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We set sail for Norway at 7a.m on the 17th of April 1940 aboard H.M.S. Galatea, a cruiser. We were in the company of H.M.S. Arethusa (with our supplies on board) and H.M.S. Carlisle two other cruisers.
We had a rough crossing, not the fault of the sea 1 thought it was quite calm. The ships were taking anti submarine manoeuvres, a zigzag pattern, which caused the ships to roll considerably. It also added a few more hours to our agony. Many where seasick, including myself This was the first time it had ever happened to me and I hoped it would be the last.
We were very cramped, and had to sleep on the decks wherever we could, fully dressed and wearing our life jackets in case of attack or other emergency.
After my first meal I didn't eat again until just before we left the ship. I bought one or two oranges from the ship's canteen to try and line my stomach but they did not help. The journey to Andalsnes took 40 hours. My second meal on board was two hours before we were due to land. At this point we were sailing a normal course inside the tjords, and this made the vessel nice and smooth. The food stayed down and I was transformed, I felt my normal self again as if the voyage never happened.
We had two incidents on the way. A submarine periscope was sighted and depth charges dropped, On entering Molde fjord a German reconnaissance plane came over the mountain tops. Our ship fired 2 of its 4,7s and he quickly disappeared.
Going down the fjord to Andalsnes was the most beautiful sight I had ever seen. There were very high mountains on either side and the sea was so calm we appeared to be gliding along on a sheet of glass. It was a moonlit night and we saw the reflections of the snow covered mountains in the water. When we arrived at the little jetty it was 1lp.m on the 18th, even so crowds of Norwegians were there to greet us. They were shouting "welcome to Norway." Little did they realise we would soon be saying goodbye. For a few moments I stood to gaze at the magnificence of the mountains that were around us, a sight 1 shall never forget!
At the jetty we were divided in half, one to unload stores the other to get some sleep ready for what may await us in the morning. Nothing was prepared for us. We were taken to the local school and slept wherever we could find space, floor, desks anywhere. There was no heating in the school and it was quite cold, so the fact we had to sleep fully clothed ready for action was no hindrance, even so it was most uncomfortable.
In the morning we fed on our compo' rations and waited for a train coming from Dombas a town some 55 miles to the South. When the train was turned around we of ' A' company climbed aboard and set of on a journey that was to take us 150 miles south. We sat in cattle trucks. Some German parachutists had been reported in the area so we travelled with the doors open and our rifles and machine guns ready.
We arrived at Dombas station in the middle of the afternoon where we stopped while the line was cleared for use. After an hour we resumed the journey south. (The parachutists having surrendered)
We reached Faaberg in the early 'evening, here we boarded lorries and travelled the west shore of Lake Mjosa on our way to Bin. Travel in open topped lorries in freezing conditions is not to be recommended. Communication was also difficult as our driver spoke no English and an interpreter was not available. From Bin we set off once more in our trucks heading towards Nykirke. When we left Bin I was in the lead truck, we crossed a small bridge and as the next truck approached it a shell dropped in the back of it. Five men in the back of the truck were killed, plus the driver. Lt Dawson who was sitting besides the driver was saved because at the right moment he bent down to light his pipe. He received slight head wounds and was knocked unconscious. We reached Nykirke at around lam, frozen! The last part of the journey we had travelled with fixed bayonets, ever ready for the first action.
The company spent the night in Nykirke, sleeping in the local church, and being fed hot meals by the community. I was somewhat unfortunate here not only missing out on the food, but also spending the whole night on guard down a lonely hill side. From my position I could see a wood at the bottom of the hill which was reported to hold an enemy position. My orders should I see anything were to fire three warning shots to alert the company. It was another clear moonlit night, with plenty of light due to the amount reflected by the snow. At each side of the road was a low hedge both of which were filled with dead leaves. The leaves rustled in the wind all night making me think 'am I alone?
In the morning we made road blocks and withdrew, as it was reported we were likely to be cut off by the Germans.
Before leaving Nykirke our officers seemed to be having trouble with the drivers they appeared reluctant to take us any further. It was essential that we had local drivers because our regiment only had Shell road maps bought, in Scotland before we departed. But eventually we moved off. ,
The next destination was Heilerud where we arrived in the late afternoon. There we took over some evacuated buildings and built sangars for defence, and some attempts at trenches. It was here 1 got my first nights sleep since leaving Andaisnes.
The following day we set up our Bren guns in the ack-ack role to use as air defence whilst we continued to construct our defences. As we worked along came a Junkers transport plane, his engines making a considerable noise. While we were firing at him a fighter bomber came up behind, all guns blazing. We all directed are fire at this one, which was flying quite low. Smoke was seen to come from the fighter bomber, but then it disappeared beyond the trees. Norwegian soldiers reported it crashed about a mile beyond our position.
We held our positions at Hellerud until all the Norwegian troops had withdrawn through us, they were transported on motorised transport and horse drawn sleds. We had heard them blow the bridge at Lillehammer. Then buses arrived to take us on to Freydunland. Here we got plenty of attention from Jerry aircraft.
In the evening we once more embussed this time heading for Gausdal. Germans were reported to be in occupation there so the bayonets were again placed on our rifles. On arrival there though we found this not so. We searched round for shelter and found a farmhouse with a large kitchen. 70 British and the Norwegian drivers were welcomed by the farmer's wife. Through the night every knock on the door we observed with fixed bayonets.
In the morning of Tuesday 23rd we received orders to carry on down the valley to Tretten. The journey was marred by various incidents. Vehicles were running short of petrol, bearings went on the wheel of one bus. A truck loaded with stores overturned on a bend, the stores landing in deep snow down an embankment. It took us nearly two hours to recover the stores and get moving again. Travel was slow due to the narrow roads and constantly having to pull over on the sides of the road to pass oncoming vehicles or for them to pass us. We were again very cold and tired when we eventually crossed the red girder bridge into Tretten
When we arrived in Tretten we had spent 36 hours without any food or sleep, and this coupled with the freezing cold nights began to show in us all. Our billet was an abandoned cheese factory but there was no heating. My only food was a tin of compo'.
We were woken at about Sa.m and told the Germans were just down the road. We stood-to in our platoon position down the road slightly at the base of the Vardakampen heights. I was issued 2 magazines for my Bren and told ammunition was short, to fire single shot and make every shot counted.
In front of me was a clearing of approximately 200 yards, beyond that was the pine forest. We were told the Germans occupied the forest. To my left, again about 200 yards was a low hedge. I could see stooped figures moving down the opposite side of the hedge and used up one of my magazines before I realised they were Norwegian troops withdrawing. It was very difficult at a distance to distinguish between the German and Norwegian uniforms as both were a field grey.
Later in the day there was some activity in the woods before us. As we had been told earlier that this was occupied by Germans we were prepared for anything. At this stage we were in reserve positions and communication was almost non existent. We fired into the wood to get some idea of who was in there, and some fire was returned. It was fortunate someone started giving orders as they were heard from the other side and a shout came back "hold your fire it's the Leicester's". They had been forced to disengage as they were out of ammunition. 1 had used up my second magazine and was in the same boat.
We were approached by one of the Leicester's officers who asked us what our situation was. We told him we were much the same as his lads, and were not sure even where the rest of our company was. To which he said "we can't do the impossible I'm afraid it's every man for himself'.
We left as orderly as we could hoping we might meet someone who could give us an idea of what was going on.
We had walked some distance and in the early evening came to a farmstead. Here we asked for food and the people were quite willing to help us. The officer in charge commandeered a pig, and gave the farmer an LO.U. to be paid by H.M. government. They killed the pig and boiled it up in a copper, next to another copper filled with potatoes. When the food was nearly ready we were joined by a group of Norwegian soldiers who said the fighting was now over. We all shared the meal, which was the first decent one I had had since my arrival in Norway.
After a couple of hours sleep we decided to move on. We did not want the Germans to find us at the farm and take reprisals against these fine people. We knew there was an order out by the Germans that any householder who sheltered the British Tommies would have to face the consequences. We knew it to be fact as we had seen houses deliberately set on fire, and we certainly did not want to be the cause of it.
When we got clear of the hamlet, we had a discussion on our courses of action. After a little thought we decided to break up into small groups and head for Andalsnes. We had heard rumours that Norway was being evacuated in 36 hours. From now on it was our wits against the Germans, but our worst enemy was to be the conditions. At night with the severe frost we were able to walk fairly reasonably on the frozen crust of the snow. Day time was not so good with the increase in temperature you were liable to find yourself waist deep in snow if you left hard ground. Other dangers by day were the German ski patrols and Storch spotter planes, so whenever possible we elected to do our travelling at night. If the planes ever caught us out in the open we had to lay on our stomachs and paddle snow on our backs for camouflage.

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