大象传媒

We were going to North Africa and landed at Algiers then we went east to Haute Kaabylie near the Tunisian border. After a few hours in the train we were climbing into the Atlas Mountains and there was snow everywhere - the local people were walking through the snow with bare feet.I was stationed near Constantine and was told that Italilan planes came over each night and dropped small bombs.

Next day I was taken to a big camp on the outskiirts of Philippeville (Skikda) where I was to take over the Arab and Kabyle labourers from a Russian-born Captain. In the Spring malaria was endemic so it became difficult to keep enough workers to load the munitions and suplies which were needed for our advance eastwards. Then came the great change in our positon - the defeat and capture of the Italian troops. The Kabyles were sent to their homes in the hills and I received 600 Italian prisoners. After a while we arranged concerts as we had some good singers. The Germans were driven out of North Africa and orders came for me to break camp and proceed to Oran for passage home where the Italians would be needed to load ammunition and supplies to our depots for D-Day. At Oran a new, large American ship awaiting us and finally we disembarked at Port Glasgow and went by train to Birmingham and Long Marston (where the Italians were 'held'). The Italians were in fact allowed to go outside the camp and became good friends of my family.

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