大象传媒

We were moved up to the egde of the Falaise Gap. Our vehicle was changed and we were given an Armoured half track vehicle which meant we had to ditch all spare gear and get our heads down below the arm. Our next job was to sweep for mines and form a path for the tanks of the Guards Armoured Division. Once the barrle started following massive bombingstrikes, it was our duty to go down into Falaise and clear the roads again for the tanks; this meant throwing bodies off the road into ditches and bulldozing horses and equipment off.
Following the german break out from Falaise Gap we were again detached from our division and sent in support of the Guards Armoured Division chasing germans throu france via Rouen where we crossed the Seine. Then up to Amiens and Arras, Lille and on to Brussels. Our entry into Brusels was unique. The population turned out en mass to welcome us and threw apples oranges and other fruit; you had to be careful, at the speed we were going a direct hit could knock you out!
We ended up in the Gare du Nord station to guard it against sabotage, but we were only there 3 days before we were moved up to the Escau Canal.
Field Marshall Montgomery came up to the area and gave a talk explaing that the next advance was for the whole of the 2nd Army to make a dash up the one road to Arnhem and it was our job to keep the Bridge and raod open. If this was successful the war would be over by Christmas.
After the Field Marshall had left we set to, digging ourselves in and clearing the area of Butterfly bombs etc.; then checked and cleared the bridge.
The attack then commenced with the armoured division leading the attack. We came under sustained attack from the German arillery for several hours during which timw we were confined to our trenches and anyone losing their nerve and leaving their trench had to be quickly brought back. after several hours of bombardment the brain seemed to go and everything came to perfect peace, despite the continual shelling. I understand now that this is the brain shutting down.
Within 3 days most of the 2nd army had crossed the bridge and we were out and about checking that the bridge was still intact. We were then instructed to join the advance with the guards Armoured Division. We continued in the advance until we arrived at Nijmegan Bridge where the Guards tanks were stopped and we were unable to relieve the Airborne troops at Arnhem.
After 5 weeeks the 50th division including engineering companies were withdrawn to Ypres and Menin areas where they disbanded and were sent back to England, except the engineers who were sent back again to Nijmegan where we spent Christmas 1944.
The next 3 months were spent carrying our road repairs between Nijmegan, Arnhem and down the Dutch side of the Rhine, through the Black Forest. We were preparing for the assault over the Rhine.

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