大象传媒

Italy 1944. In the spring of 1944 I was with my Squadron which was 2788 Field Sqdrn R.A.F Regiment which at that time we were attached to the American 5th Army under General Mark Clark around the Monte Casino area. We were camped down in tents in an olive grove under the last ridge of hills before the Liri Valley and Monte Casino. On this occasion we were attached to the 2nd New Zealand Division which were holding positions to the right of the monastery in a thickly wooded area. Time came round for the Sqdrn to take up positions with these New Zealanders in the front line. We were taken up by our lorries to the highest point available looking over the Liri Valley where the usual procedure was for to stay there until darkness fell. You were then taken down through the woods where special tracks had been made which were covered all over with pig iron for to help stop the lorries from sinking in the mud, as there had been quite a lot of rain.

We ended up at a place which was called 'The Basin' which was the farthest point that any lorries could go at that time. Not far away there there was a bridge leading over the Rapido River,and then over the Liri Valley to where ever your positions were going to be.This was to be our rear H.Q.for a short period. The usual procedure then was for the flight officer and flight sergeant to make a reconnaissance of the area that you were going to take over a day or so before.On this occasion I was detailed for to go long with them for what reason I did not know as there were about two dozen other chaps available. We set off from 'The Basin' as soon as it had got dark, because you must remember that no movements whatsoever could be done in daylight because the whole area for miles around was dominated by The Monastery. All of any activity was done during darkness. When we started out, the procedure that I was told was that after finding out our positions of where we had to go. we would stay the night in an old farm house and return the next night as soon as it had got dark.

Well for some unknown reason the Officer and Sgt decided to go straight back but I had to stay there with some army chaps who of course I did not know, and go back the next night on my own when it had got dark. This was quite some distance of several miles through a wooded area where you had to follow a thick white tape which was tied on to the bushes this being your only guide. During the day I had managed to get hold of a packet of army biscuits we called them Dog Biscuits because they were so hard just in case I got hungry not knowing when I was going to get another meal. You rested during the day if that was possible but you had to keep all of your clothes on. Well the night soon came round and as soon as it had got dark enough off I set down this road with a Sten gun knowing that I had to turn left at one point to go down through this wooded area. To be quite honest I did not have a clue to where I was going. When you are in the front line you have a code word, which in case you are challenged at any time by someone in hiding you have to answer back immediately. On this occasion the code word was "Bread" to which you had to answer "Cheese". Failing that answer you were asking to be shot with no questions asked. Well I kept on going down this winding road until I was eventually stopped by a Military policeman ('Red Cap'). By now it had got to be a very bright moonlight night. His first words to me was "Where do you think you are making for? " So I said 鈥淚 want to get back to 'The Basin' where my rear H.Q,is.鈥� He then said "Look up there, you are not going to go any further than this".

There was The Monastery silhouetted against the back ground of the night sky still in German hands looking brilliant. He then said to me, 鈥淗ow is it that you are on your own whatever are your officers thinking of as there should always be two of you". He then said 鈥淭here is an army unit going back that way so I will go and see them to see if they will take you back to your rear H.Q.鈥�

Well I got up into one of their lorries and off we went and as I said to where I had to go I did not have a clue and I don't think that the driver of the lorry had a clue neither. We must have went several miles before I said to the driver "Surely we must have gone past our target?鈥� Well he stopped the lorry and we got out, and by chance there was some other army vehicles going back through that area, so I got up into one of their lorries.

This driver did know where The Basin was and dropped me off at the right place. I eventually found my way back up through a wooded area although everything was strange not knowing anything about where our exact spot was but came across our officers鈥� tent. The time by now was around 7 am in the morning and I had been travelling all night. The first thing he wanted to know was where had I got to, and that he was going to put me on a charge for desertion whilst on active service. What a job I had to convince him what had happened before he finally gave in! I did not mention to him though about what the Military Policeman said about being on my own in that territory at that time in the morning.

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