We thought we were off to Blighty

(Sorry to take so long to post this, will be regular from now)

We held up Jerry for three days with the help of the Navy who had set fire to the enormous oil reserves in the docks, this formed a handy smoke screen for us. We would have got out quicker but for a shortage of shipping. Eventually, an old coal barge takes us out of the port. The Black Watch are the last to leave. After 24 hours on the barge we docked at Cherbourg and we were disappointed, we thought we were going to Blighty. Still we raised a laugh coming out of the hold, we all look like negro minstrels!

We part from the Buffs and they embarked on a trooper bounder for home, we were put in cattle trucks and set off to Rennes. It was nine o'clock the next morning when we arrived into Rennes on what was the worst train ride I have ever experienced or hope to experience. It wasn't until six o'clock in the evening that that we were let off the train, this time covered head to toe in brick dust..an hour later we are having a shower at our previous barracks.

HQ move off for the docks at St Malo. Once again, I am left behind with seven others for troop carrying. We are now attached to the 1stRes M.T. After three days we come to the last troops to move, Palestine Pioneer Corps. I am driving a 15cwt Bedford


(To give you an idea I added the above picture, below is Alf and chum changing tyre)


The truck had a Lewis Gun mounted (see below)

My orders were to follow at the rear. A diesel wagon carry some of the Palestines is in front of me and the driver has some trouble with the engine. I stop to give a hand and eventually we reach the main road, there is no sign of the convoy. We report to Signal Corps HQ in town. They inform us they don't know the destination of the convoy and that we should go to Nantes, too vague for us. The Diesel waits on the road and I take a buggy to a Chateau being used as HQ area. After many enquiries I am told to make speed to St Nazare that night and try to get a boat as Jerry is getting near. I am also told that Rennes is in a state because Jerry gave it hell just after we left.

On arriving back to the other wagon, I found that two of the Palestinians we were carrying had been taken as 5th columnists (spies dressed in Army outfits). We wasted precious time getting them away from the Police and it is now 10.30pm before we even set off. My wagon is faster than the diesel so I had to keep dropping off to make sure the diesel kept up.

St Nazare is in sight, but things don't look good, Jerry is pasting the dock area...

"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...

France for the first time

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

Army Life - The first days

By A Harris 123327----286 G.T.Coy R.A.S.C----M.E.F.

1st December 1939

I joined the army. We were sent to the training centre in Felixstowe, UK, it was called "Felixstowe No2 Coy".

My first guard post was Christmas Eve. We were promised leave but it was cancelled owing to movement orders on passing-out..Embark for an unkown destination near the end of February 1940, this was Stow-on-the-Wold, UK.

When we arrived at Stow, everywhere was covered in ice and snow. It was freezing. This was where we started to work in earnest, our new company was formed the "5 Res M.T". We were lucky and all of us given 4 days embarkation leave. We returned to Stow and went as a unit to Southampton, UK. We were heald there for a while, then off to France.

From the left, Bobby Smith, me, second from the left, good looking fellar, Fez and (Jimmy?) Jenkins

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"