大象传媒

I was called up at 18 years of age, and sent to Colchester Barracks for initial training - a very young 18 - we were in those days!! I was the youngest of twelve children! There were six boys and six girls. I had been working for four years before I was called up. I was trained in the army, after training with the 4th Battalion, Dorset Regiment. I went in and came out as a private. From Southampton we embarked on a boat. We weren't told where we were going but we knew it was something big. We ended up in France. Eventually we arrived after several sorties at Maltot and Etterville. Then came the big battle at Hill 112. I was Company Runner at the time and we were going into the attack and a Company Commander said "Where's No 2 Platoon? I said they're in the trenches Sir. He said "Fetch them! They should be up in the line" I went back to fetch them and all this time the Germans were laying down a barrage of mortar bombs fired by Nebelw眉rfers which fired six bombs in succession. They scream as they go through the air so they are demoralising as well as incapacitating. One dropped behind me. When I came to I had been severely wounded. All the platoon were dead because they had taken the blast. I was taken back to the First Aid Post. I was attended to by Corporal Puddy, who at one stage had sheltered me with his own body to protect me from the barrage. I was then taken back to a tent hospital at Bayeux, where I stayed for for five weeks, and was then shipped back to England. I was sent to a thoracic unit in Edinburgh Royal Infirmary for 10 days and then I was moved to Bangour Hospital at Broxburn in West Lothian. I spent a year in hospital - seven and a half months without getting out of bed. I had wonderful treatment. I was then discharged from the army as ceasing to fulfil army physical requirements. I have a lot to be thankful for.

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