大象传媒

On reaching the age of 18years, I had to register at the local Employment Exchange, three weeks later I was told to report to Renshaw Hall in the city centre for a medical. Fourteen days later, a letter bearing the initials O.H.M.S. arrived with a railway ticket informing me to report to Saighton Camp in Chester on the 18th March 1943. During the six weeks primary training, I was interviewed by a selection board to find out which job I was most suitable for.
After my primary training, I was posted for training as a Driver/Operator learning to drive also the R/T, and W/T wireless procedure, later on being sent on an advanced signal course.
It was the beginning of January 1944, I was posted to the 3RHA who returned home to take part in the D.Day Landings after being in action in Africa and Italy. As time for the landings drew near we were posted to Brentwood in Essex. We then travelled down to Tilbury Docks days before the actual date of 6th June to have our vehicles, and equipment loaded onto a Liberty Boat. We arrived in Arromanches where we had our vehicles, and equipment loaded onto the L.C.T.s, after which we climbed down the scrambling nets on the side of the bopat.
After clearing the beach (Gold Beach), we found a small dog that was shivering, and shaking due to all the noise that had been going on. That little dog travelled with us from Normandy, through France, Belgium, Holland and Germany.
One day in Germany, he ran into a woods, maybe he went chasing rabbits, but he never came back. My memories of Normandy are the heat, the dead cows in the fields, lying on their backs, their bodies all swelled up, with their legs pointing upwards. The stench of rotting animal bodies seemed to be everywhere.
The fighting in the Bocage countryside, crossing the River Orne at midnight, then on through Belgium on reaching Ghent another nice welcome for our vehicle, when an elderly gentleman gave us each a glass of champagne from a bottle he had hidden during the occupation of his country.
The autumn and winter, the regiment was in Holland, with such places as Tilburg, S鈥橦ertogenbosch, and being in Sittard over Christmas 1944, and New Year 1945. The winter was really cold, even the Dutch people were complaining, saying it was the coldest they鈥檇 had for a few years.
In January we crossed into Germany, we crossed over the River Rhine, it was then through Germany to Harburg, Hamburg (where we were on 8th May, when we were told that the war in Europe was over). We moved onto Berlin early in June 1945 to prepare to take part in the Victory Parade.
On the 21st July 1945, the regiment took part in the Parade, with other units of the Armed Forces.
After the Parade, I received a letter from a sixteen year old girl who lived in Yorkshire, asking if she could write to me as a pen pal. Two years later we were married in Queensbury parish Church in Yorkshire. On 20th December of this year; 2005, we celebrate our 58th Wedding Anniversary.

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