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One of the many sessions organised by Thanet Libraries and UK-Online took place at the ‘GAP’ community centre in Broadstairs. Mrs. Wampach came in with the work of her late husband C. R. Wampach — Royal Engineers. He made the army his career and by the time the army decided he was of retirement age he had reached the rank of Major. In fact — had he not lied about his age when he joined — he could have stayed in the forces for a further 3 years. The account of his career is called ‘The Memoirs of a Sapper’ and this is one of those memories.

Memoirs of a Sapper — All over bar the shouting!

Just as VE day was upon us I was given leave from Cuxhaven so I visited my sister in Chagford. Ina was teaching in a nearby local school and I stayed at the local hotel. It was a delightful hotel, peaceful and pleasant after what I had just gone through. Good food and excellent accommodation. I was in uniform and was talking to an old boy in the bar who wore baggy trousers and a deer stalker hat. Needless to say that being in uniform and just back from the war I was being feted by the locals. I have to admit that I was telling the old boy how good we were as he admired the 21st Army Group insignia on my shoulder sleeves. “Never mind Dad” I said, “You no doubt have done your bit in the Home Guard but it was a good job that you had blokes like us to win the war for you.” I was certainly shooting a line.
The next morning when I came down to breakfast in my brand new Canadian battle dress and feeling very important, my ‘Home Guard’ colleague came in to breakfast too. He was in uniform wearing the rank of Major General and on his shoulder I could see three rows of medals! “How’s the war going, Sgt. Major?” he said. I bowed my head in shame.

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