大象传媒

3
I passed several houses trying to make up my mind which one I could trust, until I saw what I thought was a friendly sort of chap in his garden, so I went over to him and asked for a drink, he looked at me and made no answer, so I asked him again thinking he did not understand me. He said English Soldier and came running out in the road shouting for Germans and saying who I was, as Germans were everywhere on motor cycles.
I felt pretty desperate, if my left arm was any good, I should have killed him, I did not know whether to take a chance and do it. I stood there a few seconds deciding. I knew what they are like if I had went up to him he would have screamed and that would make matters worse, so I had to make a quick getaway as quick as I could without my drink.
I had to have a drink some way or other or else I would collapse. I felt like it after two frights, I was ready to drop so I made for another place. I knocked on the door, a Woman answered it, I asked her and she could see what I looked like so she gave me a bottle of Beer. I got that down without a stop. I felt different almost at once and she also gave me two raw eggs. I put them in my pocket and thanked her and went away feeling very well.

I began to wonder which way I was making for until I saw a young Fellow who I asked, he told me straight on until i came to the main road and turn right. So I was alright I walked as hard as I could go to get there. The main Calais road seemed a long way off, I had been walking hours and still no sign of it.
I was just nearing two cars on the side of the road in a lonely spot which had been left by refugees owing to petrol running out, when I heard motor Cycles behind me I did not look round as I could guess who it was two Jerrys. They passed me and stopped, they got off, my heart went into my mouth, now for it I thought. I did not know what to do whether to go back or carry on, if I turned back it would look funny so I went on. They went over to the Cars and looked them over, and I was passing expecting them to say something. I had decided to be dumb if they had, but as luck would have it they did not. I thought my last day had come when they stopped in front of me. I was feeling very shakey.

I hurryed on my way keeping to country roads. Jerry motor Cyclists kept going backwards and forwards. I was getting used to them by this time.
I was still jogging along when I came across another Chap leaning on a gate, as I was passing he said English Soldier, how he knew I dont know, he came out and walked beside me, he was telling me where there was more English and he would take me to them. I was wild, I nearly hit him. I told him to get going quick or else I would, he took the hint and started shouting at me which I did not understand, anyway I had shook him off.

I felt thirsty again, I could not seem to satisfy myself, I had nothing to eat in fact I did not feel like eating only drink, I had lost a lot of blood, I suppose that accounted for it.
I made for another Farm house, they gave me a drink without any trouble, it was more beer.

At last I could see the main road and I turned right. I knew I was not far wrong then. There must have been thousands of refugees retreating from Calais it was a terrible sight, old and young tramping along the road side. There was Mothers with Children, some small baby鈥檚 in prams trekking along and looking worn out, some had there heads bandaged up and looking very pale as if they had been bombed. It was wicked to see them. I was going in the opposite way to them.

Meanwhile Jerry was going down the roads in Tanks, one long stream of them, motor cyclists and Lorrys laden with them. I must have been walking down this road for an hour and they still kept up that steady stream. I was on one side while refugees on the other.
I could see Calais in the distance and it was being bombed from all quarters, it was going up in flames, a big Town all burning.
I still kept going towards it when something happened, I stood still and watched it. Women screamed, I could not pass that spot to save my life, it upset me I shook all over. I turned back and went the same way as the Refugees. I felt rotten I had to sit down by the roadside to get over it, I I was all in. I had that dry feeling come on again so I had to go on my way to get something. I really thought I would have collapsed this time.
I struggled on, I passed a Cafe. I saw people drinking outside, I dare not go in and buy a drink for fear of giving myself away. I had forty francs on me which was no good to me.
Istuck it until I could no longer. I saw some Women in thrir garden watching the germans go by so i asked them, there i found real friends. I had a drink of water and they asked me if I would like a wash and shave which I did as I wanted it bad enough they gave me a looking glass to shave when I looked at myself I hardly thought it was me.
After a nice clean up, I certainly felt fresher, they asked me in the parlour where there was two fried eggs, bread and butter and coffee, didn鈥檛 that go down well. She also gave me a pullover as she noticed I never wore a shirt only bandages on my chest. i sat there quite a time talking, her husband was in the Army and she had not heard or seen him for a long time. I showed her my photo of Children, she started crying, I nearly did myself. She had three small children. She asked me what I intended doing, I told her I was going to get through if I died in the attempt. She said it was impossible why didn鈥檛 I go where the Refugees were going to a camp. I said no I must try it, I could not stop there.
I got up to go and asked her how much I owed her, she would not hear of it. I shook hands and said Goodbye, she cried, I suppose she was thinking of her own Husband may be in the same plight as myself, she came to the gate and watched me out of sight.
I had not decided which way I intended going, so I sat by the roadside to think things over.
I was still on the Calais road and I would not go to Calais as it was hopeless even during night time Jerry was still pouring down that way and nothing to stop them even if our own Aircraft bombed them on the road they would have killed Hundreds of Refugees. That is what stopped our lot doing a lot of things, but Jerry did not mind, they done it.
I could not think of any other place. I was a bit baffled so I decided to go back where I started, it may be a bit quiet now so I started on my long walk back again.
My nerves were getting very shaky. I started trembling when I saw Germans.
I walked for about five hours and I would not dare go down those roads in daylight it was too risky. I had to pass that Jerry Camp again and I might meet those men that stopped me before.
The weather had been very nice but it started to rain and it was not long before I was wet through. My thirst had come on again and I could not go long without any, my mouth was awful, I licked blades of grass to see if it would make it any better.
Ihad to go in house and ask for water, I got it without any trouble. I found a bottle, I filled that and put that in my sack I was still carrying.
I got within three miles of that place so I decided to hide myself somewhere until it got dark.
I found a ditch covered with bushes so I got underneath. It was still raining but it was a little dryer under there. Now for snatching a few hours sleep I thought, but when I got under there I curled up I was warm enough as I got into the sack and used the straw for a pillow. I shut my eyes but sleep was impossible. I could not keep still. I was trembling like a leaf, my teeth chattering I was not cold, my nerves were giving way.
I lay there thinking of everybody at home, would I see them again. I got all my photos out and looked at them, the tears came into my eyes and then I cried, I could not help myself it was terrible.
My nerves were getting worse. I could have got up and screamed. I thought I was going mad. I could hear Gun fire in the distance and planes fighting overhead. I was hoping a bomb would fall on me to put an end to my misery. People were passing up and down the road.I shook more than ever when I heard them for fear they should see me.
I thought of my Family and what they were doing which made me worse.
It was still raining but I hardly took any notice.
The time dragged on very slow,it did not seem to ever get dark.I still lay there suffering in silence. I never want to go through anything like that again, I prayed I should get through after all that.
After four or five hours it got dark at last. I got out and started, I did not know what I was going to meet but I must not waste time.
It had stopped raining and the stars were shining.My eyes had got used to the dark so I trusted in Providence. I carryed on with my sack on my back, I had to pass that Jerry camp which I had passed before so I had to be careful. I was getting nearer when a Jerry came out on a motor cycle. I threw myself down in the ditch until he passed. I got out shaking all over, I never thought I could carry on, I felt ill, I took another drop of water out of my bottle, I had to be very sparing with it.
I kept to the side of the road keeping under cover as much as I could. Whenever I passed a Farm, a dog would start barking which made me jump.
I saw in the distance a big fire. I wondered what it was, it lit up all around and it was near to where I wanted to get.
After a long and dreary walk I arrived there and to my surprise, everywhere was quiet only a rattle of machine gun now and then. I put it down to be a sniper, Jerry of course.
I stood planning what to do and the best way I had to go across a field about three quarters of a mile wide and a canal. I could see quite plainly as that fire was a village across the canal burning. I could see two houses on the side and Jerrys passing to and fro so I made up my mind to try and pass between those two houses.
I threw away my sack, put my watch and wallet in my beret and carrying the bottle in my hand. Off I went on my hands and knees dragging the bottle with me. At times I had to keep taking sips of it to keep me going. I was wet through and cold. My nerves were playing me up, I was shaking now terrible.
I had not gone far when I came across a stream about eight foot wide, I thought I could wade across. I got in and I found myself sinking in mud, there was more mud than water so I layed flat on the water and floated over.
I kept crawling nearer and nearer. I saw scores of Jerrys keep walking up and down and as I drew nearer, the lighter it got from the fire.

The machine gun kept up its fire and I was getting closer to that and I did not know which way the bullets were coming.
The time must have been midnight by now and I still kept crawling. I wore the knees out of my trousers so I had to roll them up, and I had to go over another stream, this was all slime I should imagine the water was very thick and I did smell when i came out. It seemed ages before I got within a decent distance from Jerry. I crawled as near as I dareI layed and waited for my chance to come.
There was a croud altogether right in front of me laughing. They were doing a job or something because most of them went away leaving three so I crawled a little nearer, it was getting lighter now as the village was well away so I had to lay flat.
I was frozen cold as I lay there waiting. I was getting worse with my nerves I was almost finished and exhausted.
I saw two of them go away leaving only one and he was busy doing something, he was whistling to himself, he was happier than I was. After a little while he went away. I watched him out of sight, now I thought get going, I started to when I saw him coming back,I layed flat hardly dare to breath. Had he saw me I wonder, He came over and almost trod on my hand as he passed, he picked up something near by and went away again. I plucked up enough courage to start and off I went as fast as I could crawl, looking both left and right. I saw nobody I slid down the bank of the canal and in. I thought I was going to drown. I forgot that I was wounded, I never felt anything of it. I started going under, I struggled hard to keep my head up, at last I managed to strike out I got to the other side panting for breath hanging on to the side of the bank. I looked round I saw these Jerrys watching me. Oh dear I thought my end had come. I was nearly done for and I did not care for anything so I struggled up the bank as best as I could expecting to feel a bullet in my back and for me to topple back in the water, it did not come more to my amazement. I got to the topand started to crawl, I dare not look round to see if they were still watching me which no doubt they were because they didn鈥檛 know who I was.
I crawled for about a quarter of an hour, I hadn鈥檛 covered much ground in that time as I kept having to rest. I got to my feet and tryed to run but that was impossible, I was too weak and cold, i staggered along.

It was almost like daylight from the blaze of this village and the machine gun was still rattling away. I did not know in which direction it was firing. I must have shown up in that light.
I was getting colder until I flopped out I was wondering what to do, I could not stop there or else I would freeze so I was tempted to go in that burning village and warm myself. I know I could not go much further if I didn鈥檛 get a bit warmer.
So I decided to take a chance. It was a risky thing to do but I was not troubling I must get warm. I reached the outside of the village. I saw a house with the back part burnt out and the door still hanging on and the four walls, so I went in there and shut the door up, it was like a furnace. I took off all my clothes and layed them down drying while I was standing having a warm.
I stayed there for a while until my clothes were dry enough to put on, as I was about to come out there was a terrific crash it almost made me go up in the air with fright..
I plucked up enough courage to go out and get on my way, it was the roof had fell in the front part of the house.

The machine gun was still firing but I didn鈥檛 care. I felt a lot better and I could move faster and it was behind me as I passed it before.
I had not gone far when I saw another stream I had to cross. I looked up and down to see if there was any means of crossing without getting wet again but there was nothing.
I had to get over and there was only one way so in I went. I got across wet through up to my neck and covered all over in slime and what a smell. I was soon cold again, but I had better hopes I had got away from Jerry by this time and I had left the village well behind. I was trekking along over the fields and every now and again I would almost tread on a bird who was asleep in the grass and they would fly up and make a awful screeching noise which put the wind up me for a second as my mind was well away.
I carryed on over hedges and ditches, the ditches were only three foot wide, I could have jumped over easy other times but now i was too weak. I could only put one foot in the middle and swing the other one over each time I had water over my knees.
I heard afterwards that they had flooded around Dunkirk I can understand that with all the ditches and streams i had to get over.

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