We left Southampton, UK for France in the March (1940). We docked in Le Havre, France.
It took 3 solid days to unload the vehicles and get the convoy together.
This was one our convoys. We left Le Havre and set off for Rennes, France. This was to be our base.
We arrived at Rennes still a bit puzzled about the rules of the road! We had to park on the outskirts of the town and told to wait until the R.E's (Royal Engineers) had finished erecting "nissan huts", they were being erected not too far away. This gave us time to make valuable repairs, this is me changing a tyre with a mate, I am the one with the dark hair.
After 3 days we moved into the barracks and found that the French Cavalry training unit occupied the best part. The area left for us was unfit to live in hence the "nissan huts".
Most of our work consisted of local details, we had the occasional run to Les-Nevern, near Brest. We were moving a hospital back to Rennes. After two months at Rennes, Hilter's storm clouds gather over France, Belgium gave in and surrendered and the "Maginot Line" was found to be of no use. Jerry (The Germans) simply left the French on guard in the "m" line and by-passed it. This picture is from my diary:-
I tell more soon.
Alf
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