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This story is submitted to the People鈥檚 War site by a member of Market Harborough Branch, Royal British Legion on behalf of Kenneth West and has been added to the site with his permission. Mr West fully understands the site鈥檚 terms and conditions.

A Tinkle on the Line.
By Kenneth West

The winter of 1944-45 in Holland is still known as the "Hard Winter" and we of the 49th Infantry Division whose job it was to defend and hold the Nijmegen Bridge over the River Waal, recall the bitter weather and equally bitter fighting to repulse numerous attempts by the Germans to reach this vital bridge. A fierce battle at Zetten petered out after a 3 day blizzard and our battalion, 11 RSF, took over from the battered Leicesters who had held out despite ferocious attacks from Paras and S.S. troops. Our farthest section was in an isolated house now reduced to rubble, about 1/2 mile from 'A' Coy HQ.

Contact was by field telephone which was barely audible (strength 2-3 of 5). After about 3 days the line went dead about 9 o'clock in the evening, and as duty linesman it was my job to re-establish communications. I was allocated an escort of a young lad of about 18 years who had just joined the Coy , and subsequently his first excursion into the wild unknown. With the experience of my 22 years, I impressed upon him the necessity to have 'one up the spout', and to take the single signal wire in one hand and let it run through his hand as he walked about 10 yards to my rear. The only way to trace a line in the dark was to follow it by hand as it was looped along the hedgerow and fences by the side of the country road. On reaching the break, usually done by shell or mortar fire, the second man held the line as the linesman searched for the other end.

We were just over halfway to the section when the line came to an abrupt end. No blackened shell hole, just a single set of footprints in the knee deep snow leading from the German lines and across the road and fields to the outskirts of Zetten. With the youngster in a covering firing position, I reported the break to Coy HQ which was strength 5. Tying the single wire around his wrist, I went in search of the other end to contact the section. They were still very faint so I said I would make the joint and come to them and change their handset, checking the line as we went.

The handset was duly swapped, but there was no improvement. Army telephones were then earth return, so I checked the earth pin and everything seemed OK By now we had been exposed to the elements for about 1陆 hours and the bladder was calling for relief, This I did in the proximity of the earth pin before returning to the cellar. The Corporal was all smiles and asked what magic I had performed as the signals were now almost full strength. When I told him of my simple remedy he scarcely believed me but showed his thanks with a tot of rum and a mug of hot char. We left them with the instructions that if they wanted to keep perfect contact, just give the line a tinkle from time to time.

On return to "A" Coy HQ I suggested that the forward section be kept adequately supplied with T.S.M. for their brew-ups, though I didn't envy the bloke who would eventually remove the earth pin!!

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