大象传媒

North of Bir Hacheim, February 1942

We were relatively new to the Desert. In the jargon of the era, we were still getting our knees brown. The troop鈥檚 water supply had run low and we were detailed to take the lorry and fill a number of steel drums at a water point which was a Bir some distance away. We had a map reference.

Following a well defined track, we made good progress as the sun quickly rose behind us. We were the only vehicle in the area.

Suddenly everything changed. Flying down with the rays of the sun behind them, two German planes (probably ME109F) straffed our vehicle. With their machine and cannon guns blazing, they riddled the truck. Working in tandem, they left us a blazing wreck. We dragged the wounded men from the lorry, but one was dead and one died in hospital. The remainder were wounded. We were a forlorn group, very much in need of help.

Suddenly a vehicle came in sight and quickly reached us. The passenger carrying a bag made a quick appraisal. Working quickly, he did what he could and radioed for help. He was a medical officer. He told me, 鈥淲hen I am travelling and see a column of black smoke I go as quickly as I can. I know what it means.鈥� In the coming days I was to realise what he meant. The black column of smoke was to become a feature of desert warfare, indicating that a tank was burning after being hit by an 88mm armour-piercing shell or a vehicle which had been hit by a shell or machine gun fire. Each day and every day brought its problems.

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