大象传媒

Lost hearing in one ear when German shells hit. 1943.

Went to attack German convoy - hit by flak ships - wall of shells sent at us - off Dutch coast.

Flak ships were old trawlers which were converted to hold about 30 x 20mm cannon. Sailed in groups of four to protect convoys - we called them the 4 horsemen of the Apocalypse.

First shells hit forward mess deck - hardly any warning.

Struck bulk head about 2ft above my head. Lap was burning with cordite but caused me little wounding, except the loss of my hearing.

Motor torpedo boat, coastal forces, operating out of Felixstowe - 1945.

30th September 1944 - after D Day landings.

MTB being repaired on ships - hoping to go ashore for the evening. Senior officer of the flotilla came aboard - crisis ahead - Germans assembling at Rotterdam. Asked Wickham to go with him, so no run ashore!

Another boat - Coxswain on compassionate leave - another coxswain had returned that day so he volunteered.

Found convoy on radar, went to attack about midnight.

Saw sister boat being attacked - gunner blown over side.

We were hit, captain wounded, lost 2 boats. Captain on gun, manual steering, rammed an enemy boat.

MTB 60 caught fire, we went to its aid under gunfire.

Decks burning.

Captain decided to go back through German ships - dark squally night.

Found some survivors on a raft and got them on board.

Some men badly wounded but we only had first aid boxes.

Got back to base - only three of five got back.

Went to mess deck next day - two empty tables of casualties. One man who died had only been back for twelve hours and left a wife and two children.

One man who survived heard that his child had died and his best friend had been killed.

That night really stuck in my memory.

The official record is very impersonal, just numbers.

I was also mentioned in despatches. Citation was distinguished service in the Liberation of Europe.

In action in North Sea, gunner killed strapped to the gun. I unstrapped him and put myself in and got us out of a tight spot.

We did a lot of air sea rescue. In a small craft we could do a lot which other craft couldn't.

I was on the North Sea 1942-45 - no satellite navigation.

I was on the first boat which went into Holland after the Germans surrendered.

Two from each of the MTBs were selected to go across on a frigate to Rotterdam.

Many people ran out of their houses to greet us. I was amazed at how many had Union Jacks which they had kept hidden during the war. They may have got them from fishermen.

We say many German ships still there with their crew.

We had to go to naval ratings accommodation so we saw how the German ratings had lived.

There was mass hysteria in Rotterdam. The people were starving and followed us around. Dutch women who had collaborated had their heads shaved and were knocked around by the members of the Resistance. There were many war orphans and the frigate gave them a party and gave them all the food we had. We returned to Felixstowe with no food.

I aslo remember WWII for friendly fire. There were often passed off as enemy fire. They make a lot of it now but it has always been a fact of fighting life.

We were once attacking the enemy off the Dutch coast and we had to do it in the dark. We wre susceptible to Messerschmitt. Captain asked for air cover.

Two fighters came to attack enemy shipping. They flew towards the enemy coast and turned back from the coast, which was quite normal, but the first one opened fire on us. Two killed, one mechanic and a young boy on his first trip.

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