大象传媒

I was a conscientious objector (no religion or faith) simple humanitarianism, my conscience directed me against killing - thrusting a bayonet into some man's belly - because he was born in a different country: 'thou shalt not kill; and do unto others as you would be done by'.

With a grant of non-combatant service in the army, I volunteered for RE Bomb Disposal Squads: relief to civilians evacuated under threat of UXBs (unexploded bombs). London for two years; fascinating work with wide variety of bombs; some dating from the 1940 Blitz well over a year ago. Worked on 2 'Satans' Stoke Newington and East Ham, 1800kg (1 and 3/4 tons).

COs withdrawn from BD in June 43 in preparation for 2nd Front. Volunteers invited for parachute duties with 6th Airborne Div. My short sight unacceptable. Meanwhile in a labour battalion of NCC - with RE Railway Construction Coy. Pioneers missed D Day and Arnhem; losses of medics, Paras thought we would be sitting targets, though valuing our services. Perhaps this led War Office to explore unlikely avenues. Challenged by Para General Officers at interview "How the bloody hell d'you expect to drop behind enemy lines - you'd be as blind as a bat without your glasses". Persuaded them I could fix my army steel specs to the side of my face with surgical tape. Provided I passed a mini commando test, I would be trained by RAF Parachute Training School at Ringway, Manchester. Won my wings; all set for 224 Para Fld Ambulance at Bulford for medical training. No time! Events overtook - sent in an advance party to Belgium, the Ardennes, Battle of the Bulge; to assist CCP (Casualty Collecting Post) with 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion, fighting on the North Flank of the Bulge.

Returned to 224 HQs; got interested in Resuscitation Team, given care of badly wounded patient, shattered leg and loss of blood. Gave him 11 pints of plasma, dawn to dusk when Surgeon OK'd him for amputation that night. Temporary operating theatre set up in small room of Dutch School; invited to give spare pair of hands - Delighted. Gave minor assistance with grandstand view of amputation; "Like a butcher's shop". Took it all in my stride. Kept on for a week or so 'wound toilet' extracting bullets and shrapnel.

Back to Bulford re-forming for para op, Over the Rhine.
In 224s little book "Over the Rhine" details of all sticks and operations performed; there were 135 para/medics incl. surgeons (almost all officers were doctors) to serve 3rd Para Bgde. All equipment carried individually. Main supplies to follow overland. We had 12 casualties, 5 killed, 7 injured; not bad for daylight operation (10am) with lots of AA fire. I agreed to change places with Corporal who was ridden with supersition and "couldn't possibly jump No.13". He took my number, No 6, landed in the trees, sitting target for machine gun and rifle fire; quick death. I landed in sort of No Man's Land. By chance strode east away from German positions to sheltering 8th Battn Paras. Lucky. Across North Germany to establish cease fire line with advancing Russian troops aiming for Denmark, 50 miles behind us! So secured Denmark and Norway to western influence.

We had arrived on the Baltic Coast (Wismar) on 2nd May '45; occupied deserted Luftwaffe Hospital. Germans terrifed of rumoured ferocity of Russian troops and evacuated a few hundred dreadfully wounded into forests behind us. Trainloads discovered by Paras and returned to us. Paper bandages no treatment, kept us busy, especially our surgeons, till withdrawal for home 18th May. Missed VE Day!! Greeted with 29 days embarkation leave for the Far East - projected mammoth parachute invasion of Japan; atom bombs and surrender. Sent instead to Palestine to control (!) Jewish guerrillas. Patrols with Paras, but interesting times off duty - Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Beirut, TransJordan, Sinai Desert (10 days with REs Para Squadron blasting a road through wadis) a month's course in Cairo.

So 4 years of voluntary service out of 5 total service. Not bad for a 'conshy'.

This story was submitted to the People's War website by Christina Cazalet of CSV Action Desk Leicester on behalf of Chris Saunders and has been added with his permission. The author fully understands the site's terms and conditions.

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