大象传媒

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On my 18th Birthday, I was on my way to Brecon where we were given our kit and injections. Stayed there for 6 weeks.
The Black Watch regiment had lost almost half their strength in the Middle East and needed an injection of troops. I was one of those and was sent to Stirling to continue training. Became a 1st class 303 rifle and Bren gunner. Received 6d per day extra.

D.Day 6th June I was in the 2nd wave of landings on Sword beach. We fought our way through several small villages into the town of Lille. Carried on fighting but by now the German's had punched a hole in the American lines so we were sent to fight alongside them until the German's were pushed back. We fought our way to, and eventually captured Brussels. As we entered, we could see some of the German troops running out of the town with the 'friends' they had made following them. The remaining troops were flushed out room by room.

After Brussels, we pushed on toward Germany through more small towns until we came upon a concentration camp which we found out was Belsen. In fact we could smell it long before we got to the gates. Being a 1st class shot I was one of the first to go in, and the sight is something I shall never forget. Most of the people were barely alive, just sitting and lying on the floor. We felt so sorry for them, we gave them some chocolate which was a mistake, their stomachs were unable to digest it. Further inside we saw several piles of bodies. An urgent message was sent for ambulances and medics as there was nothing we could do for them. We then pushed on with very bitter feelings towards the Germans.

Still fighting we pushed on to Dusseldorf and were still there when the war ended. We were out on standby for Japan, but, after the A bomb was dropped they too surrendered and we were put on peacekeeping duties.

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