大象传媒

Also see story A8797512

I as 18yrs and 2mnths when I was called up, 14-9-1943. As I lived in Devon I had to go to Ballymena, N Ireland for my 6 week basic training. I wasn't heavy enough for my height so they sent me to Hereford to Bradbury Lines Physical Developmental Centre. I was there for eight weeks. Everything had to be done on the double. We were fed very well, enjoying breakfast, midmorning bacon sandwiches, lunch, tea and supper. I put on a stone while I was there! I then had to go back to N Ireland to finish my basic training. They then sent me to Northampton to have infantry training.

I went across to reinforce the Devonshire Regiment down in Lewes in Sussex. From there I went across to France just after D-Day ended to reinforce the 2nd Battalion Devon鈥檚 but I never got as far as that, we got weigh laid on the beaches.

Because I was tall I was pushed into volunteering to go into the '56 Independent Infantry Brigade' I was at the HQ. We went through Caen, Faleiz and Lille for a rest. We tried to link up with the airborne at Arnhem in the September.

The thing that stands out in my mind is this; as the British were in such huge numbers we were able to completely surround Falaiz. We only left one road open for the Germans to retreat and I remember that every time they went down the road there they bombed.
We pushed back to Caen so that the 'Guards Armoured' could sweep through.

Christmas 1944 we were in Nijmegen in Holland. The Dutch kept pinching our signs, our colours were black and gold the same as their national colours. Just after Christmas the Germans tried to break through the Ardennes Line. We were involved in keeping the line safe although we didn't see much action at the time!

We crossed over the Rhine at Arnhem and we were in Holland when the war finished. I remember I had some leave booked at about the same time. After my leave it was straight back to Holland and then over into Germany. We made our head quarters at a place called Soest. I was put in charge of the other ranks canteen. We used to go to D眉sseldorf every Saturday to get the beer in!

This story was submitted to the People's War site by Jacci Phillips of the CSV Action Desk at 大象传媒 Hereford and Worcester on behalf of George Snell and has been added to the site with his permission. The author fully understands the site's terms and conditions.

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