大象传媒

Ray鈥檚 Story

On the 1st of July 1943, I was called up and went to Bury St Edmunds to train with the Suffolk, Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regiments. On D Day, I went across with the 1st Battalion the Hertfordshire Regiment, landing on Gold Beach on 7th June 1944 鈥� DD + 1陆. For 6 weeks I was working with the 9th Beach Group, wading supplies from the ships to the shore. We were then broken up and sent up the line to different regiments. I was sent to the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Regiment and put into C Coy at the rear of the front line. We fought through Normandy into Belgium but the Germans broke through the Americans line in the Ardennes, so we went to assist them. My friend Harry Cullum and me were first into the forest where everything was covered in snow. We were allotted a slit trench but Harry was not happy with it because we were not able to dig a head cover, previous occupants had obviously tried but were not able to complete it. We discovered later that the Germans were only about 50 yards away. On this particular day it was Harry鈥檚 1st wedding anniversary and he had received a parcel from his wife. Harry was from Norwich and I think his wife was a nurse from Ipswich but I not too sure. We had to stand to, one resting while the other was on guard. We did 1 hour on and 1 hour off. It was Harry鈥檚 turn to rest and mine to guard. I heard the pop of a mortar and the bomb coming in so I laid on top of Harry, my head on his chest. The bomb hit the tree above and I felt something on my back but feeling around I found no blood, I heard Harry sigh and called 鈥淗arry are you O.K.鈥� but never had an answer. I shouted to my Cpl, 鈥淚 think Harry has been hit鈥� The Cpl told me to get over with him and sent stretcher bearers to pick up Harry. I was later told he had died, he had shrapnel wounds in his head and in his heart, he didn鈥檛 suffer he just sighed and died. He was 21 and I was 19. Harry is buried in Belguim. The next day I had pains in my side and was taken to the CCS and then on to the field hospital. I had bomb blast and bronchitis. After a few days I was back up the line and continued into Germany, up into Hamburg. I went home on leave on 4th May 1945 (my birthday was on the 2nd) and the war ended in Europe on the 8th. I had 10 days leave and then went back to Germany. I have never forgotten my friend Harry

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