大象传媒

This brief autobiographical note by Bertie Throld is submitted to the site by a member of Market Harborough Branch, Royal British Legion on his behalf. Mr Thorold fully understands the site鈥檚 terms and conditions.

Mr. Bertie Charles Henry Thorold, born 18 August 1923, in Spalding Lincs.

Ex Royal Navy Chatham Division C/JX318467.

Trained at HMS Ganges December 1941 for ten weeks.
Posted to Chatham waiting with 300 Ratings for draft to ships.
Sailed from Glasgow by troop ship to Egypt.
At a camp in the desert awaiting draft to a ship.
Joined HMS Robert bound for French North Africa landing (Operation Torch) which started about 8 November 1942.
We went into in action, firing our 15鈥� guns at a concrete look out post. It was like hell let loose with planes bombing us and on 11 November 1942 we got a direct hit.
I was on the bridge look out, which was hit by shrapnel. That was me out of action.

I was put ashore to a field hospital and eventually came home on hospital ship to Bristol, as I had lost one eye and a finger.
After months in hospital, posted back to Chatham where I had several base jobs. Finishing up at Cochrane, Rosyth, on the Admiral鈥檚 Barges Crew until I was demobbed in March 1946.

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