大象传媒

We knew we were going to be called up 鈥� my brother had a number of wedding licenses but kept having to cancel because he couldn't get leave. I said that I wasn't going to do that so decided to get married before I was called up.
Margaret's father said that we couldn't marry until she was 21. But shortly before I went she was nearly 21 and her father did give us his permission. I was 19 years old.
Our wedding was in all the newspapers.
We had a white wedding. I wore a black suit. Margaret got hold of a wedding dress and we married at Holy Apostle Church, Imperial Avenue in Leicester.
Margaret was in the Land Army based near Rutland Water. All the Land Army girls came to the wedding and they formed an archway with their tools for us to walk through.
Margaret's Uncle had a house in Chester.
It took 9 hours to get there.
They wrote to us before we left and said the address had changed but we could still go there.
When we got off the train and went to the address it was a YMCA canteen.
We went to bed but just a few hours later there was knocking on the door 鈥� the soldiers wanting their morning cup of tea.

June 1943 鈥� it was a beautiful summer and a most marvellous time.
Everyone who went into the forces had to do 6 weeks of training 鈥� how to shoot a rifle, throw a grenade and so on. You were then assessed as to where you were needed 鈥� not necessarily what you were good at.
At the time I went in if you were fit they wanted infantry people.
90% of our draft went onto a further 10 weeks of training.
Then we had tests to sort out specialists.
I had been in the scouts and was good at signals.
I passed my Morse code test with 100%.
They thought I had been cheating and I re-took it 鈥� I made sure I only got 97% this time.
I then went to Richmond in Yorkshire.
Whilst we were there we were guests of the Marquis.
We went into the stables 鈥� it stunk horrible.
We did signal training and had to get used to each other's dialects.
We did an extra 6 weeks training for beach communications for D-Day and then awaited posting.
After Christmas the news came through that they didn't want us for D-Day. Montgomery said when the 2nd front starts we just want Naval.
So then we were sent to the 8th Battalion in Lincolnshire 鈥� a holding battalion.
There you became part of a working Battalion.
I was in the Signals Section and we trained as though we were in battle conditions.
We had to have a run before breakfast every morning to get fit.
Then we waited until D-Day.
There was no leave 鈥� all leave was cancelled so we couldn't go home.
You weren't supposed to tell anyone what you were doing 鈥� but we didn't even know what we were doing.
We spent a week in war conditions on the Moors in Lincolnshire.
We dug trenches, did night maneuvers, we slept outside.
We then went to Hull and did house clearing.
We were then supposedly fully trained.

Suddenly they said that next week we need volunteers to feed the next group who were going.
I volunteered 鈥� better than hanging round the camp every day.
We were at Hull. We helped the cooks and served the meal. It was an easy option.
In the morning we would check the potatoes.
One day the cook rushed in and shouted "They've started".
Someone said to me "in a fortnight we'll be there" and we were.
Two or three days later if your name was on the list you packed your kit.
We went to Bury St Edmunds then Southampton in a big camp.
Every road was double parked with vehicles, tanks.
On the parks were the tents.
Next day we went to the docks. A lady said "Good Luck lads." She knew where we were going as her husband, Harry, worked on the boats.

On a Saturday night 鈥� a year to the day when I'd joined up 鈥� half way across the channel, submarines were about. I sat on the bed with a rifle waiting to evacuate.
It passed.
On the dock the next day it was unbelievable. Ships were everywhere. 6,000 all going different ways.
We were ordered to disembark.
We scrambled down the netting.
It was a beautiful day, the sea was calm.
We got off in ankle deep water but when I got off it was up to my chest.
Once we arrived we were all marched off.
During tea a German plane went over 鈥� there were shots.
A couple of men were injured and killed.

5th August 1944 鈥� A Lucky War
I was having trouble digging my trench and 'little Monty' said "Come and share ours" so I went into their trench.
I told him my feet were hurting and I was going to change my socks. He said "You should always do what your ma tells you."
Then there was a blast.
Me and the other chap were both wounded. I was bending down to untie my shoe.
Monty was killed outright.
It was only when I was at the hospital tent that I realised 鈥� I thought he'd just been dazed 鈥� there wasn't a mark on him. He was 19 years old.
At the hospital the doctor came round and had a look. Everyone was labelled.
A young orderly came and said "Who's a lucky chap then".
We'd had no sleep only catnaps, no baths and no change of clothes.
I didn't feel lucky.
He said "Haven't you read your label?"
It said 'Evacuate to UK'.
I was flown back 鈥� I was the first in my family to fly.
The Dakota (war horses) brought ammunitions in and would then take stretches back. They took 18 people back.
We went back to somewhere near Swindon.
I was so happy. Then when I was better I convalesced in South Wales.

End of the War
We liberated Arnhem, Holland.
We moved on and were told to stop.
There was a truce with the Germans as Britain wanted to send supplies to the starving Dutch.
After about a week I was told the Colonel wanted me.
I wondered what I had done.
鈥淕ood news you鈥檙e going home on leave鈥�.
But I was told that the war would soon be over and if I was still at home on leave I would have to come back.
I was half way through my leave when the 大象传媒 said the Germans had surrendered.
I had to go back. I got my passbook on the 8th May and reported back.
I said I wasn鈥檛 going to go back but my wife Margaret said I should.
My mum and dad lived near so I biked over to say goodbye and helped put tables up for the street party.
Then I packed and went back.
Margaret went with me to make sure I stayed on the train.
We were at Dover and then got straight on the boat to France and celebrated with the French.

As we went through London on VE night there were bonfires everywhere, cheering and people thanking us.
I came home 2 years later.

This story was submitted to the 大象传媒 People鈥檚 War Website by CSV Action Desk Leicester on behalf of Ken West and has been added with his permission. The author fully understands the sites terms and conditions.

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