After a short journey we arrived at Verona, a tented transit camp, there was a air of malevolence, we were told we would be there for 5 days. We were told, ordered in fact to always be in pairs or more, not to walk alone, when we walked around the area we were accosted by 10 year old boys, who parrot fashion recited "Come with me Tommy, eat Eggs and Chips, then fuck my sister" we were told go off alone and you will not come back, our CSM said its safer to stick to Hand Shandies. After 5 days we marched to a railway siding where our 1st class carriages awaited, well they were Cattle Wagons, but they were clean and very roomy, we started off stopping and starting, when the train went very slow we had Wop spivs selling fruit, but they started grabbing the money and running, at one stop we organised a sting, 2 catchers in one truck the bait in the middle 2 catchers behind, one off the boys folded some paper in a small note, and we soon had a catch, the Wop grabbed the money and run, the call went up and the 4 catchers hopped out and grabbed him and threw him in our wagon, we tied his ankles with a webbing belt and put him in the corner, we threw him out into a field about 6 hours later, he bounce twice then he was up and running. Our next stop was Taranto. More Later
Long time no write. We stop at a army barracks very run down, we were told dump your gear and parade out side, we were shown an area at the back of the camp, a piece of rope was laid along the ground, and we were told do not walk inside the roped off area after dark, there was a sniper taking pot shots. Three MPs turned next day and commenced to make a target, they had a flat board and on this board they put a match stick man made out of broom handles, they dressed him in battle dress, the idea was one would pull the dummy along and the other two were to watch for the muzzle flash. We did not stay there to see the outcome we were on a boat next day on our way to Greece.
We left Taranto in a very comfortable troop ship, and soon docked at Piraeus in Greece, we off loaded then into lorries for the trip into Athens, we moved into a large base which was split in two by a lane way, in the other half was an Indian Regt. I got lumbered with 2 hours on the gate in the lane way, I took over from a Greek copper, a few yards away on the other gate was a Indian soldier he carried a pickaxe handle. I was soon surrounded by a group of Greek spivs trying to talk there way into the camp, I then noticed the Sepoy walking towards my gate, he came up behind the spivs and lashed out, one bloke went down like a bag of shit, the others ran off, the Sepoy said you tell them John, tell them to fuck off. The soldier went back to his gate, the Greeks came back to mine and two off them helped the bod up the lane and he sat down rubbing his thigh, every time the Sepoy took one step in my direction, the Greeks fled. I got relieved and we later went for a meal, we had to go through the Indians lines to get to the dining rooms, the same Sepoy was on the gate and he greeted me like a long lost brother, he embraced me and shook my hand, which had my mates in stitches. We noticed a Indian soldier in a wired compound we asked why, they said he is under a sentence of death because he killed an officer so when ever we passed the cage we gave him chocolate, fags, and cake, he soon had enough to open a shop, his mates could not under stand our actions, we said he is going to die what does it matter what we give him. I was there for 5 days then I got detailed for a advance party. More Later
Our advance party was ready and raring to go, there was 6 of us, eventually the lorries turned up driven by Indian soldiers,they were already loaded with stores, one was full of blankets, and seeing that it was very cold, we opted to get in the back of that one. We were soon on our way to Komotini in northern Greece, we had been driving for several hours, when the drivers pulled off the road for a piss and refreshments, the area was a very big flat area, no trees just bracken, the drivers started to dig an hole and asked us to collect bracken, they chopped up the bracken and pounded it into the hole, they then poured in about 2 gallon of petrol, and threw in a match, they then placed a metal plate on top and got the billies ready. While they were boiling the water we had a walk and look around, we came to a large rocky outcrop, we wandered about and then we found the graves, there was about 15, some Allied some German, they were shallow scrapes, the bodies were covered with small rocks,with large rocks on top, rifles were placed at each grave with the bolts removed, the War Graves lads had been there, at the foot of each grave a white painted number had been placed, it was a very sombre moment, nothing was said, we gave them a salute and went back to lorries. The tea was made, and we got out our haversack rations, the usual sandwiches, some cheese, some smashed monkey, we soon cleaned up and on our way. A few more hours, it was getting dark when we pulled into a tented compound, we were shown our tents and then had a hot meal of M and V stew and plenty of bread and tea. There were no beds in the tents, so we took the blankets from the lorry, we wrapped ourselves in them and slept well. In the morning they gave us porridge and tea and toast, and then we were on our way. More later
We carried on with our journey, we had another night stop, meal, bed, breakfast, nothing special, the roads were getting worse, but we were well cushioned in the blanket lorry. After several more hours we arrived at Komotini, we were directed to a large building, inside were 6 squaddies, they made us welcomed, and we had a good feed of M and V, bread, fruit, and tea, it was bitter cold and we were surprised to get a tot of rum, we were not sure that could mean things could get worse. In the building there was a forty gallon drum standing on blocks with a fire going, the smoke was rising up to the roof and out the open louvers, but it was colder inside than out. They said you will have to sleep on the mezzanine floor but there are no beds, so we got blankets from the lorry, I got 6 to lie on and 6 to cover me, we turned in early. I woke in the morning and thought I had gone to heaven there was clouds about 6 feet above us, we then realized it was smoke, its a wonder we were not asphyxiated, the doors at each end were opened and the smoke soon cleared. We had breakfast of porridge, toast, and tea, we were then taken to another nearby building, this was to be my home for the next year, the ground floor was full of clutter, they said you sleep on the top floor, we said where are the beds, they then took us to another building and we where issued with a stretcher and 4 blankets, they said the stretchers were only temporary until the beds arrive, I was still sleeping on a stretcher one year later. There was no electricity or water in the building, the bogs, and ablutions were 50 yards away, I got up for a piss one night it was pitch black, I stumbled about its a wonder I did not die of exposure. Something had to be done, we went over to the cookhouse and raided there rubbish dump, I got a empty 7lb Plum jam tin to use as a pisspot, it was quite colourful, the next thing was a night light, we used a empty 50 cigarette tin, we scrounged some paraffin from the cookhouse, cut a strip off the blanket, at least we would not fall down the stairs in the dark. More Later
We made the most of what we had, for a bunch of teens the excitement never stopped, we heard bells one days, we went to have a look and it was a camel train, they had bells round there necks and were loaded down with carpets, the other incident was 2 tortoise shagging, this was in the first month, this was really living. The rest of the our mob arrived in dribs and drabs, they said there was a shortage of transport. The CO called us together for a briefing, the Intelligence section took over and we were inform that we were not far from the Bulgarian border, so that meant the Russians were there, therefor we would be sending out company size patrols to show the flag. Afterwards our HQ CSM said to us, well the Russians will know we are here it will frighten the shit out of them if they knew that most of our men are teenagers. We were still getting supplies, I went with a driver to collect some gear, we were stopped by a 15cwt MP lorry parked in the road, we got out to have a look and found a Sgt MP holding a Greek civvie by the scruff off the neck and a revolver almost in his mouth, a L/C was saying to the Sgt take it easy, calm down, they realised we were there, we said whats going on, the Sgt said to the L/C show them, the L/C took us to 6 horses on the side off the road, they were laden with carpets, the last horse had one foreleg doubled in half, and could not touch the ground, the L/C said the Sgt was a horse lover and he is upset. The Sgt dragged the Greek to the horse and said to the L/C get the carpets off the horse, the L/C cut the ropes and the carpets dropped off, the Sgt took the horse off the road and placing his head on the horses face he spoke to the horse in a quiet voice, he then went to the side off the horse and shot it twice in the head, when it hit the ground it put another bullet in its head. He dragged the Greek to the horse and said that should be you,you bastard. The Sgt then told the L/C to take our names, numbers, and regiment, but we never heard any more.
Thanks again Bert, great to have a small insight into your experiences. Hi DBF, Thanks for your response .
Excellent memories there, I have really enjoyed reading that, many thanks. I hope there is more to come.
the other incident was 2 tortoise shagging Must have made an impression to remember that after all these years. :p
Must have made an impression to remember that after all these years. :p With about 800 teenage soldiers, and no women about, any shagging would have made a lasting impression.
We were still sending out large patrols showing the flag, today a large group went out and left a skeleton crew at base, I wandered over to the cookhouse to see my oppo and scrounged a cup of tea, we chatted for an hour, on my way back a bod came running up and said, "battle rig ten minutes guard room", I thought that's it the shit has hit the fan, I ran to my billet and got rigged, I stuffed some packets of fags in my pouch and grab my rifle and ran to the guard room. The orderly room Sgt was there, he was a old bloke I think he was born into the uniform, he picked 8 bods and dismissed the rest, he got the interpreter and gave us a quick briefing, the War Graves bods had radioed in that the locals had caught a German soldier and things looked a bit humpty, the CO had ordered us to go and get the German. We set off, we had a map reference, but there was a well defined track through the hills,we soon met the group, there was 6 civvies and a German soldier he had a goat skin around his shoulders, he was about my age and he looked petrified, he had every reason to be frightened, he was on borrowed time, when the Germans were in control of the area they put themselves about, they were very brutal, it was now payback time. Our Sgt said to the Interpreter tell them we have come to collect the prisoner, there was an out burst of shouting and arm waving, we guessed the answer, the interpreter said they will deal with him, the Sgt said to us when I give the order two of you go to the back of the group, two either side and two secure the prisoner, he then said to the interpreter tell our friends this is a military matter and we are taking the soldier with us, there was shouting and arm waving, then silence, then we were eyeball to eyeball, the civvies then had a rhubard amongst them selves then ripped the goat skin from the German then pushed him forward. We handed round the fags and the tension eased, we then set off back to camp, we had been walking about 10 minutes, and the German started talking and laughing, the Sgt called a halt and said to the Prisoner "Shut your mouth Fritz or we will hand you back to the Greeks" I don't think he understood the lingo, but he got the message, we got back and handed him over to the RPs. More Later
The RPs use to bring the German for meals with us, one of our lads, whose family worked in Germany up to war started, had a chat with him, he said he was in the Hitler Youth, and was transfered into the Army at 17,he was sent to Greece, he was asked how many Germans were in the hills, he just shook his head. He said he lived in the Berlin suburbs and described the airraids, he was almost in tears when he was told the Russians occupied parts of Berlin. Two MPs arrived at the camp to collect the German, due to the distance involved they stayed overnight, in the canteen that night they told us there was about 15 Germans held in a compound, they had been picked up in ones and twos in different areas, they were real hardcore, and caused a lot of problems, a CSM was in charge, until a Major arrived he could speak German, he told the prisoners in about two months they would be taken to the German border and let go, but seeing as they disliked the British so much they would be handed over at a Russian check point. The Germans asked to see him the next day, he made them wait a week, when he met them they said they were sorry they had caused so much trouble but they were unhappy at being captured, and then begged him not to hand them over to the Russians, he said he would pass their concerns to his superiors. After that they were very quiet, and did what was asked of them. More Later
I'm enjoying reading your posts, as I'm sure are many others on the forum. Thank you for continuing to share, here's to more! Regards Diane
I'm enjoying reading your posts, as I'm sure are many others on the forum. Thank you for continuing to share, here's to more! Regards Diane Yes, thank you for sharing your personal experiences. Our Veteran reports make excellent reading, which you seldom find in published books. Regards Tom
Thank you for your comments, I have one a two yarns to post, but I hasten to add, there is NO Blood, Bullets, or Gore, thankfully I missed all that. The only action I saw was in my young teen period, during airraids.
