大象传媒

This story was submitted to the People's War website by Pam Riding of Kirklees Libraries on behalf of Mr Michael Hawley(John Hawley's son)and has been added to the site with his permission. The author fully understands the site's terms and conditions.
3248606 Sergeant John Hawley, latterly of Weston St., Barnsley.

My father, John, was a butcher by trade and lived in Barnsley, Yorkshire, which was then The West Riding.

On the outbreak of war in 1939, he decided that conscription would be brought in, and thought that if he volunteered, he would be in the unit of his choice.

In common with most working men of the period, he had never been abroad. I suppose he had heard the phrase 鈥渏oin the navy and see the world鈥�. Therefore he presented himself at the recruiting office and volunteered to join the Royal Navy.

On being presented with a travel warrant for Inverness, he asked what ship would be there. He was somewhat put out to find that he had joined the Cameronians, a Scottish infantry regiment. I can only surmise that they had enough sailors at the time, but were short on riflemen. So, he then served with the Cameronians from 18/10/1939 to 30/5/鈥�43.

He married my mother Muriel Ward, in 1941 at the church of The Holy Rood, Barnsley.
He transferred to the Gordon Highlanders on 31/5/43, and was demobilised on13/5/46. (I was born on 24 Jan 47)

He served in North Africa, and took part in the Sicily landings, whence the battalion was shipped back to UK to train up for the D Day landings.

He was annoyed that, his Bn having fought its way through the Sicily landings, it was the Americans who led the parade into Palermo.

He was promoted Sergeant (acting, unpaid) on 13/7/44, though it may have been February, the ink on his service record is faded. He attended 8 courses between 1940 and 1943 鈥� WT cadre, RSI (Regimental Signals Instructor) Course, PT Course, Rifle Course and Bn Battle Course, the others I can鈥檛 decipher.

I remember his saying that he had some very brave, but inexperienced 2nd Lieutenants, (as his Platoon commanders,) who were killed during the advance through Northern France. One particular young gentleman, when pinned down by a German machine-gun nest, halted the platoon, and sent for the Coy 2ic, who went forward, against Dad鈥檚 advice, to recce the position. When he failed to return, the young officer insisted that he must go to find his brother officer. Despite Dad鈥檚 best endeavours, which I assume involved some strong language, the 2nd Lieutenant went forward and did not return. Dad radioed for tank support. There was no tank available, so the only option was to withdraw. Dad gave covering fire, with one other, I think, while the rest of the platoon moved rearwards rapidly, then to cover his movement.

In his younger years, he told me a lot about his experiences 鈥�

The soldier, who on when Dad tried to treat his bullet wound, had so many layers of clothes he had trouble locating the site.
The private who seemed to be able to sit on the trench parapet and sing, without being hit.
The time when they were passing a French chateau, the front door opened and a tripod mounted machine gun opened fire. Dad dived into the ditch to take cover and was faced with a German soldier, who did not survive the encounter.
The out of the line activities 鈥� someone reported finding pigs at an unoccupied farm nearby. Dad dispatched some of his platoon in a truck to fetch them. He thought they had returned empty-handed judging by the silent approach of the returning lorry, only to find that the men had shot the pigs. He said that he had to do extensive post mortem work to render them edible!

Apparently he was frequently asked to sing by the soldiers; he had a lovely voice, and knew all the current favourites.

He was sent on a recce patrol one night, and freely admitted that he didn鈥檛 get too near the enemy, as it was getting late. He reported that the enemy position was assailable. 鈥淭hank you鈥�, said the debriefing officer, 鈥測ou will be leading the attack at first light鈥�. He knew he deserved that dubious honour.

On D Day the Bn was due to land at Arromanche. He told of his sadness on seeing so many drowned Canadians in the sea to the front of their LCI (Landing Craft Infantry). He realised that they were wearing the water- proof over trousers with which his Bn was also equipped. He ordered his own section to remove them. Despite much moaning about getting their trousers wet, they did so. His men landed relatively safely 鈥� wet, but not upside-downed by the trousers.

There is then the mystery of his court martial 鈥� the charge was- 鈥渃owardice in the face of the enemy鈥�- a capital offence.
I only found out about this at Dad鈥檚 funeral. He was acquitted.
None of my surviving relatives would explain the detail of the charge. They only said that it was a very worrying time for my mother and the rest of the family.

Dad did mention that, following a particularly long night patrol, he and his men were exhausted. He requested permission from the officer to stand down the patrol members from the assault that was about to start, and that permission was granted. Whether that incident was in any way connected to the court martial, I do not know.

While based in Belgium, he got a leave pass. Like all soldiers, he missed his wife and parents, so decided to hitch a ride on a Dakota to England. The American who helped him at the aircraft asked him if all was ok, and Dad mentioned that he had no money. The American immediately lent him 10 Shillings. Dad posted the cash as soon as he got his pay. He reckoned the American thought that he鈥檇 never see his cash 鈥� making the loan a very generous gesture.

On arrival at his mother鈥檚 house, he went round the back 鈥� as one did in those days 鈥� and his mother refused to let him in. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 know anybody with a moustache鈥� she said. He had to get his shaving kit out in the back garden and get rid of the offending growth!

He didn鈥檛 mention much about the Cameronians, apart from to say that they marched very fast (they were light infantry, I think). There was one CSM who, he said, didn鈥檛 like him, because he was not a Scot. But again, I鈥檓 not sure if these things are in any way connected.

Dad was very proud of being in the Gordons. He would sing 鈥淎 Gordon for Me鈥� at the drop of a hat.

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