大象传媒

"This story was submitted to the People's War site by Jean Brown and has been added to the website on behalf of Frederick John Kavanagh with his permission and he fully understands the site's terms and conditions".

I was stationed in Brussels and asked to accompany L/Cpl Wilson on special detail together with a French army officer, which meant guiding a German staff car behind a lorry being driven by L/Cpl Wilson.

In Paris we left the staff car behind and the lorry was loaded with ammunition and weapons.

The French officer, L/Cpl and myself drove to a location in the south of France, known only by the officer. During this time the L/Cpl became unwell with a poisoned arm and it was left to me to drive.

After a series of unusual events concerning the officer it was time to return to Paris.

By this time the L/Cpl was getting worse. He was sitting between the officer and myself. I told the officer I needed a break from driving and with that he produced a revolver. Pointing it to my head he forced me to drive on and tired as I was, complied with his order. I did not know until I was told later, that he was a fifth columnist.

Suddenly, the lorry hit something in the road and it overturned. The engine moved back into the cab taking L/Cpl Wilson with it.

The next thing I knew I woke up in a French hospital only to learn that L/Cpl Wilson had died in the accident.

The French officer came to see me and said he would return in a few days to take me away. In the meantime my C/O arrived. I told him the full story and he arranged to have me transferred to an American Hospital, which was then evacuated to England because of the Battle of the Bulge.

After a court of enquiry in 1945 I received a letter exonerating me from all blame for the death of L/Cpl Wilson.

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