大象传媒

I was 16 when I joined the Territorials in Durham in 1936; I was a few years in them before the war started. We went to Aldershot and we formed the Fife & Forfar Yeomanry. We didn鈥檛 have much idea of soldiering, but we were all mates with one another.

When the war broke out we were all soldiers and that was good. Anyway we went over to France with the BEF, which was quite an experience for us 鈥� never been abroad, come straight from Scotland. It was a lovely experience and we were entirely happy. We were stationed at a place that was really beautiful. Then we went up to Lille and on into Belgium. We were absolutely useless as soldiers; we thought all Germans had square heads. When we got into Belgium all the refugees were coming out. The first experience we ever had was when the bombers came over, and it was the first time we had seen bodies lying about the streets. Luckily we never got killed like that; anyway we were supposed to stop the Germans at a canal. We were very ill equipped, we did not have any idea of modern war, and we still part of the First World War using trenches. I think that somebody must have seen the Germans, and they said 鈥済et out of this quick鈥�. The officers were just playboys; they had no idea at all. We had to get back to the beaches.

When it was all over we went to Keel Hall in Staffordshire. We were in bivvies, and they came round asking for volunteers to go back to France. Well I didn鈥檛 mind, so I did volunteered 鈥� a few of us did. I never heard nothing about it for a long time. Then a notice came through to say that I was getting transferred to the Lincolnshire Regiment. I had never heard of them, anyway they transferred me up Lincoln. Word came that we were going to the Clyde for special training. We had six weeks of time to kill before it was supplies would arrive. I got through my training all right and joined the 4th Commando. We got six pence a day to pay for your beds; you found your own digs and everything. I had a lovely landlady; I don鈥檛 think that I ever paid her. We did hard training, it was no picnic. We got six and eight pence extra per day, a lot of money in those days. I stayed with the Commandos for a year and they wanted somebody to join the paratroops. I thought well that鈥檚 a bit of a change, I would have a go at this. The Captain was livid he was, anyway the order came through to go to Ringway, near Manchester. Here I did training for the paratroops. We did six weeks training on landings; it was exciting because in those days there were no Americans in the War. We just jumped out of the aeroplanes, there was a hole in the floor 鈥� so out you went. I was frightened to death for the first jump. The jumping area was over Manchester, you had to do seven jumps before you got your wings and qualified. The girls used to pack the chutes, if a chute failed they would be court marshalled, so they were very careful with them. There was no red beret then, only a wing badge on your shoulders. When you got your wings it was a special thing.

After that I joined the second battalion of the Parachute Regiment in C Company, this was a very special Company 鈥� it was all Scots. We were sent to Tunisia in North Africa, it was hell on earth. After we parachuted in near Tunis to capture an aerodrome, the weather was terrible with hail storms it was the most miserable time of anyone鈥檚 life 鈥� it was worse than the Germans.

After that we were sent to Italy the sun was shining, the grapes were getting big.

Then we came home again but we never took part in D Day, we were very disappointed in that.

We did Arnhem then, that thing was bad, I put my hands up thinking that this is no good, and I got captured there. So I ended my career in a prison camp.

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