大象传媒

This contribution to WW2 People鈥檚 War was received by the Action Desk at 大象传媒 Radio Norfolk. The story has been written and submitted to the website by Rosalie Davis Gibb (Volunteer Story Gatherer) with the full permission and on behalf of Frederick A Wright.

It was 1944 and had been a hot, dry, dusty day as we pulled into the small narrow French field sheltered by tall hedges and trees. As I slipped out of the half-track seat I felt my sticky clothes begin to loosen from my body. My companions walked round to me, we lit cigarettes and breathed in the cool air.

Down to my right I could see a few soldiers from the Queens Regiment. Our Infantry was settling down for the evening. Close by the opposite hedge stood an ambulance and around us and to our left a few of our tanks were parked. Next to us stood a Firefly, a Sherman tank with its seventeen pounder gun. Almost as good as the famous German 88 millimetre.

A sod of grass was kicked out, petrol was poured into the earth, a heavily sooted tin containing a little water was placed over the fire and food tins were chucked in. Then the sheet was pulled up from the half track and, in a row in our bed rolls, like 6 sardines in a can, we slept.

Suddenly, with a terrific roar, three Focke-Wulf 109As attacked from just above the tree tops. Their 1100lbs bombs were already loose and one was coming straight for me.

I literally flew straight under the Sherman tank. I went in so fast I almost shot out the front. Another body came in almost on top of me but we had wasted our energy.

At almost 400 miles per hour, the bomb had already passed us. How it had missed the tank I shall never know, for as I hit the ground there was the bomb just a few feet above the ground, still almost horizontal and, thank heaven, still going away.

When it ploughed into the ground the explosion roared upwards and caught the plane which was still above the bomb. There was a huge cloud of flame and vapour as it roared across the sky. I felt the heat and the blast and then it disappeared. I watched the debris float lazily down. I breathed a large gasp of relief. My comrade began to wriggle out and as we stood together, with my head down, brushing the dust and dirt off my front I said 鈥淕ood God that was close! That was damn close!鈥� Then I looked up to my new found companion and realised I was speaking to the Divisional Padre.

I was sorry for my words but he understood. He spoke a few words, held my hand, smiled, then shuffled off.

Please read on to my next story 'BOMB DISPOSAL, BUT NOT AS WE KNOW IT'.

漏 Copyright of content contributed to this Archive rests with the author. Find out how you can use this.