大象传媒

This story was submitted to the People's War site by the CSV Action Desk at 大象传媒 Gloucestershire on behalf of Ernest Brooks BEM, with his permission. The author fully understands the site's terms and conditions. It was told to Tim Entwisle at Tewkesbury, on 18 May 2005.

In August 1942 I was on a naval patrol boat south of the Isle of Wight when the Germans tried to invade. Two of us from the 4 Commando were on patrol with a navy launch. We were carrying an anti-tank gun as extra fire power.

We were at the top end of the needles, on the Southampton side, when the whole sea erupted in flame.

It is thought that a thousand German troops had arrived south of the Isle of Wight. This is based on the number of German boats that had left Dieppe Harbour that morning. Air photographs taken at 12.15pm on the 9th August showed that Dieppe harbour was full of boats. Air photographs the next day showed they had gone.

We went on a cheeky trip (a reconnaissance trip) after the raid and there were only half a dozen boats left. These were large rowing boats that would take about fifty men. These were their landing craft.

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