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I joined the ATC in1940. We trained in Hanley High School which is no longer there; it’s now a shopping area and a bus station. Later me and three mates had a drink or two and decided to join the army. Only three of us turned up, we joined in the Chappel in Bethesda St in Hanley. Two of us went in the South Stafford’s and one went in the Navy, we left George, who joined the navy, and me and my friend Albert did our Training in Worchester and Norton Barracks.

We were sent to Salt Burn on Sea where we took over the Letwand Hotel as out Barracks. In 1942 we broke Ballation which was the 70th young soldier’s mob. I was transferred to the royal engineers whine I did my training in Cardiff docks as a stevedore.

In November 1942 I went on my first invasion of N Africa where we made out way up the coast with the American 1st Army. We took over the docks at the Bone where we stayed until we met up with the 8th Army,

A funny story was while working on an Ammunition ship, we were unloading 200lbs bombs, there were Arabs working on the shore, one of them with a humped back got underneath a sling of bombs. It’s slipped of its hook and dropped on his back, we rushed him off to hospital, but to our surprise he came back to work the next day.

Another occasion was when the war ended in Africa, May 12th 1943 that was my Birthday — I was 20 years old. We had a visit from King George the sixth which was a few weeks after the war in Africa, we were lined up down a country lane to wave to him, but an Arab on a donkey got a bigger cheer than the king.

In September we invaded Italy, we were again with the American 5th Army, we landed at Salerno, worked out way up the coast to Naples and took over the port. Later I went on the invasion of Anzio, to cut a long story short, I came back to England in November 1946.

I met my ex-girlfriend in December and we married in August 1947. My wife dies 4 year ago after 54 years of marriage. I am now living in a residential home. I am on 100% War pension.

This story was submitted to the People's War site by Jim Salveson on behalf of Ken Dean and has been added to the site with his permission. The author fully undertsands the sites terms and conditions.

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