大象传媒

The 11th Hussars (PAO) was the Armoured Reconnaissance Regiment of the 7th Armd Div most of WW2. In North Africa, in Italy and North West Europe, covering 3,000 miles throughout 13 countries.

The General had finally negotiated the surrender of Hamburg and on the 3rd of May 1945, 'D' Sqdn was chosen to lead the Regiment and the 7th Armd Division into Hamburg for the surrender of the City. Our CO Lt Col Bill Wainman DSO. MC had arrived in the centre of Hamburg too early and refused to take over the keys of the City from General Wolz and made him wait until our General arrived. At five p.m we drove in at a very fast speed because our tasks were to take over the Town Hall, Post Office, Police Barracks, and the telephone exchange. We had difficulty finding these places because all we found were heaps of rubble where they had once stood. We moved to the northern suburbs for the night only to be badgered by hundreds of Germans who considered that they had had enough.

At first light on the 4th May, the Sqdn was once again patrolling northwards into Schleswig Holstein. 4th Tp was sent to patrol along the Hamburg Kiel Road to reach a stop line at the crossroads north of Quickborn. General Admiral von Friedeberg representing Admiral Doenitz the new Furer entered the British Lines and reported himself to my Troop Leader Lt Hunter and he was detained to await the arrival of our Sqdn Ldr Capt Toby Horsford MC.

He in his turn handed the Admiral and his German Staff delegation over to the staff officers from Field Marshall Montgomery's Headquarters on Luneburg Heath. These then escorted the Admiral and his delegation to meet the Field Marshall for the signing of the unconditional surrender of all German Land, Naval and Air Forces in North West Europe including Holland and Denmark. The instrument of surrender was signed later that day at 1830hrs. 4th Tp was sent back on patrol pushing further north towards the Kiel Canal. 4th TP was commanded by Lt Tony Hunter MC, TP Sgt was Sgt Tommy Trendall, the Tp Cp and Scout Car commander was Cpl Matt Guymer.

On 5th May Admiral Hoffmann Commander in Chief of the German Fleet arrived to hand over the German Navy. Cease fire was ordered at 0800hrs. Making our way north to the Kiel Canal during the 6th May, we were mustering hundreds of POWs into transport to send them back into the POW camps. On the 7th of May we crossed the Kiel Canal and moved to Bendorf where we celebrated VE Day. During the day the Commanding Officer Lt Col Bill Wainman arrived and he was invited to light 'D' Sqdn's vast bonfire that was surmounted by a huge Swastika Flag. Afterwards he visited every Troop in the Squdron, as he had done in A, B and C squadrons to say his personal 'thank you' for all that we had achieved in the fighting in North West Europe from the beaches of Normandie through Belgium, Holland and Germany to the day of the final surrender of Germany.

At last, our part of the war was over.

When the Commanding Officer drove out of our lines, we spontaneously fired every one of our small arms weapons into the air. As the last shot was fired and the spent ammunition fell to earth making a pattering sound on the rooftops and buildings, we looked back over our armoured and scout cars. The paintwork was peeling, mudguards bent and dented, the cars looked tired and appeared to be sagging. Even our kit lashed to the cars looked bedraggled and the cars looked scruffy. After all we had been through together, little wonder that there was a feeling of considerable gratitude and affection for them. They had protected us, carried us in safety and served us well over the past eleven months. We had lost 11 of our Armd Cars, and 5 Scout Cars. (Mine was one of them).

Towards the evening as the bonfire eventually burnt down there was the feeling of mental as well as physical relief. It gradually dawned on us that tomorrow we would not have to get up before dawn to carry on with the dreadful constant horrifying acts of close contact warfare. This led to the reaction of immense relief but after a short time of elation, there was the inescapable period of sadness that we all felt for the high number of our casualties. Of the total strength of the Sqdn, when we landed in Normandie we had suffered 48% casualties.

I was sent on leave immediately and arrived home in time for the VE Day celebrations. All round was joy and happiness. But for me the sadness was not fully abated because I was still thinking of my lost friends.

And then my nightmares started.

EPILOGUE

The people of Normandie invited all the men of the allied forces who took part in the invasion of Europe, and in particular, those who had fought for the liberation of Normandie in 1944, to return and be presented with a decoration. It is a special badge to be worn on the chest and it is to commemorate the 60th Anniversary of the Liberation of Normandie. This Chest Badge is from the people of Normandie to say 'Thank You' to those of us who had fought during the terrible months of June, July and August of 1944. I arranged for my Badge to be presented at the Abbaye aux Dames in Caen on the 9th July 2004.

For the people of Caen, the 9th July 1944 is a memorable date in their history. It was the day that the City was liberated after thirty-four days of the fiercest fighting of the war in France in the Second World War. They will never forget the courage of the Resistance Fighters who risked their lives for the freedom of their City and for Normandie.

This story was submitted to the People's War site by Sue Russell of the 大象传媒 on behalf of Major Matthew Guymer MBE and has been added to the site with his permission. The author fully understands the site's terms and conditions.

Further recollections from Major Guymer can be found here:
Part One
Part Two
Part Three
Part Four
Part Five

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