大象传媒

I joined the Army Territorials in 1937 in Hounslow, London (Middlesex Regiment) 8th Battalion, as a signaller in the Infantry. In 1938 I transferred to the Royal Engineers. In 1938 I was called up although in a reserved occupation, 316 Company Royal Engineers, Midhurst Sussex, then to Hatfield near Doncaster. I went out to various searchlight sights. I was involved in servicing and operating generators During daylight hours our lorries were used for taking slag ballast from the steel works at Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire to defences on the East Coast.
The unit was moved to Bristol, from where I was given my release papers, I returned to Stoke on Trent as a civilian - I continued as a fitter at Meir Airfield for 6 months. Later, after 6 months, I moved to Booker Airfield for 18 months, servicing Tiger Moths and Magisters.

I was then called up again, and went to Chichester, where I had to do recruit training again (6 weeks).
I was then posted to Catterick, Yorkshire, for a few days - they wanted me to train for wireless operator, but I did not want that. Instead I went to Huddersfield, Yorkshire for driving training. (12 weeks).
Staying in Huddersfield, I went on a mechanics course (10 weeks). after which I volunteered for glider pilot, which was unsuccesful because they were not needed at that time.
After taking aptitude tests, I returned to Huddersfield. From there I went to Beacon Barracks, Bulford camp near Salisbury, till May 1944. Then prepared for D-Day - to Hardwick near Chester for assault training and Ringay (Manchester) for parachute training. Then back to Bulford to get ready for the invasion.
After completing jump training we had 7 days leave and another 7 days Embarkation Leave. I remember a few of us went out to celebrate in Uxbridge and I got well and truely 'sloshed'- I certainly couldn't have got up to dance! We had to walk back to Denham Airfield -about 4 miles it was. We had to cross a golf course- I think we found every bunker there was-cor what a night! We walked by the canal some of the way and one of the chaps said to me move over a bit or one of us will end up in the water. The next thing I knew it was me in the water. I don't know how I got out but I still had my beret on my head- good times kept us young!
Then to Keeril in Somerset where we could not communiate with anybody because of the secrecy. From Keeril we took off in a Stirling Aircraft ('S' for Sugar) at 23.20 hours and parachuted at 0050 behind enemy lines near Pegasus Bridge. At first we had no supplies but these reached us in due course. As a dispatch rider carrying messages to different HQ's and Command posts. We moved eastward for a while but returned to the U.K. on the 6th September 1944 back to Bulford camp.

On the 23rd of December 1944 I went from Tilbury on a barge to Calais. I drove from there to the Battle of Bulge area in a three ton lorry and trailer. I went into action on Boxing Day and gradually the German Army was pushed back across the River Rhine. I crossed the Rhine on the 25th March 1945. After peace was declared on the 8th May 1945 I returned to the U.K. in July 1945 to Bulford camp. Training continued because the war in the Far East had not yet finished.
I was not to be demobbed just yet because I served 12 months in Palesine. Finishing in November 1946 Richard Todd (film star) served in our Section of the Parachute Regiment, and I met him on many occasions.

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