MY LIFE SO FAR - CHAPTER 2
PAGE 20. My life is about to change forever; a kind of unknown fear is with me. Hitler has invaded Poland, and Chamberlain has sent a British ambassador to give Hitler a finale warning, that if he does not return his troops to Germany by 11 a.m. SUNDAY 3 September Britain will be at war with Germany, he did not withdraw his troops a very disappointed man had to speak to the nation that we now are at war with Germany. All part time soldiers report to barracks, and every little workshop of engineering is told what to produce under M.o.D. Inspectors that’s the start. As l said my life is about to change for ever, to understand war you have to live through one, and l am about to do that not knowing what War is all about. At the end of the month l will be at work, we have got to take this gas mask everywhere we go that’s everybody, but leaving school the head teacher got all us leavers together, and hoped the War would be over before we were old enough to go. Aircraft fly around all day, we look, and spot them, and name them its like train spotting. Rationing of food, and petrol, everyone gets an ID card so the police can check you anytime if you have no card you are taken to the police station to check if you are a spy, l wonder what the civil rights would say about that, then next come internment, for foreign nationals, off to prison camps if you are not a British subject, you are off no arguments, how about that for civil liberties. All this is very exciting for the likes of me, and all the other young ones, and hatred is creeping in, and what they are going to do to the Germans, l suppose some of it is proper gander through the government, to get the nation in one mind, looking back l am sure it was, Germans were called Nazis, and Krauts. Sand, and sand bags arrive at the school, all have got to be filled by us, big lads, then the Civil Defence put them in position. Nevil Chamberlain resigns as prime minister a lot of names come up; a coalition government is signed, then out of the cold, in come Churchill he is asked to take the job, but only if he does it his way all agree. Winston Churchill new prime minister, and he gave it to us, (l can only give you blood, sweat, and tears) by now Germany has the upper hand. Germany has come right through to Dunkirk, France given in, only twenty miles of water between us, we got three hundred thousand troops home from Dunkirk, (then came the phrase We Will Never Surrender) Churchill had a way with words, and the British loved him, l am at Work now we start work at fourteen in these days. The battle of Britain is about to start, and at work the siren goes quite often, an odd lone raider comes to bomb targets but out of our area, everyone of the eighteen year olds are called up, but a lot volunteer. Labour to certain jobs are short so longer hours and women are trained at welding and lathe work, and people are helping each other more, land workers are still exempt from call up, police are called up, so the retied police are brought back, too old for the forces, I can say this people who have never spoke to one another before are doing it now a kind of camaraderie of helping each other, everything is on rations, everywhere you go its uniforms of some sort are walking about Norwich, you can see Free French, Dutch, and Polish , these people have escaped to Britain from Hitler, but have taken up Arms against him ,us young lads do a lot of Aircraft spotting as threes a lot of least lend stuff coming in from America with Churchill’s help.
PAGE 21. At a village about three miles away, a lot of activity went on in the village it was all hush hush, the time about one year before the war, big tall pylons were being built, there were all sorts of rumours what they were, there are eight of them, Four made of timber, and four of steel all about four hundred feet tall. All this was in the village of Porlingland, War starts every one knows what they are now, Radar pylons operated by the R. A. F. The eyes of R.A.F. Well Jerry wants them out of action, so he tries to bomb them, a few near misses, as we used to say, now in come the A.A. guns, for you who do not now what that means, its Anti Aircraft guns, and also search lights sweeping the sky at night, once they locked on to a raider the guns just had a field day, not many got away. The word Jerry will be coming up, as this is what we called the Germans they were Jerry’s to us. I started to keep a diary from 1940 as so much happened, l only wrote down odd bits they will all be in this book, there was so much air activity, and army movements around, it was keeping all us young lads busy just watching what was going on in the Area, if some big guns had moved in, or an aircraft had crashed, we were off on our bikes to see. One night about eight-o-clock or a bit later Jerry thought lets get those radar pylons, so a force was sent to bomb them, up till now no bombs had dropped near us at Dunston common, we are in line with Porlingland, well it started with parachute flares, they light up the sky we all went out to look it was as bright as day light then a Jerry came over, our A A guns open up every one ducks for cover, we are in the back yard watching this. Jerry gets rid of his bombs, theirs a whistling sound then an almighty bang the whole place shook, but about three went off just after each other. I thought shit that was louder than those guns, with those horses, and they were loud, these bombs dropped in open fields so no harm done but l think now, we know what war is about, and we can not fight back, l think this is the word, a kind of (fear) was in me now, not knowing what was going to happen next. I thought he only had to release those bombs, a little earlier, and we would not be here now l see war in a different light, perhaps the fun loving boy is growing up fast, Grandma, and Mum cry a little perhaps remembering W.W.I. World War ONE. Not much a lad can do, only do his bit on the farm, and learn as much as l can at work, l am thinking of my apprenticeship with the firm either in wood or metal work something in those lines. When a plane crashes we get as much perplex as possible, and drill holes in it the size of our fingers, and make rings we polish them with tooth paste. Some people are making lighters out of spent bullets cases the 20mm are the best, my time is fully booked with going to Tech College as well. At the Tech College l am taught how to make tools and file a piece of metal flat so that the two flat surfaces are put together no air in between, you lift the top piece of metal, and the bottom piece will also lift up as there is no air in between them, that causes a vacuum. When we make the lighters its not as easy as it sounds, first a brass rod tube has to be tapped at one with a thread then a set screw has to be made to go into the thread, then at the other end has to cut down so that two legs are left to take the flint wheel which has to be made, then fixed between the legs and run freely, now a compression spring has to be made out of spring steel wire insert a flint then the spring bingo you have a spark, now to make the wick holder, and cap, fill with petrol done.
PAGE 22. Most of boys are in to collecting war souvenirs, such as bomb, shrapnel, and firebomb fins, also flare parachutes. If you got hold of a flare container, that was about nine inches diameter, and two feet high so this made a saucepan cut to depth you wanted after a handle was fixed to it these were made of aluminium. A search light company came to Duns ton with some AA guns, l think the Government knows more than they will say, as not long after, that the blitz of Norwich starts. Before the war German ships came up the river to Norwich, and were loaded with scrap iron from Kings scrap merchant Beer street, now all that scrap is being returned to Norwich by air, not a very nice thought. Dunkirk has been, and gone, now we are not doing too well in EGYPT, and the battle for the Atlantic is coursing some concern, the battle Britain of is about to begin. At first the battle of Britain, was in day light, but after a time, night bombing of towns, at this in time only military targets till one of our aircraft bombed Berlin, then all hell let loose. At the beginning of the war we got a radio or a wireless as we say, so we get up to date news every hour of the day, and sometimes we would listen to Lord Haw, as he called himself l must say sometimes he got it right, mostly propaganda. The Americans are still reluctant to help us, but a news Reporter named ED Munrow, that helped, was American over here, he told them at home what we were going through, and the PRESIDENT took it on board who was Roosevelt at the time, war is hitting up fighter planes flying around all the time, and bombers off on raids, the fighters are Spitfires, and Hurricanes, to see all this happening, that fear, l talked about was it apprehensive feeling, to me this feeling was with me all through the war. When at school the teacher said l hope its all over soon, then you young lads will not have to go to war, but as boys, will be boys, when we got out side the talk was different most of us wanted to have a go at Hitler, but later on We get another enemy the Japanese. Well now its first day at work, l sign to be apprentice Coachbuilder this is more of a cabinet maker, skilled work, if work is slack in this field we go to making windows for houses, and some times on site. The funny thing is the firm is H. E. Taylor and, Sons. Of Cringle ford just outside Norwich the very firm uncle Harry drugged trees for, a turn up for the books as they say in Norfolk. Battle of Britain in full swing l keeps my diary on this, so l can give the details of some of the days. Also the men l am put with to learn the trade there’s another turn up for the books, yes they are some of the men that walked to Norwich to find work, but none of them came to my house. All these men are family men with Boys, and Girls of my age group, they all say lets hope its over soon, so that there Sons, and Daughters will not have to join the Services. But us old boys want to see a bit of action, this is a new area where everything is happening and we want a bit of it, its frightening but at the sometime exciting, its hard to put into words. The men I am signed too, to work under are Mr H Barker, coachbuilder, all Busses, and Coaches were built in wood, metal covered in those days. Then there was a Mr Ick Mortimer an ex ww1 soldier who has got one straight leg, his knee had a shrapnel wound, he is the glazier, and wheel Wright, my life as an apprentice will be shown right through the trades, from stores, the milling of wood, panel beating, to shop floor, and fixing on site what you made. We are also started to do war effete work, Bristol Blenheim cockpits.
PAGE 21. At a village about three miles away, a lot of activity went on in the village it was all hush hush, the time about one year before the war, big tall pylons were being built, there were all sorts of rumours what they were, there are eight of them, Four made of timber, and four of steel all about four hundred feet tall. All this was in the village of Porlingland, War starts every one knows what they are now, Radar pylons operated by the R. A. F. The eyes of R.A.F. Well Jerry wants them out of action, so he tries to bomb them, a few near misses, as we used to say, now in come the A.A. guns, for you who do not now what that means, its Anti Aircraft guns, and also search lights sweeping the sky at night, once they locked on to a raider the guns just had a field day, not many got away. The word Jerry will be coming up, as this is what we called the Germans they were Jerry’s to us. I started to keep a diary from 1940 as so much happened, l only wrote down odd bits they will all be in this book, there was so much air activity, and army movements around, it was keeping all us young lads busy just watching what was going on in the Area, if some big guns had moved in, or an aircraft had crashed, we were off on our bikes to see. One night about eight-o-clock or a bit later Jerry thought lets get those radar pylons, so a force was sent to bomb them, up till now no bombs had dropped near us at Dunston common, we are in line with Porlingland, well it started with parachute flares, they light up the sky we all went out to look it was as bright as day light then a Jerry came over, our A A guns open up every one ducks for cover, we are in the back yard watching this. Jerry gets rid of his bombs, theirs a whistling sound then an almighty bang the whole place shook, but about three went off just after each other. I thought shit that was louder than those guns, with those horses, and they were loud, these bombs dropped in open fields so no harm done but l think now, we know what war is about, and we can not fight back, l think this is the word, a kind of (fear) was in me now, not knowing what was going to happen next. I thought he only had to release those bombs, a little earlier, and we would not be here now l see war in a different light, perhaps the fun loving boy is growing up fast, Grandma, and Mum cry a little perhaps remembering W.W.I. World War ONE. Not much a lad can do, only do his bit on the farm, and learn as much as l can at work, l am thinking of my apprenticeship with the firm either in wood or metal work something in those lines. When a plane crashes we get as much perplex as possible, and drill holes in it the size of our fingers, and make rings we polish them with tooth paste. Some people are making lighters out of spent bullets cases the 20mm are the best, my time is fully booked with going to Tech College as well. At the Tech College l am taught how to make tools and file a piece of metal flat so that the two flat surfaces are put together no air in between, you lift the top piece of metal, and the bottom piece will also lift up as there is no air in between them, that causes a vacuum. When we make the lighters its not as easy as it sounds, first a brass rod tube has to be tapped at one with a thread then a set screw has to be made to go into the thread, then at the other end has to cut down so that two legs are left to take the flint wheel which has to be made, then fixed between the legs and run freely, now a compression spring has to be made out of spring steel wire insert a flint then the spring bingo you have a spark, now to make the wick holder, and cap, fill with petrol done.
PAGE 22. Most of boys are in to collecting war souvenirs, such as bomb, shrapnel, and firebomb fins, also flare parachutes. If you got hold of a flare container, that was about nine inches diameter, and two feet high so this made a saucepan cut to depth you wanted after a handle was fixed to it these were made of aluminium. A search light company came to Duns ton with some AA guns, l think the Government knows more than they will say, as not long after, that the blitz of Norwich starts. Before the war German ships came up the river to Norwich, and were loaded with scrap iron from Kings scrap merchant Beer street, now all that scrap is being returned to Norwich by air, not a very nice thought. Dunkirk has been, and gone, now we are not doing too well in EGYPT, and the battle for the Atlantic is coursing some concern, the battle Britain of is about to begin. At first the battle of Britain, was in day light, but after a time, night bombing of towns, at this in time only military targets till one of our aircraft bombed Berlin, then all hell let loose. At the beginning of the war we got a radio or a wireless as we say, so we get up to date news every hour of the day, and sometimes we would listen to Lord Haw, as he called himself l must say sometimes he got it right, mostly propaganda. The Americans are still reluctant to help us, but a news Reporter named ED Munrow, that helped, was American over here, he told them at home what we were going through, and the PRESIDENT took it on board who was Roosevelt at the time, war is hitting up fighter planes flying around all the time, and bombers off on raids, the fighters are Spitfires, and Hurricanes, to see all this happening, that fear, l talked about was it apprehensive feeling, to me this feeling was with me all through the war. When at school the teacher said l hope its all over soon, then you young lads will not have to go to war, but as boys, will be boys, when we got out side the talk was different most of us wanted to have a go at Hitler, but later on We get another enemy the Japanese. Well now its first day at work, l sign to be apprentice Coachbuilder this is more of a cabinet maker, skilled work, if work is slack in this field we go to making windows for houses, and some times on site. The funny thing is the firm is H. E. Taylor and, Sons. Of Cringle ford just outside Norwich the very firm uncle Harry drugged trees for, a turn up for the books as they say in Norfolk. Battle of Britain in full swing l keeps my diary on this, so l can give the details of some of the days. Also the men l am put with to learn the trade there’s another turn up for the books, yes they are some of the men that walked to Norwich to find work, but none of them came to my house. All these men are family men with Boys, and Girls of my age group, they all say lets hope its over soon, so that there Sons, and Daughters will not have to join the Services. But us old boys want to see a bit of action, this is a new area where everything is happening and we want a bit of it, its frightening but at the sometime exciting, its hard to put into words. The men I am signed too, to work under are Mr H Barker, coachbuilder, all Busses, and Coaches were built in wood, metal covered in those days. Then there was a Mr Ick Mortimer an ex ww1 soldier who has got one straight leg, his knee had a shrapnel wound, he is the glazier, and wheel Wright, my life as an apprentice will be shown right through the trades, from stores, the milling of wood, panel beating, to shop floor, and fixing on site what you made. We are also started to do war effete work, Bristol Blenheim cockpits.
PAGE 23. And Bomb Aimer Windows, jigs are made up to assemble these, now we have an air craft inspector here to stamp every wood joint after its put together, l am talking timber about an inch square cut to shape glued, and screwed together, the wood is Ash, when it leaves us it goes to have the perspex put on, we were given a tolerance of a sixty-fourth of an inch. We also make ambulance body’s, and lorry bucks for the army, then we had a army officer come to see us, to make a machine that would cut camouflage strips to weave into camouflage nets, we have in our drawing office a Mr Arthur Spratt, well two of us apprentices were assigned to help make a prototype. First thing was a wooden roller mangle, like mother had, then we fix to this was a paper cutting edging machine, a fixed number of turns of the mangle, brought the knife down to cut the strip, all done by gearing of wheels, and a cycle chain, and It worked officer over the moon how many can you make. As l said this was a prototype, now a much better one, in progress, we make the rollers the lot, l think it was four turns of the rollers then down came the knife that cut off about two feet strip, it was in rolls of about one hundred yards, so now the ordinance camps, cut this up, and put in bundles for the troops, save a lot of time., my little bit to the war effete. While we are doing this the air raid siren is going at odd times, its getting to the stage that no one takes much notice, till you hear Aircraft or hear Gun Fire, sometimes we go out to watch a dog fight that’s getting exciting if one gets shot down, often more than one. As l said there is this kind of fear in me, and if you mention it to older people, the answer you get, Oh l haven’t got time to worry about Jerry, there are more important things to worry about, l often wondered if they were worried or wouldn’t show it in case they lost face, or was it just British stiff upper lip. There’s, one man in our work shop thinks he is cut above us, he is an ex Royal Flying Corps W, W, 1, its we used to do it this, and that way, but the planes of today are faster, and a different type of war, you always Get one. Now two of the men l is working with are men, who walked down from up north to look for work, l did not now this till we were talking one day. If a person came from the north of England it was like a foreign language to us, their accent was very hard to understand, as we down here in the east are bold in our accent, and slower in talking, Mr Barker came from West Hartlepool or other wise a wordy, at times it was hard for me to understand him, as a trades man he was top dog, he was also a great leg puller, he loved catching me out, in sending me for things that didn’t exist, but I thought they did not knowing at the time, but you soon catch on . You see Mum was right they were good men that fell on hard times, and not tramps as I said they were, so then on I never judged a man till I new the whole story of his past. The news paper headlines have been that Germany is no longer a threat to us, in making an invasion of this country, all barges, and troops have moved from the coastal harbours that were a threat to us, Pathy news on the cinema screens shows all ports empty over there, but who knows what he is up too. At the time of the invasion threat they put up poles all over the marshes down to Yarmouth both sides of the road, this was to denture Gliders landing and paratroops. But Norwich is now surrounded with AA guns and Barrage Balloons, also searchlights. People that work in the city are saying, what is the government doing all this for, well we soon
PAGE 24. Found out as jerry started Blitzing towns. He tells me his story of looking for work, and life as it is now for him. I think l should say he treats me very well, and show me everything nothing too much trouble for him, we get on well, but he is very strict. On rights and wrongs, like this as an apprentice you have not got, all the tools you need, so the man you are with let you use his, now if l say lend me your screwdriver he would most probably slide it across the floor to me, and if he needed it Back, l had to show respects of tools by taking it back to him, and pick it up, and take it to him, things like that made you respect other peoples property. He also said he had never been so well off as he is now, he has a good job his home and his family, new bike, and can have a pint also treat his children, now, and then. It was with extra work for war effete that made his money about between, two pounds, ten shillings to three pounds a week, I as an apprentice l was getting seven shillings, and two pence per week 7s - 2d old money. There were only two of us who left school, at that time, that went in to industry, Ron Ashby, and myself the rest either went on the land or gardeners for the big house or halls. The girls either went into service with the gentry as housemaids, chambermaids, and kitchen maids they also lived in with rooms mostly at the top of the house or over the stables. I used to go back to school to get odd books out of the library the head teacher was very helpful, as history was still nagging at the back of my mind. Back at work l get to help Mr l Mortimer who is a Wheelwright, and Glazier, first how to cut the glass, and polish the edges, and also cutting triplex glass, and sealing the edges with a burner with black mastic in it, also knowing the thickness for different uses. Next, how to make a Cartwheel, the hub comes turned up from the machine shop to us, then we mortise out slots for the staves (spooks), they have to be cut exactly in the right place, the staves (spooks) they are ready turned only need trimming to fit, well the next is more tricky the fellows (outer rim of wheel) to go on next, four holes to each, two for spooks two for pins to keep them in line. There are three or four fellows to a wheel depending on the size of the wheel. Talking of history of the past, and here is' history still being made, and l am helping to make it, with all the things that are being made, for the War at this Works, Barrack Huts are being made in one part of the Works, and in other parts of the Works they are turning out Wood shoe soles for leather tops to be fitted, a kind of clog, of the northern type. OH by the way us apprentices had to fetch the tea at 10am for the work men in the shops, this all started when war started so as the men could have a break and to help the war effort. With my nagging for history of the past, and here am I in the middle of history being made all a round me. Talking of history the Battle of Britain is in full swing mainly down in the South of England over Kent. Everyone has their ears to the Radio, and the paper news I have kept my own diary on this so here is one week of the Battle, and at this stage we have the upper hand, we are shooting down three to one now, at our local Airfield St Faiths a well known Sqd Ldr Stamford Tuck is often in the head lines for his exploits in the Battle, plus others as well. If we can keep this up we will the battle for Britain, but our pilots are so battle weary with no rest, everyone is wondering how much more they can take, at the moment Hitler is not letting up, he cant keep taking all those loses.
PAGE 24. Found out as jerry started Blitzing towns. He tells me his story of looking for work, and life as it is now for him. I think l should say he treats me very well, and show me everything nothing too much trouble for him, we get on well, but he is very strict. On rights and wrongs, like this as an apprentice you have not got, all the tools you need, so the man you are with let you use his, now if l say lend me your screwdriver he would most probably slide it across the floor to me, and if he needed it Back, l had to show respects of tools by taking it back to him, and pick it up, and take it to him, things like that made you respect other peoples property. He also said he had never been so well off as he is now, he has a good job his home and his family, new bike, and can have a pint also treat his children, now, and then. It was with extra work for war effete that made his money about between, two pounds, ten shillings to three pounds a week, I as an apprentice l was getting seven shillings, and two pence per week 7s - 2d old money. There were only two of us who left school, at that time, that went in to industry, Ron Ashby, and myself the rest either went on the land or gardeners for the big house or halls. The girls either went into service with the gentry as housemaids, chambermaids, and kitchen maids they also lived in with rooms mostly at the top of the house or over the stables. I used to go back to school to get odd books out of the library the head teacher was very helpful, as history was still nagging at the back of my mind. Back at work l get to help Mr l Mortimer who is a Wheelwright, and Glazier, first how to cut the glass, and polish the edges, and also cutting triplex glass, and sealing the edges with a burner with black mastic in it, also knowing the thickness for different uses. Next, how to make a Cartwheel, the hub comes turned up from the machine shop to us, then we mortise out slots for the staves (spooks), they have to be cut exactly in the right place, the staves (spooks) they are ready turned only need trimming to fit, well the next is more tricky the fellows (outer rim of wheel) to go on next, four holes to each, two for spooks two for pins to keep them in line. There are three or four fellows to a wheel depending on the size of the wheel. Talking of history of the past, and here is' history still being made, and l am helping to make it, with all the things that are being made, for the War at this Works, Barrack Huts are being made in one part of the Works, and in other parts of the Works they are turning out Wood shoe soles for leather tops to be fitted, a kind of clog, of the northern type. OH by the way us apprentices had to fetch the tea at 10am for the work men in the shops, this all started when war started so as the men could have a break and to help the war effort. With my nagging for history of the past, and here am I in the middle of history being made all a round me. Talking of history the Battle of Britain is in full swing mainly down in the South of England over Kent. Everyone has their ears to the Radio, and the paper news I have kept my own diary on this so here is one week of the Battle, and at this stage we have the upper hand, we are shooting down three to one now, at our local Airfield St Faiths a well known Sqd Ldr Stamford Tuck is often in the head lines for his exploits in the Battle, plus others as well. If we can keep this up we will the battle for Britain, but our pilots are so battle weary with no rest, everyone is wondering how much more they can take, at the moment Hitler is not letting up, he cant keep taking all those loses.
PAGE 25. August 11 to August 16
German Pilots Down | British Pilots Down | Pilots Safe |
65 62 78 31 180 175 |
26 13 13 7 34 22 |
2 Brit
10 0 2 17 14 |
TOTAL = 491 | TOTAL = 115 | TOTAL = 45 |
At about this time Hitler changes tactics instead of airfield bombing he now turns to towns, the war effort factories, civilians are also being targeted now, and he is doing more night bombing, at tech one day
urgently needed messenger boys for the Civil Defence Corps was put on the notice board, only boys with bikes need apply, well I am the age, and got a bike so off l go to sign on, and who should be there my local Vicar he is the Officer in charge, a room at the tech is set aside for this work, only sixteen ,and older can apply so l am just in. Now our local; Vicar loves his old pipe, and a good pint of beer at the local pub, he always said if you do not come to Church then a least l now where to find you all at the pub, he always said as well, every man to his Own convictions, but if you need me you know were l am, smashing chap. My uniform arrive dark blue with all the badges to be sewn on, my area is the Forewho and Henstead, Norwich is spit in to areas, which means l, and others patrol from the tech to Earlham Halford bridges, to Lakenham. At this stage the Blitz of Norwich begins, and that’s when we really learn what war is, up to now Jerry has played with us, now we are all shit scared. Telephones ring like mad then all of a sudden they stop, dead, the exchange is hit, now its our turn, messengers on your bikes delivering messages, and its scary l can tell you, l go like hell to the out lying posts. Then we have to get back as soon as possible, we also go around the back streets, and see if any houses have been hit, or on fire, as Jerry fire bombed Norwich, sometimes
we got lucky, the house holders were in the street looking at what was going On, and sometimes a cup of tea was offered. The language from the people, and what they were going to do to Hitler if they got there hands on him, l can assure you they were not going to kiss him.
PAGE 26. Something like, ill screws his nuts off, or stick one of his own fire bombs up his arse. At the time of the blitz another lad in another area, l think it was the City Station area, he got a war Medal for bravery in taking messages to out lying posts after being blown off his bike several times, it was head lines in the paper at the time, His name is John Grid, was awarded the British Empire Medal a brave 15 year old A.R.P.Messenger.While the blitz is on the busses are taken out of Norwich at night, and parked on the outskirts all the way down the Ipswich road, and Hall road, now these busses are shelters for the night, for the people as they get out of the city after work they sleep In the busses to get a nights rest then off in the morning home if its still standing, then work. Some of us lads are assigned to keep an eye on them by ridding up, and down in case a buss got hit. You see the busses were parked in these areas just in case the buss station got bombed, and l can say it did, but we had busses next day running on time. At this time also, woman drivers came in to being, corr this was a talk of the town, some old boys were saying they will never be able to push the brakes on, rubbish they did, and the women shot them all in the arm. More and more jobs were being taken over by women, they had too the men were in the forces; there were ambulance, lorry, and post office drivers. It's back to me, after nights at the C.D. post then work next day, and only a few hours sleep it begins to catch up, not only me but the men as well who were perhaps in the rescue service digging people out of rubble. Back at work, theirs a big order for coffins so that’s what we turn out for awhile, we do not assemble them only make sure they are in sets ready for fixing together, sizes packed in different piles. There is also a lot of semi skilled labour making duck boards, not for ducks, but for the troops to move from there tents to the guns, search lights, and barrage balloons, as most of these are stationed in fields around the city, these were all drafted in as soon as the blitz started. Even while all this was going on there was still time to relax, dance halls kept going, and the cinema with all new films plus good old pathe news of up to date what’s happening at the front, the blitz of London, and other towns, plus Churchill giving the V sign where ever he went. After l left school, Ron and l seemed to pair up on our spare time, of cause going to walk around the city centre of what’s left, and chat up a female or two, and say see you at the G,P,O, on the steps Saturday night. Now at about this time, Jerry was dropping all sorts of things, for people to pick up, and maim themselves, one was the cigar bomb, and about that size made of lead casing a barrier of copper to the centre, acid either end, and when the two acids meet they exploded if any one had picked one up, and in his pocket well a nasty injury to you, now on the way home one night we were on our bikes, its pitch black, and in the hedge was something glowing. Getting off our bikes to see what it was, we thought for a minute that Jerry had dropped something, turned out nothing like that at all, it was fish bones.
PAGE 27. That the fish monger had thrown away in the hedge on his way home, the wet fish man came round the Villages every week, but as you now that Skate bones have a lot of fluorescence in them that make them glow in the dark, and for a minute, that, Put the shits up us. What l have not said yet
is that when War was declared all street lighting was switched off, and at night all Shops windows were also blacked out, as were all houses, and if alight was shining you soon had a Air Raid Warden shouting (Put that bloody light out), If not you were find. Also all cars, and bikes had there lights covered with special made reflectors to direct the light on the ground, l still have one of these car light restrictors Norwich at this time has been fire bombed, from Thorpe Station through to Cottessey , there is not a house or premises that has not been damaged, there’s a tremendous hate for Hitler now, and his cronies at the top. It was funny because the people did not blame the German people for what was happening. One day, l, and some others get a job to make sledges yes sledges, not the small ones but these are really big ones, they are about six-foot wide and about ten-foot long, the runners two number, six inches thick, one foot deep, and ten feet long round shape either end with timber slates fixed to the top all made out of teak with big rings at either end so they can be pulled either way, now keep these sledges in mind they will come up later in the story. At the beginning of the war every one was saying it would all be over in a year, it's over three years, and no let up yet. One night when we were on duty at the control room l mentioned, how can your God let this happen, this is to our local Vicar, let all these people get blown to peace’s, and maimed for life, such as innocent little children as well, he promptly said but this is man made, l said you are making excuses for him, and praying didn’t help them either, also religion is man made, he said you will think what you like, but you see l have always questioned religious teachings, this will also come up again later on , with other religions. Looking back in history great leaders have come, and gone, in time Hitler will go. As the tide is turning General Montgomery has halted the Germans at El Alamein the great battle has started Rommel on the run, but a big but, Singapore has fallen a nasty kick in the teeth for us, thousands surrender under General Percival (WHY) this will always be talked about, l will also come to that later, and you will see why. Not only are we fighting Germans but also the Japanese, and also Pearl Harbour has been bombed now this has woke up a nation that shoots and asks questions later, a Country of mass production, the Japs have just woke up a sleeping Volcano. Well the test is about to start to see if the Yanks have got the bottle to fight a major war with looses of a scale that’s never been before in battle. They now have to rearm like hell which they can on a mass production scale, but they also have got to learn how to fight and stick with it, they are known to shoot and ask questions later, so lets see if they can make it.
PAGE 28. The only trouble is they have got to learn how to fight, as they have never been to war standing alone, this will make them grow up fast. As for Britain we have always been at war, and hardened to it we go back to centuries of wars, so the eyes will be on the yanks to see how they handle themselves. The order has gone out to build airfields all over east Anglia, something is in the wind rather hush hush at the moment. Some spies were caught between Dunston and Swainsthorpe on the railway line, a passing train driver, reported two men that should not have been there, l expect they will see the War out in comfort of a prison camp somewhere. There are some local busses coming to the coach works for repairs, most of them have got holes in them were bullets have gone through, so its just put a patch over touch of paint and out they go. People are saying funny things, like, if a bomb gets me, l hope it's quick, and then laugh but if l get Hitler first l will screw his nuts off. I think it's our sense of humour that keeps us going, the comedians on the radio, their jokes of Adolph were out of this world. While the blitz is on, my cousins come to live with us, as they had been bombed out, so we have a house full, we have a great time, l am in to teasing my cousins something chronic, l think Mums pleased its not her, so l am having a go at Jeanne, she put up with it for a while, then l get the teapot over me, Oh well l deserve it. At work the pay risers come, l am getting eighteen shillings a week l suppose in today’s money about fifty pence. Now when you start as an apprentice you are initiated to the trade, by the trades men well time has come, so they thought they grab me take my trousers down, and put cart grease all over me private parts this happens to all the boys, and there’s no escape, Now it's a good bath, and plenty of soap. Sadly these traditions have died out, no apprenticeships now. They say War brings the best, and worst out in people that’s correct, seeing the so called Gentry having to asked for every thing to be done, and waiting for it, and you can see it in there faces, wait till the Wars over, and you will do as you are told, the old school of Barons, and Serfs that’s what they want, now, they are equal same rations, and in the same queue, l did not now at the time, but the War will changed all that, never to be the same again. This will come to light later in the book when men will never have to crawl to the bosses ever again. I get quite a few jobs on my own, with Mr Barker, and Mr Mortimer keeping an eye on me, and putting me on the right track, and l have a full set of tools now, brought through the firm, and paying off at so much a week out of My wages. We are doing allsorts of things for the Government, we are building sectional barrack blocks, that can be made as long as you like, but the width is still the same, the sections are all standard, so no matter what order they are erected. Being an apprentice is hard at first the money is very poor to start with, and your mates have more than you, at the time but they are in mostly labouring jobs, in the end l hope to earn nearly twice as much as them.
PAGE 29. When l started work l got seven shillings, and two pence a week, but the boys who went on the land, got twice as much money, but as the years went on a different story. Remembering the winter times, and snow, well if you have about twenty apprentice boys working for you, some where down the line snow balls, are going to be on the agenda, our work shop was like a aircraft hanger for size with big sliding doors. Now the boss Mr Taylor decides to have walk around the works, we do not now this so anyone that comes past our work shop got a few snow balls, yes you guessed he came past at the write time, right place, door open snow balls, Oh shit the boss, he turns, and look then said you bloody boys will be the death of me, then said if you like snow that much, go to my house, and clear the snow from my paths, and driveway, we thought his wife would be angry, she was a good lady gave us a hot drink, now tell me what happened , well she said l bet Herbert that’s his first name he is laughing his head off in his office ,do not let on l gave you a hot drink , but l bet he new we got a hot drink . Blitz still on, this time Lawrence and Scott gets it, with H.E.s (high explosives) they make electric motors for submarines so its rebuilding straight away, and also Boulton Paul aircraft builders they get fire bombs but little damage so they can carry on, they make the Bolton Paul Defiant Aircraft its a night fighter, two seater. Remember there are hundreds of aircraft flying around now, day and night, and you do not look up any more to see if its one of ours or there’s, you can tell by the drone of the engines, each one had a sound of its own, it was the purr of the R.R. engines, and the drone of the Daimler- Benz engines it was like this, the sound of German planes (one for you, one for you), the new airfields around Norwich, and out lying districts are all but finished. I am getting itchy feet wanting to do more, such as join the army, about six of us apprentices try, the answer at the recruitment office was show us proof, such as a letter from your mother of date of birth. So of we go, and write letters for each other, and sign them, of our mothers names, remember we are only seventeen just, calling up age eighteen, but when we go back we are just eighteen so we tell them, and the signed letters. Going to tech we learn all sorts of things, to make such as making a metal funnel, that’s no big deal you might say well think of all the measurements to get it to fit together, there’s the stem that’s fixed to the bowl which has a rolled turn over, and the seems all fixed down, plus we have to make tools, and other gadgets. Later on in this story you will see that tech, and apprentice will come to the fore again. Well l go out and get a new suit as the government has told the shop keepers to cut down on the cloth used in to make up suits so before it comes law l get a new one , the fashion is bell bottoms like the sailors and wide collars to the jackets , now l get what l thought at the time the in thing , a bright blue suit , more of a Cambridge Blue , l am now the cats whiskers in walking out , with a red tie , its spiv Holden for sure .
PAGE 30. Jerry has come again in force this time ,Norwich city Station gets it, and so does the Hospital,l am chasing around with messages for help now down at Eaton on the Newmarket road there’s the Scottish horse Artillery with big heavy field guns,and the Officer is asked to send men to help to evacuate some of the Hospital patients,no sooner asked,and job was done,one of the soldiers was named Alec(sandy)Mackintosh later on in the book this name will again come up,l don’t know him yet,but l do later on Now over at City Station there’s another soldier called to help,from NELSON barracks now taken over by the Royal Norfolk’s he later joins the Parachute Engineers his name is Denis(Ted )Northrop in which l will have to mention later,also another soldier with the A,A, at Norwich football ground area, his name is Reg Rayner, he later joins the Paras. The three men l have mentioned are about two to three years older than me as l am still a civey as they say l have not meet either of them yet. At about this time l am informed that l can ware the defence medal now,and its been registered so l am proud owner of a medal, but l am not the only one, dozens are given out to all groups of civil defence. Down the road a mile or so is the Milk Marketing board this needs urgent repairs so we go,Mr Barker,and myself,not too complicated,about a weeks work, but every body who works at this place is aloud two pints of milk a day, l do not need it as there’s plenty on the farm, so Mr Barker takes it home for his children. More bombs are dropped this time near our house, in the marshes only one explodes the rest just go straight in the marsh too soft so they are just fenced off and left,and if they do go off they will not hurt anyone. Caleys chocolate factory is hit, and flames light up the sky ,and the melted sugar runs down the street. I am in big trouble now the papers have come,for me to report to Britannia barracks Norwich,l can tell you the family is not very pleased,l suppose you want to get your self killed,like your uncle . You see l am only seventeen,and the army thinks l am eighteen, well anyway off l go , now l said the war ,was going to change my life for ever its now gone into top gear, to the guard room l report, there’s is a tall Scottish soldier at the door ,in here laddy, all paper work done the next thing is your army number, they write it down, and the next words are, you will remember this for the rest of your life,and boy l have,14964227. Not knowing at the time this number has more to do with the family than l thought, later on you will see , it sends shivers down my spine with a phone call l will reveal all later . For the first few days every one seemed nice, but that’s only because we haven’t got our Battle dress yet, we have all been measured up for them. Never been away from home before,and everything done for me ,l do know the basics of looking after myself,anyway l have got too now. I look around the room that we are put in, and there is no one that l know, and its the same with them, we just sit and look at each other for a while, then afew words are exchanged , like well this is it .
PAGE 31. Before l left the works ,every body wished me the best of luck ,and the two men who took me under there wing ,said now look here Boy we want to see you back here after the War , listen they said you bloodywell look after yourself , we all now that you youngons take chances . Well, its kiting out time at the barracks that takes about week ,with jabs in the arm as well , l hate those bloody needles . Now this coloured boy l just spook about ,well l had never been to Liverpool it was then the biggest docks in the Country, so thinking about it there was bound to be mixed cultures. Over the next six weeks we all got to now each other better , the army became a bit of a shock ,as the first day was to go to a big barn ,and fill your mattress with straw , now l had been sleeping on feather bed with clean sheets , now its straw mattress with two rough blankets, pillow the same filled with straw, and you clean you own bed space in the morning, l say to myself Ted Holden , you are in the army now. After a time things get in to a routine army way, at this stage l rather like the army ,being an old Country boy you had to be a little bit tough so, what ever came along l just got on with it . After all the paper work ,jabs, and being kitted out all done , its now introduced to officer in charge , well this officer has one arm, handle bar moustache , an old first war officer ,and we are trained in first world war tactics , the drill, and marching was done by the corporals ,and sergeants . Some lads can not hack it they are taken a side for one to one instructions ,one lad in our room can not tie his boots up ,or can hardly dress him self a bit of a mummies boy , well in the end he does make it ,and he turns out O.k. IT is every day square bashing see army terms coming in , and lots of P. T.in the gym climbing ropes ,and vaulting the horses this l really love used to climbing trees ,and jumping logs . Our first long march around Mousehold heath about ten miles yes we are all knackered ,and that was with no kit on our backs , its feet inspection , some have blisters , so the next day is education day back to school with a little difference, how to read a map with a compass , and a six figure grind reference ,and after eight hours of that l think we can say we can get by . All we get is from the sergeants, is if you do not pass the grade you will stay for another six weeks ,called back scwoding . Come the day for the firing range never fired a rifle before, but l have fired a 12 bore shot gun , so l asked ,was it like firing a shot gun , yes was the answer, but only one bullet goes out the barrel , l thought right mate , so l Said that’s all right we only but one pellet in our cartridges to save on lead, and still kill pheasants, and rabbits, O.K.we have a bloody comedian here. So the Sarg that’s in charge starts to ask questions about my home life , l tell him about my shooting on the farms , then he said you look young for eighteen , l thought shit he knows , but he didn’t , then he qwizzed again , what about if you have to kill someone , well l said l do not think it will be any different to shoot an animal just pull the trigger and hope for the best , he smiles .
PAGE 32. Now the ice is broken ,and it comes a little more relaxed , the only problem is l am left handed in firing the rifle ,l have to put my hand over the rifle breach to load it, but l get over that l get a nice group first shots , sergeant gives a Wink, and a smile . A few days later ,on the range again this time, its Bren gun firing, this looks a nice little monster of a gun, 28 rounds to this in the magazine , sergeant says no kicks with this ,as half is taken up with pushing the firing mechisisam back . Now to fire this at a laying position ,very different to the rifle ,so down we get lying in line with the gun ,dead behind it, shown how to hold it , this is better easy to cock , and easy to put a new mag on , this is my kind of gun ,and 28 rounds as well . As l have said our officer in charge is an ex W.W.I. Officer his name is Major Larkman a one armed man ,and still fighting W.W.1. as to some of the training ,is a platoon of men in rows ,of ten, behind each other , its front rank load ,and fire ,second rank load ,and fire ,third rank the same , but at the time you did what you were told no question asked that’s the army rule , other wise a buckshe private has no sense , well he is living in cloud cockoo land . Remember history books of W.W.1.General Haige, he sent men over the top, again,and again, his words were they are only labourers ,and another 20,000. Men cut to peace’s while he is 20 miles behind the lines eating roast beef , and they made a Hero out of him , me l think he was a murderer, well at least its only basic training here . We are now lined up for interviews ,with all different sorts of Regiments , to see which one we would like to go too ,my last interview was with the Parachute Regiment, he was in a Camerflarge Smock a Red Berry, and Wings on his right arm , after giving us The Gen the last thing he said, was of course if you join us it's two shillings a day extra. As an apprentice l was getting eighteen shillings a week , on joining the army l get one pound a week now if l join the Paras ,l get another fourteen shillings that’s one pound fourteen a week that’s sergeants pay for a private not bad , were do we sign ,only two Of us volunteer out of the platoon. Having signed to go to the Paras it never dawned, on me at the time you going to jump out of a perfick good Aeroplane, well in the days ,and weeks to come l do fall in to this. One day l am called to the office and marched in to the major ,and he asks for my A,B 64 that’s a little book with everything in it about your service ,in it he writes the details of my Defence Medal ,and says good luck soldier. I can now ware the ribbon on my uniform l look like an old soldier now , every lad ,wants to now how l got it , and why , its only the Defence Medal. The War is now in full swing the Yanks doing daylight raids on Germany ,and the R.A.F. at night so the Germans are getting non stop around the clock , but the Yanks are still green , but growing up fast . Now there are so many aircraft flying around no one bother to look any more , but l must say its a sight to see , fivehoundred aircraft in the sky at once , its horizon to horizon with planes .
PAGE 33. To here them talk they are going to win this War in a month, as the old saying, if their arses were as big as there mouths their guts would drop ou After a few missions,there out look is of a different view,they now understand why its taken us four years of War to turn the tide.General Montgomery halted the German advance in Egypt, at the battle of El Alamein, this battle turned the tide of the War, now Monty as he is known by is now called Monty of El Alamein, the German General is on the run, his name is Rommel or the Desert Fox as he was named, Monty is pushing him back to Tunis. Now in Norwich,down at Lakenham the Black Americans have moved in with there Laundry Unit to serve all the bases,this is the first time in England we have seen so many coloured people together, and the people in and around Norwich go to see them as they are fascinated by them, Before the War if a Black man walked down the street people turned and looked at him, now with hundreds of them(well). But there is onething the Black,and White Americans are not aloud to mix, so in Norwich there is a Demarcation line, Blacks one side,Whites the other,the White American, treat the Blacks as second class,we the British do not like this,so most of the time the girls go dancing in the Black area,but who transported the Blacks to America, yes we the British Noble Gents who made fortunes out of it, they are now known as British Aristocrats of more money than sense. l am now off to Shorncliff, as l have been excepted in to the newly formed Parachute Regiment Training Centre,this at the moment is only lnfantry training,l have another twelve weeks of this, all the Sergeants,and Officers are all wearing Red Berets,and some with wings. On Arrival we are shown to the Barrack Blocks, these are made of wood,and wooden floors, not bad really. Next day is talks all day,what they want from us, from the start they said we expect two thirds to drop out as they are rewriting the Army Manual, and all the training we have had,forget it. Also to ware the Red Beret we have got to ern it, the barracks will be spotless at all times, and you will be given a weapon to look after, it will be also spotless, now a little short Sergeant came to me, and said you are in charge of Your hut, this Sergeant is named Cousins a voice like a fog horn, but l must say we hit it off quite well through the course. Looking around our hut no one knows each other, we are a mixed bag,a bit of Scottish, Irish, Welsh, and us Britts , after a day or two we settle down,and we are sort of sliding in to groups, of threes and fours as sort of mates.A Corporal comes in with a rota for everyone to do different jobs, on different days,this is duly pinned up ,as all this has been read out, the Sergeant had creeped up, one lad said l am not cleaning the toilets, its not my job, Oh, Said the Sergeant,and who do you think cleans your toilet at home . My Mother was the reply, if its fucking well good enough for your Mum to scrub toilets, so can you, now shift your arse , and get scrubbing , and don’t ever let me here you say , l am not going to do that , get it .
urgently needed messenger boys for the Civil Defence Corps was put on the notice board, only boys with bikes need apply, well I am the age, and got a bike so off l go to sign on, and who should be there my local Vicar he is the Officer in charge, a room at the tech is set aside for this work, only sixteen ,and older can apply so l am just in. Now our local; Vicar loves his old pipe, and a good pint of beer at the local pub, he always said if you do not come to Church then a least l now where to find you all at the pub, he always said as well, every man to his Own convictions, but if you need me you know were l am, smashing chap. My uniform arrive dark blue with all the badges to be sewn on, my area is the Forewho and Henstead, Norwich is spit in to areas, which means l, and others patrol from the tech to Earlham Halford bridges, to Lakenham. At this stage the Blitz of Norwich begins, and that’s when we really learn what war is, up to now Jerry has played with us, now we are all shit scared. Telephones ring like mad then all of a sudden they stop, dead, the exchange is hit, now its our turn, messengers on your bikes delivering messages, and its scary l can tell you, l go like hell to the out lying posts. Then we have to get back as soon as possible, we also go around the back streets, and see if any houses have been hit, or on fire, as Jerry fire bombed Norwich, sometimes
we got lucky, the house holders were in the street looking at what was going On, and sometimes a cup of tea was offered. The language from the people, and what they were going to do to Hitler if they got there hands on him, l can assure you they were not going to kiss him.
PAGE 26. Something like, ill screws his nuts off, or stick one of his own fire bombs up his arse. At the time of the blitz another lad in another area, l think it was the City Station area, he got a war Medal for bravery in taking messages to out lying posts after being blown off his bike several times, it was head lines in the paper at the time, His name is John Grid, was awarded the British Empire Medal a brave 15 year old A.R.P.Messenger.While the blitz is on the busses are taken out of Norwich at night, and parked on the outskirts all the way down the Ipswich road, and Hall road, now these busses are shelters for the night, for the people as they get out of the city after work they sleep In the busses to get a nights rest then off in the morning home if its still standing, then work. Some of us lads are assigned to keep an eye on them by ridding up, and down in case a buss got hit. You see the busses were parked in these areas just in case the buss station got bombed, and l can say it did, but we had busses next day running on time. At this time also, woman drivers came in to being, corr this was a talk of the town, some old boys were saying they will never be able to push the brakes on, rubbish they did, and the women shot them all in the arm. More and more jobs were being taken over by women, they had too the men were in the forces; there were ambulance, lorry, and post office drivers. It's back to me, after nights at the C.D. post then work next day, and only a few hours sleep it begins to catch up, not only me but the men as well who were perhaps in the rescue service digging people out of rubble. Back at work, theirs a big order for coffins so that’s what we turn out for awhile, we do not assemble them only make sure they are in sets ready for fixing together, sizes packed in different piles. There is also a lot of semi skilled labour making duck boards, not for ducks, but for the troops to move from there tents to the guns, search lights, and barrage balloons, as most of these are stationed in fields around the city, these were all drafted in as soon as the blitz started. Even while all this was going on there was still time to relax, dance halls kept going, and the cinema with all new films plus good old pathe news of up to date what’s happening at the front, the blitz of London, and other towns, plus Churchill giving the V sign where ever he went. After l left school, Ron and l seemed to pair up on our spare time, of cause going to walk around the city centre of what’s left, and chat up a female or two, and say see you at the G,P,O, on the steps Saturday night. Now at about this time, Jerry was dropping all sorts of things, for people to pick up, and maim themselves, one was the cigar bomb, and about that size made of lead casing a barrier of copper to the centre, acid either end, and when the two acids meet they exploded if any one had picked one up, and in his pocket well a nasty injury to you, now on the way home one night we were on our bikes, its pitch black, and in the hedge was something glowing. Getting off our bikes to see what it was, we thought for a minute that Jerry had dropped something, turned out nothing like that at all, it was fish bones.
PAGE 27. That the fish monger had thrown away in the hedge on his way home, the wet fish man came round the Villages every week, but as you now that Skate bones have a lot of fluorescence in them that make them glow in the dark, and for a minute, that, Put the shits up us. What l have not said yet
is that when War was declared all street lighting was switched off, and at night all Shops windows were also blacked out, as were all houses, and if alight was shining you soon had a Air Raid Warden shouting (Put that bloody light out), If not you were find. Also all cars, and bikes had there lights covered with special made reflectors to direct the light on the ground, l still have one of these car light restrictors Norwich at this time has been fire bombed, from Thorpe Station through to Cottessey , there is not a house or premises that has not been damaged, there’s a tremendous hate for Hitler now, and his cronies at the top. It was funny because the people did not blame the German people for what was happening. One day, l, and some others get a job to make sledges yes sledges, not the small ones but these are really big ones, they are about six-foot wide and about ten-foot long, the runners two number, six inches thick, one foot deep, and ten feet long round shape either end with timber slates fixed to the top all made out of teak with big rings at either end so they can be pulled either way, now keep these sledges in mind they will come up later in the story. At the beginning of the war every one was saying it would all be over in a year, it's over three years, and no let up yet. One night when we were on duty at the control room l mentioned, how can your God let this happen, this is to our local Vicar, let all these people get blown to peace’s, and maimed for life, such as innocent little children as well, he promptly said but this is man made, l said you are making excuses for him, and praying didn’t help them either, also religion is man made, he said you will think what you like, but you see l have always questioned religious teachings, this will also come up again later on , with other religions. Looking back in history great leaders have come, and gone, in time Hitler will go. As the tide is turning General Montgomery has halted the Germans at El Alamein the great battle has started Rommel on the run, but a big but, Singapore has fallen a nasty kick in the teeth for us, thousands surrender under General Percival (WHY) this will always be talked about, l will also come to that later, and you will see why. Not only are we fighting Germans but also the Japanese, and also Pearl Harbour has been bombed now this has woke up a nation that shoots and asks questions later, a Country of mass production, the Japs have just woke up a sleeping Volcano. Well the test is about to start to see if the Yanks have got the bottle to fight a major war with looses of a scale that’s never been before in battle. They now have to rearm like hell which they can on a mass production scale, but they also have got to learn how to fight and stick with it, they are known to shoot and ask questions later, so lets see if they can make it.
PAGE 28. The only trouble is they have got to learn how to fight, as they have never been to war standing alone, this will make them grow up fast. As for Britain we have always been at war, and hardened to it we go back to centuries of wars, so the eyes will be on the yanks to see how they handle themselves. The order has gone out to build airfields all over east Anglia, something is in the wind rather hush hush at the moment. Some spies were caught between Dunston and Swainsthorpe on the railway line, a passing train driver, reported two men that should not have been there, l expect they will see the War out in comfort of a prison camp somewhere. There are some local busses coming to the coach works for repairs, most of them have got holes in them were bullets have gone through, so its just put a patch over touch of paint and out they go. People are saying funny things, like, if a bomb gets me, l hope it's quick, and then laugh but if l get Hitler first l will screw his nuts off. I think it's our sense of humour that keeps us going, the comedians on the radio, their jokes of Adolph were out of this world. While the blitz is on, my cousins come to live with us, as they had been bombed out, so we have a house full, we have a great time, l am in to teasing my cousins something chronic, l think Mums pleased its not her, so l am having a go at Jeanne, she put up with it for a while, then l get the teapot over me, Oh well l deserve it. At work the pay risers come, l am getting eighteen shillings a week l suppose in today’s money about fifty pence. Now when you start as an apprentice you are initiated to the trade, by the trades men well time has come, so they thought they grab me take my trousers down, and put cart grease all over me private parts this happens to all the boys, and there’s no escape, Now it's a good bath, and plenty of soap. Sadly these traditions have died out, no apprenticeships now. They say War brings the best, and worst out in people that’s correct, seeing the so called Gentry having to asked for every thing to be done, and waiting for it, and you can see it in there faces, wait till the Wars over, and you will do as you are told, the old school of Barons, and Serfs that’s what they want, now, they are equal same rations, and in the same queue, l did not now at the time, but the War will changed all that, never to be the same again. This will come to light later in the book when men will never have to crawl to the bosses ever again. I get quite a few jobs on my own, with Mr Barker, and Mr Mortimer keeping an eye on me, and putting me on the right track, and l have a full set of tools now, brought through the firm, and paying off at so much a week out of My wages. We are doing allsorts of things for the Government, we are building sectional barrack blocks, that can be made as long as you like, but the width is still the same, the sections are all standard, so no matter what order they are erected. Being an apprentice is hard at first the money is very poor to start with, and your mates have more than you, at the time but they are in mostly labouring jobs, in the end l hope to earn nearly twice as much as them.
PAGE 29. When l started work l got seven shillings, and two pence a week, but the boys who went on the land, got twice as much money, but as the years went on a different story. Remembering the winter times, and snow, well if you have about twenty apprentice boys working for you, some where down the line snow balls, are going to be on the agenda, our work shop was like a aircraft hanger for size with big sliding doors. Now the boss Mr Taylor decides to have walk around the works, we do not now this so anyone that comes past our work shop got a few snow balls, yes you guessed he came past at the write time, right place, door open snow balls, Oh shit the boss, he turns, and look then said you bloody boys will be the death of me, then said if you like snow that much, go to my house, and clear the snow from my paths, and driveway, we thought his wife would be angry, she was a good lady gave us a hot drink, now tell me what happened , well she said l bet Herbert that’s his first name he is laughing his head off in his office ,do not let on l gave you a hot drink , but l bet he new we got a hot drink . Blitz still on, this time Lawrence and Scott gets it, with H.E.s (high explosives) they make electric motors for submarines so its rebuilding straight away, and also Boulton Paul aircraft builders they get fire bombs but little damage so they can carry on, they make the Bolton Paul Defiant Aircraft its a night fighter, two seater. Remember there are hundreds of aircraft flying around now, day and night, and you do not look up any more to see if its one of ours or there’s, you can tell by the drone of the engines, each one had a sound of its own, it was the purr of the R.R. engines, and the drone of the Daimler- Benz engines it was like this, the sound of German planes (one for you, one for you), the new airfields around Norwich, and out lying districts are all but finished. I am getting itchy feet wanting to do more, such as join the army, about six of us apprentices try, the answer at the recruitment office was show us proof, such as a letter from your mother of date of birth. So of we go, and write letters for each other, and sign them, of our mothers names, remember we are only seventeen just, calling up age eighteen, but when we go back we are just eighteen so we tell them, and the signed letters. Going to tech we learn all sorts of things, to make such as making a metal funnel, that’s no big deal you might say well think of all the measurements to get it to fit together, there’s the stem that’s fixed to the bowl which has a rolled turn over, and the seems all fixed down, plus we have to make tools, and other gadgets. Later on in this story you will see that tech, and apprentice will come to the fore again. Well l go out and get a new suit as the government has told the shop keepers to cut down on the cloth used in to make up suits so before it comes law l get a new one , the fashion is bell bottoms like the sailors and wide collars to the jackets , now l get what l thought at the time the in thing , a bright blue suit , more of a Cambridge Blue , l am now the cats whiskers in walking out , with a red tie , its spiv Holden for sure .
PAGE 30. Jerry has come again in force this time ,Norwich city Station gets it, and so does the Hospital,l am chasing around with messages for help now down at Eaton on the Newmarket road there’s the Scottish horse Artillery with big heavy field guns,and the Officer is asked to send men to help to evacuate some of the Hospital patients,no sooner asked,and job was done,one of the soldiers was named Alec(sandy)Mackintosh later on in the book this name will again come up,l don’t know him yet,but l do later on Now over at City Station there’s another soldier called to help,from NELSON barracks now taken over by the Royal Norfolk’s he later joins the Parachute Engineers his name is Denis(Ted )Northrop in which l will have to mention later,also another soldier with the A,A, at Norwich football ground area, his name is Reg Rayner, he later joins the Paras. The three men l have mentioned are about two to three years older than me as l am still a civey as they say l have not meet either of them yet. At about this time l am informed that l can ware the defence medal now,and its been registered so l am proud owner of a medal, but l am not the only one, dozens are given out to all groups of civil defence. Down the road a mile or so is the Milk Marketing board this needs urgent repairs so we go,Mr Barker,and myself,not too complicated,about a weeks work, but every body who works at this place is aloud two pints of milk a day, l do not need it as there’s plenty on the farm, so Mr Barker takes it home for his children. More bombs are dropped this time near our house, in the marshes only one explodes the rest just go straight in the marsh too soft so they are just fenced off and left,and if they do go off they will not hurt anyone. Caleys chocolate factory is hit, and flames light up the sky ,and the melted sugar runs down the street. I am in big trouble now the papers have come,for me to report to Britannia barracks Norwich,l can tell you the family is not very pleased,l suppose you want to get your self killed,like your uncle . You see l am only seventeen,and the army thinks l am eighteen, well anyway off l go , now l said the war ,was going to change my life for ever its now gone into top gear, to the guard room l report, there’s is a tall Scottish soldier at the door ,in here laddy, all paper work done the next thing is your army number, they write it down, and the next words are, you will remember this for the rest of your life,and boy l have,14964227. Not knowing at the time this number has more to do with the family than l thought, later on you will see , it sends shivers down my spine with a phone call l will reveal all later . For the first few days every one seemed nice, but that’s only because we haven’t got our Battle dress yet, we have all been measured up for them. Never been away from home before,and everything done for me ,l do know the basics of looking after myself,anyway l have got too now. I look around the room that we are put in, and there is no one that l know, and its the same with them, we just sit and look at each other for a while, then afew words are exchanged , like well this is it .
PAGE 31. Before l left the works ,every body wished me the best of luck ,and the two men who took me under there wing ,said now look here Boy we want to see you back here after the War , listen they said you bloodywell look after yourself , we all now that you youngons take chances . Well, its kiting out time at the barracks that takes about week ,with jabs in the arm as well , l hate those bloody needles . Now this coloured boy l just spook about ,well l had never been to Liverpool it was then the biggest docks in the Country, so thinking about it there was bound to be mixed cultures. Over the next six weeks we all got to now each other better , the army became a bit of a shock ,as the first day was to go to a big barn ,and fill your mattress with straw , now l had been sleeping on feather bed with clean sheets , now its straw mattress with two rough blankets, pillow the same filled with straw, and you clean you own bed space in the morning, l say to myself Ted Holden , you are in the army now. After a time things get in to a routine army way, at this stage l rather like the army ,being an old Country boy you had to be a little bit tough so, what ever came along l just got on with it . After all the paper work ,jabs, and being kitted out all done , its now introduced to officer in charge , well this officer has one arm, handle bar moustache , an old first war officer ,and we are trained in first world war tactics , the drill, and marching was done by the corporals ,and sergeants . Some lads can not hack it they are taken a side for one to one instructions ,one lad in our room can not tie his boots up ,or can hardly dress him self a bit of a mummies boy , well in the end he does make it ,and he turns out O.k. IT is every day square bashing see army terms coming in , and lots of P. T.in the gym climbing ropes ,and vaulting the horses this l really love used to climbing trees ,and jumping logs . Our first long march around Mousehold heath about ten miles yes we are all knackered ,and that was with no kit on our backs , its feet inspection , some have blisters , so the next day is education day back to school with a little difference, how to read a map with a compass , and a six figure grind reference ,and after eight hours of that l think we can say we can get by . All we get is from the sergeants, is if you do not pass the grade you will stay for another six weeks ,called back scwoding . Come the day for the firing range never fired a rifle before, but l have fired a 12 bore shot gun , so l asked ,was it like firing a shot gun , yes was the answer, but only one bullet goes out the barrel , l thought right mate , so l Said that’s all right we only but one pellet in our cartridges to save on lead, and still kill pheasants, and rabbits, O.K.we have a bloody comedian here. So the Sarg that’s in charge starts to ask questions about my home life , l tell him about my shooting on the farms , then he said you look young for eighteen , l thought shit he knows , but he didn’t , then he qwizzed again , what about if you have to kill someone , well l said l do not think it will be any different to shoot an animal just pull the trigger and hope for the best , he smiles .
PAGE 32. Now the ice is broken ,and it comes a little more relaxed , the only problem is l am left handed in firing the rifle ,l have to put my hand over the rifle breach to load it, but l get over that l get a nice group first shots , sergeant gives a Wink, and a smile . A few days later ,on the range again this time, its Bren gun firing, this looks a nice little monster of a gun, 28 rounds to this in the magazine , sergeant says no kicks with this ,as half is taken up with pushing the firing mechisisam back . Now to fire this at a laying position ,very different to the rifle ,so down we get lying in line with the gun ,dead behind it, shown how to hold it , this is better easy to cock , and easy to put a new mag on , this is my kind of gun ,and 28 rounds as well . As l have said our officer in charge is an ex W.W.I. Officer his name is Major Larkman a one armed man ,and still fighting W.W.1. as to some of the training ,is a platoon of men in rows ,of ten, behind each other , its front rank load ,and fire ,second rank load ,and fire ,third rank the same , but at the time you did what you were told no question asked that’s the army rule , other wise a buckshe private has no sense , well he is living in cloud cockoo land . Remember history books of W.W.1.General Haige, he sent men over the top, again,and again, his words were they are only labourers ,and another 20,000. Men cut to peace’s while he is 20 miles behind the lines eating roast beef , and they made a Hero out of him , me l think he was a murderer, well at least its only basic training here . We are now lined up for interviews ,with all different sorts of Regiments , to see which one we would like to go too ,my last interview was with the Parachute Regiment, he was in a Camerflarge Smock a Red Berry, and Wings on his right arm , after giving us The Gen the last thing he said, was of course if you join us it's two shillings a day extra. As an apprentice l was getting eighteen shillings a week , on joining the army l get one pound a week now if l join the Paras ,l get another fourteen shillings that’s one pound fourteen a week that’s sergeants pay for a private not bad , were do we sign ,only two Of us volunteer out of the platoon. Having signed to go to the Paras it never dawned, on me at the time you going to jump out of a perfick good Aeroplane, well in the days ,and weeks to come l do fall in to this. One day l am called to the office and marched in to the major ,and he asks for my A,B 64 that’s a little book with everything in it about your service ,in it he writes the details of my Defence Medal ,and says good luck soldier. I can now ware the ribbon on my uniform l look like an old soldier now , every lad ,wants to now how l got it , and why , its only the Defence Medal. The War is now in full swing the Yanks doing daylight raids on Germany ,and the R.A.F. at night so the Germans are getting non stop around the clock , but the Yanks are still green , but growing up fast . Now there are so many aircraft flying around no one bother to look any more , but l must say its a sight to see , fivehoundred aircraft in the sky at once , its horizon to horizon with planes .
PAGE 33. To here them talk they are going to win this War in a month, as the old saying, if their arses were as big as there mouths their guts would drop ou After a few missions,there out look is of a different view,they now understand why its taken us four years of War to turn the tide.General Montgomery halted the German advance in Egypt, at the battle of El Alamein, this battle turned the tide of the War, now Monty as he is known by is now called Monty of El Alamein, the German General is on the run, his name is Rommel or the Desert Fox as he was named, Monty is pushing him back to Tunis. Now in Norwich,down at Lakenham the Black Americans have moved in with there Laundry Unit to serve all the bases,this is the first time in England we have seen so many coloured people together, and the people in and around Norwich go to see them as they are fascinated by them, Before the War if a Black man walked down the street people turned and looked at him, now with hundreds of them(well). But there is onething the Black,and White Americans are not aloud to mix, so in Norwich there is a Demarcation line, Blacks one side,Whites the other,the White American, treat the Blacks as second class,we the British do not like this,so most of the time the girls go dancing in the Black area,but who transported the Blacks to America, yes we the British Noble Gents who made fortunes out of it, they are now known as British Aristocrats of more money than sense. l am now off to Shorncliff, as l have been excepted in to the newly formed Parachute Regiment Training Centre,this at the moment is only lnfantry training,l have another twelve weeks of this, all the Sergeants,and Officers are all wearing Red Berets,and some with wings. On Arrival we are shown to the Barrack Blocks, these are made of wood,and wooden floors, not bad really. Next day is talks all day,what they want from us, from the start they said we expect two thirds to drop out as they are rewriting the Army Manual, and all the training we have had,forget it. Also to ware the Red Beret we have got to ern it, the barracks will be spotless at all times, and you will be given a weapon to look after, it will be also spotless, now a little short Sergeant came to me, and said you are in charge of Your hut, this Sergeant is named Cousins a voice like a fog horn, but l must say we hit it off quite well through the course. Looking around our hut no one knows each other, we are a mixed bag,a bit of Scottish, Irish, Welsh, and us Britts , after a day or two we settle down,and we are sort of sliding in to groups, of threes and fours as sort of mates.A Corporal comes in with a rota for everyone to do different jobs, on different days,this is duly pinned up ,as all this has been read out, the Sergeant had creeped up, one lad said l am not cleaning the toilets, its not my job, Oh, Said the Sergeant,and who do you think cleans your toilet at home . My Mother was the reply, if its fucking well good enough for your Mum to scrub toilets, so can you, now shift your arse , and get scrubbing , and don’t ever let me here you say , l am not going to do that , get it .
PAGE 34. Other wise you will be in the guardroom, and your feet will not touch the floor, and then R, T, U, ( return to unit ) understood ,shit l am not crossing him . We get a lot of road work , not to repair it, but ten mile bashes, as we called them ,yes its ten mile in two hours with full kit at this training camp, they are killers , but as time goes on it does get easier , but from now On all orders are given with the word, go at the end, like get your kit on,GO. This is because when you are in the aircraft ,it will be red light on ,stand by ,green light on, GO ,and out you go ,one or two more drop out , and r,t,u means( return to unit ), if we are not out on the road ,we are in the gym over the horses ,or up the ropes ,and if not that its blind mans buff, with a difference ,blind fold two people then tie a rope to the ankles of each person ,then put boxing gloves on them ,now they have got to find each other , and when they do, the swings at each other, boy if they ever they did connect the other would be flat on his back , but we had great fun , now comes the boxing ring tournaments ,this is one platoon against the others platoons . In our platoon there’s a Scottish lad, not much to say, but steady as a rock, but a bit slow in movement ,other wise OK, so come the day for the tournament . No one knows what the other has done before the army , so one of the Sergeants said, l will wake jock up in the ring , so its match Jock against Sergeant , well bell goes ,Sergeant throws one or two punches at jock, but jock ducks them, comes up ,and hit this Sergeant on the jaw he goes down, and dose not get up , when he does , he says you never said you could box ,answer jock (yar dina ask ), from then on, jock got greater respect from everyone , he was then the A.B.A. boxing champion of Scotland ,and no one new . Part of our training was to climb up sugar loaf hill Folkestone ,with full kit ,it did not matter what sort of weather you had to do it, so you had to work as a team to get up to the top . One day we had to take our number one battle dress to the tailors ,for the Pegasus to be stitched on with the Parachute Regiment flashes we are getting there , next l hope will be the Red Beret . Orders full kit, draw weapons from armoury ,off we go to Hythe range by the sea ,and if anyone has been there, they will know this lovely stoney beach, l have never seen so many stones in my life , ammo given out ,and its firing from the aprone Position or lying down . Orders set sights at eight hundred yards looking through my sights, l can not see the bull at that distant ,the fore sight is bigger than bull, l think most of us did well as expected ,at that range of fire , this day we fire a lot of different types of weapons, including some German weapons, that had been captured they were about the same as ours , l love shooting anyway so its sort of second nature to me . At the moment l am enjoying the Army , its given me a different out look on life , also meeting people from different parts of the Country , how some are talking ,this is the first time they have had three meals a day , l just listen , it seems they lived on fish and chips
PAGE 35. We march back clean weapons, then we are told prepare,for mortar training tomorrow. Mortars today off we go to the bottom of sugar loaf hill,and there they are,some little ones,and some big ones, the little ones are called two inch trench mortars, they just look like a bit of two inch steel tube with a lever at the bottom end, which is the firing lever, you hold it on the side of the trench, or on the ground, drop the bomb in the top, then pull the lever down, and away goes the bomb several hundred yards away, a nice little mean weapon there is H,E. Fire Bomb, and Parachute Flares, and Smoke,l think this is great fun,just like fireworks but bigger. Next is the big boy a three inch mortar, it takes three men to hump this around, this does the same things as the small one, but much bigger damage After all morning on these,its now off to the slit trenches,with a few boxes of Hand Grenades,we are first given a practice one, other wise a Mills Thirty-six Grenade about the size of a cricket ball,a little bit heavier,next come the order take one grenade, from the box, and bring to the trench,now you have got to prime it,with a fuse,it could be a four second,or a seven second,we are using the four second, this is pointed out to us, if a longer fuse is put in the enemy, could throw it back, as a four will explode on impact,the seven second is for a grenade launcher,off we go only one man a time,you are now in the trench,with the Sergeant,you hold it in which ever hand you like ,hold it in front of you ,hold the pin, with the other hand ,at your own time ,pull the pin, and lob it like a cricket ball, over hand, this we do, that’s OK then bang, the next one we have to hit a target ,see if it hits, then duck down,remember these things only have a four second fuse, that’s from the time it leaves your hand,that’s cutting it fine .The next day is explosives, gun cotton, plastic.and ammertol, this can be a bit scary,but after a time we all get the hang of it, this is what we do first of all, you must not be frightened of it,it will not explode, only by a deternater , after a time,l enjoy this making big bangs. With what we are doing, the language is not of the Church Pulpit words, a bit more down to earth it's all for our own good, it makes you sit up, and take notice. It came on orders , that there was a two week survival course exercise under bivouacs,or We could stay in barracks and take a confirmation course then be confirmed by the Bishop of Dover more than half stayed in barracks.Talking of Church we have a garrison Church,we are marched there every Sunday, with an Officer ,and a Sergeant, some of them never come in,so one day l held back to find out why, l must point out that some are ex Dunkirk Vets, on asking one Sergeant,he said if there is a God up there, why the slaughter of good men ,Praying to be picked up,but got blown to bits in the sand, instead of me going in we talked all the time,and some of his views were not unlike mine , He had served in Palestine before the war, as a regular soldier, what came out in his conservation was religion causes more trouble in the world, then comes money, or the greed for it.
PAGE 36. l surpose you could say that ninety per cent only took, the confirmation class, to get out of sleeping in the cold.There’s a wealthy Lady Aster, in the upper crust set, she has been making statements to the News Papers that the Parachute Regiment,is made up of prisoners from our jails,instead of a prison sentence, they have a choice to join the Para,s, what a load of rubbish,For a start they would not have them as they would be too unreliable,and wasters to society. Also we have to have psychiatrist test, to see if we have stable minds, and can take the pressures that might come our way. This is why one third of every intake,only get through,and when you do get through, you can say l am one of the Elite Soldiers of the world .As my Gran would say ,these lardyda people ,with more money than sense , and what was she doing to help the War effort. Back to training at Shorncliff, its close quarters combat now,charging a sack dummy fixed bayonets,it's in twist pull on guard, ready for the next man that’s in the way. That done with, its an unarmed man against a man with a rifle ,called unarmed combat, now l am the unarmed man,one of my mates has the rifle with the bayonet covered,he charge at me, l am supposed to step to the side grab his rifle, fall backwards, feet in his belly then push him over the top, but things go wrong, l slip, the rifle butt hits me in the mouth knocks half my tooth out, my mate said sorry, then laughs his head off, l did not think that funny, but every one else did . Off to the dentists, he sticks another bit on called a capping, it lasted to about year ago, round about sixty odd years, must have been a good dentist. Then its really unarmed combat in a darkened room ,with only a combat knife or a garrotte wire , l can say this everyone who went in came out black and blue , after we all been in,the man himself came out ,and what a surprise, a little short Arse of a PT instructor with a big grin, and his name was Sgt Mac Tavish. All this training went on all the time ,l now have muscles l never new l had, l can climb ropes with ease,and flip over the parallel bar plus pull my self up to chest height on the bar, and hit my chest on the bar ten times, l really feel good.The next bit of training is night patrol through woods,well this proved to be fun, there’s trip wires everywhere, some bomb happy Sergeant with thunder flashes to make us jump, on this trip we were not given a briefing, but the next time we were told how to Avoid all this, so off we go again this time, l make it with a few other mates, l put it down to Granddads teaching at poaching. Out of about three hundred of us ,we are down to about a hundred ten now,a parade is called everyone on the square in best K.D.This is known as Gods holy ground that’s, the R.S.M(Regimental Sergeant Major)out come the Q.M.S.(Quarter Master Sergeant)with a big box,then one by one we hand in the Khaki hats, and are issued with the famous Red Beret, it looks as if we are to move foreword, to our next lot of training. l am now the proud owner of the famous Red Beret, Parachute Tittles, and the Pegasus Emblem Flashes next job is to get my Wings .
PAGE 37. The training here finished now for a bit of leave going home, to see some school mates, and a pint in the local pub perhaps with the Vicar. During the training at Shorncliff , we used to go down to Folkestone at weekends, the first stop was the Leas Cliff Dance Hall ,where all the other soldiers used to go ,and relax but one night it got a bit out of hand ,we thought swinging on the curtains out of the windows was great fun, but the MP s (Military Police) did not think so , a total ban to the place for Paras was imposed . Home on leave meet the lads but its different ,they look at me as if l was some stranger just walked in ,l said what’s wrong, Oh you are a Para, so what ,l am still Ted Holden your school mate, are but, your lot go looking for trouble , now this is the reputation the Regiment is getting, just for winning battles ,people are a little bit afraid of us ,it makes me smile , but at leased l am getting some respect ,no one wants to fight me , most of my school mates are still working on the land , but my world is a different kettle of fish now , my mind has broadened so much ,as they are still planting corn ,and beet ,and ploughing , l am not against that ,but there ends our conversation . Or the other talk is the Yanks are getting all the girls , l think well get off your arses, and do something about it . Well at home Mum cooks dinner ,l just sit down ,and the shock of my life comes , forgetting myself l ask for salt ,in army fashion , that’s pass the fucking salt , Mum says what did you say, and before l could say sorry a back hand hits me earhole with a thud , if you talk like that in the Army,but not in this house , l look at Granddad his head is down ,and having a good chuckle , then l remember the boys in the pub, and what they said ,l give a grin, Mum says what’s funny ,so l said the boys down the pub are shit scared of me , then Mum has a good laugh , she is only about five foot tall, l am head ,and shoulders above her , so its down to earth with a bump . Mums still at work, so l said l will come up to the tea rooms, for a cupper,she said l will not let on your coming up . So in l go the place is full of Yanks ,and bussiness people, but l pick up a commando in my travels in Norwich ,so we are together, well a Green beret ,and a Red beret one a Royal Marine Commando the other Parachute Regiment its funny we get first class treatment ,and the place is dead silence , Mum says its the quietest its been all day ,she says the Yanks are a bit loud . Norwich looks a poor old city now, complete buildings gone ,but the old fish ,and chips on timber hill is still there, and the Samson ,and Hercules Dance Hall is still going strong ,as you might know the Yanks are doing the jitterbug ,but for all l say about the Yanks, they are bit lose tongued but, as l am on leave , l watch some of them come home from day light raids ,and its not a pretty sight , holes in the wings , part of the tail fin gone ,and having to steer with the feathering of the engines , l must give credit were credits due , they take a lot of looses over Germany ,l take my hat off to them , brave lads those Flyers .
PAGE 38. But on Sunday afternoon some were coming home ,and were nearly there when Jerry follows them in, so up go the Barrage Balloons, and then disaster, the Yanks can not gain height so straight in to the balloon wires , l see two fortresses go down ,and others all Round the city, these men had done there job ,and home as they thought , shame it happened but that’s War. What ever your views are of the Yanks, l would like you to take a trip, to Cambridge on the Madingley road to the American War Cemetery ,and that will give some ldear of the bravery of those lads , they gave their all . Leave over back to Shorncliff, but not for long Sgt Cousins gives us the gen ,to where we are off to , Hardwick Hall Camp , he wishes us all good luck in our travels, he’s is a real old sweat as they say . We arrive at Hardwick , as we get to the guard room a R.P.(Regimental Police) steps out, a corporal , unbeknown to us he has a repartation for being a right barstard, for a start we are load of rabble , now down at shorncliff we were called a lot of names, you do not use in Church , this is getting to be over the top ,so Eddie is not a happy Soldier . But we want to get settled in so we play ball ,anyway we do get to our bunks after a time . Next day our Sergeant turns up, a short plump man , and who do think it was , a sport that l followed wrestling, this is none only but Vic Hassle . Well this place is going to be tough, its all physical work more ten mile bashes ,and rope climbing , plus rope absailing that’s great , then there’s some school work to be done, the bearded wonders are here to see if we are round the bend . Now this corporal we first met at the Guard Room he has had it in for us , and he has a swastika tattooed on the back of his hand ,that’s not very healthy for him, so we are here for only two weeks, but he does not let up ,so one day his arm is in a sling ,and his face a funny colour like black and blue , big parade, who did it, everyone has a alibi ,no one has booked out that night everyone in their barrack hut , there is not a bruise or scratch on any soldier or a dirty uniform , l wonder who could have done it tongue in check ,like a few others, Just after this, a well known Para arrives ,and in later years l meet him. We are now off to R.A.F.Ringway, to do our jumps on arrival, RAF Sergeant takes us to our huts , beds all made up with sheets on , we can not believe our eyes , and breakfast, its this way Gentlemen ,just line up, and take what you need , Gentlemen, l have been called everything, but a Gentleman since joining up , after breakfast we go over to a hanger, and have a pep talk, and introduced to our Sergeant who is Sgt Evan’s a very quiet spoken man , this man is going to teach us every thing about parachuting . The first day is the swings with a harness on, back wards, and forward, sideways, this is to give osalatetion feeling. I thought this is great, back to being a kid again on the swings, but it got harder as time went on . Every command is on the word go , putting the parachute harness on has come second nature , and also feet and knees together .
PAGE 39. The next day it is the death side , you climb up the side of the hanger to a platform, and hold on to two handles, on a wire slooping to the hanger floor ,and the length of the hanger , well some one shouts green on go ,and next l new l was travailing at a great speed of knots to the hanger floor, after two or three goes its great fun. The next is on the mats learning to roll, sideways, forewords, and backwards, plus a lot of acking bones, and sore knees. We also learn to do the Ringway walk , that’s everyone in line behind each other ,with left hand on the shoulder of the one in front , and then swing the right leg forward ,then the left its a kind of shuffle ,this is when you are in the plane You are tight together as you jump. The next is the fan drop , we climb to top of the hanger to a platform ,there are four fans in a row ,so four can be jumping at once , you put the harness around you then stand to the edge of the platform,told to look straight a head then the dreaded words red on then green on go , then its you on the way down, hit the hanger floor like a lump of shit , big bellows in your ear, up you go again ,and get it right , l did not think RAF Sgts. could shout , till now, this weekend is free time, so off we go to Manchester for a look a round ,first stop the services club, a good meal ,and just relax ,and then a walk a round Piccadilly Square , and looking at the local talent , and yes its raining . Monday morning SGT Evan’s has a smile on his face , the first words are draw Chutes, l was all right till then, now my guts is in a knot, and butterflies going around in side like fish in a fish bowl , and everyone wants to go to the toilet,Sergeant says it's OK it's natural. Well off we go to get the Chutes ,a W.A.A.F. gets one for me, she takes the label off it looks hard at it ,me what’s wrong with it ,Oh nothing, just checking when it was packed ,she smiles but that don’t mean a thing at the moment . And then l spot that notice, (REMEMBER THAT A MANS LIFE DEPENDS ON EVERY CHUTE YOU PACK ) that’s not good for my moral at the moment . Chute collected placed on a stand, adjust webbing’s to fit, try on, its OK so Sergeant says , now in these days we only jump with one Chute , jumping with a reserve did not come in till after the war ,about the 1950s. We pile in to a lorry bus, off to Tatton Park, we are now introduced to Bessy ,the big Barrage Balloon with a cradle underneath , so four of us in, with the Sergeant we hear the order up eighthundred , l have never been up more than about thirty-foot , we arrive at the height looks down , cows are like ants with horns , Sergeant tells jokes no one laughs ,Sergeant hooks us up ,OK number one in door red on green go he’s gone , and so do all the rest then me last , over he comes ready ,l nod dare Not speak, l want a good exit step right out green on go, and l am gone . As l stood in the door of the Balloon, thoughts were going through my head, has that W.A.A.F. Packed this Chute properly, has the Sergeant hooked my chute up properly, other wise l am shit scared , the drop out of these balloons is just straight down a drop of about 150ft before the chute opens.
PAGE 40. Now travailing to earth at a great speed of knots,Chute opens,wow made it, now for the landing,perfect,number one over seven more to go. Everyone chatting now, no one was speaking ten minutes ago,you see jumping out of a balloon,its a straight drop at 32 feet per second, per second,that means 32 feet for the first second,and 64 feet the next second,and 128 feet the next second, and so on,it doubles each second,but as soon as the Chute opens out you slow down to wind speed, out of an aircraft you float on the slip stream we have good weather so a jump every day,and one night jump all done,our wings are now presented to us with the little G.Q.badge,(we jumped with George Quinton chute,) everyone is sewing them on,l am now a fully fledged Para, it was worth all the hassle,what l can say is the last jump was the same as the first, l still get butterflies,we are asked if anyone would like to jump out of a Whittly, that means going out through the hole in floor of the aircraft,why we asked is our posting not come through,we got through the jumping cause early we had good weather,so we all volunteer to have a go, but when we arrive for the drop two aircraft are there,a Whittle, and a Wellington, so in stead of one jump, we do two jumps,one from each aircraft l can say, l did ten jumps at Ringway number one Parachute Training Centre Posting comes we are all off to PiddleHinton Camp Dorset, and when we arrive its quite funny really all the towns down here are either with the name Piddle or Puddle, not here long off to the Isle Of Wight, Albany Barracks opposite Parkhurst Prison, but while we were at Piddlehinton, we used to go to Lulworth Cove to do cliff climbing. At the Isle of Weight there is about three thousand of us, not much going on around here, just general training ,and some ABCA talks, the word means Army Bureau of Current Affairs that’s the only time in the army you are allowed to voice an opinion, after that you keep your trap shut. Then one morning we called on to the parade ground ,names are called out, mine one of them ,we are to report to the orderly room for docks to be checked,and next day of to Shorncliff, ask a few questions all we get is you will see when you get there, arrive at Folkestone station trucks waiting ,and a face, l know Sgt Cousins but not Sgt Cousins anymore its C,S,M. Cousins,(Company Sergeant Major) gone up in the world now haven’t you, he looked at me ,and said what are you doing here, l said you tell me, In the morning a officer from LONDON is coming to pick you all up, and take you back, that’s all l know, now the rumours start, we are going to be on guard at Buck Palace, and all that mumbo jumbo rumours, Officer arrives a major,and a scruffy looking sod he looks, we find out later, that he is really a civvy in uniform,and the rank to verify his pay, so off we go to London, we end up at Sloane Square,and Baker Street, if you do not now what this is,its home of Part of the S.O.E.(Special Opperations Exsecative) and what are we doing there you ask,well we soon find out that its a crash course,on the Malay Language why us, after the crash course we are off to India, now we can put two and two together.
PAGE 36. l surpose you could say that ninety per cent only took, the confirmation class, to get out of sleeping in the cold.There’s a wealthy Lady Aster, in the upper crust set, she has been making statements to the News Papers that the Parachute Regiment,is made up of prisoners from our jails,instead of a prison sentence, they have a choice to join the Para,s, what a load of rubbish,For a start they would not have them as they would be too unreliable,and wasters to society. Also we have to have psychiatrist test, to see if we have stable minds, and can take the pressures that might come our way. This is why one third of every intake,only get through,and when you do get through, you can say l am one of the Elite Soldiers of the world .As my Gran would say ,these lardyda people ,with more money than sense , and what was she doing to help the War effort. Back to training at Shorncliff, its close quarters combat now,charging a sack dummy fixed bayonets,it's in twist pull on guard, ready for the next man that’s in the way. That done with, its an unarmed man against a man with a rifle ,called unarmed combat, now l am the unarmed man,one of my mates has the rifle with the bayonet covered,he charge at me, l am supposed to step to the side grab his rifle, fall backwards, feet in his belly then push him over the top, but things go wrong, l slip, the rifle butt hits me in the mouth knocks half my tooth out, my mate said sorry, then laughs his head off, l did not think that funny, but every one else did . Off to the dentists, he sticks another bit on called a capping, it lasted to about year ago, round about sixty odd years, must have been a good dentist. Then its really unarmed combat in a darkened room ,with only a combat knife or a garrotte wire , l can say this everyone who went in came out black and blue , after we all been in,the man himself came out ,and what a surprise, a little short Arse of a PT instructor with a big grin, and his name was Sgt Mac Tavish. All this training went on all the time ,l now have muscles l never new l had, l can climb ropes with ease,and flip over the parallel bar plus pull my self up to chest height on the bar, and hit my chest on the bar ten times, l really feel good.The next bit of training is night patrol through woods,well this proved to be fun, there’s trip wires everywhere, some bomb happy Sergeant with thunder flashes to make us jump, on this trip we were not given a briefing, but the next time we were told how to Avoid all this, so off we go again this time, l make it with a few other mates, l put it down to Granddads teaching at poaching. Out of about three hundred of us ,we are down to about a hundred ten now,a parade is called everyone on the square in best K.D.This is known as Gods holy ground that’s, the R.S.M(Regimental Sergeant Major)out come the Q.M.S.(Quarter Master Sergeant)with a big box,then one by one we hand in the Khaki hats, and are issued with the famous Red Beret, it looks as if we are to move foreword, to our next lot of training. l am now the proud owner of the famous Red Beret, Parachute Tittles, and the Pegasus Emblem Flashes next job is to get my Wings .
PAGE 37. The training here finished now for a bit of leave going home, to see some school mates, and a pint in the local pub perhaps with the Vicar. During the training at Shorncliff , we used to go down to Folkestone at weekends, the first stop was the Leas Cliff Dance Hall ,where all the other soldiers used to go ,and relax but one night it got a bit out of hand ,we thought swinging on the curtains out of the windows was great fun, but the MP s (Military Police) did not think so , a total ban to the place for Paras was imposed . Home on leave meet the lads but its different ,they look at me as if l was some stranger just walked in ,l said what’s wrong, Oh you are a Para, so what ,l am still Ted Holden your school mate, are but, your lot go looking for trouble , now this is the reputation the Regiment is getting, just for winning battles ,people are a little bit afraid of us ,it makes me smile , but at leased l am getting some respect ,no one wants to fight me , most of my school mates are still working on the land , but my world is a different kettle of fish now , my mind has broadened so much ,as they are still planting corn ,and beet ,and ploughing , l am not against that ,but there ends our conversation . Or the other talk is the Yanks are getting all the girls , l think well get off your arses, and do something about it . Well at home Mum cooks dinner ,l just sit down ,and the shock of my life comes , forgetting myself l ask for salt ,in army fashion , that’s pass the fucking salt , Mum says what did you say, and before l could say sorry a back hand hits me earhole with a thud , if you talk like that in the Army,but not in this house , l look at Granddad his head is down ,and having a good chuckle , then l remember the boys in the pub, and what they said ,l give a grin, Mum says what’s funny ,so l said the boys down the pub are shit scared of me , then Mum has a good laugh , she is only about five foot tall, l am head ,and shoulders above her , so its down to earth with a bump . Mums still at work, so l said l will come up to the tea rooms, for a cupper,she said l will not let on your coming up . So in l go the place is full of Yanks ,and bussiness people, but l pick up a commando in my travels in Norwich ,so we are together, well a Green beret ,and a Red beret one a Royal Marine Commando the other Parachute Regiment its funny we get first class treatment ,and the place is dead silence , Mum says its the quietest its been all day ,she says the Yanks are a bit loud . Norwich looks a poor old city now, complete buildings gone ,but the old fish ,and chips on timber hill is still there, and the Samson ,and Hercules Dance Hall is still going strong ,as you might know the Yanks are doing the jitterbug ,but for all l say about the Yanks, they are bit lose tongued but, as l am on leave , l watch some of them come home from day light raids ,and its not a pretty sight , holes in the wings , part of the tail fin gone ,and having to steer with the feathering of the engines , l must give credit were credits due , they take a lot of looses over Germany ,l take my hat off to them , brave lads those Flyers .
PAGE 38. But on Sunday afternoon some were coming home ,and were nearly there when Jerry follows them in, so up go the Barrage Balloons, and then disaster, the Yanks can not gain height so straight in to the balloon wires , l see two fortresses go down ,and others all Round the city, these men had done there job ,and home as they thought , shame it happened but that’s War. What ever your views are of the Yanks, l would like you to take a trip, to Cambridge on the Madingley road to the American War Cemetery ,and that will give some ldear of the bravery of those lads , they gave their all . Leave over back to Shorncliff, but not for long Sgt Cousins gives us the gen ,to where we are off to , Hardwick Hall Camp , he wishes us all good luck in our travels, he’s is a real old sweat as they say . We arrive at Hardwick , as we get to the guard room a R.P.(Regimental Police) steps out, a corporal , unbeknown to us he has a repartation for being a right barstard, for a start we are load of rabble , now down at shorncliff we were called a lot of names, you do not use in Church , this is getting to be over the top ,so Eddie is not a happy Soldier . But we want to get settled in so we play ball ,anyway we do get to our bunks after a time . Next day our Sergeant turns up, a short plump man , and who do think it was , a sport that l followed wrestling, this is none only but Vic Hassle . Well this place is going to be tough, its all physical work more ten mile bashes ,and rope climbing , plus rope absailing that’s great , then there’s some school work to be done, the bearded wonders are here to see if we are round the bend . Now this corporal we first met at the Guard Room he has had it in for us , and he has a swastika tattooed on the back of his hand ,that’s not very healthy for him, so we are here for only two weeks, but he does not let up ,so one day his arm is in a sling ,and his face a funny colour like black and blue , big parade, who did it, everyone has a alibi ,no one has booked out that night everyone in their barrack hut , there is not a bruise or scratch on any soldier or a dirty uniform , l wonder who could have done it tongue in check ,like a few others, Just after this, a well known Para arrives ,and in later years l meet him. We are now off to R.A.F.Ringway, to do our jumps on arrival, RAF Sergeant takes us to our huts , beds all made up with sheets on , we can not believe our eyes , and breakfast, its this way Gentlemen ,just line up, and take what you need , Gentlemen, l have been called everything, but a Gentleman since joining up , after breakfast we go over to a hanger, and have a pep talk, and introduced to our Sergeant who is Sgt Evan’s a very quiet spoken man , this man is going to teach us every thing about parachuting . The first day is the swings with a harness on, back wards, and forward, sideways, this is to give osalatetion feeling. I thought this is great, back to being a kid again on the swings, but it got harder as time went on . Every command is on the word go , putting the parachute harness on has come second nature , and also feet and knees together .
PAGE 39. The next day it is the death side , you climb up the side of the hanger to a platform, and hold on to two handles, on a wire slooping to the hanger floor ,and the length of the hanger , well some one shouts green on go ,and next l new l was travailing at a great speed of knots to the hanger floor, after two or three goes its great fun. The next is on the mats learning to roll, sideways, forewords, and backwards, plus a lot of acking bones, and sore knees. We also learn to do the Ringway walk , that’s everyone in line behind each other ,with left hand on the shoulder of the one in front , and then swing the right leg forward ,then the left its a kind of shuffle ,this is when you are in the plane You are tight together as you jump. The next is the fan drop , we climb to top of the hanger to a platform ,there are four fans in a row ,so four can be jumping at once , you put the harness around you then stand to the edge of the platform,told to look straight a head then the dreaded words red on then green on go , then its you on the way down, hit the hanger floor like a lump of shit , big bellows in your ear, up you go again ,and get it right , l did not think RAF Sgts. could shout , till now, this weekend is free time, so off we go to Manchester for a look a round ,first stop the services club, a good meal ,and just relax ,and then a walk a round Piccadilly Square , and looking at the local talent , and yes its raining . Monday morning SGT Evan’s has a smile on his face , the first words are draw Chutes, l was all right till then, now my guts is in a knot, and butterflies going around in side like fish in a fish bowl , and everyone wants to go to the toilet,Sergeant says it's OK it's natural. Well off we go to get the Chutes ,a W.A.A.F. gets one for me, she takes the label off it looks hard at it ,me what’s wrong with it ,Oh nothing, just checking when it was packed ,she smiles but that don’t mean a thing at the moment . And then l spot that notice, (REMEMBER THAT A MANS LIFE DEPENDS ON EVERY CHUTE YOU PACK ) that’s not good for my moral at the moment . Chute collected placed on a stand, adjust webbing’s to fit, try on, its OK so Sergeant says , now in these days we only jump with one Chute , jumping with a reserve did not come in till after the war ,about the 1950s. We pile in to a lorry bus, off to Tatton Park, we are now introduced to Bessy ,the big Barrage Balloon with a cradle underneath , so four of us in, with the Sergeant we hear the order up eighthundred , l have never been up more than about thirty-foot , we arrive at the height looks down , cows are like ants with horns , Sergeant tells jokes no one laughs ,Sergeant hooks us up ,OK number one in door red on green go he’s gone , and so do all the rest then me last , over he comes ready ,l nod dare Not speak, l want a good exit step right out green on go, and l am gone . As l stood in the door of the Balloon, thoughts were going through my head, has that W.A.A.F. Packed this Chute properly, has the Sergeant hooked my chute up properly, other wise l am shit scared , the drop out of these balloons is just straight down a drop of about 150ft before the chute opens.
PAGE 40. Now travailing to earth at a great speed of knots,Chute opens,wow made it, now for the landing,perfect,number one over seven more to go. Everyone chatting now, no one was speaking ten minutes ago,you see jumping out of a balloon,its a straight drop at 32 feet per second, per second,that means 32 feet for the first second,and 64 feet the next second,and 128 feet the next second, and so on,it doubles each second,but as soon as the Chute opens out you slow down to wind speed, out of an aircraft you float on the slip stream we have good weather so a jump every day,and one night jump all done,our wings are now presented to us with the little G.Q.badge,(we jumped with George Quinton chute,) everyone is sewing them on,l am now a fully fledged Para, it was worth all the hassle,what l can say is the last jump was the same as the first, l still get butterflies,we are asked if anyone would like to jump out of a Whittly, that means going out through the hole in floor of the aircraft,why we asked is our posting not come through,we got through the jumping cause early we had good weather,so we all volunteer to have a go, but when we arrive for the drop two aircraft are there,a Whittle, and a Wellington, so in stead of one jump, we do two jumps,one from each aircraft l can say, l did ten jumps at Ringway number one Parachute Training Centre Posting comes we are all off to PiddleHinton Camp Dorset, and when we arrive its quite funny really all the towns down here are either with the name Piddle or Puddle, not here long off to the Isle Of Wight, Albany Barracks opposite Parkhurst Prison, but while we were at Piddlehinton, we used to go to Lulworth Cove to do cliff climbing. At the Isle of Weight there is about three thousand of us, not much going on around here, just general training ,and some ABCA talks, the word means Army Bureau of Current Affairs that’s the only time in the army you are allowed to voice an opinion, after that you keep your trap shut. Then one morning we called on to the parade ground ,names are called out, mine one of them ,we are to report to the orderly room for docks to be checked,and next day of to Shorncliff, ask a few questions all we get is you will see when you get there, arrive at Folkestone station trucks waiting ,and a face, l know Sgt Cousins but not Sgt Cousins anymore its C,S,M. Cousins,(Company Sergeant Major) gone up in the world now haven’t you, he looked at me ,and said what are you doing here, l said you tell me, In the morning a officer from LONDON is coming to pick you all up, and take you back, that’s all l know, now the rumours start, we are going to be on guard at Buck Palace, and all that mumbo jumbo rumours, Officer arrives a major,and a scruffy looking sod he looks, we find out later, that he is really a civvy in uniform,and the rank to verify his pay, so off we go to London, we end up at Sloane Square,and Baker Street, if you do not now what this is,its home of Part of the S.O.E.(Special Opperations Exsecative) and what are we doing there you ask,well we soon find out that its a crash course,on the Malay Language why us, after the crash course we are off to India, now we can put two and two together.
PAGE 41. It looks like the Japs for us ,but what roll are we going to play in this War , no one has let on yet , or will not tell , all we have is a card to send to our Mums for them to send our mail too ,Parachute Regiment ,RPRPF India Command ,l now nothing of India or their culture . We are off on leave this time ,it is embarkation leave ,and its the same old story ,as soon as they see you ,when do you go back, you have only just arrived home ,makes you think ,Leave over, back to London, and as soon as we arrive ,it is off to Cambridge to Bourne Airfield ,home of part of RAF Transport, next day board planes ,there,s threehundred of us in fourteen planes most of them B24s,Liberators we Stop at Marseilles, not long been recaptured, then to Castle Benito, Cairo West, and then on to Karachi India, and then on to Poona, not far from Bombay. When we arrived at Karachi we were still in our heavy K.D. Some were dropping like flies of the heat ,they soon issued us with tropical dress , now a hole new part of my life begins, l thought l had seen poverty ,but this is India in the 1940’s but we still do not now why we are here ,l expect some one will tell us in time ,Off we go down to Poona into barracks the beds ,are now called Charpoys ,and they have a wonderful way to keep the huts cool stretched across the room is a pole ,with a kind of sacking on, and a Indian with a rope, keeps pulling it ,then let it go, he is called a Puncker Wallar , and one that’s brings the tea to your bunk, is a Char Wallar ,all in all not too bad . Someone says there a swimming pool in the barracks ,right lets have a bit of this , but when we arrive ,a dead body got there first,so swimming is off . Lots of topical army rumours flying around, we are sort of doing what we like, and just having a good look ,at one part of India , well the old story is have you been to Poona old boy, yes, what ha ha , and yes ha ha again not a nice town ,I thought Karachi was nice it had lots of what ,l would say lovely Indian buildings, in India l would say about 80% of the population had no shoes just bare foot ,the Indian Police out here ,carry long truncheons ,and they use them on there own people, use them, and ask questions later . We move up to Kalyan camp near Bombay ,so its sight seeing around the place now ,this is one of the biggest trading ports to India, its called the gate way to India , l can see this is going to be the biggest eye opener for us, that we have ever seen ,It is hard to think that there is a War on ,out here the only thing that is out here lots of troops of all colours, all doing their bit, but the War is about twothousand miles away ,in Burma. I have never seen so much expanse of land ,its mountains, plains , and jungle that’s all around us ,We have decided to take a trip to the slave market, we are warned not to go alone ,but not less than four together. There are people out here living in cardboard boxes , four mud walls ,and a tin roof ,sleeping on the streets ,and some living in nice houses , but most seem to be living in really rough conditions ,to me everyone is bustling around ,and getting no where ,there’s lots of prostitution on the streets
PAGE 42. Every few yards you got accosted like, l have lovely sister at home ,she make you feel nice, and all the usual chat,me good girl me very clean, please have me l need money to feed family, you name it, they say it, not only that,its the shoe shine boys ,barber boys, all sorts of street traders,We have decided take a trip to this slave market, and red light area ,any service man who has been to Bombay,knows this street its Grant Road ,we are warned not to be in less than four in a group ,now before l give you all the details of this famous Road ,l have never been in a brothel in my life,and do not ever want to go in one ,after the films, that were shown to us they made you shudder,well at leased we can look, the first thing that came in to view was the market, both sides of the street lots of women in cages, and behind bars in shops. This is hard to put in to words ,Women are treated less than animals ,the Sacred White Cow that roams the streets has more respect, no one must touch, or push out of the way, if you do,you would get lynched, these poor mortals go to the highest bidder, and end Up slaves for ever to a task master.Walking further on we come to the brothels ,l must say the smell is better ,and a bit cleaner ,it looks as if every door way is a brothel , there’s one special one we are told to look for ,and we find it ,(MADAM JUDGE A PRICK ,) the story is that everyone that goes there,parade in front of her ,and then pair you off with the one that suit you , true or not ,l can not tell you as l have never been in,Its now down to the docks, before l say anymore, l can vouch for at least six others of our group, that never went in there , now the docks are no different to another port, but the heat out here is hotter. There’s lots of children around the dock area , diving in for coins that we throw in the water , water if you call it that ,it looks like thick oil ,and sewerage floating around , it looks as if they make a living out of this . Now its a bit more site seeing there are lots of large ware houses ,then in the town there’s temples ,and buildings like Rajah Palaces, we have a trip on a horse ,and carriage that’s the way to see the sites ,as you are higher than the people ,and a good view all round. Back to barracks ,we have learned about some different cultures, and how they go about there bussiness ,at the moment it is British rule here,what we say goes , there’s a little man doing quite a bit of stirring, the one ,and only Mr Gandhi,at the moment politics is not my problem, l am a soldier ,and told what to do ,just obey orders . We are told to get ready to move at any time day or night, lots of coming ,and going with the men with the pips on there shoulders , rumours we are of to Chuklala, and Bengal , where ever it will be ,it will be an experience. We get the orders Chuklala ,where the hells that someone said, l said l think its in India ,trust you Holden to make a comment like that, and where the hell do you think this is ,Bonny Scotland. Lovely lads really, l think the heat is getting to them, its Punka Wallah fever,we are told that a lot of close combat training at this training centre,and also learning to jump in small areas,very tight sticks at least we will be
PAGE 43. nearer to Burma, we are going on a twothousand mile journey by train to Chaklala, through all types of terrain,flat Country ,Mountain Ranges ,and Desert Country ,and Jungle Country,we will still be in the same Country what a varst area of land,a lot different from little old Dunston Common ,I better say at this stage that l am about Sixthousand miles from the War in Europe,and about Twothousand miles from the front in Burma I am surposed to have left England to go to War,but l am further away than ever, but it is obvious that they have not sent us here for the benefit of our health ,not with all the language course training Chaklala here we come that’s twevehoundred miles up country ,we are going all the way by Train ,now that’s another story if you have ever rode on a train in India, but later on,it becomes part of Pakistan ,travailing on this train ,well the Indians do not ride in the train, they all ride on the outside ,on top ,or hanging on the sides ,we have been told to brush up on our Malaya lingo ,so words are fired at each other,we got quite good at this,at one station we stopped at we bought a hole basket of Oranges must have been a couple houndred, boy they were good ,l think it was one rupee ,l would think then about one shilling ,and sixpence,We go though the country side ,and scenery that’s out of this world, and being paid to see it at the moment, l do not regret volunteering to join, all stopping places along the line,and as we pull in the Army is waiting with a meal,so some one is getting it right,with the messages sent on a head,I am thinking this little old Norfolk boy out of the sticks,as they say,well l am certainly getting educated on history, and geography at first hand , we go round the side of mountains face, one side ,and a bloody shear drop the other, but the views are great , to our standard of living the people are living in a poverty trap,but they all seem to except it, l suppose it is there way of life ,Also at every stopping place the little boys are there, you come with me got big sister,she be good to you, only five rupees or something like that,the oldest trade in the world, is certainly in full swing here,but the cleanliness ,and sanitation is enough said, Arrive at Chaklala army base,a lot of Paras here,not so many British,more Indian,and Gurkhas ,training starts,and its intense ,we are now guarded with other troops, doing the guards this has not gone down very well ,friction between the Army Guards, and us is very high , not our fault it is orders that they do it ,The training we are doing is kill ,or be killed the proper way to use a knife, like the stiletto ,we are issued with ,and the gorrotten wire plus, other ways , this close combat training is nothing to what was taught in England ,all we get you are going to be up against the most murderess soldier ever , some film is shown of bodies that the Japs have mutilated not a pretty sight , we still have not been told our roll yet .Weapons of our choice are given out, me,l got my Bren, and 9mm Revolver personal weapon l am happy, Jumping out here is different, if you get in a thermal of air,you take a longer time to get to the ground, and that’s not going to be very nice, if the bullets are coming at you, so we learn to spill, the air from the chute.
PAGE 44. Just before you hit the ground release to full canopy, the practice jumps are for us to fall in a small area , and tight together . We all go to the firing range ,and fire as much ammo as we like , just to get the feel of the weapons again , but this time l am firing more from the hip ,than the aprone position , well if you walk through a jungle you fire first then ask questions later ,On the move again we are off to jungle country , Bengal a flight across India in Dakotas to a sandy air strip on the edge of the jungle ,yes Tiger Country , little bit of a shock on arriving ,the words around that there’s more , elephantiasis, cholera, and ringworm here, than in whole of India ,out here at Midnapore airfield , off we go for lessons , there’s loads of snakes out here, and in the jungle there’s the dreaded krait, a boot lace snake that lay in wait on a tree branch, and when passing in drops on you ,and a deadly little bite ,also in this neck of the woods ,you keep your weapon loaded all the time ,and ready we are where the British have been fighting rebels ,since the early 1800s .There is also a lot of malaria in the area, so all mossy nets tucked well in, if not you are on a charge 252 they call it. The same procedure here we are still guarded by other troops ,its the Kings Own they are not happy to guard Paras ,so they do it to the book if a mossy net out a night ,on a charge, this is getting our backs up ,so the Sergeant who is coursing the most problem is the target , in he comes looking for mossy nets that are out, spots one as he approach the lad ,shouts you dirty bastard now all hell lets loose , of shouts l see him ,and l see him ,off to the guard room they all go, Officer called ,charges are made ,next morning up at the guard room they march in , our ears to the ground, out they come smiles all round , Sergeant reduced to rank of private ,and immediately posting for him , everyone called on parade a lecture is given,one lad asks if he can reply, the Officer grants this without prejudice , so the lad said will you from nowon tell the Kings Own, that the Para's are not going tobe shit on, Officer ,I think that's clear in the guard room today, no more problems , I think the message got through , all it takes is to say to the soldier tuck your mossy net in , it's for your own good ,job done no hard feelings , in to the jungle we go , not bad for a start , only tall grass , and scrub but for a few more miles , I can hardly see my mate in front ,a sort of semi darkness, the sun breaks through now and then, so we set up ,to do some firing, I am loaded with three A,P,s and one tracer normal load to 28 rounds , my turn to fire ,i's from the hip not spot on , but where are the bullets going, one tracer no good , back to barracks next day same again me , to fire at target hit every time , I now have all tracers , just a straight line of fire, you can not miss, The SERGEANT says but the japs can ick this up , so I said I hope I am going to fire first, I said the tracer can kill just as well as an AP (armour piercing) it's only the coating around the bullet , that 's correct says Sarg ,I have got to move on to give you a story about the birds out here, feathered of cause , these birds out here must have very good eye sight
PAGE 42. Every few yards you got accosted like, l have lovely sister at home ,she make you feel nice, and all the usual chat,me good girl me very clean, please have me l need money to feed family, you name it, they say it, not only that,its the shoe shine boys ,barber boys, all sorts of street traders,We have decided take a trip to this slave market, and red light area ,any service man who has been to Bombay,knows this street its Grant Road ,we are warned not to be in less than four in a group ,now before l give you all the details of this famous Road ,l have never been in a brothel in my life,and do not ever want to go in one ,after the films, that were shown to us they made you shudder,well at leased we can look, the first thing that came in to view was the market, both sides of the street lots of women in cages, and behind bars in shops. This is hard to put in to words ,Women are treated less than animals ,the Sacred White Cow that roams the streets has more respect, no one must touch, or push out of the way, if you do,you would get lynched, these poor mortals go to the highest bidder, and end Up slaves for ever to a task master.Walking further on we come to the brothels ,l must say the smell is better ,and a bit cleaner ,it looks as if every door way is a brothel , there’s one special one we are told to look for ,and we find it ,(MADAM JUDGE A PRICK ,) the story is that everyone that goes there,parade in front of her ,and then pair you off with the one that suit you , true or not ,l can not tell you as l have never been in,Its now down to the docks, before l say anymore, l can vouch for at least six others of our group, that never went in there , now the docks are no different to another port, but the heat out here is hotter. There’s lots of children around the dock area , diving in for coins that we throw in the water , water if you call it that ,it looks like thick oil ,and sewerage floating around , it looks as if they make a living out of this . Now its a bit more site seeing there are lots of large ware houses ,then in the town there’s temples ,and buildings like Rajah Palaces, we have a trip on a horse ,and carriage that’s the way to see the sites ,as you are higher than the people ,and a good view all round. Back to barracks ,we have learned about some different cultures, and how they go about there bussiness ,at the moment it is British rule here,what we say goes , there’s a little man doing quite a bit of stirring, the one ,and only Mr Gandhi,at the moment politics is not my problem, l am a soldier ,and told what to do ,just obey orders . We are told to get ready to move at any time day or night, lots of coming ,and going with the men with the pips on there shoulders , rumours we are of to Chuklala, and Bengal , where ever it will be ,it will be an experience. We get the orders Chuklala ,where the hells that someone said, l said l think its in India ,trust you Holden to make a comment like that, and where the hell do you think this is ,Bonny Scotland. Lovely lads really, l think the heat is getting to them, its Punka Wallah fever,we are told that a lot of close combat training at this training centre,and also learning to jump in small areas,very tight sticks at least we will be
PAGE 43. nearer to Burma, we are going on a twothousand mile journey by train to Chaklala, through all types of terrain,flat Country ,Mountain Ranges ,and Desert Country ,and Jungle Country,we will still be in the same Country what a varst area of land,a lot different from little old Dunston Common ,I better say at this stage that l am about Sixthousand miles from the War in Europe,and about Twothousand miles from the front in Burma I am surposed to have left England to go to War,but l am further away than ever, but it is obvious that they have not sent us here for the benefit of our health ,not with all the language course training Chaklala here we come that’s twevehoundred miles up country ,we are going all the way by Train ,now that’s another story if you have ever rode on a train in India, but later on,it becomes part of Pakistan ,travailing on this train ,well the Indians do not ride in the train, they all ride on the outside ,on top ,or hanging on the sides ,we have been told to brush up on our Malaya lingo ,so words are fired at each other,we got quite good at this,at one station we stopped at we bought a hole basket of Oranges must have been a couple houndred, boy they were good ,l think it was one rupee ,l would think then about one shilling ,and sixpence,We go though the country side ,and scenery that’s out of this world, and being paid to see it at the moment, l do not regret volunteering to join, all stopping places along the line,and as we pull in the Army is waiting with a meal,so some one is getting it right,with the messages sent on a head,I am thinking this little old Norfolk boy out of the sticks,as they say,well l am certainly getting educated on history, and geography at first hand , we go round the side of mountains face, one side ,and a bloody shear drop the other, but the views are great , to our standard of living the people are living in a poverty trap,but they all seem to except it, l suppose it is there way of life ,Also at every stopping place the little boys are there, you come with me got big sister,she be good to you, only five rupees or something like that,the oldest trade in the world, is certainly in full swing here,but the cleanliness ,and sanitation is enough said, Arrive at Chaklala army base,a lot of Paras here,not so many British,more Indian,and Gurkhas ,training starts,and its intense ,we are now guarded with other troops, doing the guards this has not gone down very well ,friction between the Army Guards, and us is very high , not our fault it is orders that they do it ,The training we are doing is kill ,or be killed the proper way to use a knife, like the stiletto ,we are issued with ,and the gorrotten wire plus, other ways , this close combat training is nothing to what was taught in England ,all we get you are going to be up against the most murderess soldier ever , some film is shown of bodies that the Japs have mutilated not a pretty sight , we still have not been told our roll yet .Weapons of our choice are given out, me,l got my Bren, and 9mm Revolver personal weapon l am happy, Jumping out here is different, if you get in a thermal of air,you take a longer time to get to the ground, and that’s not going to be very nice, if the bullets are coming at you, so we learn to spill, the air from the chute.
PAGE 44. Just before you hit the ground release to full canopy, the practice jumps are for us to fall in a small area , and tight together . We all go to the firing range ,and fire as much ammo as we like , just to get the feel of the weapons again , but this time l am firing more from the hip ,than the aprone position , well if you walk through a jungle you fire first then ask questions later ,On the move again we are off to jungle country , Bengal a flight across India in Dakotas to a sandy air strip on the edge of the jungle ,yes Tiger Country , little bit of a shock on arriving ,the words around that there’s more , elephantiasis, cholera, and ringworm here, than in whole of India ,out here at Midnapore airfield , off we go for lessons , there’s loads of snakes out here, and in the jungle there’s the dreaded krait, a boot lace snake that lay in wait on a tree branch, and when passing in drops on you ,and a deadly little bite ,also in this neck of the woods ,you keep your weapon loaded all the time ,and ready we are where the British have been fighting rebels ,since the early 1800s .There is also a lot of malaria in the area, so all mossy nets tucked well in, if not you are on a charge 252 they call it. The same procedure here we are still guarded by other troops ,its the Kings Own they are not happy to guard Paras ,so they do it to the book if a mossy net out a night ,on a charge, this is getting our backs up ,so the Sergeant who is coursing the most problem is the target , in he comes looking for mossy nets that are out, spots one as he approach the lad ,shouts you dirty bastard now all hell lets loose , of shouts l see him ,and l see him ,off to the guard room they all go, Officer called ,charges are made ,next morning up at the guard room they march in , our ears to the ground, out they come smiles all round , Sergeant reduced to rank of private ,and immediately posting for him , everyone called on parade a lecture is given,one lad asks if he can reply, the Officer grants this without prejudice , so the lad said will you from nowon tell the Kings Own, that the Para's are not going tobe shit on, Officer ,I think that's clear in the guard room today, no more problems , I think the message got through , all it takes is to say to the soldier tuck your mossy net in , it's for your own good ,job done no hard feelings , in to the jungle we go , not bad for a start , only tall grass , and scrub but for a few more miles , I can hardly see my mate in front ,a sort of semi darkness, the sun breaks through now and then, so we set up ,to do some firing, I am loaded with three A,P,s and one tracer normal load to 28 rounds , my turn to fire ,i's from the hip not spot on , but where are the bullets going, one tracer no good , back to barracks next day same again me , to fire at target hit every time , I now have all tracers , just a straight line of fire, you can not miss, The SERGEANT says but the japs can ick this up , so I said I hope I am going to fire first, I said the tracer can kill just as well as an AP (armour piercing) it's only the coating around the bullet , that 's correct says Sarg ,I have got to move on to give you a story about the birds out here, feathered of cause , these birds out here must have very good eye sight
PAGE 45. and good at smelling ,our dinner that is cooking ,there are hundreds of them, about the size of a Seagull, l think l can say they are the biggest scavengers in the world ,and they are messy shitting everywhere,we call them Shite Hawks The dinning marquee is about twenty yards away,if you do not put your hand over your plate its gone,a bloody shite hawk swoops down,feet out,and mouth open, the lots gone ,and they shit on you. In come a detachment of Gurkhas to join us, well we have got to get to now each other,as they are with us, so l start to try to explain in an English way as to a foreigner slow,and plenty of hand signals,Johney Gurkha laughs he speaks better English than l do, so off we go for my first curry at their quarters about three or four of us , there is this big bowel of curry in the middle of the floor, every one sits around it, you are given two jappaties the size of a dinner plate , you pull a peace off then dip it in the curry ,we just follow them , its hot ,and big laughs all round , my first curry but not my last its great ,we can handle this curry lark now ,so we think ,off we go to a restaurant an approved one from the army , in we go curry waiters bring water in little bowls at the side of the table, curry served water we drink ,waiters refill lots of giggles from waiters, we see nothing funny till we leave then the manager takes us to the side ,and explain what the little bowls are for, not had curry before, as in England who eats it in the 1940s, or know how to cook it , lesson learnt . In camp Brian and Myself go walk about as we pass the Gurkha lines this little fellow has his Kukurie out ,and on a peace of string swinging it around ,and around, and cutting little bits of twig’s off the trees , l thinks to myself that could easy be my head , the trouble is these little chaps are always laughing its a bit frightening , but they are great fellows . Now Brian is religious, me well, to see all these religious groups out here ,and ours ,who’s right ,and if there is a god why did he allow the scwollow of these poor peasants , personally as long as Brian who is my number two on the Bren , he change the mags when its empty, new one on ,and reload my mags ready l do not care what he is, anyway we do not talk about it, that’s his life. But l must say, l have visited a lot of temples,and shrines out here, to say l have been there, the one l really wanted to see was in Ameritsor the Sikh Golden temple, the trouble was Gandhi choose to turn up,and police shut everywhere down to stop riots so that’s one l missed, but l did see the Taj Mahal l flew to the airport there ,and had a good look around. Back to Bengal to the jungle, not seen a Tiger yet, heard them, but seen plenty wild Elephants, and Boar, and there’s some beautiful birds every colour you think of, the trouble is we are too busy to worry about nature.The big white Chief is going to arrive any day now, Mountbattern himself so bags of bullshit if it moves Salute it,if is still paint it white. He arrives on parade, driven in his jeep to middle of the square, gather round lads,then the answer,to our question are answered, why we are here. I think from then on the mode was very sombre, we all had our own thoughts, other wise shit scared.
PAGE 46. Some were saying well this is it, we are going miles behind the lines, and Japs all round,l think a chill went through all of us,its going to be the first time in action,we have now got to be primed on our exact roll.Well since l have been out here l have got alot more jumps to my credit, theres 10 at Ringway, and 30 more here to get it right,so forty in all, now it looks like somemore. Our job is right behind the enemy lines, its P,O,W, rescue, l thought shit this is a one way passage,there must be a quarter of the Jap army there,we will be in very small groups, and these are going to be day light drops,he also said you will be paid by the British,and the Dutch Governments so its double pay now, now l know its a one way trip, the army do not give double pay for nothing,we are soldiers of fortune paid by two governments. We are now part of Force 136, 5th Indian Div., S,E,A,C, and talking of butterflies, l have got bloody great elephants stomping around in my stomach ,like draw chutes for the first time , no ones laughing anymore. While we have been doing all this training out here ,there has been a big battle going on at KOHIMA , in the Naga hills not far from IMPHAL about 5 to 6 hundred miles away,a breakthrough comes,and they are on there way to Mandalay. Before l get going, l must say being in India was the biggest culture eye opener for me , Holy men everywhere begging, some standing on one leg , others fire walking , faith healers ,and others worshipping animals of all kinds , l also have seen some Buddhists temples . A lot of us had a day trip to the famous temple of love the Karma Sultra , it was a bit run down ,and in need of repairs ,when l saw it, but women still prayed there for fertility , the carvings were great but l do not think it would been allowed in England in the 1940s . Mountbattern in his talk ,said that MacArthur had sent a message to stop all action till Japan had been captured , message back ,(up yours ),or words to that effect ,l have thousands of prisoners out there ,the Japs have already threatened to kill them all , that’s why we are going in ,l am going to leave all this lovely lingo behind now , such as Bhobie waller, l now shudder to think what my poor old clothes went through soap water, and a big stone then they swing your shirt on to this stone with a thud they knock the bloody dirt out , then its ironing he takes a mouth full of starch, and as he irons he spray the starch out his mouth, l can tell you the wonders of the world Indian style,In all our barrack blocks or tents we paid a Bearer to organise for tea in the morning Char waller, and a Punker waller to keep the air flowing by pulling a rope so the sack curtain went back and forth ,and also Chollra to shine your boots ,and shave you in bed, now that was luxury ,and all for about 3 Anna’s a week multiply 30 times a good wage shared, they looked after about 3 to 4 blocks that’s why some Indians did not like Gandhi ,l Picked up some odd words as well such as Tickhi O.k. or Cherri ho ,what about , Pizza day , pay day , or Pizza cadin pay day Friday .Well its now goodbye to all of this a big country
PAGE 47. wonderful people , and full of history , l can still see the old man playing his horrible flute , and a Cobra lifting its head out the basket , and swaying to the music , and the pavements covered in beetle nut spit , happy days, ln the year 2001 all we here is raciest , between white ,and blacks ,but out here in lndia in the 1940s ,whites ,and blacks are living together ,and fighting side by side , no time for that sort of thing ,we just get along with each other , remember the lndian army is the biggest volunteer army in the world , and trained by the British . There are three more people to keep in mind now ,but l have not meet these people yet ,but they are only a few miles from me ,and at some time out here our paths have crossed one was George Cutterham ,Indian Paras fighting in Kohima , a bus driver at Chuklala ,Les Duffield R.A.F., and Don Hull but l think he had left Chuklala , before l got here , back to Duffield l think he could well have taken us out to the ,Daks to do a practice drops , but later on the story unfolds, .Elephant Point has been captured, and the Irrawaddy Crossed ,the airfield at the point is ready for us as stepping stone , we have all been briefed, we are part of Force 136 of 5th Indian Div., some are set to go to Karen Hill country, these little fellows are like the Gurkhas ,we are off to Java the area around Batavia ( Jakarta ),as it is now ,two prison camps to be secured in one day ,that’s two DAKS full, one with fighting troops ,the other with medics , no help from them ,but if all goes well, there should be two or three already on the ground with the man, we are meeting he has been out in the jungle about a year on his own sending messages back . Between 30 to 35 aircraft DAKS to take us to various dropping points, l have all the codes with me ,even the wireless opp has not been told ,all these are to be handed to the Officer on the ground , with me also, l have a funny consignment, bottles of gin ,and one of my water bottles is full of it ,l have two the other with water .This is the first time any of us on this trip have jumped in action , and l am shit scared ,l have not got butterflies in my stomach ,its a heard of bloody elephants ,we are going to fly in low through the Malacca Straits as there is a Flotilla of ships going our way bringing in the ground troops as back up ,I keep checking things in my mind mags all full with tracer ,has Brian got the very light pistol ready ,on the landing for the rondiveiw , over the past weeks we have got to now each other, and our first names or nick names , l look at some of them ,l can see in there faces that they are all like me ,and that sickly smile ,you now the one that says, l am OK but l am shit scared ,the dispatcher points to look out the little windows of the plane , we all smile , and nod its is a lovely view but no one cares , l keep saying over ,and over again in my mind Jap Officers Jap Sgts, got to get them , the camps that we are after, l do not now if they are military or internees , its getting late in the afternoon this has been planed that way . Well in we go everyone gives the thumbs up , its a paddy field on the edge of the jungle , looks like a lawn from up here .
PAGE 48. Two sticks got to get in there ,and we do ,everyone down in one bit no one got a scratch,and the medics , before we can get organised our man has arrived , OK lads get the stuff ,and canisters in to the jungle ,just tell my Levies where you want it , that done its introductions all round . This army Officer is different to all the other Officers l have met ,he comes across as a very practical man ,and very sure of himself , knows what he is doing ,next thing goes through my mind who is this Officer , l was not told anything about him ,only an Officer will give you a pass word ,(Jungle Jim). Its hand shakes all round ,the supposed S,O,E,agent/ Para, Redg, is a Major Jim Evan’s ,my first words ,what’s the code name please sir , that’s part of my job , he looks at me says ,why ,l say no code no papers , looks at me says you are Holden , yes Sir ,will (Jungle Jim) do , the papers are yours Sir , and that’s enough of the Sirs out here we have a job to do ,call me Sir in barracks that’s all ,then he says ,l know a lot about you Holden ,Oh do you Sir,yes. Its briefing time ,we have about 4 miles to go , Levies know the area so does jungle Jim ,they should do they have been scouting the area for weeks ,in one canister there’s more military kit , unbeknown to me in the papers l handed over were instructions to give, some of us stripes ,not to be entered in our A.B.s these are protection stripes , you might need these he says, this will make the Japs think you are better soldiers , l am now a Unwanted Unpaid bloody sergeant ,some how, l don’t think that’s going to help me pull the trigger, or stop the Japs shooting at me, but l still tie them on . Our briefing went something like this ,you are sent on this mission to save lives in the camps ,and also capture the Japs ,a few moans from some, l thought we are here to kill them ,well yes if the resistant is intense , Holden knows the score , a live if possible we want them to go on trial, so the world will now them , then hang them , but things do not always go to plan do they ,briefing over you all now how to surround a place, we strike just before dawn, G,1098s all checked, if you do not know what that is, its check all watches , a 2 inch mortar will fire star flare on my orders , Holden in by the main gate all the rest in through the wire , we all take our positions a Levie is with me ,and Brian my number two ,his English not bad he tells me there’s a tower in the middle of the compound , watch tower so now that’s my first target ,that can be a big hazard ,we make plans, we are about 75 yards from the camp in nice thick scrub ,and high grass , Brian says his prayers as he is deeply religious, l could not careless ,so long as he gets that second mag on tomorrow morning in quick time, if not we are both goners . Those elephants are back in my stomach it's 4 hours to dawn, Levie says sleep a while he watch as he sleep all day, two hours shut eye . I must point out that Levie, and Karren will come to the for alot , as they are Burma Tribes something like the Gurkha , they all hate the Japs as the Japs have made slaves of their tribes , they worship many Gods , and ware emblems around their necks to ward off evil.
PAGE 46. Some were saying well this is it, we are going miles behind the lines, and Japs all round,l think a chill went through all of us,its going to be the first time in action,we have now got to be primed on our exact roll.Well since l have been out here l have got alot more jumps to my credit, theres 10 at Ringway, and 30 more here to get it right,so forty in all, now it looks like somemore. Our job is right behind the enemy lines, its P,O,W, rescue, l thought shit this is a one way passage,there must be a quarter of the Jap army there,we will be in very small groups, and these are going to be day light drops,he also said you will be paid by the British,and the Dutch Governments so its double pay now, now l know its a one way trip, the army do not give double pay for nothing,we are soldiers of fortune paid by two governments. We are now part of Force 136, 5th Indian Div., S,E,A,C, and talking of butterflies, l have got bloody great elephants stomping around in my stomach ,like draw chutes for the first time , no ones laughing anymore. While we have been doing all this training out here ,there has been a big battle going on at KOHIMA , in the Naga hills not far from IMPHAL about 5 to 6 hundred miles away,a breakthrough comes,and they are on there way to Mandalay. Before l get going, l must say being in India was the biggest culture eye opener for me , Holy men everywhere begging, some standing on one leg , others fire walking , faith healers ,and others worshipping animals of all kinds , l also have seen some Buddhists temples . A lot of us had a day trip to the famous temple of love the Karma Sultra , it was a bit run down ,and in need of repairs ,when l saw it, but women still prayed there for fertility , the carvings were great but l do not think it would been allowed in England in the 1940s . Mountbattern in his talk ,said that MacArthur had sent a message to stop all action till Japan had been captured , message back ,(up yours ),or words to that effect ,l have thousands of prisoners out there ,the Japs have already threatened to kill them all , that’s why we are going in ,l am going to leave all this lovely lingo behind now , such as Bhobie waller, l now shudder to think what my poor old clothes went through soap water, and a big stone then they swing your shirt on to this stone with a thud they knock the bloody dirt out , then its ironing he takes a mouth full of starch, and as he irons he spray the starch out his mouth, l can tell you the wonders of the world Indian style,In all our barrack blocks or tents we paid a Bearer to organise for tea in the morning Char waller, and a Punker waller to keep the air flowing by pulling a rope so the sack curtain went back and forth ,and also Chollra to shine your boots ,and shave you in bed, now that was luxury ,and all for about 3 Anna’s a week multiply 30 times a good wage shared, they looked after about 3 to 4 blocks that’s why some Indians did not like Gandhi ,l Picked up some odd words as well such as Tickhi O.k. or Cherri ho ,what about , Pizza day , pay day , or Pizza cadin pay day Friday .Well its now goodbye to all of this a big country
PAGE 47. wonderful people , and full of history , l can still see the old man playing his horrible flute , and a Cobra lifting its head out the basket , and swaying to the music , and the pavements covered in beetle nut spit , happy days, ln the year 2001 all we here is raciest , between white ,and blacks ,but out here in lndia in the 1940s ,whites ,and blacks are living together ,and fighting side by side , no time for that sort of thing ,we just get along with each other , remember the lndian army is the biggest volunteer army in the world , and trained by the British . There are three more people to keep in mind now ,but l have not meet these people yet ,but they are only a few miles from me ,and at some time out here our paths have crossed one was George Cutterham ,Indian Paras fighting in Kohima , a bus driver at Chuklala ,Les Duffield R.A.F., and Don Hull but l think he had left Chuklala , before l got here , back to Duffield l think he could well have taken us out to the ,Daks to do a practice drops , but later on the story unfolds, .Elephant Point has been captured, and the Irrawaddy Crossed ,the airfield at the point is ready for us as stepping stone , we have all been briefed, we are part of Force 136 of 5th Indian Div., some are set to go to Karen Hill country, these little fellows are like the Gurkhas ,we are off to Java the area around Batavia ( Jakarta ),as it is now ,two prison camps to be secured in one day ,that’s two DAKS full, one with fighting troops ,the other with medics , no help from them ,but if all goes well, there should be two or three already on the ground with the man, we are meeting he has been out in the jungle about a year on his own sending messages back . Between 30 to 35 aircraft DAKS to take us to various dropping points, l have all the codes with me ,even the wireless opp has not been told ,all these are to be handed to the Officer on the ground , with me also, l have a funny consignment, bottles of gin ,and one of my water bottles is full of it ,l have two the other with water .This is the first time any of us on this trip have jumped in action , and l am shit scared ,l have not got butterflies in my stomach ,its a heard of bloody elephants ,we are going to fly in low through the Malacca Straits as there is a Flotilla of ships going our way bringing in the ground troops as back up ,I keep checking things in my mind mags all full with tracer ,has Brian got the very light pistol ready ,on the landing for the rondiveiw , over the past weeks we have got to now each other, and our first names or nick names , l look at some of them ,l can see in there faces that they are all like me ,and that sickly smile ,you now the one that says, l am OK but l am shit scared ,the dispatcher points to look out the little windows of the plane , we all smile , and nod its is a lovely view but no one cares , l keep saying over ,and over again in my mind Jap Officers Jap Sgts, got to get them , the camps that we are after, l do not now if they are military or internees , its getting late in the afternoon this has been planed that way . Well in we go everyone gives the thumbs up , its a paddy field on the edge of the jungle , looks like a lawn from up here .
PAGE 48. Two sticks got to get in there ,and we do ,everyone down in one bit no one got a scratch,and the medics , before we can get organised our man has arrived , OK lads get the stuff ,and canisters in to the jungle ,just tell my Levies where you want it , that done its introductions all round . This army Officer is different to all the other Officers l have met ,he comes across as a very practical man ,and very sure of himself , knows what he is doing ,next thing goes through my mind who is this Officer , l was not told anything about him ,only an Officer will give you a pass word ,(Jungle Jim). Its hand shakes all round ,the supposed S,O,E,agent/ Para, Redg, is a Major Jim Evan’s ,my first words ,what’s the code name please sir , that’s part of my job , he looks at me says ,why ,l say no code no papers , looks at me says you are Holden , yes Sir ,will (Jungle Jim) do , the papers are yours Sir , and that’s enough of the Sirs out here we have a job to do ,call me Sir in barracks that’s all ,then he says ,l know a lot about you Holden ,Oh do you Sir,yes. Its briefing time ,we have about 4 miles to go , Levies know the area so does jungle Jim ,they should do they have been scouting the area for weeks ,in one canister there’s more military kit , unbeknown to me in the papers l handed over were instructions to give, some of us stripes ,not to be entered in our A.B.s these are protection stripes , you might need these he says, this will make the Japs think you are better soldiers , l am now a Unwanted Unpaid bloody sergeant ,some how, l don’t think that’s going to help me pull the trigger, or stop the Japs shooting at me, but l still tie them on . Our briefing went something like this ,you are sent on this mission to save lives in the camps ,and also capture the Japs ,a few moans from some, l thought we are here to kill them ,well yes if the resistant is intense , Holden knows the score , a live if possible we want them to go on trial, so the world will now them , then hang them , but things do not always go to plan do they ,briefing over you all now how to surround a place, we strike just before dawn, G,1098s all checked, if you do not know what that is, its check all watches , a 2 inch mortar will fire star flare on my orders , Holden in by the main gate all the rest in through the wire , we all take our positions a Levie is with me ,and Brian my number two ,his English not bad he tells me there’s a tower in the middle of the compound , watch tower so now that’s my first target ,that can be a big hazard ,we make plans, we are about 75 yards from the camp in nice thick scrub ,and high grass , Brian says his prayers as he is deeply religious, l could not careless ,so long as he gets that second mag on tomorrow morning in quick time, if not we are both goners . Those elephants are back in my stomach it's 4 hours to dawn, Levie says sleep a while he watch as he sleep all day, two hours shut eye . I must point out that Levie, and Karren will come to the for alot , as they are Burma Tribes something like the Gurkha , they all hate the Japs as the Japs have made slaves of their tribes , they worship many Gods , and ware emblems around their necks to ward off evil.
PAGE 49. Up time Levie says one hour , l have a Pee ,you kneel to do this , so there is no sound ,and you aim it at a peace of wood so there is less sound , and we all have one , now a quick face wash to wake us up ,hands sweating ,Brian looking pale ,me l wish those Elephants would lie down in my stomach, Levie anytime now,l can see the tower got a straw roof on, one Jap up there ,l hate waiting around ,then there’s a bang bright as daylight on my feet ,one mag at the tower no shots back ,lve set the bloody straw roof on fire ,with the tracer, mag off new on then on the road up to the gate,Jap goes for his weapon too late . Short burst ,Jap falls ,by then we are within about ten yards of the gate ,the second Jap has now got two Stens ,and a Bren gun pointing at him ,he looks at his mate laying on the ground then look at us ,throw his weapon on the ground, and just stand there,he is rooted to the ground with surprise. The Jap threw his hands up, opened the gates , made signs for officers quarters ,on big dash they are still in state of undress , who cares we got the bastards , two of my other mates went after, the N.C.O.s got all except one he makes a run for it , heard a Sten open up l think he was stopped . Roll call everyone answers ,only one limping he cut his leg on the wire , Japs all rounded up,, on the open area about fifteen of them, and three Japs dead , my watch tower still burning, l expect the Jap who is there, is being roasted ,green flare fired in the air for medics to come in , now a surprise ,its a woman’s camp they start to come out one by one , they all look supprised to see us . Now its up to intelligence Bods to sort out all names taken down , camp internees to name the worst guards , me l got my lot two officers four NCOs that will do me , what Jappy do not now is he is going to stand in the heat for at least another two hours while the documantion is done ,and l sit in the shade with Brian drinking Jap officers coffee . Jungle Jim done his rounds good show lads, to one and all , he never let on till now but he speaks Japanese , l do not now what he told the Japs but from then on they bough to us everytime we pass them or meet them . The medics arrive, all the camp around them, and some children. All weapons found, and ammo plus the swords, and daggers all in a heap , working out next plan , we are leaving two behind to guard the Jappy boys One with cut leg the other a wireless opp, midday sun strait up above , it still very quiet heading of to another camp , hoping the next is as easy but it is day light it will be hard to sneak up on them , Jim say he has it sussed , isn’t it funny in life there are some people you now you can trust . You see the guards at these camps are no more than twenty men no one is going to escape there’s no were to go ,and they stick out like a sore thumb . Leaving this camp,and the smell behind , all the effluent is floating on the surface the women were too week to bury it , they looked like walking match sticks . Some one said they were Dutch, and French, and Malay wives of planters , then they said how did it go for you, l said the short arse
PAGE 50. Officer did not like me throwing his sword in a pile with the rest , his eyes narrowed at me , l thought try it ,l got a full mag here matey ,its funny now no Elephants in my stomach ,l think the place we just released was Tai Jung ,and we are off to Bogor ,or something sounding like that , the wireless opp with us is picking up codes we all stop ,Jim takes over ,message was big supply drop to night at the camp we left ,Jim says l am hopping big boss Jap is at the other camp , on our way we pass a few Campons ( villages) and the odd long houses the people all smile , l do not think they know what’s happening , then an old man approach Jim ,and then all smiles they now who we are now , You see the natives hate the Japs as much as we do , maybe more than us ,my first encounter with these Japs is that they do not know ,that they are prisoners of War now , they all look bewildering what’s coming next ,the japs before we left were put in their own stockade ,and only two left out ,the two that was still out we needed them to fetch the food out of the stores for the women so that some food could be eaten to save them ,what you must remember we landed here ,with out being seen but for how long , wireless opp received message that reinforcements arrived at the last camp that will help , so the Navy is here with troops ,I call the Major over its a bit weird, we have not seen a Jap lorry or anything of a Jap , no sooner said then shit, everyone down off the road ,a lorry goes by heading our way , we let it go only two in it , then around the corner in a clearing the camp , so a recce is sent forward ,and try to count the Japs ,and estimate how many sleeping .We make plans to surround the camp , when l say we make plans you see we have too, as we are very small group so we all have our say , and the Major is getting a bit cheeky now ,do we all agree, and Holden ,cheeky sod ,Its the same procedure as the first , and the camp is built the same but there is more open space between us,and them ,so its run like hell to the camp .Recces back they think there could be about 18 Japs awake maybe 6 asleep so it's two to one, that means us who will be doing the shooting , we have a rest ,and bit of a wash to refresh our selves, and a bit to eat as we sit under cover the Major says why the hell are you using all tracer ,simple l say, to see that l do not miss, firing from the hip it gives a good line of fire ,then the recce said its a male camp it looks half empty , right can we have smoke from 2 inch mortar ,everyone agrees that give me time to hit the tower . Time G1098 s all set we all get in to position up till now no bloody elephants ,they are back , ask Brian how he feels he said he has knots in his belly ,we have a little waiting time ,so we find out about each other, first time we have been able to talk to each other ,he says he joined the Para,s because most of the family thought he was a wimp, for having deep religious beliefs , me l told him was for the money ,to get Sgt. pay for not being a Sgt he laughs you are a one , l now but not being paid at least the Japs at the other camp had a little respected for the strips, l shall loose them when its over.
PAGE 51.
The Levies are still with us ,he says after War he is going to grow Nana plantation that means a Pineapple field big money , l say good luck . Time coming up take a look at tower adjust Bren strap around neck , it begins to look miles to the gates no time for thoughts , bang , in we go smoke on target he,s bloody good on that 2” mortar then ,bang , bang , two more . Stop to take tower out then on to the gate ,its open guards gone ,l head for main building no one in Brian it,s empty ,then smoke begins to clear all Japs in dugout bomb shelter ,no one hurt only one Jap ,then up the road comes some Lorries full of prisoners one driver ,and one guard to each truck no big deal ,all Japs on parade , and all prisoners on parade . Swords ,and Weapons in a heap ,l shout to Major ,is he here ,no comes the answer ,ask Japs where he is gone ,Singapore from them . We have had a message from Batavia troops landed , and captured a battalion of Jap soldiers just out side the city , now the Jap Soldier is different to these guards . The guards are more barbaric real bully boys, but they can not take our punishment , they do not like their own medicine ,a lot of the guards are Koreans, as they are part of the Japanese fighting force , a lot of hate in there faces. We sent a request for relief soldiers to come, as we have another assignment, so the Major says we are off to meet another agent. Some where in these camps there is a little boy ,and his brother , l am not involved with the prisoners, as l have said the Officers and NCOs are my main job before we leave there is one more camp, to release.. That turn out to be more youngsters here than the, other camps, the camp is small l think the guards seem to have known we were coming no resistance at all, perhaps the Japs in Batavia got a message through ,Now the little lad in one of these camps l must have seen or perhaps spoke too , but you will have to wait ,and see what turns up later in the book, relief comes, load up, off to a airfield, just out side Batavia (now Jakarta),so its a good shower clean kit ,and a good meal ,and catch some sleep but before that clean weapons draw more ammo, and compo rations , after the shower l look at my fingers ,just where my fingers meet my hand its yellow ,and around my eyes yellow ,the old mepperquin have kicked in ,to help stop malaria ,l take two tablets a day .Two Daks come in chutes inside with dispatcher ,and canisters some R.A.F.lads as well to service the craft we are told its midday off , its briefing first this time, its a army P.O.W. camp, we have British pilots again, some of the others had American pilots , Major jungle Jim Says its real jungle country, Sarawak,we have had information that a Jap ordinance company is there using British troops to hump stuff around, we shall see.This time its twenty armed men ,and the other all medics so it do not look too good , and we have three places to drop into they are all close together ,one is a pineapple field ,one a rice paddy field ,and the other a corn field or a maze field this grows to about 4 to 5 foot tall nice landing that’s ours ,and a good hide out ,we go for that ,right off we go we are first to drop .
PAGE 52.
then 5 mins later number two comes in ,but some drop short into the pineapple field ,about 6 of them ,now , l have never heard these words in the Bible , and the pilot had no father , l better explain a pineapple when growing is about 2 to 3 feet tall ,the pineapple is at the top all lovely and prickly ,just think of a rose bush , now coming down in a parachute and sliding along the ground ,its not a feather bed , Someone said l thought you would have brought us a pineapple , it went something like this , if you want a fucking pineapple you cut your own bastard , not a happy man ,and l thought Medics were nice people . Compasses out to get bearings , and deploy squads of men ,this time its down to whistle blowing , we decide the pass word will be pineapple ,about right don’t you think , so far everything has gone very well , three internee camps released , and no one badly hurt so far , at the moment surprise is on our side , recce gone out to give ldear what’s out there , medics are getting sorted out for off . We are some where between Niah, and Labag also we are double in strength with weapons ,and men , two Bren gunners now, never met him before we soon swap ldears, he is going to be firing from left to right, me same as before main gate to rear , hoping we don’t hit each other a recce been out two big buildings look like store houses very little wire fencing , the Major is going to take his squad dead opposite me ,and we have a lieutenant with us , l do not think he knows how to take the Major, as he is so informal, everyone likes him ,as we only do the job we have too, and its explained to the last detail ,the lieutenant is with me ,his name is Tolley or Tooly who cares, ill just say sir , everything is going so fast we don’t have time to think, wireless opp tuned in to a message Australians landed in Brunei after oil wells ,l don’t think that will be a walk over , as the Japs need Oil. We have all night to get into position, and its two long blasts on the whistle then in we go , some one going to be surprised tomorrow morning . Talking to our new Sir, we were laughing ,when the owner of the corn field cut it, in the middle he is going to find forty odd chutes piled up , that will keep his wife in dresses for a while , this is going to be an early morning raid again , so its compo rations to night,and hard dog biscuits ,and cold meat pie in tins, and a nice drink, yes, l have two water bottles one with water ,and the other it looks like water, it helps to keep malaria away so the Major says ,does he now you have it ,says, the Lieutenant ,he told me to bring it, OK then ,and a mug is put in front of me for his share , Brian does not drink alcohol . Then he spots the ammo container that’s all tracer, he said that’s not right, l said l know that’s not correct, but you wait till tomorrow morning just before sun up . Lets get our bearings then, l spot tower, no two towers ,now this is a bit different, l hope the other gunner goes for the one nearest to him ,and l will take the other , its head down time, Sir you first watch, Brian next, and then me ok , now that gives me six hours sleep straight off , crafty old Holden , l hate waiting , your mind plays tricks with you , thinking all sorts
PAGE 50. Officer did not like me throwing his sword in a pile with the rest , his eyes narrowed at me , l thought try it ,l got a full mag here matey ,its funny now no Elephants in my stomach ,l think the place we just released was Tai Jung ,and we are off to Bogor ,or something sounding like that , the wireless opp with us is picking up codes we all stop ,Jim takes over ,message was big supply drop to night at the camp we left ,Jim says l am hopping big boss Jap is at the other camp , on our way we pass a few Campons ( villages) and the odd long houses the people all smile , l do not think they know what’s happening , then an old man approach Jim ,and then all smiles they now who we are now , You see the natives hate the Japs as much as we do , maybe more than us ,my first encounter with these Japs is that they do not know ,that they are prisoners of War now , they all look bewildering what’s coming next ,the japs before we left were put in their own stockade ,and only two left out ,the two that was still out we needed them to fetch the food out of the stores for the women so that some food could be eaten to save them ,what you must remember we landed here ,with out being seen but for how long , wireless opp received message that reinforcements arrived at the last camp that will help , so the Navy is here with troops ,I call the Major over its a bit weird, we have not seen a Jap lorry or anything of a Jap , no sooner said then shit, everyone down off the road ,a lorry goes by heading our way , we let it go only two in it , then around the corner in a clearing the camp , so a recce is sent forward ,and try to count the Japs ,and estimate how many sleeping .We make plans to surround the camp , when l say we make plans you see we have too, as we are very small group so we all have our say , and the Major is getting a bit cheeky now ,do we all agree, and Holden ,cheeky sod ,Its the same procedure as the first , and the camp is built the same but there is more open space between us,and them ,so its run like hell to the camp .Recces back they think there could be about 18 Japs awake maybe 6 asleep so it's two to one, that means us who will be doing the shooting , we have a rest ,and bit of a wash to refresh our selves, and a bit to eat as we sit under cover the Major says why the hell are you using all tracer ,simple l say, to see that l do not miss, firing from the hip it gives a good line of fire ,then the recce said its a male camp it looks half empty , right can we have smoke from 2 inch mortar ,everyone agrees that give me time to hit the tower . Time G1098 s all set we all get in to position up till now no bloody elephants ,they are back , ask Brian how he feels he said he has knots in his belly ,we have a little waiting time ,so we find out about each other, first time we have been able to talk to each other ,he says he joined the Para,s because most of the family thought he was a wimp, for having deep religious beliefs , me l told him was for the money ,to get Sgt. pay for not being a Sgt he laughs you are a one , l now but not being paid at least the Japs at the other camp had a little respected for the strips, l shall loose them when its over.
PAGE 51.
The Levies are still with us ,he says after War he is going to grow Nana plantation that means a Pineapple field big money , l say good luck . Time coming up take a look at tower adjust Bren strap around neck , it begins to look miles to the gates no time for thoughts , bang , in we go smoke on target he,s bloody good on that 2” mortar then ,bang , bang , two more . Stop to take tower out then on to the gate ,its open guards gone ,l head for main building no one in Brian it,s empty ,then smoke begins to clear all Japs in dugout bomb shelter ,no one hurt only one Jap ,then up the road comes some Lorries full of prisoners one driver ,and one guard to each truck no big deal ,all Japs on parade , and all prisoners on parade . Swords ,and Weapons in a heap ,l shout to Major ,is he here ,no comes the answer ,ask Japs where he is gone ,Singapore from them . We have had a message from Batavia troops landed , and captured a battalion of Jap soldiers just out side the city , now the Jap Soldier is different to these guards . The guards are more barbaric real bully boys, but they can not take our punishment , they do not like their own medicine ,a lot of the guards are Koreans, as they are part of the Japanese fighting force , a lot of hate in there faces. We sent a request for relief soldiers to come, as we have another assignment, so the Major says we are off to meet another agent. Some where in these camps there is a little boy ,and his brother , l am not involved with the prisoners, as l have said the Officers and NCOs are my main job before we leave there is one more camp, to release.. That turn out to be more youngsters here than the, other camps, the camp is small l think the guards seem to have known we were coming no resistance at all, perhaps the Japs in Batavia got a message through ,Now the little lad in one of these camps l must have seen or perhaps spoke too , but you will have to wait ,and see what turns up later in the book, relief comes, load up, off to a airfield, just out side Batavia (now Jakarta),so its a good shower clean kit ,and a good meal ,and catch some sleep but before that clean weapons draw more ammo, and compo rations , after the shower l look at my fingers ,just where my fingers meet my hand its yellow ,and around my eyes yellow ,the old mepperquin have kicked in ,to help stop malaria ,l take two tablets a day .Two Daks come in chutes inside with dispatcher ,and canisters some R.A.F.lads as well to service the craft we are told its midday off , its briefing first this time, its a army P.O.W. camp, we have British pilots again, some of the others had American pilots , Major jungle Jim Says its real jungle country, Sarawak,we have had information that a Jap ordinance company is there using British troops to hump stuff around, we shall see.This time its twenty armed men ,and the other all medics so it do not look too good , and we have three places to drop into they are all close together ,one is a pineapple field ,one a rice paddy field ,and the other a corn field or a maze field this grows to about 4 to 5 foot tall nice landing that’s ours ,and a good hide out ,we go for that ,right off we go we are first to drop .
PAGE 52.
then 5 mins later number two comes in ,but some drop short into the pineapple field ,about 6 of them ,now , l have never heard these words in the Bible , and the pilot had no father , l better explain a pineapple when growing is about 2 to 3 feet tall ,the pineapple is at the top all lovely and prickly ,just think of a rose bush , now coming down in a parachute and sliding along the ground ,its not a feather bed , Someone said l thought you would have brought us a pineapple , it went something like this , if you want a fucking pineapple you cut your own bastard , not a happy man ,and l thought Medics were nice people . Compasses out to get bearings , and deploy squads of men ,this time its down to whistle blowing , we decide the pass word will be pineapple ,about right don’t you think , so far everything has gone very well , three internee camps released , and no one badly hurt so far , at the moment surprise is on our side , recce gone out to give ldear what’s out there , medics are getting sorted out for off . We are some where between Niah, and Labag also we are double in strength with weapons ,and men , two Bren gunners now, never met him before we soon swap ldears, he is going to be firing from left to right, me same as before main gate to rear , hoping we don’t hit each other a recce been out two big buildings look like store houses very little wire fencing , the Major is going to take his squad dead opposite me ,and we have a lieutenant with us , l do not think he knows how to take the Major, as he is so informal, everyone likes him ,as we only do the job we have too, and its explained to the last detail ,the lieutenant is with me ,his name is Tolley or Tooly who cares, ill just say sir , everything is going so fast we don’t have time to think, wireless opp tuned in to a message Australians landed in Brunei after oil wells ,l don’t think that will be a walk over , as the Japs need Oil. We have all night to get into position, and its two long blasts on the whistle then in we go , some one going to be surprised tomorrow morning . Talking to our new Sir, we were laughing ,when the owner of the corn field cut it, in the middle he is going to find forty odd chutes piled up , that will keep his wife in dresses for a while , this is going to be an early morning raid again , so its compo rations to night,and hard dog biscuits ,and cold meat pie in tins, and a nice drink, yes, l have two water bottles one with water ,and the other it looks like water, it helps to keep malaria away so the Major says ,does he now you have it ,says, the Lieutenant ,he told me to bring it, OK then ,and a mug is put in front of me for his share , Brian does not drink alcohol . Then he spots the ammo container that’s all tracer, he said that’s not right, l said l know that’s not correct, but you wait till tomorrow morning just before sun up . Lets get our bearings then, l spot tower, no two towers ,now this is a bit different, l hope the other gunner goes for the one nearest to him ,and l will take the other , its head down time, Sir you first watch, Brian next, and then me ok , now that gives me six hours sleep straight off , crafty old Holden , l hate waiting , your mind plays tricks with you , thinking all sorts
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of things , and if someone say they are not scared , well they are not human , and it’s raining ,well you expect it next to a rain forest ,just short and sharp showers , the other two have had broken sleep , it,s up time quick wash ,and bite to eat , l got some chocolate off the aircrew so we have a bit of that , looking at the prison camp , l wonder what’s in them ware houses , talking to Sir l said keep behind me when we go in ,why said Sir , well you could get a full mag in your back , OK, Whistle blows two long blasts , someone shouts half time ,there’s always one that sees the fun side , its too late we are gone up the road again ,no one in the towers , or is he having a kip , make shure one mag gone into the tower ,that gives us a better edge , lots of noise , no shots fired at us yet , l spray another couple of mags to keep there heads down , seem to be firing all round the camp hope its ours . Them at the gate look surprised ,and they cannot make it out , we make it to the gate ,they still stand there the short arse little bastards ,the Officer shouts orders to them ,they do open the gate, but they still have there rifles he goes ahead, Brian take the rifles, while l cover him we march them to the large hut look like a orderly room , Sir bring out a few more all in the state of undress ,at this stage I better tell you how l am dressed, well l did wash ,not had a shave we are all dressed in jungle green, semi water proof trousers ,and tunic all green webbing ,two number 36 grenades on my belt ,my pouches full of mags for the Bren ,on my back is a haversack full of everything but the kitchen sink ,and a machete , there’s a stiletto in my Trousers's leg sheath, and 9mm pistol on my belt, but bessey the Bren hung at waste level around my neck ,l am a walking armoury that’s my state today .A few shots have been fired ,but not by me ,over to my right anyway the whole camp is awake now, and as far as we now all Japs rounded up , someone spots movement ,and about twenty bods appear , one a tall fellow in what might be a uniform , l shout British or Aussies , British came the answer they looked in better shape than the other camps, we released but still very thin , we told them to stay were they were till we sorted the Japs out , this tall fellow came across, and said its all right we can sort them out , l promptly, said sorry dad you are going home , he looked at me ,and said who are you, we are Para,s , never heard of you, l surpose he hadn’t as we were not formed till after he was captured, and for an old soldier to be spoken too like that, and that stiff upper lip was still there ,could have been a W.W.I soldier, l find out he is an Officer ,so Holden you could be in the shit . I go over to the area were the Japs are ,and let the Major know were l am going ,with two men ,to have a scout around what’s in them big huts , we soon find out , we open the boxes its money loads of it, were bloody rich, l have a box to myself must be thousands of Guilders , Jap Guilders, the Major new that somewhere ,Japs were going to flood the market , with their money , Holden you were rich five minutes ago now we are told to burn it , so its easy come easy go .
of things , and if someone say they are not scared , well they are not human , and it’s raining ,well you expect it next to a rain forest ,just short and sharp showers , the other two have had broken sleep , it,s up time quick wash ,and bite to eat , l got some chocolate off the aircrew so we have a bit of that , looking at the prison camp , l wonder what’s in them ware houses , talking to Sir l said keep behind me when we go in ,why said Sir , well you could get a full mag in your back , OK, Whistle blows two long blasts , someone shouts half time ,there’s always one that sees the fun side , its too late we are gone up the road again ,no one in the towers , or is he having a kip , make shure one mag gone into the tower ,that gives us a better edge , lots of noise , no shots fired at us yet , l spray another couple of mags to keep there heads down , seem to be firing all round the camp hope its ours . Them at the gate look surprised ,and they cannot make it out , we make it to the gate ,they still stand there the short arse little bastards ,the Officer shouts orders to them ,they do open the gate, but they still have there rifles he goes ahead, Brian take the rifles, while l cover him we march them to the large hut look like a orderly room , Sir bring out a few more all in the state of undress ,at this stage I better tell you how l am dressed, well l did wash ,not had a shave we are all dressed in jungle green, semi water proof trousers ,and tunic all green webbing ,two number 36 grenades on my belt ,my pouches full of mags for the Bren ,on my back is a haversack full of everything but the kitchen sink ,and a machete , there’s a stiletto in my Trousers's leg sheath, and 9mm pistol on my belt, but bessey the Bren hung at waste level around my neck ,l am a walking armoury that’s my state today .A few shots have been fired ,but not by me ,over to my right anyway the whole camp is awake now, and as far as we now all Japs rounded up , someone spots movement ,and about twenty bods appear , one a tall fellow in what might be a uniform , l shout British or Aussies , British came the answer they looked in better shape than the other camps, we released but still very thin , we told them to stay were they were till we sorted the Japs out , this tall fellow came across, and said its all right we can sort them out , l promptly, said sorry dad you are going home , he looked at me ,and said who are you, we are Para,s , never heard of you, l surpose he hadn’t as we were not formed till after he was captured, and for an old soldier to be spoken too like that, and that stiff upper lip was still there ,could have been a W.W.I soldier, l find out he is an Officer ,so Holden you could be in the shit . I go over to the area were the Japs are ,and let the Major know were l am going ,with two men ,to have a scout around what’s in them big huts , we soon find out , we open the boxes its money loads of it, were bloody rich, l have a box to myself must be thousands of Guilders , Jap Guilders, the Major new that somewhere ,Japs were going to flood the market , with their money , Holden you were rich five minutes ago now we are told to burn it , so its easy come easy go .
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so a handful for souvenirs the rest we set light too in the hanger while it’s burning, we get the Medics in, Japs all disarmed, so far we have had it easy not alot resistance, l see the Major,and the P.O.W. Officer having a chin wag and they look at me from time to time, why, could be because l called him dad, the intelligence Sgt is taking notes from other P.O.W.s all Jap Officers and N.C.O.s are in one group,and other Ranks in another, l go over to have a word with the other P.O.W,s shake a few hands,then they start to ask questions,how we got there ,and how long have we been out there watching , l said sorry mates but that’s out , but l can tell all now ,as almost everything has been released on all operations of Force 136 year 2001 ,you see we had to sign the secrets act on this job.I see the Medics are on the job,as l passed some of them,all l said was,did anyone want a pineapple,all l got was bollocks and stuff your fucking pineapples, nice people these medics ;? l don’t really now what got too these medics in just saying pineapple , it looks as if this operation is about wound up , just waiting a food drop , then l surpose it’s off again . l take stock of my mags ,and refill my ruck sack with mags , Major comes for a swig out of the bottle ,winks ,and off he goes. Waiting to hand over to main force wireless opp trying to get information , not long a man on a bike arrive, Major, and him talk for a while then he’s off ,Major said we are off to a campong about a mile down the road , we leave the Lieutenant ,and three others, and the other Bren ,off we go ,and two medics, l ask how many mepperquin he has with him about 100 tabs good l,m down to my last two ,what’s the gen Sir, for us not sure he says , but we are meeting an agent a woman, not the Tiger he smiles , all agents get names ,some of us have been briefed on this ,she is called the Samerang Tiger, why you ask, well she has been clawed by a Tiger on the face. At the campong we get a good welcome it seems some Japs have done a runner, with weapons ,into the jungle ,the head-hunters have seen them they dislike the Japs, just as we do ,we need trackers so the Sarawak head-hunters are ask to help , they will for payment,not money but our machetes ,OK after job done ,no big deal, to them its gold dust . Major said we wait for a while, Tiger been on radio, and some help coming , now there’s three jeeps arrive , another Bren, and a Wireless opp the rest Rifle and Sten ,brill double strength ,six trackers needed three to each section , we get two short arses ,and tall one , now this tall one seems a bit of a card he fools around a bit ,l thought l would try my Malay on him he only speaks his own dialogue or pidgin English we get by on that , but what l don’t like is that long knife hanging from they waists Some one takes a photo of them, l still have it, l ask how far Japs in jungle one mile, two mile, they have not got a clue, they cant read or write but they do now the jungle, now we will see if the training in Bengal has sunk in ,As we wait we swoop yarns of what we have done especially the one with the tall Officer,the laughs on me, as they take the Mickey, court-martial for me when l get home, but what’s he going
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to tell his fellow Officers in the mess ,a horrible little Para dare to call him Dad. Here we are in the middle of Sarawak you would,nt think there’s a War on,we are about three houndred yards from deep jungle,at the moment very quiet,OK were off it’s compass verses Headhunters trackers, two lines ten yards apart,that put eight eyes up front with the trackers,me l am bringing up the rear, l do have one of the heaviest weapons to carry,now the tall tracker keeps smiling , then wipes his forehead , and laughs ,much to say will you make it. We arrive at a campon long house , and deploy our selves around the area , then a few at a time enter the Longhouse , to be greeted this is part of the costum out here ,l think we covered about four miles today,feels like a hundred. One or two kids running a round they are shy at first till, l remember l have some RAF Chocolate left,so now are they allowed to have it ,l ask the tall one ,answer no give it to the house woman, she hands everything out that’s tribal law, when in Rome do as the Romans do, l look around ,and watch the family life , and see that they do not really have any pressure ,like us in the out side world ,they look very content with what they have ,but then they are nearly like Stoneage people ,they just live off the jungle.When you are four miles in to the jungle it do not matter which way you look, it all looks the same, and if you have not got a compass or a tracker you are going to go a round in circles ,time for some of us to get our heads down or off,as it looks, says the tracker let me explain at one end of the long house there are some poles in the ground about four feet high ,one or two have sculls on them , l ask if they are men they have killed ,shakes his head no they are tribes headmen ,and when he dies they put his head on a pole then all his wisdom goes to the tribe ,l am now looking at the tall one he is grinning ,and pointing to my head, then to the pole l do not sleep well that night ,Now everyone is having a go at me. One thing l did notice in the long house were two blow pipes on the wall l ask about them , l am told that it is not everyone that use them, only picked men from the tribe ,as the danger is great you have to know what you are doing , its sort of handed down father son, and to know the tree that gives the sap for this , and they will not tell you which tree .Wash ,and brush up ,bite to eat then off, trackers say over to left to find Japs we are in their hands , must have been about two miles a stream fast flowing, and clear about waste deep maybe twenty-five feet across , we cross in two places about twenty yards apart ,l take up covering position while the others cross then its my turn,well about half way our Jappy has seen us he starts mortar bombing us ,one or two land in the river near me, now, l feel a stinging in the knees then look down , now if you cut yourself,and wash it in a bowl the water turns red , now what am l looking at, red water in the river ,panic lost my legs l think ,but l am still walking l shout medics reach the other side , medic comes over, looks laughs ,they are bits of shrapnel stuck in the flesh in my knees .
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He pulls them out , put plenty of anti-germ cream on ,bind them up so no smell of blood , as the leaches will have a field day , so far lucky, Well Jappy boy War has started , Major sends recce out from both sections , me l take up a good position behind a tree log , l have a good ninety degree view , l got bloody elephants again , Brians got knots , he ask if l am OK ,l am now , but nearly shit myself coming across that river , he said l thought you were a goner , the water covered you , we could not see you , well at least l got a wash , Major crawls over , legs OK , yes sir , keep them clean they should heal OK then pinches my water bottle has a swig then pour some over the bandages , that will help to keep the leaches away , then pisses off , recce back , orders Brens stay put the rest are off , one section left , and one section right , us piggy in the middle , after a while the Japs come after us , orders fire we all let go , me its like fireworks with the tracers, after about two minutes , silence , then some Japs come out hands high , l got through four or five mags , about 150 rounds , Major goes to Japs it seems the rest are dead , l do not know how many Japs died , and l did not want to know , l just got on helping Brian to reload mags , the captured Japs are sitting cross legged on the ground , with hands on their heads , Major comes over , get them under ground , meaning the dead Japs . Brian goes to the dead Japs , and helps to bury them , me l stay out of it , he is also taking the docks off the dead , and handing them to the other Japs for safe keeping , and making a map reference of the burial site , the other Bren gunner comes over with a smile he says, l like the fireworks , yes at least l could see what l was hitting , this time l feel different inside , harder maybe or grown up quickly , l have a swig at the bottle , Major winks we smile , now its back to the jeeps we left at the campon , we will leave minus machettes and Jap swords, plus any utensils that the japs had, the payment to the trackers , and that’s another culture l will never forget , they have laws of there own , and live a much better way than we do , before we left Brian said a few prayers over the graves , the Japs bowed to Brian , the tracker looked and said what God you worship , l try to explain , they never heard of Jesus Christ , and why should they , as they are living a more peaceful life than we are , religion has caused more Wars than anything else , since the Birth of Christianity there has been conflick with Arab , Jew , Catholic , and Prodesent they all think there’s is better . l ask what do you worship , he points to the Sun , if that do not come out l die , and who can knock that , if it do not come out we all die , all it takes is a uneducated head-hunter to tell us what to believe in , the rest of the world worship Idols , lcons , and Statues and Carvings , we are surposed to be educated .Well off we go to a place , it starts with a S cannot remember the other part ,
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there are two Jeeps going the Major a Driver, and Me armed escort, and the other Jeep Driver, and escort, and Japs in the back, plus a lorry load of Japs as we go the Major asks about us what schools we went too, what we did after we left school. So after a while we ask him the same sort of questions we find out he is a college lecturer, l said we can’t talk your language, he smiles,he looks at us, and said you two are not dudder heads,l saw you talking to that tracker about his life, he said you are not like your mate Brian why don’t you believe in the religion of the Christian faith, l said name me a true religion, He looks at me, and said l can not as there are so many, that's why l question them all, but l will respect the people who find peace with prayer. He said Holden you are a realist,if you cant touch it or see it, and smell it , it’s not there , l surpose so l said , he said me too, he looks and winks , that’s something else l have learnt about him , driver pipes up ,If there’s a God he is not doing a very good job at the moment.Journeys end turns ,and he said can’t speak my language , we all laugh only been talking for an hour. Trucks are sent to pick up the rest of our lot , Japs handed over as they leave they bowed to us , these are only soldiers not prison guards , they look very demoralised. Some M Ps ( Military Police) come out of a hut and all smiles, a red cap smiling ,what’s going on , let us in on the joke, no joke two bombs dropped on Japan, no big deal , it is two towns blown apart , bloody hell, they were big Atomic Bombs, what sort of bombs are they, the Major might know we will ask him.The bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki completely destroyed,thousands of people just vaporised away. Some Officers are telling the Japs ,they all look in the state of shock, as two of their major towns are no more. Anyway we are off to the airfield about four miles away , talking to the Major, l said didn’t Professor Rutterford split the atom in Cambridge in 1927 would that be something to do with it, l expect his work helped.Where are we heading Sir, French Indo China ,in the region of Kompon,and Chia Pia names mean sod all to me, but it is another Country, and this time Buddhist religion hope to see some Pagodas, and another name is also given Junjan , dropping on paddy fields again, not pineapples l hope , laughs all round ,three DAKs this time must be a big camp we have been told that it is a Military POW camp , orders are all guards to be taken no matter ,what rank all will be on trial ,at this time that order meant nothing ,just an order ,but wait and see. There’s two daks for us, and one for the medics, and two doctors also with us, this time some Gurkhas , two Lieutenants also coming this time ,one to our little section, and the other to two inch mortar, and other Bren section , the one with us its his first time to take a camp , he ask what’s the set up, l said when we go to take the camp its speed,and surprise,and he said l think you like making fireworks word gets around Sir then, then l said if you can get a Sten Gun it will be better than that pistol we need fire power, right off he goes seems like a descent Officer.
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Briefing is called two Officers , and all of us in a big tent,we have about six hours before take off that will be dark Sir, yes l know its a night jump shit l said,frightened Holden ,no Sir just thinking it might be a pineapple field now everyone laughs, and we all know what happened to the Medics. Briefing over l am for a wash down the four of us go to find a wash place we spot a hand made shower, RAF style, just think about this, a 40 gal drum full of water a hand pump on top, hose up a tree under the end of the hose square tin with holes in, everyone in the noddy not a pretty sight, we take turns pumping water,lovely, someone shouts Tiffin, were off it’s cornbeef fritters, chips and bakebeans, good old RAF cooking, it’s better than compo rations. Going to have a wonder around, see if we can get some slab chocolate that might find it’s way to my pack,RAF stores, anychance of a bar choc(yer)how many, there’s four of us , thanks mate were happy .Now for a bit of kip till called, look at Brian he’s very quiet, OK mate yer OK. We all drink,and pee a lot , it’s nerves l expect , it goes dark quickly out here . l think we have all grown up fast, not so much of the gung ho now, more to self preservation ,and staying in one piece, what ever we do now we do automatically, such as double checking everything , then check again , we all do it , it could be our nerves are working overtime , its being on high alert all the time , or is the brain saying you need a rest from this . l have wrote to Mum , telling her about the places ,and Cultures, espeachly the women walking around with no tops on , when you first see it you look ,but after a while take no notice , and they do not ware shoes either ,time for off ,we are in the first plane we take off at three minute intervals , l must point out there is no black out over here for the civilians , it would be impossible as a lot of the villages are so remote, and only have oil lamps ,I hope some one has picked a good DZ, (drop zone) well red on, and green on, gone, bloody hell a lovely flare path, now landing its sandy good landing,no sooner down,and a what looks like a Gurkha but its not it is a Kerren with another section path finders, taken to R,V,(rondo view)to sort ourselves out, Brians here, OK, nods, our young Sir arrives, we ask what was the D,Z, dried up river bed, off we go to a large type of building about half mile away, enquires about the chutes left behind no matter Kerren says seen village people.Our Major comes in with the Kerrens Officer he has a good look round then says l do not think you will find many Japs, at the camp our information is that there are more Koreans, and they are worse, the camp is in open area about one hundred yards to the fence, and the prisoners are in a poor state. Heard about the bombs Sir, yes but nothing else, there’s allot of coming, and going at the camp,this Officer has got it all sussed ,tomorrow we surround the camp ,then lay low till first light next day, our Major pipes up OK Holden, yes do l take the main gate as usual, the other Officer said you will need four of you, two either side of entrance road, OK two Sten gunners be OK that’s cleared that up ,all the rest ,MAJOR sorts the rest out plus twenty Kerrens they have all
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got Stens, its black out side can not see anything , can we get our heads down Sir, OK it will be light shortly. Morning a bit of a wash, and some eats most of all a hot drink we are in some sort of old ruins, all green country outside . Off we go in all different directions, the Kerren Officer is with our Major ,but the Kerren Officer is incharge this time, l think there’s more to this, than that’s been said, anyway no one talks much these days,we are all of very few words ,are we boys turned men?, this time the Medics are with us, we are all split up in to little sections, it looks as if we are going across country away from roads or villages, the Kerren speaks very good English, how far to go, not far he said we just plod on, then we stop,we go through a bit of jungle, and in front a camp, bloody hell, four towers, Sir said lets make a plan, what do you propose, Kerren draws plan of camp in sand as he has been all around it, gate this time in the corner, Sir asks what we did at other camps , l said first the towers out,then the main gate, this time if l take the two towers out you head on up to main gate how’s that , OK by me Sir says , everyone ask me, all l have is protection strips , he’s the Bloody Officer he should know , well its the old saying , give an Officer a map ,and he becomes the most dangerous human being in the world . Now in the mean time guard that path to the paddy fields, that seems good l could nodd off, well l had not been there long , then about thirty yards up the path, l will call it hissing Fred, a python or boa, start to cross the path call Sir and Brian, l bet that must have been twenty-five feet long it seemed like hours to cross, all the time we have been out here, that’s the first one l have seen. We are going in on the flares again this time, l hope there will only be firing into the towers as we are going in on all sides a little bit iffy ,this time we are not in fully control the Officer incharge of the Kerrens has taken over , l think there Is something in this camp that we do not now about, l am surprised at all the medics we have with us, and Doctors (just my thoughts ). I understand they use Elephants in this country to do all the heavy work,well they should see me l have a heard of them in my stomach again, l look at Brian he just clench his fists means he has knots in his, look at Sir, he might be sick anyminute but keeps on writing out report. When other service men read this book, they can relate to the same feelings, its the waiting that gets me. Oh yes we also have two Intelligent Sgts, with us as well, they have a still camera as well, now we all have a pee kneeling down as usual no noise. Can not see the other Sten gunners, as they are well down in the tall grass, l noticed that Sir got a Sten as well no comment Flares up all systems go into clearing ,tower first mag, two come down like a bats out of hell, dead, put the shits up them ,reload next tower same , on our way to the gate , others already there, guards Havant got a clew what’s going on, gates open , l stay at the gates disarm guards shut gates, why l don’t now , guards come with us over to flag pole ,up goes the jack , some more firing at odd places around the camp
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The two that were up the tower are dead, the Medics are already in the camp ,l can see the wireless opp trying to contact someone, as usual some prisoners in the state of undress, who cares we got them, Major shouts any of our lads hit no, but one shout l fell in the shit hole ( boy was he ripe ) a good wash down ,and change of clothes, we all carry a certain amount with us so we all muck in to sort him out, l have got myself a chair on the veranda with two Sten Gunners, the rest are gone after the P.O.W.s l cant see what’s going on , but a breather well earned. After about maybe half an hour , the other Officer comes with some P.O.W.s about eight of them, l look, and l am speechless it’s not real, how are we going to tell the world, l cannot talk to them, as l am so boiled up inside, l think the best way is to say, l have seen walking skeletons, l thought the womens camps were bad enough, l look at the fat little bastards in front of me, all l have to do is pull the trigger and the mag of twenty-eight rounds. but that would give them an honourable death, this is why they are off to Singapore for trial then hung, and buried in an unmarked grave with quick lime to distroy everything that will be a dishonourable death to them. All weapons in a heap , l look at them ,and think l wonder what’s going through there heads now ,l bet they never thought this would happen to them . After a while l do get to talk to the POWs only after the Intelligent Sgt. have had their go , over comes a B24, with British markings, makes two runs then out come the chutes , food ,and more medic stuff , the Kerrens fetch it in , the Japs have been standing about two hours in the sun at attention , one Jap asks if they can stand down ,and have some water, l look at the Major , then a voice bellows from a P.O.W let the bastards stay there till they drop, like we used too , l thought well that’s answered that , stay they did ,l keep calling them Japs but most are Koreans they look alike . Everything is being done different here to the other camps we were at, I find out later that some of the Japs ,have been causing hard ship in other camps as well ,all over this area , in groups of about ten to fifteen the P.O.Ws come, and stand in front of the Japs, and the Japs are made to bow to them this is to humiliate them, as our prisoners had too to them . Some of the POWs are too week to walk , l get relieved for a while so l go for a walk around the camp, l soon find l have company ,the Major, OK Holden yes, l am OK just boiling in side, how can another human being do this to another, remember their Emperor is a living god, what ever he says they do, its called brainwashing of uneducated people, then we have chat going around, he said remember this, you do not bow or scrap to anyone ,just respect the man,whoever is in charge of the job he is doing, no one should ever be on a pedestal, since that day l have taken that advice, l do not now what it is but the Major, and me we seem to hit it off, a good man. A B25 Mitchell fly’s over, drops some leaf -lets in English,and Japanese it seems the War is over in two days from now, we have got to listen to the any radio for news, some one says Japs got one in his quarters , Japs are given the papers there are a lot of straight faces amongst them.
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Some said already no surrender, it could be trouble, next thing to happen a column of trucks arrive, with bedding clothing,and a relief section of some Scottish Battalion, it looks if we are off, but a message comes a party of Japs gone on the rampage,on a small town, after the trucks unload, we mount up, they take us to the area, why us, couldn’t the Jocks gone, l say to myself, we can here some firing, l have those elephants again, we make our way to a semi jungle area , nice big log to hide behind , l have a Sgt with me , and Brian , now we are to give covering fire as the others advance , then all hell lets loose , two lads drop ,the rest scatter ,l shout medics then pass the Bren to Brian you know what to do ,nodds, right medics we are going to get them out , before anything can be said we are off , got them back , Sgt got steam coming out his ears , you fucking stupid pratts, you could have been shot ,well we got them back for treatment anyway , nothing else said till Major was told, next is history l got the MD, for that, didn’t know till l got back to Singapore, the MD, is Mentioned in Dispatchers, things like that done on the spur of the moment,it wasn’t heroics, just did It with out thinking, and l bet if you ask anyone that’s got a medal,its all done on the spur of the moment, its something you do without a thought. The two Para,s we got to safety, l did not know them, but they were one of us ,and all para,s are mates, this little skirmish is not over yet the villages have all gone ,it seems the Japs have moved in ,we have no ldear of their numbers . Now before we go anyfurther ,you are going to say are we the only ones fighting , well War is like this, take one hundred to two hundred yards area from that point you haven’t a clue what’s going on , you are only interested in your own little patch ,Oh yes you here things happening a mile away there’s nothing you can do, so you have to do as you are told in your own area . The trouble with all this is the civilians are caught up in this ,and they hate the Japs more than we do , especially the Chinese, the Japs treat them very rough ,now back to this village under siege from the Japs , haven’t a clue were the Majors is , we have taken up new positions the two of us Brens with Sgt . Sergeant sees the Major coming towards us from the other end of the village with his lshu binnocks, then says dirty little sods , what’s up Sarg , two fly’s having it off on my lenses , jealous , too right . I am writing this book of things that did happen but not right behind each other , maybe hours or days between these things happened . You see l have a new name now Fireworks Holden it was Cherry Blossom, but the other Bren gunner is Slushier Cartwright, why well every time he drinks he slurps his drink. Brian ,and the other no 2 on the Bren make there selves scarce in a monsoon gully ditch ,other wise gone to the toilet, climbing out to come back , Brian stops one falls back medics come rushing over , taking him back, l cant leave my post , Sarg gets me another no 2 good job Brian left the mags with me , the War is nearly over then this , trouble is you can never get information how they get on ,Major signals fire at barn type building with a thatch roof , well my lucky day, l can set that alight ,the
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other Bren points down a path Sarg says don,t let anyone cross that path right he says he, l start shooting at the roof there is smoke, roofs on fire, Major waits then they all come out, but now the other Bren fires ,then silence,Sarg what’s up, Slushier says l think l shot a woman and child, cant see anything the sarg says , medics see what you can find , from then on no one says a dicky bird (word) only Sarg giving orders. Major ,and the others bring in about fifteen or more Japs or Koreans ,to me they all look a like , then Major asks if wounded been taken care of , yes Sir says Sarg. We are off back to the P.O.W, Camp when we arrive most are gone , they have been taken to the docks where ships are waiting for them , the boys at H,Q, have certainly got there fingers out this time , we are told they are going home Via the U.S.A. why Major, it take months , Major , that’s right politics to build them up . The War is over but the Japs are saying no they don’t believe it , as the Emperor spoke in old Japanese tongue they had never heard, so they say War goes on for a thousand years, that’s what they think, wait till they get to Singapore. This is why they thought it was all lies, they still chanted (sasoney banzio) long live the Emperor.(or something like that) We have a days rest, the Jocks are still here we are fed by them, most are straight out from England, some were talking of Belson, just like this they said, how many camps like this well lets see we had three in Batavia, one in Sarawak, plus a jungle run ,then this camp plus the village down the road all in a few weeks l think , lost track of time, Someone says have you heard about the river Kwia no , thousands worked to death, a big enquiry. There’s quite a few graves at this camp round the back way, and where are these Japs going of to Singapore for trial, they are not human . Anything happened while we were away, yer one committed hura curia pity they all don’t, l do not think, l will ever like a Jap again, Major comes over everyone springs to attention except me, what’s going on lads ,well we were thinking of going to town to see a Pagoda Oh , well get a driver, and we will all go . So permission sorted from the new officer in charge, and away we go only about five miles away , the trouble is we do not have a camera, but our guns are loaded ready, just to see those pagodas ,and the monks all chanting , it do not seem real, as you would never now there had been a War , people carrying on as normal , its another religion this time Buddhists , we have seen them, now off , Major says another bit of history , yes thanks Sir we might never get this way again . Back at camp orders for us to move to the dock's area, how fars that,don’t know came the reply ,four trucks waiting for us then off . Arriving at the docks there are some Elephants doing some work ,then over to one side ,l spot what looks like something formilliar that’s them , what ,those bloody sledges, l made in Blighty, pissoff you don’t now what you are saying , Oh yes l do. We stop at a MP check point, then the Major said what was that all about , those sledges Sir ,l think, l helped to make them in England ,is that all , yes to think the trees were cut down out here taken to England made up,
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and brought back , l never thought l would ever see them again . The major and the Lieutenant go off to get orders at an HQ the MP,s have directed them too , looking over the Port from the top of the truck we can see a lot of ships Anchored in the Harbour, after a while they come back, we are off to a Jap Airfield up the road, off we go again. Aircraft blown up everywhere all Jap planes , we see some DAKs parked on the runway , we are escorted to them ,were are we off to , back to Batavia said Sir , ( my thoughts we are going home )( wrong) . On landing at the airfield we are met by another Officer of the Para,s in white belt and gaiters , what bullshit lot is this ,we are given the kidglove treatment , then taken to the Messtent for a meal , then things Go a little bit wrong. You see everywhere we go the weapons come too ,but not with this lot , no weapons in the messtent , So OK we go in one at a time to the cooks who are serving it up with our mess tins ,and mugs then walk out side to our weapons , you will see why shortly, some stupid little Sarg nips down to a make shift ,H,Q, our Major over hears him reporting ,that the new arrived Para,s will not eat in the dinner tent without there weapons , this Officer, that the Sgt reports too, said leave it with me, l will sort it as he thought . Well Officer arrives what’s this , having dinner Sir , well l want you in that tent, and no weapons, under our command you do as you are told , Sir we want to talk to our Major , you cannot he answer , then a voice said yes they can , these men are under my command , and where they go so do the weapons , you see down in Batavia there’s riots ,they could get up here now you look after your men, and l will command mine got that , winks and walks away , the other Officer ,said to The Sarg who the hell do they think they are, this rabble , only if he new perhaps one day . Now what ,l am going to write ,you are going to say it never happened l can only tell you of my part, but history books give you a bigger picture of this ,l surjest you read War history book (READY FOR ANYTHING ) We were sent in to Batavia not knowing what’s going on , but what l can gather the locals are running wild with guns ,from the Jap decommission stock pile ,and they are after the Dutch task masters ,who ran this Island, no law or order, and l thought the War was over , well we start at one end, and street by street we progress but its scary as the ammo is flying around ,it seems as communism has come under a man called Sucarno ,or Carcarno something like that. Then after a while we meet some Japs, now unbeknown to us the Japs got some of there weapons back ,and started to get a little Law and Order , well after that we are now on the same side , fighting side by side ,what a funny old world but we Find out that the British C,O,and the Jap C,O agreed to do this. A few weeks ago we were trying to kill each other, now walking the streets of Batavia getting law, and order back , the Japanese Major who ordered his men to do this was a Major Kido , l understand that a COL K T Darling of the 12th Para Battalion made military history between Them in doing this,
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but l think Major Kido had to pay the price for this, in Japan, he was tried ,and found guilty for helping the British, we are called off this, and taken to the lnternees camps, as the rumour is they are going after them next, so the order of the day evacuate all lnternees to Singapore, this is a cushy little number, they are loaded on to Aircraft,and Troopships, one was the Empiretrooper, l sailed to Singapore on her, and got to know a Family called the De Costers,or of a simerler name to that. There was a Mother,and l think two sons,and two daughters they all used to come,and chat to us about everything , l had to tell them about England , l can remember one girl was called Sylvia ,and a boy named Peter ,they called me Blonde in those days, l was blond then, now l am afraid its white . I make one or two more trips then that’s it, l under stand it's nearly back too normal in Batavia. At first we were met with hostile opposition ,as of the rumours that we were exconvicts ,and murderers same old rubbish that the lady, with more money than sense first said in the early forties , if it was so we would never got this far ,as most would have done a runner by now. Now the natives do not want us to leave, as they have said we treated them hard but fair ,and got everything working again ,and they are not looking forward to a Muslim ruled state. Then its Singapore ,as we left, l said to the Major ,l would have liked to have gone around those two big Temples, sorry no time now, l can say that Batavia had a population of about 250,000 that’s a big town,. In the evacuation of internees to Singapore were also Dutch, to go back to Holland or where ever ,now l sometimes flew to Changi with a load of children,and parents l emphasise on children, you will see later on in the book. The 12th Battalion Para has now been sent to ST Beatrice Camp Singapore, we go to Nesoon camp Singapore , and we are now told we are to be disbanded as Force 136, and spit up ,and sent to Para Battalions , Col Darling of the 12th Battalion Para wants some of us to help him at Changi Jail ,as his men have had very little contact with Japs , the Major says he is asked to go, so l thought, l will as well ,but he said Holden, and six to eight of you as well to the 12th Batt Changi, others to the 13th Batt Para , 7th Batt Para , and the 22nd Independent Para .Major says first thing army post office at Seleeta mail, yes ,how long , too long some one pipes up. After Col Darling had gone the Major says, look lads its got to be different now, a voice at the back,l think its slusher, says you mean yes sir, no sir three bags full sir, something like that is going to be hard. We made it Sir, yes we had a few narrow ones didn’t we, one of them said thanks Sir , don’t thank me it was all that training you did in India that got us through. We go off to ST Beatrice Camp to join the 12th,we are put out to one side not with the rest we are like lepers , who cares so long as they pay me, and feed me,after some documentation of wears ,and why fore’s, talk starts to get around of what we have done, then l am called to H,Q, the Major is there with some of the 12th Officers,hands me a letter from GOC read it ,and it says for bravery in helping to save fellow soldiers , or something like that , the
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Sergeant had put it on his report , and our Major had endorsed it , the Major then said this is yours Holden wear it, its the Mentioned in Dispatches Medal ,thanks Sir , l salute turn ,and march off , you see l think at most times when medals are won its on the spur of the moment, and being in the right place ,or wrong place ,which ever way you look at it , and to survive , Sarg did his job well ,I am sure through life there are people who have done brave things, and never get mentioned , The Sergeant who put this on report, l never new his full name, just Sarg he was only with us a few days. As l left the H.Q., a Officer came out with me a one piper , he said remember me , no Sir , l am the Officer at the mess tent , yes you look something like him , well you are going to be in my platoon , well we didn’t get off to good start did we over in Batavia , can we put that behind us , and you give me the run down on the rest of the men ,after all the who’s ,who’s and what’s ,l think he did not know ,what we had done , then he said he had only just joined them straight out of O,C,T,U, then we said you will have to give us time to get back to this bull shit again , as we had to live from day to day , we have eaten snake ,and monkey with head hunters, and curry with Gurkhas, and Kerrens ,and no parades or inspections . I understand that this battalion was in the D Day landings ,so some are battle scared anyway , that’s correct , well where is the rest of the platoon as you see there’s only eight of us , tomorrow we will sort that out . Army truck comes in, a Mobil shower unit brilliant, now to see a platoon of thirty men (Paras ) all line-up in the noddy waiting for a shower not a pretty site . You go in one end, and out the other end , the Sarg out side shouting his head off, keep moving in there ,and if you drop your soap leave it,dont bend down to pick it up, as the man behind cant stop , and as you come out, old saw bones is there , the battalion Doc to give an F,F,I, (Free From Infection). Singapore is a very humid climbmate , the Doc checks my scares on my knees , OK , yes Sir , they have heeled nicely , yes Sir, l think it was the gin our Major drowned them in , he smiles get out of here ,In the next two or three days we meet new mates ,l met three new mates , Brian Stone , nick named ( stoney or dad )as he was married with a little girl ,and he was proud of her , he had a bullet wound in his shoulder for being in Normandy ,then there’s Brian Hamilton a great fellow just like me full of fun ,and the capers we got up too , then there’s Jock never new his real name just Jock . None had been in the jungle before, and this camp is on the edge of it, and no one can understand Malay, so l become spoke's man . The young one pipper comes after us EX 136, to go with him to Changi Jail for a look around ,and the Major comes as well he said we are going to look at our old mates the Jap Officers , now lads we are now on war crimes (tight lips from now on). There is also a none frat ban, that means no getting to know the locals for what ever, now the Japs in the jail are some that we captured. Jap Officers, and N.C.O.s are all together at the moment, some are still very
so a handful for souvenirs the rest we set light too in the hanger while it’s burning, we get the Medics in, Japs all disarmed, so far we have had it easy not alot resistance, l see the Major,and the P.O.W. Officer having a chin wag and they look at me from time to time, why, could be because l called him dad, the intelligence Sgt is taking notes from other P.O.W.s all Jap Officers and N.C.O.s are in one group,and other Ranks in another, l go over to have a word with the other P.O.W,s shake a few hands,then they start to ask questions,how we got there ,and how long have we been out there watching , l said sorry mates but that’s out , but l can tell all now ,as almost everything has been released on all operations of Force 136 year 2001 ,you see we had to sign the secrets act on this job.I see the Medics are on the job,as l passed some of them,all l said was,did anyone want a pineapple,all l got was bollocks and stuff your fucking pineapples, nice people these medics ;? l don’t really now what got too these medics in just saying pineapple , it looks as if this operation is about wound up , just waiting a food drop , then l surpose it’s off again . l take stock of my mags ,and refill my ruck sack with mags , Major comes for a swig out of the bottle ,winks ,and off he goes. Waiting to hand over to main force wireless opp trying to get information , not long a man on a bike arrive, Major, and him talk for a while then he’s off ,Major said we are off to a campong about a mile down the road , we leave the Lieutenant ,and three others, and the other Bren ,off we go ,and two medics, l ask how many mepperquin he has with him about 100 tabs good l,m down to my last two ,what’s the gen Sir, for us not sure he says , but we are meeting an agent a woman, not the Tiger he smiles , all agents get names ,some of us have been briefed on this ,she is called the Samerang Tiger, why you ask, well she has been clawed by a Tiger on the face. At the campong we get a good welcome it seems some Japs have done a runner, with weapons ,into the jungle ,the head-hunters have seen them they dislike the Japs, just as we do ,we need trackers so the Sarawak head-hunters are ask to help , they will for payment,not money but our machetes ,OK after job done ,no big deal, to them its gold dust . Major said we wait for a while, Tiger been on radio, and some help coming , now there’s three jeeps arrive , another Bren, and a Wireless opp the rest Rifle and Sten ,brill double strength ,six trackers needed three to each section , we get two short arses ,and tall one , now this tall one seems a bit of a card he fools around a bit ,l thought l would try my Malay on him he only speaks his own dialogue or pidgin English we get by on that , but what l don’t like is that long knife hanging from they waists Some one takes a photo of them, l still have it, l ask how far Japs in jungle one mile, two mile, they have not got a clue, they cant read or write but they do now the jungle, now we will see if the training in Bengal has sunk in ,As we wait we swoop yarns of what we have done especially the one with the tall Officer,the laughs on me, as they take the Mickey, court-martial for me when l get home, but what’s he going
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to tell his fellow Officers in the mess ,a horrible little Para dare to call him Dad. Here we are in the middle of Sarawak you would,nt think there’s a War on,we are about three houndred yards from deep jungle,at the moment very quiet,OK were off it’s compass verses Headhunters trackers, two lines ten yards apart,that put eight eyes up front with the trackers,me l am bringing up the rear, l do have one of the heaviest weapons to carry,now the tall tracker keeps smiling , then wipes his forehead , and laughs ,much to say will you make it. We arrive at a campon long house , and deploy our selves around the area , then a few at a time enter the Longhouse , to be greeted this is part of the costum out here ,l think we covered about four miles today,feels like a hundred. One or two kids running a round they are shy at first till, l remember l have some RAF Chocolate left,so now are they allowed to have it ,l ask the tall one ,answer no give it to the house woman, she hands everything out that’s tribal law, when in Rome do as the Romans do, l look around ,and watch the family life , and see that they do not really have any pressure ,like us in the out side world ,they look very content with what they have ,but then they are nearly like Stoneage people ,they just live off the jungle.When you are four miles in to the jungle it do not matter which way you look, it all looks the same, and if you have not got a compass or a tracker you are going to go a round in circles ,time for some of us to get our heads down or off,as it looks, says the tracker let me explain at one end of the long house there are some poles in the ground about four feet high ,one or two have sculls on them , l ask if they are men they have killed ,shakes his head no they are tribes headmen ,and when he dies they put his head on a pole then all his wisdom goes to the tribe ,l am now looking at the tall one he is grinning ,and pointing to my head, then to the pole l do not sleep well that night ,Now everyone is having a go at me. One thing l did notice in the long house were two blow pipes on the wall l ask about them , l am told that it is not everyone that use them, only picked men from the tribe ,as the danger is great you have to know what you are doing , its sort of handed down father son, and to know the tree that gives the sap for this , and they will not tell you which tree .Wash ,and brush up ,bite to eat then off, trackers say over to left to find Japs we are in their hands , must have been about two miles a stream fast flowing, and clear about waste deep maybe twenty-five feet across , we cross in two places about twenty yards apart ,l take up covering position while the others cross then its my turn,well about half way our Jappy has seen us he starts mortar bombing us ,one or two land in the river near me, now, l feel a stinging in the knees then look down , now if you cut yourself,and wash it in a bowl the water turns red , now what am l looking at, red water in the river ,panic lost my legs l think ,but l am still walking l shout medics reach the other side , medic comes over, looks laughs ,they are bits of shrapnel stuck in the flesh in my knees .
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He pulls them out , put plenty of anti-germ cream on ,bind them up so no smell of blood , as the leaches will have a field day , so far lucky, Well Jappy boy War has started , Major sends recce out from both sections , me l take up a good position behind a tree log , l have a good ninety degree view , l got bloody elephants again , Brians got knots , he ask if l am OK ,l am now , but nearly shit myself coming across that river , he said l thought you were a goner , the water covered you , we could not see you , well at least l got a wash , Major crawls over , legs OK , yes sir , keep them clean they should heal OK then pinches my water bottle has a swig then pour some over the bandages , that will help to keep the leaches away , then pisses off , recce back , orders Brens stay put the rest are off , one section left , and one section right , us piggy in the middle , after a while the Japs come after us , orders fire we all let go , me its like fireworks with the tracers, after about two minutes , silence , then some Japs come out hands high , l got through four or five mags , about 150 rounds , Major goes to Japs it seems the rest are dead , l do not know how many Japs died , and l did not want to know , l just got on helping Brian to reload mags , the captured Japs are sitting cross legged on the ground , with hands on their heads , Major comes over , get them under ground , meaning the dead Japs . Brian goes to the dead Japs , and helps to bury them , me l stay out of it , he is also taking the docks off the dead , and handing them to the other Japs for safe keeping , and making a map reference of the burial site , the other Bren gunner comes over with a smile he says, l like the fireworks , yes at least l could see what l was hitting , this time l feel different inside , harder maybe or grown up quickly , l have a swig at the bottle , Major winks we smile , now its back to the jeeps we left at the campon , we will leave minus machettes and Jap swords, plus any utensils that the japs had, the payment to the trackers , and that’s another culture l will never forget , they have laws of there own , and live a much better way than we do , before we left Brian said a few prayers over the graves , the Japs bowed to Brian , the tracker looked and said what God you worship , l try to explain , they never heard of Jesus Christ , and why should they , as they are living a more peaceful life than we are , religion has caused more Wars than anything else , since the Birth of Christianity there has been conflick with Arab , Jew , Catholic , and Prodesent they all think there’s is better . l ask what do you worship , he points to the Sun , if that do not come out l die , and who can knock that , if it do not come out we all die , all it takes is a uneducated head-hunter to tell us what to believe in , the rest of the world worship Idols , lcons , and Statues and Carvings , we are surposed to be educated .Well off we go to a place , it starts with a S cannot remember the other part ,
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there are two Jeeps going the Major a Driver, and Me armed escort, and the other Jeep Driver, and escort, and Japs in the back, plus a lorry load of Japs as we go the Major asks about us what schools we went too, what we did after we left school. So after a while we ask him the same sort of questions we find out he is a college lecturer, l said we can’t talk your language, he smiles,he looks at us, and said you two are not dudder heads,l saw you talking to that tracker about his life, he said you are not like your mate Brian why don’t you believe in the religion of the Christian faith, l said name me a true religion, He looks at me, and said l can not as there are so many, that's why l question them all, but l will respect the people who find peace with prayer. He said Holden you are a realist,if you cant touch it or see it, and smell it , it’s not there , l surpose so l said , he said me too, he looks and winks , that’s something else l have learnt about him , driver pipes up ,If there’s a God he is not doing a very good job at the moment.Journeys end turns ,and he said can’t speak my language , we all laugh only been talking for an hour. Trucks are sent to pick up the rest of our lot , Japs handed over as they leave they bowed to us , these are only soldiers not prison guards , they look very demoralised. Some M Ps ( Military Police) come out of a hut and all smiles, a red cap smiling ,what’s going on , let us in on the joke, no joke two bombs dropped on Japan, no big deal , it is two towns blown apart , bloody hell, they were big Atomic Bombs, what sort of bombs are they, the Major might know we will ask him.The bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki completely destroyed,thousands of people just vaporised away. Some Officers are telling the Japs ,they all look in the state of shock, as two of their major towns are no more. Anyway we are off to the airfield about four miles away , talking to the Major, l said didn’t Professor Rutterford split the atom in Cambridge in 1927 would that be something to do with it, l expect his work helped.Where are we heading Sir, French Indo China ,in the region of Kompon,and Chia Pia names mean sod all to me, but it is another Country, and this time Buddhist religion hope to see some Pagodas, and another name is also given Junjan , dropping on paddy fields again, not pineapples l hope , laughs all round ,three DAKs this time must be a big camp we have been told that it is a Military POW camp , orders are all guards to be taken no matter ,what rank all will be on trial ,at this time that order meant nothing ,just an order ,but wait and see. There’s two daks for us, and one for the medics, and two doctors also with us, this time some Gurkhas , two Lieutenants also coming this time ,one to our little section, and the other to two inch mortar, and other Bren section , the one with us its his first time to take a camp , he ask what’s the set up, l said when we go to take the camp its speed,and surprise,and he said l think you like making fireworks word gets around Sir then, then l said if you can get a Sten Gun it will be better than that pistol we need fire power, right off he goes seems like a descent Officer.
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Briefing is called two Officers , and all of us in a big tent,we have about six hours before take off that will be dark Sir, yes l know its a night jump shit l said,frightened Holden ,no Sir just thinking it might be a pineapple field now everyone laughs, and we all know what happened to the Medics. Briefing over l am for a wash down the four of us go to find a wash place we spot a hand made shower, RAF style, just think about this, a 40 gal drum full of water a hand pump on top, hose up a tree under the end of the hose square tin with holes in, everyone in the noddy not a pretty sight, we take turns pumping water,lovely, someone shouts Tiffin, were off it’s cornbeef fritters, chips and bakebeans, good old RAF cooking, it’s better than compo rations. Going to have a wonder around, see if we can get some slab chocolate that might find it’s way to my pack,RAF stores, anychance of a bar choc(yer)how many, there’s four of us , thanks mate were happy .Now for a bit of kip till called, look at Brian he’s very quiet, OK mate yer OK. We all drink,and pee a lot , it’s nerves l expect , it goes dark quickly out here . l think we have all grown up fast, not so much of the gung ho now, more to self preservation ,and staying in one piece, what ever we do now we do automatically, such as double checking everything , then check again , we all do it , it could be our nerves are working overtime , its being on high alert all the time , or is the brain saying you need a rest from this . l have wrote to Mum , telling her about the places ,and Cultures, espeachly the women walking around with no tops on , when you first see it you look ,but after a while take no notice , and they do not ware shoes either ,time for off ,we are in the first plane we take off at three minute intervals , l must point out there is no black out over here for the civilians , it would be impossible as a lot of the villages are so remote, and only have oil lamps ,I hope some one has picked a good DZ, (drop zone) well red on, and green on, gone, bloody hell a lovely flare path, now landing its sandy good landing,no sooner down,and a what looks like a Gurkha but its not it is a Kerren with another section path finders, taken to R,V,(rondo view)to sort ourselves out, Brians here, OK, nods, our young Sir arrives, we ask what was the D,Z, dried up river bed, off we go to a large type of building about half mile away, enquires about the chutes left behind no matter Kerren says seen village people.Our Major comes in with the Kerrens Officer he has a good look round then says l do not think you will find many Japs, at the camp our information is that there are more Koreans, and they are worse, the camp is in open area about one hundred yards to the fence, and the prisoners are in a poor state. Heard about the bombs Sir, yes but nothing else, there’s allot of coming, and going at the camp,this Officer has got it all sussed ,tomorrow we surround the camp ,then lay low till first light next day, our Major pipes up OK Holden, yes do l take the main gate as usual, the other Officer said you will need four of you, two either side of entrance road, OK two Sten gunners be OK that’s cleared that up ,all the rest ,MAJOR sorts the rest out plus twenty Kerrens they have all
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got Stens, its black out side can not see anything , can we get our heads down Sir, OK it will be light shortly. Morning a bit of a wash, and some eats most of all a hot drink we are in some sort of old ruins, all green country outside . Off we go in all different directions, the Kerren Officer is with our Major ,but the Kerren Officer is incharge this time, l think there’s more to this, than that’s been said, anyway no one talks much these days,we are all of very few words ,are we boys turned men?, this time the Medics are with us, we are all split up in to little sections, it looks as if we are going across country away from roads or villages, the Kerren speaks very good English, how far to go, not far he said we just plod on, then we stop,we go through a bit of jungle, and in front a camp, bloody hell, four towers, Sir said lets make a plan, what do you propose, Kerren draws plan of camp in sand as he has been all around it, gate this time in the corner, Sir asks what we did at other camps , l said first the towers out,then the main gate, this time if l take the two towers out you head on up to main gate how’s that , OK by me Sir says , everyone ask me, all l have is protection strips , he’s the Bloody Officer he should know , well its the old saying , give an Officer a map ,and he becomes the most dangerous human being in the world . Now in the mean time guard that path to the paddy fields, that seems good l could nodd off, well l had not been there long , then about thirty yards up the path, l will call it hissing Fred, a python or boa, start to cross the path call Sir and Brian, l bet that must have been twenty-five feet long it seemed like hours to cross, all the time we have been out here, that’s the first one l have seen. We are going in on the flares again this time, l hope there will only be firing into the towers as we are going in on all sides a little bit iffy ,this time we are not in fully control the Officer incharge of the Kerrens has taken over , l think there Is something in this camp that we do not now about, l am surprised at all the medics we have with us, and Doctors (just my thoughts ). I understand they use Elephants in this country to do all the heavy work,well they should see me l have a heard of them in my stomach again, l look at Brian he just clench his fists means he has knots in his, look at Sir, he might be sick anyminute but keeps on writing out report. When other service men read this book, they can relate to the same feelings, its the waiting that gets me. Oh yes we also have two Intelligent Sgts, with us as well, they have a still camera as well, now we all have a pee kneeling down as usual no noise. Can not see the other Sten gunners, as they are well down in the tall grass, l noticed that Sir got a Sten as well no comment Flares up all systems go into clearing ,tower first mag, two come down like a bats out of hell, dead, put the shits up them ,reload next tower same , on our way to the gate , others already there, guards Havant got a clew what’s going on, gates open , l stay at the gates disarm guards shut gates, why l don’t now , guards come with us over to flag pole ,up goes the jack , some more firing at odd places around the camp
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The two that were up the tower are dead, the Medics are already in the camp ,l can see the wireless opp trying to contact someone, as usual some prisoners in the state of undress, who cares we got them, Major shouts any of our lads hit no, but one shout l fell in the shit hole ( boy was he ripe ) a good wash down ,and change of clothes, we all carry a certain amount with us so we all muck in to sort him out, l have got myself a chair on the veranda with two Sten Gunners, the rest are gone after the P.O.W.s l cant see what’s going on , but a breather well earned. After about maybe half an hour , the other Officer comes with some P.O.W.s about eight of them, l look, and l am speechless it’s not real, how are we going to tell the world, l cannot talk to them, as l am so boiled up inside, l think the best way is to say, l have seen walking skeletons, l thought the womens camps were bad enough, l look at the fat little bastards in front of me, all l have to do is pull the trigger and the mag of twenty-eight rounds. but that would give them an honourable death, this is why they are off to Singapore for trial then hung, and buried in an unmarked grave with quick lime to distroy everything that will be a dishonourable death to them. All weapons in a heap , l look at them ,and think l wonder what’s going through there heads now ,l bet they never thought this would happen to them . After a while l do get to talk to the POWs only after the Intelligent Sgt. have had their go , over comes a B24, with British markings, makes two runs then out come the chutes , food ,and more medic stuff , the Kerrens fetch it in , the Japs have been standing about two hours in the sun at attention , one Jap asks if they can stand down ,and have some water, l look at the Major , then a voice bellows from a P.O.W let the bastards stay there till they drop, like we used too , l thought well that’s answered that , stay they did ,l keep calling them Japs but most are Koreans they look alike . Everything is being done different here to the other camps we were at, I find out later that some of the Japs ,have been causing hard ship in other camps as well ,all over this area , in groups of about ten to fifteen the P.O.Ws come, and stand in front of the Japs, and the Japs are made to bow to them this is to humiliate them, as our prisoners had too to them . Some of the POWs are too week to walk , l get relieved for a while so l go for a walk around the camp, l soon find l have company ,the Major, OK Holden yes, l am OK just boiling in side, how can another human being do this to another, remember their Emperor is a living god, what ever he says they do, its called brainwashing of uneducated people, then we have chat going around, he said remember this, you do not bow or scrap to anyone ,just respect the man,whoever is in charge of the job he is doing, no one should ever be on a pedestal, since that day l have taken that advice, l do not now what it is but the Major, and me we seem to hit it off, a good man. A B25 Mitchell fly’s over, drops some leaf -lets in English,and Japanese it seems the War is over in two days from now, we have got to listen to the any radio for news, some one says Japs got one in his quarters , Japs are given the papers there are a lot of straight faces amongst them.
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Some said already no surrender, it could be trouble, next thing to happen a column of trucks arrive, with bedding clothing,and a relief section of some Scottish Battalion, it looks if we are off, but a message comes a party of Japs gone on the rampage,on a small town, after the trucks unload, we mount up, they take us to the area, why us, couldn’t the Jocks gone, l say to myself, we can here some firing, l have those elephants again, we make our way to a semi jungle area , nice big log to hide behind , l have a Sgt with me , and Brian , now we are to give covering fire as the others advance , then all hell lets loose , two lads drop ,the rest scatter ,l shout medics then pass the Bren to Brian you know what to do ,nodds, right medics we are going to get them out , before anything can be said we are off , got them back , Sgt got steam coming out his ears , you fucking stupid pratts, you could have been shot ,well we got them back for treatment anyway , nothing else said till Major was told, next is history l got the MD, for that, didn’t know till l got back to Singapore, the MD, is Mentioned in Dispatchers, things like that done on the spur of the moment,it wasn’t heroics, just did It with out thinking, and l bet if you ask anyone that’s got a medal,its all done on the spur of the moment, its something you do without a thought. The two Para,s we got to safety, l did not know them, but they were one of us ,and all para,s are mates, this little skirmish is not over yet the villages have all gone ,it seems the Japs have moved in ,we have no ldear of their numbers . Now before we go anyfurther ,you are going to say are we the only ones fighting , well War is like this, take one hundred to two hundred yards area from that point you haven’t a clue what’s going on , you are only interested in your own little patch ,Oh yes you here things happening a mile away there’s nothing you can do, so you have to do as you are told in your own area . The trouble with all this is the civilians are caught up in this ,and they hate the Japs more than we do , especially the Chinese, the Japs treat them very rough ,now back to this village under siege from the Japs , haven’t a clue were the Majors is , we have taken up new positions the two of us Brens with Sgt . Sergeant sees the Major coming towards us from the other end of the village with his lshu binnocks, then says dirty little sods , what’s up Sarg , two fly’s having it off on my lenses , jealous , too right . I am writing this book of things that did happen but not right behind each other , maybe hours or days between these things happened . You see l have a new name now Fireworks Holden it was Cherry Blossom, but the other Bren gunner is Slushier Cartwright, why well every time he drinks he slurps his drink. Brian ,and the other no 2 on the Bren make there selves scarce in a monsoon gully ditch ,other wise gone to the toilet, climbing out to come back , Brian stops one falls back medics come rushing over , taking him back, l cant leave my post , Sarg gets me another no 2 good job Brian left the mags with me , the War is nearly over then this , trouble is you can never get information how they get on ,Major signals fire at barn type building with a thatch roof , well my lucky day, l can set that alight ,the
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other Bren points down a path Sarg says don,t let anyone cross that path right he says he, l start shooting at the roof there is smoke, roofs on fire, Major waits then they all come out, but now the other Bren fires ,then silence,Sarg what’s up, Slushier says l think l shot a woman and child, cant see anything the sarg says , medics see what you can find , from then on no one says a dicky bird (word) only Sarg giving orders. Major ,and the others bring in about fifteen or more Japs or Koreans ,to me they all look a like , then Major asks if wounded been taken care of , yes Sir says Sarg. We are off back to the P.O.W, Camp when we arrive most are gone , they have been taken to the docks where ships are waiting for them , the boys at H,Q, have certainly got there fingers out this time , we are told they are going home Via the U.S.A. why Major, it take months , Major , that’s right politics to build them up . The War is over but the Japs are saying no they don’t believe it , as the Emperor spoke in old Japanese tongue they had never heard, so they say War goes on for a thousand years, that’s what they think, wait till they get to Singapore. This is why they thought it was all lies, they still chanted (sasoney banzio) long live the Emperor.(or something like that) We have a days rest, the Jocks are still here we are fed by them, most are straight out from England, some were talking of Belson, just like this they said, how many camps like this well lets see we had three in Batavia, one in Sarawak, plus a jungle run ,then this camp plus the village down the road all in a few weeks l think , lost track of time, Someone says have you heard about the river Kwia no , thousands worked to death, a big enquiry. There’s quite a few graves at this camp round the back way, and where are these Japs going of to Singapore for trial, they are not human . Anything happened while we were away, yer one committed hura curia pity they all don’t, l do not think, l will ever like a Jap again, Major comes over everyone springs to attention except me, what’s going on lads ,well we were thinking of going to town to see a Pagoda Oh , well get a driver, and we will all go . So permission sorted from the new officer in charge, and away we go only about five miles away , the trouble is we do not have a camera, but our guns are loaded ready, just to see those pagodas ,and the monks all chanting , it do not seem real, as you would never now there had been a War , people carrying on as normal , its another religion this time Buddhists , we have seen them, now off , Major says another bit of history , yes thanks Sir we might never get this way again . Back at camp orders for us to move to the dock's area, how fars that,don’t know came the reply ,four trucks waiting for us then off . Arriving at the docks there are some Elephants doing some work ,then over to one side ,l spot what looks like something formilliar that’s them , what ,those bloody sledges, l made in Blighty, pissoff you don’t now what you are saying , Oh yes l do. We stop at a MP check point, then the Major said what was that all about , those sledges Sir ,l think, l helped to make them in England ,is that all , yes to think the trees were cut down out here taken to England made up,
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and brought back , l never thought l would ever see them again . The major and the Lieutenant go off to get orders at an HQ the MP,s have directed them too , looking over the Port from the top of the truck we can see a lot of ships Anchored in the Harbour, after a while they come back, we are off to a Jap Airfield up the road, off we go again. Aircraft blown up everywhere all Jap planes , we see some DAKs parked on the runway , we are escorted to them ,were are we off to , back to Batavia said Sir , ( my thoughts we are going home )( wrong) . On landing at the airfield we are met by another Officer of the Para,s in white belt and gaiters , what bullshit lot is this ,we are given the kidglove treatment , then taken to the Messtent for a meal , then things Go a little bit wrong. You see everywhere we go the weapons come too ,but not with this lot , no weapons in the messtent , So OK we go in one at a time to the cooks who are serving it up with our mess tins ,and mugs then walk out side to our weapons , you will see why shortly, some stupid little Sarg nips down to a make shift ,H,Q, our Major over hears him reporting ,that the new arrived Para,s will not eat in the dinner tent without there weapons , this Officer, that the Sgt reports too, said leave it with me, l will sort it as he thought . Well Officer arrives what’s this , having dinner Sir , well l want you in that tent, and no weapons, under our command you do as you are told , Sir we want to talk to our Major , you cannot he answer , then a voice said yes they can , these men are under my command , and where they go so do the weapons , you see down in Batavia there’s riots ,they could get up here now you look after your men, and l will command mine got that , winks and walks away , the other Officer ,said to The Sarg who the hell do they think they are, this rabble , only if he new perhaps one day . Now what ,l am going to write ,you are going to say it never happened l can only tell you of my part, but history books give you a bigger picture of this ,l surjest you read War history book (READY FOR ANYTHING ) We were sent in to Batavia not knowing what’s going on , but what l can gather the locals are running wild with guns ,from the Jap decommission stock pile ,and they are after the Dutch task masters ,who ran this Island, no law or order, and l thought the War was over , well we start at one end, and street by street we progress but its scary as the ammo is flying around ,it seems as communism has come under a man called Sucarno ,or Carcarno something like that. Then after a while we meet some Japs, now unbeknown to us the Japs got some of there weapons back ,and started to get a little Law and Order , well after that we are now on the same side , fighting side by side ,what a funny old world but we Find out that the British C,O,and the Jap C,O agreed to do this. A few weeks ago we were trying to kill each other, now walking the streets of Batavia getting law, and order back , the Japanese Major who ordered his men to do this was a Major Kido , l understand that a COL K T Darling of the 12th Para Battalion made military history between Them in doing this,
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but l think Major Kido had to pay the price for this, in Japan, he was tried ,and found guilty for helping the British, we are called off this, and taken to the lnternees camps, as the rumour is they are going after them next, so the order of the day evacuate all lnternees to Singapore, this is a cushy little number, they are loaded on to Aircraft,and Troopships, one was the Empiretrooper, l sailed to Singapore on her, and got to know a Family called the De Costers,or of a simerler name to that. There was a Mother,and l think two sons,and two daughters they all used to come,and chat to us about everything , l had to tell them about England , l can remember one girl was called Sylvia ,and a boy named Peter ,they called me Blonde in those days, l was blond then, now l am afraid its white . I make one or two more trips then that’s it, l under stand it's nearly back too normal in Batavia. At first we were met with hostile opposition ,as of the rumours that we were exconvicts ,and murderers same old rubbish that the lady, with more money than sense first said in the early forties , if it was so we would never got this far ,as most would have done a runner by now. Now the natives do not want us to leave, as they have said we treated them hard but fair ,and got everything working again ,and they are not looking forward to a Muslim ruled state. Then its Singapore ,as we left, l said to the Major ,l would have liked to have gone around those two big Temples, sorry no time now, l can say that Batavia had a population of about 250,000 that’s a big town,. In the evacuation of internees to Singapore were also Dutch, to go back to Holland or where ever ,now l sometimes flew to Changi with a load of children,and parents l emphasise on children, you will see later on in the book. The 12th Battalion Para has now been sent to ST Beatrice Camp Singapore, we go to Nesoon camp Singapore , and we are now told we are to be disbanded as Force 136, and spit up ,and sent to Para Battalions , Col Darling of the 12th Battalion Para wants some of us to help him at Changi Jail ,as his men have had very little contact with Japs , the Major says he is asked to go, so l thought, l will as well ,but he said Holden, and six to eight of you as well to the 12th Batt Changi, others to the 13th Batt Para , 7th Batt Para , and the 22nd Independent Para .Major says first thing army post office at Seleeta mail, yes ,how long , too long some one pipes up. After Col Darling had gone the Major says, look lads its got to be different now, a voice at the back,l think its slusher, says you mean yes sir, no sir three bags full sir, something like that is going to be hard. We made it Sir, yes we had a few narrow ones didn’t we, one of them said thanks Sir , don’t thank me it was all that training you did in India that got us through. We go off to ST Beatrice Camp to join the 12th,we are put out to one side not with the rest we are like lepers , who cares so long as they pay me, and feed me,after some documentation of wears ,and why fore’s, talk starts to get around of what we have done, then l am called to H,Q, the Major is there with some of the 12th Officers,hands me a letter from GOC read it ,and it says for bravery in helping to save fellow soldiers , or something like that , the
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Sergeant had put it on his report , and our Major had endorsed it , the Major then said this is yours Holden wear it, its the Mentioned in Dispatches Medal ,thanks Sir , l salute turn ,and march off , you see l think at most times when medals are won its on the spur of the moment, and being in the right place ,or wrong place ,which ever way you look at it , and to survive , Sarg did his job well ,I am sure through life there are people who have done brave things, and never get mentioned , The Sergeant who put this on report, l never new his full name, just Sarg he was only with us a few days. As l left the H.Q., a Officer came out with me a one piper , he said remember me , no Sir , l am the Officer at the mess tent , yes you look something like him , well you are going to be in my platoon , well we didn’t get off to good start did we over in Batavia , can we put that behind us , and you give me the run down on the rest of the men ,after all the who’s ,who’s and what’s ,l think he did not know ,what we had done , then he said he had only just joined them straight out of O,C,T,U, then we said you will have to give us time to get back to this bull shit again , as we had to live from day to day , we have eaten snake ,and monkey with head hunters, and curry with Gurkhas, and Kerrens ,and no parades or inspections . I understand that this battalion was in the D Day landings ,so some are battle scared anyway , that’s correct , well where is the rest of the platoon as you see there’s only eight of us , tomorrow we will sort that out . Army truck comes in, a Mobil shower unit brilliant, now to see a platoon of thirty men (Paras ) all line-up in the noddy waiting for a shower not a pretty site . You go in one end, and out the other end , the Sarg out side shouting his head off, keep moving in there ,and if you drop your soap leave it,dont bend down to pick it up, as the man behind cant stop , and as you come out, old saw bones is there , the battalion Doc to give an F,F,I, (Free From Infection). Singapore is a very humid climbmate , the Doc checks my scares on my knees , OK , yes Sir , they have heeled nicely , yes Sir, l think it was the gin our Major drowned them in , he smiles get out of here ,In the next two or three days we meet new mates ,l met three new mates , Brian Stone , nick named ( stoney or dad )as he was married with a little girl ,and he was proud of her , he had a bullet wound in his shoulder for being in Normandy ,then there’s Brian Hamilton a great fellow just like me full of fun ,and the capers we got up too , then there’s Jock never new his real name just Jock . None had been in the jungle before, and this camp is on the edge of it, and no one can understand Malay, so l become spoke's man . The young one pipper comes after us EX 136, to go with him to Changi Jail for a look around ,and the Major comes as well he said we are going to look at our old mates the Jap Officers , now lads we are now on war crimes (tight lips from now on). There is also a none frat ban, that means no getting to know the locals for what ever, now the Japs in the jail are some that we captured. Jap Officers, and N.C.O.s are all together at the moment, some are still very
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aggressive towards us, who cares we got the little bastards all locked in ,and ready for trial down in Singapore Surprime Court , with the Auzzis as the Judges . Sir says you are still under OATH , yes Sir , up we go to the main entrance , towers either side of the big doors ,and towers all round the walls of the Jail ,in we go its a massive place ,straight to the guard room, l think they are a bit surprised to see Para,s , Major ask to be shown a round ,off we go to the exercise yard its full of Japs , we are told there is three thousand of them in there ,l have my dought’s but there’s a hell of a lot of them , and they all look a like , then we go to the cells , they are massive blocks , there’s the kitchen block , and then there’s the condemned cell block , and off from that through a door to a small yard this is going to be the execution place , they are all ready building The hanging platform, the hang man is a Dutch man he is looking for assistance’s , a Sergeant volunteers , but we will be involved as you will see later. What you have to remember that these Japs, and Korean prisoners were all guards of the prison camps , they are not the run of the mill ,of ordernery soldiers , on our walk about we have seen the little church ,or chapel that the British prisoners built ,also the litchgate ,and some of the cells that punishment was handed out in . On this Island, l am told that there is a lot of land mines, still not found the Japs refused to say were they are, so the Engineers are brought in, muggings here, and a few others been told to help the Engineers , l hate the bloody things , The Australians have arrived to set up a Supreme Court in Singapore called the no nonsense boys. We go out a few times clearing mines but this time things went wrong ,a path way between two paddy fields ,a Chinese woman waved her hands about ,and she in her way told us mines ,were there so off we go, the Engineer lays flat out with his probe lifted one or two, l am flat out way behind him maybe thirty feet or more, with two white tapes, and the rest laying low , then l hear nothing , not even a bang ,l am on my back looking up at the sun , l am dead, l think ,l move my toes ,and hands its not bad being dead you can still move , then someone is shouting Holden,and Fireworks are you OK , OK l think ,or something like that, but the ringing in my ears ,hell and the dust all over me The Engineer well he was bit of a mess never new his name none of us did ,that mine was boobytraped, Its back to barracks, l report to Saw Bones (Doctor)what has happened, looks in my ears ,and said oh the ringing will go away in time an give me some pills , look like aspirin , but it never went away since then, l have always had ringing in my ears . From then on, l never went on another mine clearing fatigue ,that suits me , the one pipper, as l call him comes ,and have a word with the rest of us , and said l have volunteered to go on war crimes with the Major ,and yourselves ,He said he wants to study military law, you are going to get it first hand here, we are all now attached to B coy 12th Batt Para S.E.A.C. Before we go anyfurther l better get this in as some smart arse of an exsoldier will say , you should never fire a Bren with all tracers in the mag, yes l know that as it blocks the Gas Ports
aggressive towards us, who cares we got the little bastards all locked in ,and ready for trial down in Singapore Surprime Court , with the Auzzis as the Judges . Sir says you are still under OATH , yes Sir , up we go to the main entrance , towers either side of the big doors ,and towers all round the walls of the Jail ,in we go its a massive place ,straight to the guard room, l think they are a bit surprised to see Para,s , Major ask to be shown a round ,off we go to the exercise yard its full of Japs , we are told there is three thousand of them in there ,l have my dought’s but there’s a hell of a lot of them , and they all look a like , then we go to the cells , they are massive blocks , there’s the kitchen block , and then there’s the condemned cell block , and off from that through a door to a small yard this is going to be the execution place , they are all ready building The hanging platform, the hang man is a Dutch man he is looking for assistance’s , a Sergeant volunteers , but we will be involved as you will see later. What you have to remember that these Japs, and Korean prisoners were all guards of the prison camps , they are not the run of the mill ,of ordernery soldiers , on our walk about we have seen the little church ,or chapel that the British prisoners built ,also the litchgate ,and some of the cells that punishment was handed out in . On this Island, l am told that there is a lot of land mines, still not found the Japs refused to say were they are, so the Engineers are brought in, muggings here, and a few others been told to help the Engineers , l hate the bloody things , The Australians have arrived to set up a Supreme Court in Singapore called the no nonsense boys. We go out a few times clearing mines but this time things went wrong ,a path way between two paddy fields ,a Chinese woman waved her hands about ,and she in her way told us mines ,were there so off we go, the Engineer lays flat out with his probe lifted one or two, l am flat out way behind him maybe thirty feet or more, with two white tapes, and the rest laying low , then l hear nothing , not even a bang ,l am on my back looking up at the sun , l am dead, l think ,l move my toes ,and hands its not bad being dead you can still move , then someone is shouting Holden,and Fireworks are you OK , OK l think ,or something like that, but the ringing in my ears ,hell and the dust all over me The Engineer well he was bit of a mess never new his name none of us did ,that mine was boobytraped, Its back to barracks, l report to Saw Bones (Doctor)what has happened, looks in my ears ,and said oh the ringing will go away in time an give me some pills , look like aspirin , but it never went away since then, l have always had ringing in my ears . From then on, l never went on another mine clearing fatigue ,that suits me , the one pipper, as l call him comes ,and have a word with the rest of us , and said l have volunteered to go on war crimes with the Major ,and yourselves ,He said he wants to study military law, you are going to get it first hand here, we are all now attached to B coy 12th Batt Para S.E.A.C. Before we go anyfurther l better get this in as some smart arse of an exsoldier will say , you should never fire a Bren with all tracers in the mag, yes l know that as it blocks the Gas Ports
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to the regulator , well l had to keep my gas regulator clean more times than usual ,as soon as there was a lull in firing l was striping the gas regulator down , ready for the next lot , and my Bren never let me down. I had better explain , when the Major said we are still under Oath , well before we started these operations ,we had to swear not to tell what went on out here ,The Official Secret Act , until the Government of the day wish to Publish it. l still have my pass, with the 12th Battalion Para B Coy stamp on it, and also my Cig ,and Sweet ration book, l didn’t smoke so ,l swooped cigs for sweets ,the first duty comes down in the Surprime court, that was an eye opener no nonsense Azzies ,A Jap in the dock ,a string of crimes read out, the Jap through an interpreter denies everything ,then a witness is asked, and he said that is him who beat, and tortured ,as he was a victim , Jap still denies but Japanese papers are brought in from the camp , and his signature is on the paper, sweat appears on the Jap face , after about an hour guilty then the sentence , some got life ,and others death by hanging , out they go , judge calls next , there’s no hanging around in here .(pun). We didn’t go everyday to the supreme court it was on a roster system , after you hear what these Japs or Koreans did ,you can understand why a Jap to me can never be trusted ever again , the trouble is more people should have seen the British prisoners, as they were, and not sent home ,on a three month trip via the U,S,A, the trouble was that there were not many cameras around at the time ,Now there’s a U.S.A. General called MacArthur is pleading for the Emperor Hiriheto to be spared his life ,if he was to hang, he is saying there will be civil war in Japan ,who cares , hang the bastard, that’s the opinion of all the troops out here , that would prove he is not a living god, now they will say he is , no one can kill him , what a load of crap , its a pity that the British never got to Japan first , but the powers that be ,took MacArthur advice , l think ,and l am shure that Mountbattern did not go along with this ,as Mountbattern has had a clash with him over sending us in, to get the prisoners out ,I can assure you, that the Jap prisoners in the cells ,did not get a Savoy hotel treatment , but the trouble is they know the Emperor will live, and this gives them an inner strength to live, as they believe he is a living god , they still Shout long live the Emperor, another religion ,brain washed into people of poor education . Japanese working parties are taken out to unload ships, at the docks this also gives us a chance to get out to do something different , now the Japs like raw fish so a fishing trawler has come in , l am on the part of the escort ,and there is one up the spout ,and the safety catch is off, one move for them to try to escape they are dead , well unloading this ship goes according to plan , then things go wrong , you see l am on top of the ship, at top of the gang plank, one of my mates is down the bottom , the Japs are bringing the fish up, and stacking them in the truck , well one little Jappy thought he would have a fish to himself, so he put it in his lion cloth between his legs , the tail of the fish is now sticking out of his arse , and
PAGE 68 and 69.
with my sense of humour well ,he had to be stopped , l am splitting my sides , a Jap with a fish out his arse , so l shout to my mate at the bottom of the plank , he just used the butt of the rifle to his head , and that put pay to any Jap trying to pinch again , we give them some of there own punishment that they dished out , as l said we didn’t give them Savoy Hotel treatment , as we used to wake them up at ten minute intervals all through the night till they collapsed , l must point out the punishment ,we gave them was nothing near what they did to our prisoners, in so called justice of the Emperor , and on another working party ,we did some long grass clearing , now the thing is not to let a prisoner escape , on working parties like this , it could be easy to loose one , the tall grass at least six-foot, and wee Jappy five-foot , so not only guards behind, but guards in front as well ,and at one stage we set off cutting grass, then Jappy come running back jumping up, and down , you see we at this stage ,we denied them from wearing foot wear, as it would curb these to escape , they had walked into a Ant infested area ,but we still made them work ,their feet were bittern all over , you might think cruel lot , but put it in the context ,that what you had witnessed , that had been done to our P,O,W,s , You would have done the same, l had no feeling for them, if the rules were reversed they would have done it to me .Now if some Do Gooders read this,and say that’s not Christian so be it , well you go to Japan ,and stand in the middle of one of there cities ,and tell them your way of Christian faith ,and how life should be , but first you must get the Shinto Religion abolished ,as you now its, Live by the Sword ,and Die by the Sword , not one of you would be prepared to do that , so l have to meet their, way of life head on, and no compromises. I said l would write warts,and all, and my life would change for ever, after all this , lets just look at religion for a minute, has religion ever stopped a war no, but its started a hell of a lot ,Complaints were made by the JAPS to the Military Commander for what we did , but all they got was pictures of our prisoners, no more complaints ,l also did some duty on the walls of Changi Jail in the towers , and during the day the JAPS would walk around the inside , and look at how high the walls were ,and l said to myself go on try it , try to get over but they never did , l can assure you, l had lchy fingers , and so did everyone in the towers. Now a song was made up about the walls of Changi Jail to the tune of LILY MALENE ,l now about two verses but there is more, l will write down what l now .Hanging has started of the prisoners , orders are graves dug ,no markings to the graves, and quicklime all over the corpses to destroy all everdence of a grave, the area all levelled off One Japanese soldier had an honourable death, he was shot in a gravel pit as he had some sort of medal from the First World War, l am not certain what the medal was for , but it was a Australian war crimes squad that did it , the sentencing of prisoners was now in full swing the hangings were a norm of the day , there were three towers that you could see the hangings , lots were drawn up ,so if anyone wished to watch , they put their name forward , and that meant he also did that guard duty in that tower now this became a money spinner if you were booked for that tower for duty, and someone wanted to watch , you sold your guard duty to him, l never sold mine ,or gave up a duty Sometimes you were asked if you would do guard duty with the Doctor ,and Hangman ,around the hanging scaffold all you did was to see that he did not try to escape not much hope of that , you stood in the yard with the Doctor ,who pronounced them dead , now if you have never seen a hanging , but if you have ,no one would ever want to see hanging come back , l was trained to be hard but , yes but , l am not against capital punishment , if a dog kills a person you do not hang it ,you do the humane thing ,and inject it , why not humans ,you are going to kill them anyway ,hanging to me is very barbaric, after seeing it at first hand , you do not die immeadatly, some do , but more often it takes a few minutes , and it can sever the neck vein ,and that’s quite messy , we used to hang three at a time ,the Dutch hangman used to pull the lever, and down they went ,the doctor then took over,and pronounced them dead , it got to the stage that nine a day were being hung ,l must say at this stage, l was glad they were being hung, some of the crimes these Japs did , were unbelievable , such as putting a hose pipe in one of our soldiers mouth, and filling his stomach ,and lungs full of water till he died , these Japs are not human so why should, l have any feelings for them , having said that ,
PAGE 70.
and now that hanging is abolished ,l do not want to see hanging come back, l am not against capital punishment , but there must be three trials over three years, as innocent people have been hung in the past , that’s civil courts, this is a War Crimes Court vastly different , and we caught them red handed to what they were doing , I got some time off so down to Singapore for some sight seeing, the busy streets, and vendors everywhere,we are told not to touch the food only go to the services clubs , what l do fancy is a nice curry, Gurkha boys have given me the taste for It, l suppose we will end up with egg chips beans, and sausages from the Sally Army or the Union Jack Club. Down in the docks ,there is a German Submarine,it is a bulk transport Sub it was for shipping raw rubber to Germany , there’s is a funny little thing on the hull, someone said its a gyrocopter .This thing is attached to the sub with a wire rope , when the Sub was on the surface in day light ,a man sat in this queer thing, and the speed of the Sub turned the blades this lifted it up in the air , and the man could see further so if a enemy ship approached he was pulled down, and the Sub , submerged , quite a clever ldear , now this was captured ,and the Germans are at Changi jail , they look after the boilers there ,they are not under armed guard they just do there job till they can Be repatriated, it's off down to the New World, and the Happy World these are like a type of fair grounds. Singapore is changing , communism is creeping in we are told to keep your eyes open .Then l was told not to visit the people in Singapore owing to the job we were doing in the jail, visits to Singapore were rare from then on . Well, my mates, and myself thought OK well we will swim on Changi beach, and that’s another story. Well we go to Changi beach from the jail ,a walk through the jungle ,we draw compasses ,and weapons just in case , well my mates have never been in a jungle before ,l have great fun , making them jump at anything , but we do see lizards small ,and large about three feet long .Then we come across a snake temple ,so we have a look with care but its redundant but still in its glory , this is not a dense jungle but plenty of small animals such as a type of deer, and wild pig , not seen a snake yet ,one said if we do, l,m off. We reach the beach ,and its lovely , barges made of wood , we in turn sit on the barges ,and Brian takes photos great the first photos since l have been here ,and l still have them ,the water or sea is only about two to three feet deep , its clear as tap water , just up from us is a village on stilts in the sea , someone said its get away from the moseys ,l think they were fisher men, and the nets were around the poles ,and there little boats . Now for a swim the beach is white sand ,one stays on top of the landing craft barges as a look out for sharks while we swim , after awhile,(SHARKS)come to my ears ,so l head for the beach at a great speed of knots ,hit the beach ,and still keep Swimming, l graze my chest l was not going to be dinner for a shark, these barges were the ones the JAPS used to cross the Striates of Johor,to capture the Island.
************ HANGING INSERT *************
BURMA, S.E.A.C, SIAM, and THAILAND WAR CRIMINALS Here are some of the names of Japanese War Criminals that Sadistically made our P,O,W,s to suffer unnecessary, there were a lot more, don’t be disappointed, they swung in the breeze like these:
List below shows the sentence and nick name
The godfather Lt Gen Fukuei the Military Governor of Singapore was shot on Changi Beach by the Australian troops 16 aug 1945 without trial for his part in the execution of allied prisoners of war.
There were many more that were hung for war crimes against P.O.W s and prison sentences
But thousands got away with it , as Gen McArthur U,S,A, SAID it was too costly to carry on with war crimes, he persuaded the top brass to stop, so a few thousand were lucky, my comment trust the yanks to balls it up again, and the Emperor should have been hung.
ON THE WALLS OF CHANGI JAIL TO THE TUNE OF LILY MALENlLENE
WHILE SERVING OUT IN S, E, A, C,
WHILE BILLETED IN TENTS
WE ALL LONGED FOR MAIL
BUT NONE WAS EVER SENT
WE TOILED AND WORKED
BUT ALL IN VAIN
WE ASKED ONCE MORE BUT STILL NONE CAME
WHILE SWINGING ROUND THE SEARCH LIGHTS
ON THE WALLS OF CHANGI JAIL
WHILE SERVING OUT IN S, E, A, C,
WHILE BILLETED IN TENTS
WE GUARDED ALL THE JAPS OF CHANGI JAIL
BUT WE TRIED THEM ALL
SOME TO HANG SOME TO LIFE
INSIDE THE WALLS OF CHANGI JAIL
WHILE SWINGING ROUND THE SEARCH LIGHTS
ON THE WALLS OF CHANGI JAIL
THE QUESTION YOU ARE GOING TO ASK IS , WHY WERE SO MANY JAPANESE HUNG AND IMPRISONED FOR LIFE , WELL THESE WERE PRISON GUARDS THAT BRUTALLY TORTURED PRISONERS OF WAR FOR NO REASON AT ALL IN THE CAMPS 1, Forcing prisoners to stand in the Sun for hours on end till they collapsed of heat exhaustion . 2, Forcing prisoners to go on marches with no food or water till they dropped dead , or just collapsed ,then bayoneted to death . 3, Burying soldiers up to there shoulders with just their heads out till they died , or put a pipe in their mouths and force water into their stomachs . 4, Rapping captured Nurses , and torturing by sticking bamboo shoots under their nails to cause pain , and staking them out on the ground to use as bayonet practice , or pour sugar over them so the Ants would sting them to death. 5, Then there was the ritual of the Samurai Sword , soldiers told to kneel head bent forward then down come the sword to chop his head off , for what , maybe he was taller than the Japs or they just didn’t like him , and if was a Pilot that had been shot down , and had bombed them , so off with his head ,with the Samurai sword. 6, Then there was the target practice , feet tied to stakes in the ground and hands tied to a bar above their heads , this was either for shooting practice or bayonet practice . 7, But the one they used most of all was work them to death with little or no food , and there was no Medical treatment for sores or ulcers and if a limb had to be amputated it was done with no pain killers. 8, They thought nothing of beating a Serviceman till he dropped or putting him in the so called cooker , a tin hut that you could just get in and leave him there till they thought fit to release him , just think of a tin hut in the boiling sun , with no water or food . These crimes were all read out in the supreme court , plus many more , and every Jap denied every charge till our prisoners who were there , told what they saw , and pointed to the Japs that did it , and all the evidence that was collected against them , you see the Japs did not realise that they would loose the War and be found out , but l still can not understand why they had to do it , because it turned the world against them , me l will never forget or trust a Jap as long as live , the trouble is the Japanese government will not tell its people what happened , or apologise for what they did , sad really . All they will say it was done for the Emperor Hirohito , known as the living God his word was law no one dare go against his word the mighty one .
********************************************
to the regulator , well l had to keep my gas regulator clean more times than usual ,as soon as there was a lull in firing l was striping the gas regulator down , ready for the next lot , and my Bren never let me down. I had better explain , when the Major said we are still under Oath , well before we started these operations ,we had to swear not to tell what went on out here ,The Official Secret Act , until the Government of the day wish to Publish it. l still have my pass, with the 12th Battalion Para B Coy stamp on it, and also my Cig ,and Sweet ration book, l didn’t smoke so ,l swooped cigs for sweets ,the first duty comes down in the Surprime court, that was an eye opener no nonsense Azzies ,A Jap in the dock ,a string of crimes read out, the Jap through an interpreter denies everything ,then a witness is asked, and he said that is him who beat, and tortured ,as he was a victim , Jap still denies but Japanese papers are brought in from the camp , and his signature is on the paper, sweat appears on the Jap face , after about an hour guilty then the sentence , some got life ,and others death by hanging , out they go , judge calls next , there’s no hanging around in here .(pun). We didn’t go everyday to the supreme court it was on a roster system , after you hear what these Japs or Koreans did ,you can understand why a Jap to me can never be trusted ever again , the trouble is more people should have seen the British prisoners, as they were, and not sent home ,on a three month trip via the U,S,A, the trouble was that there were not many cameras around at the time ,Now there’s a U.S.A. General called MacArthur is pleading for the Emperor Hiriheto to be spared his life ,if he was to hang, he is saying there will be civil war in Japan ,who cares , hang the bastard, that’s the opinion of all the troops out here , that would prove he is not a living god, now they will say he is , no one can kill him , what a load of crap , its a pity that the British never got to Japan first , but the powers that be ,took MacArthur advice , l think ,and l am shure that Mountbattern did not go along with this ,as Mountbattern has had a clash with him over sending us in, to get the prisoners out ,I can assure you, that the Jap prisoners in the cells ,did not get a Savoy hotel treatment , but the trouble is they know the Emperor will live, and this gives them an inner strength to live, as they believe he is a living god , they still Shout long live the Emperor, another religion ,brain washed into people of poor education . Japanese working parties are taken out to unload ships, at the docks this also gives us a chance to get out to do something different , now the Japs like raw fish so a fishing trawler has come in , l am on the part of the escort ,and there is one up the spout ,and the safety catch is off, one move for them to try to escape they are dead , well unloading this ship goes according to plan , then things go wrong , you see l am on top of the ship, at top of the gang plank, one of my mates is down the bottom , the Japs are bringing the fish up, and stacking them in the truck , well one little Jappy thought he would have a fish to himself, so he put it in his lion cloth between his legs , the tail of the fish is now sticking out of his arse , and
PAGE 68 and 69.
with my sense of humour well ,he had to be stopped , l am splitting my sides , a Jap with a fish out his arse , so l shout to my mate at the bottom of the plank , he just used the butt of the rifle to his head , and that put pay to any Jap trying to pinch again , we give them some of there own punishment that they dished out , as l said we didn’t give them Savoy Hotel treatment , as we used to wake them up at ten minute intervals all through the night till they collapsed , l must point out the punishment ,we gave them was nothing near what they did to our prisoners, in so called justice of the Emperor , and on another working party ,we did some long grass clearing , now the thing is not to let a prisoner escape , on working parties like this , it could be easy to loose one , the tall grass at least six-foot, and wee Jappy five-foot , so not only guards behind, but guards in front as well ,and at one stage we set off cutting grass, then Jappy come running back jumping up, and down , you see we at this stage ,we denied them from wearing foot wear, as it would curb these to escape , they had walked into a Ant infested area ,but we still made them work ,their feet were bittern all over , you might think cruel lot , but put it in the context ,that what you had witnessed , that had been done to our P,O,W,s , You would have done the same, l had no feeling for them, if the rules were reversed they would have done it to me .Now if some Do Gooders read this,and say that’s not Christian so be it , well you go to Japan ,and stand in the middle of one of there cities ,and tell them your way of Christian faith ,and how life should be , but first you must get the Shinto Religion abolished ,as you now its, Live by the Sword ,and Die by the Sword , not one of you would be prepared to do that , so l have to meet their, way of life head on, and no compromises. I said l would write warts,and all, and my life would change for ever, after all this , lets just look at religion for a minute, has religion ever stopped a war no, but its started a hell of a lot ,Complaints were made by the JAPS to the Military Commander for what we did , but all they got was pictures of our prisoners, no more complaints ,l also did some duty on the walls of Changi Jail in the towers , and during the day the JAPS would walk around the inside , and look at how high the walls were ,and l said to myself go on try it , try to get over but they never did , l can assure you, l had lchy fingers , and so did everyone in the towers. Now a song was made up about the walls of Changi Jail to the tune of LILY MALENE ,l now about two verses but there is more, l will write down what l now .Hanging has started of the prisoners , orders are graves dug ,no markings to the graves, and quicklime all over the corpses to destroy all everdence of a grave, the area all levelled off One Japanese soldier had an honourable death, he was shot in a gravel pit as he had some sort of medal from the First World War, l am not certain what the medal was for , but it was a Australian war crimes squad that did it , the sentencing of prisoners was now in full swing the hangings were a norm of the day , there were three towers that you could see the hangings , lots were drawn up ,so if anyone wished to watch , they put their name forward , and that meant he also did that guard duty in that tower now this became a money spinner if you were booked for that tower for duty, and someone wanted to watch , you sold your guard duty to him, l never sold mine ,or gave up a duty Sometimes you were asked if you would do guard duty with the Doctor ,and Hangman ,around the hanging scaffold all you did was to see that he did not try to escape not much hope of that , you stood in the yard with the Doctor ,who pronounced them dead , now if you have never seen a hanging , but if you have ,no one would ever want to see hanging come back , l was trained to be hard but , yes but , l am not against capital punishment , if a dog kills a person you do not hang it ,you do the humane thing ,and inject it , why not humans ,you are going to kill them anyway ,hanging to me is very barbaric, after seeing it at first hand , you do not die immeadatly, some do , but more often it takes a few minutes , and it can sever the neck vein ,and that’s quite messy , we used to hang three at a time ,the Dutch hangman used to pull the lever, and down they went ,the doctor then took over,and pronounced them dead , it got to the stage that nine a day were being hung ,l must say at this stage, l was glad they were being hung, some of the crimes these Japs did , were unbelievable , such as putting a hose pipe in one of our soldiers mouth, and filling his stomach ,and lungs full of water till he died , these Japs are not human so why should, l have any feelings for them , having said that ,
PAGE 70.
and now that hanging is abolished ,l do not want to see hanging come back, l am not against capital punishment , but there must be three trials over three years, as innocent people have been hung in the past , that’s civil courts, this is a War Crimes Court vastly different , and we caught them red handed to what they were doing , I got some time off so down to Singapore for some sight seeing, the busy streets, and vendors everywhere,we are told not to touch the food only go to the services clubs , what l do fancy is a nice curry, Gurkha boys have given me the taste for It, l suppose we will end up with egg chips beans, and sausages from the Sally Army or the Union Jack Club. Down in the docks ,there is a German Submarine,it is a bulk transport Sub it was for shipping raw rubber to Germany , there’s is a funny little thing on the hull, someone said its a gyrocopter .This thing is attached to the sub with a wire rope , when the Sub was on the surface in day light ,a man sat in this queer thing, and the speed of the Sub turned the blades this lifted it up in the air , and the man could see further so if a enemy ship approached he was pulled down, and the Sub , submerged , quite a clever ldear , now this was captured ,and the Germans are at Changi jail , they look after the boilers there ,they are not under armed guard they just do there job till they can Be repatriated, it's off down to the New World, and the Happy World these are like a type of fair grounds. Singapore is changing , communism is creeping in we are told to keep your eyes open .Then l was told not to visit the people in Singapore owing to the job we were doing in the jail, visits to Singapore were rare from then on . Well, my mates, and myself thought OK well we will swim on Changi beach, and that’s another story. Well we go to Changi beach from the jail ,a walk through the jungle ,we draw compasses ,and weapons just in case , well my mates have never been in a jungle before ,l have great fun , making them jump at anything , but we do see lizards small ,and large about three feet long .Then we come across a snake temple ,so we have a look with care but its redundant but still in its glory , this is not a dense jungle but plenty of small animals such as a type of deer, and wild pig , not seen a snake yet ,one said if we do, l,m off. We reach the beach ,and its lovely , barges made of wood , we in turn sit on the barges ,and Brian takes photos great the first photos since l have been here ,and l still have them ,the water or sea is only about two to three feet deep , its clear as tap water , just up from us is a village on stilts in the sea , someone said its get away from the moseys ,l think they were fisher men, and the nets were around the poles ,and there little boats . Now for a swim the beach is white sand ,one stays on top of the landing craft barges as a look out for sharks while we swim , after awhile,(SHARKS)come to my ears ,so l head for the beach at a great speed of knots ,hit the beach ,and still keep Swimming, l graze my chest l was not going to be dinner for a shark, these barges were the ones the JAPS used to cross the Striates of Johor,to capture the Island.
************ HANGING INSERT *************
BURMA, S.E.A.C, SIAM, and THAILAND WAR CRIMINALS Here are some of the names of Japanese War Criminals that Sadistically made our P,O,W,s to suffer unnecessary, there were a lot more, don’t be disappointed, they swung in the breeze like these:
List below shows the sentence and nick name
- Capt Daimon 10years Jack Diamond
- Col Ishii death by hanging
- Col Nakanura death by hanging
- Korean Iwaya death by hanging The mad mongrel
- Korean Fumimoto death by hanging
- Korean Kumdioji 15 years The bombay duck
- Korean Matoyama death by hanging The black prince
- Korean Matsumoto life imprisonment The silver bullet
- Korean Minaka life imp The singing master
- Korean Morimoto life imp The mad bugler
- Korean Takavama death by hanging
- Korean Takemino 9 years Efficiency
- Korean Takemoto 2 years
- Korean Tokuama death by hanging Donald Duck
- Korean Tomotama 10 years
- Lt Col Yanagita 20 years
- Lt Isuki death by hanging The kanu kid
- Lt Kokuba death by hanging
- Lt Nobusawa death by hanging The horse doctor
- Maj Chida 10 years
- Maj Gen Isheda 10 years
- S/Maj Eda death by hanging
- S/Maj Hiramatsu death by hanging The tiger
- Sgt Norro 15 years Baldy
- Sgt Okada 10 years Doctor deathSgt Shimdjo 4 years
- Sgt Terrakoshi death by hanging
- Lt Takasakai death by hanging The frog
- Korean Kanoshiro death by hanging The undertaker
- Maj Mizutani death by hanging
- Maj Noguchi death by hanging
- Capt Torumoto life imp
- Lt Osato 3 years
- Korean Ozawa 4 years
- Korean Hatayashi death by hanging
- Korean Hosumi death by hanging
- Korean Akawa death by hanging
- Korean Otsuki 18 years
- Sgt Yamamoto death by hanging
- Korean Chiba death by hanging
- Col Sugasawa 12 years The Admiral
- Korean Takemoto 2 years The white slug
- Sgt Sukano 5 years
- Maj Ohida 9 years
- Capt Kamai death by hanging
- S/M Iijima death by hanging
- S/M Urikawa life imp
- Sgt Watanaba life imp
- Capt Suzuki death by hanging
The godfather Lt Gen Fukuei the Military Governor of Singapore was shot on Changi Beach by the Australian troops 16 aug 1945 without trial for his part in the execution of allied prisoners of war.
There were many more that were hung for war crimes against P.O.W s and prison sentences
But thousands got away with it , as Gen McArthur U,S,A, SAID it was too costly to carry on with war crimes, he persuaded the top brass to stop, so a few thousand were lucky, my comment trust the yanks to balls it up again, and the Emperor should have been hung.
ON THE WALLS OF CHANGI JAIL TO THE TUNE OF LILY MALENlLENE
WHILE SERVING OUT IN S, E, A, C,
WHILE BILLETED IN TENTS
WE ALL LONGED FOR MAIL
BUT NONE WAS EVER SENT
WE TOILED AND WORKED
BUT ALL IN VAIN
WE ASKED ONCE MORE BUT STILL NONE CAME
WHILE SWINGING ROUND THE SEARCH LIGHTS
ON THE WALLS OF CHANGI JAIL
WHILE SERVING OUT IN S, E, A, C,
WHILE BILLETED IN TENTS
WE GUARDED ALL THE JAPS OF CHANGI JAIL
BUT WE TRIED THEM ALL
SOME TO HANG SOME TO LIFE
INSIDE THE WALLS OF CHANGI JAIL
WHILE SWINGING ROUND THE SEARCH LIGHTS
ON THE WALLS OF CHANGI JAIL
THE QUESTION YOU ARE GOING TO ASK IS , WHY WERE SO MANY JAPANESE HUNG AND IMPRISONED FOR LIFE , WELL THESE WERE PRISON GUARDS THAT BRUTALLY TORTURED PRISONERS OF WAR FOR NO REASON AT ALL IN THE CAMPS 1, Forcing prisoners to stand in the Sun for hours on end till they collapsed of heat exhaustion . 2, Forcing prisoners to go on marches with no food or water till they dropped dead , or just collapsed ,then bayoneted to death . 3, Burying soldiers up to there shoulders with just their heads out till they died , or put a pipe in their mouths and force water into their stomachs . 4, Rapping captured Nurses , and torturing by sticking bamboo shoots under their nails to cause pain , and staking them out on the ground to use as bayonet practice , or pour sugar over them so the Ants would sting them to death. 5, Then there was the ritual of the Samurai Sword , soldiers told to kneel head bent forward then down come the sword to chop his head off , for what , maybe he was taller than the Japs or they just didn’t like him , and if was a Pilot that had been shot down , and had bombed them , so off with his head ,with the Samurai sword. 6, Then there was the target practice , feet tied to stakes in the ground and hands tied to a bar above their heads , this was either for shooting practice or bayonet practice . 7, But the one they used most of all was work them to death with little or no food , and there was no Medical treatment for sores or ulcers and if a limb had to be amputated it was done with no pain killers. 8, They thought nothing of beating a Serviceman till he dropped or putting him in the so called cooker , a tin hut that you could just get in and leave him there till they thought fit to release him , just think of a tin hut in the boiling sun , with no water or food . These crimes were all read out in the supreme court , plus many more , and every Jap denied every charge till our prisoners who were there , told what they saw , and pointed to the Japs that did it , and all the evidence that was collected against them , you see the Japs did not realise that they would loose the War and be found out , but l still can not understand why they had to do it , because it turned the world against them , me l will never forget or trust a Jap as long as live , the trouble is the Japanese government will not tell its people what happened , or apologise for what they did , sad really . All they will say it was done for the Emperor Hirohito , known as the living God his word was law no one dare go against his word the mighty one .
********************************************
PAGE 71.
What l can not make out ,how a General with all these British troops at his disposal let a few Japs to land, in these landing craft there’s about six here that holds about twenty to thirty men , l think he had lost control , like the general did at Arnhem ,my personal opinion he has a lot to answer for, for letting his men indure what they went through ,just my thoughts ,the trouble also was that most of the high Ranking Officers were of the First World War , and still using the same tactics ,back to this shark fin above the water, it could have been a basking shark but no one volunteered to swim out to see ,On our way back we asked the time at a hut as we thought, ,but this was their home , the people who owned this are Chinese immigrants from the Japanese /China war , so they hate the Japs like we do , they said now Japs gone we live in peace , they put there hands together, and make thank you gestures , as most people do of Buddhist religion , also the people on this Island most speak good English ,as we ruled here for years, On guard duty at the Jail we have been told that some Americans are coming, l thought no big deal perhaps they are going to show us how to hang Japs, l can assure you that the boys are not happy about Hirohito being allowed to live , typical of the Yanks coming here all mouth and nothing upstairs , well that’s what was said at the time ,We all got shot in the arse as it was a ex American nurse ,and her family she had come to see the Jap hung, that put her in a cell with a British soldier,for the Japs to have fun to watch , she was naked ,so was the soldier but the soldier, did not touch her so he was executed ,She came back to see the trial of the Jap ,who ordered it to happen , and hear the sentence , she also wanted to see him hung, but that was against orders ,as this was a military trial ,and she was now a civilian ,If this soldier had lived ,she said she would have married him as he was one of the nicest men ,she ever had met , he did not deserve to die, she said then had a good cry . I go for a walk around some of the cells, but not alone, another guard comes with me so we chat , l do not now this lad ,never seen him before but some how he knows my name , l ask him how do he know me, well he said its all around the camp that there is six of you lot attached to this battalion ,Oh l see , and how long have you been here ,Oh about two weeks this is my first guard , l said what’s going on in Blighty now ,a lot of talk about Belson, and so on , and if l wanted to now about the camps over here ,l was told to ask one of your lot , Oh yes , who said that, an Officer told me , yes l can guess who that is , so l fill him in the best l can , and l ask why do you want to now , well l was training for to be a reporter on a news paper ,and who knows, l could get some stories , yes you certainly will here , how about looking at the cells ,and all the drawings that the prisoners did ,off we went he was soon writing this all down in a little note book ,l could not read it, l said what hells that writing , short hand, to me it looks like Indian , never seen that writing before , it was not long after that he was away to HQ he was more at home in an office than being on guard , l did get his first name , it was Jim .
PAGE 72.
At the back of my mind l still cant see how this General in charge of Singapore with 250,000 men at his disposal let the Japanese just walk in and he just surrendered , even the Japs told us from the prison cells , they couldn’t believe how easy it was to capture , now l would like to know who put that snake in my Bed , I have a good ldear, who did it, l blame one of two people , Joe or Curly, they are known as the twins ,as they are always together , they live in the same street back home , this snake was about four foot long ,and bright green ,Oh yes it was dead , but you put your feet on a snake in your bed dead or live, you are soon out ,and bloody scared, everyone thought it was funny, l nearly shit myself . I have been told the other Bren Gunner who was with us ,and shot the woman ,and child has gone for a rest,as they call it , it played on his mind, he used to get very up tight about it , a great fellow , but when people get posted away you can never find out about them anymore , the trouble is when you go through hell together, there comes a bond you feel as you know that inner man ,you can not name it but its there . We had another day out in Singapore , we thought we would have a race, so we got four Rickshaws, and paid the boys ,so they would race to a given place ,and back , we lined up in the street , now seeing the Shaw boys betting between themselves who will win , then a crowd get there so after a while we are off to big cheers , Jocks Rickshaw won, and he was the oldest Rickshaw boy, but what we did not know ,was that gambling was forbidden so we made a hasty retreat ( good fun ). Now l am detailed to do R,P, DUTY ( Regimental Police ) duty down in Singapore night patrol with a Sergeant, through the out of bounds area ,or red light area better known , now l go ,and warn all my mates ,that we will be patrolling, O,K, YO YO that’s me now a new name, why because l have lost my protection strips, of unpaid unwanted. Now on this patrol ,so Sarg says press your horn down this street , well coming out of windows , doors, and so forth , must be the whole of the Singapore Garrison in the state of undress ,and doing a runner Sarg ,and myself we had a hell of a laugh at this ,we just carried on to the N,A,A ,F ,I Club for a drink of the good old Tiger Beer , well that’s spoiled their night out, and we laugh again , arnt we rotten ,all in a nights work . The new C,O, had us all on parade as, Darling is now made up to Brigadier , he started off with a lecture on military discipline then the bomb shell ,the Thirteenth Para Battalion has mutiny ,against the C,O, in Kuala Lumpur , l thought hell we are still on Active service You can be shot for that . Some of our troops were sent to guard the mutineers, but it seems,, public pressure in England got them set free ,and complaints listened too , the C,O. Lost a Battalion the Thirteenth was split up,and men sent to all different Battalions . Also down in Changi Air Base the R, A F , are coursing a problem over conditions ,it was called a strike . As l said early on in the book people are changing they are not going to put up with ,Serfs, and Barons ,those days are gone they want a more equality.
******************************************************
WE ARE THE ARNHEM DODGERS OUT IN THE SEA- ACK ( S,E,A,C,) RAIN
WE ARE JUST OUT HERE TO DRINK THE TIGER BEER , AND ALWAYS ON THE SPREE, WE ARE THE FORCE 136 LADS JUST LAYING IN THE SUN.
WE ARE THE ARNHEM DODGERS OUT IN THE SEA-ACK ( S,E,A.C ) RAIN
WE LANDED AT BATAVIA ( NOW JAKARTA ) A HOLIDAY WITH PAY , THE JAPS BROUGHT OUT THE BANDS TO GREET US ON OUR WAY , THEY SHOWED US ALL SIGHTS , AND WE DRANK THEIR COFFEE, AND THEIR TEA AND SHOT THEM WITH OUR .303s AND THEY HAD AGO AT US WITH THEIR .223s .
WE ARE THE ARNHEM DODGERS OUT IN THE SEA-ACK (S,E,A,C ) RAIN
BATAVIA,( Now Jakarta ) BOGOR , BANDRING, TYIAMAHI,and THECHANG WERE ALL CAPTURED IN OUR STRIDE , WE DIDN’T COME TO FIGHT IT WAS JUST FOR THE RIDE , THESE WERE ONLY TOWNS WE CAME TO LOOK AT ,ITS THE PADDY FIELD BIBBIES WE CAME AFTER.
WE ARE THE ARNHEM DODGERS OUT IN THE SEA-ACK( S,E,A,C )RAIN
ON OUR WAY TO SARAWAK WE RAN A FLIGHT SERVICE , PRISON HOLIDAY CAMPS WE CAME TO SEE , THE FOUR STAR HOTELS THAT OUR BOYS ,THAT GOT THERE FIRST , BUT WALKING SKELETONS WE DID SEE.
WE ARE THE ARNHEM DODGERS OUT IN THE SEA-ACK ( S,E,A.C,) RAIN
WE ARE TOLD YOU ARE OFF TO CHANGI JAIL , TO SORT THE LITTLE SHORTIES OUT ,WE HUNG THEM HIGH ,THREE AT A TIME , NINE A DAY THEY WENT DOWN. THE PUNISHMENT THEY DESERVED ,TO WHAT THEY DID TO OUR BOYS OUT THE SEA-ACK (S,E,A,C,) RAIN
WE ARE THE FORCE 136 BOYS OUT IN THE SEA-ACK ( S,E,A,C.)RAIN
WE HEARD A RUMOUR WE GOING HOME , THEN SOMEONE SAID ITS OFF PALESTINE YOU GO , JUNGLE TO DESERT, WE TAKE IT IN OUR STRIDE , THE HOLY LAND IS NO LONGER HOLY , ITS FULL OF TERRORISTS, SO LETS GO HOME AND LEAVE THIS UNHOLY LAND.
WE WERE THE ARNHEM DODGERS OUT IN NO MANS LANDS
DEAR LADY ASTOR YOU TALK A LOAD OF TOMMY ROT , PARA,S ARE NOT EX-CRIMINALS AS YOU SAY BUT HIGHLY RESPECTED TROOPS AND THE PRIDE OF OUR ARMY , THE TROUBLE WITH YOU IS YOUR MOUTHS TOO BLEEDING WIDE , THAT’S FROM THE ARNHEM DODGERS OUT IN NO MANS LAND
WE ARE THE ONES THAT ARE LEFT BEHIND THE ARNHEM DODGERS IN THE SEA-ACK (S,E,A,C,) RAIN.
JUST LOOK AROUND THE MOUNTAINS ,IN THE MUD, AND RAIN FORESTS TO SEE THE SCATTERED CROSSES , THERES SOME WITH NO NAMES , ALL ARE GONE THE BOYS BENEATH CAN SLUMBER ON THEY ARE THE ARNHEM DODGERS WHO STAYED IN FOREIGN LANDS
E,C,HOLDEN
*************************************************************
PAGE 73.
As my Major said when ,we were having a chat at times ,l do not see much of him these days ,most of his time is down at the Supreme Court , one of the Jap Officers that’s on death cell row tried to commit , Hari Carie , to cheat the hang man ,but old saw bones (Doctor) , he stitched him up , this Jap had ripped a big hole in his stomach , he said after it heals ,hang the bastard , and we did , this Doctor dealt with the P.O.W, Nurses that this Jap had helped to abuse , there are various storeys ,of how the nurses were treated , l cannot comment on this as, l was not on duty to be with the Doctor in the camps ,as l said my job was to get the Officers, and N,C,O,s , but what he did say , Was, do not ever let me see you lot pitying a Jap, if you do, your feet will not touch the floor till you are in the guard room, point taken yes Sir. I have been collecting my Japanese War Souvenirs , a nice sword ,and belt ,a water bottle, all inscribe with pictures on , also been to see the Shinto Shrine that was built just out side the Changi Jail compound , built by our P,O,W,s for the Jap officer in charge of Changi ,it was build it or die , l am told that the engineers are going to blow it up, and make the Jap officer watch, l do not now if that happened but most likely did . We are planning a day out to Johor Baharu across the causeway to the main land this causeway is man made ,the natives in Johor are of Indian culture ,and Muslim religion another way of life , not temples this time but mosques. We also went down to Singapore a tour around the Raffles Club, and the Cathey Building, and the Tropical gardens. The days are a bit routine now, its guard duty to the walls, or guard duty at the Supreme Court, and duty to the death cells, to hanging, and escort to work parties. Our Officers have detailed the Japs to make regimental badges in concrete near the officers mess , there will be quite a few cap badges we have Para,s , Engineers , Signals , Medics, R,A,S,C. And Australians each badge will be about five feet square set at a angle for easy viewing . I have learnt that the so called Z , Force from Australia that blew up the ships in Singapore Harbour , had there heads cut off only a month before we got here , the Jap who did it is on death cell row anyway , he will die .The cemetery at Karangi is being built for all service men ,Neesoon camp is still full of interned refugees , getting there Doc,s sorted ,and also questioned about Japs treatment to them, all time consuming but one day the world will now what these Japs did . We have heard that the Battalion of Sikhs who swooped sides in Burma to fight with the Japs as they were winning at the time , they are not allowed to return to India , if they do they will be shot for desertion . Our Dutch pay has now been stopped so we are back to square one ,that extra guilders was very nice ,l have got to report to H,Q, office, now just recently, l had a parcel from mum ,and cards ,well l did tell you that l had put my age up, at the start now the cats out the bag ,as an officer on his rounds of inspection spotted the cards , l think l am in the shit now , this officer is from A company he is the duty officer for the week.
PAGE 74.
Well l am a year younger than he thought l was , but my AB 64 says l am year older so on the carpet l go l had to spill the beans , nothing they could do only take my AB 64 ,and make the corrections ,as l am way over the age of call-up , the Commanding Officer, said you Holden I think you came out of that quite well ,you have proved to be a first class soldier acording to your documents ,thank you Sir, then some Officers do see sense , Not like the old time regulars, that treated their men as just gun fodder. The pre-war officer must be going spare at this modern day soldier , when Christian names become the norm , and officers in the field have to muck in ,and do chores ,We have a saying in the army , an officer with a map is the most dangerous thing in the world ,at times we proved it. Remember me sending a letter to mum ,early on and telling her, that the natives walk around the jungle with next too or nothing at all ,well the reply came back ,you dare bring a black girl home here , how’s that for racialist ,well you must turn the clock back to 1945, times have now changed, l think being in the services ,and see how other people live , the white man is not the superior to any other race ,we just live a different life stile ,l myself can not be a racialist ,after living, and Eating with other cultures, only hatetread to the people that live out side the law. We have been told we are all off home in about six weeks time by troop ship brilliant never been on a big ship or on the sea. General MacArthur is shooting his head off again but no one is listening at the moment, one day this man is going to push his luck too far. The ships are coming in every day to clear all the lnternese, and take them back to Holland and France, as there is no future here with communism coming in, and all whites out of Indonesia under Carcarno s government , there’s is one ship called the SS ALCANTARA that’s taking the Dutch, and on board is a Dutch family that l have never met personally, but our paths have crossed as you will see later on. Its time for us to pack up ,and go now ,l can say l have seen things happen that, l thought could never happen , and if there is a GOD up there he is not making a very good job of it ,having spoken to a few P,O,W,s they have All said they had become nonbeleavers. I will say this , the man animal is the most unruly species on this earth , all other animals , birds and reptiles , never go out solely to destroy each other , we do, and it seems we will always do it .We board the troop ship SS AUTRANTO kit bags down the hold , just personal stuff on deck , some go down to quarters with bunks ,l choose to sleep on deck, with hammock, in the open air ,and we do not need mossey nets too far out at sea. It's a Sad farewell to Singapore, perhaps one day l could come back, also l hope l have seen all the killing in my life, who knows. The sea is like a lily pond, and the sea is so clear, not like British sea water. we have nothing to do just sit around sleep, and sun bathe ,and look at the fish , then one day we did see a fish , swimming very slowly ,and about twenty to thirty feet long , it came over the tannoy what it was
**********************************************************
FORCE 136 JANUARY 1945 TO THE END OF WAR
DROP ZONE NATIONALITY UNIT OPERATION
EAST OF THE BRITISH FORCE 136 THREE INTELLIGENCE IRRAWADDY , BURMA BURMESE SPECIAL GROUPS EACH WITH 25 MEN
PAPUN , BURMA BRITISH FORCE 136 THREE ORGANIZE BURMESE GROUPS KAREN, LEVIES
NORTH BURMA BRITISH FORCE 136 ONE AID KAREN BURMESE GROUP LEVIES
NORTH EAST BRITISH FORCE 136 AID RESISTANCE THAILAND
ELEPHANT POINT BRITISH FORCE 136 SECURE AREA BURMA GURKHA
SOUTH EAST ASIA BRITISH FORCE 136 P,O,W, RESCUE
INDIAN 30 RELIEF TEAMS
SINGAPORE ISLAND BRITISH FORCE 136 SECURE P,O,W, RESCUE INDIAN CHANGI JAIL AND MEDICS
JAVA BRITISH FORCE 136 AND P,O,W,RESCUE PARA MEDICS
BATAVIA (JAKARTA) BRITISH FORCE 136 P.O.W. RESCUE JAVA
NORTH OF BANGKOK BRITISH FORCE 136 P,O,W, RESCUE THAILAND INDIAN
SINGAPORE BRITISH FORCE 136 WAR CRIMES WW11 OVER INDIAN TRIALS BEGINS
*********************************************************
What l can not make out ,how a General with all these British troops at his disposal let a few Japs to land, in these landing craft there’s about six here that holds about twenty to thirty men , l think he had lost control , like the general did at Arnhem ,my personal opinion he has a lot to answer for, for letting his men indure what they went through ,just my thoughts ,the trouble also was that most of the high Ranking Officers were of the First World War , and still using the same tactics ,back to this shark fin above the water, it could have been a basking shark but no one volunteered to swim out to see ,On our way back we asked the time at a hut as we thought, ,but this was their home , the people who owned this are Chinese immigrants from the Japanese /China war , so they hate the Japs like we do , they said now Japs gone we live in peace , they put there hands together, and make thank you gestures , as most people do of Buddhist religion , also the people on this Island most speak good English ,as we ruled here for years, On guard duty at the Jail we have been told that some Americans are coming, l thought no big deal perhaps they are going to show us how to hang Japs, l can assure you that the boys are not happy about Hirohito being allowed to live , typical of the Yanks coming here all mouth and nothing upstairs , well that’s what was said at the time ,We all got shot in the arse as it was a ex American nurse ,and her family she had come to see the Jap hung, that put her in a cell with a British soldier,for the Japs to have fun to watch , she was naked ,so was the soldier but the soldier, did not touch her so he was executed ,She came back to see the trial of the Jap ,who ordered it to happen , and hear the sentence , she also wanted to see him hung, but that was against orders ,as this was a military trial ,and she was now a civilian ,If this soldier had lived ,she said she would have married him as he was one of the nicest men ,she ever had met , he did not deserve to die, she said then had a good cry . I go for a walk around some of the cells, but not alone, another guard comes with me so we chat , l do not now this lad ,never seen him before but some how he knows my name , l ask him how do he know me, well he said its all around the camp that there is six of you lot attached to this battalion ,Oh l see , and how long have you been here ,Oh about two weeks this is my first guard , l said what’s going on in Blighty now ,a lot of talk about Belson, and so on , and if l wanted to now about the camps over here ,l was told to ask one of your lot , Oh yes , who said that, an Officer told me , yes l can guess who that is , so l fill him in the best l can , and l ask why do you want to now , well l was training for to be a reporter on a news paper ,and who knows, l could get some stories , yes you certainly will here , how about looking at the cells ,and all the drawings that the prisoners did ,off we went he was soon writing this all down in a little note book ,l could not read it, l said what hells that writing , short hand, to me it looks like Indian , never seen that writing before , it was not long after that he was away to HQ he was more at home in an office than being on guard , l did get his first name , it was Jim .
PAGE 72.
At the back of my mind l still cant see how this General in charge of Singapore with 250,000 men at his disposal let the Japanese just walk in and he just surrendered , even the Japs told us from the prison cells , they couldn’t believe how easy it was to capture , now l would like to know who put that snake in my Bed , I have a good ldear, who did it, l blame one of two people , Joe or Curly, they are known as the twins ,as they are always together , they live in the same street back home , this snake was about four foot long ,and bright green ,Oh yes it was dead , but you put your feet on a snake in your bed dead or live, you are soon out ,and bloody scared, everyone thought it was funny, l nearly shit myself . I have been told the other Bren Gunner who was with us ,and shot the woman ,and child has gone for a rest,as they call it , it played on his mind, he used to get very up tight about it , a great fellow , but when people get posted away you can never find out about them anymore , the trouble is when you go through hell together, there comes a bond you feel as you know that inner man ,you can not name it but its there . We had another day out in Singapore , we thought we would have a race, so we got four Rickshaws, and paid the boys ,so they would race to a given place ,and back , we lined up in the street , now seeing the Shaw boys betting between themselves who will win , then a crowd get there so after a while we are off to big cheers , Jocks Rickshaw won, and he was the oldest Rickshaw boy, but what we did not know ,was that gambling was forbidden so we made a hasty retreat ( good fun ). Now l am detailed to do R,P, DUTY ( Regimental Police ) duty down in Singapore night patrol with a Sergeant, through the out of bounds area ,or red light area better known , now l go ,and warn all my mates ,that we will be patrolling, O,K, YO YO that’s me now a new name, why because l have lost my protection strips, of unpaid unwanted. Now on this patrol ,so Sarg says press your horn down this street , well coming out of windows , doors, and so forth , must be the whole of the Singapore Garrison in the state of undress ,and doing a runner Sarg ,and myself we had a hell of a laugh at this ,we just carried on to the N,A,A ,F ,I Club for a drink of the good old Tiger Beer , well that’s spoiled their night out, and we laugh again , arnt we rotten ,all in a nights work . The new C,O, had us all on parade as, Darling is now made up to Brigadier , he started off with a lecture on military discipline then the bomb shell ,the Thirteenth Para Battalion has mutiny ,against the C,O, in Kuala Lumpur , l thought hell we are still on Active service You can be shot for that . Some of our troops were sent to guard the mutineers, but it seems,, public pressure in England got them set free ,and complaints listened too , the C,O. Lost a Battalion the Thirteenth was split up,and men sent to all different Battalions . Also down in Changi Air Base the R, A F , are coursing a problem over conditions ,it was called a strike . As l said early on in the book people are changing they are not going to put up with ,Serfs, and Barons ,those days are gone they want a more equality.
******************************************************
WE ARE THE ARNHEM DODGERS OUT IN THE SEA- ACK ( S,E,A,C,) RAIN
WE ARE JUST OUT HERE TO DRINK THE TIGER BEER , AND ALWAYS ON THE SPREE, WE ARE THE FORCE 136 LADS JUST LAYING IN THE SUN.
WE ARE THE ARNHEM DODGERS OUT IN THE SEA-ACK ( S,E,A.C ) RAIN
WE LANDED AT BATAVIA ( NOW JAKARTA ) A HOLIDAY WITH PAY , THE JAPS BROUGHT OUT THE BANDS TO GREET US ON OUR WAY , THEY SHOWED US ALL SIGHTS , AND WE DRANK THEIR COFFEE, AND THEIR TEA AND SHOT THEM WITH OUR .303s AND THEY HAD AGO AT US WITH THEIR .223s .
WE ARE THE ARNHEM DODGERS OUT IN THE SEA-ACK (S,E,A,C ) RAIN
BATAVIA,( Now Jakarta ) BOGOR , BANDRING, TYIAMAHI,and THECHANG WERE ALL CAPTURED IN OUR STRIDE , WE DIDN’T COME TO FIGHT IT WAS JUST FOR THE RIDE , THESE WERE ONLY TOWNS WE CAME TO LOOK AT ,ITS THE PADDY FIELD BIBBIES WE CAME AFTER.
WE ARE THE ARNHEM DODGERS OUT IN THE SEA-ACK( S,E,A,C )RAIN
ON OUR WAY TO SARAWAK WE RAN A FLIGHT SERVICE , PRISON HOLIDAY CAMPS WE CAME TO SEE , THE FOUR STAR HOTELS THAT OUR BOYS ,THAT GOT THERE FIRST , BUT WALKING SKELETONS WE DID SEE.
WE ARE THE ARNHEM DODGERS OUT IN THE SEA-ACK ( S,E,A.C,) RAIN
WE ARE TOLD YOU ARE OFF TO CHANGI JAIL , TO SORT THE LITTLE SHORTIES OUT ,WE HUNG THEM HIGH ,THREE AT A TIME , NINE A DAY THEY WENT DOWN. THE PUNISHMENT THEY DESERVED ,TO WHAT THEY DID TO OUR BOYS OUT THE SEA-ACK (S,E,A,C,) RAIN
WE ARE THE FORCE 136 BOYS OUT IN THE SEA-ACK ( S,E,A,C.)RAIN
WE HEARD A RUMOUR WE GOING HOME , THEN SOMEONE SAID ITS OFF PALESTINE YOU GO , JUNGLE TO DESERT, WE TAKE IT IN OUR STRIDE , THE HOLY LAND IS NO LONGER HOLY , ITS FULL OF TERRORISTS, SO LETS GO HOME AND LEAVE THIS UNHOLY LAND.
WE WERE THE ARNHEM DODGERS OUT IN NO MANS LANDS
DEAR LADY ASTOR YOU TALK A LOAD OF TOMMY ROT , PARA,S ARE NOT EX-CRIMINALS AS YOU SAY BUT HIGHLY RESPECTED TROOPS AND THE PRIDE OF OUR ARMY , THE TROUBLE WITH YOU IS YOUR MOUTHS TOO BLEEDING WIDE , THAT’S FROM THE ARNHEM DODGERS OUT IN NO MANS LAND
WE ARE THE ONES THAT ARE LEFT BEHIND THE ARNHEM DODGERS IN THE SEA-ACK (S,E,A,C,) RAIN.
JUST LOOK AROUND THE MOUNTAINS ,IN THE MUD, AND RAIN FORESTS TO SEE THE SCATTERED CROSSES , THERES SOME WITH NO NAMES , ALL ARE GONE THE BOYS BENEATH CAN SLUMBER ON THEY ARE THE ARNHEM DODGERS WHO STAYED IN FOREIGN LANDS
E,C,HOLDEN
*************************************************************
PAGE 73.
As my Major said when ,we were having a chat at times ,l do not see much of him these days ,most of his time is down at the Supreme Court , one of the Jap Officers that’s on death cell row tried to commit , Hari Carie , to cheat the hang man ,but old saw bones (Doctor) , he stitched him up , this Jap had ripped a big hole in his stomach , he said after it heals ,hang the bastard , and we did , this Doctor dealt with the P.O.W, Nurses that this Jap had helped to abuse , there are various storeys ,of how the nurses were treated , l cannot comment on this as, l was not on duty to be with the Doctor in the camps ,as l said my job was to get the Officers, and N,C,O,s , but what he did say , Was, do not ever let me see you lot pitying a Jap, if you do, your feet will not touch the floor till you are in the guard room, point taken yes Sir. I have been collecting my Japanese War Souvenirs , a nice sword ,and belt ,a water bottle, all inscribe with pictures on , also been to see the Shinto Shrine that was built just out side the Changi Jail compound , built by our P,O,W,s for the Jap officer in charge of Changi ,it was build it or die , l am told that the engineers are going to blow it up, and make the Jap officer watch, l do not now if that happened but most likely did . We are planning a day out to Johor Baharu across the causeway to the main land this causeway is man made ,the natives in Johor are of Indian culture ,and Muslim religion another way of life , not temples this time but mosques. We also went down to Singapore a tour around the Raffles Club, and the Cathey Building, and the Tropical gardens. The days are a bit routine now, its guard duty to the walls, or guard duty at the Supreme Court, and duty to the death cells, to hanging, and escort to work parties. Our Officers have detailed the Japs to make regimental badges in concrete near the officers mess , there will be quite a few cap badges we have Para,s , Engineers , Signals , Medics, R,A,S,C. And Australians each badge will be about five feet square set at a angle for easy viewing . I have learnt that the so called Z , Force from Australia that blew up the ships in Singapore Harbour , had there heads cut off only a month before we got here , the Jap who did it is on death cell row anyway , he will die .The cemetery at Karangi is being built for all service men ,Neesoon camp is still full of interned refugees , getting there Doc,s sorted ,and also questioned about Japs treatment to them, all time consuming but one day the world will now what these Japs did . We have heard that the Battalion of Sikhs who swooped sides in Burma to fight with the Japs as they were winning at the time , they are not allowed to return to India , if they do they will be shot for desertion . Our Dutch pay has now been stopped so we are back to square one ,that extra guilders was very nice ,l have got to report to H,Q, office, now just recently, l had a parcel from mum ,and cards ,well l did tell you that l had put my age up, at the start now the cats out the bag ,as an officer on his rounds of inspection spotted the cards , l think l am in the shit now , this officer is from A company he is the duty officer for the week.
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Well l am a year younger than he thought l was , but my AB 64 says l am year older so on the carpet l go l had to spill the beans , nothing they could do only take my AB 64 ,and make the corrections ,as l am way over the age of call-up , the Commanding Officer, said you Holden I think you came out of that quite well ,you have proved to be a first class soldier acording to your documents ,thank you Sir, then some Officers do see sense , Not like the old time regulars, that treated their men as just gun fodder. The pre-war officer must be going spare at this modern day soldier , when Christian names become the norm , and officers in the field have to muck in ,and do chores ,We have a saying in the army , an officer with a map is the most dangerous thing in the world ,at times we proved it. Remember me sending a letter to mum ,early on and telling her, that the natives walk around the jungle with next too or nothing at all ,well the reply came back ,you dare bring a black girl home here , how’s that for racialist ,well you must turn the clock back to 1945, times have now changed, l think being in the services ,and see how other people live , the white man is not the superior to any other race ,we just live a different life stile ,l myself can not be a racialist ,after living, and Eating with other cultures, only hatetread to the people that live out side the law. We have been told we are all off home in about six weeks time by troop ship brilliant never been on a big ship or on the sea. General MacArthur is shooting his head off again but no one is listening at the moment, one day this man is going to push his luck too far. The ships are coming in every day to clear all the lnternese, and take them back to Holland and France, as there is no future here with communism coming in, and all whites out of Indonesia under Carcarno s government , there’s is one ship called the SS ALCANTARA that’s taking the Dutch, and on board is a Dutch family that l have never met personally, but our paths have crossed as you will see later on. Its time for us to pack up ,and go now ,l can say l have seen things happen that, l thought could never happen , and if there is a GOD up there he is not making a very good job of it ,having spoken to a few P,O,W,s they have All said they had become nonbeleavers. I will say this , the man animal is the most unruly species on this earth , all other animals , birds and reptiles , never go out solely to destroy each other , we do, and it seems we will always do it .We board the troop ship SS AUTRANTO kit bags down the hold , just personal stuff on deck , some go down to quarters with bunks ,l choose to sleep on deck, with hammock, in the open air ,and we do not need mossey nets too far out at sea. It's a Sad farewell to Singapore, perhaps one day l could come back, also l hope l have seen all the killing in my life, who knows. The sea is like a lily pond, and the sea is so clear, not like British sea water. we have nothing to do just sit around sleep, and sun bathe ,and look at the fish , then one day we did see a fish , swimming very slowly ,and about twenty to thirty feet long , it came over the tannoy what it was
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FORCE 136 JANUARY 1945 TO THE END OF WAR
DROP ZONE NATIONALITY UNIT OPERATION
EAST OF THE BRITISH FORCE 136 THREE INTELLIGENCE IRRAWADDY , BURMA BURMESE SPECIAL GROUPS EACH WITH 25 MEN
PAPUN , BURMA BRITISH FORCE 136 THREE ORGANIZE BURMESE GROUPS KAREN, LEVIES
NORTH BURMA BRITISH FORCE 136 ONE AID KAREN BURMESE GROUP LEVIES
NORTH EAST BRITISH FORCE 136 AID RESISTANCE THAILAND
ELEPHANT POINT BRITISH FORCE 136 SECURE AREA BURMA GURKHA
SOUTH EAST ASIA BRITISH FORCE 136 P,O,W, RESCUE
INDIAN 30 RELIEF TEAMS
SINGAPORE ISLAND BRITISH FORCE 136 SECURE P,O,W, RESCUE INDIAN CHANGI JAIL AND MEDICS
JAVA BRITISH FORCE 136 AND P,O,W,RESCUE PARA MEDICS
BATAVIA (JAKARTA) BRITISH FORCE 136 P.O.W. RESCUE JAVA
NORTH OF BANGKOK BRITISH FORCE 136 P,O,W, RESCUE THAILAND INDIAN
SINGAPORE BRITISH FORCE 136 WAR CRIMES WW11 OVER INDIAN TRIALS BEGINS
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PAGE 75.
it is a whale shark harmless only eat plankton it was a beautiful thing ,at least l can now tell people my real age , and no more lying, l think they said it would take eight days to get to Madras , to let the Gurkhas off ,and take on supplies it looks as if we might get a bit of sight seeing in ,as that’s one place l have not been too. Well before we reached Madras everyone was called to listen to an announcement , sorry lads we not going home, we have been diverted to Palestine , its from Jungle to Desert , Oh well be a chance to see if the Bible is correct ,and see some of the Holy places at first hand. Also the personal who are due for demob are to report to the orderly room ,we dock in Madras Harbour, there’s is a big Military Band on the docks, and troops all lined up ,l thought what a welcome , but its not for us its for the Gurkhas ,and What a welcome home for them as they march down the gang plank.Then it was our turn, and they had all gone not a tin whistle in sight , well we will have a look round anyway , its a big town , the streets covered in beetle nut spit as usual ,, Monkeys everywhere in troops, it does not matter were you go In India there is a lot of poverty. There’s a lot of very large old buildings maybe old palaces ,of Rahjas long gone , and lots of Hindu Temples, and Buddhists Shrines also a lot of Towers of Silence, now these are for the dead to be taken too , but out of bounds to all whites so we respect that .What l was surprised, that there was a lot of scorpions all over the place, all so the old boy with his basket of Cobras, and his type of flute with a ball in the middle ,making that horrible noise . Back on board we are off again , next stop Ceylon (Sri Lanka )now ,then port of Colombo ,and time off for a look around, and down to Kandy.When we arrived there was a big parade , the Elephants were all draped in highly decorated cloths ,and tassels ,and the tusks covered in gold sheaves ,and on top of the Elephant was a gondolier that seated about four people .There were bands, and everybody in national dress it's a pity we did not have a camera. The further l get away from S,E.A.C. l seem to remember the prison camps, more often, maybe l have not got much to do ,too much time to think ,no dowt this is going to be imprinted in my mind for ever, and also the hangings, that seem to be a lesser thing on my mind, to me that was the correct thing to do at the time , having seen the camps at first hand , there are some people of the Battalion that did not think like me ,all because they never saw a prison camps with prisoners in them, then they might have thought different .The Major came ,and had a chat the other day , he was saying when we get to Palestine it is a possibility that the 12th Battalion Para will be disbanded ,I said let me now were you are going, and l will join you , no need l will ask for you to come , and then his famous wink ,l said to him l wonder what’s in store for us in Palestine, he said l know one thing there’s plenty of bloody sand,(wot no jungle green)then he said ,you remember that stream we crossed in Sarawak jungle .
it is a whale shark harmless only eat plankton it was a beautiful thing ,at least l can now tell people my real age , and no more lying, l think they said it would take eight days to get to Madras , to let the Gurkhas off ,and take on supplies it looks as if we might get a bit of sight seeing in ,as that’s one place l have not been too. Well before we reached Madras everyone was called to listen to an announcement , sorry lads we not going home, we have been diverted to Palestine , its from Jungle to Desert , Oh well be a chance to see if the Bible is correct ,and see some of the Holy places at first hand. Also the personal who are due for demob are to report to the orderly room ,we dock in Madras Harbour, there’s is a big Military Band on the docks, and troops all lined up ,l thought what a welcome , but its not for us its for the Gurkhas ,and What a welcome home for them as they march down the gang plank.Then it was our turn, and they had all gone not a tin whistle in sight , well we will have a look round anyway , its a big town , the streets covered in beetle nut spit as usual ,, Monkeys everywhere in troops, it does not matter were you go In India there is a lot of poverty. There’s a lot of very large old buildings maybe old palaces ,of Rahjas long gone , and lots of Hindu Temples, and Buddhists Shrines also a lot of Towers of Silence, now these are for the dead to be taken too , but out of bounds to all whites so we respect that .What l was surprised, that there was a lot of scorpions all over the place, all so the old boy with his basket of Cobras, and his type of flute with a ball in the middle ,making that horrible noise . Back on board we are off again , next stop Ceylon (Sri Lanka )now ,then port of Colombo ,and time off for a look around, and down to Kandy.When we arrived there was a big parade , the Elephants were all draped in highly decorated cloths ,and tassels ,and the tusks covered in gold sheaves ,and on top of the Elephant was a gondolier that seated about four people .There were bands, and everybody in national dress it's a pity we did not have a camera. The further l get away from S,E.A.C. l seem to remember the prison camps, more often, maybe l have not got much to do ,too much time to think ,no dowt this is going to be imprinted in my mind for ever, and also the hangings, that seem to be a lesser thing on my mind, to me that was the correct thing to do at the time , having seen the camps at first hand , there are some people of the Battalion that did not think like me ,all because they never saw a prison camps with prisoners in them, then they might have thought different .The Major came ,and had a chat the other day , he was saying when we get to Palestine it is a possibility that the 12th Battalion Para will be disbanded ,I said let me now were you are going, and l will join you , no need l will ask for you to come , and then his famous wink ,l said to him l wonder what’s in store for us in Palestine, he said l know one thing there’s plenty of bloody sand,(wot no jungle green)then he said ,you remember that stream we crossed in Sarawak jungle .
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I said ,l should, l got scares to prove it , there were crocs in there, now you tell me , he said the head hunter trackers only told him after wards , if l had known that, l would have shit myself , he said me too ,we are now heading for the Red Sea, across the Arabian Sea , then up the Red Sea to the Gulf of Suez . Well lets see according to the Bible Mosses crossed the Red Sea , as God held the waters back while he crossed with his
tribe ,now this all happened before the Suez canal was built , now l have never been to the Red Sea before so ,l know nothing about it only in books so the best thing is to get first hand information, from the bridge so l ask for a look,from the bridge request given the OK , so about four of us went up there to have a look the officer of the watch gave us a talk on how the ship was run, any questions, in l go with two left feet , l asked how far was it across the Red Sea at the narrowest point , back came are you a Bible puncher , no way,l
like history , Oh its about twohundred miles give a yard or two , ,l ask why did you ask if l was a Bible puncher , well on troop ships you always get the odd Sky Pilot who want to see Mosses crossing point , Oh yes, and you thought, l was one of them . You have seen the Sea for yourself now what do you think ,
well how deep is it , Oh about fourhundred fathoms in places , well to me its too wide, and too deep, for that to have happened maybe the Nile , precisely. We shook hands, and he said where you lot are going you will see a lot more myths and fairy tales , l expect so , then left . The Red Sea is not really red, its the red plant like stuff that floats around in it , l can say this if you fell over board l do not think you would last long there’s a lot of sharks in these waters, and big Rays,and there are lots of Flying Fish ,also he said to me that there is no tide in the Red Sea, and also no tides in the Mederteranion Sea that’s why the French Engineer did not have to build lock gates in the Suez Canal ,l did not learn that at school , but l know now from a Navel Officer. We are entering the narrow part now to Port Suez we can see the desert on both sides now we can see little villages on the side of the banks but cannot make out much about them from this distance .Tanoy blaring out again we are going to anchor in the harbour tonight, and go through tomorrow , all around the ship are little boats with wares on them ,purses, hand bags ,carvings ,and fruit ,now l must tell you on this ship are waiters, in the messes for meals, well there is one waiter we named Phyllis ,as he uses lip
stick on his lips, and talk in a female voice ( get the grief ), limp rists as well , you know the sort , well one day he was coming out of the galley, to serve, with plates on his arms full of dinner plates, now we go though the swing doors hit Phyllis knocks the plates flying , Phyllis turns ,and said (Oh you rough soldiers ) in his female voice ,well need l tell you more , from then on if you bumped into someone , lt was ,Oh you rough soldier, remember this troopship has about three thousand Para,s on board , so Phyllis had a rough trip .
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You see in those days, all young men together, and there were lots of sayings , such as if you acted the fool someone would say Oh he’s ( puggled) or ( been in the sun too long ) or he’s ( duelaly) . But if you happened to have been in the Jungle ,it was ( Jungle fever ) or ( a paddy field basher ) it was to relieve the stress , a bit of banter fun . Also there was the one who thought he could sing better than , Sinartra , if he was singing
around Changi Jail , it would be ( Changi tower fever ) l think it did not matter what theatre of service you were in , there was always Mickey taking ,but there was one Prank we had going, we always left a space in the Que, for dinner ,that was for Donald Duck ,now this imagery duck went everywhere ,if a new Officer came , and said move up to the next man ,Oh no sir that’s Donald’s place ,these Officers just out of blighty thought we were all mad , l don’t think they were far wrong . We are off up the Suez canal , high banks either
side , and to see ships coming towards you ,is like ships sailing on sand , this canal so l am told is onehundred feet deep , onehundred yards wide . and onehundred miles long , l will have to read up about this , its a big feat of Engineering . As we travel up the canal we pass the sweet water lakes ,and bitter lakes then Port Said ,and all those little boats again selling there wares , we disembark , then by train to Palestine ,before we leave the ship , weapons are issued with ammo , so it means we are moving in to hostile country , it looks as if we will be travelling at night, I do not now what the problem is about yet with Jews and Arabs , but we are soon to find out ,We arrive in Palestine ,and in to 22 camp all tents , after two days l get my bearings around the camp , sentries are posted all round the camp ,and barbed wire all
round ,it looks that no one can get in, and we can not get out , we all take our turns in the slit trenches , A parade ,and lecture , a G,H,Q, Officer comes to give us a talk on what’s happening in Palestine ,the Jews are coming to Palestine in there thousands , its called the Jewish Exodus , coming home, to their Homeland , now we also have here Palestinians , and the Jews are set on calling it Israel , we are told a time bomb ready to explode ,the 12th Battalion Para is also going to be split up, and we are asked to name an other
battalion of our choice , l go to the 6th Battalion (Welsh ) Para with the Major who is Welsh ,and love rugby ,So its off To Kaffer Viking camp, it's an old Palestine Police camp , they are like the British Bobbies but these carried guns , we are only yards from the Sea the blue Med . It seems that a few of the 136 are here so we try to get together, there was no need as they did put us together , we are treated like lepers again till the Major sorted it out ,after a while ,and meeting the lads in the NAAFI , we soon broke the ice , l got friendly with the Goat Major , this Battalion has a Mascot a pure white Goat of the Kings heard . This Goat Major , l have a little story to tell about this ,a little later on ,instead of Private ,its Fusilier now being in a Welsh Para Battalion, and we are given the black flash to hang down our backs ,some of these Paras have fought in Italy and Greece so at least some are battle scared
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These black flashers that hung down the back from the collar , the Welsh Fusilier in old days had a pigtail ,so to keep the dradition , they ware this black flash. This Goat Majors name is William William’s , other wise (Bill ) he speaks Welsh as all orders are given in Welsh to the Goat. The Jews started a terrorist campaign against the British, and a violence campaign from the Arabs to push them out of areas they want , but the Jews ,and Arabs in Jerusalem they have got to live together ,there is the Mosque of the Golden Dome, right beside the Holy Sepulchre, and the Wailing Wall, so the three groups have to come together somehow. At first we were sent to stop Jews landing on the beaches , if they land you can not make them swim back to the ship ,or row back, as they land they distroy the boats , and you can not shoot unarmed people , so they are taken to camps , but Not like what they had been through, some are starting Karbutes camps. To me it looks as if the British Soldier is pig in the middle, its Arabs one side, Jews the other we are not going to win this one. But what l will say, as soon as the Jews land, they are on the open ground digging , planting ,and watering To grow food, but the lazy Arab lets the women do the work, and hopes for hand outs .They call this ,The Holy Land , Holy for what ,violence , l and my mates are used to fighting a man in a uniform , no one on either side wears a uniform this is frightening ,as you could be standing next to a terrorist with a gun under his coat ,So new tactics of war to be learned , trust no one from the other side Jews or Arabs you might get a bullet in your back, Ever since Mosses in 1230 BC took the Hebrews to the promised land , and entered the land under Joshua in 1200BC there has been fighting in Palestine. The last time was 1914 - 1918 fighting the Turks with Lawrence of Arabia , this had been part of the Turkish Empire , so after 1918 war it was mandated to Britain to administer ,and keep peace by the League of Nations this was so till 1945 when the Jews said we are Going to our home land Israel, now this is what we have got, but while l am here l going to see as much as l can of the Holy places both sides .The Jews have formed terrorist groups there’s the Hagana , the underground group , the Palmach , under control of Moshe Dayan who later on became a famous soldier , also the Irgun Zvai Leumi ( lZ l ) under a leader called, Beggin, who became Primeminister later on . Also there was the Stern Gang they liked to be called ( F F I ) Fighters for the Freedom of Israel . My old Major comes to us ,and said you lot are off in to the desert, Oh are we , are you coming , no he said
but a Officer, who l have told about you lot , there are twelve all going excluding the officer ,and a Sergeant . You lot draw kit today ,and compo rations , three, four wheel drive trucks , most of us can drive so there is
relief drivers, now don’t laugh but we draw winter clothing as well , plus heavy winter over coats ,we are going in to the bloody Desert not Eskimo land Says l, Holden you will find out how bloody cold it gets at nights, l soon found out, it freezes at nights.
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Heavy bed rolls as well, we are also told to send some one in to town ,and purchase your own sun shades as the army does not supply them ,the type worn in gambling halls , l thought we were going to the desert not snowy mountains ,never seen ,or been in the desert before , the Officer has his maps, and compass , we all now an officer with a map is the most dangerous , person on earth. The Officer who is with us wants to get to now us ,and us him so we go to the mess tent for a chat no one else allowed in , first of all his name is Addlestone ,or Atstone well knowing me ,l said what’s your first name , he said Michael or Mike , l said that will do , he why , well its like this Sir we are off some where ,and this lot you are with have been with Major
,and to get things done we cant stand to attention every time we speak , he laughs his head off , the Major was right, he said l would have to forget the pips , on parade you will get the full treatment Sir , come on were are we going , AQABA , where the hells that never heard of it ,only in Lawrence’s book, twohundred miles or there about from here through the Sinai Desert , its Lawrence of Arabia Country, then he says l bet your name is Holden, yes Sir, and among other names, Sir said l have heard, this will be something we are
going to retrace history, and Mosses. For an old Country Boy from a Norfolk village, ln my wildest dreams, l Never thought, l would see the world, and be paid for it. Back to Sir, he said he has been in the desert before so that makes it a bit more promising , all this time the Sergeant has been quiet , he turns to me ,and said l know you , Oh ,l do not think l know you Sarg ,yes you do, Isle of Wight,l was a Corporal then you were in my block, and you ,and your mate always asked to do cookhouse fatigues, lf they wanted help ,l never knew
why , it was like this Sarg in the cookhouse we got a free supper, just for peeling Spuds, we couldn’t go to the NAAFI ,as we had run out of money. We draw weapons ,and ammo, l get my usual the Bren this time ,l get a new number two, never meet him before ,and he has never filled a mag before ,shit ,he has got
to learn fast , so back to square one , we get on fine all mags loaded , l am in the second truck with a hole in the passenger side roof made for Brens on a swivel great ,and pockets for mags ,Sarg takes a map as well to mark the position of the Bedouin caravans, Sir plans the route ,and he speaks Arabic brill,all l know is Sa-Eeda, means Hello or welcome ,We must treat the Bedouin with great respect as to up set them we will get no Help from them. At first, l am a bit up tight as its the unknown till ,l meet some ,then , l felt at ease
as they were very hospitable , but our Sir did all the talking anyway most of them spoke good English as we the British have been here for about thirty years.We pass the Mount Sinai where Mosses wrote the ten laws for his tribe, but has since become the law of the world in principle ,l think it was around 1230 B,C,and this is 1946 so that makes it about 3170 years ago ,out here it looks as if life has stood Still all those years. I don’t think Mosses himself wrote the laws of the tribe ,l think he told his stonemasons what he wanted , and they did it for him .
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On our way to AQABA there are water holes but closely guarded , and most tribesmen carry arms ,the Bedouin tribes have laws of there own ,and if you respect them they will respect you,we pay for the water at the wells ,and also give them a little tea ,well when in Rome play ball .
1 Do not approach their women
2 Always talk to the head man first ( The Muckta )
3 If he says, l carry nothing illegally ( On my life of Allah ) believe him ,and you are in , he will most properly say OK search , you say no, l believe you , he will then insists you do .
But there are always some rogue caravans ,like in all nations, that’s when firmness comes in such as taking the men to one side ,and hold them in a group then search each camel they soon co-operate .So far no problems the ones we have come across are only carrying wares no big deal ,arrive at AQABA that’s a stinking hell hole of a town that’s my opinion , there’s are lots of Jordain Army about very smart troops , the General that trains these troops is British ,to them he is Glub Pasha ,our Officer is a bit of a Military Historian , but l did not know what he was planning , he had a good look round the town that Lawrence captured , me, l am on duty guarding the trucks well some one has to, anyway l am not too keen on the place , you know if you go some where you either like it or hate it, l hated it ,Sir comes back dead
chuffed as he went to some of the places Lawrence went to.We refuel ,and take n stores for the return trip , we are not going to search caravans coming to AQABA only those going to Palestine . Now this is going to be an eye opener ,as we soon make contact with a caravan, that’s resting ,tents all up one for the women ,and one for the men , they see us coming miles away as the sand blows up from the wheels . Asks were they are heading, the Bedouin said they are heading for Beersheba, l thought that it sounded like a Bible town some were near the DEAD SEA. Now news travel fast out here it seems they know we are on patrol ,can’t be jungle drums out here , must be the whispering sands ,now talking of sand ,when we bed down for the night , and its silence ,and l mean silence ,if someone goes for a pee it sounds like a waterfall ,and the darkness its black ,but the stars shine twice as bright, but boy does it get Cold, l know now why we drew winter clothing We stop, and we are greeted with Sa-Eeda ,Hello in Arabic , and we are invited in to the tent , well ,l cannot go as l am on this Bren on top of the truck ( Muckta ) comes out ,and say you must come , Sir what do l do , remove the barrel of the BREN, and bring it with you OK Sir , so away
l go with the rest . Sitting on the floor we are asked if we would like a drink , well Arab tea or coffee is usually in little cups, and thick sweet ,well the tea pot was in the hands of his son, and began to pour, it looked just like water ,
I said ,l should, l got scares to prove it , there were crocs in there, now you tell me , he said the head hunter trackers only told him after wards , if l had known that, l would have shit myself , he said me too ,we are now heading for the Red Sea, across the Arabian Sea , then up the Red Sea to the Gulf of Suez . Well lets see according to the Bible Mosses crossed the Red Sea , as God held the waters back while he crossed with his
tribe ,now this all happened before the Suez canal was built , now l have never been to the Red Sea before so ,l know nothing about it only in books so the best thing is to get first hand information, from the bridge so l ask for a look,from the bridge request given the OK , so about four of us went up there to have a look the officer of the watch gave us a talk on how the ship was run, any questions, in l go with two left feet , l asked how far was it across the Red Sea at the narrowest point , back came are you a Bible puncher , no way,l
like history , Oh its about twohundred miles give a yard or two , ,l ask why did you ask if l was a Bible puncher , well on troop ships you always get the odd Sky Pilot who want to see Mosses crossing point , Oh yes, and you thought, l was one of them . You have seen the Sea for yourself now what do you think ,
well how deep is it , Oh about fourhundred fathoms in places , well to me its too wide, and too deep, for that to have happened maybe the Nile , precisely. We shook hands, and he said where you lot are going you will see a lot more myths and fairy tales , l expect so , then left . The Red Sea is not really red, its the red plant like stuff that floats around in it , l can say this if you fell over board l do not think you would last long there’s a lot of sharks in these waters, and big Rays,and there are lots of Flying Fish ,also he said to me that there is no tide in the Red Sea, and also no tides in the Mederteranion Sea that’s why the French Engineer did not have to build lock gates in the Suez Canal ,l did not learn that at school , but l know now from a Navel Officer. We are entering the narrow part now to Port Suez we can see the desert on both sides now we can see little villages on the side of the banks but cannot make out much about them from this distance .Tanoy blaring out again we are going to anchor in the harbour tonight, and go through tomorrow , all around the ship are little boats with wares on them ,purses, hand bags ,carvings ,and fruit ,now l must tell you on this ship are waiters, in the messes for meals, well there is one waiter we named Phyllis ,as he uses lip
stick on his lips, and talk in a female voice ( get the grief ), limp rists as well , you know the sort , well one day he was coming out of the galley, to serve, with plates on his arms full of dinner plates, now we go though the swing doors hit Phyllis knocks the plates flying , Phyllis turns ,and said (Oh you rough soldiers ) in his female voice ,well need l tell you more , from then on if you bumped into someone , lt was ,Oh you rough soldier, remember this troopship has about three thousand Para,s on board , so Phyllis had a rough trip .
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You see in those days, all young men together, and there were lots of sayings , such as if you acted the fool someone would say Oh he’s ( puggled) or ( been in the sun too long ) or he’s ( duelaly) . But if you happened to have been in the Jungle ,it was ( Jungle fever ) or ( a paddy field basher ) it was to relieve the stress , a bit of banter fun . Also there was the one who thought he could sing better than , Sinartra , if he was singing
around Changi Jail , it would be ( Changi tower fever ) l think it did not matter what theatre of service you were in , there was always Mickey taking ,but there was one Prank we had going, we always left a space in the Que, for dinner ,that was for Donald Duck ,now this imagery duck went everywhere ,if a new Officer came , and said move up to the next man ,Oh no sir that’s Donald’s place ,these Officers just out of blighty thought we were all mad , l don’t think they were far wrong . We are off up the Suez canal , high banks either
side , and to see ships coming towards you ,is like ships sailing on sand , this canal so l am told is onehundred feet deep , onehundred yards wide . and onehundred miles long , l will have to read up about this , its a big feat of Engineering . As we travel up the canal we pass the sweet water lakes ,and bitter lakes then Port Said ,and all those little boats again selling there wares , we disembark , then by train to Palestine ,before we leave the ship , weapons are issued with ammo , so it means we are moving in to hostile country , it looks as if we will be travelling at night, I do not now what the problem is about yet with Jews and Arabs , but we are soon to find out ,We arrive in Palestine ,and in to 22 camp all tents , after two days l get my bearings around the camp , sentries are posted all round the camp ,and barbed wire all
round ,it looks that no one can get in, and we can not get out , we all take our turns in the slit trenches , A parade ,and lecture , a G,H,Q, Officer comes to give us a talk on what’s happening in Palestine ,the Jews are coming to Palestine in there thousands , its called the Jewish Exodus , coming home, to their Homeland , now we also have here Palestinians , and the Jews are set on calling it Israel , we are told a time bomb ready to explode ,the 12th Battalion Para is also going to be split up, and we are asked to name an other
battalion of our choice , l go to the 6th Battalion (Welsh ) Para with the Major who is Welsh ,and love rugby ,So its off To Kaffer Viking camp, it's an old Palestine Police camp , they are like the British Bobbies but these carried guns , we are only yards from the Sea the blue Med . It seems that a few of the 136 are here so we try to get together, there was no need as they did put us together , we are treated like lepers again till the Major sorted it out ,after a while ,and meeting the lads in the NAAFI , we soon broke the ice , l got friendly with the Goat Major , this Battalion has a Mascot a pure white Goat of the Kings heard . This Goat Major , l have a little story to tell about this ,a little later on ,instead of Private ,its Fusilier now being in a Welsh Para Battalion, and we are given the black flash to hang down our backs ,some of these Paras have fought in Italy and Greece so at least some are battle scared
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These black flashers that hung down the back from the collar , the Welsh Fusilier in old days had a pigtail ,so to keep the dradition , they ware this black flash. This Goat Majors name is William William’s , other wise (Bill ) he speaks Welsh as all orders are given in Welsh to the Goat. The Jews started a terrorist campaign against the British, and a violence campaign from the Arabs to push them out of areas they want , but the Jews ,and Arabs in Jerusalem they have got to live together ,there is the Mosque of the Golden Dome, right beside the Holy Sepulchre, and the Wailing Wall, so the three groups have to come together somehow. At first we were sent to stop Jews landing on the beaches , if they land you can not make them swim back to the ship ,or row back, as they land they distroy the boats , and you can not shoot unarmed people , so they are taken to camps , but Not like what they had been through, some are starting Karbutes camps. To me it looks as if the British Soldier is pig in the middle, its Arabs one side, Jews the other we are not going to win this one. But what l will say, as soon as the Jews land, they are on the open ground digging , planting ,and watering To grow food, but the lazy Arab lets the women do the work, and hopes for hand outs .They call this ,The Holy Land , Holy for what ,violence , l and my mates are used to fighting a man in a uniform , no one on either side wears a uniform this is frightening ,as you could be standing next to a terrorist with a gun under his coat ,So new tactics of war to be learned , trust no one from the other side Jews or Arabs you might get a bullet in your back, Ever since Mosses in 1230 BC took the Hebrews to the promised land , and entered the land under Joshua in 1200BC there has been fighting in Palestine. The last time was 1914 - 1918 fighting the Turks with Lawrence of Arabia , this had been part of the Turkish Empire , so after 1918 war it was mandated to Britain to administer ,and keep peace by the League of Nations this was so till 1945 when the Jews said we are Going to our home land Israel, now this is what we have got, but while l am here l going to see as much as l can of the Holy places both sides .The Jews have formed terrorist groups there’s the Hagana , the underground group , the Palmach , under control of Moshe Dayan who later on became a famous soldier , also the Irgun Zvai Leumi ( lZ l ) under a leader called, Beggin, who became Primeminister later on . Also there was the Stern Gang they liked to be called ( F F I ) Fighters for the Freedom of Israel . My old Major comes to us ,and said you lot are off in to the desert, Oh are we , are you coming , no he said
but a Officer, who l have told about you lot , there are twelve all going excluding the officer ,and a Sergeant . You lot draw kit today ,and compo rations , three, four wheel drive trucks , most of us can drive so there is
relief drivers, now don’t laugh but we draw winter clothing as well , plus heavy winter over coats ,we are going in to the bloody Desert not Eskimo land Says l, Holden you will find out how bloody cold it gets at nights, l soon found out, it freezes at nights.
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Heavy bed rolls as well, we are also told to send some one in to town ,and purchase your own sun shades as the army does not supply them ,the type worn in gambling halls , l thought we were going to the desert not snowy mountains ,never seen ,or been in the desert before , the Officer has his maps, and compass , we all now an officer with a map is the most dangerous , person on earth. The Officer who is with us wants to get to now us ,and us him so we go to the mess tent for a chat no one else allowed in , first of all his name is Addlestone ,or Atstone well knowing me ,l said what’s your first name , he said Michael or Mike , l said that will do , he why , well its like this Sir we are off some where ,and this lot you are with have been with Major
,and to get things done we cant stand to attention every time we speak , he laughs his head off , the Major was right, he said l would have to forget the pips , on parade you will get the full treatment Sir , come on were are we going , AQABA , where the hells that never heard of it ,only in Lawrence’s book, twohundred miles or there about from here through the Sinai Desert , its Lawrence of Arabia Country, then he says l bet your name is Holden, yes Sir, and among other names, Sir said l have heard, this will be something we are
going to retrace history, and Mosses. For an old Country Boy from a Norfolk village, ln my wildest dreams, l Never thought, l would see the world, and be paid for it. Back to Sir, he said he has been in the desert before so that makes it a bit more promising , all this time the Sergeant has been quiet , he turns to me ,and said l know you , Oh ,l do not think l know you Sarg ,yes you do, Isle of Wight,l was a Corporal then you were in my block, and you ,and your mate always asked to do cookhouse fatigues, lf they wanted help ,l never knew
why , it was like this Sarg in the cookhouse we got a free supper, just for peeling Spuds, we couldn’t go to the NAAFI ,as we had run out of money. We draw weapons ,and ammo, l get my usual the Bren this time ,l get a new number two, never meet him before ,and he has never filled a mag before ,shit ,he has got
to learn fast , so back to square one , we get on fine all mags loaded , l am in the second truck with a hole in the passenger side roof made for Brens on a swivel great ,and pockets for mags ,Sarg takes a map as well to mark the position of the Bedouin caravans, Sir plans the route ,and he speaks Arabic brill,all l know is Sa-Eeda, means Hello or welcome ,We must treat the Bedouin with great respect as to up set them we will get no Help from them. At first, l am a bit up tight as its the unknown till ,l meet some ,then , l felt at ease
as they were very hospitable , but our Sir did all the talking anyway most of them spoke good English as we the British have been here for about thirty years.We pass the Mount Sinai where Mosses wrote the ten laws for his tribe, but has since become the law of the world in principle ,l think it was around 1230 B,C,and this is 1946 so that makes it about 3170 years ago ,out here it looks as if life has stood Still all those years. I don’t think Mosses himself wrote the laws of the tribe ,l think he told his stonemasons what he wanted , and they did it for him .
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On our way to AQABA there are water holes but closely guarded , and most tribesmen carry arms ,the Bedouin tribes have laws of there own ,and if you respect them they will respect you,we pay for the water at the wells ,and also give them a little tea ,well when in Rome play ball .
1 Do not approach their women
2 Always talk to the head man first ( The Muckta )
3 If he says, l carry nothing illegally ( On my life of Allah ) believe him ,and you are in , he will most properly say OK search , you say no, l believe you , he will then insists you do .
But there are always some rogue caravans ,like in all nations, that’s when firmness comes in such as taking the men to one side ,and hold them in a group then search each camel they soon co-operate .So far no problems the ones we have come across are only carrying wares no big deal ,arrive at AQABA that’s a stinking hell hole of a town that’s my opinion , there’s are lots of Jordain Army about very smart troops , the General that trains these troops is British ,to them he is Glub Pasha ,our Officer is a bit of a Military Historian , but l did not know what he was planning , he had a good look round the town that Lawrence captured , me, l am on duty guarding the trucks well some one has to, anyway l am not too keen on the place , you know if you go some where you either like it or hate it, l hated it ,Sir comes back dead
chuffed as he went to some of the places Lawrence went to.We refuel ,and take n stores for the return trip , we are not going to search caravans coming to AQABA only those going to Palestine . Now this is going to be an eye opener ,as we soon make contact with a caravan, that’s resting ,tents all up one for the women ,and one for the men , they see us coming miles away as the sand blows up from the wheels . Asks were they are heading, the Bedouin said they are heading for Beersheba, l thought that it sounded like a Bible town some were near the DEAD SEA. Now news travel fast out here it seems they know we are on patrol ,can’t be jungle drums out here , must be the whispering sands ,now talking of sand ,when we bed down for the night , and its silence ,and l mean silence ,if someone goes for a pee it sounds like a waterfall ,and the darkness its black ,but the stars shine twice as bright, but boy does it get Cold, l know now why we drew winter clothing We stop, and we are greeted with Sa-Eeda ,Hello in Arabic , and we are invited in to the tent , well ,l cannot go as l am on this Bren on top of the truck ( Muckta ) comes out ,and say you must come , Sir what do l do , remove the barrel of the BREN, and bring it with you OK Sir , so away
l go with the rest . Sitting on the floor we are asked if we would like a drink , well Arab tea or coffee is usually in little cups, and thick sweet ,well the tea pot was in the hands of his son, and began to pour, it looked just like water ,
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l thought this lads forgot the tea, no he didn’t,after a mouth full, its neat Gin , now Arabs are not surposed to drink alcohol, well,l can assure you this time they do,and we all had,had enough before we left, Sir ask, any guns (On my life of Alla) we move off, l hope the driver don’t run out of desert or run in to raiding tribesmen, most of us are so pissed we can hardly stand let alone fire a gun, well for the next twenty to thirty miles, l don’t remember,l must point out at this stage, the Bedouin Arab is different to the settled Arab in towns the ones in towns you don’t turn your back on, be weary of a Tea Towel wearer, time for a real brew up, our
designated cook for the trip boiled up this all soldiers will remember ,you have a square tin, about one foot square, fill with sand then fuel poured in set it a light, and it burns for a long while that’s how we brew up, tea is loose in tins about one foot square, that’s how we make our fires from these tins, and if the Bedouin were helpful they Got some dry tea good stuff, if they were unhelpful they got dried Tea once used. We drive some of the way along the Jordan Boarder, as the camel trail runs there, so we call at a army boarder
post of the Jordan Army, our Sir gets down ,and have a talk, l thought just passing time of day, but no he is bartering with the guard, what the hells he up too, l know we are friends of Jordan but this is no time to be pusseing around,as we are restraining Arabs in Palestine,well he comes back, and says we will be a few hours late getting back to base, we are going to Petra under escort, all weapons stashed away right, what’s this Petra someone ask, l said l have read something about this its a temple carved in rock inside a mountain
with a chasm, is that right Sir, something like that, have you been,no,but l am not going to loose this chance escort arrive with compliments of Glub Pasha, then off we go they are better armed than us, one vehicle has a 20mm Aulican on it,on a tripod, Holden, make friends with this lot,my Bren is out Classed with this Monster, l hope Sir knows what He is doing well in for a penny in for a pound. We arrive ,boy what a sight,and we arrive at the right time because at a certain time of the day the sun hits it,and it turns pink,then off back to the
boarder post, we leave some Rations there, and cigs out of compo rations they are happy then bid our farewells.Sir says keep your mouths shut, that’s OK by me but some lads moan they couldn’t careless well that’s up to them, but l am chuffed, l have seen ancient history once in a life time, Sarg says how the
hell did they do it all those years ago with primitive tools, the thing is,l have never seen the tools they used, must be some,back in to Palestine and Kaffer Viking, first job a shower, then debriefing, we tell all we found out, then a question comes we are not expecting, could a aircraft land on the trail,and how wide is it yes in places its rock hard for miles then like a dirt road,well that’s how we think the arms are coming in, Oh well that’s for someone to do desert watch.Well it wont be us as we have just done our stint of the desert, yes the desert,me l found it a kind of relaxing, silent,a place of hidden charm about it, but l think it could be
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very hostile especially in a sand storm ,that’s one thing we didn’t get only a little wind at times , the wind blew he sand ,and stung our faces but no sand storms a very memorable trip to AQABA,what l did
notice the Bedouin travelled ,where ever they like as they are nomads, even across the boarders to Jordan ,l think these Bedouin have respect everywhere they go , till they come past our camp that’s another story ,we have earned a few days off in camp, so a dip in the Med sounds good to us , as it’s out through a guarded entrance to the camp then down a sloop of sand to the beach,we are on a bend in the coast line , down we go to the beach, now no one has costumes, or trunks we are in the noddy , must be at least twenty of us , so
its a race to the sea , we all get lined up as far as we can get from the sea , no One else there,s only us, only us ,well ,walking on the shore line, and coming round the corner of the beach is a caravan of camels , men , women ,and children . As they go past we are all in line, and in the noddy , now for Arab women to see another man with nothing on, is against there religion , a lot of shouting starts from the men , l can see World War Three starting . So there’s a corporal with us he put a shirt on, and trousers ,and try to explain to the Muckta , boy l hope he can talk his way out of this , well he did , in future a look out must be there to worn us , well that’s another scrape we got out of ,you can,t trust these Para,s . We can not afford to fall out with the Bedouin, as the next patrol might encounter this caravan ,tonight in the NAAFI is a Welsh night, loads of singing ,and plenty of beer drunk tonight ,good old Stella Beer, but its quite funny really as, l think there’s more Londoners in the Battalion than Welsh . Me l shall most properly end up walking through the
fish pond, out side the NAAFI with the rest ,and straight in to bed, it always happens , at least it stops us getting stressed out as we are always on our guard now, the terrorist have struck once or twice, Sometime someone is going to get hurt then all hell will be let loose ,then Jews and Arabs will be treated as in War we will shoot first ,and ask questions after wards . Now we get called out to Tel Aviv there is problems ,Jews on the rampage throwing stones, and general having a go at the troops , so off we go me with my Bren in
front of the 4x4, and the back is covered with mesh over the frame work that held the canvas on, about six men in the back with a Officer just behind me , now as we approach this street we are confronted with a crowd with stones , batterns , and what ever ,me l am on the out side no protection only my Bren
,and l am not allowed to fire with out permission from Sir, at the back, they are getting alittle too near for my liking ,so l say to Sir let me fire over their heads , no you can’t do that ,CHURCHILL would not like it, Sir ,Churchill is not fucking standing where l am , so l make pretend to take aim at them ,and move the weapon from side to side they disperse. Maybe next time my finger might slip,as the truck lurches forward , l can assure you that no missile is going to hit me for nothing.
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After time off its our turn to do guard duty, now there is a law in the army in camp you challenge anyone who approach your post with, Halt who goes there , they either give the password of the day, or say friend ,
you say advance friend ,and be Recognised now there’s a certain , young Officer who needs a lesson in good old army etiquette ,of guard duty . This young Officer has not got his knees brown yet, and l am on guard with my mate an old timer from the far east , with all the new intakes ,and a lot of soldiers demobed , we now become old soldiers , so when a young Officer come we tend to Give them a hard time. Round about two or three in the morning, he sets off on his rounds , now in our jungle training ,we were shown the art of creeping up on enemy guards ,so its all set , away they come Officer, and Guard Commander a Sergeant , they are challenged at the posts ,on there rounds, as sound travels at night , till he arrives at our post, my mates has the BREN pointing at him ,as he was about to say you didn’t challenge me ,l was behind him with a Para stiletto at his throat , Sergeant can not believe this is happening , what’s going on said the Officer , l said Sir you could have been terrorist creeping about like that, you two are on a charge , and we were up before the O,C, marched in by the R,S,M,( Regimental Sergeant Major) or Other wise( GOD )you know left right left right double quick time , out the corner of my eye l see Major he winks , the Officer starts his patter, of assaulting an Officer usual patter .Then before we were asked to reply, Major ask the O,C, if he could ask the Officer a question , permitted , he just said put this in reverse rolls ,and you had been trained like these men ,and say in the jungle, you hear foot steps in the Dark, would you challenge, l don’t think so, you shoot first ,and ask question later , l would say you are lucky . Then its our turn,anything to say , yes Sir we thought they were terrorist after arms ,Oh.Dismiss about turn ,left right left right quick time again ,R,S,M, out side with us , you know hat Major ,yes Sir , he was our C,O, in S,E,A,C, he’s a good man , well he saved your bacon , l want words with you two in my office tomorrow 10am sharp yes Sir, we are in the shit now GOD has it in for us , report next day to his office, and l am not a happy man ,and my mate has a sweat on , you see this R,S,M, went through Italy, and Greece , now he wants to now all about the P,O,W,s and S,E,A,C, underneath that hard face there was a human ,Next time on guard duty, and with the same Officer all back to normal now ,l am put on a perimeter fence post looking out to the desert ,we are given a search light attached to a lorry battery , now the number two operates this, me on the BREN , about one or two in the morning on goes the search light, for a look around ,out of the darkness green eyes shine up No sooner l saw them, l fired, and woke the camp up two Mags l let go with the guardroom on stand too , well next
day,all l shot was coyotes , how do you live that down .
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Shooting wild dogs instead of terrorists as l said ,you don’t live that down ,well at least it gives them something to talk about. To pass the time we have races, not us running, but Dung Beetle races,(commonly
known as, Shit Beetle races)we collected Dung Beetles, about the size of a dessert spoon . Numbers are painted on them, we have two race courses , one a round circle , and from the centre to out side ring , the first over the line wins, number two a straight line between two planks ,now gambling is not permitted in H,M,Forces, so we have a look out , the only game allowed is Housey Housey , or ,now called Bingo,we always had a bet going , especially on the firing range , football match coming up Officers, and N.C.O.s against O,R,s or Other Ranks ,meaning Buckshe privates , this is going to be a blood bath , time to get our own back , the match is not going our way ,Officers winning ,but not for long , a truck doing nothing , Holden purloins it ,and drive it in front of the goal , now its harder ,they have got to score from the rear of the
goal , They still win, all good fun. After that a rugby match was organised same procedure , as you now the Welsh love their rugby ,we are envited to go to the ,5th Battalion Scottish Para , for a games session , the Welsh ,and the Scots , this is going to be a helloffer a night, and it was . We finished up painting over the Thistle on there Battalion notice board, with a Daffodil ,now the Jocks got some how in to our camp, and painted our poor old Billy goat black and white , our Bill William’s is not a happy man , anyway its tit for
tat . There’s trouble down in Jaffa now, so off we go ,this is a Palestinian area these are poor people, incomparision with the Jewish areas , one truck got blown up ,( hit a pile of camel shit, with a land mine in it ,they lost a front wheel ), so Now it's don’t run over camel shit . Six Sgts have been found hanging in a orange grove not of the Para Redg , we knew six were taken hostage but we did not reckon on this . Now the nicety nice is out of the window , its shoot or be shot , from now on Holden , any Jew or Arab makes a false move he wont move anymore ,and sod the consequences, and when l say this , its not only me who is going to do it but all the lads , we do have the right to fire at will but with restraint ,Major says what about a walk , where too , from Nazareth to Bethlehem , how fars that , 80 mile ,80 bloody mile, hell in this heat . Well you like history so you are about to follow it , its not just a walk its for us to inspect the wells of ancient times for illegal arm’s stores ,l think its going to be great , its possible we might get a little hostile reception in places ,now as far as possible we are going to walk, where Joseph, and Mary went ,and l can assure you that the terrain is a little bit to be desired very rocky ,To walk over this terrain , and eight months pregnant ,no
way, maybe months earlier, l think people really Believe she just walked straight there, and gave birth,?this young girl was about sixteen as history tells us ,and its not shure she was married to him either . l think she was in Bethlehem months before the baby was dew to be born , l would like to see anywoman walk 80 miles 8 months pregnant .
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But it was not a Virgin Birth either as history has proved that wrong also ,but you will always get some people that will believe it , l very much doubt she walked 80 mile , a camel track is not like a good road to walk on , and about 2000 years before we try to venture this way , and we are fully trained, with good strong leather boots ,commonly known as ammo boots ,and three meals a day , l do not say it was not true , but maybe she
arrived at Bethlehem months before the birth ,think about it ,could your wife walk 80 mile , eight months pregnant over barren rock paths ,Nazareth is not what, l expected it to be , no signs to say anything about Jesus Christ was living here , not even the church he preached in , poor show l think ,we get on our way , we are going to bye pass Jerusalem , this we think might have happened ,as there was a lot of argee bargee going on at the time ,to get all Jews to register in there place of birth, and tribe name ,Bethlehem was the
home of the tribe of David they were Jews ,and Jesus at birth was a Jew. Remember the country of Palestine is under British law from 1918 ,and there are no boundaries to us ,Jewish or Palestinian , till things are changed we rule the roast ,I can say that l followed the path of Mary, and Joseph ,but not with
Bible ,but a Bren Gun at my hip , l suppose we are like the Romans ,when they ruled this Country , l shall never now why they call this the land of Milk and Honey , its baron ,its dry , and inhospitable ,and as for being holy ,its a cauldron waiting to boil over ,We come across lots of little settlements some have not even got names or marked on the map, all have wells, most are still in use ,after hundreds of years after they were dug , we find no arm’s but word has got around that we are coming , so they could have shifted them . We come across a camel train heading from the sea, to the dead sea, going crossways to us , and its our old friend we stopped with ,a big shout from him Sa-eeda Afendy , the Major, said who is he ,Oh one of the Bedouin we made contact with he gave us tea and coffee , Officer like my tea, and coffee yes , l said yes
but not today ,we must keep going ,next time ,we will ,too late next time you will be gone , dose he now something we don’t, l can say this l never saw that man again,,l dare not tell the Major , that was the one that got us ,(pissed on Gin) as not so long after that,the withdrawal was taking place , the Americans were getting involved with the Jews in the States , Exodus to Israel had become a reality .We bed down for the night ,and a lot of chatter , l said do you think when they wrote the ,New Testament a little bit of writers poetry came in to it , yes, and a bit more said one , then the Major said what about the big star ,l said at school saw in a book that said Hayleys comet could have been around at the time , give or take a year or two ,it should have been in the sky at that time , the Major said l think that’s about right .The shacks in some of the settlements, do not look as if they have changed for a thousand years , and what the Major said next ,was well chaps only another forty miles to go , Sir can we call
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In at some Army Camp, and get a good wash, l am stinking so much the Flies wont come near me, well you blend in with the surroundings , and l love you too Sir. To break the monotony, l catch a chameleon , l put him on my shoulder queer looking reptile they are , they can look both ways at once, and all round, two toes to the front, and one at the rear on each leg, they also change colour , l catch him some praymantus ,and
beetles . Now we sleep at nights,on high rocks off the ground, away from scorpions ,and snakes but that did not save our radio signaller, he got a nasty sting in the arse with a scorpion ,fleshy part, boy was he in pain our medics give him a injection ,and the medics come by jeep to pick him up, and with a replacement, by by Charlie , he is off to Nathanya Hospital . At last we come across an army camp R.A.S.C. (ROYAL ARMY SERVICE CORP)British Officers, and N,C,O,s but the men are Sudanese, and black , as they say in the army as black as the ace of spades , Officer welcome us in , what about a shower Sir , no problems bril , its back to S,E,A.C, days square tin with holes ,and one pouring in the water ,who cares l can get wet all over , then dinner , cornbeef fritters and chips baked beans , boy that’s better than compo stew .Now l
better get this in ,before l left the barracks, l found in the N,A,A,F,I, a Picture Goer this is a book that tells you all about the new films that are coming out , and on the back was a list of people, that needed pen friends all girls addresses ,so l picked one nearest to Norwich this was in Ely ,about fifty miles from Norwich , a girl by the name of Aurdry Dewey, so l am looking forward to see if l get a reply but my hand writing is to be disired ,l am a scraller. What l can’t make out is, when we are miles from anywhere either in sand dunes, or barren rocks there’s always a Arab that comes up selling eggs where the hell do they come from , out of the earth or something , one minute no one the next an Arab , kind of spooky . I think ,l have been in the sun too long, and seeing things or am l ,my mate on my shoulder don’t care he’s having a free ride to newer pastures , we come across a lot of Tortoises, all sizes we stop for a little while to brew up but within minutes they all move off , l expect some will end up in shops in England as pets . On the march like this we
go to the toilet anywhere , but in camp its different , the Engineers come in dig a round hole about eight feet across ,a round concrete ring is put down, and about two feet high then on goes the top round ,with six holes in around the edges that’s the toilet, but for a Pee its the desert rose ,any soldier can tell you what that is , well its a funnel shaped thing stuck in the sand six in a row or more with a hessen shield around the same as the toilets out in the open , Toilets desert stile. In the end we arrive in Bethlehem , a big Church
at the end of the square , shops everywhere, l didn’t now what to expect so, l was at the ready like us all , but no hostility here , plenty of people selling all sorts of things , the people here seem to be mainly Palestinians in the area, we draw lots
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To visit the cave where, Christ was born, it's under the church, l expect before the church, it was the Inn or resting house. The cave we can not be shure its the correct one, as there must have been dozens of
cattle caves here at the time , as most people lived over the cattle for warmth in winter, and it must have been a Jewish or Hebrew settlement then as it was the home of the tribe of David ,that’s why Joseph and Mary came here To register as they were part of the tribe of David. In two thousand years buildings have been pulled down ,and rebuilt with the same stone in a different places ,In the square there are dozens of camels, and donkeys bringing all sorts to sell, all laid out on the blankets around the square ,and the man selling the famous dirty post cards , l first read lady chatterlys lover ,out here it went around the barracks like wild flower . Had a mooch around the town with a couple of mates , lots of little work shops making all sorts of things , and they liked you to watch them , especially the wood carvers , we all bought odd trinkets, the leather shop was the best , l wanted a pair of shoes, yes we make , but l explained we had to move off , he said we bring to camp , so l gave my name ,and the camp we bring he measured my feet, showed him what l wanted no money change hands , and some of the other boys did the same , well l can tell you as good as his word, l got my shoes , paid him at the guard room, as he was not allowed in the camp, and for years after that they were still going strong , Now its the walk to camp from Bethlehem its mainly down hill all the way as we are on the coast line , we get about three to four miles out side of the city ,and bed down for the night ,now we are in a rocky area, the wind is slightly blowing ,and cold , its like the wind blowing around a house, and kind of whistling , is this what the shepherds heard instead of angels, plus the bright star , and the people wanted a new king , so two ,and two together new baby, a new king , why have no angels been seen since that date , perhaps another myth . Reflecting back on what we have seen in the cave , is a bit tatty wire mesh holding the unsafe bits of rock up, and the stable is smaller than l had thought , the manger is there, and a star on the floor were Mary most properly laid, and gave birth , it looked as if the cave would hold about four or five cattle, and goats,the shepherd boys out here do not have sheep, they are goat herds , sheep need grass fields , but sheep that are here are not of the kind that’s in England ,and good rock climbers,with large curly horns Laying out here at nights in the open the dark night sky above , and l mean dark you see the towns out here have no electric light only the odd oil lamp so the stars seem to shine brighter , also the shooting stars seem to go further across the sky , Sir says any of you thinking of signing on when we get back to Blighty , me only if l am out of barracks doing something like this , Sir says l dought it more like training, and parades , Holden you could go up the ladder as you are of that calibre , is that why you always pick me, partly yes, a good sence of humour ,get on with people , and take the lead in orders.
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Thanks Sir, it is something to think about we will see. The Jews no longer recognise this place, as the wailing wall is their shrine in Jerusalem, after some had proclaimed him the new King , Herod gave orders to
kill all male children born at that time just to protect his throne , so Joseph and Mary did a bunk to Egypt for twelve years . This is now mainly a Christian pilgrimage shrine, at least, l can say, l have been here, at the moment, l can’t see me coming back , but who knows . Off we go again , this time sticking to a rough road of hard stone , Sir thinks it could have been made by the Romans , l can say its level walking , but its funny out here ,the fear, l had in the far east was just before any operation , Out here it's a continuance alertness, and tension, like meeting the R,S,M. Or him shouting at you , it never goes away We arrive back, not around fired, where’s the showers, and NAAFI for a pint of Stella beer, and feet up, l hope , but l find since ,we have been gone ,l have been moved to C , company, and some new mates, l still have two old mates with me , at least this time wooden huts again , l see they put me oppersite the door to the veranda who cares there’s a bed , next thing collect mail ,we all go down to the post hut , yes l got some , and a letter from Ely, but not from the girl, l posted one too , but it all explained in the letter , this person is a Miss Mary Irene Lupson at least l got a letter may be more , now this is when a new friend ship begins , l have never wrote to a Girl
before, so l am breaking new ground , and some of the other lads got letters like me from there places . My mates, and me find it very quite in the hut these lads don’t talk much so find out what’s the problem , we find they are fresh out here new reinforcements , we ask why the silence , Oh the R,S,M, said you lot are a wild bunch , and don’t say anything out of place , Oh did he right , now Mr R,S,M, its your turn , he sleeps in a large tent guarded at night , right the six of us get together, and about two in the morning we crept around to Gods tent, and the guard is told by Sammy to either do as he is told or take one , so he said tie me up , we did,now we proceed in letting the tent down on him , there’s one hell of shout ,and screams they are after me , now we high tail it back to billets the other Guards are on the seen, the guard is quizzed about what happened he said it was so fast that he never had time to see who they were , liar . Next day all on parade God is not a happy man, if l ever catch who did it there feet will not touch the guard room floor , l think
he suspects as his eyes fix on us . He did have a word with us later , and he said you sods ill have you lot yet , perhaps you might remember the R,S,M, his name was R,S,M, Mac Nalley he had a pet dog that used to go on parade with him ,it was as daft as a brush . There were some maintenance fitters that came to
the camp ,and had to be guarded ,these are Jews so l am one of the guards ,we get talking about this, and that ,then they show me there arms with the tattoo numbers on them ,Nazi concentration camps . They were saying that they just wanted to settledown in there land that was rightfully theres , from the days of Joshua 1200 BC and there’s been fighting eversince that time.
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Things are hotting up, lots of trucks being blown up ,and buildings , one of the worst was King David Hotel the base of our Intelligent Centre .My cousin made a detour to come ,and see me on his new army lshue motor bike ,he looked like a jockey ,as he is shorter than me, with his D,R, trousers ,leather jacket ,and crash hat , well we did have time for a drink in the NAAFI then off again , its good to see him , then, l am off out on
patrol again in Tel Aviv,this is a modern town built in squares, and lots of the roads ,they are named after British towns like there’s London road and others ,Sent a return letter to Mary Lupson , l shall have to ask for a photo at least ,l can see who l am writing too , who knows, l might get some comics to read ,as we all love comics , us paras are kids at heart. Curfews are in force ,so me, and my mate are given a cross roads to guard, this is in a housing area the people here are all Jews , after a while some come to the windows, and talk , and some have the famous tattoos on their arm’s, so we at least now what they have been through , but duty is duty, so its hard sometimes well we get talking they need ice to keep there meat cool , so we strike a bargain, they come to us for a search ,each way, too ,and from the ice plant over the other side of the road , well this turned out to be a good thing we got drinks, and food never had it so good ,from then on it was our spot , but a Sarg rumbled us, what’s going on here then , well its like this Sarg, so we spill the beans, you crafty pair of sods, OK but don’t let us down , right Sarg . A planed day out to Jerusalem , we go early ,so we can get as much site seeing as possible , as no one knows ,when the next blast might happen , we all take weapons with us everywhere , first the Wailing Wall that’s something , its about twenty feet high, and sixty feet long ,its a remnant of an Ancient Temple this is mainly a shrine to the Orthodox Jew , there are two areas here one for women ,and one for the men , to see the Jews chanting, and swaying to a blank
wall ,worshipping a stone wall , Makes you think, but l can understand people reading scriptures. Then we go around the corner to the Golden Dome Mosque, and here we see people taking there shoes off, and washing there feet in a fountain before they go in to the Mosque, and start chanting to a rock that Mohammed supposed to have sat on , two very different religions not far from each other, one worshipping a stone wall ,this one worshipping a lump of rock, across a small area there’s the Christian church which we are now going in to , this is the Church of the Holy Sepulchre , yes another lump of rock ,called the Sepulchre,, really its three religions, close together , what ever happens out here they have got to live together some how , l can see when we do pull out there’s going to be a blood bath , I buy a piece of paper with a very small piece of stone stuck to it , this is a piece of the rock that was in front of the Sepulchre , l paid fifty mills for that , mum will like it , but think of all the millions of people that buy these it must have been a Mountain , l also get a cross of Olive wood from behind the Sepulchre ,
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at least , l have been to see it, and can make my own mind up about all this ,l have my dowts on the sepulchre, as this is in side the city walls, and according to history the original one was out side the city walls, by the size of it, and weight, l do not think it was man handle to there, l am talking of tons of one piece of rock, going in the tomb there is a priest inside, and there is only room for two more people at a time, you just go in, and either kiss the head rest of stone, or You just look, it looks like a stone bed , and l have my own thoughts on this, as there are queues of people waiting even when, all this turmoil is going on. The odd thing out here is two high profile religious groups that go to prayer, then blow each other to pieces, and they call it religion, if that is so then l will stay outside any religious group . In side the church of the holy Sepulchre are lots of Alters from different countries , l think the most elaborate was the Russian one with
gold’s, and silver ornate , Our next place to visit, and walk up is the Via Dorsia which is now a spice market we see the fifteen Stations, and Challenger hill , then on to the garden of Gesemany that’s as the crow fly about a mile away there is also a Church there ,it was not there when Jesus Christ,was preaching here ,as this is very modern , and in the garden is the Olive tree that he was supposed to have prayed under , it is a tatty old tree, but it would be if l was two thousand years old , and if the tree was as big as they say it was, then it must have been a least fifty years old then , do olive trees live that long ?. Looking across from here you can see the gate ways to the old town, some are now bricked up, and there are still tombs out side the
walls , you must remember all this is Christian beliefs, the Jews do not recognise this, their only part is making money out of it , looking at this city of Jerusalem we have three faiths within , a houndred yards of each other ,and they say, they all have the correct religion , well so be it , its off back to camp , no dowt before, l leave l shall come again, and Give it another look. In mums letter she says Churchill has been voted out of office , and a new Labour government in , l am not old enough to vote yet, but the government
say l can kill people , and no questions asked, so it does not really concern me, l can also get married, and raise a family, but no say in who runs the country, but l did say that earlier in the book that change was coming , the barons have got to go , the working man has got to have his say , and a better world as he has laid His life on the line, for a better country, no one will ever knock Churchill as he proved A good leader at the time we needed one. The M,O, is going to chat to us today, what this new government is going to do , he
has told us that we are going to have free health care from cradle to grave , free eye treatment , teeth , operations , and medicine , everyone will be stopped money From our wages each week, it's called the National Health, that sounds great to me, no more worry of falling ill with a big doctor's bill at end. Our turn for the Mobil cinema tonight now this is in the open , a large screen goes up , the projector one side , but you can view the screen both sides, you sit in the open
l thought this lads forgot the tea, no he didn’t,after a mouth full, its neat Gin , now Arabs are not surposed to drink alcohol, well,l can assure you this time they do,and we all had,had enough before we left, Sir ask, any guns (On my life of Alla) we move off, l hope the driver don’t run out of desert or run in to raiding tribesmen, most of us are so pissed we can hardly stand let alone fire a gun, well for the next twenty to thirty miles, l don’t remember,l must point out at this stage, the Bedouin Arab is different to the settled Arab in towns the ones in towns you don’t turn your back on, be weary of a Tea Towel wearer, time for a real brew up, our
designated cook for the trip boiled up this all soldiers will remember ,you have a square tin, about one foot square, fill with sand then fuel poured in set it a light, and it burns for a long while that’s how we brew up, tea is loose in tins about one foot square, that’s how we make our fires from these tins, and if the Bedouin were helpful they Got some dry tea good stuff, if they were unhelpful they got dried Tea once used. We drive some of the way along the Jordan Boarder, as the camel trail runs there, so we call at a army boarder
post of the Jordan Army, our Sir gets down ,and have a talk, l thought just passing time of day, but no he is bartering with the guard, what the hells he up too, l know we are friends of Jordan but this is no time to be pusseing around,as we are restraining Arabs in Palestine,well he comes back, and says we will be a few hours late getting back to base, we are going to Petra under escort, all weapons stashed away right, what’s this Petra someone ask, l said l have read something about this its a temple carved in rock inside a mountain
with a chasm, is that right Sir, something like that, have you been,no,but l am not going to loose this chance escort arrive with compliments of Glub Pasha, then off we go they are better armed than us, one vehicle has a 20mm Aulican on it,on a tripod, Holden, make friends with this lot,my Bren is out Classed with this Monster, l hope Sir knows what He is doing well in for a penny in for a pound. We arrive ,boy what a sight,and we arrive at the right time because at a certain time of the day the sun hits it,and it turns pink,then off back to the
boarder post, we leave some Rations there, and cigs out of compo rations they are happy then bid our farewells.Sir says keep your mouths shut, that’s OK by me but some lads moan they couldn’t careless well that’s up to them, but l am chuffed, l have seen ancient history once in a life time, Sarg says how the
hell did they do it all those years ago with primitive tools, the thing is,l have never seen the tools they used, must be some,back in to Palestine and Kaffer Viking, first job a shower, then debriefing, we tell all we found out, then a question comes we are not expecting, could a aircraft land on the trail,and how wide is it yes in places its rock hard for miles then like a dirt road,well that’s how we think the arms are coming in, Oh well that’s for someone to do desert watch.Well it wont be us as we have just done our stint of the desert, yes the desert,me l found it a kind of relaxing, silent,a place of hidden charm about it, but l think it could be
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very hostile especially in a sand storm ,that’s one thing we didn’t get only a little wind at times , the wind blew he sand ,and stung our faces but no sand storms a very memorable trip to AQABA,what l did
notice the Bedouin travelled ,where ever they like as they are nomads, even across the boarders to Jordan ,l think these Bedouin have respect everywhere they go , till they come past our camp that’s another story ,we have earned a few days off in camp, so a dip in the Med sounds good to us , as it’s out through a guarded entrance to the camp then down a sloop of sand to the beach,we are on a bend in the coast line , down we go to the beach, now no one has costumes, or trunks we are in the noddy , must be at least twenty of us , so
its a race to the sea , we all get lined up as far as we can get from the sea , no One else there,s only us, only us ,well ,walking on the shore line, and coming round the corner of the beach is a caravan of camels , men , women ,and children . As they go past we are all in line, and in the noddy , now for Arab women to see another man with nothing on, is against there religion , a lot of shouting starts from the men , l can see World War Three starting . So there’s a corporal with us he put a shirt on, and trousers ,and try to explain to the Muckta , boy l hope he can talk his way out of this , well he did , in future a look out must be there to worn us , well that’s another scrape we got out of ,you can,t trust these Para,s . We can not afford to fall out with the Bedouin, as the next patrol might encounter this caravan ,tonight in the NAAFI is a Welsh night, loads of singing ,and plenty of beer drunk tonight ,good old Stella Beer, but its quite funny really as, l think there’s more Londoners in the Battalion than Welsh . Me l shall most properly end up walking through the
fish pond, out side the NAAFI with the rest ,and straight in to bed, it always happens , at least it stops us getting stressed out as we are always on our guard now, the terrorist have struck once or twice, Sometime someone is going to get hurt then all hell will be let loose ,then Jews and Arabs will be treated as in War we will shoot first ,and ask questions after wards . Now we get called out to Tel Aviv there is problems ,Jews on the rampage throwing stones, and general having a go at the troops , so off we go me with my Bren in
front of the 4x4, and the back is covered with mesh over the frame work that held the canvas on, about six men in the back with a Officer just behind me , now as we approach this street we are confronted with a crowd with stones , batterns , and what ever ,me l am on the out side no protection only my Bren
,and l am not allowed to fire with out permission from Sir, at the back, they are getting alittle too near for my liking ,so l say to Sir let me fire over their heads , no you can’t do that ,CHURCHILL would not like it, Sir ,Churchill is not fucking standing where l am , so l make pretend to take aim at them ,and move the weapon from side to side they disperse. Maybe next time my finger might slip,as the truck lurches forward , l can assure you that no missile is going to hit me for nothing.
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After time off its our turn to do guard duty, now there is a law in the army in camp you challenge anyone who approach your post with, Halt who goes there , they either give the password of the day, or say friend ,
you say advance friend ,and be Recognised now there’s a certain , young Officer who needs a lesson in good old army etiquette ,of guard duty . This young Officer has not got his knees brown yet, and l am on guard with my mate an old timer from the far east , with all the new intakes ,and a lot of soldiers demobed , we now become old soldiers , so when a young Officer come we tend to Give them a hard time. Round about two or three in the morning, he sets off on his rounds , now in our jungle training ,we were shown the art of creeping up on enemy guards ,so its all set , away they come Officer, and Guard Commander a Sergeant , they are challenged at the posts ,on there rounds, as sound travels at night , till he arrives at our post, my mates has the BREN pointing at him ,as he was about to say you didn’t challenge me ,l was behind him with a Para stiletto at his throat , Sergeant can not believe this is happening , what’s going on said the Officer , l said Sir you could have been terrorist creeping about like that, you two are on a charge , and we were up before the O,C, marched in by the R,S,M,( Regimental Sergeant Major) or Other wise( GOD )you know left right left right double quick time , out the corner of my eye l see Major he winks , the Officer starts his patter, of assaulting an Officer usual patter .Then before we were asked to reply, Major ask the O,C, if he could ask the Officer a question , permitted , he just said put this in reverse rolls ,and you had been trained like these men ,and say in the jungle, you hear foot steps in the Dark, would you challenge, l don’t think so, you shoot first ,and ask question later , l would say you are lucky . Then its our turn,anything to say , yes Sir we thought they were terrorist after arms ,Oh.Dismiss about turn ,left right left right quick time again ,R,S,M, out side with us , you know hat Major ,yes Sir , he was our C,O, in S,E,A,C, he’s a good man , well he saved your bacon , l want words with you two in my office tomorrow 10am sharp yes Sir, we are in the shit now GOD has it in for us , report next day to his office, and l am not a happy man ,and my mate has a sweat on , you see this R,S,M, went through Italy, and Greece , now he wants to now all about the P,O,W,s and S,E,A,C, underneath that hard face there was a human ,Next time on guard duty, and with the same Officer all back to normal now ,l am put on a perimeter fence post looking out to the desert ,we are given a search light attached to a lorry battery , now the number two operates this, me on the BREN , about one or two in the morning on goes the search light, for a look around ,out of the darkness green eyes shine up No sooner l saw them, l fired, and woke the camp up two Mags l let go with the guardroom on stand too , well next
day,all l shot was coyotes , how do you live that down .
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Shooting wild dogs instead of terrorists as l said ,you don’t live that down ,well at least it gives them something to talk about. To pass the time we have races, not us running, but Dung Beetle races,(commonly
known as, Shit Beetle races)we collected Dung Beetles, about the size of a dessert spoon . Numbers are painted on them, we have two race courses , one a round circle , and from the centre to out side ring , the first over the line wins, number two a straight line between two planks ,now gambling is not permitted in H,M,Forces, so we have a look out , the only game allowed is Housey Housey , or ,now called Bingo,we always had a bet going , especially on the firing range , football match coming up Officers, and N.C.O.s against O,R,s or Other Ranks ,meaning Buckshe privates , this is going to be a blood bath , time to get our own back , the match is not going our way ,Officers winning ,but not for long , a truck doing nothing , Holden purloins it ,and drive it in front of the goal , now its harder ,they have got to score from the rear of the
goal , They still win, all good fun. After that a rugby match was organised same procedure , as you now the Welsh love their rugby ,we are envited to go to the ,5th Battalion Scottish Para , for a games session , the Welsh ,and the Scots , this is going to be a helloffer a night, and it was . We finished up painting over the Thistle on there Battalion notice board, with a Daffodil ,now the Jocks got some how in to our camp, and painted our poor old Billy goat black and white , our Bill William’s is not a happy man , anyway its tit for
tat . There’s trouble down in Jaffa now, so off we go ,this is a Palestinian area these are poor people, incomparision with the Jewish areas , one truck got blown up ,( hit a pile of camel shit, with a land mine in it ,they lost a front wheel ), so Now it's don’t run over camel shit . Six Sgts have been found hanging in a orange grove not of the Para Redg , we knew six were taken hostage but we did not reckon on this . Now the nicety nice is out of the window , its shoot or be shot , from now on Holden , any Jew or Arab makes a false move he wont move anymore ,and sod the consequences, and when l say this , its not only me who is going to do it but all the lads , we do have the right to fire at will but with restraint ,Major says what about a walk , where too , from Nazareth to Bethlehem , how fars that , 80 mile ,80 bloody mile, hell in this heat . Well you like history so you are about to follow it , its not just a walk its for us to inspect the wells of ancient times for illegal arm’s stores ,l think its going to be great , its possible we might get a little hostile reception in places ,now as far as possible we are going to walk, where Joseph, and Mary went ,and l can assure you that the terrain is a little bit to be desired very rocky ,To walk over this terrain , and eight months pregnant ,no
way, maybe months earlier, l think people really Believe she just walked straight there, and gave birth,?this young girl was about sixteen as history tells us ,and its not shure she was married to him either . l think she was in Bethlehem months before the baby was dew to be born , l would like to see anywoman walk 80 miles 8 months pregnant .
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But it was not a Virgin Birth either as history has proved that wrong also ,but you will always get some people that will believe it , l very much doubt she walked 80 mile , a camel track is not like a good road to walk on , and about 2000 years before we try to venture this way , and we are fully trained, with good strong leather boots ,commonly known as ammo boots ,and three meals a day , l do not say it was not true , but maybe she
arrived at Bethlehem months before the birth ,think about it ,could your wife walk 80 mile , eight months pregnant over barren rock paths ,Nazareth is not what, l expected it to be , no signs to say anything about Jesus Christ was living here , not even the church he preached in , poor show l think ,we get on our way , we are going to bye pass Jerusalem , this we think might have happened ,as there was a lot of argee bargee going on at the time ,to get all Jews to register in there place of birth, and tribe name ,Bethlehem was the
home of the tribe of David they were Jews ,and Jesus at birth was a Jew. Remember the country of Palestine is under British law from 1918 ,and there are no boundaries to us ,Jewish or Palestinian , till things are changed we rule the roast ,I can say that l followed the path of Mary, and Joseph ,but not with
Bible ,but a Bren Gun at my hip , l suppose we are like the Romans ,when they ruled this Country , l shall never now why they call this the land of Milk and Honey , its baron ,its dry , and inhospitable ,and as for being holy ,its a cauldron waiting to boil over ,We come across lots of little settlements some have not even got names or marked on the map, all have wells, most are still in use ,after hundreds of years after they were dug , we find no arm’s but word has got around that we are coming , so they could have shifted them . We come across a camel train heading from the sea, to the dead sea, going crossways to us , and its our old friend we stopped with ,a big shout from him Sa-eeda Afendy , the Major, said who is he ,Oh one of the Bedouin we made contact with he gave us tea and coffee , Officer like my tea, and coffee yes , l said yes
but not today ,we must keep going ,next time ,we will ,too late next time you will be gone , dose he now something we don’t, l can say this l never saw that man again,,l dare not tell the Major , that was the one that got us ,(pissed on Gin) as not so long after that,the withdrawal was taking place , the Americans were getting involved with the Jews in the States , Exodus to Israel had become a reality .We bed down for the night ,and a lot of chatter , l said do you think when they wrote the ,New Testament a little bit of writers poetry came in to it , yes, and a bit more said one , then the Major said what about the big star ,l said at school saw in a book that said Hayleys comet could have been around at the time , give or take a year or two ,it should have been in the sky at that time , the Major said l think that’s about right .The shacks in some of the settlements, do not look as if they have changed for a thousand years , and what the Major said next ,was well chaps only another forty miles to go , Sir can we call
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In at some Army Camp, and get a good wash, l am stinking so much the Flies wont come near me, well you blend in with the surroundings , and l love you too Sir. To break the monotony, l catch a chameleon , l put him on my shoulder queer looking reptile they are , they can look both ways at once, and all round, two toes to the front, and one at the rear on each leg, they also change colour , l catch him some praymantus ,and
beetles . Now we sleep at nights,on high rocks off the ground, away from scorpions ,and snakes but that did not save our radio signaller, he got a nasty sting in the arse with a scorpion ,fleshy part, boy was he in pain our medics give him a injection ,and the medics come by jeep to pick him up, and with a replacement, by by Charlie , he is off to Nathanya Hospital . At last we come across an army camp R.A.S.C. (ROYAL ARMY SERVICE CORP)British Officers, and N,C,O,s but the men are Sudanese, and black , as they say in the army as black as the ace of spades , Officer welcome us in , what about a shower Sir , no problems bril , its back to S,E,A.C, days square tin with holes ,and one pouring in the water ,who cares l can get wet all over , then dinner , cornbeef fritters and chips baked beans , boy that’s better than compo stew .Now l
better get this in ,before l left the barracks, l found in the N,A,A,F,I, a Picture Goer this is a book that tells you all about the new films that are coming out , and on the back was a list of people, that needed pen friends all girls addresses ,so l picked one nearest to Norwich this was in Ely ,about fifty miles from Norwich , a girl by the name of Aurdry Dewey, so l am looking forward to see if l get a reply but my hand writing is to be disired ,l am a scraller. What l can’t make out is, when we are miles from anywhere either in sand dunes, or barren rocks there’s always a Arab that comes up selling eggs where the hell do they come from , out of the earth or something , one minute no one the next an Arab , kind of spooky . I think ,l have been in the sun too long, and seeing things or am l ,my mate on my shoulder don’t care he’s having a free ride to newer pastures , we come across a lot of Tortoises, all sizes we stop for a little while to brew up but within minutes they all move off , l expect some will end up in shops in England as pets . On the march like this we
go to the toilet anywhere , but in camp its different , the Engineers come in dig a round hole about eight feet across ,a round concrete ring is put down, and about two feet high then on goes the top round ,with six holes in around the edges that’s the toilet, but for a Pee its the desert rose ,any soldier can tell you what that is , well its a funnel shaped thing stuck in the sand six in a row or more with a hessen shield around the same as the toilets out in the open , Toilets desert stile. In the end we arrive in Bethlehem , a big Church
at the end of the square , shops everywhere, l didn’t now what to expect so, l was at the ready like us all , but no hostility here , plenty of people selling all sorts of things , the people here seem to be mainly Palestinians in the area, we draw lots
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To visit the cave where, Christ was born, it's under the church, l expect before the church, it was the Inn or resting house. The cave we can not be shure its the correct one, as there must have been dozens of
cattle caves here at the time , as most people lived over the cattle for warmth in winter, and it must have been a Jewish or Hebrew settlement then as it was the home of the tribe of David ,that’s why Joseph and Mary came here To register as they were part of the tribe of David. In two thousand years buildings have been pulled down ,and rebuilt with the same stone in a different places ,In the square there are dozens of camels, and donkeys bringing all sorts to sell, all laid out on the blankets around the square ,and the man selling the famous dirty post cards , l first read lady chatterlys lover ,out here it went around the barracks like wild flower . Had a mooch around the town with a couple of mates , lots of little work shops making all sorts of things , and they liked you to watch them , especially the wood carvers , we all bought odd trinkets, the leather shop was the best , l wanted a pair of shoes, yes we make , but l explained we had to move off , he said we bring to camp , so l gave my name ,and the camp we bring he measured my feet, showed him what l wanted no money change hands , and some of the other boys did the same , well l can tell you as good as his word, l got my shoes , paid him at the guard room, as he was not allowed in the camp, and for years after that they were still going strong , Now its the walk to camp from Bethlehem its mainly down hill all the way as we are on the coast line , we get about three to four miles out side of the city ,and bed down for the night ,now we are in a rocky area, the wind is slightly blowing ,and cold , its like the wind blowing around a house, and kind of whistling , is this what the shepherds heard instead of angels, plus the bright star , and the people wanted a new king , so two ,and two together new baby, a new king , why have no angels been seen since that date , perhaps another myth . Reflecting back on what we have seen in the cave , is a bit tatty wire mesh holding the unsafe bits of rock up, and the stable is smaller than l had thought , the manger is there, and a star on the floor were Mary most properly laid, and gave birth , it looked as if the cave would hold about four or five cattle, and goats,the shepherd boys out here do not have sheep, they are goat herds , sheep need grass fields , but sheep that are here are not of the kind that’s in England ,and good rock climbers,with large curly horns Laying out here at nights in the open the dark night sky above , and l mean dark you see the towns out here have no electric light only the odd oil lamp so the stars seem to shine brighter , also the shooting stars seem to go further across the sky , Sir says any of you thinking of signing on when we get back to Blighty , me only if l am out of barracks doing something like this , Sir says l dought it more like training, and parades , Holden you could go up the ladder as you are of that calibre , is that why you always pick me, partly yes, a good sence of humour ,get on with people , and take the lead in orders.
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Thanks Sir, it is something to think about we will see. The Jews no longer recognise this place, as the wailing wall is their shrine in Jerusalem, after some had proclaimed him the new King , Herod gave orders to
kill all male children born at that time just to protect his throne , so Joseph and Mary did a bunk to Egypt for twelve years . This is now mainly a Christian pilgrimage shrine, at least, l can say, l have been here, at the moment, l can’t see me coming back , but who knows . Off we go again , this time sticking to a rough road of hard stone , Sir thinks it could have been made by the Romans , l can say its level walking , but its funny out here ,the fear, l had in the far east was just before any operation , Out here it's a continuance alertness, and tension, like meeting the R,S,M. Or him shouting at you , it never goes away We arrive back, not around fired, where’s the showers, and NAAFI for a pint of Stella beer, and feet up, l hope , but l find since ,we have been gone ,l have been moved to C , company, and some new mates, l still have two old mates with me , at least this time wooden huts again , l see they put me oppersite the door to the veranda who cares there’s a bed , next thing collect mail ,we all go down to the post hut , yes l got some , and a letter from Ely, but not from the girl, l posted one too , but it all explained in the letter , this person is a Miss Mary Irene Lupson at least l got a letter may be more , now this is when a new friend ship begins , l have never wrote to a Girl
before, so l am breaking new ground , and some of the other lads got letters like me from there places . My mates, and me find it very quite in the hut these lads don’t talk much so find out what’s the problem , we find they are fresh out here new reinforcements , we ask why the silence , Oh the R,S,M, said you lot are a wild bunch , and don’t say anything out of place , Oh did he right , now Mr R,S,M, its your turn , he sleeps in a large tent guarded at night , right the six of us get together, and about two in the morning we crept around to Gods tent, and the guard is told by Sammy to either do as he is told or take one , so he said tie me up , we did,now we proceed in letting the tent down on him , there’s one hell of shout ,and screams they are after me , now we high tail it back to billets the other Guards are on the seen, the guard is quizzed about what happened he said it was so fast that he never had time to see who they were , liar . Next day all on parade God is not a happy man, if l ever catch who did it there feet will not touch the guard room floor , l think
he suspects as his eyes fix on us . He did have a word with us later , and he said you sods ill have you lot yet , perhaps you might remember the R,S,M, his name was R,S,M, Mac Nalley he had a pet dog that used to go on parade with him ,it was as daft as a brush . There were some maintenance fitters that came to
the camp ,and had to be guarded ,these are Jews so l am one of the guards ,we get talking about this, and that ,then they show me there arms with the tattoo numbers on them ,Nazi concentration camps . They were saying that they just wanted to settledown in there land that was rightfully theres , from the days of Joshua 1200 BC and there’s been fighting eversince that time.
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Things are hotting up, lots of trucks being blown up ,and buildings , one of the worst was King David Hotel the base of our Intelligent Centre .My cousin made a detour to come ,and see me on his new army lshue motor bike ,he looked like a jockey ,as he is shorter than me, with his D,R, trousers ,leather jacket ,and crash hat , well we did have time for a drink in the NAAFI then off again , its good to see him , then, l am off out on
patrol again in Tel Aviv,this is a modern town built in squares, and lots of the roads ,they are named after British towns like there’s London road and others ,Sent a return letter to Mary Lupson , l shall have to ask for a photo at least ,l can see who l am writing too , who knows, l might get some comics to read ,as we all love comics , us paras are kids at heart. Curfews are in force ,so me, and my mate are given a cross roads to guard, this is in a housing area the people here are all Jews , after a while some come to the windows, and talk , and some have the famous tattoos on their arm’s, so we at least now what they have been through , but duty is duty, so its hard sometimes well we get talking they need ice to keep there meat cool , so we strike a bargain, they come to us for a search ,each way, too ,and from the ice plant over the other side of the road , well this turned out to be a good thing we got drinks, and food never had it so good ,from then on it was our spot , but a Sarg rumbled us, what’s going on here then , well its like this Sarg, so we spill the beans, you crafty pair of sods, OK but don’t let us down , right Sarg . A planed day out to Jerusalem , we go early ,so we can get as much site seeing as possible , as no one knows ,when the next blast might happen , we all take weapons with us everywhere , first the Wailing Wall that’s something , its about twenty feet high, and sixty feet long ,its a remnant of an Ancient Temple this is mainly a shrine to the Orthodox Jew , there are two areas here one for women ,and one for the men , to see the Jews chanting, and swaying to a blank
wall ,worshipping a stone wall , Makes you think, but l can understand people reading scriptures. Then we go around the corner to the Golden Dome Mosque, and here we see people taking there shoes off, and washing there feet in a fountain before they go in to the Mosque, and start chanting to a rock that Mohammed supposed to have sat on , two very different religions not far from each other, one worshipping a stone wall ,this one worshipping a lump of rock, across a small area there’s the Christian church which we are now going in to , this is the Church of the Holy Sepulchre , yes another lump of rock ,called the Sepulchre,, really its three religions, close together , what ever happens out here they have got to live together some how , l can see when we do pull out there’s going to be a blood bath , I buy a piece of paper with a very small piece of stone stuck to it , this is a piece of the rock that was in front of the Sepulchre , l paid fifty mills for that , mum will like it , but think of all the millions of people that buy these it must have been a Mountain , l also get a cross of Olive wood from behind the Sepulchre ,
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at least , l have been to see it, and can make my own mind up about all this ,l have my dowts on the sepulchre, as this is in side the city walls, and according to history the original one was out side the city walls, by the size of it, and weight, l do not think it was man handle to there, l am talking of tons of one piece of rock, going in the tomb there is a priest inside, and there is only room for two more people at a time, you just go in, and either kiss the head rest of stone, or You just look, it looks like a stone bed , and l have my own thoughts on this, as there are queues of people waiting even when, all this turmoil is going on. The odd thing out here is two high profile religious groups that go to prayer, then blow each other to pieces, and they call it religion, if that is so then l will stay outside any religious group . In side the church of the holy Sepulchre are lots of Alters from different countries , l think the most elaborate was the Russian one with
gold’s, and silver ornate , Our next place to visit, and walk up is the Via Dorsia which is now a spice market we see the fifteen Stations, and Challenger hill , then on to the garden of Gesemany that’s as the crow fly about a mile away there is also a Church there ,it was not there when Jesus Christ,was preaching here ,as this is very modern , and in the garden is the Olive tree that he was supposed to have prayed under , it is a tatty old tree, but it would be if l was two thousand years old , and if the tree was as big as they say it was, then it must have been a least fifty years old then , do olive trees live that long ?. Looking across from here you can see the gate ways to the old town, some are now bricked up, and there are still tombs out side the
walls , you must remember all this is Christian beliefs, the Jews do not recognise this, their only part is making money out of it , looking at this city of Jerusalem we have three faiths within , a houndred yards of each other ,and they say, they all have the correct religion , well so be it , its off back to camp , no dowt before, l leave l shall come again, and Give it another look. In mums letter she says Churchill has been voted out of office , and a new Labour government in , l am not old enough to vote yet, but the government
say l can kill people , and no questions asked, so it does not really concern me, l can also get married, and raise a family, but no say in who runs the country, but l did say that earlier in the book that change was coming , the barons have got to go , the working man has got to have his say , and a better world as he has laid His life on the line, for a better country, no one will ever knock Churchill as he proved A good leader at the time we needed one. The M,O, is going to chat to us today, what this new government is going to do , he
has told us that we are going to have free health care from cradle to grave , free eye treatment , teeth , operations , and medicine , everyone will be stopped money From our wages each week, it's called the National Health, that sounds great to me, no more worry of falling ill with a big doctor's bill at end. Our turn for the Mobil cinema tonight now this is in the open , a large screen goes up , the projector one side , but you can view the screen both sides, you sit in the open
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anywhere on the sand ,only thing is, if you sit on the opposite side, its in reverse order who cares the sounds the same . This is the first time , l have been detailed to be armed guard to collect the money from Nathanya , for pay day , four of us in a jeep, l am rear guard , l call it a jeep but its the new British version l do not now the name of it , as its a bit bigger .l set my Bren up facing out the back , the Officer l had a run in with ,he is in charge , the signaller or sparky comes , and check over the set l think they call this one a 64 radio set means nothing to me , never done any signal training , The sparks insists on sitting on the floor , me why , its like this, the bullet, will have to go through the steel sides before it hit me says sparky , maybe so that’s up to him . At least it gives me a little more room to swing my Bren around , as l am getting set up, l ask if they do this run every week at the same time, Sir replies yes why , l said bloody hell ,
anything wrong , no if you are happy so am l , but l have a gut feeling that somewhere the Major is behind this, or is he suspecting something , so l will be a bit more wide a wake , well orders is orders , we did the trip both ways , and safe , but one of the other camps ran in to trouble , they were ambushed but got away with it .The next outing is arranged to the Dead Sea , River Jordan , and the Sea of Galilee,and if time Tibearius . Remember to go site seeing out here is like going to War, you take your weapons everywhere, always
loaded ,some stupid clot might try something, we get to the Dead Sea, not to go swimming but to float in it, you try to swim the water get in your mouth, and the saline is not a nice taste so you ease on to your back, and float , next River Jordan that’s more like my river Tas, at home, and at this point the same size. Off to the Sea of Galilee, this is fresh water, lots of boats on it most are fisher men, and one or two sand banks out there as well , all the things, and people in this area is like time stood still, they are doing things like it
was two thousand years ago, with donkeys, and camels. But in Tel Aviv, and Jerusalem its modern we are only miles apart, the women here wear the yashmac across there faces, and dresses to the ground, and in this heat. The fishermen in the boats are fishing as they did in Christ’s time so, l am told, one thing, l have noticed the people never smile all have hard faces, and do not laugh, but if you see how they live, and the state of there houses poor Sods, they have not got much to smile about . This is supposed to be the place where Jesus Christ asked the fishermen to follow him, and join him to be disciples, at this time Jesus was becoming to preach his way, and not of the Hebrew way, the Romans did not care, as they believed in all sorts of Gods, but the fellow in Jerusalem, he did not take too kindly to this, so he set out to get him. It
seems as l am turning this in to a history lesson as well as my life story, well l am in Palestine, and visiting the places that are mentioned in the Bible but as l have my own views on this , more to the history books , which give a more accurate point of view , now its off to see the hill where Jesus
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supposedly feed the fivethousand, with a very small quantity of fish, and bread, l would think he told the people that he was going to preach at that place, and said bring your lunch with you, then said its time
to eat, and every one sat down to eat, and he stood up, and broke the bread, and fish for his own Men, most properly said eat with me , and the Deciples eating the fish, and bread, l think over the years that followed things got a little distorted, that’s my version, is nearer the truth. Next stop the man made hill, with fort on top, no time to go to the top, but at least l have seen it, back at barracks a new Sergeant takes over ,a Sgt Johns everything is changing very quickly, as more ,and more demobs, and new in takes come, the six
of us from 136 will soon be the only old vets around , the lads that come in now have never fired a shot in anger , we sit and listen to them talk what they are going to do, and so forth , they will be OK on the day. Orders are out to get the top men of different terrorists groups , so its looks like all out curfews , no movement after dark, only us , this chap Beggin he is a cleaver fellow , but he might slip up yet, I really have a lot of sympathy for the Jews, no homeland to call their own, l can say this, there is more land being cultivated now, than when we first got here, these Jews don’t loose much time in growing crops, and building roads. Its mostly night patrols now, and curfews, and village searches at about three in the mornings to try, and catch members of the families coming in from terrorist raids, we catch one or two
small fry. Now we make a raid on the Stella Brewery as we have a tip off, but Holden, and one or two others have other ldears, water bottles empty, and fill with a grape brandy, there was no weapons, as we expected there must have been a tip off, that we were coming, .We are in three jeeps in line , l am this time rear guard , so sitting on this jeep facing rear , l thought might as well have a swig, well one , two swigs , so after a time ,and Dutch courage inside me , Bren fully at the ready , me a bit dozy , jeep hits a bump my finger squeeze the trigger one mag empty , me fully wakes up everybody stops some come running to see what’s up ,as quick as a flash , Sir l thought ,l saw terrorists in the orange grove we go to inspect nothing .But on the way home our driver hits camel shit , and they have all been warned not to run over any sort of dung ,he
did, and we lost a front wheel everyone said a few nice words to the driver , such as why the fucking hell did you run over that for, you stupid bastard (he had no father either) could have killed all of us , something like that, anyway it over rides my little fireworks display, we all pile into the other jeeps , and leave it for the R,E,ME, to deal with ,well l can say , l slept like a log till dinner. Letters keep coming from Mary ,l begin to look forward to them , it brings a little sanity to life ,and also she is sending me comics ,and when l get a chance to see them ,as all the lads purloin them first , its a fight to get them back , a new lad enter our hut , just out from blighty , what’s your name , its Trunby or something like that , but he soon has the name Fairy
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why because he comes in the hut ,and jump from bed to bed shouting lm a fairy , and he is more like Samson than a fairy ,l bet he’s going to be a bit of a character what’s your favourite weapon , OH a catapult ,
l new it , the Major is going to like this lad , someone else to have a go at , might leave me alone for a while , this night patrolling is getting the boys down ,some are getting very edgy , my old Major has been posted on detachment to G,H,Q, We get a break, and time for games , l go to Sir the young Officer, and ask can we go fishing , he said he would ask the C,O, , but Sir its fishing S,E,A,C, style, Oh what’s that , with a three inch Mortar , you want what , that’s right Sir , you haven’t got a chance in hell getting that , take a bet ,Sir you say, l guarantee the C,O, a nice fresh fish supper for all , right l will ask, we get the mortar squad ,and plenty of H,E, down to the beach with a small row boat ,Sir with us , well ,l do not now the weight ,we caught but lets
put it this way , we could not carry it , so two jeeps from the M,T, came , and every one got fish ,and chips , the sea was full of fish , and the locals got some as well ,this became a regular thing we called it fishing S,E,A,C, style ,l heard from some Navvy Bods that they do it with depth charges, then send a boat to collect the fish no new thing , we all cash in on the band wagon ,Our lot has been detailed to guard the storage tanks in Haifa Harbour, to rest our company for a spell ,well l look at these tanks of fuel, there is thousands of
gallons of petrol , diesel , and oil , l think to myself if this lot gets blown up, its good bye Holden , then l look in the water in the harbour its full of stinging Jelly fish the red ones , so if l have to jump in the water if the
bast don’t Get me the jelly fish will, not a nice thought. Rumours are going round the camp that we have got to pull out , British and American agreement ,and the Germans are going to supply the Jews with W,W,II, arms as a gesture of friend ship , it seems all nations agree to this ,except the Arab nations ,it seems as the Jews have got what will be known as ,The State Of Israel . Back at camp again after our little stint at Haifa time off again , so we thought a little hike to the desert near Rafah , along the sea shore its rocky but a
sandy beach we stay at the top of high ground, and see hundreds of Tortoises , Lizards , Beetles , and one or two Snakes , l do not now what they are , so we keep our distance from them , we come across a village that’s half covered with sand , we also saw this sort of thing on our treck to Aqaba , the shifting sands , cover a village then blows it away again . I must tell you that before we did move out, l got some baby tortoises ,,and bought them home to England in my mess tins, they were about the size of a chickens eggs ,the young children in the towns ,and villages are singing the poppy song or Kalionots was the word
for poppy a red flower with a black heart , but we retaliated with Horst Wessel a German song with other suitable words , why they sang it was , that we wore a Red Beret , the trouble is we are trying to protect them from being killed ,as l have said two religious groups will not sit down side by side ,and talk the
whole thing out ,
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at sometime, somewhere, someone has too. The sooner we get out of here the better. For three thousand years, and more, there has been turmoil here so the history books tell us, and l expect it will go on for an
other two thousand years , when will man realise that religion, will not solve the problems, its no good waiting for God to it, or Allah,Man has got to Sit down,side by side, and talk, as religion is only man made by who ever thought them up what l have not mentioned yet is that the Jewish members, of our armed forces have the right, not to serve with us in Palestine, but l do not know of anyone, refusing to be out here, l thought ,l should mention that. It is hard to tell a story of Palestine without bringing in religion ,and the Romans, so l will now look at the Roman Empire out here,l can say this while the Romans ruled,they did not stand for a lot of old nonsense, they ruled with an iron fist, you step out of line, and you could expect to be nailed to a wooden cross, called crucifixion, and you stayed there till your body rotted, now in the case of Jesus he was taken down within two hours so in his case he wasn’t dead,so within days he was seen, my guess he went off to Turkey with his mother, she started a Monastery there. There still are some buildings that they constructed,and some statues of noble men, there is even a bust of Herrod, but none of Christ,so in their books, he was a miner figure in society to them a rebel with a new religion l surpose he started of Catholicism,at least, l can say what Herrod looked like, or Pontius Pilate ,and Titus,there busts are in
the museums. There are also a lot more noble men’s busts, for such a mostly baron land how could so much turmoil be created in such a small piece of land . Time has come now to start packing to return to England , Southampton docks , orders are out we sail on the R,M,S, Alcantara Trooper three thousand of us
Para,s , the first to pull out under the treaty, the Royal Marines are going to escort us all the way to Haifa docks, Knowing the Marines, and the rivalry between us the Marines are not going to like this, guarding Paras is below, there standing according to them. A Jewish government has been formed for a /State of Israel, not a Country but a State,a Mrs Goldermeir is proment at the moment for an Israel government minister. At least l can say l have travelled half way round the world,and visited at least fourteen Countries,and dozens of towns,and world monuments, l have seen how other people live, and life styles
plus all the different religions, there is none to beat my little Head-hunter of the Sarawak tribe yet, he was uneducated could not read or write, but at least he new that if the sun didn’t come out,we all die, he dose not need us to tell him how to live, he is a survivor of the land. Down at Haifa we arrive safe with a Green Beret escort, and the comments that are flying around its better than a music hall program. Having served in Palestine ,and seen the hatred between two groups of people,were does Christianity come in to this,Jesus Christ was here, so was Mohammed, and they could not sort it out,so how the hell are we going to sort it , our guns are no good against two tribes That hate each others guts.
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From now on the church has got to come up with some honest answers ,it’s time to board the trooper the back chat is still flying around , not fitting to the holy land more to barrack room talk , but that’s the Marines for you ,us Para,s wouldn’t dream of saying things like that ,(says he tongue in cheek ) , as almost everybody is saying lets get the hell out of this place ,and leave it to the Jews ,and the Wogs ,well Wog is short for
Westernised Oriental Gentleman or Arab if you like . Standing on the docks at Haifa this ship looks massif she’s is a twenty-two thousand toner , but already on board are WAAF,s and ATS , ( well ) things look brighter already ,We find out that they are on the top deck ,and part middle deck , l think they have
come Home from Singapore. When l get home, no dowt my local Parson the Rev Chandler will be asking a few questions about the holy land , all l can say its very UN Holy , its nearly barbaric to me ,l think some of the Jews have turned to Nazism for the horrors they are inflicting on us peace keepers , now they no
longer turn the other cheek, but at least they don’t shoot you in the back ,but the Arabs will,as we say never trust a tea towel wearer , l wonder if ever, l will come back this way again who knows , l can say ,l can meet the world with more self conference than before , l lost my youth, and became a man in a very short time , l have lived with the Black Man, eaten his food, and slept in places were no one has ever seen , also lived with the Head Hunters , and learnt to eat curry with the Gurkhas , and also live off the Jungle , and
finally my fellow White Men , and also come to respect all nations, of there way of life , that’s Education , that is not in a class room , We have a walk around the deck, and two mine sweepers are still looking for mines in the Med , at the moment we can just see land its a little cooler out at sea , l am sleeping on deck with a crowd of my mates ,and taking in the lovely fresh air , this is better than the dusty old sand , one comedian said , l am glad we have left, as some bright Officer might have ordered a ship load of cement so we could build a road across the desert . We all sit around chatting ,and how we feel, and the near misses we have had ,after two days at sea its surprising how we are relaxing after all that tension we had ,me more than some.Two days ago, l had the ultimate decision ,weather a man lived or died, not only me but
thousands of us had that power, and no questions asked, but the strange thing is we are only talking about the funny things that happened,and the big laughs we had, Such as standing on the beach with nothing on, and camel train came past nearly starting W,W,3,we see the funny side now. Lets get back to these females on board,l can assure you we are playing hell with them, but we are not aloud on there decks, you see at nights most port holes are open, and the females deck is above ours, and smaller so we get the fire hose, and when they are in bed, in go the water through the port hole lots of screams, and laughter, but we don’t get it all our own way, as buckets of water are tipped over us, what the hell its tit for tat good fun,
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and at nights we get long poles with a rag or towel soaked in water this we let drip on them , sometimes all hell lets loose who cares its only fun , this does not go down very well with some of the Officers at leased we are alive ,and enjoying life again . Looking over the side, at times the fluorescence ,in the sea shines from the waves , plus the flying fish are attracted to the lights in the port holes ,and land on the decks , queer looking things a fish with wings , they look like mackerel with wings ,and about the same size ,l am enjoying this , eating , drinking , and sleeping ,till some stupid burk of an Officer , thought a little P,T , would do us no
harm , so now, an hour every day P,T, ,l have quite a few letters from Mary now ,l have kept everyone why ,l don’t now why, l haven’t even meet the girl yet , it seems the right thing to do . We are heading for the Bay of Biscay, we did not see Gibraltar, as it was fogged out ,well in the bay its rough l have never seen anything like it , having said that, its only the third time on the sea in ship , the first two were in waters like lily ponds .The sea is very rough one minute we are down ,and the sea swell way above us, the next minute we are on top of the swell with our props out of the water ,and as they hit the water it makes the ship shudder , at the moment, l wish, l was flying home , a few of us are on deck but most are below, its terrible down there , body’s lying every where some are a bit green in colour , so l am sticking it out up here .We hit the coast of France ,and its calmer again , now to cross the channel to Southampton , rumours are when we dock ,we are off to Blandford camp Dorset , then rail warrants , pay , and home for a months leave , fingers crossed . It looks as if the all of Southampton has turn out to see us land ,a big army band is playing us in , its a Heroes welcome Home, never expected this all the cameras are flashing the papers are here photos being taken , yes l do feel proud to be British , l feel a little bit gob smacked , its a pity some of my
mates are not here to see it , they are still in a far distant land ,time to disembark down the gang plank, and line up for the Customs Officer to check us , well now the lad next to me has a kit bag full of tins of cigs , he has saved them up by swapping sweet coupons, for cig coupons, he had some off me , each tin has fifty cigs in, and kit bag full that’s a lot of cigs , this Officer comes along kicks the kit bag it rattles he open it ,you cannot have all that amount only twohundred ,you have got to hand the rest to us , ( it went something like this ) bollocks ,l saved them from my fucking rations, if l cant have them, you will not get a chance to have the bastards , so he turns ,and tip them in the sea over the docks , you cant do that , you want to make
something of it,Custom Officer looks at us all , and makes a retreat , if he had not he would have gone in the drink as well, no more checks that’s good as l have my baby tortoises in my haver sack, l do not know how true this is, but l was told later that, a boat with two men in it were checking the docks, and fished most of them out, and handed them back to the para, you see they would be OK as they were sealed tins.
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of fifty . Arrive at Blandford , some young squaddies at the main gate , and show us to the barracks blocks , first job a bath , when’s dinner in an hour right , we have spring beds , mattresses , and sheets , this is the Hilton Hotel , what has got me is these lads who showing us around are speaking to us in another tongue , as we are being called trained soldier , like this , its yes trained soldier ,no trained soldier , so we ask
why this , its to do with the new way of training . Hell let us get away on leave , cant stand that ,and they stand to attention as they talk to us ,bloody hell we don’t even stand to attention to the Officers , dinners great no more salt tablets ,or mepperquin tablets , and the Shiite hawks, to pinch your dinner , and its green fields ,we are told if we need more food just ask , there’s a catch here somewhere , must be . Time comes to draw pay , the six of us S,E,A,C, lot go up about midway of the pay parade , now the six of us has
extra pay to come , as we saved our pay in S,E,A,C. as we were paid by two Governments at the time , we spent the Dutch money ,and saved the British . Well the look on the Officers face when the pay corporal said the amount , it is what corporal , that must be wrong , no Sir he said , now the rest of the parade are all ears , something is wrong corporal , then we had to explain, and told him that we were paid by two Governments , never he said no British soldiers get paid twice ,we did Sir, Lourd Mountbatian ordered it at the time we were soldiers of fortune , then out of the blue , our Major turns up, haven’t seen him for at least six weeks , anything wrong pay master , yes these soldiers say they are entitled to all this money , the two have a conflab , that’s more than my Officers get , Major turns winks OK lads ,walks away , we get our pay with a few mumbles , with our savings, and leave pay its a lot of money for a soldier to have, anyway, l earned it, l put my life on the line, and our jump pay as well . Off we go to pick up our kit bags from the Q,M,s, that were stowed away in the hold , a lot of the kit bags have been riffled in the hold , me l lost my Japanese sword , others shoes, boots, and presents, the merchant navvy got the blame, who else could have done it, even some Officers had kit rifled, anyway its off to the guard room to collect warrants, and the truck to the station , catch the train to Liverpool Street then wait to catch the train to Norwich, time for a cupper tea, and a wad, now the regular thing is the, ladies of the night (prozies) , like to see us service men as we are on leave , and money in our pockets, you now the old patter , hello soldier no need to go home tonight , come with me lovely bed all the old chat . Before l get any further l haven’t told you about the jumps we did in Palestine, just
practice jumps quiet funny really, we drawed chutes, and proceeded to the aircraft the dear old Daks, this is going to be a Desert drop in an old river bed , well everything goes well till the chutes open . Well coming up from the desert are thermals this gives an up draft , and you just hang there, so we have we have got to spill air to get down good fun the same as we did at Chuklala (India)
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but there are also down drafts that nearly close the chutes this makes landing a bit heavy , l was lucky l got up thermals but after a while it all got stopped as too many broken legs , and arm’s ,sorry about that, it should have gone in earlier ,now lets press on where l stopped , well me l am off home to a bed of my own , after years away that’s one thing l will never pay for is sex , that’s just one of my principles , l can say this English weather is not like the middle east , lm feeling the cold , the train is due in about midnight , so its a taxi home to Dunston , and a hot cupper with Mum, and Gran , Lots to talk about, where l have been , and the sights l
have seen , did not say anything about the hangings of Japs , it does not seem the right moment then l might not tell them , l do not think they would under stand or any of the things we did out there , its funny now that l am home , its hard to say what you did , the brain seems to say not yet, l thought it would be easy . Getting late a long day ,bed , next morning a lovely smell coming up the stairs Grans cooking breakfast , eggs, bacon , and fried potatoes , get cleaned up, and catch the bus to Norwich for the day, meet some other
sqwaddies on leave , and have a jar or two , Still plenty of Yanks around thought they’d gone home by now . Catch a bus to Alexandra road to see my Arnt ,and cousins have a good laugh then home for tea , then a walk to the Red Lion pub at Stoke Holy Cross , to see some school mates l hope , well l walk in the pub ,and everyone stares a para is here , l see some old mates say hello , next words they say we have not seen you for years , that’s right l have been travelling the world , next words when do you go back , l have just bloody well arrived home , and they want to now when l go back . It looks as if most of them have girl friends, l sit amongst them, and tell them where , l have been but the look in there eyes are saying where are all these places , l ask if there is any far east P,O,Ws, around here yes one or two why, l would like to meet some of them , oh they do not talk much , no l don’t surpose they do, they went through hell, give them time they will , well we had the bombing here, and we talk about it , but you were not a prisoner of the Japs, were you ,no , and if you had been with me you would understand, it fell on deaf ears , the most important thing to them was ploughing the next field, its if time stood still . Then they say, are you stopping in the army, l have not given it thought about it yet ,l might , you should do as there’s nothing to do out here , l looked ,and thought no, you lot will never get out of this rut you are living in, l wonder if they will ever travel, or will it be a week at Yarmouth as usual , Next day off to see my work mates at H,E,TAYLORS first on the list is Harold
Barker the one ,l was apprenticed under , and what a greeting, the old boy was pleased , now tell me about yourself, hour and half later still nattering , and a chat to Ike Mortimer the old first war soldier , he ask what was it like boy , yes in his eyes l am still a boy, so l told him as brief as possible , and get as much in as l could, it will never leave you, you live with that all your life , its harsh now but it dose get ease as time goes on, thanks,
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l now one thing lke , the world is going to be a different place now , l had to leave them, as l had other visits to make ,and what a difference to last night New people have moved in to the village with young children , l am the only Para around here , so the kids are asking lots of questions , its three years since l was home , lots of new babies in the village , some school mates are married or courting strong , my Next visit is ELY all arrangements for Saturday trip, into the unknown again Holden as usual, at least, l have a good ldear what to expect ,from the letters l received. Arrive in Ely, met by her younger brother Derrick about twelve years old , he takes me passed the Cathedral, and up Lynn Road , the houses along this road look a bit up market ,am l getting out of my depth here , then we turn off to the Council estate New Barns, that’s better, meet the family Mum makes a cupper tea. After a while Derrick takes me to meet Mary out of Work , we meet, and
Derrick takes her bike so we can walk home together , now l have met her in working clothes , after dinner she changes into a blue Costume , she looks lovely it must have been at that Point, that my life was about to change again. Then it was out, down town to meet her friends ,and some more relations , one of her friends was in a paper shop Burrows , she had long eye lashes, and her nick name is Bonzo , and all the others, l get introduced to ,Mary Reeves , Joyce Rich, and all the others, l get introduced too , just to give me the once over of approval , then later some more of the family .Well the first day over Mary comes to see me off at Ely Station , we arrange to see each other again , we have a little parting kiss then off , yes l thought, l think l can really get to now this girl my type of person , but she’s shy but that’s the first meeting , see what happens later , go from here . I am going to come over next week for to stay a week that will give us time to get to now each other better, its going to take a bit of getting used too ,as all l have had is male company
, for these last few years , now a girl has come in to my life , and to treat her correctly, l have to think all the time , the language in the barracks would not go down very well with female company , so its back to Mums way , how she taught me how to behave , and so forth . Well after a week, and my teasing , and her brothers on my side , l can see sparks flying shortly , well l think this girl is for me she’s a bit of a fighter, and can hold her own against us , but l come out worst as when she get me on my own she grabs my hair ,and say
will you stop it, and my head going back, and forth like a bell in a bell tower . India, Singapore, and Palestine just seem a dream now as, l have something new to think about, the family ask a few questions of where, l have been , as the next door neighbour was a P O W of the Japs , l expect we will have a chat sometime about it , it seems as Mary ,and Me have hit it off so far , l do a bit of proding with my talk , to find out what she has and hasn’t done in life , it seems that her father is very stricked with the family rules , when he shouts everyone jumps ,except me , its puzzled me that she is aloud out with me a stranger, and a Para at that .
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l can make out she hasn’t done much travelling, so a visit to Norwich will have to be arranged, and meet the family, uncle Harry seems to be the one, and his wife Gerty or Fairy as he call her, he is a chain smoker ,and his wife smokes he is a bloke that takes everything that comes good or bad he is a fellow that rides any storm, and love a good laugh. Granddad well he’s all for a laugh anyway, she will wonder what has hit her, well it went like this Mary’s shoe lace was undone so l said put your foot on the stool next to Granddad, and l will tie it up, granddad spots a hair on the bottom of her skirt,a long one ,then out it came ,blast gal, you grow them long up there, Mary’s face a picture never been spoken too like that, at least she took it well, after the laughter,granddad gave her ten shillings ,that was about half her wages at the time. Norwich is a big City, it has thirteen cinemas, a music hall, two theatres, and two large dance halls plus all the smaller venues.I now
she likes dancing old time, and quick steps etc , me l am no dancer l really have never taken any interest in it but l do love music, any sort depends of the mode l am in, can not play any instrument that’s me . I hope the weather stays fine because l am going to take her to the speedway stadium , other wise Paddy Mills grave yard , he is the star rider , she will then be able to here the real broad Norfolk brogue , and she did, lt made her laugh ,as half the time she had no ldear what they were saying .Then its time to take her back to
Ely , well on the way back we are in a carriage full of other people, and Mary wants to go to the toilet,and she will not go, as she is so shy that the other people will now where she’s gone, now l do not now this at the time , so when we get to Ely she so full of pain,and can hardly walk, taxi straight away home, then l give her the works she must never do that again while she’s with me, that can be dangerous, but l give way to her shyness , l ask are you frightened of me, no she says, l thought perhaps you were, no she said l feel quite safe, then don’t let that happen again, just tell me,and l will go along with you,and stand out side the toilet OK. I am really surprised that she was aloud to come with me on her own, as the Paras have not got a high standard of reputation, it all started with that stupid Lady Aster of more money than sense saying we were
excrooks, and come out of prison to join the Paras what a load of rubbish as,l said before that they would not have been excepted anyway they are not of the right callabar for the Paras. I am finding it very easy in this young ladies company, l must say young lady as she is still only seventeen but coming up eighteen in two months, she has lovely fair hair down to her shoulders,and in lovely curls, and dose not use much make up, l can say this everything she wrote to me about herself, and her family was the truth, that in my books goes a very long way , this is the first girl l have been at ease with, well the other girls were abit dizzy , and did not know what they wanted out of life , that’s the ones , that my mate Ron ,and Me used to date before going in to the Army, Mary also meet my cousin Reggie Le Grice who is in the Navvy on Subs
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Now while l have travelling half the world , Oh l for got to mention was the finding of the Dead Sea Scrolls, while we were out there they were found by a herds boy taking shelter in the caves around the Dead
Sea , they are so fragile it will take years to translate , and they already are saying they will change the course of History of Jesus Christ ,this could be the first real everdence of what really happened , and l bet the Christian Church will say ,Oh the Scrolls ,they are not the Bible , as they will not believe that the Turin Shroud is a fake , as scientific everdence proved it is . Time is getting near for me to go back to barracks ,and sort myself out in what l am going to do stay in ,or come out ,Mary, and l say our goodbyes but
the friendship is getting stronger who knows at this stage , l certainly want to see her again , and by the things that’s said between us she wants to see me again .Check in at Blandford Guardroom , told don’t unpack we are moving out in two days , where too, don’t now yet , don’t tell me overseas again l bet ,
there’s still trouble in Malaya ,another jungle campaign l bet ,and the Koreans are spoiling for a fight . Well it wasn’t ,it was down to Cambria Barracks Tidworth , looks a good camp , big parade square God will love this , but unbeknown to me a new R,S,M, has taken over R,S,M, Meredith a Welshman for sure , also a new C,O his name is LT COL Cubbins a rather short man ,and so was R.S.M. I think us none Welshmen are in for a hard time, he wants as many Welsh to be together as possible , so us old soldiers ,and none speaking Welsh are given jobs out of the way , such as Q,M,S, stores , M,T, section and the messes to work in , l go for the Officers mess .l hope to get out of a few parades working over in the mess , might be able to pull a few strings ,l do get out a bit with the mess SGT collecting mail ,and catering the odd taxi job taking
Officers down into Ludgershall that get me out of barracks the Officers say pick us up at a certain time the rest of time is free ,so long as they sign my M,T, ticket who cares ,l go for a ride around with the other mate who might be with me at the time . After a while orders are that the 6th Batt and the 4th Batt are going to amalgamate calling it the 4th /6th Battalion Para but before that the 6th Batt is going to disband we are to get the freedom of Newport South Wales Rhondda Valley , but there’s a catch we are going to march there ,
twohundred miles , bloody hell that’s a shock , there’s only twohundred men going to walk there out of eight hundred , l will not be in that lot , God will only have Welshmen to do that , wrong my old Major is taking them down there, and Holden you are coming with me with that extra water bottle , and fill it up in the mess, yes Sir . Meredith hears this , what’s this about an extra water bottle for the Major , didn’t he tell you, no, then l cant tell you , he looks at me, l will get to the bottom of this , what l didn’t now the Major had a rough time on leave the malaria bug got him, and he don’t look too good now, l am placed in the first squad to march just behind Sir as we do some practice marches l haven’t
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marched since going from Nazareth to Bethlehem , we are a bit out of shape , but it all goes well ,at least we will see the Countryside ,Mary writes regular , and phones at weekends that l can’t get away its
only worth coming to Ely on a forty-eight pass . From now on its going to be twenty five miles a day till we reach Newport , now on the way we stop at nights in fields , and bivve with our ground sheets, and bed rolls , washing in the nearest pond or river, food is brought out to us each day , at least its better walking here, no rocks or holes to stumble in too ,all nice tarmac road . When we stop its a meal wash up, and the nearest pub in the village a beer then back to bed , but one night on our way back in the moon light, there was a
line full of washing , well in those days women had big bloomers with elastic round the waste ,and in the legs , we creep around the back ,and fill the clothes with straw , we are off at day break , so l wonder lf she ever new who did it , that’s the Para,s for you ,it was only fun . The scenery is lovely down this way, and the nearer we get to Wales the more hilly it gets , then we arrive at the boarder we cross , but its Sunday no beer in Wales on Sunday( boyoo) , so its back over the river to Chepstow for a pint . We arrive at Newport , the Freedom given to the Battalion , THE 6th BATTALION ( ROYAL WELSH FUSILIERS ) PARACHUTE REGIMENT , then all the speeches ,then that night at the town hall for a variety concert top of the bill was the Western Brothers , it was free drinks ,and food for all , a great night ,and of cause there was a Welsh Choir . Next day the Goat Major Bill William’s said we are going to Cardiff , and Barry Island , so off we go six of us, now at this time Cardiff the docks area of Tiger Bay no one goes there alone so the six of us stick together , now this place is full of mainly black people seems to be more here than in Africa , but its a very much a mixed race area , then on to Barry that’s an area of miles of sand , and there’s fun fairs as well . We are in
good company as Bill speaks Welsh that opens a lot of doors , then its back to Cambria Barracks , its time for a bit more leave so its Ely here l come , and l arrive about two in the morning Mary lets me in a Kiss ,and a cuddle then she goes to bed l sleep with John her eldest brother in a double bed , but he does not here me get in bed , so in the night he puts his hands over me ,wonders who it is, l am now wondering what’s going to happen next , then says oh its you , l thought it was Mary, and falls a sleep . After a lovely weekend time to go back to barracks order a taxi to take me to the station , taxi does not turn up , so l ask for a letter as l am going to be in trouble when l get back , and I was on C ,O s orders in the morning , now the real C,O, is on leave , the senior Officer takes over a Major that l have never meet , in at the deep end , my letter did not count he threw that across the table , the usual, do you except my punishment or a Court Martial . Well you except what’s thrown at you , it was three days pay stopped, and three days in the nick (guardroom) note
later this Major has a Batman ,and he sleeps at his Officers married quarters the tide is about to turn. l blame Mary for getting
anywhere on the sand ,only thing is, if you sit on the opposite side, its in reverse order who cares the sounds the same . This is the first time , l have been detailed to be armed guard to collect the money from Nathanya , for pay day , four of us in a jeep, l am rear guard , l call it a jeep but its the new British version l do not now the name of it , as its a bit bigger .l set my Bren up facing out the back , the Officer l had a run in with ,he is in charge , the signaller or sparky comes , and check over the set l think they call this one a 64 radio set means nothing to me , never done any signal training , The sparks insists on sitting on the floor , me why , its like this, the bullet, will have to go through the steel sides before it hit me says sparky , maybe so that’s up to him . At least it gives me a little more room to swing my Bren around , as l am getting set up, l ask if they do this run every week at the same time, Sir replies yes why , l said bloody hell ,
anything wrong , no if you are happy so am l , but l have a gut feeling that somewhere the Major is behind this, or is he suspecting something , so l will be a bit more wide a wake , well orders is orders , we did the trip both ways , and safe , but one of the other camps ran in to trouble , they were ambushed but got away with it .The next outing is arranged to the Dead Sea , River Jordan , and the Sea of Galilee,and if time Tibearius . Remember to go site seeing out here is like going to War, you take your weapons everywhere, always
loaded ,some stupid clot might try something, we get to the Dead Sea, not to go swimming but to float in it, you try to swim the water get in your mouth, and the saline is not a nice taste so you ease on to your back, and float , next River Jordan that’s more like my river Tas, at home, and at this point the same size. Off to the Sea of Galilee, this is fresh water, lots of boats on it most are fisher men, and one or two sand banks out there as well , all the things, and people in this area is like time stood still, they are doing things like it
was two thousand years ago, with donkeys, and camels. But in Tel Aviv, and Jerusalem its modern we are only miles apart, the women here wear the yashmac across there faces, and dresses to the ground, and in this heat. The fishermen in the boats are fishing as they did in Christ’s time so, l am told, one thing, l have noticed the people never smile all have hard faces, and do not laugh, but if you see how they live, and the state of there houses poor Sods, they have not got much to smile about . This is supposed to be the place where Jesus Christ asked the fishermen to follow him, and join him to be disciples, at this time Jesus was becoming to preach his way, and not of the Hebrew way, the Romans did not care, as they believed in all sorts of Gods, but the fellow in Jerusalem, he did not take too kindly to this, so he set out to get him. It
seems as l am turning this in to a history lesson as well as my life story, well l am in Palestine, and visiting the places that are mentioned in the Bible but as l have my own views on this , more to the history books , which give a more accurate point of view , now its off to see the hill where Jesus
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supposedly feed the fivethousand, with a very small quantity of fish, and bread, l would think he told the people that he was going to preach at that place, and said bring your lunch with you, then said its time
to eat, and every one sat down to eat, and he stood up, and broke the bread, and fish for his own Men, most properly said eat with me , and the Deciples eating the fish, and bread, l think over the years that followed things got a little distorted, that’s my version, is nearer the truth. Next stop the man made hill, with fort on top, no time to go to the top, but at least l have seen it, back at barracks a new Sergeant takes over ,a Sgt Johns everything is changing very quickly, as more ,and more demobs, and new in takes come, the six
of us from 136 will soon be the only old vets around , the lads that come in now have never fired a shot in anger , we sit and listen to them talk what they are going to do, and so forth , they will be OK on the day. Orders are out to get the top men of different terrorists groups , so its looks like all out curfews , no movement after dark, only us , this chap Beggin he is a cleaver fellow , but he might slip up yet, I really have a lot of sympathy for the Jews, no homeland to call their own, l can say this, there is more land being cultivated now, than when we first got here, these Jews don’t loose much time in growing crops, and building roads. Its mostly night patrols now, and curfews, and village searches at about three in the mornings to try, and catch members of the families coming in from terrorist raids, we catch one or two
small fry. Now we make a raid on the Stella Brewery as we have a tip off, but Holden, and one or two others have other ldears, water bottles empty, and fill with a grape brandy, there was no weapons, as we expected there must have been a tip off, that we were coming, .We are in three jeeps in line , l am this time rear guard , so sitting on this jeep facing rear , l thought might as well have a swig, well one , two swigs , so after a time ,and Dutch courage inside me , Bren fully at the ready , me a bit dozy , jeep hits a bump my finger squeeze the trigger one mag empty , me fully wakes up everybody stops some come running to see what’s up ,as quick as a flash , Sir l thought ,l saw terrorists in the orange grove we go to inspect nothing .But on the way home our driver hits camel shit , and they have all been warned not to run over any sort of dung ,he
did, and we lost a front wheel everyone said a few nice words to the driver , such as why the fucking hell did you run over that for, you stupid bastard (he had no father either) could have killed all of us , something like that, anyway it over rides my little fireworks display, we all pile into the other jeeps , and leave it for the R,E,ME, to deal with ,well l can say , l slept like a log till dinner. Letters keep coming from Mary ,l begin to look forward to them , it brings a little sanity to life ,and also she is sending me comics ,and when l get a chance to see them ,as all the lads purloin them first , its a fight to get them back , a new lad enter our hut , just out from blighty , what’s your name , its Trunby or something like that , but he soon has the name Fairy
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why because he comes in the hut ,and jump from bed to bed shouting lm a fairy , and he is more like Samson than a fairy ,l bet he’s going to be a bit of a character what’s your favourite weapon , OH a catapult ,
l new it , the Major is going to like this lad , someone else to have a go at , might leave me alone for a while , this night patrolling is getting the boys down ,some are getting very edgy , my old Major has been posted on detachment to G,H,Q, We get a break, and time for games , l go to Sir the young Officer, and ask can we go fishing , he said he would ask the C,O, , but Sir its fishing S,E,A,C, style, Oh what’s that , with a three inch Mortar , you want what , that’s right Sir , you haven’t got a chance in hell getting that , take a bet ,Sir you say, l guarantee the C,O, a nice fresh fish supper for all , right l will ask, we get the mortar squad ,and plenty of H,E, down to the beach with a small row boat ,Sir with us , well ,l do not now the weight ,we caught but lets
put it this way , we could not carry it , so two jeeps from the M,T, came , and every one got fish ,and chips , the sea was full of fish , and the locals got some as well ,this became a regular thing we called it fishing S,E,A,C, style ,l heard from some Navvy Bods that they do it with depth charges, then send a boat to collect the fish no new thing , we all cash in on the band wagon ,Our lot has been detailed to guard the storage tanks in Haifa Harbour, to rest our company for a spell ,well l look at these tanks of fuel, there is thousands of
gallons of petrol , diesel , and oil , l think to myself if this lot gets blown up, its good bye Holden , then l look in the water in the harbour its full of stinging Jelly fish the red ones , so if l have to jump in the water if the
bast don’t Get me the jelly fish will, not a nice thought. Rumours are going round the camp that we have got to pull out , British and American agreement ,and the Germans are going to supply the Jews with W,W,II, arms as a gesture of friend ship , it seems all nations agree to this ,except the Arab nations ,it seems as the Jews have got what will be known as ,The State Of Israel . Back at camp again after our little stint at Haifa time off again , so we thought a little hike to the desert near Rafah , along the sea shore its rocky but a
sandy beach we stay at the top of high ground, and see hundreds of Tortoises , Lizards , Beetles , and one or two Snakes , l do not now what they are , so we keep our distance from them , we come across a village that’s half covered with sand , we also saw this sort of thing on our treck to Aqaba , the shifting sands , cover a village then blows it away again . I must tell you that before we did move out, l got some baby tortoises ,,and bought them home to England in my mess tins, they were about the size of a chickens eggs ,the young children in the towns ,and villages are singing the poppy song or Kalionots was the word
for poppy a red flower with a black heart , but we retaliated with Horst Wessel a German song with other suitable words , why they sang it was , that we wore a Red Beret , the trouble is we are trying to protect them from being killed ,as l have said two religious groups will not sit down side by side ,and talk the
whole thing out ,
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at sometime, somewhere, someone has too. The sooner we get out of here the better. For three thousand years, and more, there has been turmoil here so the history books tell us, and l expect it will go on for an
other two thousand years , when will man realise that religion, will not solve the problems, its no good waiting for God to it, or Allah,Man has got to Sit down,side by side, and talk, as religion is only man made by who ever thought them up what l have not mentioned yet is that the Jewish members, of our armed forces have the right, not to serve with us in Palestine, but l do not know of anyone, refusing to be out here, l thought ,l should mention that. It is hard to tell a story of Palestine without bringing in religion ,and the Romans, so l will now look at the Roman Empire out here,l can say this while the Romans ruled,they did not stand for a lot of old nonsense, they ruled with an iron fist, you step out of line, and you could expect to be nailed to a wooden cross, called crucifixion, and you stayed there till your body rotted, now in the case of Jesus he was taken down within two hours so in his case he wasn’t dead,so within days he was seen, my guess he went off to Turkey with his mother, she started a Monastery there. There still are some buildings that they constructed,and some statues of noble men, there is even a bust of Herrod, but none of Christ,so in their books, he was a miner figure in society to them a rebel with a new religion l surpose he started of Catholicism,at least, l can say what Herrod looked like, or Pontius Pilate ,and Titus,there busts are in
the museums. There are also a lot more noble men’s busts, for such a mostly baron land how could so much turmoil be created in such a small piece of land . Time has come now to start packing to return to England , Southampton docks , orders are out we sail on the R,M,S, Alcantara Trooper three thousand of us
Para,s , the first to pull out under the treaty, the Royal Marines are going to escort us all the way to Haifa docks, Knowing the Marines, and the rivalry between us the Marines are not going to like this, guarding Paras is below, there standing according to them. A Jewish government has been formed for a /State of Israel, not a Country but a State,a Mrs Goldermeir is proment at the moment for an Israel government minister. At least l can say l have travelled half way round the world,and visited at least fourteen Countries,and dozens of towns,and world monuments, l have seen how other people live, and life styles
plus all the different religions, there is none to beat my little Head-hunter of the Sarawak tribe yet, he was uneducated could not read or write, but at least he new that if the sun didn’t come out,we all die, he dose not need us to tell him how to live, he is a survivor of the land. Down at Haifa we arrive safe with a Green Beret escort, and the comments that are flying around its better than a music hall program. Having served in Palestine ,and seen the hatred between two groups of people,were does Christianity come in to this,Jesus Christ was here, so was Mohammed, and they could not sort it out,so how the hell are we going to sort it , our guns are no good against two tribes That hate each others guts.
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From now on the church has got to come up with some honest answers ,it’s time to board the trooper the back chat is still flying around , not fitting to the holy land more to barrack room talk , but that’s the Marines for you ,us Para,s wouldn’t dream of saying things like that ,(says he tongue in cheek ) , as almost everybody is saying lets get the hell out of this place ,and leave it to the Jews ,and the Wogs ,well Wog is short for
Westernised Oriental Gentleman or Arab if you like . Standing on the docks at Haifa this ship looks massif she’s is a twenty-two thousand toner , but already on board are WAAF,s and ATS , ( well ) things look brighter already ,We find out that they are on the top deck ,and part middle deck , l think they have
come Home from Singapore. When l get home, no dowt my local Parson the Rev Chandler will be asking a few questions about the holy land , all l can say its very UN Holy , its nearly barbaric to me ,l think some of the Jews have turned to Nazism for the horrors they are inflicting on us peace keepers , now they no
longer turn the other cheek, but at least they don’t shoot you in the back ,but the Arabs will,as we say never trust a tea towel wearer , l wonder if ever, l will come back this way again who knows , l can say ,l can meet the world with more self conference than before , l lost my youth, and became a man in a very short time , l have lived with the Black Man, eaten his food, and slept in places were no one has ever seen , also lived with the Head Hunters , and learnt to eat curry with the Gurkhas , and also live off the Jungle , and
finally my fellow White Men , and also come to respect all nations, of there way of life , that’s Education , that is not in a class room , We have a walk around the deck, and two mine sweepers are still looking for mines in the Med , at the moment we can just see land its a little cooler out at sea , l am sleeping on deck with a crowd of my mates ,and taking in the lovely fresh air , this is better than the dusty old sand , one comedian said , l am glad we have left, as some bright Officer might have ordered a ship load of cement so we could build a road across the desert . We all sit around chatting ,and how we feel, and the near misses we have had ,after two days at sea its surprising how we are relaxing after all that tension we had ,me more than some.Two days ago, l had the ultimate decision ,weather a man lived or died, not only me but
thousands of us had that power, and no questions asked, but the strange thing is we are only talking about the funny things that happened,and the big laughs we had, Such as standing on the beach with nothing on, and camel train came past nearly starting W,W,3,we see the funny side now. Lets get back to these females on board,l can assure you we are playing hell with them, but we are not aloud on there decks, you see at nights most port holes are open, and the females deck is above ours, and smaller so we get the fire hose, and when they are in bed, in go the water through the port hole lots of screams, and laughter, but we don’t get it all our own way, as buckets of water are tipped over us, what the hell its tit for tat good fun,
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and at nights we get long poles with a rag or towel soaked in water this we let drip on them , sometimes all hell lets loose who cares its only fun , this does not go down very well with some of the Officers at leased we are alive ,and enjoying life again . Looking over the side, at times the fluorescence ,in the sea shines from the waves , plus the flying fish are attracted to the lights in the port holes ,and land on the decks , queer looking things a fish with wings , they look like mackerel with wings ,and about the same size ,l am enjoying this , eating , drinking , and sleeping ,till some stupid burk of an Officer , thought a little P,T , would do us no
harm , so now, an hour every day P,T, ,l have quite a few letters from Mary now ,l have kept everyone why ,l don’t now why, l haven’t even meet the girl yet , it seems the right thing to do . We are heading for the Bay of Biscay, we did not see Gibraltar, as it was fogged out ,well in the bay its rough l have never seen anything like it , having said that, its only the third time on the sea in ship , the first two were in waters like lily ponds .The sea is very rough one minute we are down ,and the sea swell way above us, the next minute we are on top of the swell with our props out of the water ,and as they hit the water it makes the ship shudder , at the moment, l wish, l was flying home , a few of us are on deck but most are below, its terrible down there , body’s lying every where some are a bit green in colour , so l am sticking it out up here .We hit the coast of France ,and its calmer again , now to cross the channel to Southampton , rumours are when we dock ,we are off to Blandford camp Dorset , then rail warrants , pay , and home for a months leave , fingers crossed . It looks as if the all of Southampton has turn out to see us land ,a big army band is playing us in , its a Heroes welcome Home, never expected this all the cameras are flashing the papers are here photos being taken , yes l do feel proud to be British , l feel a little bit gob smacked , its a pity some of my
mates are not here to see it , they are still in a far distant land ,time to disembark down the gang plank, and line up for the Customs Officer to check us , well now the lad next to me has a kit bag full of tins of cigs , he has saved them up by swapping sweet coupons, for cig coupons, he had some off me , each tin has fifty cigs in, and kit bag full that’s a lot of cigs , this Officer comes along kicks the kit bag it rattles he open it ,you cannot have all that amount only twohundred ,you have got to hand the rest to us , ( it went something like this ) bollocks ,l saved them from my fucking rations, if l cant have them, you will not get a chance to have the bastards , so he turns ,and tip them in the sea over the docks , you cant do that , you want to make
something of it,Custom Officer looks at us all , and makes a retreat , if he had not he would have gone in the drink as well, no more checks that’s good as l have my baby tortoises in my haver sack, l do not know how true this is, but l was told later that, a boat with two men in it were checking the docks, and fished most of them out, and handed them back to the para, you see they would be OK as they were sealed tins.
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of fifty . Arrive at Blandford , some young squaddies at the main gate , and show us to the barracks blocks , first job a bath , when’s dinner in an hour right , we have spring beds , mattresses , and sheets , this is the Hilton Hotel , what has got me is these lads who showing us around are speaking to us in another tongue , as we are being called trained soldier , like this , its yes trained soldier ,no trained soldier , so we ask
why this , its to do with the new way of training . Hell let us get away on leave , cant stand that ,and they stand to attention as they talk to us ,bloody hell we don’t even stand to attention to the Officers , dinners great no more salt tablets ,or mepperquin tablets , and the Shiite hawks, to pinch your dinner , and its green fields ,we are told if we need more food just ask , there’s a catch here somewhere , must be . Time comes to draw pay , the six of us S,E,A,C, lot go up about midway of the pay parade , now the six of us has
extra pay to come , as we saved our pay in S,E,A,C. as we were paid by two Governments at the time , we spent the Dutch money ,and saved the British . Well the look on the Officers face when the pay corporal said the amount , it is what corporal , that must be wrong , no Sir he said , now the rest of the parade are all ears , something is wrong corporal , then we had to explain, and told him that we were paid by two Governments , never he said no British soldiers get paid twice ,we did Sir, Lourd Mountbatian ordered it at the time we were soldiers of fortune , then out of the blue , our Major turns up, haven’t seen him for at least six weeks , anything wrong pay master , yes these soldiers say they are entitled to all this money , the two have a conflab , that’s more than my Officers get , Major turns winks OK lads ,walks away , we get our pay with a few mumbles , with our savings, and leave pay its a lot of money for a soldier to have, anyway, l earned it, l put my life on the line, and our jump pay as well . Off we go to pick up our kit bags from the Q,M,s, that were stowed away in the hold , a lot of the kit bags have been riffled in the hold , me l lost my Japanese sword , others shoes, boots, and presents, the merchant navvy got the blame, who else could have done it, even some Officers had kit rifled, anyway its off to the guard room to collect warrants, and the truck to the station , catch the train to Liverpool Street then wait to catch the train to Norwich, time for a cupper tea, and a wad, now the regular thing is the, ladies of the night (prozies) , like to see us service men as we are on leave , and money in our pockets, you now the old patter , hello soldier no need to go home tonight , come with me lovely bed all the old chat . Before l get any further l haven’t told you about the jumps we did in Palestine, just
practice jumps quiet funny really, we drawed chutes, and proceeded to the aircraft the dear old Daks, this is going to be a Desert drop in an old river bed , well everything goes well till the chutes open . Well coming up from the desert are thermals this gives an up draft , and you just hang there, so we have we have got to spill air to get down good fun the same as we did at Chuklala (India)
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but there are also down drafts that nearly close the chutes this makes landing a bit heavy , l was lucky l got up thermals but after a while it all got stopped as too many broken legs , and arm’s ,sorry about that, it should have gone in earlier ,now lets press on where l stopped , well me l am off home to a bed of my own , after years away that’s one thing l will never pay for is sex , that’s just one of my principles , l can say this English weather is not like the middle east , lm feeling the cold , the train is due in about midnight , so its a taxi home to Dunston , and a hot cupper with Mum, and Gran , Lots to talk about, where l have been , and the sights l
have seen , did not say anything about the hangings of Japs , it does not seem the right moment then l might not tell them , l do not think they would under stand or any of the things we did out there , its funny now that l am home , its hard to say what you did , the brain seems to say not yet, l thought it would be easy . Getting late a long day ,bed , next morning a lovely smell coming up the stairs Grans cooking breakfast , eggs, bacon , and fried potatoes , get cleaned up, and catch the bus to Norwich for the day, meet some other
sqwaddies on leave , and have a jar or two , Still plenty of Yanks around thought they’d gone home by now . Catch a bus to Alexandra road to see my Arnt ,and cousins have a good laugh then home for tea , then a walk to the Red Lion pub at Stoke Holy Cross , to see some school mates l hope , well l walk in the pub ,and everyone stares a para is here , l see some old mates say hello , next words they say we have not seen you for years , that’s right l have been travelling the world , next words when do you go back , l have just bloody well arrived home , and they want to now when l go back . It looks as if most of them have girl friends, l sit amongst them, and tell them where , l have been but the look in there eyes are saying where are all these places , l ask if there is any far east P,O,Ws, around here yes one or two why, l would like to meet some of them , oh they do not talk much , no l don’t surpose they do, they went through hell, give them time they will , well we had the bombing here, and we talk about it , but you were not a prisoner of the Japs, were you ,no , and if you had been with me you would understand, it fell on deaf ears , the most important thing to them was ploughing the next field, its if time stood still . Then they say, are you stopping in the army, l have not given it thought about it yet ,l might , you should do as there’s nothing to do out here , l looked ,and thought no, you lot will never get out of this rut you are living in, l wonder if they will ever travel, or will it be a week at Yarmouth as usual , Next day off to see my work mates at H,E,TAYLORS first on the list is Harold
Barker the one ,l was apprenticed under , and what a greeting, the old boy was pleased , now tell me about yourself, hour and half later still nattering , and a chat to Ike Mortimer the old first war soldier , he ask what was it like boy , yes in his eyes l am still a boy, so l told him as brief as possible , and get as much in as l could, it will never leave you, you live with that all your life , its harsh now but it dose get ease as time goes on, thanks,
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l now one thing lke , the world is going to be a different place now , l had to leave them, as l had other visits to make ,and what a difference to last night New people have moved in to the village with young children , l am the only Para around here , so the kids are asking lots of questions , its three years since l was home , lots of new babies in the village , some school mates are married or courting strong , my Next visit is ELY all arrangements for Saturday trip, into the unknown again Holden as usual, at least, l have a good ldear what to expect ,from the letters l received. Arrive in Ely, met by her younger brother Derrick about twelve years old , he takes me passed the Cathedral, and up Lynn Road , the houses along this road look a bit up market ,am l getting out of my depth here , then we turn off to the Council estate New Barns, that’s better, meet the family Mum makes a cupper tea. After a while Derrick takes me to meet Mary out of Work , we meet, and
Derrick takes her bike so we can walk home together , now l have met her in working clothes , after dinner she changes into a blue Costume , she looks lovely it must have been at that Point, that my life was about to change again. Then it was out, down town to meet her friends ,and some more relations , one of her friends was in a paper shop Burrows , she had long eye lashes, and her nick name is Bonzo , and all the others, l get introduced to ,Mary Reeves , Joyce Rich, and all the others, l get introduced too , just to give me the once over of approval , then later some more of the family .Well the first day over Mary comes to see me off at Ely Station , we arrange to see each other again , we have a little parting kiss then off , yes l thought, l think l can really get to now this girl my type of person , but she’s shy but that’s the first meeting , see what happens later , go from here . I am going to come over next week for to stay a week that will give us time to get to now each other better, its going to take a bit of getting used too ,as all l have had is male company
, for these last few years , now a girl has come in to my life , and to treat her correctly, l have to think all the time , the language in the barracks would not go down very well with female company , so its back to Mums way , how she taught me how to behave , and so forth . Well after a week, and my teasing , and her brothers on my side , l can see sparks flying shortly , well l think this girl is for me she’s a bit of a fighter, and can hold her own against us , but l come out worst as when she get me on my own she grabs my hair ,and say
will you stop it, and my head going back, and forth like a bell in a bell tower . India, Singapore, and Palestine just seem a dream now as, l have something new to think about, the family ask a few questions of where, l have been , as the next door neighbour was a P O W of the Japs , l expect we will have a chat sometime about it , it seems as Mary ,and Me have hit it off so far , l do a bit of proding with my talk , to find out what she has and hasn’t done in life , it seems that her father is very stricked with the family rules , when he shouts everyone jumps ,except me , its puzzled me that she is aloud out with me a stranger, and a Para at that .
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l can make out she hasn’t done much travelling, so a visit to Norwich will have to be arranged, and meet the family, uncle Harry seems to be the one, and his wife Gerty or Fairy as he call her, he is a chain smoker ,and his wife smokes he is a bloke that takes everything that comes good or bad he is a fellow that rides any storm, and love a good laugh. Granddad well he’s all for a laugh anyway, she will wonder what has hit her, well it went like this Mary’s shoe lace was undone so l said put your foot on the stool next to Granddad, and l will tie it up, granddad spots a hair on the bottom of her skirt,a long one ,then out it came ,blast gal, you grow them long up there, Mary’s face a picture never been spoken too like that, at least she took it well, after the laughter,granddad gave her ten shillings ,that was about half her wages at the time. Norwich is a big City, it has thirteen cinemas, a music hall, two theatres, and two large dance halls plus all the smaller venues.I now
she likes dancing old time, and quick steps etc , me l am no dancer l really have never taken any interest in it but l do love music, any sort depends of the mode l am in, can not play any instrument that’s me . I hope the weather stays fine because l am going to take her to the speedway stadium , other wise Paddy Mills grave yard , he is the star rider , she will then be able to here the real broad Norfolk brogue , and she did, lt made her laugh ,as half the time she had no ldear what they were saying .Then its time to take her back to
Ely , well on the way back we are in a carriage full of other people, and Mary wants to go to the toilet,and she will not go, as she is so shy that the other people will now where she’s gone, now l do not now this at the time , so when we get to Ely she so full of pain,and can hardly walk, taxi straight away home, then l give her the works she must never do that again while she’s with me, that can be dangerous, but l give way to her shyness , l ask are you frightened of me, no she says, l thought perhaps you were, no she said l feel quite safe, then don’t let that happen again, just tell me,and l will go along with you,and stand out side the toilet OK. I am really surprised that she was aloud to come with me on her own, as the Paras have not got a high standard of reputation, it all started with that stupid Lady Aster of more money than sense saying we were
excrooks, and come out of prison to join the Paras what a load of rubbish as,l said before that they would not have been excepted anyway they are not of the right callabar for the Paras. I am finding it very easy in this young ladies company, l must say young lady as she is still only seventeen but coming up eighteen in two months, she has lovely fair hair down to her shoulders,and in lovely curls, and dose not use much make up, l can say this everything she wrote to me about herself, and her family was the truth, that in my books goes a very long way , this is the first girl l have been at ease with, well the other girls were abit dizzy , and did not know what they wanted out of life , that’s the ones , that my mate Ron ,and Me used to date before going in to the Army, Mary also meet my cousin Reggie Le Grice who is in the Navvy on Subs
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Now while l have travelling half the world , Oh l for got to mention was the finding of the Dead Sea Scrolls, while we were out there they were found by a herds boy taking shelter in the caves around the Dead
Sea , they are so fragile it will take years to translate , and they already are saying they will change the course of History of Jesus Christ ,this could be the first real everdence of what really happened , and l bet the Christian Church will say ,Oh the Scrolls ,they are not the Bible , as they will not believe that the Turin Shroud is a fake , as scientific everdence proved it is . Time is getting near for me to go back to barracks ,and sort myself out in what l am going to do stay in ,or come out ,Mary, and l say our goodbyes but
the friendship is getting stronger who knows at this stage , l certainly want to see her again , and by the things that’s said between us she wants to see me again .Check in at Blandford Guardroom , told don’t unpack we are moving out in two days , where too, don’t now yet , don’t tell me overseas again l bet ,
there’s still trouble in Malaya ,another jungle campaign l bet ,and the Koreans are spoiling for a fight . Well it wasn’t ,it was down to Cambria Barracks Tidworth , looks a good camp , big parade square God will love this , but unbeknown to me a new R,S,M, has taken over R,S,M, Meredith a Welshman for sure , also a new C,O his name is LT COL Cubbins a rather short man ,and so was R.S.M. I think us none Welshmen are in for a hard time, he wants as many Welsh to be together as possible , so us old soldiers ,and none speaking Welsh are given jobs out of the way , such as Q,M,S, stores , M,T, section and the messes to work in , l go for the Officers mess .l hope to get out of a few parades working over in the mess , might be able to pull a few strings ,l do get out a bit with the mess SGT collecting mail ,and catering the odd taxi job taking
Officers down into Ludgershall that get me out of barracks the Officers say pick us up at a certain time the rest of time is free ,so long as they sign my M,T, ticket who cares ,l go for a ride around with the other mate who might be with me at the time . After a while orders are that the 6th Batt and the 4th Batt are going to amalgamate calling it the 4th /6th Battalion Para but before that the 6th Batt is going to disband we are to get the freedom of Newport South Wales Rhondda Valley , but there’s a catch we are going to march there ,
twohundred miles , bloody hell that’s a shock , there’s only twohundred men going to walk there out of eight hundred , l will not be in that lot , God will only have Welshmen to do that , wrong my old Major is taking them down there, and Holden you are coming with me with that extra water bottle , and fill it up in the mess, yes Sir . Meredith hears this , what’s this about an extra water bottle for the Major , didn’t he tell you, no, then l cant tell you , he looks at me, l will get to the bottom of this , what l didn’t now the Major had a rough time on leave the malaria bug got him, and he don’t look too good now, l am placed in the first squad to march just behind Sir as we do some practice marches l haven’t
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marched since going from Nazareth to Bethlehem , we are a bit out of shape , but it all goes well ,at least we will see the Countryside ,Mary writes regular , and phones at weekends that l can’t get away its
only worth coming to Ely on a forty-eight pass . From now on its going to be twenty five miles a day till we reach Newport , now on the way we stop at nights in fields , and bivve with our ground sheets, and bed rolls , washing in the nearest pond or river, food is brought out to us each day , at least its better walking here, no rocks or holes to stumble in too ,all nice tarmac road . When we stop its a meal wash up, and the nearest pub in the village a beer then back to bed , but one night on our way back in the moon light, there was a
line full of washing , well in those days women had big bloomers with elastic round the waste ,and in the legs , we creep around the back ,and fill the clothes with straw , we are off at day break , so l wonder lf she ever new who did it , that’s the Para,s for you ,it was only fun . The scenery is lovely down this way, and the nearer we get to Wales the more hilly it gets , then we arrive at the boarder we cross , but its Sunday no beer in Wales on Sunday( boyoo) , so its back over the river to Chepstow for a pint . We arrive at Newport , the Freedom given to the Battalion , THE 6th BATTALION ( ROYAL WELSH FUSILIERS ) PARACHUTE REGIMENT , then all the speeches ,then that night at the town hall for a variety concert top of the bill was the Western Brothers , it was free drinks ,and food for all , a great night ,and of cause there was a Welsh Choir . Next day the Goat Major Bill William’s said we are going to Cardiff , and Barry Island , so off we go six of us, now at this time Cardiff the docks area of Tiger Bay no one goes there alone so the six of us stick together , now this place is full of mainly black people seems to be more here than in Africa , but its a very much a mixed race area , then on to Barry that’s an area of miles of sand , and there’s fun fairs as well . We are in
good company as Bill speaks Welsh that opens a lot of doors , then its back to Cambria Barracks , its time for a bit more leave so its Ely here l come , and l arrive about two in the morning Mary lets me in a Kiss ,and a cuddle then she goes to bed l sleep with John her eldest brother in a double bed , but he does not here me get in bed , so in the night he puts his hands over me ,wonders who it is, l am now wondering what’s going to happen next , then says oh its you , l thought it was Mary, and falls a sleep . After a lovely weekend time to go back to barracks order a taxi to take me to the station , taxi does not turn up , so l ask for a letter as l am going to be in trouble when l get back , and I was on C ,O s orders in the morning , now the real C,O, is on leave , the senior Officer takes over a Major that l have never meet , in at the deep end , my letter did not count he threw that across the table , the usual, do you except my punishment or a Court Martial . Well you except what’s thrown at you , it was three days pay stopped, and three days in the nick (guardroom) note
later this Major has a Batman ,and he sleeps at his Officers married quarters the tide is about to turn. l blame Mary for getting
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me in the nick but it was worth it, my old Major gets to here about it , he laughs his head off ,he would wouldn’t he . Next thing was a refresher cause for jumping so we do few drops on Salisbury plain this is
leading up to a big one later , for films , and doctomentery features, plus it will be the last time that Gliders will be used ,its the nackers yard for them and also for the big wigs at Whitehall to see, Monty, and the rest ,but first its training in survival this is great fun , you are taken out to a place in a covered truck dropped off, find your way back with only rations for a few days no compass so we head for the first sign post , no bloody arms on it, as during the war all of them were removed, and not put back yet, a cottage next
ask way to Tidworth , well me dears its about seventy miles, you not going to walk are you , yes that’s the ldear , best of luck me dears she says in that lovely Southern Accent. The two of us head in the direction she said, that’s Andrew ,and Me, kip the night in a barn with some cattle , and eat cold stew out of a tin , well we were hungry , come the next night a village, there’s a house with some rabbits in hutches, rabbit stew on my mind , we have a sand bag with us, as l am a country boy l should have known better, ever tried putting a
live rabbit in a sand bag well that’s quite a feat, l should have just hit it at the back of the Head, it would have been all over, but rabbit stew we did have it went down a treat . We are somewhere near Warminster so we head for that now they said use your own ldears to get you home right R,S ,M, Meredith we will, we wait till dark a bus station no one around one bus ticking over that’s ours, in gear away a double Decker me at the wheel, Andrew stands behind me in side as look out, we do get back to barracks intime for bed, but next
morning full parade, God does not look happy, on the square are bikes, motorbikes, cars, a lorry, and double Decker bus , l wonder Who put that there? Now this little man is pacing up, and down , its going to come out shortly, then he starts l don’t mind bikes, on my parade ground or motorbikes but l draw the line at lorries, and busses who put them there, not a titter from anyone, but l think he suspects as he comes over, and look me in the eye, you Holden will be the death of me, me Sir no Sir, l cant drive heavy vehicles, don’t lie Holden l have seen your records you can drive Bren carries, well yes Sir, now move it off my square yes Sir, now at the double, shit that’s done it in the guard room again l bet, l moved it nothing more said, the Major stands at the edge of the square looks at me laughs his head off then walks off. We have been
told that the big drop is on ,and its called Operation Longstop, its in full battle order as real as possible there’s going to be a lot of noise on Salisbury Plain . There are going to be big Guns Firing, and Mortars , plus small arms fire, there’s a lot of banter going on, some are saying l hope they film me from the left side its my best side . Only Paras from now on ,all glider troops stood down . There is also a glider snatch as well its a Hotspur Glider that’s going to be snatched by a Dakota flying low with a hook lowered from the rear ,this l have got to see, l have heard
PAGE 104
a lot about this, with Wingates lot in Burma .Well the day has come , we are one of the first aircraft to fly in, the wind speed is at max for jumping just below 30mph. Red on stand in the door , green on go ,gone
me l make a bad exit, l am upside down feet in the rigging lines, its going to be a hard landing, you must remember we are still jumping with one chute, but the Yanks always jump with a reserve , the British did not adopt the reserve till the 50s, l hit terror firmer with a heavy impact my left side, and head takes it, l am out for the count for a few seconds , mates are shouting are you OK yo-yo, after l gather my senses l am off with the rest, at least l expect some big wig saw it, that will give them some ldear what we volunteer for. We clear the ground, and we see all the cameras going, the big wigs in a arena all chairs, and drinks l bet . Then in come the Gliders, there’s Horsers, Haidrians, Hamilcars, and Hotspurs, then one Hopspur is put into position, two
poles put up, tow rope across the poles to the Hopspur, then in come the Dak at about, l would say 10ft off the ground, down goes the hook on a arm, Dak near at stalling speed, hit the rope Dak then goes full throttle, Hotspur from standing to say 80mph in a second its a wonder it don’t pull the nose off the glider . But at least l can say l have seen it happen a snatched glider, this is the only way to get wounded off the battle field behind the lines it works . l hope the film crews got what they wanted with all the big bangs as well, all this was taken in black and white, so when you see a War film from now on some of this will be edited in to it , as a lot of film was lost during the War, and if you see a Para coming down up side down it could be me, and as it happens this is my last jump , as l did not do anymore as demob was coming up . But before l am demobed there’s another story to tell of the Major that gave me three days in the nick , now this story hit the all nationals papers, this Major had married quarters, he also had a Batman that lived in, known as Batman
quarters, he thought this private should help his wife, and children , l can say this , this Major is in for a shock , and he got what’s was coming to him .The trouble is this private is only interested to do his two years national service then back to work , and the Major has not checked his Docs of what he was in civey street ,this Major thought heres another odd bod to do as l like with ,and he will do as l say without question, (wrong) this is where l can smile abit as he gave me ,three days in the nick . He ordered the batman to
wash nappies ,and baby sit while he and his wife went to Officers mess functions, the batman refused to do this , all he should do is ,see that the Major is smartly dressed at all times . So the Major , charged him for refusing to obey an order . The Major also ordered him to do all the odd jobs around the house as well , no one knows this soldier , to the Major just another odd bod to push around , as l said before Barons ,and Serfs are on the way out , well the Major hasn’t noticed that attitudes are changing , but
PAGE 105
some are too thick to see what’s happening . The soldier refuses to do the extra work , he put it , l don’t mind being a batman , but draw the line at being a nanny , now for disobeying an order is a Court- martial offence, up on orders he goes , do you except my punishment or a court martial , now the Major thought he would back down ,Oh no ,a Court- martial Sir l want , well that took him back , are you sure , yes Sir , now there is the R,S,M, a SGT, and escort plus another Officer present so it had to go through with it, it was legal . As l said no one knows this lad he is only a private just in for two years, or so , but he actually comes from a well to do family of solicitors, and K,C, s , but the Major does not now this , he is asked to pick an officer To represent him, no thanks' l will get my own, Oh who, my uncle a K,C, ( what ) you did not say , sorry Sir you did not ask . Well the Court -martial goes a head , National Papers loved it, head lines, PARA did not
mind being a Batman but draws the line at being a Nanny to the Majors wife . The Major lost the Court- martial plus five years seniority so he can not make Colonel for five years, and a immediate posting , the private just an immediate posting to another Para unit . The batman to our Major is shared between
Officers , looking after two Majors is a full time job in barracks no drills, or parades if any spare time helping out in the Officers mess, now being a batman is not my line , l can hardly keep my own kit clean let alone some one else’s kit, l wouldn’t do it anyway , but l must say many times l have been stick man that’s the smartest on guard parade , and the time is spent with the R,S,M, to see he is on time to different things ,and keep him supplied with tea , that’s O,K, for 48hrs at least you see the other side of people , l like when
he said come on stickman lets do a tour of the barracks, and scare the shits out of some of the odd bods, we catch some playing cards for money he said stickman pick up the money count it l think there was about six shillings in the kitty, he signed a peace of paper, give it to them this is going in the Airborne Security Fund , right, yes SIR , who dare argue with him, they got away light as gambling is a Chargeable afense in Army rules or in anypart if the Services. The C,O, LT, COL Cubbins sees me in his office, and ask me if l
want to sign on , l said l haven’t made up my mind yet, he gave me all the plusses for signing, and guaranteed to make me a sergeant in six months , he had all my reports in front of him, your record he said is excellent, and so are your other mates, we need men like you to train the new intakes there’s nothing like first hand experience to show others. Sir with respect don’t you think there’s been enough killing in the world, and at the moment l think l have done my share of being up front, l begin to wonder how much longer my luck will hold, l think l would like to try the civvy life for a while if l can . Sir when l go on demob leave , and after three months , and l want to come back will you take me on those terms , yes , thank you Sir , then leave his office , not a bad C,O, that .
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Getting close to demob , the six of us have a long chat with our Major , we tell him we are taking the demob ,but can return after three months if it does not work out , and the C O, has said within six months,
the six of us would be Sergeants, he looks at me ,and said , you where ever you go, you will lead in life its in you , then he said you are the best men, l have ever been in command of , l think at that stage the six of us grew another six inches , we then ask what he was going to do , Oh l have been asked to go on the staff at the War Office , that’s good Sir , well we shall see , l might return to collage lecturing we will see , we all shake hands he leaves ,and with His famous wink he’s gone , someone said there’s a great man, he only
asked you to do things, and you did it, that only comes from a good leader . After about a week we go off to Aldershot for demob , get rail warrants one-way ,and a suit clothes ,and everything ,and three months pay ,and a letter from the C,O, we say our farewells to stay in touch ,we have each others addresses
,and so forth , after about three years together its hard to say goodbye , as the trust in each other , the pit falls , the hard times , the scary times , and the happy times , the bond you make with each other is something you can not buy out of a shop , this PARACHUTE REGIMENT is such a tightly knit bunch of
men , you can not under estimate there strength together , l will quote part of MONTYs epitaph to us .
THEY ARE FIRSTLY ALL VOLUNTEERS
THEY ARE, IN FACT,
MEN APART.
EVERY MAN AN EMPEROR
I HAVE A GREAT AFFECTION FOR THESE
MEN
WHO WERE MY COMRADES -IN-ARMS
ON MANY BATTLEFIELDS IN THE
SECOND
WORLD WAR.
MONTGOMERY OF ALAMEIN FM
COL-COMDT, THE PARACHUTE
REGIMENT
The letter from the C, O, l read on the train going home that letter would get me a job anywhere, l gave it to mum to keep, sadly it got lost .l get home, and said, l do not want to see that uniform again if l can
help it, l want to put all this behind me if l can, l now its going to be a job to settle, to the Monday work again, just think of this , a few weeks ago, l had the power in my hands to weather a man lived or died , now a few hours ago all that is gone, but the skill is still there, and l must not never use it again, another part of my life is about to Start, l wonder how l am going to coup with the past, one of the men who l was apprenticed under, lke Mortimer, l will ask him how he coups after the first world war . But at the moment , l have got to get used to not hearing reveille , or the last post , its going to be lonely , as l am the only exsoldier in the village of Dunston , and a Para , l will have a few days leave , and see about getting back to work .
me in the nick but it was worth it, my old Major gets to here about it , he laughs his head off ,he would wouldn’t he . Next thing was a refresher cause for jumping so we do few drops on Salisbury plain this is
leading up to a big one later , for films , and doctomentery features, plus it will be the last time that Gliders will be used ,its the nackers yard for them and also for the big wigs at Whitehall to see, Monty, and the rest ,but first its training in survival this is great fun , you are taken out to a place in a covered truck dropped off, find your way back with only rations for a few days no compass so we head for the first sign post , no bloody arms on it, as during the war all of them were removed, and not put back yet, a cottage next
ask way to Tidworth , well me dears its about seventy miles, you not going to walk are you , yes that’s the ldear , best of luck me dears she says in that lovely Southern Accent. The two of us head in the direction she said, that’s Andrew ,and Me, kip the night in a barn with some cattle , and eat cold stew out of a tin , well we were hungry , come the next night a village, there’s a house with some rabbits in hutches, rabbit stew on my mind , we have a sand bag with us, as l am a country boy l should have known better, ever tried putting a
live rabbit in a sand bag well that’s quite a feat, l should have just hit it at the back of the Head, it would have been all over, but rabbit stew we did have it went down a treat . We are somewhere near Warminster so we head for that now they said use your own ldears to get you home right R,S ,M, Meredith we will, we wait till dark a bus station no one around one bus ticking over that’s ours, in gear away a double Decker me at the wheel, Andrew stands behind me in side as look out, we do get back to barracks intime for bed, but next
morning full parade, God does not look happy, on the square are bikes, motorbikes, cars, a lorry, and double Decker bus , l wonder Who put that there? Now this little man is pacing up, and down , its going to come out shortly, then he starts l don’t mind bikes, on my parade ground or motorbikes but l draw the line at lorries, and busses who put them there, not a titter from anyone, but l think he suspects as he comes over, and look me in the eye, you Holden will be the death of me, me Sir no Sir, l cant drive heavy vehicles, don’t lie Holden l have seen your records you can drive Bren carries, well yes Sir, now move it off my square yes Sir, now at the double, shit that’s done it in the guard room again l bet, l moved it nothing more said, the Major stands at the edge of the square looks at me laughs his head off then walks off. We have been
told that the big drop is on ,and its called Operation Longstop, its in full battle order as real as possible there’s going to be a lot of noise on Salisbury Plain . There are going to be big Guns Firing, and Mortars , plus small arms fire, there’s a lot of banter going on, some are saying l hope they film me from the left side its my best side . Only Paras from now on ,all glider troops stood down . There is also a glider snatch as well its a Hotspur Glider that’s going to be snatched by a Dakota flying low with a hook lowered from the rear ,this l have got to see, l have heard
PAGE 104
a lot about this, with Wingates lot in Burma .Well the day has come , we are one of the first aircraft to fly in, the wind speed is at max for jumping just below 30mph. Red on stand in the door , green on go ,gone
me l make a bad exit, l am upside down feet in the rigging lines, its going to be a hard landing, you must remember we are still jumping with one chute, but the Yanks always jump with a reserve , the British did not adopt the reserve till the 50s, l hit terror firmer with a heavy impact my left side, and head takes it, l am out for the count for a few seconds , mates are shouting are you OK yo-yo, after l gather my senses l am off with the rest, at least l expect some big wig saw it, that will give them some ldear what we volunteer for. We clear the ground, and we see all the cameras going, the big wigs in a arena all chairs, and drinks l bet . Then in come the Gliders, there’s Horsers, Haidrians, Hamilcars, and Hotspurs, then one Hopspur is put into position, two
poles put up, tow rope across the poles to the Hopspur, then in come the Dak at about, l would say 10ft off the ground, down goes the hook on a arm, Dak near at stalling speed, hit the rope Dak then goes full throttle, Hotspur from standing to say 80mph in a second its a wonder it don’t pull the nose off the glider . But at least l can say l have seen it happen a snatched glider, this is the only way to get wounded off the battle field behind the lines it works . l hope the film crews got what they wanted with all the big bangs as well, all this was taken in black and white, so when you see a War film from now on some of this will be edited in to it , as a lot of film was lost during the War, and if you see a Para coming down up side down it could be me, and as it happens this is my last jump , as l did not do anymore as demob was coming up . But before l am demobed there’s another story to tell of the Major that gave me three days in the nick , now this story hit the all nationals papers, this Major had married quarters, he also had a Batman that lived in, known as Batman
quarters, he thought this private should help his wife, and children , l can say this , this Major is in for a shock , and he got what’s was coming to him .The trouble is this private is only interested to do his two years national service then back to work , and the Major has not checked his Docs of what he was in civey street ,this Major thought heres another odd bod to do as l like with ,and he will do as l say without question, (wrong) this is where l can smile abit as he gave me ,three days in the nick . He ordered the batman to
wash nappies ,and baby sit while he and his wife went to Officers mess functions, the batman refused to do this , all he should do is ,see that the Major is smartly dressed at all times . So the Major , charged him for refusing to obey an order . The Major also ordered him to do all the odd jobs around the house as well , no one knows this soldier , to the Major just another odd bod to push around , as l said before Barons ,and Serfs are on the way out , well the Major hasn’t noticed that attitudes are changing , but
PAGE 105
some are too thick to see what’s happening . The soldier refuses to do the extra work , he put it , l don’t mind being a batman , but draw the line at being a nanny , now for disobeying an order is a Court- martial offence, up on orders he goes , do you except my punishment or a court martial , now the Major thought he would back down ,Oh no ,a Court- martial Sir l want , well that took him back , are you sure , yes Sir , now there is the R,S,M, a SGT, and escort plus another Officer present so it had to go through with it, it was legal . As l said no one knows this lad he is only a private just in for two years, or so , but he actually comes from a well to do family of solicitors, and K,C, s , but the Major does not now this , he is asked to pick an officer To represent him, no thanks' l will get my own, Oh who, my uncle a K,C, ( what ) you did not say , sorry Sir you did not ask . Well the Court -martial goes a head , National Papers loved it, head lines, PARA did not
mind being a Batman but draws the line at being a Nanny to the Majors wife . The Major lost the Court- martial plus five years seniority so he can not make Colonel for five years, and a immediate posting , the private just an immediate posting to another Para unit . The batman to our Major is shared between
Officers , looking after two Majors is a full time job in barracks no drills, or parades if any spare time helping out in the Officers mess, now being a batman is not my line , l can hardly keep my own kit clean let alone some one else’s kit, l wouldn’t do it anyway , but l must say many times l have been stick man that’s the smartest on guard parade , and the time is spent with the R,S,M, to see he is on time to different things ,and keep him supplied with tea , that’s O,K, for 48hrs at least you see the other side of people , l like when
he said come on stickman lets do a tour of the barracks, and scare the shits out of some of the odd bods, we catch some playing cards for money he said stickman pick up the money count it l think there was about six shillings in the kitty, he signed a peace of paper, give it to them this is going in the Airborne Security Fund , right, yes SIR , who dare argue with him, they got away light as gambling is a Chargeable afense in Army rules or in anypart if the Services. The C,O, LT, COL Cubbins sees me in his office, and ask me if l
want to sign on , l said l haven’t made up my mind yet, he gave me all the plusses for signing, and guaranteed to make me a sergeant in six months , he had all my reports in front of him, your record he said is excellent, and so are your other mates, we need men like you to train the new intakes there’s nothing like first hand experience to show others. Sir with respect don’t you think there’s been enough killing in the world, and at the moment l think l have done my share of being up front, l begin to wonder how much longer my luck will hold, l think l would like to try the civvy life for a while if l can . Sir when l go on demob leave , and after three months , and l want to come back will you take me on those terms , yes , thank you Sir , then leave his office , not a bad C,O, that .
PAGE 106
Getting close to demob , the six of us have a long chat with our Major , we tell him we are taking the demob ,but can return after three months if it does not work out , and the C O, has said within six months,
the six of us would be Sergeants, he looks at me ,and said , you where ever you go, you will lead in life its in you , then he said you are the best men, l have ever been in command of , l think at that stage the six of us grew another six inches , we then ask what he was going to do , Oh l have been asked to go on the staff at the War Office , that’s good Sir , well we shall see , l might return to collage lecturing we will see , we all shake hands he leaves ,and with His famous wink he’s gone , someone said there’s a great man, he only
asked you to do things, and you did it, that only comes from a good leader . After about a week we go off to Aldershot for demob , get rail warrants one-way ,and a suit clothes ,and everything ,and three months pay ,and a letter from the C,O, we say our farewells to stay in touch ,we have each others addresses
,and so forth , after about three years together its hard to say goodbye , as the trust in each other , the pit falls , the hard times , the scary times , and the happy times , the bond you make with each other is something you can not buy out of a shop , this PARACHUTE REGIMENT is such a tightly knit bunch of
men , you can not under estimate there strength together , l will quote part of MONTYs epitaph to us .
THEY ARE FIRSTLY ALL VOLUNTEERS
THEY ARE, IN FACT,
MEN APART.
EVERY MAN AN EMPEROR
I HAVE A GREAT AFFECTION FOR THESE
MEN
WHO WERE MY COMRADES -IN-ARMS
ON MANY BATTLEFIELDS IN THE
SECOND
WORLD WAR.
MONTGOMERY OF ALAMEIN FM
COL-COMDT, THE PARACHUTE
REGIMENT
The letter from the C, O, l read on the train going home that letter would get me a job anywhere, l gave it to mum to keep, sadly it got lost .l get home, and said, l do not want to see that uniform again if l can
help it, l want to put all this behind me if l can, l now its going to be a job to settle, to the Monday work again, just think of this , a few weeks ago, l had the power in my hands to weather a man lived or died , now a few hours ago all that is gone, but the skill is still there, and l must not never use it again, another part of my life is about to Start, l wonder how l am going to coup with the past, one of the men who l was apprenticed under, lke Mortimer, l will ask him how he coups after the first world war . But at the moment , l have got to get used to not hearing reveille , or the last post , its going to be lonely , as l am the only exsoldier in the village of Dunston , and a Para , l will have a few days leave , and see about getting back to work .
PAGE 107
Well l have to write to Mary ,and make some arrangements to stay for a day or two ,l go to the Pub at Stoke Holy Cross ,and try to fall back into being a country boy again, l find that most of them are tied to the person, they work for, and what ever the Boss says its correct ,nothing has changed from before the war ,l can not believe it , all l get from them is ,Oh we thought you were going to sign on, and be a regular , l might
yet if things do not work out , l said have you ever thought of changing your jobs, and doing something else , well there’s nothing around here , yes l thought, and you are not going to move to see ,or better yourselves. Well l can assure you that my Bosses are in for a shock no ones going to make me jump anymore , those days are gone ,and its going to get better,I am willing to do a fare days work ,for a fare days pay, ,and no hassle ,l take No nonsense from anyone from now on, my old Major, l think did a good on me with our little
talks ,and speak your own mind not bough down to other peoples ldears . Well off to see lcke Mortemer ,and the rest of the men l was with in the work shop , first call my old Boss, l ask if my old job is still there , that’s O.K. he has to take me back as that was part of the deal with the government , but l have been told a new manager to the department l worked in, the storeman says that’s Morris Freeman, he said he was a con-she , Oh that’s handy, that’s gone against him for the start , next stop lcke , what’s this l here our new manager is a con-she , lcke ,Oh that Pratt , one on my side, we get down to have chat by his bench, l ask all the questions, l want to now , as lcke says we have to live with it , it does get easier as time goes , with people like him its going to help , he is a lovely man, and all he talks about is his Grandson , l would like to mellow like him in later life , he did say one thing do not try drinking it away , when you get sober its still there, right lcke . We chat for sometime then this new chap comes along , he stops, and ask who l was , l said l am starting back in a short while , Oh well you will find things have changed , Oh have they , yes we expect workers to stay on the job from start to Finnish , that’s not new , but there’s no chatting to people on other jobs it cost the firm money , Bollocks , what , that’s it Bollocks, l under stand you are a con-she ,well l left good lads in the Far East for the likes of you , off he goes , lcke said that’s put him in his place, and pats me on the back, you wouldn’t have said that four years ago , no l don’t think l would, a lot of water under the bridge since then , that’s got me off to a good start ,and l Haven't started back yet . Yes lke l had to grow up fast, when l got to the Far East ,within hours you do things that,you never thought you could ever do , and
you find out that this world is very cruel , no matter what race ,colour , or religion ,they all have their problems like we do . l go , and chat to a few more , leaving Mr Barker to last , and by the time l get to him , lke has told him , so you told him bollocks then Edward , he always calls me Edward , but my name is Eddie , that dosnt worry me , yes l did say bollocks , and he will get a lot more if he keeps that up , l said Harold times are going to change
PAGE 108
and its going to be fast , the old days are gone when it was yes Sir ,no Sir , three bags full Sir , the Boss has got to treat people as human beings not a commodity to sack how he likes , to ask people to do a job in the right toon of voice . You think it will happen , yes l now so, its happening in the army at a great speed of knots , Harold we fought for a better way of life ,and we are going to get it ,l can say it now ,change did come ,and rapidly in the 50s and 60s no going back, it must have been the biggest shock to the Bosses, since the Suffragettes got the vote. Well l am off to buy a new bicycle a three speed oil bath , something that will stand a bit of wear, and tear , on my first visit to Mary l take it with me , so when l get to Ely l can
cycle to the house , and like wise when l go home , no more taxi fares ,now later on this bike is going to do some miles,as you will see . At times l keep thinking about the army, and the lads ,and what we might be doing such as emptying our pockets to see if between us we have a enough money to buy tea ,and wads at the NAAFI we shared a lot of things together cigs ,and sweets plus things from home , (memories now ) then remember l am demobed . l go mooching around Norwich get fed up drinking tea ,and coffee , l meet someother exservice lads they are saying the samething after all the active things we done , its dead slow stop , l hope it changes back at work . There’s are some exservice men’s clubs starting up, perhaps that will be better at least we can natter about the same things ,as each other , and swap yarns .Mary ,and me are getting very close to each other now l feel now that we will marry at sometime at least there are no things we hide from each other, all straight taking, and honesty to each other, l must say l do get a little jealous when l am at Norwich ,and she says she has been out dancing , must over come that , but you see l don’t
dance she loves it so that jealous streak has got to be curbed . l look at her sometimes ,and think Holden you have meet your match ,you are not going to pull the wool over her eyes , l think she will be my stablelizer to get me through the bad patches of flash backs , the trouble with me ,l am very strong willed , what ever l do, l am going to it ,come hell or high water ,l start back at work , me, and the new manager clash all the time , l am not saying he doesn’t now his job he is good at that , but knowing he’s a con-she , that’s get up my nose , he does try to make conservation with me ,but he has a right to his beliefs, he could have been a Medic, they were noncombatern, l wonder if he is a religious freak ,and think god or Jesus will save him from all evils ,l think these type of people are so brain washed with the Bible that they see the world through rose coloured spectacles ,and never been to another Country to see how other nations live , what annoys me is that we are not allowed to voice anopinion against them , our views cant possibly be right as they don’t fall in
line with the Bible teaching , some how these people get brain washed with the Bible mumbo jumbo , l do not say that the things in the Bible did not happen , but historians proved they happened in a different way and more particle way.
Well l have to write to Mary ,and make some arrangements to stay for a day or two ,l go to the Pub at Stoke Holy Cross ,and try to fall back into being a country boy again, l find that most of them are tied to the person, they work for, and what ever the Boss says its correct ,nothing has changed from before the war ,l can not believe it , all l get from them is ,Oh we thought you were going to sign on, and be a regular , l might
yet if things do not work out , l said have you ever thought of changing your jobs, and doing something else , well there’s nothing around here , yes l thought, and you are not going to move to see ,or better yourselves. Well l can assure you that my Bosses are in for a shock no ones going to make me jump anymore , those days are gone ,and its going to get better,I am willing to do a fare days work ,for a fare days pay, ,and no hassle ,l take No nonsense from anyone from now on, my old Major, l think did a good on me with our little
talks ,and speak your own mind not bough down to other peoples ldears . Well off to see lcke Mortemer ,and the rest of the men l was with in the work shop , first call my old Boss, l ask if my old job is still there , that’s O.K. he has to take me back as that was part of the deal with the government , but l have been told a new manager to the department l worked in, the storeman says that’s Morris Freeman, he said he was a con-she , Oh that’s handy, that’s gone against him for the start , next stop lcke , what’s this l here our new manager is a con-she , lcke ,Oh that Pratt , one on my side, we get down to have chat by his bench, l ask all the questions, l want to now , as lcke says we have to live with it , it does get easier as time goes , with people like him its going to help , he is a lovely man, and all he talks about is his Grandson , l would like to mellow like him in later life , he did say one thing do not try drinking it away , when you get sober its still there, right lcke . We chat for sometime then this new chap comes along , he stops, and ask who l was , l said l am starting back in a short while , Oh well you will find things have changed , Oh have they , yes we expect workers to stay on the job from start to Finnish , that’s not new , but there’s no chatting to people on other jobs it cost the firm money , Bollocks , what , that’s it Bollocks, l under stand you are a con-she ,well l left good lads in the Far East for the likes of you , off he goes , lcke said that’s put him in his place, and pats me on the back, you wouldn’t have said that four years ago , no l don’t think l would, a lot of water under the bridge since then , that’s got me off to a good start ,and l Haven't started back yet . Yes lke l had to grow up fast, when l got to the Far East ,within hours you do things that,you never thought you could ever do , and
you find out that this world is very cruel , no matter what race ,colour , or religion ,they all have their problems like we do . l go , and chat to a few more , leaving Mr Barker to last , and by the time l get to him , lke has told him , so you told him bollocks then Edward , he always calls me Edward , but my name is Eddie , that dosnt worry me , yes l did say bollocks , and he will get a lot more if he keeps that up , l said Harold times are going to change
PAGE 108
and its going to be fast , the old days are gone when it was yes Sir ,no Sir , three bags full Sir , the Boss has got to treat people as human beings not a commodity to sack how he likes , to ask people to do a job in the right toon of voice . You think it will happen , yes l now so, its happening in the army at a great speed of knots , Harold we fought for a better way of life ,and we are going to get it ,l can say it now ,change did come ,and rapidly in the 50s and 60s no going back, it must have been the biggest shock to the Bosses, since the Suffragettes got the vote. Well l am off to buy a new bicycle a three speed oil bath , something that will stand a bit of wear, and tear , on my first visit to Mary l take it with me , so when l get to Ely l can
cycle to the house , and like wise when l go home , no more taxi fares ,now later on this bike is going to do some miles,as you will see . At times l keep thinking about the army, and the lads ,and what we might be doing such as emptying our pockets to see if between us we have a enough money to buy tea ,and wads at the NAAFI we shared a lot of things together cigs ,and sweets plus things from home , (memories now ) then remember l am demobed . l go mooching around Norwich get fed up drinking tea ,and coffee , l meet someother exservice lads they are saying the samething after all the active things we done , its dead slow stop , l hope it changes back at work . There’s are some exservice men’s clubs starting up, perhaps that will be better at least we can natter about the same things ,as each other , and swap yarns .Mary ,and me are getting very close to each other now l feel now that we will marry at sometime at least there are no things we hide from each other, all straight taking, and honesty to each other, l must say l do get a little jealous when l am at Norwich ,and she says she has been out dancing , must over come that , but you see l don’t
dance she loves it so that jealous streak has got to be curbed . l look at her sometimes ,and think Holden you have meet your match ,you are not going to pull the wool over her eyes , l think she will be my stablelizer to get me through the bad patches of flash backs , the trouble with me ,l am very strong willed , what ever l do, l am going to it ,come hell or high water ,l start back at work , me, and the new manager clash all the time , l am not saying he doesn’t now his job he is good at that , but knowing he’s a con-she , that’s get up my nose , he does try to make conservation with me ,but he has a right to his beliefs, he could have been a Medic, they were noncombatern, l wonder if he is a religious freak ,and think god or Jesus will save him from all evils ,l think these type of people are so brain washed with the Bible that they see the world through rose coloured spectacles ,and never been to another Country to see how other nations live , what annoys me is that we are not allowed to voice anopinion against them , our views cant possibly be right as they don’t fall in
line with the Bible teaching , some how these people get brain washed with the Bible mumbo jumbo , l do not say that the things in the Bible did not happen , but historians proved they happened in a different way and more particle way.
PAGE 109
like did Moses really cross the Red Sea,or did he carve the Ten Commandments, or did his stone masons carve them under his orders , l think that is more likely having seen the mountain at first hand , l expect
he had these laws made as his tribe was getting out of hand, from now on you will abide by them , you must remember that the Pope in Rome is a living God to the Catholics, what he says goes. There’s plenty of work at the moment , but it seems to me councils are slow at building new houses , l can see a lot of young
married couples having a go, at the councils be for long, the unions are calling for strikes for more money for the workers, you see at this time skilled workers on average are getting about between £5, and £6 per week, unions are asking for three pence per hour rise , for a 48 hour week in money terms about twelve shillings a week more, in today’s terms 40p per week but remember it was 240p to the £1 in those days, I stick this out for a while, but l can see, l am not going to come to terms with this manager , we will never
see eye to eye , so l have a word with Harold , and said as l feel like this ,l better be off , so Harold said go, and see my brother at M and Es or if you like Mann and Egertons on the other side of Norwich , l get the job, and l am put with a chap named Dougy Barns from Lowestoft we get on like a house on fire , he is an exnavey man so some leg pulling all round, and the foremen are O,K, Dougy sings all day long , so a few wolf whistles are called for. But the unions get there way a strike is called, so out we go on strike for 3p per hour right, this goes on for a few weeks , then the union committee say we got what we wanted, that was 1 -1/2 p but we struck for 3p yes but we did not think we would get it , right from now on you can stuff your union, l have lost more than l will ever gain , and from that day l never joined another union , l am
not a happy man, I didn’t stay long at this place, the work was OK, but it was travelling to Ely every weekend, so l looked for work nearer to Ely a job came up at Marshall’s of Cambridge so off l go into lodgings, and better work, and conditions, and more money, nice all round. We go home to Norwich now ,and again as Mum is looking after Granddad ,as Gran has died a big blow to the family, and me ,Granddad is not Church going man but he said if there is a heaven, she will be there, as there is not a bad bone in her body, l thought that’s a good Norfolk quotation . Well Norwich fare is on ,and its near to Christmas, so a jewellers for an engagement ring, we get one, and off we go, and in the evening around the Castle Museum ,and the Fair Playing, l give her the ring , and to this day l get reminded of the tune they were playing, as it was poplar at the time , it was Mares eat Oats ,and Does eat Oats, and little Lambs eat Ivy, so sitting on a Castle Museum bench ,and looking down on the Fair Ground with all the bright lights ,that’s how we got engaged, no l didn’t
go down on one knee , Back in Ely l meet all her mates, and boy friends but at the dancers, l am no good as l do not dance, it doesn’t seem to be my seen , but l do love music ,
PAGE 110,
I find it hard to mix at the moment, I think the bottom line is, that it's harder to settle down than I thought, perhaps subconsciously I am missing my army mates I spent three years with. When you spend three years with mates like them, share your last penny with or sweets and cigs, something gels between you that, I don't think people can understand that, those that have never been in the army or any service. There are quite a few exsrevice men at Marshalls so that makes things a little easier , but what I have forgot to tell
you is that when I WAS living at Dunston Common, and on my new bike , I cycled o Ely that's 50 miles, I did that two or three fimes before moveing to Cambridge,(thats love for you )I have not used the word W,O,G,and neither did a lot of my mates who were in the Far East it never crossed our minds, as most of
the time they were doing the same job as us, and to us they were our equals, but when we got to the middle east, I am afraid a lot did use the term W,O,G, but I DO NOT THINK HALF NEW WHAT IT MEANT, W,O,G, is a short term for, WESTERNISED ORIETAL GENTLEMAN, BUT the term W,O,G, was first used by the First World War soldiers, I always said Don't trust a person that's wearing a tea towel on his head. My old major never trusted Tea Towel wearers, he always said the Karran gave them the right to do as they thought fit, but we must never do anything against them, as it was against Islam, he believed in equality for
all, but with them it's all one-sided . On one of our weekends at Norwich, we go , and see my uncle Harry and Gerty his wife at Caistor St Edmund, we go for a walk around the village, we stop on one of the hills in a field then out of the blue Mary, says to me when are you going to marry me, well it's leap year, I can't back out, I DIDN'T really want too anyway, we think of dates, then with her parent we name the day March 25-1950 , It seems everyone is happy, I have got to save like hell now , off to Norwich to buy the wedding rings and fix with my local Vicar to read the bands we get to his house and I know him now Mary is still a shy girl , so when the vicar ask what job she does OH eer I work in the wine and spirit department in a Brewery, Mary blushes, but the REV soon said I like a pint of wallop my self so the ice is broken it all goes well. By this time my Granddad and Granmother have died, so it's my mother now looking after Billy my uncle or Billy Sqwits as we call him, now he has this Bull he reared from a calf, looks as if weighs at least a TON AND HALF, IT HAS NO HORNS , a poll bull as we call them, it's now saving for marriage . The country is still on rations for
everything but black markets are ripe so we get whats going and Mary's neighbours all give a little of their rations a lovely wedding cake was made mary's dad got a big ham black market of cause in a situation like this it isn't what you know its who you know , Invitations to be sent out we have got to keep the numbers even and as small as possible for the sit down but in the enening it does not matter all this is out of my court the women are sorting that out next the honey moon where are we going , I said I would like to go
back to Foilkstone its near Shorncliff where I supose IO grew up to be a man in the army, and show her Sugar Loaf hill I used to have to climb.
like did Moses really cross the Red Sea,or did he carve the Ten Commandments, or did his stone masons carve them under his orders , l think that is more likely having seen the mountain at first hand , l expect
he had these laws made as his tribe was getting out of hand, from now on you will abide by them , you must remember that the Pope in Rome is a living God to the Catholics, what he says goes. There’s plenty of work at the moment , but it seems to me councils are slow at building new houses , l can see a lot of young
married couples having a go, at the councils be for long, the unions are calling for strikes for more money for the workers, you see at this time skilled workers on average are getting about between £5, and £6 per week, unions are asking for three pence per hour rise , for a 48 hour week in money terms about twelve shillings a week more, in today’s terms 40p per week but remember it was 240p to the £1 in those days, I stick this out for a while, but l can see, l am not going to come to terms with this manager , we will never
see eye to eye , so l have a word with Harold , and said as l feel like this ,l better be off , so Harold said go, and see my brother at M and Es or if you like Mann and Egertons on the other side of Norwich , l get the job, and l am put with a chap named Dougy Barns from Lowestoft we get on like a house on fire , he is an exnavey man so some leg pulling all round, and the foremen are O,K, Dougy sings all day long , so a few wolf whistles are called for. But the unions get there way a strike is called, so out we go on strike for 3p per hour right, this goes on for a few weeks , then the union committee say we got what we wanted, that was 1 -1/2 p but we struck for 3p yes but we did not think we would get it , right from now on you can stuff your union, l have lost more than l will ever gain , and from that day l never joined another union , l am
not a happy man, I didn’t stay long at this place, the work was OK, but it was travelling to Ely every weekend, so l looked for work nearer to Ely a job came up at Marshall’s of Cambridge so off l go into lodgings, and better work, and conditions, and more money, nice all round. We go home to Norwich now ,and again as Mum is looking after Granddad ,as Gran has died a big blow to the family, and me ,Granddad is not Church going man but he said if there is a heaven, she will be there, as there is not a bad bone in her body, l thought that’s a good Norfolk quotation . Well Norwich fare is on ,and its near to Christmas, so a jewellers for an engagement ring, we get one, and off we go, and in the evening around the Castle Museum ,and the Fair Playing, l give her the ring , and to this day l get reminded of the tune they were playing, as it was poplar at the time , it was Mares eat Oats ,and Does eat Oats, and little Lambs eat Ivy, so sitting on a Castle Museum bench ,and looking down on the Fair Ground with all the bright lights ,that’s how we got engaged, no l didn’t
go down on one knee , Back in Ely l meet all her mates, and boy friends but at the dancers, l am no good as l do not dance, it doesn’t seem to be my seen , but l do love music ,
PAGE 110,
I find it hard to mix at the moment, I think the bottom line is, that it's harder to settle down than I thought, perhaps subconsciously I am missing my army mates I spent three years with. When you spend three years with mates like them, share your last penny with or sweets and cigs, something gels between you that, I don't think people can understand that, those that have never been in the army or any service. There are quite a few exsrevice men at Marshalls so that makes things a little easier , but what I have forgot to tell
you is that when I WAS living at Dunston Common, and on my new bike , I cycled o Ely that's 50 miles, I did that two or three fimes before moveing to Cambridge,(thats love for you )I have not used the word W,O,G,and neither did a lot of my mates who were in the Far East it never crossed our minds, as most of
the time they were doing the same job as us, and to us they were our equals, but when we got to the middle east, I am afraid a lot did use the term W,O,G, but I DO NOT THINK HALF NEW WHAT IT MEANT, W,O,G, is a short term for, WESTERNISED ORIETAL GENTLEMAN, BUT the term W,O,G, was first used by the First World War soldiers, I always said Don't trust a person that's wearing a tea towel on his head. My old major never trusted Tea Towel wearers, he always said the Karran gave them the right to do as they thought fit, but we must never do anything against them, as it was against Islam, he believed in equality for
all, but with them it's all one-sided . On one of our weekends at Norwich, we go , and see my uncle Harry and Gerty his wife at Caistor St Edmund, we go for a walk around the village, we stop on one of the hills in a field then out of the blue Mary, says to me when are you going to marry me, well it's leap year, I can't back out, I DIDN'T really want too anyway, we think of dates, then with her parent we name the day March 25-1950 , It seems everyone is happy, I have got to save like hell now , off to Norwich to buy the wedding rings and fix with my local Vicar to read the bands we get to his house and I know him now Mary is still a shy girl , so when the vicar ask what job she does OH eer I work in the wine and spirit department in a Brewery, Mary blushes, but the REV soon said I like a pint of wallop my self so the ice is broken it all goes well. By this time my Granddad and Granmother have died, so it's my mother now looking after Billy my uncle or Billy Sqwits as we call him, now he has this Bull he reared from a calf, looks as if weighs at least a TON AND HALF, IT HAS NO HORNS , a poll bull as we call them, it's now saving for marriage . The country is still on rations for
everything but black markets are ripe so we get whats going and Mary's neighbours all give a little of their rations a lovely wedding cake was made mary's dad got a big ham black market of cause in a situation like this it isn't what you know its who you know , Invitations to be sent out we have got to keep the numbers even and as small as possible for the sit down but in the enening it does not matter all this is out of my court the women are sorting that out next the honey moon where are we going , I said I would like to go
back to Foilkstone its near Shorncliff where I supose IO grew up to be a man in the army, and show her Sugar Loaf hill I used to have to climb.