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This is another story from a client of Age Concern Oxfordshire. He has written the story and it has been processed by the Age Resource Desk so that it be shown here.

THE ACADEMY

When the Greek government asked Mr Churchill for help in suppressing the warlike activities of the communist controlled E.L.A.S. party he responded as best he could with what he had.

Amongst those despatched was a contingent of the 46th Royal Tank Regt.

We left Katatba camp, which is just another piece of desert, went to TEL-EL-KEBIR, picked up four Sherman Tanks (A 4s with 30 cylinder engines) put them on a liberty ship then put them off on Greek soil at the port of Athens, and we finally ended up at the Military Academy which was empty of Greek troops and just waiting for us.

We put the tanks in line facing four spaced out telegraph poles to which were attached four black painted boards bearing a marked resemblance to school room black boards, each board had a white letter painted on it which together spelled out E.L.A.S. These poles had been placed on high ground which overlooked the Academy parade ground.

Each tank commander had been given the range of the pole he was to blow to bits if a situation developed.

At ten thirty a.m. on the Friday morning following our arrival, the call had just gone out, "Tea's up", and we started towards the dixies to get a ladleful of the healing brew when all hell was let loose.

E.L.A.S had opened up on us with everything he had. Hardware was flying everywhere, not a window was left with any glass in it and chunks of masonry littered the parade ground.

While this was going on, the commander and gunner of each of the four tanks had been ferried out to their tanks in scout cars and then got into their turrets by climbing up the back and going in head first.

When their radios were netted in and the gunners were waiting, the O.C.'s voice gave the command - "No 1 tank fire".

The gunner put his foot on the button and a 75mm high explosive shell blew the E to bits - "No 2 fire", the L disappeared quickly followed by the A and finally the S. E.L.A.S had their answer.

When we had run out of food and ammunition, we had to break out of the academy, and when we next saw it , it had been torched. Just a burnt out wreck remained of what had been a lovely building.

G.C.Bayliss
7932844 CPL: EX A SQUADRON 46th ROYAL TANK REGT

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