大象传媒

This story was submitted to the People鈥檚 War site by Claire White of 大象传媒 Scotland on behalf of Bill Robertson and has been added to the site with his permission. The author fully understands the site's terms and conditions.

My most vivid memory of WWII was crossing the Rhine at 2100hrs on 23rd March 1945, four days after my 19th birthday. We crossed the Rhine in amphibious vehicles called buffalos with were run by the Northamptonshire Yeomanry. We were half way across when our tracks locked and we went around in a circle and drifted. We all thought we were going to have to jump or swim for it, but at the last minute the tracks started up again. We were amongst the first people to cross the Rhine.

I will never forget an incident in the Netherlands in a place called Kaatsheudal where we were instructed to fix bayonets and charge. I thought this practice ended in WWI but we charged nonetheless. We were assited in taking the village by Dutch resistance fighters who pointed out the Germans. This was, nevertheless, something of a feat for teenage soldiers.

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