大象传媒

We boarded a Lancaster Bomber and we had heard that the Air transport had needed a rest, and that was why we had been allocated to go in the Lancaster. We had a bag of boiled sweets and a paper bag. There was 26 to 30 Prisoners-of-War on the plane and on take off , we were all told to push up as far as possible, because of the weight of the load that was on the plane. Once we were in the air, the crew let the men look below at all of the damage that they could see. The Pilot told us that he would be flying over Germany, Holland, Belgium and France and then we would be able to see all of the damage that had been done in this War. Around 5.00 p.m. at Crew Aerodrome. We got out of the plane and then we were escorted to a shed and inside this shed were four people in white overalls, with a pipe in their hands. This was wanted o enable them to delouse us all. It was done on our hair, neck, arms, legs, the tops of our trousers and then the backs of our trousers. We were then taken into one of the hangar and we were given tea and sandwiches but no beer. I noticed there was an Para Officer, that was in Le Beck Barracks. Some had said that he had been a prisoner-of-War for only 6 weeks, not long enough to sh.., yet he was getting the same treatment as us. We had gone through this hell for years! Later that evening, we boarded a train. We had been told that we were being taken to a holding centre. As we travelled, we took a walk along the train to see if there was anyone that we knew. Walking back. This Para Officer, who had only been a Prisoner-of-War for 6 weeks,said that he had had whisky,gin and rum. We Prisoners-of-War for nearly 5 years could not even get a pint of beer. When I said this to him all he did was just smiled.
Next morning, we arrived at Horley in Surrey. We were given breakfast and then we entered the billet and we were given our next orders. We were then documented. On Thursday and Friday we had showers. All of our kit was dumped and we were issued with new uniforms and kitted out. Saturday was rest day and we were given aid. On Sunday, after breakfast we had a travel warrant issued to us and we were on our way home. On arriving in London and coming out of the station, we had been told that one of the Prisoners-of-War, returning home, had been hit by a car.
I arrived at my home station at Mortlake in Surrey at about 12.30 p.m. I walked home and nobody knew that I was even in England. As I entered my street, West Road, there was children playing but I never met anyone that I knew. When I got to my house, the house seemed to come over me. It was like I was being crushed, it was a very funny feeling on entering my parents house, it was nearly 1.00 p.m. My mother was cooking the Sunday lunch, which was a leg of lamb. My mother looked around when I entered the door and she started to cry. I said "Hallo Mum, where is Dad, is he up the allotment?" She replied that my sister, Rose and her children were out walking with my Dad and that they would not be long, before they came home. A few minutes later he arrived, carrying a sack over his shoulder, also my sister and her children came in with him. My sister then started to cry also the children. Their father had been killed earlier in the War at Monte Casino in Italy.
It was very strange coming home after spending 5 years as a Prisoner-of-War, I felt lost and I needed somewhere to hide. We had lunch and then my parents started to ask me questions of which I could not answer. I was lost for words. I could not worry my mother and father with the problem that I had about coming home. I had to overcome my experiences that I had faced in the last 5 years. I felt like a stranger and all of my family were strangers to me. How could I tell my mother my story about what I had gone through since April 1940 to when I returned home. It would have broken her heart if I had told her of all the hardships that I had endured under the Germans. To y mind, my mother and my father had suffered enough, bearing in mind that hey had witnessed tworld Wars. My mother had also lost a brother, who was killed on a mine sweeper. A son-in-law Bob May and also a brother, Bobby Ellen
They were asking me questions for about a day, after I had returned, but I could not tell them anything. In fact, I was told to get out of the house because I would not speak very much. At nights I would hear the slightest noise, then I would either get up or put my fingers to my lips.
My mates, Corporal Benham and Corporal Norris were also home but I never saw Norris
again. But Ted and I walked into a public house to have a drink at the Bar, and there was our old C S C Blossom Austin, who was Himmler's guard. When he committed suicide, he had got away from France. But he drank his pint in the Bar and before we could get to speak to him, he walked out of the public house. We never met up with him again.
One afternoon, my mother and I were alone in the house. She asked me if some of the roads have trees growing each side. I replied that they did. She then told me that she had had a dream about me in 1940. My mother said that all that she could see was along line of men, but could not see their faces, and I had turned to her and smiled,then patted my mother on her left shoulder. My mother asked if I had been wounded and I told her no, but she thought that I had been. She then handed me the Woodbine packet which had my name and address on it, my message had got through. There were other messages which had been received by the Ministry of Defence, but one could not be sure. My mother had said that when the Air raids were on, there was no trains or buses. You had to walk home from a town called Whitton in Middlesex to my home in Mortlake in Surrey, which was about 10 miles. Then all that she could provide for tea was a jacket baked potato, dripping, salt and pepper. Later my dad would go out fire watching. Bombs was dropped on Watney's brewery Sports field, also Mortlake and Hmmersmith's cemetaries in Kew Road in Richmond in Surrey. Kew Road was closed and the smell was terrible. Even in death, these graves were not allowed their peace and they could not leave the dead alone.
The men working on Watney's Garage were repairing the roof at the back of our house.Then there was aplane with its guns blazing, and he just managed to get on his ladder and slide into our garden.
Ho could I tell my Mother of what I had seen and how I had lived since 1940. Being starved, walking alive with lice.
On the following Saturday evening, my Father and I went out for a drink at the public house. He spoke about the War and of what had ahppened since 1940. Now my father
wasa man of the world, he had served aboard a naval ship in the Russia and Japanese war, so ne knew a little about the world and the people. He had aslo been in China when the German fleet visited China in 1911. When they entered the harbour, the British cleared for action,. I had heard these stories many times. I said to my dad" I will tell you what did happen, but it would have to be in my time and when I felt ready to do so"
I forget how many times that I had been told to leave my parents house because of my not being able to adapt to home life. My mother told me that the girl, who I had been engaged to before the war, had now got married, so I picked up on a old girlfriend by the name of Hilda Richards.
I had my rations and clothing cards stolen. No-one in our street ever locked their doors so any one could just walk in. It was just KNOCK, CALL AND WALK IN.
I did get replacement cards and theymust have feltsorry for me, because when I told the lady that I had just returned home after being a Prisoner-of-War for 5 years.
While on leave, I had a letter to report to London for an interview. When I attended this interview, all that I could see was soldiers, who were all Ex Prisoners-of-War. I reported in at the desk and I was told to wait until my name was called out. There were two men that carried out the interview and they spoke about our treatment. They asked if I had made any attempts to escape. I answered their questions, then out of the blue they asked me "Where youwith Driver Smith when he was shot?" I replied "Yes I was" They then asked me to tell my side of the story relating to this incident. I told my story and then I was told that I was a War Crimes witness.
My girlfriend, Hilda and I spoke about getting married. We then approached our families, my family thought it was a good idea and Hilda's family could see no problem.
So we applied for a Special Licence and we were then married at a Church in Shepherds Bush in London on Saturday 25 AugustAfter wewere married then the questions started to be asked about my time away in the War. "Why were you a Prisoner-of-War?" "What did you do?"Why don't you tell your Mother about it?"
It went on and on, day in and day out and I just said "Iwill talk about it when I am good and ready" But once again I had made a mistake.
In September 1945. I received a letter that my leave was drawing to a close. I had to report to a camp in St Johns Wood which was near to High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire. Since getting married, I not only had my mother nagging me but now I had my wife as well. Both on my back. I thought, how could I tell them my experiences, being starved, running alive with lice and the deplorable way that I had lived for two and a half years. Also of the men, who were comrades that had died of dysentary, then looked out of the window and saw the lice leaving the bodies of the dead. How the men had died of despair and these were men that were rough and ready men that would survive. But when you had the little rich boys which did not have a clue on how to survive.
On September 20 1945 I said goodbye to my family and my wife and went off on my travels again.

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