大象传媒

This is a true story to the best of my memory after so many years.

It starts in Hamburg February 1946 where I was stationed with my unit 2nd Batalion Scotts Guards on the outskirts of the city in Barracks (Wansbeck Kaserne) once occupied by the WHERMACHT. We had returned to peacetime soldiering - spit, polish, spit polish etc much to the disgust of the average conscript Guardsman.
I was awaiting a special leave pass to go home and see my father whom I hadn't seen in 5 years. He too was a soldier and had been taken prisoner at St Valery along with the 51 Highland Division on June 13 1940 fighting a rearguard action after Dunkirk.

One morning the Regimental Sergeant Major sent for me (I thought this is it I'm going to leave) - Alas not to be.

I was ordered to organise a party of 8 Guardsman, a Corporal and myself to form a Firing Squad at 0600 hours the following morning. The condemned man was a Polish civilian from one of the many labour camps who had been sentenced to death for the murder of a German frau.

At the place of execution 9 rifles were loaded with a live bullet and 1 rifle with a blank. The Pole was brought out of an army truck (by Military Police)wearing a hood. He was tied to a stake some 20 yards from our line, a medical officer pinned a small white patch over his heart for us to shoot at. A minute later 9 live bullets and 1 blank were fired and the white patch had disappeared. It was over thank God.

We got back to Barracks approximately 0900 hours and on reporting to the RSM that our duty had been carried out I asked him if my squad could have the rest of the morning free. However, his reply was the expected, No, because our minds would be better occupied on the Barack square and that within the next few days he had another mission for me.

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