大象传媒

The day wore through very slow we got down to it and slept like a top. We got up early and went to see about moving, we found all the others, and the Officer. He was saying that he was going to find out what time we could go, and would we that could carry all the stretcher cases outside so they could be picked up by ambulances.
We got them all out and there was a big crowd of us when we were together. Two hours passed and he came back and said, I am sorry Boys they can鈥檛 take us today, my Heart sank, but he said those that can walk can go but we should have to walk six miles along the beach. There was about two dozen of us set off leaving those poor Chaps behind, whether they ever got away in time I never knew. Off we went, I saw a Chap in a pair of shorts and a smashed foot so I and another Chap carried him between us, he said don鈥檛 leave me and we didn鈥檛. It was hard work going along that beach on an empty stomach lugging this Chap with us, it was very painful for him but he didn鈥檛 make a fuss. We were half way along when I saw an old bike. I ran over and got it, we put him on and pushed him the remainder of the way.

The last three days was Hell, bombs everywhere, but today walking six miles to the boat it was not so bad, just one now and again, the beach was littered with Rifles, Respirators and complete kits where Chaps had thrown them down to swim for it, there was some stuff about. I reached the boat and it was a job for me to get on because they didn鈥檛 know who I was.
Once in the boat I was alright, they gave us nice hot tea. I had no idea where we were going when somebody said England. I couldn鈥檛 believe it, how happy I was to know that. The word soon went round I was a prisoner and I had a lot of officers round me. At last we put in at Margate. What a relief,I never thought I would see it again. I stepped off to be stopped by the Police, and questioned. I must have looked awfull in those old clothes and dirty and I wanted a shave bad. They took us to an A.R.P. Depot in the Town and gave us a much needed meal. An hour later we went to the station, caught a Train in which we went to London. The people could not do enough for us. It was rotten for me because the Police took me for a Spy and questioned me too much, it was making me ill. It was early morning when we arrived at Westminster Hospital. I had a bath, a nice hot drink and into a nice clean bed. I lay there thinking, have I been dreaming. I fell to sleep with a contented mind.

After I arrived at Westminster Hospital they notified May she came the next day with Pam and Mum, then Ern brought Brian, & May came again with Pam and her mum. I was there for about 1 month. (May came with Pam & Brian) after that I was taken to Horsham War Hospital a very nice place all wounded soldiers (May visited again with Pam & Brian a few times) there for about six weeks after that I went to Sutton Emergency Hospital and was there about 5 or 6 months, we had a very bad time there as it was near London when they bombed London and all around we had a Bomb right through the middle of the hospital I was in the far end, it was a very long hospital no upstairs at all, it gave me a nasty shake up again & made my nerves very bad. May & the family came quite often then, it was nice to have visitors, I was allowed in the grounds only with a nurse until my visitors came, when it was time for them to go they had to get a nurse to take me back inside, after all that I got well & was discharged from hospital & the army & went home after a long time home I went back to my work & H&P鈥檚. Huntley & Palmers)

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