大象传媒

Off to Normandy

On June 19th. we were moved to a harbouring area in Southampton, so I was able to ring Phyl at work to tell her I was off to Normandy. We sailed on the night of June 25th on board a large transport ship with all our 10-ton vehicles loaded with ammunition and petrol. I had a good night鈥檚 sleep and we disembarked next morning in about two feet of water. The Naval ships were firing steadily at targets inland and the Air Force was well in control over the land area. We landed on Gold beach, Arromanches, and motored to the area of St. Gabriel, Cruelly, where we moved onto a large field; vehicles were packed around the perimeter and we dug ourselves trenches to sleep in. The four Platoons were kept very busy collecting and delivering petrol and ammunition from the beaches to the forward dumps. The noise of gunfire from the front was constant, so after a while you did not notice it. My job as Admin L/Sgt. meant that I remained on site to see that my Platoon mail was dealt with, arranging guard and picket rosters, the siting and digging of latrines and making toilet seats. The moving battles had left many dead animals in the fields; blowflies had settled on them and contaminated our meat rations.

Many of our drivers caught dysentery or enteritis; one evening, not feeling too well, I got into my trench to rest and woke up in hospital with enteritis. Presumably someone had come to my trench to see me, found me semi-conscious and got me transferred to the nearest field hospital. I was there for a week and got back to my Platoon via the discharge holding company.

Eventually Caen was taken by our troops and we moved up through a devastated area that had once been a lovely city. The Germans had been trapped in the Falaise gap area, and though many had managed to break out, the massacre and destruction of men and equipment was terrific; but such was the efficiency and discipline of the German troops and their high command, that they were able to re-group and put up stern resistance. During this period, (August - September,) we moved up through Arras, Amiens, Douni, and Tournai to Hasselt. During this period I took two vehicles with crews back to the beaches to collect engines and spares, and on one earlier occasion, (it must have been soon after we landed on the beach,) I slept one night in a German Pillbox. Buried in the earth on top of this bunker were the soldiers who had defended it, an eerie experience but I slept soundly. At Hasselt we were billeted in a modern empty factory then an American Company moved in, so we were moved out into a more derelict factory.

What a difference too, between us Tommies on 5/- a day and in not very glamorous battle dress, and the Yanks in smart dress - toting pistols on the hip, and with plenty of dollars to splash around. They were friendly enough but we were very much the underdogs.

The war having moved on, Hasselt town had some shops and stores open, so I was able to buy Phyl a set of undies; as to size, well I found a shop girl about Phyl鈥檚 size and bought the necessary. I鈥檓 pleased to say they arrived safely.

Phyl used to send me the occasional tin of cigarettes or pipe tobacco. Mind you we used to get a regular issue in France and Belgium; they came in very handy for exchanging for eggs at farmhouses we passed, sometimes a bar of chocolate for the children. This reminds me, my pal Wiggy Wigston had been posted to Italy and he sent Phyl a pair of Nylons, (I suppose he got them from the Yanks.) However, instead of putting the pair together, he put one stocking in an envelope and the other in another envelope. Phyl received one but not the other - what a disappointment! It was at this time that we would watch the flying bombs cross over our factory billet on their way to England. My Sergeant and I together with our Platoon were billeted on the top floor of this factory. You can imagine that with 30-odd bodies bedded down, (who had previously had a few drinks,) toilet buckets were essential. Think of the poor latrine wallah who had to carry them down three flights of stairs!!

On the move

From Hasselt we moved up through to Eindhoven - we had been collecting petrol and ammunition and delivering them to forward areas. In some places our stay was short; we met and were entertained by some very friendly Belgium families. I visited Brussels twice for a bath and entertainment. My job during moving up was to go ahead with the cooks and their vehicle to find suitable harbouring area. Sometimes it would mean sleeping overnight in vehicles, often I would sleep on the load, under the tailboard, or across the seats in the vehicle cab with the brake lever in my ribs.

During our week鈥檚 stay in Eindhoven I found a nice billet for Mac (Transport Sgt.) and myself, with the Manager of Phillips Electrical. (I corresponded with the family through their daughter and her husband for many years after the war).

We were now in the month of December 鈥� on the 18th. 鈥楯erry鈥� had attacked through the Ardennes; we moved back to Bourg Leopold, to a big draughty cold building, cleared the area for Christmas dinner- the cooks produced an excellent meal. December 29th. - on the move again through Ransbecke and Waterloo to a small village called Ohain. I went to a dance on New Year鈥檚 Eve and met a pleasant family who spoke English (August Ginron) who went to America after the war. Petrol and ammo details to Namur and Chaleroi. I also did a coal run, but the roads were bad because of snow and ice. I had a day in Brussels then on14/15 January 1945 we moved back to Hasselt. Two of our vehicles were badly smashed because of bad icy roads. I arranged baths for the drivers at Brussels.

24th January I left for Luifkegestel in Holland, and fixed up billets for Mac and me with a nice young couple that had a baby girl. Another vehicle was smashed up due to icy roads. On February 21st we packed up and moved to Oud Turnoat. Mac and I had a lovely billet with Mama Maene, Ginger and Gustave. Mama did our washing, sewing and ironing. She fixed a collar to my shirt and tailored both my uniform jackets. They had also bought a new wireless set. Mama gave Mac a woollen coatee for his baby son and two table centres for me to send to Phyllis; Mac left for leave and took them with him.

March 10th, I left for Boxmeer, but didn鈥檛 have time to say goodbye to Mama, Ginger and Gustave. Our new billet was a big monastery (Kastile,) with few lights or windows. The place had been damaged by shellfire and looting. I managed to fix up an office, arranged billets, stores and also a room for Mac and myself. I looked forward to those occasions when I was able to leave the office to my clerk, and go out on detail, either on a motorbike or drive one of the 10-tonners, an American Mack with overdrive, or one of our British Albions. Mostly I was tied up with platoon admin. guard and picket rosters, arranging pay, leave, platoon orders, and correspondence.

Demotion to Corporal

On 16th March I reported to the company office to be told I reverted back to being a Corporal (lack of discipline, occasions of being insubordinate, etc.). I felt upset but looking back I expect my manner of feeling like a dogsbody, and showing it, was not appreciated. Bob Collins came to take my place; I got everything in order to hand over to him for he was a friend and a very good NCO.

I reported to A Platoon under Sgt. Toddy Greenwood and L/Sgt. Dennis Woodcock. I soon settled in with them, and in time I felt much better, both physically and mentally. A good L/Cpl. Nelson and a jolly set of drivers. The Section had a comfy billet, which was just large enough. I did an area circuit on my motorbike with Vic Howe leading the way, crossing bridges built across the River Maas at Gennep, tricky enough with a lorry, very dodgy on a motorbike, as the bridges narrow and high up and there was much devastation in the area. I wrote to Mom and Dad and Phyllis. I spent the next few days on patrol, collecting and delivering ammo and petrol, and I also saw a couple of good shows 鈥淪tars in Battledress鈥�.

28th March - I went to an amusing show in the evening - Billy Deavers and Basil Dean 鈥� it had some very warm jokes and a smashing girl who turned out to be a bloke!! 29th March 鈥� we crossed the Rhine today, reveille was at 4.30 am, and then we left at left at 6.30 am. The route up was very rough, and the weather was cold and nasty, with villages shot to pieces. We crossed at Rees, where we saw the graves of airborne soldiers. At 12.30 pm we stopped for a brew-up of tea. Across the road, we saw a burnt out truck in a field that had just been hit by a shell. A party were burying two people who had been killed. Shrapnel hit two of our vehicles, and one of my drivers was injured. We delivered our petrol and ammo; and returned to our billet and bed by 9.30 pm. March 31st I saw another good show. I was glad that I鈥檇 come out of platoon admin., as I was enjoying life out with the lads much better. I had a canoe out on the river during the afternoon.

2nd April - I set out with platoon to deliver petrol to 60 FMC; one vehicle took a wrong turn into a farm area and sank into a ditch. I drove off to get hold of a Scammell breakdown vehicle, but they could not shift the lorry. The driver, Chris Armstrong and I slept in the front room of the German farmhouse. Next day a larger Scammell arrived 鈥� we unloaded some of the Jerry cans 鈥� and pulled the vehicle out of the ditch. We eventually got to 60 FMC about 5 pm. The platoon had gone ahead, so I slept in the back of the lorry. We had swapped some chocolate and cigarettes for some eggs, so we managed a meal, then proceeded to 61 FMC. We pulled off the road at midnight and had a meal with another 10-ton crowd. I tried to sleep in the cab of my vehicle, but it was very cold and uncomfortable. The clutch cable on my bike snapped, so I left it for repair at Darfeld, had breakfast and set off at 6 am for 61 FMC. The roads were crowded with traffic, workers and refugees. I got to there about 10 am, off-loaded and started back with a load of refugees, unloaded them when I picked up my bike. The weather was cold and wet, so I put my bike on the lorry, picked up more refugees and dropped them off at Bocholt. We crossed the Rhine about 7 pm and found the Company and Platoon at midnight under canvas in a wooded clearing in Weeze. I slept till 10 am next day, washed and shaved off 5 days beard.

Between 7 - 13 April reveille varied between 2 am and 5 am and the weather was variable. As my bike was damaged, I took over Gerry鈥檚 Norton, and slept where I could find a space, in a cab or lorry tailboard, which was very uncomfortable, and my eyes and face were very sore from a mixture of wind, sun and dust. I was now due for some leave, so I was sent with my vehicle to 12 ARH, loaded with ammo at Bergstienfurt, and a message was passed on to me at Ensdetten. I returned to marshalling area, where I found that my platoon had gone, so I set off on route 140, and spent night with Pioneers. Got to 120 FMC, who had no knowledge of my platoon. I had dinner at Crasc HQ, left at 2.30 pm and arrived back at Weeze at 10 pm. 鈥楢鈥� Platoon had left with all my kit, so set off back for 12 ARH. The weather was cold and damp. I met Den Slack at Heck, but eventually found my platoon, sorted out my kit, had dinner, and shaved off 5 days beard. I hoped to return to HQ the next day for leave 鈥� we鈥檇 covered five hundred miles.

Leave and the end of the war

My diary notes finish there, so I must have gone on leave to spend time in Birmingham and London with Phyl, though while Phyl was at work her Mom and I saw a couple of good shows.

On my return to Weeze from leave to rejoin 鈥楢鈥� platoon, peace declared on May 8th - what a dump of a place to celebrate the end of the war with one can of beer!

A scrap of paper in my diary makes note of picking up refugees from Winsen near Belsen. May 25/26th Bockholt to Bremen and return. 27/28th Bocholt to Osnabruck, Bremen and return. 30th Bocholt, Hamburg over Weser, 31st/1st June Elbe, Kaiser Wilhelm Canal to Thropp, 30 miles from Denmark. On 2nd June I was sent to pick up Den Clayton, left with him on the 3rd at 6 pm and harboured at Creven. (My notes cease at this point.) From memory, as a Company we moved up through Osnabruck, Diepholg, carrying fuel, moving refugees, taking coal from Ibbenburen Colliery to Hanover.

My Platoon eventually settled in a small village, Twistringen, near Bremen, in very comfortable billets. It was very sad to see on the local church plaques and details of the village males who had died in the war. (What a useless waste of young lives, theirs, ours and our allies). In October we did a couple of runs to Berlin, (crossing the Russian bridge at Magdeburg, now under Russian control,) with bread and corn beef for the civilians. We harboured in Zeiss Zikon factory near Spandau jail where Rudolf Hess was imprisoned.

After the war

In October I was promoted to Sgt. for duties with the Educational Corps. teaching simple maths to those awaiting demob. In November I was called back to Company HQ and told that I was being transferred to workshops as Admin. Sgt. I was there until my demobilisation in December. One of my last duties in workshops was to arrange a party for the two MSME (Mechanical Sgt. Major). I got food from the cooks, drinks (hooch) from the local distillery, and potent stuff it was too! We had the party at night. I took over as Grand Commander, the Orderly Officer informed me he would make an early inspection so that the party could go ahead undisturbed. By midnight I had one guard propped up by the main gate and two sleeping in the guardroom, somewhat tidally. By dawn the workshops personnel were sleeping anywhere but in their beds, and the day was spent tidying up. My turn came to pack up my gear, collect my demob papers and board the train for Tournai (Belgium). I had been informed that my brother, Eric, (who was a Transport Sgt. in a Field Ambulance Unit,) was in Tournai. (I had not seen him since 1939/1940 when he was posted to Eritrea and Abyssinia and then Burma, being repatriated early in 1945).

I reported to HQ Tournai, handed in my documents, rifle etc. and went to find my brother Eric. He said that they were having a dance that night, with lots of girls, so would I join them. I was very tempted, but I was told to be available for the boat back to England. I had to say no, which was just as well, as we sailed that night and by the next morning I was at the Barracks in Hereford. I had a meal and a rest, and was then kitted out with civvies: - hat, pants, vest, shirt, socks, shoes, and suit. I cannot remember whether I was given an overcoat, but I believe that I was allowed to keep my greatcoat. I got to Hereford Railway Station early that evening; and debated whether I should go straight to Birmingham or stay the night at Phyl鈥檚 Aunt and Uncle in Hereford. (We had stayed with them for our honeymoon). I decided that I would go to Birmingham, and got there about 10 pm. Should I go to my parents in Bearwood (north side) or to Yardley (south side) where Phyl had managed, (through my father and elder brother,) to buy a house? So, taking a chance, I called a taxicab and away we went. Luckily it was the right decision, as Phyl was there and I was back to Civvy Street and the problem of settling in.

6th December 1945 鈥� Kennedy Grove, Garretts Green, Nr. Yardley, Birmingham

NOTE 鈥� The visits to Berlin were short but I managed to see the Brandenburg Gate, the badly bombed Chancellery and other offices, but being in the Russian Sector I did not stay long. One took chocolate and cigarettes down to the Unter Den Linden, hoping to acquire a camera or binoculars, but sadly, in my case, a watch, which soon became 鈥渒aput鈥�.

漏 Copyright of content contributed to this Archive rests with the author. Find out how you can use this.