A Brief History to 50th Divisional Signals in WW2

Discussion in 'Royal Signals' started by Drew5233, Oct 14, 2010.

  1. Hi Steve,

    Both men had been with the unit from the start and through Dunkirk, Gazalla,Sicily etc.

    Maurice met Lilian while stationed at Bridgewater and they married on his return from Sicily in late 1943. So their time together was very brief.

    Mel
     
  2. Hello all, by way of an introduction I'm the Unit History Officer for 50 (N) Signal Squadron, the modern day descendents from 50 (N) Signal Regiment. I stumbled upon this page whilst research the Squadron's history and am in a position to add some more information. I've created a wikipedia page but am waiting for it to be approved, which should hopefully only take a couple of days.

    If you come accross any difficult question I may have the answers in the Squadron history accounts failing that there is the 345 Club comprised of former officers of 50 Signal Regiment.

    I've been able to trace the Squadron's history back to the 11th of September 1860 with the formation of the Newcastle Engineer Corps, 3rd Newcastle Telegraph Company. Following the Haldrane reforms of 1908 the unit was renamed the 3rd Northumbrian Divisional Telegraph Company RE, then in 1911 it was renamed again to the Northumbrian Divisional Signals Company RE, in 1914 they were designated the 1st Northumbrian Divisional Signals Company RE, finally in 1915 they were renamed 50th (Northumbrian) Divisional Signal Company RE.

    A Well Camel, if Mel senior isn't known to the Squadron (we're still based in Darlington) I'd love to meet him and add his accounts to the Unit's history. We have a number of Annual camp photos from 1929 onwards which may even feature your father.


    A belated forum thankyou for our visit to 50 Signal Squadron. Dave and his men made us very welcome and dad was given a tour of their Bowman set-up together with a look at some memorabilia. These included part of a tattered and sun bleached flag which had flown above the San Dominico Hotel on Sicily, many photographs and a collection of personal accounts from officers and men who served. These brought back lots of memories.

    The Squadron are on a recruiting drive at present, but although he enjoyed the day, Mel Snr decided not to sign on again! (No rum ration)

    Many thanks 50 (Northern) Signals Squadron.
     
  3. WGWright

    WGWright Older Member

    What does the abbreviation ATAKA mean?
    Trying to decipher notes on the rear of my Dad's war photos.
    WGW
     
  4. 50 (N) Signal Squadron have allowed access to their collected memoirs of serving Officers and Men from the War years. I have attempted to collate and organise these into a narrative of the major events that 50 (N) Division Signals Regiment were part of during that period. Where these overlap or duplicate events I have tried to edit them into a readable narrative.
    The original documents were collected between the 1970’s and 80’s – but this post begins in late 1939;
    Captain Wally Lee: “Soon after Christmas the Division paraded in a field near Broadway and was inspected by King George VI. A few days later (it) moved out of the Cotswolds and embarked for France to join the BEF. A day or two before hand we took delivery of a consignment of new WD vehicles...and our ‘A’ Section wireless sets (were) installed into four ‘Gin Palaces’ – square bodied Wireless vans – and about eight 8cwt trucks. I was given charge of this ‘transport’ party,...getting it across the Channel and...to Evrons, near Le Mans..our new location. I left Bampton for Southampton with the convoy...and Donald MacLoed as my assistant, we spent two or three days loading, embarked on the Ulster Prince.”
    L/Corporal E N Atkinson: “..there came a call for drivers (anybody who had held a steering wheel!). I was included in this gang...we were allocated to our vehicles and, headed by an Officer, set off to fill up with petrol at the fuelling point about 8 miles away. Next day we drove to the docks at Southampton and saw them safely loaded on board
    In the evening a few of us went into town (about four miles) and after a brief call at a pub, crossed the road to enjoy a show at an old-fashioned music-hall, on our last night in England for some time. (One of the men) “later found that his father had been to the same pub and the same music-hall before crossing to...join the BEF 25 years previously
    ... we boarded the large vessel which was to take us to Cherbourg, and were each given a Mae West life belt which we only just managed to fasten on over our greatcoats and equipment. As we stood by the rail.. the Sergeant-Major cheered us up saying ‘If we are torpedoed don’t jump overboard or you’ll break your necks when the Mae West hits you under the chin –dive in head first. As we approached Cherbourg in the early morning light I noticed the strangely-coloured blue glass on the roofs of the wharf buildings. Somehow one had never imagined that any other country but ours would need black-out.”
    Sergeant W Evans (Section Sgt Don Section); “We were very cold during the crossing and the landing wasn’t soon enough for some of us. We had tried to warm our Maconochies soup but the water in the washbasins wasn’t hot enough, so when coming down the landing stage there was a mad rush to where a bright red jersey was seen in a coffee stall. It was the Salvation Army, and the tea and cocoa was piping hot.”
    Capt Lee; “We were surprise to find Bill Bowman (OC ‘M’ Section) still waiting with the Unit’s heavy vehicles until the roads became fit for travel. Val Mascall (OC LAD) was waiting with him.”
    Major V C Mascall; “Landing at Cherbourg, the LAD’s first duty was to spend all night starting up all the vehicles every half-hour to ensure there was no freezing up and...in good condition for an early start the next morning.”
    Signalman G Dean was with this main party, who had crossed on the paddle-steamer ‘Lady of Man’.
    Sigmn Dean; “We disembarked and dumped our kit on the platform of the Marine Station, and quickly, armed with mug and mess tin, joined the queue at the cookhouse –a temporary arrangement at the end of the platform. There were two coal-fired boilers – one serving tea, hot and sugary, and the other bully stew.
    The following two days were spent in unloading the vehicles and ferrying them to the railway station nearby. The nights were bitterly cold as we slept on the floor in the railway waiting rooms. Also unloading at the same time were Regiments of Yeomanry who were transporting their horses from ship to rail to continue their journey to the Middle East and warmer climes.”
    After draining radiators an order was received to be ready to move at 0700 hours next morning so most of the night was spent refilling vehicles and keeping the engines warm to prevent freezing up.
    Sigmn Dean; “...as the severe winter had badly damaged the road surfaces the French Government decided that we would be transported by rail – men and vehicles. A train of flat wagons was brought into the sidings, and railway sleepers were used to bridge the gap between the wagons. Each vehicle was then driven onto the wagons until the train was fully loaded. Two or more passenger coaches were connected to carry the troops.
    Capt Lee; “None of us had had any breakfast, not even a mug of tea. The temperature was well below zero. But the men set to work with a will. None of us had any previous experience of entraining MT, but ...we had the job completed by 1030 hours... ...we sent the men back a short distance for a scratch breakfast in the French Army barracks. The NAFFI had recently established a Mess for Officers in charge of transport parties, where we were supplied with a very good English breakfast, and ...picnic boxes for our train journey.”
    Sgt Evans; “The train journey ... was our introduction to French Army travel – wood seated compartments for some and horse boxes for the chosen....as the journey dragged on and the cold began to bite ...a bit of straw or hay would have helped. Besides being cold, the train was slow, and some of the lads jumped out and ran alongside, from sleeper to sleeper... We found that the best way to keep our feet warm was to sit on them – after having removed our boots of course.”
    Capt Lee; “Our train journey ended at 2030 hours, when we were met by Ken Waugh, who had been one of the advance party....we had a 30-mile road journey to Evron, and there was a cover of hard frozen snow on the roads and a very hard frost.”
    L/Cpl Atkinson; “...we halted at a siding and before we could move had to fill the radiators...Finally we had all engines started, and began the painful process of reversing off the rear end of the train – all this in the dark. We then lined up and set off into the, now moonlit, night....the temperature sank lower until one by one our radiators froze, the water boiled inside, and we came to a dead stop.”
    Capt Lee; “The only things to do was to tow the ‘boilers’ with ‘non-boilers’ – the remainder to follow on slowly. This we did, Ken taking the former and Donald and I staying with the others..
    ..We managed to reach the village of Fresnay. Here the ‘lame ducks’ conked out completely, and here we found Ken Waugh with his party stuck on a steep hill. We set to work .. to push the vehicles to the top. After we got them away I left Donald with three vehicles in Fresnay, and I set off in a vehicle which showed a certain amount of promise, accompanied by L/Corporal Atkinson. We did about three miles when she ‘blew-up’. The hardest frost I have ever known -0500 hours ...I decided to walk back to Fresnay. L/Corporal Atkinson decided he would rather try to sleep in the back of the truck.
    I set off...taking with me a rum jar...what a walk. Deep snow – my moustache frozen solid, falling asleep on my feet! It was about 0630 hours when I got back, to find Donald and his drivers sitting in front of a roaring fire, sipping hot black coffee and cognac....I joined them! In the middle of our meal Ken came in – very tired and very cold. His vehicle had broken down just beyond mine and he had also walked in. After our meal...we found a French liason officer to phone our Unit for us. Within half-an-hour the rescue party arrived and off we went, eventually reaching Evron without further mishap.”
     
  5. L/Cpl Atkinson; “By now the snow was several feet deep, and I finally came to rest in my small 8-cwt pick-up and climbed out. Not a soul in sight up or down the road, so I climbed under the canvas cover at the back and finally fell asleep, completely exhausted. .. about 3 in the afternoon I was rescued by our MT Corporal and towed the few miles into Evrons.”
    Sigmn Dean; “We parked the vehicles and entered the Town Hall, which was to be our billet for the next few weeks. The floor had been covered with about a foot of straw and it was a case of staking your claim as best you could, the choice places on the stage –out of draughts- having been already taken by the Advance party.
    Outside, along one side of the building, were the ablutions – a long wooden table, wash bowls, and a pump from which the water was obtained....across the square in a garden behind a stone wall, a trench about twelve feet by three....and five to six feet deep had been dug, across which something like a telegraph pole had been placed.”
    L/Cpl Atkinson; “In Evrons our Company, along with 2 Company, slept on the sloping floor of an old theatre. We were supplied with straw as bedding, but this soon became very wet as everybody walked in from the now melting snow. But even wet straw was at a premium, as I found to my cost when I went out to the toilet and returned to find my kit on a completely bare patch of floor.”
    Sgt Evans; “our billets...the theatre – a few senior NCOs on the stage...and the rest of the company in the pit and stalls, with the seats removed.”
    Capt Lee; “One of the first people I met on arrival was Ken Butler, who with Sergeant Waller (‘A’Section Sergeant) was busy fitting W/T sets into trucks. This was the first I had seen of my Section for nearly a month. I reported to Ronnie Percival, who was acting CO in place of Colonel Sheffield – who had been left behind in the UK, sick – and was shown to my billet, where I slept until the next morning. My first day on duty back with the Unit was spent in trying to pick up the threads of affairs and in meeting our two French liaison officers – Krug...and Fromageot.
    I shared the billet with our Divisional Intelligence Officer, Buckmaster, who spoke fluent French. My Section was billeted in the Mairie – sleeping on the floor, which was covered with straw. They seemed quite happy and I was pleased to see the old faces – Corporal Goodchild, Corporal Riddell, the brothers Waddleton, the crazy gang, Venables, Bourne, Cambage, and all the others. Norman Bower, in battledress and thick muffler, was the most cheerful man in the Unit. He aired his schoolboy French with enthusiasm and appeared to be thoroughly enjoying himself.”
    Col Tommy Sheffield, C.O. of 50 Division, Signals was stricken down with flu and travelled late to France with 8th DLI under Colonel Beart. “As it happens that night was the beginning of the great freeze...we saw telephone lines down and strewn over the road.” The points were frozen, causing a two hour delay in the train setting out for Southampton, while it took his wife two days to drive from the Cotswolds back North due to the state of the roads.
    On arriving in Cherbourg he “spent the day trying to keep warm in a restaurant”, eventually catching a train and a lift to Evron. “Here we stayed a few nights and then the Division moved east towards the Belgian border, the Sections now being with their respective formations.”
    Signalman G Dean; “Divisional HQ Signal Office was set up and communications between the Brigades and Regiments were established, and...we were carrying despatches and operating the Despatch Rider Later Service, a regular timed service throughout the Division. We remained in Evron for about three weeks and then moved to a small village about 10 kilometres from Evreux. As this was more of a staging post, most of the stores remained in the vehicles and the number of calls for DRs were few. We still had a rear party at Evron so we had regular runs to rear Division. The weather was still very cold and most of the billets were empty farm buildings.”
    L/Cpl Atkinson; “In February we packed up at Evrons and (moved) .. up to Vaux-sur-Eure, a much smaller place than the last. However the snow came again and we were destined to stay here longer than just a staging post. It was once again that Ack section’s fate to be billeted in a barn, and this time the roof didn’t meet the wall tops, with a result that we slept under our gas-capes to ward off the drifting snow.”
    Major Percival; “In quite a short time we started to move, but without warning a ban was placed on movement as the frosted roads were crumbling under the traffic. The Division was spread over a very large area and just stopped where it was and I think it was in the village at which we were marooned that our despatch riders suffered so badly from the weather. So we took over the Town Hall and put about three feet of straw in the circular Council Chamber. When a DR came off duty he was given a tot of rum before he buried himself in the straw, and this kept him going. It was this rum issue which... had not been authourised ..the trouble from which followed us around until we left France.”
     
  6. During this time Wally Lee and an Advance Party were on the move:
    Capt Lee; “On January 22nd 1940 the Division received orders that it was to join II Corps near Lens, where it was to work on defences along the Belgium border, and the GOC went ahead to report to Corps HQ. He was followed by a small Divisional Advance Party. The Signals element ...consisted of Claude Fairweather (as OC), myself, and six Despatch Riders. So far as I can recollect we took no wireless, or even line equipment! We moved off at 0700 Hours in pouring rain.
    We joined the other Unit Advance Parties, reporting to Major Joe Divers (CRASC), who was to command the convoy. When we eventually got away weather conditions became worse. It began to freeze and the roads were like glass. Eventually we reached the end of our first day’s journey – at Evreux – in the dark, to find that we were not expected and that food and billets had not been arranged. The DRs... arrived with a thick coating of ice down the front of their coats. Eventually billets were fixed up and the men were fed. Captain Jack Priestman (Staff Captain RA) had us put up in a comfortable hotel for the night.
    ...the next morning (we) reached Beauvais where Norman Bower had been sent to arrange billets for the Divisional Advance Party...next day we were off again, with Major Haswell Peile (2ic 72 Field Regiment RA) in command, leaving Major Divers in bed with BEF throat. We made good time...and reached Lens by 1600 hours on January 27th.
    The next few days were spent in...fixing up billets. I was billeted , along with Basil Minor and Norman Bower, with an elderly French couple in the mining village of Billy Montegnie....the main body was held up at Evoreux by thaw precautions. Advanced Divisional HQ was established in a school where, with ...stores brought up by the CO, we established a small Signal Office. I found myself acting as Signalmaster. We were there for about ten days when we heard that the main body was unlikely to join us in Lens after all...we were told that plans had been changed and...the Division was to go to a training area about 70 miles away.”
    Major Percival; “The ban on movement lasted a month, after which we moved to a training area near Amiens for another month or so, and then on about the end of March to Loos-les-Lille, a small town adjoining Lille, where we stayed until the phoney war ended, towards the middle of May”.
    Capt Lee; “February 16th Claude and the CO moved off to the new training area, where they would meet the main body of the Unit, and I was left with a small detachment to keep communications open for the GOC.
    On February 19th we were told that we could pack up and re-join our Unit at Frenois, near Que-Vaux-Villiers, about 15 miles south-west of Amiens. Sergeant Waller, my Section Sergeant, had been involved in an accident with his motor cycle and had a broken leg....he had been evacuated to base.
    ...the following day I was sent to GHQ to collect line stores, and given lunch in ‘B’ Mess by Colonel (Daddy) Foot, GI Signals. I re-joined my ‘A’ Section on February 21st after almost a month’s absence.
    “Sergeant ‘Taffy’ Evans had been posted to ‘A’ Section. He had almost completed twelve years’ Regular service in the Royal Corps of Signals when he was posted to us, and since then had been a Sergeant in ‘D’ Section. He was a first class NCO who immediately commanded the respect of ‘A’ Section and was responsible for a great improvement in its efficiency.
    A note in my diary for this time records that Basil Minor told me that he intended to get married on his next leave.
    One day the Field Security Police asked for my help in locating a suspected enemy agent in Que-Vaux-Villiers. They thought that he had a transmitting set, and Ken Butler, my Section subaltern, was sent along with one of our receivers to try and locate him. Nothing came of this wild goose chase!
    Sunday March 10th 1940- It was at about this time that we heard that we were to leave our training area and join II Corps to replace 51st (Highland) Division, which was going into the Maginot Line. Our HQ this time was to be located at Loos, near Lille.”
    L/Cpl Atkinson; “In early March we left Vaux – and moved north again to...Fresnoy. Here the weather was much warmer and drier. We made three more moves, stopping at Evreux an Montreuil, until in April we reached Loos-les-Lille on the outskirts of Lille. From this base we did training exercises and became familiar with the country round about”
    Sigmn Dean; “In early March we made a further move north to Fresnoy-au-Val, a village a little south of Amiens, where most of the Unit were accommodated in the village, with the Divisional Signal Office at Que-Vau-Villiers, a village astride the main road to Amiens. By this time a thaw had set in and as this was a chalky Area the roads off the main roads were covered in a white sticky mud, while the main roads were in a terrible state....the frost had caused the cobbles to lift and the tarmacadam to crumble. These conditions made for rough riding and wrought havoc to the bikes. Tightening nuts and regular maintenance became a daily task. It was quite a common occurrence to find the frames of the bikes cracking around the bottom bracket. These repairs were carried out with the aid of the welding plant and a very efficient workshop section.
    We spent about a month in this location..became well acquainted with Divisional layout...able to recognise...Divisional HQ Staff and many..Brigade and Regimental staff. This proved to be of great value during the weeks to come.
    We eventually reached our original intended position on the Belgian frontier at Loos....an urban area. We were billeted in a school and the bikes were parked in front of a factory. The weather had greatly improved and training was started in earnest...building ..part of the defences between Belgium and France... anti-tank ditches and wire and concrete pill boxes, the latter built by the Engineers.”
    Col Sheffield; “Unit HQ and No.3 Company were given a village called Fresnoy-le-Val for Billets” before moving “to Loos some three miles from Lilles.”
    While at Fresnoy; “I told the French Liaison Officer attached to take a lorry and acquire timber to make the Billet at least weatherproof. This he paid for with the money from the Unit’s Imprest Account, just short of 12,000 Francs. I took the receipted bills to the Divisional CRE for authorisation, and was set back when he said he could only authorise between three and four thousand francs, as his allotment for the whole Division was only 22,000 francs.
    Another action at Fresnoy was to send two lorries across France to an Ordnance Depot at Nantes, I had heard that the Depot had a great range of stores and as the Unit was considerably short of its G1098 entitlement I got Norman Norcross, our Quartermaster, to make indents for everything in which we were deficient. During the five days they were away we moved to Loos near Lilles and we obtained some very much appreciated stores, one item being a three and a half Kilowatt charging set.
    Everything seemed splendid until some days later I was summoned to Divisional HQ to explain why I had not worked through the Divisional DADOS. As he had a list of our requirements for weeks and we got nothing I took the action mentioned. Word had got to GHQ of the Army and the Major General Director of Ordnance was not amused and General Martel was instructed to take necessary action. The General was somewhat unorthodox himself, asked me what had taken place, was very pleased I had been successful and said ‘I now officially reprimand you for not complying with regulations’ “.
    Sigmn M Turner; “I cannot recall with certainty the name of the village near Amiens where I joined 3 Company (Fresnoy-au-Val), but I do recall we were billeted in the village sale de fete. A week or two after my arrival the Division HQ moved to Loos. I stayed behind for a week or so with a small rear party to act as interpreter – not an onerous task. We were billeted in a small cottage, and ate –on subsistence –at the village estaminet.
    At Loos I was billeted in a school and spent most of my time on shifts operating one of the battery of Fullerphones – I think I worked back to II Corps.”
    Major C.C. Fairweather; “March- 50 Division moved to Loos near Lilles. I joined the HQ of the CRA and his staff as I was the Signal Officer to Brigadier Charles Massey DSO,MC. In April the CRA was appointed Commander of a Route Regulations set up near the Belgian border with wireless and line detachments and his directive was to arrange for the necessary movement to put 2 Corps into Belgium if an when the balloon went up. Captain W A Lee....joined me with his wireless sets from ‘A’ Section. The Brigadier and I made several visits to our contacts near the Belgian border.”
     
  7. Capt Lee; “Plans had been made for action in the event of a German advance. A scheme known as ‘D’ Plan was drawn up, under which the Allies were to cross the frontier and advance sixty miles into Belgium and hold the line of the River Dyle. The move was to be made on two routes by I and II British Corps. 50th Division was to be held in GHQ reserve but was to be responsible for traffic control on the II Corps forward route. The CRA 50 Division – Brigadier Massey – was to command this traffic control organisation. Personnel for the control points were to be provided by Infantry Battalions of 50 Division. Major Claude Fairweather was to be responsible for the route regulation communications, and I was to accompany him, with Wireless detachments from ‘A’ Section.
    An alarm was received on April 11th and the Route Regulation Organisation assembled on the Belgian frontier. The alarm turned out to be a false one, however, and the move into Belgium was cancelled”.
    Cpl Atkinson; “The communication for this control unit, were to be provided by the four No. 9 set wireless trucks of Ack Section. Each vehicle was manned by a Corporal and four men – three operators and an electrician. The No.9 Set had a longer range than the smaller No. 11, and the outfit was self-contained, with full equipment for battery-charging either on the move or stationary.
    In the waiting period we were told in strict confidence of the role we would have to play, we did many ‘schemes’ and exercises practicing the techniques of moving and maintaining communications on a 3 to 1 group (three routes controlled by one HQ) Our vehicles were given the new R.R. sign to give us priority when the expected move came.”
    The Division had a long history of boxing championships which was encouraged by their C.O General le Q. Martel, a reputed ex Army champion at middle or light heavyweight. He bought a silver cup in Lille had it engraved and the competition was held on May 9th. Signals were victorious and Signalman 2569980 John Heathwaite was entrusted with the trophy. Sadly he perished on the paddle steamer “Gracie Fields” and the cup was never recovered. Major Percival takes up the story;
    “Within a matter of hours after the Boxing Championship news came through that the Germans had invaded Holland and Belgium and the real war at last had begun. It took the Germans only three weeks to throw us out of Continental Europe, and.....in that time we moved into Belgium three times and back into France twice, for I well remember remarking that I was already impatient to read the war Diaries when published to find out what on earth we were supposed to be doing and why.”
    Capt Lee; ‘D’ Plan was to be put into effect. Claude Fairweather was on leave and I was to take his place as Signal Officer to the Commander Route Regulations, Brigadier Massey.
    By noon we were all assembled to move off immediately behind our mechanised cavalry. Later we were told that we would not move off until about midnight, so we established a little Mess in a house nearby. I spent the afternoon in Lille buying primus stoves for my Wireless Detachments.
    The role of Route Regulation was to establish four Control posts alongside the road from the frontier to the outskirts of Brussels, and a HQ at Dries halfway…and slightly off the main road. Our four Control posts were to be located on the main road – one in a small village just over theFrance-Belgium border, others at Sottegen, Borsbeke and Merchtem. They were manned by detachments from
    4 E. Yorks (OC Michael Burke)
    4 Green Howards (OC Captain Turton)
    6 DLI (OC Captain Michael Ferens)
    9 DLI (OC Major Campbell Slight)
    My job was to site No. 9 Set Detachments at each of these Control posts, working to a control set at RRHQ. Lieut Hagen, as Line Officer from 2 Corps Signals, was to arrange for telephone communication over the Belgian civil system.
    We moved off in the dark and crossed the frontier at midnight without incident. As we reached each Control post Hagen and I dropped off and fixed up the Wireless Detachment and telephone communication. When this was completed we joined our own RRHQ at Dries. Here ..our HQ was established in a small café. We were joined here by a Field Company RE, commanded by a Major Pegler, and made contact with a Battalion of the RNF, who were available to deal with any parachutist attack.
    During the afternoon of the first day we had our first view of the enemy, when he bombed a village not far away. Later in the day we moved our HQ into the schoolroom of a Convent, where we worked and slept for the next ten days.”
    Cpl Atkinson; “We moved off .soon after dark and formed up on the road as practised. No lights, except a small lamp slung near the differential on the back axle showing the number of the vehicle. This small light.. we must keep in sight or we were lost. We took turns driving, and after a night of stops and starts, rumours of parachutists, fear of bombing...we stopped at daybreak in Dries, near Sottegem.
    The other three Corporals were sent to their outstations, and I reported to the Brigadier. We scouted round and set up shop in, of all places, a nunnery
    We five divided forces: one slept, one charged batteries, one ate or foraged, and two were on duty in the Nunnery. Hordes of refugees came down the road, and rumours were rife of fifth- columnists and spies disguised as peasants or nuns, sneaking through to sabotage and shoot up our troops. We hadn’t much in the way of defence, and the Brigadier always kept his revolver on the small desk in case we were jumped.
    In addition to the wireless links with the other three sets, we had a small telephone exchange and got through intermittently either to other Army units or to civilian exchanges via the overhead wires. We managed, in French or English, to get information from the girls who were still working at the exchanges....one brave girl weeping as she told us that the town was being bombed and that nobody was left. She then pulled the plug, and was another link crossed off our signal plan.”
     
  8. Major Fairweather; “Near the end of April leave was opened for the BEF and I was fortunate enough to come out of the hat. My wife joined me and we spent the leave in a London hotel...Coming down into the foyer..about 1000 hours on May 10th the Hall Porter remarked “The Germans have gone into Belgium”. I ran upstairs for my bag, kissed my wife, rushed to the station, got on a troop train to Southampton and then Cherbourg, and going through Amiens we received our first real taste of the war as the station and town were being bombed. I eventually returned to HQ to find my 15cwt with Buckley my batman and Pearson my driver waiting for me. The CRA and Captain Lee had of course left. I eventually joined the CRA and stayed with him until near Dunkirk.”
    Sigmn Turner; “ I was within sight of my second UK leave when on 10th May the ‘balloon’ went up. Again I stayed behind for a few days with a small rear party until II Corps had taken over the communications link. We then drove up, in a small convoy, into Belgium. I remember passing through Tournai –this was my first sight of a bombed town. We moved against a tide of refugees and were cheered by the local population. We drove throughout that day and spent the night in a barn…short of Brussels. There the news of the German break-through at Sedan reached us, and the following day we moved back into France. The flow of refugees had changed direction and we were again moving against the tide. The population, having cheered us on our way, gave us rather dark looks on our way back. Throughout, the Luftwaffe was active.”
    Sigmn Dean; “..the Division moved towards Brussels. ..the roads were choked with refugees fleeing from the enemy. Motor vehicles, often with a mattress tied to the roof as protection..would be driven until the petrol ran out and then abandoned. On one occasion a horse had been harnessed to the front bumper. It was distressing to see innocent civilians trying to escape from War...being savagely attacked by ‘Stuka’ dive bombers and machine-gunned by low flying aircraft.
    It was my duty on that first evening in Everbeq to take a despatch to HQ II Corps, which was at the Exhibition Site, Brussels. I approached the city outskirts, where tramcar after tramcar had...been left. Fires were burning where bombs had done their damage. On my return journey I was halted at every canal bridge and learnt that it would be blown up as soon as I had passed over it – such was the rapidly changing situation.”
    Capt Lee; “(I made) a journey up to Brussels to deliver an urgent message to II Corps HQ, which I found established in a house near to the Brussels Exhibition. On my way there I passed hundreds of Belgian troops standing around street corners, apparently leaderless.
    I had my first sight of refugees passing our HQ at Dries. …..they started passing down the road ..and …increased until there was a constant stream, day and night. We had… arranged special refugee routes. Even so, where the refugee route crossed our main route there was often congestion. A constant and heartbreaking scene during the remainder of our time in Belgium and Framce -.
    There were numerous spies brought to our HQ. They were mostly tramps who were reported to have been talking in Cafes in a peculiar language.........most only spoke Flemish and our liaison agent could only manage French. ....villagers.. would..tell us that a parachutist had landed nearby. At first we would take them seriously and , armed with revolvers, would go off in search. We usually found that these ‘parachutists’ were farm labourers working in the fields.
    A number of enemy aircraft were brought down in the vicinity of our HQ and as the RAF were unable to deal with the salvage the instruments and fittings would be brought in to us. Before we moved off a large collection of cameras, guns, rubber boats, compasses, etc., was dumped in the lake of a nearby large house.
    I had to visit Aloste one day. German planes flew over and started to drop bombs...there were a number of incendiary bombs..lying in the streets, unexploded. We collected a few..and later the Sappers exploded them. A number of..bombs dropped in the district failed to explode. On examination these were found to be empty of explosive.
    The position on our right flank became more serious...the enemy had reached Cambria, and it was decided to withdraw the whole BEF to the line of the River Escaut...we were required to regulate the route for the withdrawal, and remain in position to see 3rd and 4th Divisions back.
    4th Division was to retire at night, and during the afternoon...the Gunners fired off all their ammunition. I was up all night on duty..and been asleep for about half an hour when I was awakened by the Transport Officer, who told me that 4th Division had moved out during the night without informing us, and that we would have to get out as soon as possible. The Brigadier was furious as GOC 4th Division had promised to let him know.. His words to me were ‘Monty has barged us’!
    We packed up and left Dries at about 0900 hours. I had orders to take my Wireless detachments to Post No.1 and wait there for the Brigadier....reaching Post No.1 at about 1700 hours. From there the Brigadier sent me down to one of the bridges over the River Escaut to find out whether it had been demolished. It had not, but others on either side were going up and this one was all prepared for demolition. Some of the Infantry marching back appeared to be in a dreadful state, having had very little sleep for days.
    Route Regulation was dismissed at about 2000 hours and I returned with my detachments through Lille to Loos to re-join my Unit....we stayed for two days and were then ordered to Vimy.”
    Cpl Atkinson; “As the BEF retreated the time soon came for the Brigadier to pack up the Route Regulations, and we sent out a final message to the other three sets on the 19th May:- ‘This organisation now closing down. Goodbye, good luck, good hunting.
    A rendezvous was arranged with the other three trucks, and we set off back to our original base. After a few miles there was a hold-up at a bridge which a party of Sappers were preparing to blow up. A very irate RE Captain shouted ‘Where the hell have you lot been? We were told that the last had gone through. Get a move on’
    Back at the old school near Lille...there was a bit of a flap on, as we had heard of a break-through of enemy armoured units to the south on their way to the coast. Next day we were ordered to join Frankforcce, which was moving southwards to try and stem the German advance. On the road down to wards Arras and Vimy we were held up, as the forward troops met the German Panzers. We camouflaged our vehicles , and were ordered to the side of the road with loaded rifles. Some of the chaps said later that they had seen tanks moving across our route towards the coast (thereby cutting us off from the main French Army) but I saw nothing – I kept my head well down!”
     
  9. Col Sheffield; “The Division was ordered into Belgium forthwith, our first allocation being in reserve, but very quickly the Division was holding a section of the front line. The division operated on the Arras front for several days as part of a Group called ‘Frankforce... HQ was at Petit Vimy and if nothing else those who were there will remember the early (5a.m.) dive bombing of the German Stukas aircraft.
    After a few days I remember being ordered to attend a Conference at Divisional HQ which was in a timber hut, when General Martel gave details of an offensive across the corridor which the Germans had made, with the object of .. joining the French ...in the south of the Corridor. It was to be carried out by 151 Infantry Brigade and..supported by tanks and other Divisional Troops. One of the two columns engaged advancing some ten miles but the Germans quickly brought tanks and dive bombers into action and the attacking force had to withdraw to defensive positions.
    The Division then took up fresh positions for the defence of Arras, Advanced Division and Divisional Signals HQ’s still remaining at Petit Vimy. On May 23rd 1940 orders were received ..to move northwards and join the rest of the British Expeditionary Force, (which) on the morning of May 27th caused an anxious time. Being at Divisional HQ I heard immediately the orders we were to withdraw from the line that same evening. So I sent orders to our Administrative Rear Divisional HQ to return forthwith to our former billets in Loos. We had a line to the one Brigade in the front line (the remaining Brigades being in reserve), and Advanced Divisional HQ had left Petit Vimy, the only personnel left being General Martel, two operators manning the switchboard, myself and Captain Hopkins, the Unit Adjutant. General Martel said he would wait until the Brigade in the line had started to disengage. I still remember sitting in a timber hut where the exchange was installed waiting for 151 Brigade to say these operations had commenced. We then proceeded northwards to Loos. After a few miles we found the road completely blocked, many French troops also making to one of the only two bridges into the Bridgehead that was being established. The block was solid all through the night. Why the Germans, who had all the previous early morning dive bombed targets, did not make any sortie on this ten mile stretch of blocked road is a mystery.
    When I eventually got to Loos, I looked about for Major Percival and our rear personnel but there was no sign of them. Rear HQ were four miles nearer the bridge we had crossed, and my message to them was sent in the late afternoon. However after about two hours the party arrived, and Major Percival said he had not received my orders and the only reason they were there at all was that at 6..the following morning walking through the village he met Lt. Col. Bush at the head of his Battalion retiring to the new position. Col. Bush, amazed to see our troops, said that unless they wanted to be ‘put in the bag’ Major Percival and his men get moving. He hastily loaded vehicles and made for the bridge. Fortunately the road was at this time fairly clear and he with his men crossed and arrived at Loos......a Royal Engineers Officer told Major Percival that he had cut his crossing somewhat fine, as he was due to blow the bridge up in twenty minutes!!
    From Loos after many rumours of the Division making another attack, the Division moved into the Ypres area where the Belgians were in a difficult situation. Divisional HQ was set up in the town of Ypres, but I think the Division was not actually engaged.”
    Capt Lee; “Divisional HQ moved into two houses on the outskirts of Vimy village, within sight of Vimy Ridge. Our Divisional Signal Office was ..in a corrugated iron building alongside these houses, and my Wireless detachments – in 8cwt trucks were locate – dispersed , in fields nearby.
    During one of the occasions when we were being gunned and bombed by a couple of enemy dive-bombers General Martel, our Divisional Commander, wearing his red hat and tabs, quietly walked out of his HQ to a ditch across the road, into which he proceeded to ‘spend a penny’. Whether this was done on purpose I cannot say, but he certainly made those of us who had cringed feel ashamed of ourselves.
    We were at Vimy from 21st to the 23rd May. May 23rd was a very trying day. The Staff changed their plans several times..and each time I was called in to prepare new Wireless diagrams....after many changes the final one was that the Division would retire under cover of darkness. 151 Brigade was to cover the withdrawal of the rest of the Division. By this time we were hearing disturbing stories about the enemy coming around our right and being very near Lens. By now it was...late in the afternoon and Ronnie Percival, our Second-in –Command, Stephen Robinson (OC ‘D’ Section), Basil Minor (with his Cable Section), and Ken Waugh, had been sent with most of our transport to Bois Bernard, leaving the CO, Adjutant (John Hopkins), OC 3 Company (Norman Bower), and myself. Later in the evening Norman Bower was put in charge of all available personnel and ordered to make his way back to Loos.
    This left us with very sketchy communications- six despatch riders, an exchange operator, and one Wireless Detachment (No. 11 Set) working to HQ 151 Infantry Brigade....to remain open until the GOC moved out. We hardly dared to have a light in our little tin shack. Outside it was pitch dark except for tracer bullet displays and the flash from an occasional bursting shell...bursting uncomfortably close to us. I had the Wireless vehicle on the road all ready to move, and the DRs had their machines also ready. All we would have to do would be disconnect the exchange, collect the GSO I’s telephone, pile in the truck and beat it!
    As far as we could make out there was only one route available for our retirement, and nobody knew for certain whether this was open. It lay through Henin, Lietard and Carvin. We realised the road was bound to be congested and..expected the enemy would be over with his bombers at break of day. For hours now transport of every description had been passing through the village, and this included a number of French tanks.
    Eventually, at about 0200 hours, we were told that we could pack up. We put the exchange operator on the back of a DR’s motorcycle and set off. We had no maps..passed numerous fires and burning tanks, and by the Grace of God managed to cross the Bassee Canal, near Billy Monigny, just before dawn. The roads were packed with traffic and all road discipline had gone to the winds. By a miracle not a single enemy plane came over and we were ..at Loos by 0700hours. We stayed the night of May 24th in Loos and next morning received orders that Divisional HQ was moving to Premesque, near Armentiere. I was detailed to go ahead with certain Wireless Detachments and establish communications with the Brigades. We left Loos at about 1000 hours.”
    Major Mascall; “After some time at Lille the Signals were again ordered towards Brussels, and on the way spent the night at a farm. The next morning, to our astonishment, we saw white flags flying from the buildings of the neighbouring village. Very soon after this orders were received for the unit to withdraw. This...started in an orderly manner, but lack of instructions...found LAD, along with Captain Minor and about 70 Signal personnel, at a small village, having lost touch with Signals HQ and uncertain of our next destination – and being constantly bombed from the air.
    Captain Minor found our HQ but they had no more information than we had, so we must stay where we were until they sent further orders.
    Believing the German Panzers were not very far away, Captain Minor said ‘We are not going to be taken prisoner’ and ordered me to one end of the village to barricade the main road, whilst he and half the men did likewise at the other end. This completed, we could only wait. Sentries were posted at both barricades. Captain Minor and myself found an empty cottage with a torn bed mattress on the floor, on which we sat.
    At approximately 3am a despatch rider arrived with a message saying that one bridge was still intact and if we could make it before it was blown up we could get out and make Lille. Embarking all the personnel into three 3-ton lorries, we sped towards Lille, got over the bridge, and continued in haste.
    After making Lille we soon joined the main body of the Signals and made towards the coast. Nearing the coast we received orders to destroy and make unserviceable all vehicles except six wireless trucks, which the CO ordered me to escort to a given destination.”
     
  10. Major Percival; “At the start of the German invasion we set out for Belgium to occupy an already prepared defensive position, and all the way we were greatly impeded by refugees and harassed by Stuka bombers. We had scarcely occupied our position when we were pulled back into France, stopping at Loos on our way to Vimy Ridge to take part in an attack...to relieve the British garrison at Arras.
    The GOC had taken over a prominent white house fronting on a lane near the top of the Ridge, and we had taken over a corrugated iron shanty within 50 yards on the same side of the lane. Some Stukas came over, having obviously selected the white house as a target. The CO shouted to everybody to take cover and he crouched down alongside the front wall of the shanty with his tin-hatted head leaning against it. One of the bombs fell...only feet from where he was crouching, and...moved the whole shanty..and almost twisted the CO’s head off. ....the slightest movement gave him absolute agony, and....I had to take over. He recovered after about three days and was soon his old self, complete with his stomach trouble which had in no way eased since we left England.
    Shortly after Vimy we had to retire from an area south of a canal (?Bethune) in widely scattered groups. A number of us had a lucky escape for it turned out that the Sappers had been ordered to blow the bridges over the canal at certain times, and the road we were on was the last and was only still un-blown because the RE Officer in charge saw so many British troops still to get across.
    Once again our rendezvous was Loos and from there took our last journey into Belgium, to just outside Ypres. Very soon we started to return again, and learnt that a perimeter defence was being organised round Dunkirk. At this stage we had become virtually under Army Command and things were not easy for us as in fact there were four separate Army HQ’s miles apart in France and Belgium, and being now constantly on the move communications were limited to wireless and despatch rider.
    For the last few days we played leapfrog with 5 Division, one of us occupying a defence line during the day whilst the other prepared a new one behind. At night the one came through the other, and the tasks were reversed the following day.
    Sigmn Dean; “On arriving back at Divisional HQ another move was expected as the line was falling back. We were hastily sent as a Division to an area around Arras...this meant quite some miles to cover and quite hazardous too, as by day the roads were regularly bombed and strafed.
    We arrived in the afternoon ...in Petit Vimy. That evening I had an important despatch to be handed personally to Brigadier Churchill, 151 Bde Commander, who was on the right flank before Arras. ...I set off for Brigade HQ, which was south of Vimy Ridge.. On arrival I was informed that the Brigadier had gone forward to the west of Marveul.. I proceeded to the given location but was halted some distance away by a determined and serious sentry, who ordered me to switch off my engine and push the bike for...about 500 yards. I arrived to find the Brigadier sitting on the running board of his Staff Car and close by was a machine gun crew all set up for action....pointing to some shadowy figures in the distance he informed me that they were the enemy. My message read and a receipt given, I was ordered to return as quietly as I had come. I later learned that the message had contained the time of attack.
    The next move was back to Loos-de-Lille, which we had left just a couple of weeks earlier... From Loos we moved to Poperinghe and then to Ypres.
    The following day as I was on the way to Divisional HQ I had to take cover as the village ahead was being shelled. As the shelling eased off I proceeded to pass through..to find a terrible scene of carnage. A Regiment of the Belgian Cavalry had been caught in the bombardment and dead horses and riders littered the main street.”
    Cpl Atkinson; “Eventually we all had to retreat north to re-join the BEF. Back at Lille the atmosphere had changed. Few civilians were left, and there was a general air of ‘where to next’
    At about this time I was sent on loan to another Division and my wireless truck was attached to 13th Brigade to provide a link with the rear. We were stationed near Henin Lie Tard, not far from Douai, where my vehicle and four signalmen and self, were taken to a farm yard which was occupied by a battery of gunners. Their guns were shooting south towards a canal, on the far side of which German columns were travelling west in their swift advance to the sea. At first they ignored the gunfire, but eventually they started to shell our farm. One shell hit the roof of the cookhouse and the next landed in the centre of the farmyard, killing two infantrymen in a Bren-carrier. We had no casualties although shrapnel peppered the wireless truck.
    At the east end of the village, just past our position, there was a road barrier of old carts and farm equipment, and as we inspected it a few rounds of small arms fire whistled past us. We suddenly realised there were no Allied troops on that side between us and Berlin!
    As darkness fell the enemy guns opened up again and one shell landed on a gun limber, setting fire to a heap of straw. The fire quickly reached the ammunition, and after a while the gunners cleared out and we were left . A listening watch on the set had to be maintained (They did this from the relative safety of a cottage)
    When dawn came the scene was one of complete chaos, with severe damage done to all the buildings and several fires still burning. Our home made Anderson-shelter was covered with plaster (and we) looked like chimney-sweeps) To the south-east the town of Douai could be seen burning.
    About teatime we were told that the whole Brigade would be pulling out after dark, and we were to stand by ready to fit into the convoy behind the Padre’s car.
    Next morning we...returned to Lille, where we re-joined the main Unit. From here began the long trek which eventually ended at Dunkirk.”
    Sgt Evans; “I was in Darlington on a fortnight’s leave when the evening paper gave news of the breakthrough... As I was due to catch the night train to Dover I didn’t lose any leave. From Dover over to Calais, bundled into cattle trucks and off to Lille. The stations were blacked out, and no water was available at stops. At Amiens we were able to buy some champagne and drunk as a thirst quencher it seemed to have no intoxicating effect.
    At Lille I found that four No.9 sets of my Section had been into Belgium and had returned, quickly. L/Corporal Baker was missing. He had changed to another W/T truck to rectify a fault and instead of returning with that crew had chosen to wait for his own truck to...pick him up. So, being Section Sergeant, off I went with Driver Duke in an 8cwt for this missing L/corporal. Shortly after crossing over the Belgian border we found the road blocked at a level crossing. A refugee train had pulled into the small station and had been machine-gunned from the air. It was a shambles. We turned left over some open ground and went down a track until we were able to bump over the rails and continue along a narrow road until we came to the village, which was no more than a couple of farm houses. There he was, sitting on his pack... he was into the back of the truck like streaked Morse Code and we whirled around and made for home on the outskirts of Lille. Twenty-one years later Mr Baker explained ...only a few minutes before we rescued him a party of troops had surrendered to the enemy behind the farm buildings”
    Capt Lee; “When I arrived at Premesque I could find no trace of Divisional HQ, but discovered GHQ BEF was in the village occupying a large chateau. We were told that Divisional HQ was at a farmhouse about two miles away and called La Bleue..with HQ RA in a neighbouring one. This was the worst HQ we had yet occupied, with OC Signals in an outbuilding and the Signals Office in a cowbyre next door....we were told that we would be moving on again at about 0600 hours.
    When the time came to move, the road was chock-a-block with vehicles, but we eventually got away and joined a terrific line of vehicles, all headed for the Ypres district. The line halted continuously for long periods, and I am still unable to understand why we were not bombed. We could see enemy bombers coming over and dive-bombing villages only a mile or so away.
    Just outside Poperinghe we halted..a long while, when we did move we found that the village had been badly damaged. Divisional HQ ‘A’Mess lorry had been hit and the driver killed. ...we found Divisional HQ established in a kind of Village hall at Vlamertinge, a few miles west of Ypres...on the edge of a large wood, in which we parked our vehicles
    The following day it rained continuously and heavily. About mid-day we were told that we would be moving out that night and that all supplies and equipment must be destroyed. It was a heart-breaking job to see so much good equipment and personal possessions being abandoned. I think it was about this time we heard that the BEF was to fall back on Dunkirk, from where it was hoped that it would be evacuated back to the UK. ..we started sending back to the vicinity of Dunkirk parties of such personnel as could be spared. The main party left at about 2000 hours, leaving Stephen Robinson and I to close down after the General left.
    It was pitch dark when we left and traffic congestion was appalling. Eventually, at about mid-night, most of the traffic had cleared and our small convoy set off for the next Divisional HQ location – the village of Oestvletern – where we re-joined the rest of HQ and No. 1 Company.”
     
  11. Sigmn Turner; “We arrived eventually at La Bassee, where we spent some days. This was the period when elements of the Division successfully counter-attacked around Arras – we were not involved. The town seemed deserted apart from refugees, who looked suspiciously at all and sundry; there were two hundred or so German prisoners held nearby. A single Dornier crew must have spotted their own chaps nearby as they sheered off and we were not troubled much thereafter. I remember that we used a mortuary as a guardroom. From La Bassee we moved to a position near Poperinghe – I think the nearest village was called Flamentinghe. My guess is that we reached there about 25th or 26th May.
    This was a fairly noisy period as roads nearby were receiving continuous attention from the Luftwaffe. I think it was from here that I drove someone over to Division HQ. This was in a large building, and I remember clerks burning documents. There I met and had a chat with RSM Widgery. ..it was probably the next day when Lieut. Wight ordered me to take his truck (a Morris 8cwt) and join a column being formed by II Corps to find and evacuate infantry. I duly found the column …where they said in effect –draw 100 rounds of ammunition and join the end of the column.”
    Cpl Atkinson; “The full seriousness of the BEF’s plight was not realised by any of us until one day, in a wood near Ypres, Beer Section (Cable and Line) were told to start destroying their equipment including the new up-to-date cable-laying machine which was their pride and joy. Soon we were told to stop by the wayside and destroy everything that might be of use to the enemy, employing any method except burning...as not (to) attract the attention of the German planes.
    The vehicles were a problem as they were almost indestructible, short of fire or explosives. Some drivers dumped them in canals and others did what they could by running the engines full throttle with the oil and water drained off until they finally gave up.
    We were ordered to retain our rifles and ammunition , along with webbing equipment – which made up marching order. ...we fell in and set off in groups along the road westward. I can remember only one meal and that consisted of a biscuit each with one sardine!
    On the night of Thursday, 30 May, we rested in a small village where some of our main Unit were congregated. The darkness was short lived at this time of the year, and we paraded at about 6 a.m. on the Friday morning. We divided into groups of 50 men, for the last lap. We walked until mid-day, when we came suddenly to Bray-Dunes, a small village, and right in front of us in the middle of the road was an old fashioned, open sided band-stand, very similar to those in our parks at home. This marked the end of the road, literally, as beyond, there was nothing but sand dunes and, much further off, the sea. Not a soul was in sight on the beach, but there were two or three fair sized vessels...lying about a mile off shore. It was much later we learned that these vessels had been sunk by enemy action and were resting on the shallow sloping beach at low tide.”
    Major Mascall; “Around 2am one morning the CO sent for me and ordered me to proceed to Bray Dunes with the LAD and 60 Signals surplus personnel. On arrival we found hundreds of troops on the same errand as ourselves, and reporting to the Brigadier in charge of evacuation he made it plain that it would be at least two days before he could get us away, and suggested we should park ourselves in the sand dunes and await our turn. This we did, but during the night I noticed that the German gunfire was gradually creeping towards the sand dunes and getting too near for our safety. So early in the morning I decided to quit the dunes and walk a number of kilometres along the beach to Dunkirk. This was tough going on soft sand all the way, and we were repeatedly harassed by machine gun fire from German planes.
    Approximately half a kilometre from Dunkirk we were met by a Naval Officer who enquired to our strength, then asked us to follow him, and we embarked on the destroyer HMS Malcolm.”
    Sigmn Dean; “The following days were spent in fighting a formal withdrawal action, and great difficulty was found in keeping contact with the various Units of the Division. Divisional HQ was set up at Adinkirke...near the Fournes canal. By this time..communications.were becoming more difficult....all wireless sets were out of action or, due to direction-finding by the enemy, made ineffective. Cable Section had great difficulty in laying and recovering cable, due to frequent change of locations and constant bombing and shelling, so that the main strain was placed on the Despatch Riders...
    The following day we moved into the Bridgehead area and we then realised that the end was not far away. There were huge fires of burning equipment, tyres, anti-aircraft 3.7mm guns, standing like palm trees. The muzzle of the guns had been split by placing a shell in the muzzle and one in the breech and detonating them from a distance. Divisional HQ were assembled and told that the Division was being withdrawn. We received what rations were available and proceeded towards the coast, which was a few miles away. The last official duty was to destroy the machine which had given excellent service, covered thousands of miles over some of the worst possible conditions and had never let me down – a tribute to British engineering. The tyres were slashed, the oil sump smashed, and the engine run until it seized up.
    We made the coast at Bray Dunes by about mid-day and found comparatively few on the beaches. There were a number of damaged and abandoned vehicles, but no ships in sight. We had by this time reduced ourselves to a group of five. There was the usual enemy fighter plane which made regular strafing..up and down the beach area. We could see the oil storage tanks at Dunkirk billowing black smoke.. we considered the dock area of Dunkirk might be the better place to make for, for possible evacuation. We made progress along the sea shore, trying any abandoned vehicle ...and...came across a Quard. The engine fired and there was still fuel in the tank, but it was dug up to the back axle in sand. Finding a couple of shovels we hastily dug the wheels clear and were able to drive it out. ...we tore along the beach in high spirits....as the tide was out we made good progress towards the dock area and drove within 500 yards of the jetty, where we were approached by a Military Policeman. We were directed to a casualty clearing station to act as stretcher bearers and assist in carrying casualties to a frigate that was tied up to the jetty, which by this time was bomb damaged. The gaps in the jetty had been filled with gang planks. After some hours of carrying the wounded on to the ship, and with the sun going down on a sea like a mill pond, the ship could take no more and would be leaving on the incoming tide. ...we would be staying on board to prevent stretchers slipping off the decks. We were positioned in the scuppers around the deck. As the sun finally sank...the ship ...made out to sea, leaving behind a coast-line of burning oil tanks and gun flashes...”
    Cpl Atkinson; “The embarkation of the BEF had been in progress for nearly a week by now, and on our left we could see the heavy mushroom of smoke from the burning oil tanks in Dunkirk, about 10 miles further west. After a much needed rest we again set off, this time along the beach, which was firm at first but later, as teh tide came in, we had to struggle through deep sand. The beach was littered with the debris of war, including a line of partly-submerged trucks running into the sea, which had been used as a makeshift pier for troops some time earlier in the week. Now, there were no more small boats here, and no more lines of Tommies wading out to meet them.
    Among the various items of equipment and bomb-damaged impediments there was stuck in the sand a huge torpedo, which must have drifted ashore, having failed to explode. We gave it a wide berth.
    As we drew closer to Dunkirk there were more men about, most of them French troops....occasionally there came a low flying German plane which straffed us with small-arms fire..
    We finally reached the end of the Mole at Dunkirk at about 6 p.m. and after a hair-raising trip along the broken pier, dodging air-bursting shrapnel we saw a destroyer which was just about to leave. The Captain yelled at us through a microphone to hurry or they would go without us. As the deck was much lower than the pier we were obliged to slide down rough planks until a sailor grabbed us and passed each man further aboard to make more room. This..went on until we were packed like vertical sardines and when later one of the crew passed round some broken loaves of bread it was a struggle to get an arm free to receive a piece. Some mugs of tea were also passed round, but none reached my corner. With a hoot the destroyer did a swift U-turn in the harbour and headed for the open sea. Barely clear of the harbour entrance the ship was attacked by a Jerry plane, and the compliment was swiftly returned by the destroyer’s anti-aircraft guns. As far as could be seen, there were no casualties.
    The last I remember of Dunkirk was the strong smell of cordite and the heavy pall of black smoke from the town behind us as we sailed north-west towards the setting sun and home.
    Half way across the Channel we saw a Spitfire in the drink, with the pilot clinging to a wing. Our destroyer stopped bows on, a sailor dived overboard, and in a few seconds the pilot and the sailor were on the foredeck, and the ship was under way again. The cheery pilot, with blood running from his head and a Navy cigarette in his mouth, was squeezed past us on his way to the sick-bay.”
     
  12. Signalman M Turner; “We moved off when it was dark and drove through the night. We halted for long periods, we halted for short periods, it was pitch black and, we showed no lights, vehicles were ditched and extricated or ditched and left. All I could see … was the dim outline of the vehicle immediately in front. At first light all that was left of the column was the vehicle in front… We had no maps and didn’t know where we were, nor where the opposition was. I pressed on a bit further and was flagged down by two Welsh Guardsmen who assured me…the opposition was just ahead. I took them aboard –they insisted on riding in the back- turned round and headed in what I hoped was the direction of Dunkirk.
    I had an absolute clear run until I got within two or three miles of Dunkirk. The roads were surprisingly empty. I remember driving part of the way with a canal on my right. The road into Dunkirk was lined on either side with ditched and wrecked vehicles. I was able to drive into Dunkirk where I parked alongside what I recall as a small harbour. We buttonholed a harassed Sergeant who seemed to be in charge of nearby activities. He…told me to leave my vehicle where it was and to go to the beach.
    Conditions on the beach seemed to be chaotic. We tried to attach ourselves to a number of groups in turn, but ‘spare files’ were obviously not welcome and we resigned ourselves to remaining detached, at least for the time being. It was now afternoon and we were hungry, MPs pointed us in the direction of supplies, and we made a meal of bully-beef, hard biscuits, and water. Shortly thereafter I lost my Guardsmen companions – there were occasional ‘flaps’ and I think it was during one of these that we separated.
    During my stay at Dunkirk – I was there for about 36 hours – things were not too bad around my patch. The Luftwaffe concentrated on the shipping and the enemy artillery seemed more interested in the far side of the Mole than in us, although shells did fall on the town. I remember; a coaster beached on its side with its keel towards the town; two characters disposing of motor-cycles by riding them into the sea; columns of men stretching into the sea; people paddling and people sleeping. The dominating feature was the column of black smoke rising from beyond the Mole. We watched the destroyers. They would disappear behind the columns of water thrown up by the bombs and then reappear –to cheers-at speed, with their pom-poms hammering away.
    Darkness fell and I slept –heavily. About mid-day a very senior Officer appeared, installed himself on a shooting stick on the beach in the lee of the dunes, and proceeded to produce order from chaos. Groups were formed, given numbers, and positioned in ascending numerical order along the beach from the Mole. At intervals the number of the group nearest the Mole would be called and that group would double over to the Mole and out of sight, and each group would move up one place. My group was in position near the base of the Mole by about 10p.m., our number was called and away we went at the double. Once over the Mole we were into the area the enemy had been shelling with ‘impact’ shells and airbursts, and there were a number of blanket-covered bodies about. I still feel admiration for the people who stayed in that unhealthy spot directing each group in turn. We ran along a wooden pier, across a gap bridged by rickety planks, and on to a destroyer which was casting off as we reached her. We crammed in where we could, ensuring that there were ‘gangways’ through which the crew could move. Incredibly we were each given a large hunk of bread and a mug of cocoa. We had a trouble free crossing and it was still dark when we reached Dover. I was told that the destroyer was the ‘Impulsive’ To the best of my belief I crossed from Dunkirk on the night of 1st/2nd June.”
    Major Percival; “All through this time we had been sending back for evacuation all those personnel who were not directly involved in the fighting, and also destroying equipment, stores, and personal belonging ...we buried some valued possessions........the cabinet containing the Officers’ Mess cutlery, all engraved with the Corps badge, and my beautiful hand-made riding boots..
    When we reached about ten miles from the coast we passed through the perimeter defence line and had to abandon our vehicles, which surprisingly we were not allowed to destroy. From then on we were on foot and we took up the last defensive position on the coast, which 5 Division passed through for the final time, leaving 50th to be the last Division to leave. We were in a small seaside town – Malo les Bains immediately north of Dunkirk – and the plan was that we and all the oddments remaining should be lifted the following day, June 1st. But it was not to be, as at the end of the day there was still one of our Brigades waiting to go. As some communications had to be maintained the CO decided that he had to stay...though physically he was in no condition to do so, in company with the W/T Officer, Wally Lee.
    I left Malo in the early afternoon with the remaining main body of the Unit to walk along the beach to the Mole at Dunkirk, leaving behind a small rear party with the CO and Wally. For obvious reasons we walked in scattered groups...reached the Mole at about 5p.m. to be told by the Naval Officer in charge that we couldn’t board either of the two ships lying alongside until about sunset, 9 p.m., meantime getting into the trenches dug round about.
    The Mole was a wooden structure about a mile long with several large gaps where bombs had fallen, and the ships were near the seaward end. The problem was how to get on one of them....solved by the arrival of a fleet of ambulances busy clearing out the Service hospitals. I found they were under a subaltern’s command and he had no stretcher bearers, so six men were detailed to each stretcher, one to each handle and two to carry their arms and equipment, and with orders not to move off the ship except on direct orders from me or the ship’s Captain. We were all aboard by 6 p.m. and started rigging up all the available Bren guns on stanchions and overhead rails, whilst others emptied ammunition pouches and fitted the bullets into the Bren drums ready for enemy aircraft.
    An hour or so later the ship began to fill up and at dusk we started to move off. The ship ...ferried passengers to and from the Isle of Man and had been switched to rescue, this being its fifth voyage. The crew hated the job but stuck with the old ship, including the bos’n, aged 75, who took me down to his cabin for a cup of tea. We were all very tired.......It was a most heartening sight next morning when the coast of England came in view, and the white cliffs made us guess rightly that we were heading for Dover.”
    Capt Lee; “Our next move was to Adenkirke, a small place on the coast near the Franco-Belgian border, where the Division was again in action defending a perimeter line around Dunkirk and the beaches of La Panne in order to keep the enemy at bay and so allow as many as possible of the BEF to be evacuated. Later Divisional HQ moved to a site on open farm land at Lleffringhouke, between Dunkirk and Berques, where we came under considerable shell fire.
    On June 1 1940 I was ordered to close down wireless communications and proceed with those of my Section ..located at Divisional HQ, into Dunkirk for evacuation. ...before entering the town I was ordered to destroy the vehicles and wireless equipment which they contained. We did this at a point just outside Dunkirk, on the banks of a canal.
    From there ‘A’ Section had the experience of marching the last six or seven miles into Dunkirk. We reported to Divisional HQ Staff, who had established a control point in the cellar of an hotel near the harbour. Here we were given some hot tea and ordered to proceed to the Mole for embarkation. As we approached we found a long queue waiting to embark on a couple of Naval craft and some smaller boats tied up alongside. Every now and then an enemy shell would explode nearby...we would make way for a wounded man...I saw Sergeant Campbell..of the Despatch Rider Section...hit in the bottom by a piece of shrapnel, but still cheerful!
    Eventually I found myself embarked on an ancient steamer – The Marchioness of Milford Haven – along with Colonel Sheffield and his Adjutant, John Hopkins, We were given more tea....I slept like a log on the Wardroom floor. We were told by the Naval crew that as our ship was a paddle steamer it was possible to take a direct route and disregard minefields.”
    Col Sheffield;“On May 29th 1940 the Division moved to the north sector of the Bridgehead and Divisional HQ opened at Adinkerke, a village on the Belgian coast.
    Orders were received that the Division would embark on May 31st. General Martel established his Headquarters two miles east of Dunkirk and Divisional HQ Signals Office was established close by. On 1st June 1940, General Martel closed his HQ and together with the few remaining personnel, including Signals, we proceeded to Dunkirk which was completely jammed with troops. However, outside an empty house I saw the Divisional Badge and inside a few Officers and men were having a meal of corned beef and coffee which the Adjutant was glad to join in. The approaches to the Mole were still packed solid with troops and there appeared to be no ships to embark on. However, at midnight Captain Hopkins and myself went to join the troops and some boat must have taken off some troops for we found ourselves halfway down the Mole, which was about a quarter of a mile long. About 0200 hours the noise of a ship was heard and a paddle steamer came alongside exactly opposite where we were standing. A gangway was put into position sloping up to the Mole as the ship was at a lower level. A naval officer shouted – I can well remember the number-‘We can only take 360 men’. As the troops rushed to get on the gangway Captain Hopkins and myself stood either side, and controlled the rush to embark. However, as we were approaching the limit allowed, news came that two destroyers had arrived and were moored alongside the Mole further down. The troops, almost to a man, rushed to the end of the Mole....we got the required number on... and left nobody on the Mole endeavouring to embark on the paddle steamer.
    It was a very small ship with a small saloon holding about twenty people and when I entered I found our Sergeant who was in charge of the Unit Despatch Riders lying on a small table in the centre of the saloon. The Mole had been intermittently shelled by the enemy and he had been wounded in the back by shrapnel, fortunately it was not severe. About 0300 hours the ship drew away and we were on the way to Ramsgate."
     
  13. Major Fairweather; “After destroying my truck on June 2nd I joined up with Brigadier C W Haydon of 150 Brigade . By the example of Brigadier Haydon and the manner in which he organised us we lined up on the Mole. Unfortunately the enemy were now shelling the Mole and some casualties were caused. Buckley and I were ‘blown off’ the Mole onto the shore below by a blast with no ill effects wuth the exception of a bruised and sprained right leg. However we all had to retire to the Dunes again. Brigadier Haydon formed us up the following morning, June 3rd, and marched us along the good part of the Mole at which the destroyer HMS Sabre had arrived. We got aboard and on the way out the destroyer had its compass shot away – no casualties.”
    Sigmn Dean; “On arrival the Medical Corps were waiting to attend to the wounded and we were able to disembark. We were...given mugs of steaming tea and sandwiches provided by the local ladies’ voluntary organisations.
    In the marine station stood an empty train into which we were ushered..When it was full it slowly left and glided through the beautiful Kent countryside...a complete contrast to the scenes we had left behind...So hours later we de-trained near to Aldershot and boarded trucks which took us to Blackdown Camp, where the Canadian Army took good care of us.”
    Major Percival; “Dover seemed to be in a state of panic, obviously expecting to be raided at any moment. We were hustled off the ship willy-nilly, given no time to collect or look after our men, bundled into one of the two trains standing in the harbour station, and whisked off to no-one knew where. I doubt whether the engine did either for we never seemed to get up speed, were constantly stopping and getting on to branch and side lines. After hours of this we reached our destination – Bordon, in Hampshire – and at last one was able to collect what few of one’s men had been pushed into the same train.”
    Signalman M Turner; “From the dock it was a short step to the train. Passing through the barrier I asked the MP where we were going. I thought he said ‘The Oval’, it turned out to be Yeovil. From Yeovil Station we travelled by truck to Houndstone Barracks (a Militia Camp)”
    Cpl Atkinson; “At about 10.30 pm. We made fast alongside a mixed row of vessels and after crossing five or six, all of different heights, we clambered onto the dock-side at Dover and walked along the railway lines to a waiting train. The ladies of the WVS handed tins of beautiful clean water through the windows, and a padre gave us each a small card to be filled in and handed back to him for posting to our relatives. We were home again in England, where everybody was calm, quiet, and efficiency.”
    Col Sheffield;“We were disembarked at Ramsgate. There the troops were shepherded into a train, destination unknown. ...we detrained at Pontefract and were housed in the depot of the KOYLI.”
    One learned many lessons from our first experiences in France and two things were entrenched in my mind. Firstly that Wireless was to be a most vital method of communication, and secondly that though our role in the Army was to provide communication, we were soldiers first. This was brought home to me most forcibly when we retired from the Arras area and came to one of the two remaining escape bridges. There were small parties of Infantry men guarding the approaches and in my conversation with them it transpired they were from a second line Territorial Division, sent to France for road and airfield construction. They had only been in the Army a few months and in some cases not fired a rifle.”
    Major Fairweather; “I went to sleep on the deck. I cannot remember the crossing. I was awakened when we reached Dover. We then boarded a train for an unknown destination. During the journey I went to sleep and on awakening found several mugs of cold tea at my feet. Seemingly at each stop the WVS handed tea to us which I had taken in an unconscious state. I must have also signed several ‘I am safe’ postcards as my wife still has four of them!
    Eventually we reached Mitchet North Camp in Surrey where I had attended Public School OTC Camp in 1922! I was given a tent...and removed my boots for the first time in many days. I slept for 24 hours and on awakening discovered my boots had disappeared!”
     
  14. Capt Lee; “We were aroused early the following morning (June 2nd) to find our ship entering Ramsgate harbour....we were hustled along to a waiting train...given more hot tea and haversack rations by ladies of the WVS. We spent all day in the train...and late in the afternoon we arrived at Pontefract. Here we were taken in motor transport to the Depot of the Duke of Wellington’s Regiment.
    Shortly after our return we were delighted to hear that as a result of their service with the BEF certain members of the Unit had been awarded honours. Amongst them were;
    Captain Basil Minor had been made MBE
    George Dean, a Despatch Rider of ‘D’ Section and Sergeant Luke Burnside, of ‘B’ Section , had been awarded Military Medals.
    Later we heard that the following had been Mentioned in Despatches:
    Captain Stephen Robinson
    Lieutenant (QM) NA Norcross
    RSM J F Widgery
    Sergeant O M Olsen
    Corporal W Petrie
    Signalman J W Stansfield
    L/Corporal W Robinson
    Signalman A Fletcher
    L/Sergeant W Merry
    L/Corporal J Waddleton
    Perhaps a last summing up can be left to Lance Corporal Waddleton;
    “At last the balloon went up and we were rushed eastwards at a great pace significantly reduced when we met the first of the refugees and the confusion wrought by enemy air action. My first sight of air-raid victims was infinitely sad, the bodies, several of them children, stretched side by side, face downwards, on a pave, like so many rag dolls. War became reality, then, when scores of planes flew, apparently unhindered, over us, or singled out our section of the convoy for dive-bombing attacks.
    So the days went by – shelling, straffing, hunger, sleeplessness: thoughts of home, of capture, of death. And amid it all the comforting figure of little, strutting Sergeant Taffy Evans, with his encouraging words, his cups of tea, his refusal to duck when a salvo of shells screamed across the road down which he was walking.
    Dunkirk was a place of fires and noise, and smells and bodies, and shuffling queues and distraught animals and dead animals, and a hopeless acceptance of the inevitable, whatever that might be. For me it was the interminable listening to the crackling set. Then a message to be transmitted to the last of the forward Units and the blessed relief of an acknowledgement, so that I could ditch my vehicle and take my place in the shuffling lines of men making for the jetties.”
    Brigadier T.T.J. Sheffield, C.B.E., T.D., D.L.
    Colonel Sir William Lee, O.B.E., T.D/, D.L. –posted to 4 Corps Signals in early 1942.
    Captain E.N. Atkinson – promoted L/Sgt in July 1940 and to full Sgt on posting to 6th Armoured Division Signals in August 1940. Commissioned in 1942 he joined 42nd Armoured Division.
    Lieutenant J. Waddleton - Left the Unit in Cyprus in late 1941 for Kasr-el-Nil O.C.T.U.
    Lieutenant W. Evans –promoted WOII in October 1940 and joined a draft Company known as ‘M’ Division, sailed to Singapore and became ‘Fortress Signals’. Posted 3rd Indian Signals and commissioned, he later joined 11th Indian Division Signals. Taken prisoner by the Japanese, he spent a year in hospital at the end of the War.
    Major V.C. Mascall, M.B.E. – posted away almost immediately to another Unit.
     
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  15. Background; During the second half of 1940 50 Signals were re-organised, first at a holding camp at Knutsford, Cheshire then Crewkerne, Blandford and finally Bridgewater. The various Sections remained with their attached Units.
    Also new faces appeared on posting and the Unit lost some older members. Training and re-equipping went on during this period with an initial move to the Middle East in December 1940 cancelled. During April 1941 orders were received for the whole of 50 Division to embark for Egypt.
    HQ & 1 Coy staged at Mena Camp, Cairo while other Sections were at Qassasin.
    2/Lieut D A Smith;“The 50th Division was now spread out thinly along the Dorset coastline, mining the beaches, digging tank traps, erecting concrete pill-boxes and barbed-wire defences and defending this beleaguered island with a miscellany of ordnance withdrawn from military museums.”
    Major R M Percival; “I don’t know whether it was because of his medical condition, but without warning an order came through swapping the appointments of Lieutenant- Colonels Tommy Sheffield and Bob Wight. I reckon this was a great loss to us, for Tommy had a wonderful way with the men and deserves the credit for what the GOC described as the best Regiment in the Division. At least we had the good fortune in getting a friend we already knew well in Bob. Also during this period we lost John Hopkins to a Staff College Course...and Wally Lee was appointed Adjutant in his place.”
    The 150 Brigade, with their Infantry and Gunner Signal Sections, were the first of the Division to leave for the Middle East towards the end of April 1941, the rest of us going in early May.”
    Sigmn Turner; “Qassassin Camp was a vast tented area used as a staging post - troops stayed..briefly after disembarking and before moving up into the Desert. …we were late in arriving in Egypt. Elements of the Brigade that preceded us were up around Mersa Matruh ‘getting their knees brown’ We ..spent about four weeks in relative comfort at Qassassin. My principal occupation ...was ....collecting transport from a vast vehicle park at Tel el Kebir. . ..the Division was moved to Cyprus. The Section crossed from Port Said to Famagusta at the end of July. We spent three months on the island and worked hard ..-schemes, shoots, etc. Many of us went down with ‘sandfly’.
    Lieut. T B MacVicker; “We arrived at Suez ... in late July and... after a short stay in Quassin we embarked on HMS Kipling at Port Said for Famagusta in Cyprus. 69 Brigade were responsible for the defence of an airfield at Limassol (7 Green Howards) and ... Paphos (5 E. Yorks), while 6 Green Howards were in reserve. We had line communications to 6 and 7 Green Howards, and through the civil exchange to 5 E. Yorks.”
    Sigmn Dean; “The Germans had overrun Greece and ..invaded..Crete ,.. and it was thought that the next move would be to take Cyprus. Therefore two Brigades and HQ were to prepare for such an attack. Divisional HQ were established…in Larnaca. ‘M’ Section was accommodated ..on the outskirts of the town, and we were soon able to convert the outbuildings into a workshop and resume our role maintaining the wireless sets and telephone equipment.
    ..after the dusty Camp at Mena this was a sub-tropical paradise. All around the area were vineyards, orange groves and other.. vegetation. The sea front offered ideal opportunities for bathing, and the friendly Greek cafes were pleasant retreats in the evenings when the air was filled with the scent of jasmine and the constant chirping of the crickets. ..there was much hard work, as the threat was real, and airfield defences were being made with great haste. Miles of telephone cables were laid and wireless stations set up. Cable Section had their problems too, as it was not unusual to find a line cut and a mule or goat tethered on the end.
    Major Percival; HQ 50 Divisional Signals were stationed at Larnaca, where we requisitioned the Italian Consul’s villa for an Officers’ Mess. We took over another fine house, built round an oblong courtyard, with a verandah at first floor level and at one corner an enormous banana tree festooned with great bunches of green bananas. This provided.... accommodation for a super canteen, with games, writing, quiet, etc. Rooms, even one for the Padre. The first parade every morning was for P.T. but after a day or so a couple of Officers asked if they could go for a swim instead and this was agreed to.
    2/Lieut J M Butterworth
    “In September I was transferred to 150 Brigade Section and found myself in a completely new world. A Brigade Signal Section was very small and as ‘K’ Section came mainly from Gateshead the first thing I had to do was to learn the language. Don MacLeod was the Section Commander, and I stayed at Brigade HQ keeping shop whilst he went out and around the battalions.
    On 1st November 1941 we received three days’ notice to hand over the defence of Cyprus to 5th Indian Division with whom we were to leave all our vehicles and equipment, except for personal arms and cooking utensils. As radio valves were like gold my spares promptly became a box of ‘cooking utensils’.
    Sigmn Dean; “Just when all the work was about completed we were informed that we would be handing over to the 5th Indian Division and we would take over their equipment in Palestine. Early in November …we left Farmagusta on board HMS Abdeal, a mine layer that under cover of night was to take us to Haifa, where we were to be camped in the Olive Groves not far from Mount Carmel. It was here that we took over the trucks and equipment left by the 5th Indian Division. We had certainly done a bad deal.”
    Major Percival; “The Division, which had been rejoined by 150 Brigade in Cyprus, was camped around Haifa, and we in Signals were assigned to an olive grove about five miles away out in the country. The weather was still warm and this olive grove was obviously a shelter from the sun for all the farm animals around. This attracted flies, billions of them, in clouds. The only way of getting a fly free cup of tea was to have it poured through your fingers and then cover the cup with your free hand while you sipped it. Before dinner in the Mess we put out whatever we had for lights so that the flies would settle on the tent roof. We then climbed on the tables, armed with rolls of newspaper, and on the word of command the lights re-appeared and we all, including the Mess cooks and orderlies, went into action. We killed hundreds every night, but it made no difference.
    ...and so a great effort started to get us re-equipped as much as possible in the shortest time, and this ended with stripping the 150 Brigade and leaving them behind to get fitted out before rejoining us, which in fact they didn’t do until we came back to the western Desert.
    We set off in early December on the long trek, mostly without maps, through Palestine, Transjordan and Iraq, sending the QM and cooks off ahead every morning so that a meal was ready when the main body arrived in the evening, with the vehicles always in the same order in a tight leaguer round the cookhouse.
    We passed over the Tigris and Euphrates and through Baghdad, where the local peasantry turned out to boo and shout at us, and in many cases they spat at us. Thank goodness the troops were marvellously restrained”
    Lieut Smith; “Soon after arriving at Haifa I was posted from Don Section at Divisional HQ to E (‘Eddy’) Section, which was the signal section serving 72 Field Regiment RA. They were quartered in a different camp some miles away. My first instruction from the Regimental Commander, Colonel R Mould Graham, was short and to the point. ‘ I have only one thing to say to you, and that is that my wireless sets must always work’ I believe we did manage to keep ‘Mouldy’ Graham’s wireless sets working whenever he really needed them.
    The Division’s next move was to be .... north-eastwards across the desert to Iraq or Persia. One of the three brigade groups went first and was followed a week or so later by a second… and Divisional HQ. 150 Infantry Brigade, which included 72 Field Regiment, was to follow… after about a fortnight, but before that time had elapsed the order was countermanded. Instead, the 150 Brigade Group was detached from the division and ordered south, into the Libyan Desert.”
    Sigmn Turner;.” We were now to operate as an Independent Brigade for about four months. We travelled by train up into Egypt, taking about three days to reach Baggush, east of Mersa Matruh.”
     
  16. 2/Lieut Butterworth “ 150 Brigade went into camp at Jalama on the slopes of Mount Carmel to the east of Haifa and we were ..to be re-equipped with the things which the Indian Division had left behind, then move to Iraq and to the Caucasus to fight side by side with the Russians to repel an expected thrust by up to ten armoured divisions into Persia. Because there was great urgency and a desperate shortage of equipment it was ordered that 69th Brigade would have first pick and move out , to be followed by 151 Bde. and then 150.
    The equipment was in orange groves to the south of Haifa but everything was well worn for 5th Indian Division had fought its way through Eritrea and Abyssinia and then, after defeating the Italians, had driven through Egypt, the Sinai Desert and so to Haifa. 900 vehicles were completely unserviceable and much of the rest of the equipment was really unfit for re-issue but despite the difficulties 69 Bde. were provided quite quickly and set off, soon followed by 151.
    At this point Rommel joined the party and my tale shifts to the Western Desert.
    In Haifa\150 Brigade were turning over what remained of the Indian equipment when it was told to pack up and entrain for the Western Desert, presumably to play long stop in case Rommel counter-attacked successfully. What we were to use .. was not clear for we had virtually nothing save what we carried on our backs and in that state we were ...put off the train beside the track in the middle of nowhere at the dead of night. Trucks appeared and...we found that we had returned to the area of the ‘Desforce’ HQ at Bagush, which 150 Brigade had quitted three months earlier on moving to Cyprus.”
    Captain MacVicker; “In Palestine I was moved from the Brigade Section to command the operating troop at Division HQ, with Sergeants Lightbody, Alderstone and Bradford. The Division was then ordered to the Kirkuk area of Iraq to stop the German threat to Iraq and Persia.
    We left the green, fertile land of Palestine and crossed the Transjordan desert, following the oil pipeline from Iraq to Haifa. There were no roads and the desert was hard, rough and stony. Our motor-cycles from the DR Troop (Sgt. Merry) nearly all ended up in the back of a 30-cwt lorry. When we arrived in Kirkuk the bikes were cannibalised to such an extent that when a bike was lost later in the Western Desert it was impossible to say which bike had been lost, it had the frame of one bike, the engine of another, and the WD number of another.”
    2/Lieut Butterworth; “Immediately crates, cartons and stores of all kinds started to arrive but without any discernible pattern and in no particular order. The vehicle situation was dreadful and we were told...there would be...few if any new vehicles. Before Desforce launched its attack, badly damaged....vehicles were taken to a dump at Mersa Matruh and we were invited to search this for anything that would or could be made to work. Donald...eventually..collected the right number of vehicles but..no signal trucks and most were near wrecks. By using dismantled packing cases and straightening nails we converted the best trucks to carry No. 11 Sets. In a Heath Robinson fashion the Brigade rapidly became operational and we started to do exercises. The best of the Signals bunch was a battered Austin van which had been in a collision. It had no offside front wing and the sub-axle had been heated and straightened by eye but it was a good runner.
    Just before Christmas we moved west into the desert south of Sidi Barrani and near ‘Piccadilly Circus’ where some wit had built an Eros out of petrol tins and erected it at a meeting of tracks.”
    Lieut Smith; “After various changes of train and nights in transit camps we eventually reached Desert Railhead by about Christmas Eve. The last stage, from Mersa Matruh, was by the military desert railway, operated by big ‘Pacific’ steam locomotives from New Zealand pulling small box cars which did not have individual brakes. Every halt or hesitation ..caused the trucks to pile up..and then recoil one by one as the buffer springs compressed. At Railhead there were one or two real sidings, and quite a lot of false ones to deceive the enemy air intelligence. It was mid-winter and quite cold and there were frequent unpleasant sandstorms.
    We were soon on the march again… As we crossed the wire which marked the frontier of Egypt – I think the crossing place was then called ‘Piccadilly’. We followed the famous desert tracks. The going was sandy, but occasionally stony, and there one long stretch across sunken salt pans in an eerie depression…Although all vehicles were four-wheel drive, they were constantly being bogged down. All carried some means for coping with this – either steel channels or rolled-up canvas strips with transverse slats, which could be spread out behind the wheels so that the vehicles could be reversed. Whatever method was used, shovels, sweat and swearing were essential
    On our way forward we passed south of Halfaya Passa where a German garrison, completely cut off for many months, was still holding out. The pass was a winding defile leading downwards to the sea, and gave command over a stretch of the asphalted coast road.”
    Sigmn Turner; “At Baggush we were re-equipped, but not quite as formally as that statement might suggest. Some of our transport was new, some much used, and some improvised. By that I mean our LAD salvaged vehicles from scenes of previous actions. I remember a Ford 15-cwt that sported three unit signs – the ‘Kite’ (4th Indian Division), the Palm Tree and Swastika (African Korps), and of course our own two Ts-that vehicle consumed oil and petrol in roughly equal quantities. Our No.11 sets were issued without securing bolts – D3 wire served for some time.
    With strength of about 30 the Section comprised: 6 Wireless Operators/Drivers, a Signal Office Group, Cable Team, 2 Electricians, 1 Instrument Artificer, 2 DRs, and about 4 drivers. Our transport comprised a 3-ton and a 30-cwt truck, about 3 15-cwt trucks, 4 Morris 8-cwt trucks (3 fitted with No.11 sets) and 2 motorcycles which were useless in desert conditions. The three wireless trucks were numbered S2, S3 and S4. The engines were 25hp, 6 cylinder sidevalves, there was a four-speed gearbox, feed from the petrol tanks (2) was through an autovac. There were two seats in the driving compartment, with a large air filter between them. The rear compartment was fitted with two sideways facing seats and a No. 11 set was mounted fore-and-aft.
    S2 and S3 generally stayed with RA Regimental HQ (RHQ). S2, manned by Joe Boyes and Norman Casson (Norman was killed at Ualeb) worked back to Brigade. S3, manned by Bill Burchill and George Ash, worked to S4, S4, manned by Jimmy Craik and myself, had a roving commission – we accompanied the RA Colonel (then Colonel Graham) when he needed a wireless truck, we accompanied a few patrols, and did a fair amount of what might be called taxi-work. The floor of the driving compartment was packed with sandbags..against mines, all driving lights were rendered inoperable, and a small light was fitted to shine onto the differential, which was painted white. All glass which would reflect light was covered with sacking. Jimmy Craik was an excellent operator but was never happy behind the wheel. (So they agreed) I should do all the driving.
    We put in some desert-convoy drill, moved up to ‘The Wire’ and spent Christmas at Bir Talatha. It was sand and scrub, and indistinguishable from almost any other Desert location away from the Coast Road. The only prominent feature of such places was an oil drum on a cairn.”
    Captain MacVicker; “We spent Christmas Day in Kirkuk under canvas. The weather was very, very cold....... plans were changed and we returned across the desert to Syria to take over from 6 Australian Division. We had again a defensive role, to counter a German threat through Syria. We had only about four weeks’ stay at Baalbek when we were ordered to the Western Desert, where we took over from 4th Indian Division in the Gazala Line.”
    Sigmn Dean; “ We passed through Baghdad early in December…en route for Kirkuk, an Arab town in the Iraq oil fields. On arrival in what appeared to be a rather inhospitable area, we established a camp – each tent being dug-in to a depth of three to four feet, as after dark it was not too safe to be above ground. It was the first time that we had been issued with a ration of charcoal as a little comfort from the cold. The weather by this time had deteriorated and showers of rain and sleet were frequent, making the area into pools of mud and oily water. There being an ample supply of crude oil..it was not long before the camp kitchen was oil-fired – a technique of using two barrels – one of water and one of oil – igniting the oil, and the water spreading the flames.”
    Major Percival; “We came to a halt at Kirkuk to learn that the expedition was abandoned as the Russians were counter attacking successfully in the bitter weather and would not have any foreign troops in Russia, nor Persia, which they regarded as under their influence.
    We stayed a few weeks, handicapped by being directly under War Office command and so without a supply tail. We ran out of cigarettes in four days and of brown paper in less than 24 hours thereafter. No NAFFI, no pay, no letters, and we were forced to buy what we could locally. The best meal we had was after ... a migration of quail was going on – A large Officers’ shooting party was organised and it was astonishing how many shotguns were revealed, when we were supposed to be travelling light.
    Our lads showed how well they could now look after themselves by digging large holes in the sandy clay, roofing them with their bivouac tents, lighting them with lorry bulbs and wireless batteries, and installing the oil heating. In no time floor coverings appeared, fire places were built, and shelves . – really cosy, nice and warm, and above all, dry.
    We left Iraq, without dismay, soon after the New Year 1942 – destination Syria. Apparently it was felt if the enemy attacked southwards through Turkey he would use the Bika Valley in Syria, and 50 Division was detailed to prepare defensive positions. We were stationed at Baalbek; the mountains enclosing the Valley were so rugged that the only possible transport was by mule, and so mules and muleteers were collected and all formations had to send parties of all ranks for training, and their experiences had the whole Division laughing for weeks.”
     
  17. 2/Lieut Butterworth “ 150 Brigade went into camp at Jalama on the slopes of Mount Carmel to the east of Haifa and we were ..to be re-equipped with the things which the Indian Division had left behind, then move to Iraq and to the Caucasus to fight side by side with the Russians to repel an expected thrust by up to ten armoured divisions into Persia. Because there was great urgency and a desperate shortage of equipment it was ordered that 69th Brigade would have first pick and move out , to be followed by 151 Bde. and then 150.
    The equipment was in orange groves to the south of Haifa but everything was well worn for 5th Indian Division had fought its way through Eritrea and Abyssinia and then, after defeating the Italians, had driven through Egypt, the Sinai Desert and so to Haifa. 900 vehicles were completely unserviceable and much of the rest of the equipment was really unfit for re-issue but despite the difficulties 69 Bde. were provided quite quickly and set off, soon followed by 151.
    At this point Rommel joined the party and my tale shifts to the Western Desert.
    In Haifa\150 Brigade were turning over what remained of the Indian equipment when it was told to pack up and entrain for the Western Desert, presumably to play long stop in case Rommel counter-attacked successfully. What we were to use .. was not clear for we had virtually nothing save what we carried on our backs and in that state we were ...put off the train beside the track in the middle of nowhere at the dead of night. Trucks appeared and...we found that we had returned to the area of the ‘Desforce’ HQ at Bagush, which 150 Brigade had quitted three months earlier on moving to Cyprus.”
    Captain MacVicker; “In Palestine I was moved from the Brigade Section to command the operating troop at Division HQ, with Sergeants Lightbody, Alderstone and Bradford. The Division was then ordered to the Kirkuk area of Iraq to stop the German threat to Iraq and Persia.
    We left the green, fertile land of Palestine and crossed the Transjordan desert, following the oil pipeline from Iraq to Haifa. There were no roads and the desert was hard, rough and stony. Our motor-cycles from the DR Troop (Sgt. Merry) nearly all ended up in the back of a 30-cwt lorry. When we arrived in Kirkuk the bikes were cannibalised to such an extent that when a bike was lost later in the Western Desert it was impossible to say which bike had been lost, it had the frame of one bike, the engine of another, and the WD number of another.”
    2/Lieut Butterworth; “Immediately crates, cartons and stores of all kinds started to arrive but without any discernible pattern and in no particular order. The vehicle situation was dreadful and we were told...there would be...few if any new vehicles. Before Desforce launched its attack, badly damaged....vehicles were taken to a dump at Mersa Matruh and we were invited to search this for anything that would or could be made to work. Donald...eventually..collected the right number of vehicles but..no signal trucks and most were near wrecks. By using dismantled packing cases and straightening nails we converted the best trucks to carry No. 11 Sets. In a Heath Robinson fashion the Brigade rapidly became operational and we started to do exercises. The best of the Signals bunch was a battered Austin van which had been in a collision. It had no offside front wing and the sub-axle had been heated and straightened by eye but it was a good runner.
    Just before Christmas we moved west into the desert south of Sidi Barrani and near ‘Piccadilly Circus’ where some wit had built an Eros out of petrol tins and erected it at a meeting of tracks.”
    Lieut Smith; “After various changes of train and nights in transit camps we eventually reached Desert Railhead by about Christmas Eve. The last stage, from Mersa Matruh, was by the military desert railway, operated by big ‘Pacific’ steam locomotives from New Zealand pulling small box cars which did not have individual brakes. Every halt or hesitation ..caused the trucks to pile up..and then recoil one by one as the buffer springs compressed. At Railhead there were one or two real sidings, and quite a lot of false ones to deceive the enemy air intelligence. It was mid-winter and quite cold and there were frequent unpleasant sandstorms.
    We were soon on the march again… As we crossed the wire which marked the frontier of Egypt – I think the crossing place was then called ‘Piccadilly’. We followed the famous desert tracks. The going was sandy, but occasionally stony, and there one long stretch across sunken salt pans in an eerie depression…Although all vehicles were four-wheel drive, they were constantly being bogged down. All carried some means for coping with this – either steel channels or rolled-up canvas strips with transverse slats, which could be spread out behind the wheels so that the vehicles could be reversed. Whatever method was used, shovels, sweat and swearing were essential
    On our way forward we passed south of Halfaya Passa where a German garrison, completely cut off for many months, was still holding out. The pass was a winding defile leading downwards to the sea, and gave command over a stretch of the asphalted coast road.”
    Sigmn Turner; “At Baggush we were re-equipped, but not quite as formally as that statement might suggest. Some of our transport was new, some much used, and some improvised. By that I mean our LAD salvaged vehicles from scenes of previous actions. I remember a Ford 15-cwt that sported three unit signs – the ‘Kite’ (4th Indian Division), the Palm Tree and Swastika (African Korps), and of course our own two Ts-that vehicle consumed oil and petrol in roughly equal quantities. Our No.11 sets were issued without securing bolts – D3 wire served for some time.
    With strength of about 30 the Section comprised: 6 Wireless Operators/Drivers, a Signal Office Group, Cable Team, 2 Electricians, 1 Instrument Artificer, 2 DRs, and about 4 drivers. Our transport comprised a 3-ton and a 30-cwt truck, about 3 15-cwt trucks, 4 Morris 8-cwt trucks (3 fitted with No.11 sets) and 2 motorcycles which were useless in desert conditions. The three wireless trucks were numbered S2, S3 and S4. The engines were 25hp, 6 cylinder sidevalves, there was a four-speed gearbox, feed from the petrol tanks (2) was through an autovac. There were two seats in the driving compartment, with a large air filter between them. The rear compartment was fitted with two sideways facing seats and a No. 11 set was mounted fore-and-aft.
    S2 and S3 generally stayed with RA Regimental HQ (RHQ). S2, manned by Joe Boyes and Norman Casson (Norman was killed at Ualeb) worked back to Brigade. S3, manned by Bill Burchill and George Ash, worked to S4, S4, manned by Jimmy Craik and myself, had a roving commission – we accompanied the RA Colonel (then Colonel Graham) when he needed a wireless truck, we accompanied a few patrols, and did a fair amount of what might be called taxi-work. The floor of the driving compartment was packed with sandbags..against mines, all driving lights were rendered inoperable, and a small light was fitted to shine onto the differential, which was painted white. All glass which would reflect light was covered with sacking. Jimmy Craik was an excellent operator but was never happy behind the wheel. (So they agreed) I should do all the driving.
    We put in some desert-convoy drill, moved up to ‘The Wire’ and spent Christmas at Bir Talatha. It was sand and scrub, and indistinguishable from almost any other Desert location away from the Coast Road. The only prominent feature of such places was an oil drum on a cairn.”
    Captain MacVicker; “We spent Christmas Day in Kirkuk under canvas. The weather was very, very cold....... plans were changed and we returned across the desert to Syria to take over from 6 Australian Division. We had again a defensive role, to counter a German threat through Syria. We had only about four weeks’ stay at Baalbek when we were ordered to the Western Desert, where we took over from 4th Indian Division in the Gazala Line.”
    Sigmn Dean; “ We passed through Baghdad early in December…en route for Kirkuk, an Arab town in the Iraq oil fields. On arrival in what appeared to be a rather inhospitable area, we established a camp – each tent being dug-in to a depth of three to four feet, as after dark it was not too safe to be above ground. It was the first time that we had been issued with a ration of charcoal as a little comfort from the cold. The weather by this time had deteriorated and showers of rain and sleet were frequent, making the area into pools of mud and oily water. There being an ample supply of crude oil..it was not long before the camp kitchen was oil-fired – a technique of using two barrels – one of water and one of oil – igniting the oil, and the water spreading the flames.”
    Major Percival; “We came to a halt at Kirkuk to learn that the expedition was abandoned as the Russians were counter attacking successfully in the bitter weather and would not have any foreign troops in Russia, nor Persia, which they regarded as under their influence.
    We stayed a few weeks, handicapped by being directly under War Office command and so without a supply tail. We ran out of cigarettes in four days and of brown paper in less than 24 hours thereafter. No NAFFI, no pay, no letters, and we were forced to buy what we could locally. The best meal we had was after ... a migration of quail was going on – A large Officers’ shooting party was organised and it was astonishing how many shotguns were revealed, when we were supposed to be travelling light.
    Our lads showed how well they could now look after themselves by digging large holes in the sandy clay, roofing them with their bivouac tents, lighting them with lorry bulbs and wireless batteries, and installing the oil heating. In no time floor coverings appeared, fire places were built, and shelves . – really cosy, nice and warm, and above all, dry.
    We left Iraq, without dismay, soon after the New Year 1942 – destination Syria. Apparently it was felt if the enemy attacked southwards through Turkey he would use the Bika Valley in Syria, and 50 Division was detailed to prepare defensive positions. We were stationed at Baalbek; the mountains enclosing the Valley were so rugged that the only possible transport was by mule, and so mules and muleteers were collected and all formations had to send parties of all ranks for training, and their experiences had the whole Division laughing for weeks.”
     
  18. Sigmn Dean; “This time our destination was Baalbek in Syria to take over from the 6th Australian Division. On arrival… we occupied the old French Barracks, which until quite recently had been occupied by the Vichy French. The following weeks were rather pleasant after …Iraq – barrack room, electric light, running water, showers, etc.
    As the tide of hostilities in the Caucasus flowed in favour of the Russians the threat to the Middle East in this theatre receded and our presence was no longer needed. We were once more required to play our role in the major battlefield of the Middle East, the Western Desert, or, in soldiers’ terms, ‘Up the Blue’. The journey was from Baalbek in Syria to El Adam in Libya, which must have been one of the longest overland marches we had undertaken. The journey took us through Lebanon, Palestine, the Sinai Desert, Egypt, and into Libya. El Adam, a place name in an endless Desert, and some thirty kilometres from Tobruk. The line at this time stretched from Gazala, near the coast, to Bir Hacheim in the south, this end ..being held by the Free French. The first task was to prepare our dugouts. It was surprising how quickly we were able to adapt to these conditions. Apart from the enemy, there were constant swarms of flies, the dust which seemed to get everywhere, the scorpions, and the odd snake. Water was strictly rationed to two pints a day, including drinking and washing. Needless to say, it was used more than once and various forms of filtration were used, usually using an old can filled with gravel and sand. The dust was a constant hazard to our communication equipment. Charging engines became clogged and switchboard relay failures were common.”
    Sigmn Turner; “At that time the newly formed Eighth Army (formally the Western Desert Force) was pushing forward and had left pockets of resistance behind at Sollum and Halfaya. The Regiment was ordered to move up to Halfaya and help reduce that position. I was detailed off to mass-produce directional aerials for use by the Gunners. The completion of these...more or less coincided with the surrender of the German troops at Halfaya, but I believe the batteries managed a few rounds before the surrender.
    On 21 January Rommel, who had been pushed back to around El Agheila, unexpectedly counter-attacked and caught 1st Armoured Division off balance. That night I was detailed to be ready to move off with the RA Colonel at dawn. We formed a four vehicle group..and..drove across the Desert to Buq Bug, up the coast road to Tmimi, where the Brigadier and Colonel attended a conference and then back to Tobruk, where we spent the night. There was a constant stream of ‘soft’ vehicles falling back. We drove south and west across the Desert to ..Garet-el-Auda, (meeting up with the Brigade).
    We were in the area for perhaps a week, during which the Brigadier and RA Colonel were much involved in reconnaissance – and S4 tagged on behind. Early in February the Brigade moved back to Bir Hacheim, and dug in. For almost three months the position was generally stabilised. The enemy.. line running south from Tmimi and the Eighth Army held a line running south from Gazala..ending at Bir Hacheim. About 20 miles separated the two lines.. patrolled by both sides.
    In mid-February the Brigade changed places with the Free French and moved .. just north of the Trigh Capuzzo. We handed over well prepared positions, while they had barely scratched the surface of the area they had occupied – so we dug in yet again. The rest of the Division re-joined us at about this time. We remained based in this area until late in May, and we moved to take over a position from a Guards Brigade at Got-el-Ualeb.”
    Lieut Smith; “For protection against air attack we drove our vehicles in square formation, with about 150 yards between vehicles. The navigator’s truck would be up at the front. Several different methods of navigation were used in the desert. Some vehicles of Indian army origins had a sun compass, which was just an adjustable sundial on the front wing where the navigator could see it. Having set one’s course from the map, one merely watched to see that the shadow continually showed the correct time. Sun compasses were, of course, no good at night or in sandstorms or on days when the sky was cloudy. The commonest method of navigation was the army prismatic compass. Although the needle was greatly deflected by the metal bulk of the vehicle, it was possible to allow quite accurately for this deflection for the straight leg of the journey. Navigating officers became very expert… A third method, which I never saw used by any unit except 72 Field Regiment’s Signal Section, was direction-finding aerials. A ring aerial was mounted on the truck and could be rotated to receive maximum signal strength from a fixed station. These gadgets were not really of much use, because there usually wasn’t a continuously transmitting wireless station. But it was a status symbol, especially for Lieut-Col R Mould Graham whose signal truck followed him about and had the most conspicuous contraption on it.
    We took a dim view of the Free French when we had to exchange positions with them. The reason for this exchange ....was that the main part of 50th division had, by this time, re-joined us in the ‘Gazala Line’, and it was necessary that all its brigade troops should be under its command.”
    (Of the Free French). “Their HQ was an extraordinary sight. They had pretty, circular tents with high walls,… all these stood proudly on the desert floor, unprotected by sandbags or digging-in. There was evidence of a high standard of living …piles of oranges and crates of wine outside the officer’s mess. I thought I had reached an understanding with my French counterpart that he would leave his cable in situ, but Senegalese soldiers who did not seem to understand any European language reeled it all in. My section and the RA signallers therefore had to lay new cable, and urgently too, because the gun positions were under desultory shellfire at the time.
    There seemed to be a convention between the warring sides to respect each other’s mealtimes. The Germans always used to look smarter than we did. They were nearly always clothed in captured British khaki drill, ..no doubt kinder to the skin than their ersatz material, but all British troops used to wear just whatever old clothes they pleased. The highest eccentricity of dress was sported by a certain Major Woolley, who commanded a light anti-aircraft regiment attached to us. He was also remarkable for having a mobile poultry farm. Wherever he established his HQ, his hens would be put down to scratch around the desert.”
     
  19. 2/Lieut Butterworth; “ The main battle area was now beyond Benghazi some 400 miles to the west but there was a small encircled pocket of the enemy just up the road at Halfaya Pass and the next nearest concentration of British forces was in the delta 150 or more miles to the east. Between these areas repairs facilities were virtually non-existant and anything requiring workshops attention you treated as lost forever.
    This situation honed the arts of do-it-yourself and scrounging to a fine edge. The small Brigade RASC, RE and RAOC workshops worked miracles with vehicles and mechanical equipment whilst most things electrical arrived in a continuous stream at the Brigade Signal Office. Most of my time was spent mending No. 18 wireless sets, telephones, exchanges and the like and returning them to the battalions. I was also handed the Brigade’s first mine-detector – captured from the Germans minus its battery pack. Eventually I made it work and produced some working instructions. During this period the scrounged tool, the Avominor and the valves brought from Cyprus were invaluable. Ignition suppressor resistances were built into radios; useable spares came from an Ever Ready radio found in a shellhole; captured Italian French letters became excellent dust covers for telephone relays! Later the search for spares led us to rummage the unpleasant debris of the tank battle recently fought at Sidi Rezegh where we got some badly needed vehicle parts but the Signal gear had already gone.
    I collected a splendid Italian Workshop Trailer and nearly got it home before being overtaken by an indignant RE Captain who claimed that it was his.
    On 18th January 1942 we were expecting to be moved to Halfaya but the enemy surrendered and we heard that we were to be sent to Iraq. Instead, at four hours notice, we were sent again to the West, passing through the marked gap in ‘the wire’ which to my surprise proved to be, literally, a barbed wire fence marking the Egyptian border. We went to Bir Harmat – a Roman cistern on the escarpment south of Tobruk... the new cap was a trifle unusual for part of it was littered with ladies handbags and clothing so there must have been some truth in the tale that the Italians took a mobile brothel with them to war.
    Rommel was counterattacking...and had split his forces so one Column was following the coast to Benghazi and another cutting across the desert along the line of ‘F’ track towards the coast and Tobruk, 150 Brigade was detailed to go forward along ‘F ’track to head off this second column.
    As we had to be supplied from the Tobruk area the service units of the Brigade HQ were split, small detachments being left as ‘rear Brigade’ at Bir Harma ... for a couple of days. . Overnight, Advance Brigade was established 70 miles to the west of us at Bir Tangeder. Signals detachment was only five or six with an 11 set and, as usual a shopping list.
    On the first day I toured all the dumps around Tobruk seeking cable. Next day, being the only officer present, I was handed the Brigade’s first German prisoner. He was a Sgt. Major who had been captured with a VW full of mail and ‘comforts’ in the shape of wine, cigars and food.
    The battle was now moving back towards Egypt and we moved to a new site .... south of Acroma Airfield. The great demand was for cable which didn’t seem to exist; we were short of sleep; one day we never received the RT Code and could not decipher incoming signals....and ... each day as darkness fell medium range radio links failed almost as though turned off by a switch.
    By 3rd February Advance Brigade and the fighting troops had fallen back to Bir Hacheim where a day or two later we joined them. On 13th February I went north with two trucks and a small party to take over the Free French Brigade communications at Bir Geff because 150 Bde. was to exchange positions with them in the line. Several vinettes remain. The sheer disbelief.... when I passed a French staff car travelling towards Bir Hacheim driven by a woman; how little the design of French military tents had changed over the centuries; and how did Italian troops manage always to look immaculate whatever the conditions under which they lived and what a contrast they made with the French Foreign Legionnnaires.
    By 17th February sectors were exchanged and we were now between 4th Indian Div. and the Polish Bde., our arrival being greeted by enemy shelling. The Gazala battle was starting and the rest of 50th Division was on its way to join us but my service with Div. Signals was finished.”
    Jim Butterworth was evacuated to 62 General Hospital and S.O.S. of the Unit on 2 March 1942. He explains that a skin condition he had since childhood had made service in Desert conditions impossible and he was posted away.
     
  20. Sigmn Dean; “Most Units by this time had been issued with a radio set by some charity organisation as comfort for the troops. Each evening at 1800 hours we would gather around to listen to the news from the overseas service of the BBC, preceded by that stirring march ‘Empire Builders’ and the clear voice of Alvar Liddell.
    ‘M’ Section were kept busy, as vehicles and radio and telephone equipment were in constant use. Battery-charging was found to be nearly impossible during the day because of the heat, on one occasion (one) exploded through overheating. We therefore charged through the night.”
    Captain MacVicker; “In place of sand dunes there was a flat land of hard gravel and sand, with small scrub bushes or the odd escarpment or areas of wadis. Instead of throwing a camouflage net over a vehicle you first had to dig it in so that nothing of the vehicle showed. Sleeping accommodation was a hole dug in the ground and the tent pulled flat over the hole.
    The Signal Office vehicle was dug into the sandy gravel, with enlarged lean-to areas on either side. We worked to a three shift system. The morning shift came on duty at 8a.m. and worked until 2pm. Things were usually routine during this shift, although...busy. The 2 to 10 pm shift was very quiet for the first half but livened up in the evening as patrols started getting ready. We provided a BBC news service through the exchange for any subscriber who wished to hear the BBC news. The 10 to 8 am shift were kept very busy with Sitrep and strength returns for most of the night. Quite often the GOC would drop into the Signal Office around 2am on his way to his caravan. And sit and chat with the operators.”
    A/Lt-Col Percival; “In February we moved off to return to Egypt, but on the way I was told to report to another Divisional Signals in Jerusalem. After only a couple of days we moved off to Damascus, from where I was suddenly recalled to Cairo to take over 50th Divisional Signals, bound for the Western Desert. I do not think there is any doubt that Bob Wight was given a job at Base because of his age... (he had a 1914 Star) and both of his sons were serving as Officers. It was splendid to get back to my own and heartening to inherit all that had gone before, and especially Basil Minor as my Second-in-Command.
    .... the Gazala Line ... was a heavily mined defensive position, with a South African Division on the right, flanked by the Mediterranean, 50 Division on the left, and further south, well out in the Desert, the Free French contingent. The whole of the time we were in the Gazala Line 50 Division was the only British Infantry Division in contact with the enemy in any part of the world.”
    Lieut Smith; “British army intelligence had been first rate. Rommel’s attack had been predicted, almost to the day, and his strategy had been entirely foreseen. Rommel at first went straight between us and the Free French, thereby exposing his immense support column of ‘soft’ transport to harassment by us. We used to send out columns daily to harass this column and in the evenings we would sit at the mess table looking on the unusual spectacle. RAMC officers of the brigade’s Field Ambulance would call at our mess for a friendly chat in the evening and regale us with accounts of the joint Anglo-German dressing station that they were running jointly with their German counterparts, in the true spirit of the Geneva \Convention. It was only when Rommel found that his lifeline would be cut off, if 150 Brigade Group was not dislodged, that he turned his attention towards annihilating us.
    The battle petered out when our guns ran out of ammunition. It had been a matter of concern to our commanders that although we had a reasonably good, half-prepared defensive position, and a 14-day supply of petrol, rations and water, we were allowed to hold only two days’ supply of ammunition. We were not fit for mobile warfare, because only about half of our motor transport was in running order. We were deployed for all-round defence, which is another way of saying that we were several miles from any help in all directions.”
    Sigmn Turner; “Rommel launched his attack on 26th May, hooking south of the Free French at Bir Hacheim and then turning north in the direction of Tobruk – well behind our position. The first we heard of this was from our B Echelon, who were well in our rear – they were scattered. The enemy came to a halt when they met our forces at Harmat and Knightsbridge. It was decided a Gunner Officer should look around Knightsbridge and Harmat areas to establish first hand what was going on. S4 was detailed to take him…we cruised around Knightsbridge – my Gunner Officer chatting to various units – and watched a tank battle from an escarpment. We eventually set course for home and managed to run into a minefield on route. I took a deep breath, hung out of the door and reversed on my tracks.
    The action proper started for us when, on 29 May, about a dozen Italian tanks ran into one of our minefields – we were encircled. For about two days things went well for us, morale was high… We were told that relief columns would be with us soon…shortage of ammunition allowed the enemy to lift mines and to approach without much interference, and on 31st May 286 Battery was overrun together with a position held by REs who had been fighting as infantry. On that day S4 was detailed off for taxi work, and that was the last I saw of E Section, apart from L/Corporal Milburn. I met him just before we were taken prisoner. …at one stage we sheltered behind a ‘bump’ about 10 feet high and 20 feet long. We shared that shelter with a tank that was firing on the enemy. ..the tank crunched into the side of S4..and bent the chassis – but she could still be driven. We continued, and when darkness fell we were in company with a dozen or so vehicles. We spent that night moving slowly about the Box and halting frequently for long periods. We braced ourselves for the breakout but it was not attempted.”
    A/Lt-Col Percival; “There is very little to say about life in the Desert as one day was very like any other. We were fully occupied night and day and much was going on, though nothing very serious in the way of fighting as each side was obviously planning a major offensive.
    In the midst of this quiet ... we suffered a dreadful loss. One afternoon a mobile battery of medium artillery drove up behind our lines, let off a few rounds, and cleared off, followed by a few ranging shots from the enemy. Barry McVicker ... had walked over to speak to Basil Minor, who was resting in his tent, when one of the enemy shells landed almost on the tent. Barry was blown yards away but miraculously escaped serious damage, but poor Basil was terribly injured and died ... Alex Mackenzie was appointed Second-in-Command in his place.”
     

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