大象传媒

This story was submitted to the People鈥檚 War site by CSV/大象传媒 Radio Nottingham on behalf of Kenneth Charles Allen with his permission. The Author fully understands the site鈥檚 terms and conditions.

On May 2nd 1945, my Battalion, 1st Royal Irish Fusiliers had reached the South Bank of the River Po, looking across at this formidable stretch of water with some apprehension, when suddenly we were informed that the German High Command in Italy had surrendered to the Allies.

Within a few days we crossed the River Po on a Pontoon Bridge assembled by our Royal Engineers beside a German one, which lay shattered, service wagons and beautiful dead horses still attached to them, not forgetting the drivers lying all around, the victims of some accurate strikes of our Fighter Bombers.

It was an awesome sight and one such a day one had to feel sorry that they had not shared our good fortune.

En route to commencing occupational duties in Austria I found myself in Venice for a whole day. A day to remember because 8th May saw the end of the war in Europe and here I was in a unique city, seemingly built on water with many exclusive landmarks which, at that time, only wealthy Britain鈥檚 had been privileged to see.

I was pleased that I鈥檇 taken my haversack rations with me, as apart from cups of coffee, very little else was available to purchase but what a privilege it was for me sitting serenely in a Gondola, dreaming of sharing my seat with a lovely Signorina!

And so ended my day here, a day on which I should have jumped for joy but I could not, when thinking about all the lads with whom I鈥檇 argued / joked / laughed and who now lay buried in parts of Africa, Sicily and Italy.

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