大象传媒

Having been on the Normandy Landings one blots out the bad times and tries to remember the fun times we had along the way. Petrol used to come in square tins and we used to cut them in half, one was filled with sand the other with water. Water was a scarce commodity sometimes. We poured petrol on the sand,placed the one with water on top and set light to the petrol. That's how we were able to get hot water for washing etc. I picked up an emamel bowl on my travels hoping to get a strip down and wash all over. Just before we took Caen there was no action so I decided to do just that. I'd camouflaged my vehicle and prepared my water and was about to have my much needed wash. It was as though Jerry was watching me as all of a sudden he opened up with a barrage. A truck in the next field blew up. I dived under my vehicle,never got my wash and emerged more filthy than before. The first shower I had was in Nymasen on the Dutch German border.
We eventually finished up at Hamm in the Ruhr looking after a slave labour camp. Our job was to protect the German civilians as the inmates used to terrorise them whenever they could. Rather ironic I thought.

I was lucky as I got home a day before V.E.Day. I spent the day as follows. We lived in a small village in Cheshire. Public Transport was virtually non existant, one either walked or cycled. My future wife and I cycled 10 miles to Northwich ,found a jewellers where I bought Margaret an engagement ring. It cost 拢12 10s a small forthune in those days as I only earned 3s per day. My wife has still got it and it was the best investment I ever made. This year on October 10th we will celebrate 60 years of marriage.

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