- Contributed by听
- Pat
- Location of story:听
- all over
- Background to story:听
- Army
- Article ID:听
- A3290663
- Contributed on:听
- 17 November 2004
The following is a transcript of my dear Uncle, Richard Victor Cleaver鈥檚 war memories, as written by him in the 1990鈥檚, prior to his death in December 1999.
鈥淛oined army March 1940. Served with the 40th Dorsets.
Transferred to No. 1 Paratroop Battallion.
Did 19 jumps, broke leg, doctor said no more jumps for you, you have broke your leg before, if you don鈥檛 stop jumping you will be a cripple.
Joined 8th Devon, went to the Rock of Gibraltar, served time tunneling, with the engineers. Got trapped in a rockfall for 4 hours, got out, and was told to pack my kit, I was going on a sea voyage. Boarded ship at 2200hrs, 10 o鈥檆lock. Pull up off O(G)ran/North Africa, old there were 400 Italians in the town, we disembarked but found no Italians. We had got to rescue the French Foreign Legion at Sidi-Bel-Abbis. We entered the dessert and had been going about an hour and in the distance were clouds of sand. We got down ready to fire in case of trouble. As the clouds of sand got nearer it turned out to be the Foreign Legion, with 400 Italians in tow. The Italians went to America. The Legion came back to Engalnd with us. The Legion had only one Frenchman, an officer. The Legionaires went to join General De-Gaulle.
We had 2 weeks leave and then off to Burma, where I spent 3 陆 years. One in India, being trained for jungle warfare. I was at the Seige of Imphal and climbed the highest mountains in Manypure. Rainfall in the monsoons have been recorded at 34feet, monsoon capes wore out after one monsoon. The enemy (Japanese and Indians). We were only 30 feet apart when we shot at one another. I went through Burma and finished on the Road to Mandalay. I finished at Mitinka, pronounced 鈥淢itchinka鈥. Spent 6 months in dock. This made my 12 months in India up. Came back to Blighty after 2 weeks on leave. Sent to Crownhill Barracks, Plymouth, sent before a selection committee, who said I had done more than my whack, and gave me a soldiers farewell.
Regiments:
England
1 Para
70th Dorsets
Middle East
8th Devons
Burma
1st Devons
This is only a rough resume of my exploits, to put down 6 years and 3 months of army life, I would need a book."
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