badges. Come to think about it, what a General should look like. Before the war the only time a squaddie saw a General was on an inspection parade when he was dressed up to the nines with more medals on their chests than a lion tamer. It didn鈥檛 take long to prove that first impressions were not always right. He started a getting to know me campaign. He was a natural born salesman; he could have sold Ghandi a set of trouser braces. The tank was supposed to be incognito, unrecognized as the Army Commanders 鈥楤attle Wagon鈥�. This was not for Monty, the tank was going to be his showpiece with 鈥楳onty鈥� painted on the front of the tank, his General鈥檚 flag attached to the wireless ariel and Monty鈥檚 head stuck out of the turret, and with pennant flying we headed for a tour of the units in the front line.
Although Monty was a non-smoker a large quantity of cigarettes were always carried in the tank. On the move up the line when he spotted a group of squaddies the tank would be brought to a halt and Monty would get out to speak to them. His usual line of approach was 鈥淕ood morning, do you know who I am?鈥� most of the time there was no response to his question. Monty would then pass the fags round telling them he was Monty, their new commander and that we were going to kick this chap Rommel out of the desert for good. The look on the lads鈥� faces was a picture. He put on the same performance when visiting front-line units. Standing on the back of the tank with the squaddies crowded round, his opening shot was 鈥淚鈥檓 Monty your new commander, I鈥檝e studied your track record, there鈥檚 nothing wrong with you, you are a fine body of men, the problem in the past has been leadership, that will now end. Together I will lead you to victory; there will be no more bellyaching鈥�. The lads loved it, he had them eating out of his hands. One could feel the confidence of the troops getting stronger, they were told what was going to happen and when it was going to happen. I must admit that I felt dead, dead chuffed when driving round the forward unit positions with the lads cheering and shouting 鈥淕ood old Monty!鈥�
All the troops knew that the big push would start on the night of the 23rd of October. On the evening of the attack, on returning to Headquarters Monty鈥檚 comment to the crew was 鈥渢here is nothing more can be done, we are now on the threshold of victory鈥�. Monty retired to his caravan at nine thirty; the battle of El Alamein was launched at the stroke of ten. I don鈥檛 know if he got any kip that night. I didn鈥檛.

漏 Copyright of content contributed to this Archive rests with the author. Find out how you can use this.