大象传媒

In 1944, at the age of 10 years, I lived together with my Mother and younger sister at Ash Tree Cottage, Bunker's Hill, Denmead some 8 miles from Portsmouth. My father, an officer in the Royal Air Force, was serving abroad in the Middle East. Some 300 yards from the cottage was the Forest of Bere, a vast woodland, and situated in the wood and very well secluded from the road which ran through it to the village of Southwick was Creech House. This dwelling was utilised by Generals' Eisenhower and Montgomery as their Headquaters prior to the D-Day invasion.
In view of the importance and secrecy of this Headquarters and the fact that the woodland accommodated several thousands of troops awaiting to cross the Channel on the 6th June 1944 only those civilians actually residing in Bunker's Hill were permitted to access their homes; the road from the village of Denmead to Southwick being sealed off by armed servicemen at Bunker's Hill. Proof of identity and address of residence having to be produced to the soldiers when entering and leaving the area.
Immediately outside my home and all along the side of the narrow village road leading to the Forest of Bere were dozens of armoured vehicles including tanks, bren gun carriers and ducks, a large amphibious vehicle. The crews of these vehicles slept and ate in them. They cooked by oil stoves. Water was obtained from the residents living in the adjacent dwellings.
One particular tank crew, which was positioned immediately in front of our cottage, became very well known to us and, due to the fact that the Luftwaffe appeared in the sky every night trying to locate the well hidden and camouflaged troops in the Forest, fearful that the area may be subjected to bombing,they dug a slit trench in the garden for the three of us should such an event ever take place. Fortunately we did not have to make use of it for, although the Germans knew of the troops existence they failed to locate them and in consequence the aircraft continued on to Portsmouth where they discharged their bombload upon the Royal Naval Dockyard. The sky above the city glowed red and we were so thankful at being some 8 miles from the devastation. As a way of gratitude to the tank crew for assisting us my Mother prepared the odd meal and provided endless mugs of tea.
The troops were positioned in the area for several weeks prior to their embarkation.I cannot remember them departing but one morning when I looked out of the window they were no longer there. They must have pulled out, albeit very quietly, during the night.
Sometime after the invasion an area of the woodland was cleared and a prisoner of war camp was constructed to receive German militia. I can recall visiting this camp and sitting in the company of the British guards in their Nissan huts drinking mugs of tea. Many of the German POW's after the end of the war did not return to their homeland but remained locally and worked on the land.

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