大象传媒

This story was submitted to the People鈥檚 War site by a volunteer from Lincolnshire CSV Action Desk on behalf of Norman Elsdon and has been added to the site with his permission. Mr Elsdon fully understands the site鈥檚 terms and conditions.

Triaga was the next town through which we passed. There was one solitary German 鈥榮traight-faced鈥� walking alone through the town, making his way to some position where he would become a prisoner. Here we came across the olive groves, line after line of parallel trees stretching into the distance, melting over the horizon, to rise again as black geometrical lines on some distant ridge. Here too, we came across the profusion of daisies and dandelions, reminiscent of home country. Stax fell, but our centre line saw us leave it to the right. The Greeks, who for a time were attached to us, went in for a visit as a large number of Greek families were there. They had a marvellous reception 鈥� tears of joy. These Greeks were grand fellows 鈥� four of them in two jeeps and another jeep with two of our paratroops. A couple of the Greeks could speak some English, also French. On one occasion, our jeep was stuck in a hole. In a matter of seconds, they waved to us, raced up in their jeep and pushed us out. No air of 鈥淲e鈥檝e got to do this,鈥� but spontaneous friendliness. One day we went to reconnoitre a position and spotted a German heavy tank. They were tickled to death because the crew set fire and abandoned it. They had been officers, I believe.

El Djem: it was at this village that we passed by a marvellous amphitheatre. Would that we could have stayed to pay it a visit. It seemed miles from civilisation, this replica of the Coliseum at Rome, and, from the quick glance we were able to take, in a lesser state of devastation. I鈥檇 like to know more of its origin 鈥� probably the handiwork of a Roman emperor 0 indeed a most impressive sight. Jemmal saw us next. Our squadron was the first to arrive 鈥� a great welcome. Excitement rife. Jews with their stars. We stayed several minutes, talking as best we could. A queue of French people, lining up to shake us by the hand. Then on to the night鈥檚 rest. The next day we had a loaf of tasty brown bread; the paratroops had gone into Jemmal and had collected enough of the Squadron. Just before we pulled in for the night, we scraped around with our hands at the side of the road as we suspected mines, but no.

As the country was a mass of live groves, we joined a troop in their jeep for the patrol on the morrow. Our centre line was through a town 鈥� Monastir. As we approached, we cautiously peered over ridges to see if there was any sign of the enemy. Then we bowled along a road into the town, hoping fervently that the enemy had left, as on either side of the road were salt marshes and the road was straight and open. The Tricolor flew, and just as we came into the habitable suburbs we stopped. Couldn鈥檛 do much else. The people swarmed around us 鈥� emotional excitement 鈥� hand shaking, cheering, waving. Moved into the centre of the town where the streets were thronged. For a long time I talked to the populace, reassuring them we were only the forerunners. A Frenchman in a pony and trap knocked over a bike, forgetting the road in the excitement. On through cheering, waving throngs 鈥� nuns at the outskirts of the town cheering as they ran, followed by the children to the road.

So on we passed, heading toward Sousse. Excited Frenchmen stopped us, explained that the road was mined. We made a detour and the cars became bogged. Eventually, we left one behind and so on into Sousse. Again waving, cheering crowds once we reached the residential district. But the scene of devastation along the dock area was complete 鈥� not a building intact, the harbour installations unusable. The most absolute destruction I鈥檝e seen. The night we spent outside Sousse, moved back into rest the next morning and harboured amongst the trees again. Oh yes, in Sousse many of the houses were attractively modernish. We moved on once again next morning. We went back into Sousse the next day in the jeep to try to find a map case dropped off a car the previous day but no luck. In Sousse, we tried to get bread and managed a couple of loaves at a bake house, then went on to catch up with the Squadron.

So on to Kairouan, to spend a few days in rest. Any amount of eggs; one morning almost thirty for a handful of sugar, the Arabs buying everything going spare. They had plenty of money; some fellows were making pounds. I had nothing spare beyond an old pair of slippers, for which I received a couple of bob. A few hours were spent looking around 鈥� Kairouan is extremely interesting. After a while we moved off across interesting country, passing through another 鈥渞adioed鈥� town, namely Picton, through mountain passes, around acute bends, and on to where we came across the French; the 1st Army. In due course, we pulled off the road and into the valleys. At dawn or soon after, a file of cloaked troops, with mules and horses passed into the mountains 鈥� a touch of the past, as it were, breaking into this modern war. There seemed to be nothing for us so, more or less, back we went again through grandiose mountain passes. One in particular I recall, sweeping down into the valley, across a shallow ford and up a steep incline. On the far side of the valley, a large mass of masonry of large stone arches which just ended abruptly in space, leaving the valley unspanned. Who built it and why such a strong foundation fell would be most interesting to know. Beyond the mountains, the masses of brightly hued flowers, the little groups of trees, a mixture of tall and short, light and dark, making attractive little scenes.

We harboured for the night a t a not very attractive spot and set off again at dawn. We went forward as far as was reasonably possible, then off along a wadi. A few shells were lobbed over some hundred yards away but they came no nearer so we sailed serenely on. We went forward to contact a Spahi regiment. On the way we saw a couple of British armoured cars but with no recognition signals up. However, the crew also turned out to be ours, so the journey was uneventful. Back we came for the night. Forward next day to a more congenial spot. Quite a good sprinkling of trees, hills and mountains around, a pleasing amount of green to make the landscape attractive. Close by, over the hill, down some rocky slopes, a shallow river 鈥� the first time I believe I鈥檝e ever sat on a tone in the middle of a stream. I had a bath and then laid down to wash off the soap. It was here we bought a young sheep, which served for a tasty meal or two. The first cuckoo 鈥� we heard I ton our last march here.

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