大象传媒

This story was submitted to the People's War site by Helen Oram, Scotland csv on behalf of Sandy Grant and has been added to the site with his permission. The author fully understands the site's terms and conditions.

Before Alamein, we practised for weeks for the battle.

The night before the battle on 23rd October 1942, we were told to make our trenches wider at the bottom, so that it would be more comfortable for ourselves. We stayed in them all day before the attack. We were given 24 hours rations. One of the soldiers, a Shetlander called Robertson, started eating his rations and I told him not to. They came round with a meal at night, prior to the battle.

As we went into battle, the Sergeant told me to move to the other side of him. As I did this, I said to myself that this move was either a good or a bad omen.

When we moved off, during the battle, Robertson was killed, as was a Glasgow man called Macmillan. Two other men were wounded. These four men had been in the position I was in before I moved.

If I had stayed where I was, I wouldn't be here today.

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