大象传媒

This is the untold story of Alf Clive's bravery narrated by his colleague Phil Rennie.
Phil joined the 9th Battallion of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment with 6 other friends , and following their training in Sutton Park, Birmingham, and Swindon, Wiltshire, where he became friends with Alf,they were seconded to the 8th Battallion, and after Christmas leave 1939, were sent to France.
In May of 1940 they found themselves guarding the canal 6 miles from Tournai, Belgium, in an attempt to stop German forces bringing heavy machine guns across the canal.
After several days of firing between both sides, the Platoon Officer realised that a weak point, further along the canal, needed a delaying action otherwise the Germans would be able to cross, and set up a heavy machine-gun that would have been set up at that point which would have caused serious problems for the rest of the British Company.
Alf volunteered, and Phil accompanied him in a Bren carrier hoping to adopt a position, from which they could prevent the Germans crossing.
The Germans had already crossed the canal, and were waiting, and a series of rifle-fire and hand-grenade explosions caused immediate woundings to both Alf, and Phil. Phil's injuries immobilised him at this point, and he was unable to help Alf. Despite being injured, Alf leapt out, and hid behind the carrier, and proceeded to fire at the enemy. After an hour of intermitant firing on both sides, the Germans had managed to enter neighbouring houses, and were able to fire down on the carrier. In the course of this, Alf was wounded again, but valiently continued to fire at the enemy, despite dwindling ammunition.
At this point a dispatch arrived recalling them to their Company. Alf had difficulty getting back into the carrier due to his injuries, and Phil held his arm, trying to pull him into the vehicle. As the carrier turned back up the road, Phil was then able to use his Bren gun against the enemy, and at that stage Alf was fatally wounded. It was not until they arrived back at the Company that Phil realised that his friend was dead.
Phil still remembers the bravery of his friend Alf, and felt that his actions should have received a medal in recognition of this selfless bravery.
Phil honours his friend with these memories.

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