"What a life and what a war"

News is not so good and rumours are very consistent. The D.I.D is moved to a racecourse and none too soon, it is a bit too hot in the docks. Jerry never left it alone, it is not much better at the course but at least we can disperse easier. The Stadium itself is burnt down, the local cook beat Jerry to it!

All in all things are not so good, Jerry is a bit too much for us. We have to leave and start heading off down the coast, we are going to make a stand at Fecamp. It is a lovely little village. How I wish it were peacetime..

The Sherwood Foresters and Border Regiments are taking over the town and the Buffs are on the outskirts. Jerry is one move ahead of us, we just about get settled when he opens up. There is no news from town as we are cut off in a valley, it looks very dark for us, the only road out is blocked.


All second drivers are told to go and help the infantry. As a first driver, we have to stnad by our wagons, it must be getting desperate now and we have to go also. I have a few shots but they are wild, at imaginary targets. "What a life and what a war".

All drivers with loaded lorries are recalled. I wonder what is up now? We are informed that there is a chance of getting out, an Officer has found a cart track and has great hopes of us getting away.

The wounded are loaded on top of loads, it's the best we can do for them..


Off we go! I am driving the last lorry as they cannot put any casualties in my wagon, the cart track goes under very low bridges. My wagon being the only covered wagon and last, had to watch the other wagons just scrape through the bridges, I am unfortunate, I am too high..

My nerves are more on edge than ever, I thought, why should I worry about the cover, as long as I get through the first bridge, I'll be safe. I decided to go at it flat out, there was a cracking noise but my luck is in, I made it minus the cover!


We were straffed twice before arriving at the outskirts of Le Havre. We meet up with the Black Watch preparing to meet Jerry. I wonder what happened to the rest? So far there are only about a dozen wagons. After two days about two-thirds of the battalion turn up, the remaining are posted missing..

"Death is in every nook and cranny"

We arrived back off detail one night and I am informed to get packed. 8 of the "A" section wagons (including mine) are being attached to "D" section and are moving off at dawn.

Daybreak finds us on our way. We are heading for Rouen and a transit camp about eight miles outside. After one day here, we are told the mission.

We were to be detached to the "4th Battalion of the Buffs" for stores and troop carrying. The "Buffs" arrived the next day. We were allowed in to the village for a few hours but the sound of bugles called us back. We were now under their command, we must go as it is a general stand-to. At dawn we move out, we rest in our wagons all night. That's me on the left.

Our object was to make Abbeville where we are to relieve the 5th Battalion. We were due midday but owing to the evacuees from Belgium, we were delayed, got to the Rendez-vous at 5pm, we were immediately turned back, we were informed that Jerry (Germans) had been bombing the town for two solid days, what was left of the 5th were prisoners.

Jerry spots our convoy but his aiming is rotten and he does not hit the road once, I don't think he wanted to because he needed to use it later. This is our first bombing and we are shaken, it was hell for the next three days with no sleep at all. See below..

My mate couldn't drive so I had no help from him, when the convoy stopped, which was very frequent, I often dozed off, only to be woken soon after, then off again for a few yards. After several incidents, we eventually hold Jerry at a small bridgehead outside "Argues-La-Bataille".

There is confusion everywhere but it later calms down. A few of the lads come back from the village with good news, a canteen had been abandoned, we are pleased, smokes for all!

In a few days we are settled down near a farm and the platoons have taken up various positions. We meet up with an Officer and his batman, they were all that is left of the 5th Batt. I am detailed for rations and the Officer is to go with me, I groan, it is very late and I am so tired but it is an order. The Office is a grand fellow and everyone calls him Bert.

We arrive on the outskirts of Dieppe for rations, the D.I.D is in the docks in one of the sheds. A raid is in progress and we decide to wait. It went on through out the night, what a dawn! Jerry clears off and we venture on.

Everywhere is in ruins, there are strained faces and scared looks. We are informed that 5 evacuee and hospital ships are sunk in the harbour. Death is in every nook and cranny. We draw rations and make our way back. Below is a picture taken from the web of Dieppe, the only one not from Alf's scrapbook.

Back at echelon my O.C greets us, he thought we'd been hit! I am off food for a few days and I thought I could take it...

My First Post...87 Years Young!!

My Grandson decided to do this for me. I don't really know what computers do!!

So with a little help from my family, I am going to try to tell my story..how we really lived it..

I won't be typing on that computer thing, my family will be doing all of that, I do sometimes forget things but I never forget the War. I loved every minute of it, yes it was bloody hard, we lived each day as it was our last, but it made men of us.

My first story is to tell you about the Second World War.

So to start today, here is a picture of me and the "boys"