大象传媒

In Nov 1941, although only 16, I joined the army. After basic training in Brecon, South Wales, I moved to norfolk. Whilst on battle training, I was cought between 3 exploding grenades and hospitalised for three months. Rejoining my unit, I was attached to a fresh batch of recruits passing through the training again. After embarkation leave, travelling to Liverpool, we boarded the 25,000 ton Marnix van st. Aldergond. After laying off New Brighton for 2 days, we joined convoy KMF 25 A, we sailed in Oct 1943, and after a rough passage down the Atlantic, we entered the med. 80 miles past Gib, we were hit by a torperdo. Warships closed and evacuation began. When only our draft was left they decided the sea had become too rough and it would be safer remaining aboard overnight. at dawn, we were taken on a corvette. The last I saw of the Marnix, she was right down by the stern and going fast. Taken to Phillipville in north Africa, we were re-equiped and on the MV Derbyshire, after sailing alone for 2 days, we caught up with a convoy and within hours were attacked by bombers, we didn't get it. Reaching Bombay, we spent a few weeks at Deolali, before moving across India to Calcutta. It was a time of famine with corpses lying in the streets waiting for disposal. Boarding a little steamer, we moved onto chittagong and then rode to Cox's Bazarr, from there it was on foot to join the 1st batt Wiltshire Reg. in action in the Arakan, western Burma.
After 6 or 8 months, the strength of the batt with casualties and disease was such that we pulled out. We moved to Rawlapindi in northern India. From there I had leave to Sirinaga in Kashmir. Our next move was Razmak on the Afgan border. A very mountainous area, peopled by Pathans; a war like race who delighted in fighting on another and when we tried to keep them apart, they fought us.
The camp was at 5000ft and surounded by barbed wire. No one allowed out without a heavy escort. An air strip ran about 800yds from the camp with a tiny fort at the end to protect it. Going on duty in this fort, an armed escort took you out to the fort and the 10 of you stayed locked in for the week, until relieved. I was a signaller then, my job to communcate back to camp by lamp. I was on duty there on VE night and by coincidence, also on VJ night when we all had to fire off flares in celebration. Having lit the place up, the local hostiles had to have their fun and opened up on us. A good time was had by all.

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