Life in the Army- Chapter 20

This story was submitted to the People’s War site by Roger Marsh of the ‘Action Desk — Sheffield’ Team on behalf of Arthur Ward, and has been added to the site with his permission. The author fully understands the site's terms and conditions.

Refer to Chapter 1-- A4345544 -for links to other chapters.

LIFE IN THE ARMY

by
ARTHUR WARD

Chapter 20 — Posted to ‘E’ Battery 11th (HAC) REGT RHA CFM

December 05, 1943
A Battery travelled 70 miles into the mountains to a firing camp. It was pretty good until the last 2 days when rain fell very heavily.

I was pleased as No.1 of ‘2’ sub with Bdr. Nichols, Gunners Beaumont, Woodward, Carroll, Norcup and Dvr Preston.

During the first day of arrival at this camp, I had to take my priest back 25 miles and help pull Ernie Knell's priest out of a ditch at the roadside. We got back to camp at 22:00 hours.

Captain Sewell (A Troop Commander) met us on the road with hot stew etc. We had a 'winkle' shoot each, No.1 was allowed to use 15 rounds each of HE. It was won by Ernie Knell.

At night, we visited a small wog village called Ain Bessem, and had a good feed of chicken, eggs, chips, bread and a bottle of muscatel (about 200 francs each).

One night, I met Nessie's brother (Bill) and learnt that he had been posted to RHQ of 11th (HAC) RHA (he was in RC of Signals).

We did not have much conversation as he was very shy and quiet (like me).

December 11, 1943
Returned to camp in very heavy rain.

December 12, 1943
Sunday. We had an easy day and washed our clothes, organised kit and wrote letters and for a change; managed to get some kip.

This day I completed 4 years in the army. During the week I received 2 parcels from home with soap, 6 Xmas cards, although mail was still very poor.

Returned to camp at Sidi Moussa. Usual parades, inspections etc.

XMAS 1943
December 24, 1943
Xmas Eve all the Sergeants went into the officers mess for a quiet drink.

XMAS DAY
December 25, 1943
Church Parade 09:15 hours

Tmimi Cup Final
We kicked off at 11:00 hours.

‘A’ Battery 4 v RHQ 0.

We won an easy game and the cup was presented to our Captain, Gunner F Adams, by the CO. He could not play due to a leg injury so I captained the team on the field. In the semi-final 4 days previously we had beaten ‘E’ Battery 4-0.

XMAS Dinner
The Sgt. and Officers acted as waiters, waiting on the gunners, the usual army custom for Xmas dinner.

We then had our dinner in the Sgt. Mess, we had roast pork, ½ chicken each, brussel sprouts, beef, potatoes, peas, beans, gravy and sauce. Then Xmas pudding and custard. There was plenty to drink and then we attended a concert.

After a good tea, we were all very merry and decided we had had a good Xmas.

December 26, 1943
BOXING DAY
A day in Algiers where we were all merry again.

December 27, 1943
I started on a Nos. 1 course run by the CO of A Bty.

December 28, 1943
The course finished and I had a ‘C’ Result which was not so bad. I had to give a lecture on an Oboe smoke screen.

During this course we had to take a gun laying test. This was my favourite subject, Lt Onslo always said that I was the best gun layer in the 8th Army, but that was stretching things a great deal.

However, disaster as I made some mistakes and failed the test. Sgt. Major Bill Lieshman said he could hardly believe it, but maybe I had been too cocky and self confident. It took a lot of living down.

Then more football matches. 'A' Battery was in a winning vein and we won all our matches.

We moved to a camp at Bouira in the mountains - this was very wet and muddy due to the very heavy rain and snowstorms (in Africa!!!)

After 3 weeks, the camp had to be closed down due to the weather. The mud was 18 inches deep.

At this time, our C.O., Lt. Col. Goodbody left the Regt to be C.R.A. (Commander Brigade Royal Artillery) and Lt. Col. J.H. Slade Powel took over as C.O.
I was still No.1 of Don Subsection. At this time we had no Priests, so that is why we had so much football and days in Algiers.

We then moved back to the Algiers area for 5 days.

Then a move again to a camp at Sidi Hissa which was 15 miles south of Aumale, which was on the edge of the Sahara Desert. The weather improved, it was still cold but only showers of rain.

After 18 days we returned to Sidi Moussa and settled down in our billets once again.

March 15, 1944
I was appointed as Sports Sgt. and I had to arrange a football league in the Regt. Lt. Moore was Sports Officer.

Went to Algiers and saw "Tarzan's Secret Treasure" - not very good, Pat O'Brien in "Bombardier" - good.

So far in this period ‘A’ Battery at football, played 21, won 18, drawn 2 and lost 1.

April 24, 1944
I had an interview with the BC Major Dudley Smith M.C. and he asked me if I would like to go to the R.H.Q. as a full Sgt., but I said "No" as I would rather stay on the guns as a No. 1 as a L/Sgt. It would have been more pay as an administration organiser, but it would have meant leaving all my mates.

May 01, 1944
I went on leave to a camp at Sercouf which was 20 miles east of Algiers.

We slept in a villa on the beach. The Sgts'. mess was in 'Le Hotel Des Falaises' overlooking the sea on the cliffs.

The weather was very hot and sunny all week. We spend our time sunbathing and swimming. We had to be careful in the Med. as the beach was very steep and we were out of our depth when about 10 feet in the water.

At night we usually visited the 'Bar des Flots Bleus' where we had an extra dinner. There was a NAAFI canteen, a Barn Theatre and a Y.M.C..A Club.

We had a good change and plenty rest for a week.

May 05, 1944
On this day I received a parcel from home containing Brylcream, Vaseline etc in it. Very good.

May 06, 1944
EASTER SATURDAY

We visited a football stadium in Algiers called "Stade Municipale" and saw a football match between the Army and the RAF.

The Army won a good game by 5-2. The Army team included Little Fair in goal (played for Aldershot) Andy Beattie (Preston North End), Deavey (Birmingham) and the RAF, Burton (Sheffield United) and McCawley (I do not know his club but he was a professional).

At half time we had a surprise when a man stood up in the grand stand and played a trumpet. It was smashing and we learned that it was "Nat Gonnela" who had a professional dance band in England before the war.

May 08, 1944
Returned to camp at Side Moussa where we packed up ready for a move.

EASTER MONDAY
Regimental Sports Day. I kept goal for pot shots. 2 francs a shot. I let through 25 out of 50 (must have been poor sharp shooters!).

At night, we went to a dance at R.H.Q. at Salle des Fets at Sidi Moussa. We had a good time, 200 gunners and about 80 A.T.S. and 12 NAAFI girls.

On our way back our truck had an accident and 6 girls were taken to hospital with cuts and shock. We finished the journey (about 2 miles) back to camp in a blood wagon (army ambulance). There were no serious injuries.

We were now visiting Algiers nearly every Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday as before with Tiffy Smith and Bob Pace, with the usual walk in the park and tea at PO and WO Club bar, and then to a cinema.

May 16, 1944
By now we had new Priests and we moved to 'Z' Reception camp near Cap Matafou. This camp was vastly overcrowded, we slept 8 men to a tent and there were over 2,000 men in the camp. The cooking arrangements were poor.

May 21, 1944
The Priests with their drivers went to the docks at Algiers ready for shipment to an unknown destination.

Would it be England? (for the invasion), Italy or the Far East - rumours were rife.

May 22, 1944
I trod on a nail whilst having a bath and cut my foot. I saw the M.O. and he gave me 10C (rest from all duties).

May 24, 1944
Left `Z' Camp in troop transport trucks to the docks at Algiers to the AGDA QUAY and boarded a French ship the "Ville d'Oran", said to be one of the fastest ships in the Med. and had been a luxury ship for cruises before the war.

We were on Mess decks and as usual very overcrowded. In the harbour were many ships of which we saw French, British and American warships, including the French warship "Honneur Patric".

May 25, 1944
Set sail at 07:00 hours and left North Africa (would it be for good this time?).

We sailed in a convoy with 6 other troop ships which were carrying the bulk of the 1st armoured division, and were escorted by 4 destroyers and 2 cruisers.

One of the troopers was H.M.S. Samaria, which had taken the 11th (HAC) Regt. out to the Middle East in 1941.

I was pretty ill on board, but not actually sea sick. Boat Stations were at 10:30 hours for practice.

May 26, 1944
At 08:30 hours, our ship with one destroyer left the convoy and proceeded much quicker on our way. These movements caused all sorts of rumours on board, but we never found out why this happened. We had been keeping close to the North African coast, but at 11:15 hours, we could see the Bay of Tunis, and then we headed for the open sea.

This would be the last time we saw North Africa.

We passed near to Pantellaria and just before dusk, we saw Sicily.

Later in the day, we learned that our destination was Taranto and at 10:30 hours we saw the coast line of the South of Italy.

May 27, 1944
ITALY
We docked in Taranto Harbour which was full of all types of shipping. We disembarked at 13:30 hours and then marched 5 miles to a transit camp on General Siskorksi Road.

We stayed in this camp until May 29, 1944, where we had the usual parades, washing clothes, blancoeing equipment etc.

May 28, 1944
I went down to ‘X’ Transit camp where our Priests were, and I managed to get my camp bed from my Priest.

May 29, 1944
We moved off in 3 tonners at 15:00 hours and travelled 60 miles to a proper army camp near Altamura and Gravina.

We were billeted in buildings which had been built by the Italians to hold British Prisoners of War before Italy collapsed.

The camp was well set out with showers, NAAFI canteen and various billets and messes for different ranks.

We scrubbed all our webbing and our clothing in a specially constructed wash place. In the canteen was a very good Italian band and several Italian barber shops.

May 30, 1944
One day when striking camp, we had to move some very large stones and throw them down into a quarry. On doing so I strained myself and I had pain in my tummy.

May 31, 1944
I had to go sick to the MO and he told me to have 2 days complete rest (10C bed down) as I had pulled a muscle. It was very painful.

I received 2 letters from home, the first for 14 days.

June 02, 1944
Moved from camp 6 through Gravina and another 10 miles to a camp in the open country. The camp was on a large hill overlooking a big valley.

I had 2 further days in bed then got up as I felt OK except for being a bit weak with a pale face.

I took it easy for a few days. My Troop Commander Captain Sewell was quite concerned and said he hoped I would be OK soon.

Every day we saw at least 120 American Liberators go, then return from bombing missions "Up North".

Saturday
I went to Bari, which is a town and harbour off the Adriatic coast, with Tiffy Smith, to the NAAFI canteen, the yacht club and the Garrison Theatre to see an ENSA show called "Fancy Meeting You". It was very good and had a very good conjuror comedian, and a smashing blonde singer called Joan Layne.

We left for camp at 22:15 hours, arriving there at 00:20 hours after travelling 42 miles.

Another day we visited the cinema at Gravina and saw "Slightly Dangerous" with Lana Turner and Robert Young - Very good. We also visited a NAAFI canteen at Altamura which was 19 miles from the camp, and I also had a haircut at an Italian barber shop.

At a cinema in Gravina, we saw an Italian Variety Show called "International Varieties" which was sponsored by the American Airforce. The dancers were poor, but a conjurer and an Italian girl who 'crooned' in English were very good.

We were now on schemes or manoeuvres. I went on one scheme in the OP Tank with Captain Sewell and the C.O. Lt. Col. Slade Powell.

We saw the shells bursting in a 'mock' battle with live shells.

The Colonel asked me if I wanted to be posted to the R.H.Q. as full Sgt. but I said no (again).
On the way back Capt. Sewell asked me to drive the Sherman - this was a shock to me as it was the first time I had even been inside a Sherman tank. I drove about 20 miles with earphones on and Capt. Sewell directing me with his head outside the turret.

June 06, 1944
D-DAY
We heard on the wireless that the Invasion of Europe had started on the Normandy beaches and it would be called D Day, the same day we heard that Rome had fallen to the Allied 5th army.

We had a lecture by the C.O. that we were to have more extensive training, then join the 5th Corps in the 8th army.

5th Corps includes 1st Armd. Division, 1st British Infantry Division and 4th Indian Division.

We saw a film at Gravina, "Keeper of the Flame" with Spencer Tracey and Katherine Hepburn, it was very good.

Later we heard that on the OP shoot a shell had accidentally fallen near the OP and the C.O. Lt. Col. Goodbody was wounded and his driver killed.

June 24, 1944
`E' BATTERY 11TH (HAC) REGT RHA CMF
I was posted to `E' Battery to take over Sgt. F Gilberts Subsection, as he had gone to O.C.T.U. (Officer Cadet Training Unit) to be an officer.

I was No.1 of ‘B’ Subsection in 'E' Troop.

My subsection is: No. 3 Gun Layer L/Sgt Joe Canning
L/Bdr Fields
Gunners:
Short
Williams
Rogers
Platt
Driver Cowman.

Pr-BR

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