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It was the 15th July 1939 when I was called up to join the First Militia at Norton Barracks, Worcester, the Head Quarters of the Worcestershire Regiment. War broke out on the 3rd September 1939. It was during October of the same year that I, together with 120 others were drafted to make the numbers up of a T.A. Unit, the 7th Battalion, Worcestershire Regiment.

We joined where they were stationed at Marlborough and I was promoted to the rank of Corporal. The Battalion were being equipped to be sent to France to join the British Expeditionary Force. I was given a few days leave during which Joan and I decided to get married. We were married on the 11th November 1939 at Christ Church, Wolverhampton and spent a four day honeymoon at Oxford.

And so, on the 15th January 1940, I now a married man, and the rest of the Battalion, embarked on the MV Amsterdam at Southampton and landed at Le Havre, France. We landed in a blinding snow-storm and were crammed into railway cattle trucks, thirty men per truck! Our first experience of France was under canvas at Yvtote where we became part of the 2nd Division, joining the Highland Cameron’s and the Durham Light Infantry. We were soon moved into billets at Le Forest which gave better protection from the intense cold. It was here that I had my first experience of drinking French beer, spirits and wine at a small ‘estaminée’, when we attempted to try every drink from one end of the shelf behind the counter to the other!!

It was not long before we were on the move again, this time by train to Rummagoes by the Belgium border. It was here that we had our first experience of the 'Magino Line’consisting of Block Houses situated along the border with Belgium. Each Block House was an enclosed assembly of a 75mm Gun, a rack full of shells, a machine gun, a periscope, sleeping facilities and emergency food and water. After settling in our billets, ‘C’ Company 7th Worcester’s were ordered to occupy these block houses as defence against any German attack. Without any instructions, as Corporal in charge of a section of six men, I was allocated a Block House. Our main interest was the periscope which we raised and peered to see all that was happening around us.

We examined the gun and opened the breech. It was all very strange to us all. Next we checked the sleeping and food facilities and came to the conclusion that they were designed for a long stay. This was at the end of April 1940 and nothing was happening on the front with Germany. Leave was started and I was one of the fortunate ones. However, I changed dates with a comrade Pte Revitt whose wife was due to have a baby. He however was killed on his way back to Dunkirk.

Joan and I took this opportunity to visit her relatives at Jarrow, Auntie Mary, Uncle Edwin, and their children, Olive and Edward (who was later killed at Anzio). It was while we were there that the Germans invaded the Low Countries and leave was cancelled and we were all urgently called back to Southampton and to France.

We were transported to Lille and it was here that we were spit into units. By now it was the 12th May 1940 and I was informed that the 7th Worcester’s had left Rumegies and had advanced into Belgium. Next day we were informed that the German Tanks and Panzer Divisions had advanced so rapidly that it had become impossible to get us back to our Units. We were told that it was our responsibility to make our own way to the coast and get whatever transport we could across the Channel back to England.

Five of us banded together and at first joined the refugees who were streaming out of Belgium with all their pitiful belongings in handcarts, prams and even carried on their backs, dragging protesting children. We shared our food with them and gave what help we could as they slowly shuffled along the dusty road. We realized that we were part of the war when we watched German aircraft circling overhead. One of them suddenly dived and came screaming over our heads spraying bullets as we scrambled into the nearby ditch for protection. We proceeded slowly leaving relatives to bury their dead and tend to the wounded.

From then on we only moved at night. Fortunately it was not cold and so we were able to get some sleep on the hard ground. We begged food and water at every village we passed through. At one village we made contact with the French Resistance who because we were still in uniforms and endeavouring to get to the coast, took it upon themselves to guide and pass us from village to village, providing us with food and shelter. At last we reached Le Havre where they arranged for passage for us on a French Destroyer heading to Weymouth for safety.

It was here that we were welcomed by members of the W.V.S. and the Salvation Army who wrapped us in blankets and gave us sandwiches and cups of tea. It was wonderful to feel that we were back in England. They even gave us stamped post cards to send to our loved ones to tell them we were safe.

Military Police took our particulars and then we lay on mattresses in the corridors of Weymouth Town Hall. Next day we were put on trains with tickets to Leeds to rejoin the remains of the 7th Worcestershires who had come back via Dunkirk. The Battalion had lost 346 other ranks killed, wounded and taken prisoner.

From here I was given a few days leave and rejoined my dear wife Joan. She had given her notice in at her job at Lucas’s, Birmingham and she became a ‘camp follower’, following me around during the next three years, wherever the Battalion moved to, until we finally were sent to India in 1943.
Truly an experience I will remember all my life.

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