大象传媒

Part three

After Mount Etna the campaign soon drew to a close, and the mail started coming through. Receiving a letter from my Mother so pleased to think I was not anywhere near the fighting. Whilst reading the letter I was summoned to HQ and taken to RASC depot, there to go on an amphibian ducw in charge of explosives to an unknown destination. The destination was Messina, staying overnight. Next morning across the Messina Straits to Regio Calabria, handing over my charge and rejoining my platoon.

Forward to Foggia, Taranto, Bari and the Sangro area. It was in this area "Monty" had given instructions that all troops who had fallen were to be gathered and buried in a proper cemetery. Our tasks were to check wherever a body had been buried for mines and booby traps, Italian Grave Diggers
exhumed the bodies, a thankless task, as many had been buried for at least three months Many of the Italian ladies looked after the graves with flowers. With one lady had to be very firm for refusing to let us remove the grave she had long been caring for.

Soon our company tasks were completed and we were to be disbanded. I was sent to the Cassino area to a to a field company in 78th Division.

Somewhere in Italy.
7th Fld Company Royal Engineers 4th Brit. Division

The details are a little bit hazy after all this time but the occasion remains forever in my memory.

February 1944, my 21st Birthday, Those who spent their 21st in Italy know how lonely one feels. However, in my case it was not be. The boys had got to hear it was my birthday. They found a room rustled up egg and chips, never knew how, and with the aid of an accordion plus a good supply of vino a lively singsong took place.

A knock on the door and an Italian policeman was admitted wanting to know about the noise. When explained it was my 21st birthday he accepted a glass of wine, and keeping it filled became as jolly and as loud as ourselves. I remember it was deep snow outside and the policeman ended up frolicking in the snow.

There must have been thousands who had their 21st away from home, I hope they had pleasant memories as my comrades gave me.

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