大象传媒

This story was submitted to the People's War team in Wales by Bill Spry and is added to the site with his permission.

This story about the General commanding West Africa may be of interest. One day in Gambia, just before sunset, about eight of us were walking towards the Sergeants Mess for the evening meal. As usual, at this time of the day, none of us were wearing hats or caps.

A staff car with a little flag on the front came towards us and stopped a little way past us. A rather worried young officer got out, came to us and made a note of our names.

In the British Army, unlike the Americans, you do not salute if you are not wearing a cap, so of course we did not salute the General which must have annoyed him and hurt his feelings.

About ten days later I was talking to one of our officers. 鈥淏y the way, he said, you were all up on charges last week and were admonished.鈥� The correct procedure was that we should have been marched, with an escort in front of the Commanding Officer for a trial. Admonished is the lowest sentence that can be awarded and it is not entered on your record card.

Shortly after, the General returned to his headquarters in the Gold Coast, an urgent top priority message was received on my wireless station. It was of course in code. Plan language was strictly forbidden and messages were sent and received by the use of Morse code.

Later I asked the sergeant in the Intelligence office, where messages were deciphered, what it was about. 鈥淥h鈥� he said, 鈥淭he General left a jacket behind when he left.鈥�

Incidentally we carried on as usual, walking to the Mess, without wearing caps.

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