大象传媒

My father served in the 1/5 Battalion Queens Royal Regiment, 7th Armoured Division. He was at Dunkirk. Dad said he marched 40 miles to get there. His battalion was led by Major East who Dad admired very much. During the retreat, the Germans strafed them but they were forced to keep moving. He saw several of his mates killed. When they got to Dunkirk, the major would not let them go onto the beaches until he knew there was a ship ready for them. So they were less likely to get bombed. After returning to England on the boat, he caught a train from Hastings (I think). It stopped briefly at Redhill, Surrey near where my mother lived and Dad was able to pass a message to a postman to tell my mother that he was OK.

He was also attached to the 8th army (Desert Rats) under Montgomery and was at the battle of El Alamein in the anti-tank division. He also went to Italy and Berlin. Met Montgomery and Churchill when they crossed the Rhine. He was in four campaigns: the BEF in France (retreated at Dunkirk), in the desert with Monty (El Alamein), in Italy at Monte Casino (bypassed it after the battle) and the D-Day landings.

On 23rd October 2002, Dad and Mum went to Westminster Abbey to attend an El Alamein memorial service.

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