- Contributed byÌý
- East Ayrshire Libraries
- People in story:Ìý
- Alex Hamilton
- Location of story:Ìý
- Darvel
- Background to story:Ìý
- Army
- Article ID:Ìý
- A4242340
- Contributed on:Ìý
- 22 June 2005
This story was told by Alex Hamilton to East Ayrshire Library staff at Darvel World War 2 café day on Saturday 18th June 2005.
Alex joined up in February 1944 and most of his early training happened in Darvel — up in the hills where they practiced blowing up tree stumps. He had two weeks parachute training at the Ringway Airdrome in Manchester where he remembers completing about 2 or 3 parachute jumps when he returned to Darvel.
They also did a 7-day night scheme where they were dropped off in Carlisle and under the cover of darkness had to get to Dumfries. Alex had new boots and his feet were messed up badly.
After Germany fell, he spent 4 months in Bergen, Norway where Allied forces replaced the Germans. He left Darvel a fortnight before VE-Day and landed at Fairford and lived at Hanberry Estate about 3 miles outside Chelmsford. He managed home on leave once before heading out to Bergen.
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