大象传媒

Hope you found Chapters 1 and 2 ......Here are Chapters 3, 4 and 5.

CHAPTER 3
Eventually down to the sandy wastes of Iraq, where I was next directed to an armoured car regiment Skinners Horse, recently arrived from India. With new radios they needed instruction on the use of modern transceivers (no. 11 sets) and I enjoyed some weeks with the Pathans 鈥� very tall chaps with bobbed haircuts and very red complexions. Their two British officers had ample food and I enjoyed the very spicy curry with hot sweet tea every hour. The issued tinned meat and fruit was not used and a useful standby created.

Back again to the Lake Habaniyah 鈥� about twenty miles long and the landing place for Imperial Airways flying boats. Launches took passengers and freight to a hotel, which had been built nearby. The flying boats would moor about four hundred yards from our camp and we used to swim out to them 鈥� useful experience as it turned out.

On one occasion I went from our camp by the lake to Baghdad for some stores and was halted by a convoy of trucks also headed to Baghdad. There in the vehicle ahead of me was a colleague from my office in the City 鈥� David Butlin, who was also very surprised. He didn鈥檛 seem too happy and I was able to cheer him up by producing a few of my stocks of tinned foods, which I had saved from my weeks with Skinners House. He was delighted to have his rations extended in this way. I next saw David Butlin at his retirement bash in the City many years on.

From Iraq I next found myself as a trained signaller detached to sundry tasks. As the weather became warm, the 鈥榩oshtin鈥� gave off an unpleasant smell so we decided to bury it in the sand. One of our party put on the cloak 鈥� for old times sake 鈥� but at that time a British armoured car column came along he road in the opposite direction. They halted and we were accosted by the captain on the leading car 鈥� 鈥渨here did you get the cloak?鈥� then 鈥渨ould you consider selling it?鈥� 鈥� we would, and for 拢5 disposed of the poshtin which had cost me 拢1.10 shillings (old money).

It was good to see bananas growing and orange and grapefruit but not for long. The rocky landscape of Sinai went on and on until we crossed the Suez Canal where all manner of training camps were located. Apparently signals were wanted at some remote places on a short-term basis, so on through Cairo and two hundred miles southwest to a large oasis at Siwa with thousands of date palms and a local population of Senussi Arabs and camels. Siwa was the base from which small motorised groups went out miles and miles creating mayhem among the Italians and Germans. I spent some weeks at Siwa, including the Christmas period 1942. Food was adequate, but was extended by the welcome addition of Red Cross parcels 鈥� tinned meat, raisins and dates from Siwa! What a journey they must have had!

The Long Range Desert Group, as it was then known later became 22 regiment SAS but, meantime it was back to the Canal Zone and more training. Not having much on which to spend our money, I arranged for Mrs Niddrie in Cape Town to send food parcels home; contents plentiful in South Africa but short at home.

There were some quiet times and we relaxed, bathing in the Mediterranean and keeping ourselves in good shape. We slept in the open 鈥� blanket, overcoat and groundsheet but being near the coast a heavy dew fell, so that the groundsheet was on top. After the dew, the sky was brilliant with stars and we looked north, in the approximate direction of home. A friend of mine 鈥� Bill Litt came from Alnwick, Northumberland, where his father was bailiff at the Alnwick Castle estate. He had done a clerical job in Newcastle and said 鈥榳hen I get out of this lot I want to be a hill farmer鈥�. Sure enough, he managed it and had the highest farm in the Pennines where later I visited him.

After various exercises around Cairo the desert war was going against us and by May our worn out vehicles from India were faced with Germans and Italians with heavier armour. As each infantry battalion experienced heavy casualties in the Libyan desert, another took its place with similar results and the whole movement was of retreat. Tobruk, a fortress strong point was bypassed, but this had happened once before and was then relieved. I was sent with a new cipher officer into Tobruk to collect his replacement, but at that time, the commander General Klopper of South Africa decided the situation was untenable and brokered a general surrender. A group of Coldstream Guards decided that was not for them and barged their way through the wire and rejoined others going East, including my truck.

With a very fluid situation all around, we found ourselves eastwards on the coast at Mersa Matruh 鈥� another strongpoint behind wire. As we approached through a gap in the minefields, German aircraft flew up and down firing on the confusion and congestion of Allied vehicles. This was at night and the stream of tracer bullets coming towards one was alarming 鈥� particularly so, as the vehicle just ahead was a tanker 鈥� water or petrol? We were at a standstill so I ran at right angles to the track and found myself hung over barbed wire 鈥� only superficial wounds which soon healed 鈥� my only war wounds!

With chaos among the fragmented Allied forces, the Germans and Italians surged forwards and eastwards. They seemed to have plenty of artillery, armoured cars and tanks against our light vehicles and in no time had gone around Mersa Matruh cutting us off from supplies and the coastal road. So it was withdraw but as the way out cut us off, orders came to make our own way towards the Canal Zone. The inevitable happened and my truck was mined and stuck until, going forward we hoped to be picked up 鈥� we were, by the enemy armoured cars, who made us walk in front of them and back into Mersa Matruh, where 24 hours later we were secured in a wired prisoner cage. The following night there was a bombing raid and many flares were dropped 鈥� whether RAF or enemy was not clear, but in the confusion a number of us got through the enclosing wire and helped ourselves to an allied Ford truck 鈥� the enemy was largely transporting themselves in vehicles captured at Tobruk, which was well supplied with fuel and food.

Realising the shortest way East was cut off we went southwest for some miles in the hope that trouble was behind us. 5 British encountered 3 South Africans in a broken down truck. Then we saw a small British truck bogged down in the sand and found 2 Germans. Eight to two was no contest 鈥� they surrendered, so it made ten on our truck. They had all manner of paperwork and maps, which we managed to save before continuing in hope. By now I reckoned we were clear and proceeded eastwards, the way we needed to go. There seemed to be a track of sorts 鈥� sand with a surface crust 鈥� and so we went on until five days after leaving the wire we turned northwards and by much revving the truck engine and by all getting out and pushing we came to a British truck who escorted us to safety. The Intelligence officer who questioned us 鈥� 鈥渨ho is the senior rank?鈥� One of South Africans was a sergeant and, although he contributed nothing, his name was set forward and he received an immediate military medal (MM). Some time later, my contribution was recognised with an MID (mention in despatches).

But there was no rest and relaxation in Cairo for us. Signals were short and new radios provided in the defensive network before El Alamain. Here life was grim and we suffered many casualties, until relieved by elements of a division newly arrived from the UK. Although a small signal unit, we had lost a number, mostly taken prisoner, so that something needed to be done. The army鈥檚 solution was to send the relics of the division to Cyprus for six weeks but in our case it turned out to be six months. New battalions from India, new artillery units all needed to be trained.

CHAPTER 4
So it was a train journey to Port Said where we boarded the SS Princess Margaret, built for the Canadian Pacific company as used for short cruises on the North American Pacific coast. A comfortable ship, on which we were allocated cabins, 鈥� until the Provost sergeant turfed us out in favour of his Military Police detachment. Alternative cabins were found two decks up and we spread ourselves out on this hot August day. Two loaded troopships escorted by two destroyers headed towards Cyprus, but early in the afternoon we were torpedoed, with a vast explosion and fire. Word came 鈥渏ump overboard 鈥� the destroyer will pick you up鈥�. As I jumped, I noticed the torpedo had struck right where our original cabins had been. The ship settled rapidly 鈥� fire and explosions continued, so my aim was to get as far as possible from the danger. One destroyer circled away from us releasing depth charges, whilst the second began to pick up survivors and lowered scrambling nets. My cork-filled life jacket worked well, but, having swum some distance, I had to retrace my swim and, by the time I was picked up just four hours had gone. Then the crowded destroyer lost no time in returning to Port Said where we disembarked, uncomfortable and depressed.

A few days near the canal and another train journey with minimal possessions. A hot meal at midnight and from the Canal we had a long trip to Haifa.

At the quayside, there was the 鈥楶rincess Katherine鈥� 鈥� identical to the ship that was sunk. It created a scary sensation. Find yourselves some cabins, we were told 鈥� with reduced numbers because of the losses through the sinking. In prospect was the shorter voyage to Famagusta, Cyprus, so we figured we didn鈥檛 need cabins and just grouped together in the bows of the ship. Lots were cast to see who was to go to the galley for tea and food. Being signallers, we read any Morse code message being flashed to and from ships and were concerned to see a destroyer out in the bay indicating to the shore station that at least one and possibly two submarines lurked. So to the accompaniment of depth charges, we made our way to Cyprus.

In pine woods near Nicosia we were allocated into Nissan huts 鈥� corrugated iron structures to hold a couple of dozen 鈥� doors and windows at the end and a wood burning stove in the centre. The communications centre was underground and kept us busy 鈥� as the army sought to create the impression that the island was heavily defended and filled the air with lots of bogus messages 鈥� all in code, so we had no means of knowing which were genuine and which dummy.

My long swim ruined my wristwatch, which was a 21st birthday present from my parents. No watches were available in Cyprus so I asked my South African friends, the Niddries, if they could help. It so happened that they had a friend who was a jeweller and sold watches. More money was set to Cape Town and in a few weeks I received my new watch. This was very much envied by some of the lads and I arranged more cash and six watches from my friends. Apparently the jeweller was glad of the business!

Soon new battalions arrived from India to rebuild the shattered division. This meant lots of exercises in the mountains with Greek mule teams to transport our gear. So we had Indians, Greeks and British scattered around the island. It was really quite an attractive place and I found Nicosia particularly interesting. Greek and Turkish communities lived side by side with the old walled Turkish city a great place to enjoy the Turkish baths. The town had many shops and restaurants 鈥� many run by European refugees. I recall posting home raisins and ground almonds and fixed myself up with a couple of decent towels and some silk pyjamas 鈥� after all 鈥� it was quite civilised 鈥� for a change. The winter snow was beautiful on the mountains but down at a lower level, heavy rain made life uncomfortable when out with the mules.

CHAPTER 5
Spring 1944 saw us back into Palestine 鈥� I was allocated a ski course high in the mountains near the ancient city of Baalbek but this was cancelled. Instead I was sent on a camouflage course in the Canal Zone near to Cairo 鈥� this was pretty useless but the army seemed adept at inventing jobs. Some of the Dodecanese islands were to be invaded 鈥� our particular task was cancelled 鈥� all part of a scheme to divert attention from the invasion of Sicily. Things moved rapidly and we found ourselves landing at Taranto, a large naval base in the 鈥榟eel鈥� of Italy. This port had been badly damaged from the air and was passed by as we moved northwards.

So began the long hard slog up the Appenine mountains 鈥� rivers ran east or west and provided lots of enemy defensive points. They were well dug in and made progress difficult.

Allied forces were the 5th Army under largely American control and the British 8th Army with a mixed collection of units. 10th division was at full strength 鈥� now four brigades spread, across over two thirds of the width of Italy 鈥� and spending much time in the mountains. In addition to the British battalions, we had Muslim Indian regiments and a substantial contribution of Ghurkhas. I recall early one morning seeing a British military policeman guarding two German prisoners who awaited interrogation. A single Ghurkha of the HQ platoon brandished his kukri 鈥� an evil-looking curved knife 鈥� as he thought the only good Germans were dead ones and, having drawn his knife by tradition, he needed blood before he could put it away. The only way I was able to pacify him was to offer my forefinger for a slight nick 鈥� just a spot of blood was enough.
With our slow progress through the mountains we had to maintain communications, largely by landline. A cable was laid at night venturing as far as was dared and on the end a communication box was connected. Any group or unit could then lay a wire into the box and maintain contact. I was put in charge of this box with three British Signals and 10 Indian linemen. Sometimes this worked but at others we were shelled out of our position. The Indians didn鈥檛 have much of a time trying to repair cut telephone lines and were withdrawn. The four of us left had to be sure we were not under enemy observation and to avoid any conspicuous farmhouse on which the Germans had targeted. Provided we could stay with the box for 36-48 hours, it was then considered safe for the tactical division HQ to move forward and relieve us.

(Well there you have chapters 3, 4 and 5. Hope you will now look for Chapter 6 ... the final part of Dad's Story.)

漏 Copyright of content contributed to this Archive rests with the author. Find out how you can use this.