大象传媒

CHAPTER ONE
A NERVIOUS TIME

Prior to the outbreak of the 2nd World War I was a signalman employed by the old Great Northern Railway. A black cloud was looming over Europe in 1938 due to Hitler's claims for territory annexed from Germany after the First World War. Politicians were passing out threats and counter threats on both sides, but the threat of War was always a prospect and Great Britain prepared itself for the worst. The majority of the British populace ignored the storm clouds building up in Europe in the mid 1930's? As early as January 1936 a quote from one of Hitler's speeches was "Germany will be a lover of peace such as only a peace-loving Nation can be." On the same day he announced to the Reichstag, "Germany will never break the peace of Europe. After three years I can regard the struggle for German equality as concluded today. We have no territorial demands to make in Europe." He made a similar quote a year later. Under cover of all these statements all territories taken from Germany after the First World War were all taken back. In August 1939 Germany signed a non-aggression pact with Russia. As we were to discover in 1941 it meant nothing. It was just a piece of paper.

Still there was an air of uneasy peace in Europe. How serious it was becoming struck home when children were evacuated from London to safer country areas in the later part of August 1939. One watched the news closely and read the published reports from returning tourists from Germany who reported seeing convoys of plywood tanks being transported close to adjoining boarders. It was sickening to realise later when war was well under way; that bombs were wasted on these decoys but it was a trick made full use of by us prior to the D-Day landings Evidently? Newspapers spoke of it being a quick war providing Italy didn't join with Hitler. The Italians had already made their intentions plain when they invaded Ethiopia and Eritrea.

Early in 1937 there was a big drive for recruits for Territorial Army regiments just in case. Being young, I was 26 years old at the time and single so I signed up on 11th January 1937 in my County's Regiment, The 5th Battalion of the Norfolk Regiment TA 'C' company and became 5772513 Private Tuck. The Railway Company co-operated in giving me plenty of free time to attend courses and camps with full pay. Our last summer camp in the summer of 1939 was at Falmer near Brighton. The weather was terrible. This and the shortage of equipment made it difficult to get on with our Territorial training.

Poland was on everyone's lips. Will Germany invade Poland or not? There was a great deal of political activity and Premier Chamberlain and his paper waving on his return from a meeting with Hitler was a red herring. Germany invaded Poland on 1st September 1939. There was an International outcry and counter threats were made if Germany would not withdraw its troops from Poland. As a railway signalman I was in a reserved occupation but I was young and enthusiastic and believed like so many that it would all be over by Xmas. I wasn't too concerned. On Sunday the 3rd September 1939 the flap was on. Australia, New Zealand, Britain and France declared war on Germany followed by Canada. On September 10th as a reserve soldier I was called up. The outbreak of war created many changes within the Battalion. We were split up and I became a member of the 7th Battalion under the command of Lt-Col.C.A.Debenham with the 2nd in command going to Major, The Hon.J.J.Stourton, MP. The Battalion strength was 23 Officers and 621 other ranks. Our HQ was based at Kings Lynn. The words on every ones lips again were, "It will all be over by Christmas". How over confidant we were? I was awarded the TA efficiency medal and promoted to Sergeant. The Germans wasted no time in showing their contempt. The liner 'Athena' was torpedoed the very night War was declared by a U-boat 200 miles out from Ireland on it's way to Canada that carried American Nationals and refugees many of them children. Just to add coals to the fire concerning Poland's problems, on the 16th September 1939 and without warning, the Russians invaded Poland from the East. They used the excuse that they did it to protect White Russians and the Polish Ukraine but basically they were taking back territory lost to the Poles in 1920? Not satisfied with this, they invaded Finland on the 30th November biting off more than they could handle? There was a possibility that we would be sent into Finland but it never transpired since the Fins beat of the Russian attacks. Still Russia having earlier signed a treaty with German, felt within their rights. The result was very heavy losses of manpower by the Russians.

Our first month was spent getting organised and weeding out the medically unfit and providing guard duties for surrounding airfields which interfered badly with our initial training. In October we were removed from our present East Anglian Division to become an Infantry Battalion who were to be trained in engineering duties. In affect it meant we were to become a Pioneer Battalion, not a popular decision within the rank and file. In November the Battalion was sent to Aldershot and accommodated in Talavera Barracks. The following two months were spent in exercises in field engineering and weapon training. The Royal Engineers provided most of the instruction via lectures and demonstrations. Here we lost 'B' Company, its rank and file being distributed between 'A', 'C' and 'D' companies. We took part in a 24 hour exercise as a Pioneer Battalion attached to the 51st (Highland) Division where a great deal was learnt in that short space of time. Orders had arrived that the Battalion were to be shipped overseas. During that December we were struck down by an outbreak of Influenza which greatly interfered with our training program. Later that month we were given embarkation leave. On January 3rd we had our final inspection and lost our 2nd in Command, Major Stourton who was found to be unfit for active duty. His place was taken by Major. G.S.Johnson, M.B.E.,M.C. On the 7th January 1940 our Regimental transport left for France followed six days later by the main party. Time had been short and the interruptions to training frequent but after only four months the Battalion was taking shape.

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