- Contributed by听
- NoelBarwick
- People in story:听
- Noel Barwick
- Location of story:听
- Dulwich / Ghent / Germany
- Background to story:听
- Army
- Article ID:听
- A2499393
- Contributed on:听
- 07 April 2004
I am 鈥淣obbv鈥 Barwick and I was a tank wireless operator, in the Middlesex Yeomanry and served with the 7th Armoured Division (desert rats). In North Africa, Italy and Europe.
I have the following three memories which may be of interest.
1. A FINE ROMANCE
In June 1942 there was a major tank battle south of Tobruk. The tank of one my friends and fellow operator was hit and I lost contact with him. He later turned up at a prisoner of war camp in Italy. However parcels from his girlfriend continued to arrive and I was delegated by my crew to write and thank her.
When I eventually returned home in January 1944 I called at her home in Dulwich in order to thank her personally. I learnt from her mother that she was at the local hairdressers where I found her in curlers under the dryer. This was my first sight of the girl who was to become my wife.
2. BRIEF ENCOUNTER
After landing in Normandy and crossing France we eventually found ourselves in Belgium outside the historic city of Ghent. The German commander was threatening to resist our entry, which would certainly have led to major destruction in this beautiful city.
My Brigade Commander decided to lead a small party into the city centre under cover of darkness to try and negotiate a cease fire. Whilst he was away I was standing outside my tank when I found a small boy scout tugging at my sleeve. He led me into a large cellar where many local residents had taken shelter. Needless to say their hospitality was overwhelming and fortunately the negotiations with the German commander proved successful. This enabled the whole Brigade to move into the city the next day.
3. JOURNEY鈥橲 END
On the night of VE Day we were in a small German town not far from the Danish border. The British Cromwell tank which had been my home since landing in Normandy was also the Brigade command tank and had extra wireless equipment installed in it.
This meant that the normal gun was removed and replaced by a dummy wooden gun in order to make the tank look like all the others. On VE Night we had much pleasure in sawing off the wooden gun which with other rubbish made a very satisfactory bonfire to mark the end of the war.
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