大象传媒

It was dusk when we left our disabled vehicles on the grass verge at the side of the road leading to the coastal town. We assembled with our weapons into columns of three abreast and marched onwards through a road lined with small and large hotels leading to a sandy beach where we met up with several more army units, It was now dark There were no lights in the town and moonlight shimmered on the choppy sea.

After consultation with a group of officers our O/C (Officer Commanding) Captain Aylwin ordered our company to march westward along the beach where we finally came upon a French coastal fort with its guns pointing out to sea. This was Bray Dunes. Here we halted. some 20 to 30 yards away from the waters edge were hillocks of coarse grass. Our Sergeant major, Ted Mees, told us to dig "funk" holes in the sand between the hillocks, just in case Germans spotted us. Having no tools we used our steel helmets to scrape away the sand. After this toil, and worn out with the day's journey and the long march along the beach, we soon dropped off into a deep sleep.

I awoke to the cry of "Rise and Shine". The sun was shining. A lovely day. Not a ship in sight. But, there, right in front of me was Captain Aylwin shaving whilst his batman held a mirror! An example to us all. Some of my comrades were washing in the sea! But then a straggling band of unkempt, unshaven French soldiers appeared walking along the edge of the sea where the sand was firmer, carrying long loaves of bread under their arms or in their hands. But, no rifles! They had the appearance of a beaten army!

A loud explosion caused me to turn around and look inland. A German shrapnel shell had exploded some 300 or 400 feet above the ground. Was it aimed at the French fort? But then, I observed in three field inland of the sand dunes, a lady milking a cow. She was sat on a stool with her head resting on the cows middle whilst she performed this task. The loud bang did not appear to have frightened the cow, nor the milkmaid! Nor the other cows in the field. I was dumbfounded! Was I in a lunatic colony? was it all a dream? Looking westwards I saw the town we had passed through appeared to be on fire!

Then a voice! Do you want a cup of tea? it was Johnny Ridge! The man from Wales. This scene has remained with me for a lifetime. The madness of war.

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