I s p e n t a g o o d d e a l o f t i m e d u r i n g t h e advance a t t a c h e d
t o U.S. 1 7 A / B D i v. a n d t y i n g t h i n g s u p b e t w e e n t h e m a n d
6 G u a r d s Ta n k B d e . T h i s c o m b i n a t i o n w a s 1 0 0 p e r c e n t .
successful. T h e A m e r i c a n s u s e d t o r i d e a l o n g o n t h e backs o f
the C h u r c h i l l s , a n d b e t w e e n t h e m t h e y m a d e s h o r t w o r k o f
, a n y t h i n g t h a t g o t i n t h e w a y. I t w a s o r i g i n a l l y i n t e n d e d t o
p u l l t h e G u a r d s Bde. o u t a n d s e n d t h e m somewhere else, b u t
17 A / B m a d e s u c h a f u s s w h e n t h e y h e a r d t h a t t h e i r p a r t n e r -
ship w a s t o b e b r o k e n u p , t h a t t h e y r e m a i n e d t o g e t h e r u n t i l
17 A / B w e r e p u l l e d o u t t o p r e p a r e f o r t h e E l b e crossing, t h e
A / B e l e m e n t o f w h i c h , i n f a c t , n e v e r c a m e o ff . T h e general
American critioismn o f o u r a r m o u r e d t r o o p s was t h a t t h e y were
too slow, because t h e y w e r e always m a k i n g t e a !
A / B d i v i s i o n s , a p a r t f r o m t h e i r i n i t i a l m o b i l i t y, a r e n o t
designed f o r m o b i l e w a r f a r e o n c e t h e y h a v e d r o p p e d . I n
consequence w e h a d g r e a t d i f f i c u l t y i n f i n d i n g o u t a t c o r p s
j u s t w h a t w a s h a p p e n i n g . T h i s i s n o t a c r i t i c i s m , b u t a
statement o f f a c t . T h i s r e s u l t e d i n m y b e i n g o r d e r e d o n e
n i g h t b y t h e C o r p s C o m m a n d e r, w h o a t t h i s t i m e w a s L i e u t . -
General E . H . B a r k e r, t o g o i n t o O s n a b r u c k a n d see w h o w a s
there! T h e o n l y t h i n g I k n e w w a s t h a t i f t h e e n e m y w e r e
n o t t h e r e , i t w o u l d b e t h e C o m m a n d o B d e . , w h o w e r e j u s t
as l i k e l y t o h a v e a p o t a t m e a n d s a y W h o w e n t t h e r e ? ' ' I t
was a p i t c h b l a c k n i g h t a n d O s n a b r u c k w a s l i k e a c i t y o f
t h e dead a n d a p p a r e n t l y c o m p l e t e l y deserted. I t h a d o f course
been c o m p l e t e l y w r e c k e d b y t h e R . A . F. a n d m a n y o f t h e
streets w e r e c o m p l e t e l y b l o c k e d e i t h e r b y heaps o f r u b b l e o r
enormous craters. I f o u n d i t s a f e r t o w a l k i n f r o n t o f m y
Scout C a r. I h a d a 25000 m a p a n d a b o o k o f t o w n p l a n s
of G e r m a n y, b u t t h e y w e r e q u i t e useless. I w a n d e r e d a b o u t
f o r a n h o u r a n d a h a l f w i t h o u t s e e i n g a s o u l , o r i e n t a t i n g
myself p a r t l y b y t h e s t a r s a n d p a r t l y b y a l i t t l e s t r e a m t h a t
r a n t h r o u g h t h e m i d d l e o f t h e t o w n . E v e n t u a l l y, c o m p l e t e l y
lost. I h a l t e d i n a s m a l l square. A s h o r t w a y o ff I c o u l d h e a r
the s t r e a m . A f t e r a m i n u t e t h e s u d d e n s t a m p i n g o f f e e t
broke t h e s t i l l n e s s . I f e l t I h a d n o t b e e n i n t h e
A r m y n e a r l y s i x y e a r s w i t h o u t b e i n g a b l e t o r e c o g n i s e t h e
u n m i s t a k a b l e c l a n k o f " b o o t s , a m m u n i t i o n " ! F o r t u n a t e l y I
was r i g h t ! A v e r y c a u t i o u s approach showed t h e o w n e r o f t h e
feet t o b e Cormnando. A n d w h a t gave t h e e n c o u n t e r a r a t h e r
musical c o m e d y t u r n w a s t h a t h e h a d l o s t h i s VOiCC. SO h i s
conversation w a s l i m i t e d t o a series o f h o a r s e whispers!
Belsen was c a p t u r e d b y 11 A r m o u r e d D i v. w h o were u n d e r
o u r c o m m a n d . I t w a s a c t u a l l y h a n d e d o v e r u n d e r t r u c e ,
after a special r e p r e s e n t a t i v e f r o m H i m m l e r h a d c o m e across.
There w a s a s t a n d s t i l l o r d e r a l o n g a c e r t a i n l i n e , a n d w h i l e
our B.G.S. was across a r r a n g i n g t h e d e t a i l s w i t h t h e Germans,
one o f o u r i n f a n t r y b a t t a l i o n s , w h i c h w a s i n t h e m i d d l e o f
a f o r e s t , u n w i t t i n g l y crossed t h e l i n e . T h e G e r m a n s i m m e -
diately s t o p p e d n e g o t i a t i o n s a n d " a r r e s t e d " t h e B.G.S. u n t i l
t h e t r o o p s h a d w i t h d r a w n . I w a s s e n t o u t i n t o t h e f o r e s t
to l o c a t e t h e m a n d b r i n g t h e m b a c k . O w i n g t o t h e i r b e i n g
I n a f o r e s t , wireless was, o f course, useless, s o n o o n e k n e w
precisely w h e r e t h e y w e r e , e x c e p t t h e G e r m a n s , a n d I c o u l d
scarcely a s k t h e m ! H o w e v e r , o n t h i s occasion, I f o u n d t h e m
j u s t b e f o r e i t g o t d a r k . I h a p p e n e d t o r u n i n t o t h e i r B.H.Q.,
b u t o n l y f o u n d t h e M . O . t o s p e a k t o , a s i t seemed t h a t a l l
the o t h e r officers w e r e o u t t r y i n g t o f i n d t h e Coys., a s B.H.Q.
could n o t c o n t a c t t h e m b y wireless e i t h e r ! H o w e v e r , i t w a s
sorted o u t i n t h e e n d , a n d t h e agreement sounded r a t h e r l i k e
an exercise, as i t was a r r a n g e d t h a t t h e G e r m a n s were t o p u t
u p s i g n s i n E n g l i s h a n d G e r m a n , s a y i n g " O u t o f b o u n d s —
Ty p h u s " ! ! W h a t i s m o r e , t h e y d i d i t .
A b 3 u t t h i s t i m e t h e n a v a l t r o o p s f r o m H a m b u r g began t o
make themselves f e l t . W e h a d j u s t g o t a f o o t i n g across t h e
All e r w h e n w e w e r e v i o l e n t l y a t t a c k e d b y a G e r m a n M a r i n e
Commando U n i t , b u t i t so h a p p e n e d t h a t t h e people t h e y h a d
elected t o a t t a c k w e r e o u r o w n c o m m a n d o s . T h e r e s u l t w a s
a l o c a l , b u t v e r y v i o l e n t a n d b l o o d y b a t t l e i n w h i c h k n i v e s ,
feet, bayonets a n d e v e r y t h i n g else were used. A f t e r a s t r u g g l e
of a b o u t t h r e e h o u r s w e w e r e l e f t m a s t e r s o f t h e f i e l d . O n e
cannot h e l p f e e l i n g t h a t i t w a s a v e r y g o o d t h i n g t h a t i t
happened t o b e o u r C o m m a n d o s w h o h a d t h i s a t t a c k t o cope
w i t h .
We paused a t L u n e b u r g t o p l a n t h e E l b e crossing, w h i c h
we were t o d o i n c o m p a n y w i t h t h e Americans, w h i l e t h e r e s t
of Second A r m y cleared u p s o u t h o f H a m b u r g . I w a s a g a i n
attached t o t h e A m e r i c a n s f o r t h i s o p e r a t i o n w h i c h w e n t l i k e
clockwork a g a i n s t P egligible o p p o s i t i o n . T h e C o m m a n d e r o r
the G e r m a n A r m y G r o u p V i s t u l a w h i c h w a s i n f r o n t o f u s
had a l r e a d y s e n t o u t h i s s i g n a l t o h i s A r m y C o m m a n d e r s ,
"copies t o G e n e r a l Eisenhower a n d F. M . M o n t g o m e r y " t o t h e
effect t h a t i f t h e A l l i e d t r o o p s w e r e t r y i n g t o g e t t o g r i p s
w i t h t h e R u s s i a n s t h e y w e r e n o t t o b e i m p e d e d , b u t t h a t i f
t h e y w e r e k i l l i n g G e r m a n s , t h e y w e r e t o b e r e s i s t e d a t a l l
cost. H o w e v e r w e n e v e r h e a r d a b o u t t h a t o n e u n t i l s o m e
t i m e l a t e r, a n d I have o f t e n wondered h o w h e g o t h i s message
across.
W h a t b r o u g h t u s t o a s t a n d s t i l l o n a l i n e f r o m v e r y
THE. QUEEN'S OWN GAZETTE.
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r o u g h l y W i s m a r t o W i t t e n b e r g , w a s t h e e n o r m o u s n u m b e r o f
troops s u r r e n d e r i n g . T h e o r d e r w a s t h a t a s t h e s e t r o o p s h a d
n o t been f i g h t i n g a g a i n s t us, b u t against t h e Russians, w e were
n o t allowed t o accept a n y organised surrender, b u t t h a t i f t h e y
came i n d i v i d u a l l y w e c o u l d ease t h e m . I n c ' r e s u l t w a s t r i a 6
about 800,000 c a m e i n d i v i d u a l l y ! A l l r o a d s l e a d i n g W e s t
were p a c k e d w i t h a s t r e a m t h a t f l o w e d o n d a y a n a
F i r s t came t h e t r a n s p o r t , w i t h soldiers o n t h e b o n n e t s , o n t h e
roofs, h a n g i n g o n t o t h e o u t s i d e s — j u s t everywhere.
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surprised t o s e e t h e G e r m a n s h a d s t i l l s o m u c h t r a n s p o r t .
F i r s t i t w a s t h e m o t o r t r a n s p o r t , l a t e r t h e h o r s e - d r a w n , a l l
nose t o t a i l , a n d f i n a l l y t h e endless m a r c h i n g c o l u m n s . T h e y
were w e l l disciplined, a n d h e r e a n d t h e r e over t h e countryside,
wherever a large o p e n space looked s u i t a b l e , t h e c o l u m n s were
concentrated. U n t i l y o u h a v e s e e n a n a i r f i e l d l i k e , s a y
Detling, c o m p l e t e l y f i l l e d w i t h h u m a n s a n d m o r e s t i l l p o u r i n g
in, y o u h a v e n o i d e a h o w m a n y people t h e r e are i n t h e w o r l d !
I f i n i s h e d u p a t H a g e n o w w i t h U . S . 1 9 C o r p s a n d w h i l e
there I h e a r d o f a t r a i n - l o a d o f E n g l i s h P. O . W. d o w n a t t h e
station. I w a s t h e f i r s t E n g l i s h m a n t o m e e t t h e m — lots o f
Americans h a d o f c o u r s e — a n d b y a c u r i o u s c o i n c i d e n c e t h e y
t u r n e d o u t t o b e m o s t l y m e n w h o h a d b e e n t a k e n p r i s o n e r
i n 132 Ede. i n 1940 A t l e a s t h a l f o f t h e m were Queen's O w n ,
none o f w h o m I k n e w, b u t t h a t d i d n o t m a t t e r. L i k e a l l t h e
P.O.W. t h e y w e r e a m a z i n g l y w e l l behaved. A f t e r y e a r s a s a
prisoner t o f i n d y o u r s e l f a l l o f a s u d d e n a t l i b e r t y a n d t h e
masters o f y o u r oppressors, i s s u r e l y a v e r y b i g t e m p t a t i o n t o
r u n a m o k o r a t l e a s t b e a b i t d i s o r d e r l y. H o w e v e r t h e o n l y
t h i n g P. O . W. e v e r seemed t o d o w a s t o " r e q u i s i t i o n " o n e o r
t w o cars, a n d h a v e a b i t o f a d r i v e r o u n d .
On V E D a y I w a s b a c k w i t h 8 C o r p s , n o r t h o f L u b e c k ,
and w a s o n e o f a p a r t y t h a t s e t o u t t o m a k e a recce f o r o u r
p e r m a n e n t o c c u p a t i o n a l h e a d q u a r t e r s . I t w a s a p e r f e c t d a y
and w e w e r e a l l n a t u r a l l y i n p e r f e c t s p i r i t s . W e h a d a n R . V.
w i t h a n A i r 0 . P. o n K i e l a i r f i e l d . T h e r e w a s n o t r a ff i c o f a n y
k i n d o n t h e r o a d s , a s o u r s w a s t a k i n g t h e d a y o f f a n d t h e
Germans h a d n o n e . O u r l i t t l e c o l u m n o f t w o j e e p s a n d m y
Scout c a r w h i z z e d d o w n t h e a u t o b a h n , a n d I w a s i n t e r e s t e d
to f i n d t h a t w i t h t h e g o v e r n o r r e m o v e d w e h a d t h e l e g s o r
the j e e p s , t h o u g h n o t t h e acceleration. T h e r e a d e r w h o h a s
reached t h u s f a r m a y h a v e n o t i c e d t h a t I a l w a y s w e n t every-
where a t h i g h speed. H e i s r i g h t . I c o n s i d e r e d i t s o u n d
policy t o t r a i n m y d r i v e r s t o d r i v e f a s t , s o t h a t w h e n I h a d
to go fast, w h i c h was q u i t e often, I c o u l d d o so w i t h o u t g e t t i n g
myself k i l l e d .
Up o n K i e l a i r f i e l d G e r m a n a e r o p l a n e s w e r e c o n t i n u a l l y
flying i n f r o m t h e L a t v i a n p o c k e t , u n a w a r e t h a t t h e R . A . F.
were a l r e a d y i n s i t u . W e d r o v e d o w n i n t o t h e c o m p l e t e l y
devastated t o w n . H e r e i n t h e m i d s t o f a l l t h e wreckage, w e
stopped t o l i s t e n o n m y S c o u t C a r w i r e l e s s t o C h u r c h i l l ' s
speech. I t seemed a f i t t i n g c l i m a x t h a t h e r e , i n t h e " c r a d l e
of t h e G e r m a n N a v y, " t h e scene o f t h e f i r s t a i r r a i d o f t h e
war, a n d n o w r e d u c e d t o p i l e s o f r u b b l e , w e s h o u l d l i s t e n t o
t h a t u n i q u e v o i c e , w h i c h e v e n p a s s i n g G e r m a n s s t o p p e d t o
hear.
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The R e g i m e n t a i R e - u n i o n w i l l b e h e l d i n M a i d s t o n e o n
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know t h a t i f a p i t c h c a n b e o b t a i n e d
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on t h e M o t e C r i c k e t
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If y o u w a n t y o u r E v e n i n g W e a r,
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