大象传媒

I was born in 1920 in Salford. After leaving school in 1936, having passed the school certificate with a credit in German, (which was to prove useful later!), I joined the regular army in 1938 into the Royal Corps of Signals. I was sent to Catterick Camp where I commenced "Square Bashing" under the watchful eyes of Sgt "Nutty" Winn Sepforth Highlanders (need I say more!) After completion of square bashing I joined the Trades Training battalion, opting to train as an electrician signals. (Repairing of sets, not operating) this took me to mid summer 1938. after completing and passing the course I was posted to Southern Command Portsmouth. There, and in many other areas covered by Southern Command, I continued my trade, visiting various commands to repair wireless sets.

At the outbreak of war in September 1939 I was finally posted to the 30th Infantry Brigade. This comprised I Battalion Rifle Brigade, I Battalion Kings Royal Rifle Corps and I Battalion Queen Victoria Rifles- 3000 men in all. I was sent to Dunmon Essex area. Our object in life was to to patrol the vast area on anti-parachutist patrol.

Then in May 1940 when B.E.F was in dire straits heading for Dunkirk, the 30th Infantry Brigade was sent to Calais. The objective was to draw as much fire away fron Dunkirk as possible to enable the B.E.F to be evacuated. Government thinking to sacrifice 3000 men to save a quarter of a million- fair game. Now as we know this was achieved. those of us who were still alive and leaft standing were rounded up by the Germans and marched off into captivity. Marched is the operative word, across France finally ending up in Trier West Germany, where we were headed into cattle trucks and transported to Stalag VII B in Lamsdorf.

After documentation e.t.c. we were sent out on various working parties. I had the misfortune to be assigned to the coal mines at various places in southern Poland, ending up in the vicinity of Auschwitz. The enormity of which was not known to us. It was only after the War was over did we realise that we had been in the presence of perhaps the greatest assault on human beings in our history. I was to spend five years there until the Russian army commenced its offensive in the southern front which forced our evacuation.

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