大象传媒

This place Bougie was so remote you needed a compass to find it. Food used to appear but from where I don鈥檛 know. The only excitement was watching squid climbing over the rocks, they moving faster than I thought they could.
On the second day I was there, I was saved by Bryn Green arriving to take me back as I had been chosen to be in the rifle team to shoot against the rest of the A.G.R.A.
It was an interesting day out on the range. We shot at one, two, and four, hundred and fifty yards. It was a well-organised day, I enjoyed it. I was the best in our Regimental team and know I was in the first five, out of the six regiments taking part. We never did get the full results until much later because the Regiment was ordered to Tripoli, which was a thousand miles away, along the coast.
After a long and dusty ride, each day we would have a dip in the sea. This helped, the weather grew hotter than ever, 114 degrees in the shade if you could find any shade.
Some of the fellows suffered with desert sores very badly, a little scratch soon turned into a sore, and never seemed to want to go away. The Medical Officer of an evening had a long queue awaiting him, for treatment.
Another problem on the journey were the flies. On the move it was fine, but as soon as we stopped they would appear, so persistent, and were a very unpleasant experience at meal times.
On arriving in Tripoli, we hoped for a few days rest, we were settled by ancient Roman ruins, near the sea so we were able to swim all day if we wanted.
These ruins had been excavated from the sand, and seemed to be a complete settlement. I explored the place, finding a large amphitheatre, complete with stone seating for a few hundreds, and a large stage on which an American entertainment troop performed for us during our stay.
Also I discovered a Public Toilet. It was I think the most interesting item of all. Built on a mound at one side of the town. An aqueduct kept it supplied with water in the past, which must have ran continuously. It had thirty-two holes cut out of a stone ledge, in fact a thirty-two seater. It ran around in a semicircle. A fine view was had by all who sat there, and also by the rest of the inhabitants who could see them and what they were up to.
All roads led to a central square, where as with other squares, one for each day of the week there was a raised altar at one end. It was a rather eerie place to pass through at night when we went for a swim in what had been the old Roman harbour. Night-time was the best time to swim, as the water was warmer than the air, which refreshed when you came out.
The roads, which were narrow, had small houses, or perhaps hovels along each side, with only one room. Also the roads had grooves worn into them, from the carts that must have used them.
This place was called Sabratha, we only stayed for three days, thank God, because I began to suffer with heat loss, which gave me terrible headaches and reduced me to crawling along to see the M.O. and other necessary places. He gave me a chit to get an extra water bottle full of water. This I had to use to swallow a large hand full of salt, which. I did and the next morning all was well with me. It was a nasty, nasty, experience. The chit was needed from the MO for the extra water, because we were only allowed one bottle a day, for all purposes.
We had been sent to Sabratha in case we were needed for the landings in Sicily but it seems we were not needed, they somehow managed without us. We were sorry about it, as it would have cured our boredom.
We set off back to Setif, following the same route that we came to the exact spot we had left. Two thousand miles of travelling for nothing!
From Setif we moved to an area near Biserta in preparation, with the American Fifth Army for the crossing of the Mediterranean.
The Americans discipline differed from ours they seemed so free and easy. They were able to use any transport they wanted, dress however they wanted, and to my way of thinking, were not as organised or as disciplined as the Ghoums, or French Moroccan troops, that we had been with. Though they were very friendly towards us.
One evening we were given a lift to a film show, by an American who was driving himself there in a huge lorry, the show was arranged in a huge shed by the docks, it was the first film I had seen since leaving England. When coming out of the show, we found that somebody had discovered a trainload of beer, and had broken into it. The Yanks were loading lorries, and driving off and I am sure there were officers among them. This lack of discipline, I am sure accounted for some of the happenings during the campaign.
Being finished in Tunisia, we departed from the port of Biserta in American L.C.I鈥檚 (Landing Craft Infantry). The crossing took two days and was very pleasant though cramped.
The sea was very calm and the food was good, except that the American crew took their meat and veg with fruit and custard all on one plate, custard covered everything. They seemed surprised that we wanted it differently but were happy to do as we wanted.
We had a very uneventful crossing. Understandably as the Navy were looking after us. We had beautiful weather, so warm.
My first sight of Italy were trees, and as they grew bigger we could see a beautiful beach above which we could see the vines with large bunches of grapes, and fruit, which we were anxious to take prisoner, hoping that there was nobody to try and stop us.
As we approach the shore, two runways were projected forward. We were lined up around the boat, and as soon as it grounded we ran down the runways onto this wonderful golden beach of Salerno.
We were in battle order and fortunately stepped onto dry land while others nearby stepped into a few feet of water and being weighed down with gun and ammunition, kicked off to a bad start in wonderful Italy, they had to wade ashore or swim.
The Warspite, and other Warships were firing from the bay. This made sure we had a peaceful landing, so we were not disturbed and after making our way inland, spent the first night in tobacco drying sheds at Ponticagnano. We amused ourselves trying to make cigarettes or cigars from the drying leaves. Most of them burnt like bonfires, but there was nothing else to smoke. We discovered that toilet paper did not make good cigarettes.
On visiting the beach to get news of our equipment the Sgt. Major wanted to know if the Colonel would be coming down, as he said the Colonel had never seen him with his jacket off and he did not intend to start now even in a foreign land.
Our guns and equipment soon arrived on the beach and we moved on into action to assist in taking Naples.
On passing through Naples an Italian sold me a medal commemorating the fall of Naples, it only fell that day, he must have been a quick worker or he had advanced knowledge.
We went on to cross the river Volturno, and from then on we supported many attacks, assisting many units and nationalities the last attack before Christmas was on Monte Camino, it was a tough one, supporting the fifth Marine Commandos. We were pleased when it was taken as it was coming up to Christmas, and we were to be taken out of the line for a rest.
We were billeted under cover in a farmhouse at Gratzzinese, near Capua. The weather was still very bad and cold so every where was deep in mud.
With time on our hands and thinking of Christmas, we went foraging around the surrounding farms, to see what we could buy, or barter. We acquired thirteen chickens and one turkey, not a bad haul for thirty of us, Sig. Pusey, who was a butcher by trade, prepared them beautifully. They went down well on the day, with a barrel of wine, and the tinned turkey that the army had supplied. I don鈥檛 think it was the best vintage red wine, as it stained our faces, but it served its purpose.
It was just before Christmas that we were inspected by Lieut. General Sir Richard McCreary, who commanded Italy. He was the only General I saw during the war, apart from Eisenhower, who I saw taking a stroll on the Bacino di San Marco in Venice, with his wife.
Christmas passed off as well as could be expected, though this barn of a place we were in was very cold, the fires we made had little effect, we got warmer when cutting down the trees to burn on them.
Our rest came to an end and we moved forward to Cassino. We settled in on the slopes of Monte Trocchio, moving into a collection of derelict buildings. This was the housing situation that we had become used to, when we could find a house, but any port in a storm, and we were in the middle of a rainstorm.
Firstly we had to get our Signal Office into being. We decided to dig in under a fairly low, long roof, which must have been used for storage. As we dug some Italians appeared and began to take an interest, we soon discovered why. As we dug we came upon boxes. Evidently, we had hit the spot in the whole area which they though would be the safest hiding place, so as they belonged to them we kindly let them finish the digging for us. We went down a few feet more, then made a good strong roof of wood, and with a few layers of straw for insulation, it was becoming habitable, and dry. It was large enough for four of us to be in at a time if necessary. With a hole through the wall, to the Regimental office adjoining, so we could pass messages without going out into the wet and cold.
When the telephone lines became connected, and we were well settled in, I went to look for my own bed space. It was not easy finding a corner with potential to be made comfortable. In the end I settled in with three of our despatch riders, in a little shack, that was away from the main buildings.
Most others thought it was too exposed.
Now expecting to be in this position for a good while, we set about making it habitable by blocking up the holes to keep the rain, rats, and wind out. The roof was in good condition and needed no attention. Next we decided on a fire and on searching around, we came upon charcoal which was a great find. The stove, we made from a five-gallon drum, leaving plenty of space underneath for draught. We also made a gadget, to blow air into the fire to make it burn up. It was a thin tube through which you blew. We had seen one being used before, and it worked very well. We also needed a chimney, as charcoal needs plenty of through draught, so we acquired a length of metal rainwater pipe, which served the purpose wonderfully. The only problem was, with the fire going full blast, the pipe began glow red hot, and we were worried our shack might burn down I think the rain saved us several times. For lighting, I acquired from the signal office a pressure lamp, which gave a very good light.
We were becoming comfortable and I got great satisfaction out of getting and being organised, able to dry my clothes, and to shave in hot water.
One late dark evening, when all four of us were off duty, we heard somebody outside. It was an American soldier. I believe he was attracted by our red-hot chimney, glowing in the dark, and had wandered over from the battery of Long Toms, a field or two away. We took him in and gave him a mug of tea, but he was not a very talkative person, except to complain, just about everything. He did say he was the son of an Indian Chief. We were glad of his visit, as we did not get many visitors except those that wanted to dry their socks on our fire.
The Officers Mess that was just across from us was up on the first floor of an old building with a window facing Cassino. The Colonel seemed to like to appear at the window when anything landed close. I am sure most of the Officers with him would have preferred to have dived for cover, but would not move until the Colonel did.
I saw rats leaving down the wall of the Mess just before it received a hit. They ran down the wall and away into the fields. It was empty at the time.
This position we were in on the slopes of Trocchio, was well chosen, and saved us from a lot of damage, we were protected by the height of Trocchio, shells ether passed over us or hit the summit. Though at times we received our share. But was not as bad as it could have been.
Our guns, which had to be further back, suffered, badly, having to be more exposed, as also the O.P.鈥檚 that had to be on the forward slopes, of Trocchio. We all received attention from the German guns, and the planes when they could find nothing else to shoot at on route six, this ran near by, and was our only way out.
Our O.P.鈥檚 could view route six on the German side and were giving them the same sort of treatment, blowing there transport off the road whenever it appeared.
From the Monastery, high on Monte Cassino, every movement could be seen, for miles around by the Germans. So until it was captured, or destroyed, we were unable to move forward.
Many attempts to get up the single winding road, by tanks, or infantry, failed. Others were trying to make their way round the back, which was very difficult in this mountainous area.
Our guns worked night and day trying to knockout the Nebelwerfers (Multiple Barrelled Rocket Mortars), which were causing so much trouble. They were very maneuverable, and could be fired and moved within a few minuets, to a new position. To try and catch them out, all their firing positions were plotted on a map, and on a given code word (More Pork) all guns in the area fired on their selected targets I believe with some success, it was difficult to know for sure.
The only casualties, we suffered during this period, in our H.Q. as far as I can remember, was the washing on my line, which was behind my little shack. A new shirt which, I had newly acquired from the New Zealanders, also some good warm socks, they were torn to shreds. Some of our other kit was damaged when a shell landed by the wagon with our packs on board, otherwise it was only the buildings that were hit.
The New Zealand Corps whom we were under were waiting to attack. The weather was so bad that it was impassable, the Tanks were unable to move.
The most exiting thing that happened, was when one thousand Americans planes came over to bomb the Monastery. It seemed to me that the first wave dropped their bombs behind us, and the following waves, caused so much damage to the town of Cassino that it was impossible to get through and had to be abandoned.
Our guns joined it with all the Artillery in the area making it the largest concentration of guns ever. But still we were stuck in the mud and hardly moved.
As the front obviously became more stationary, a few of us at a time were sent of to Amalfi, for four days, leave.
I went off with Johnnie Ibbotson, my partner on many outings. As we turned on to route six, which was under observation full time, the driver had to wait his turn, and then go as if he were trying to fly not giving the Germans time to fire. A fine start to a leave.

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