大象传媒

This story was submitted to the people's war site by a voluteer from CSV on behalf of James E Wilkinson and has been added to the site with his permission
James was living in Barnett London when he joined the Army at nineteen years of age
His Brother was already in the RAF at the time
He went to Scotland in Berwick on tweed to begin his basic training through to weapons training to join the 15th Scottish Division
James was then taken to Newhaven where he began his journey to France being 'thrown around like a cork' on rough seas lying on a bunk below in pich dark on the landing craft when he was called above deck to see the coast of France.
Then over the side and down the ropes on an empty stomach into the cold water of Normandy on D day.
James survived on a 24 hour pack for the next three days mostly surviving on chocalate and biscuits.
'The first three weeks were the worst it was a baptism by fire everyone was scared'
James was first involved in the battle of Epsomme and fought his way through Europe pushing the Germans back through Holland and up to the Rhineland.
Its was ten weeks before the war ended that James was sent to hospital to recover from a burns injury.
When he returned eight weeks later almost all of his old battalion were lost.
Only his C.O. and a handfull of familiar faces were left amonst new recruits.

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