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BOFORS GUN 7
Epilogue

One of a series of accounts of incidents, in chronological order, whilst commanding a Bofors Gun detachment (7 of 7) by Cyril Frederick Perkins
As the final chapters of the war in Europe unfolded the Allies achieved air supremacy on the Italian front but this proved to be a hollow victory for us. On the ground a tenacious enemy fought hard for every yard of soil conceded and casualties on both sides were heavy,
The Second Front had priority over available logistics and in need of reinforcements to plug the gaps made by their over zealous expectations, the war lords turned their hungry eyes upon the men of Artillery Regiments. They would not concede to black marks in the history books denoting the use of Artillery Regiments in Infantry roles so they found more subtle solutions. Heavy and Light Anti-Aircraft Regiments were completely disbanded and their compliments sprinkled around Infantry Battalions.
Our Bofors Gun war was over and when Major Long addressed the Battery for the last time tears unashamedly ran down his cheeks although his were not the only tears that were shed. Along with many others Number 4 Detachment ‘C’ Troop died that day and the ignominy of our redundancy was compounded in scattering us around like so many fragments of an exploding shell.
They are faceless figures now Bob and Toff - Tommy Toddy and the rest and there will be no mention of Number 4 Detachment in the history books. Yet the spirit of that happy band of warriors lives on and is as much a part of history as history itself.
The last time I laid eyes on a Bofors Gun was during a visit to the War Museum at Waiouru in the North Island of New Zealand and at that last sighting I thought it the most implausible pile of junk I had ever seen.

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