大象传媒

c (72) against Germany was over.
The 5th continued in Germany as part of the army of occupation. One episode, not advert1sed much, concerned a fishing expedition in the Kiel Canal. Someone used too much explosive to stun the fish and blew a large hole in the canal bank. A large area of North Germany was soon under water. Officially, the canal banks had been weakened by R.A.F.
bombing.
These and many other anecdotes were garnered at the annual re-union of 'B' Squadron, 5th R.T.R. Organised by Dennis Cockbaine, the annual re-union in 1987 was the thirty-ninth. The attendance at these affairs still approaches the hundred mark. Considering that a squadron of fifteen tanks and its transport had seventy-five tank crew plus spare crew and transport echelon, the attendance is remarkable, even after allowing for the turnover of personnel and that members of other squadrons are welcome. One remembers Paddy Doyle of 'C' Squadron flying from Canada to attend and Dicky Ward, the legendary commander of 'A' Squadron, attending before and subsequent to his appointment as G.O.C. Hong Kong. Few had any difficulty in imagining the acknowledged 'recce' expert surveying the vast expanse of China. 'Pop' Waters survived to attend re-unions until his death in the 1960s. His hands and face were very badly scarred. He could not return to his work as a foundryman. It was much to the credit of the authorities that he was found employment as a storeman at an R.A.F. maintenance unit. This both supplemented his 100% disability pension and preserved his self respect.
Major 'Bit of a Dip' Biddell did attend at one time but then
decided that the time had come to stop. The majority of his
old comrades did not agree.
*** I

r-- (73)

Note by Pamela his wife

Geoffrey wrote these notes from his memories and diary entries towards the end of the 1980s. He continued to attend the 'B' Squadron re-unions until 1996 (the 47th). The only re-union he missed was in 1992 when we were on holiday in Australia.
At the 1995 re-union, the deaths were announced of:-
'Bangle' Bowman - at home in Dundee Jack 'Butch' Lovell
Both Geoffrey and George Onions attended the re-union in April 1996 but
Geoffrey died suddenly on 30th August 1996
George died on 21st October 1996
In October 1998, the first and only memorial to 'The Desert Rats' the 7th Armoured Division was unveiled by Field Marshal Lord Carver at the entrance to Shakers Wood, Norfolk.

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