大象传媒

This story was submitted to the People's War site by Lisa Watson of Leicestershire Library Services on behalf of George Bramley and has been added to the site with his permission. The author fully understands the site's terms and conditions.

I joined the infantry in 1941, served in the 8th Buffs and then was transferred to the Queen's Royal Regiment. Went abroad sailing from Liverpool, calling at Freetown, West Africa and Capetown, ending up at Bombay, India.

After a short time I was sent to Iraq, docking at Basra. We lived in tents with heat about 100 degrees, with flies all day and mosquitoes all night. I think they worked in tandem! We then moved to Northern Iraq to the oil town of Kirkuk, now in the news. We went by train via Baghdad, travelling in goods trucks, sitting on the floors, sixteen to a truck with our equipment. The train stopped every hour so we got out to relieve ourselves. We reached Kirkuk, where we spent the next six months, including Christmas (no presents).

We then moved south through Jordan into Palestine, what a change, with oranges etc. After a while, we moved down to Egypt then on to Libya to join the 8th Army. On to Tunisia, where the Germans and Italians gave up. Then back to Tripoli in Libya to get ready for Europe.

We sailed to Italy and took part in the landing at Seleno, where I was wounded. Went back to Tunisia on a hospital ship, then moved along the coast, landing up in Algiers.

Back to England on another hospital ship to Southampton, then to Derby hospital and then to a convalescent home in Derbyshire.

After nearly a year in hospital, the army told me it had no more use for me and discharged me.

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