大象传媒

This story was submitted to the People鈥檚 War website by Sandra Beckett on behalf of Ken Carlyon, the author, and has been added to the site with his/her permission. The author fully understands the site鈥檚 terms and condition.

My call-up papers arrived in June 1940 causing much anxiety and distress to my parents and fianc茅. My parents had already lost their eldest son aged 33 years in a boating tragedy a few years earlier so they then feared for my safety.
On 24th June 1940 I reported for duty along with many others at Bodmin Barracks and was proud to be enlisted in the 鈥淒ukes鈥� 鈥� Duke of Cornwall Light Infantry. This was the start of seven years of a whole new life experience of not knowing what to expect next 鈥� bad times and good.
After initial training at Bodmin we were posted to different parts of the country particularly on the coast to await the invasion 鈥� which never came! Although this new life style was very hard at times there were lighter occasions such as one weekend when a friend and I sneaked out of the barracks on a borrowed motorbike to spend time at home. On the way back when a friend picked me up I thought there was a strong smell of alcohol and it wasn鈥檛 long before the motorcycle and riders were soon parted on a grass bank. I had to drive back to barracks because my friend had unfortunately twisted his ankle 鈥� but how would I get him past the guards that night?
In February 1941 I came home on leave to get married and that was a very happy day.
At some stage I was transferred to the Motor Transport Section, which suited me fine as that was my civvy street occupation.
On D-Day we left Southampton for the Normandy beaches where I transported a lorry-load of supplies 鈥� it was a very rough crossing and hazardous landing. Once there a large number of us were transferred to the 鈥楧urham鈥檚鈥� Durham Light Infantry as reinforcements. From there our unit went to the front-line where we spent many months dodging bullets, shells and bombs and it was very traumatic having to leave dead and wounded mates where they fell. Before joining up I used to tell friends at home that one of my greatest fears were trench rats. I said I would be shot because if there were rats in my trench I would be up and over the top 鈥� an easy target 鈥� as it happened I was never troubled by any. To help relieve our nerves many a time I would hold a blanket over mates for them to have a 鈥榃oodbine鈥� and they would do the same for me.
On one occasion about five of us were sent out on a patrol about a mile in front towards the enemy lines. We entered a little farmhouse and whilst there the farmer gave us a drink of milk in the dairy when someone rushed in to say that a load of Germans were at the front of the house. Naturally we made a quick but quiet get-away over a hedge to report back to our unit 鈥� a narrow escape.
Of course whilst I was away bombs were falling on my home area of Falmouth.
We were the first Infantry troops to enter Brussels and were greeted with much jubilation in the streets. Some time later I was brought back from Brussels by hospital plane and spent over six months in hospital in the Midlands.
I was demobbed in 1947 and returned home to my wife and baby daughter in Flushing who I had not seen for 13 months.
Now at the age of 92 I look back and realise it was an experience but not one I would like to repeat. I did make some life-long friends but also very sadly had to leave many behind.

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