North Africa

Training to be an Air Gunner by Stan Garbutt

There were two wireless ops on the crew, one was the wireless op the other front gunner - I was front...

Serving in the RAF S Commando 1942-46

The requirement was basically for skilled technical personnel, mainly from fighter command, who would be...

Choosing the place for a battle — El Alamein July 1941

At El Alamein it would be possible to reach the sea through a gap in the salt flats. Over the next four...

My Parents' WW2 Story

Five children in our family, without a steady income, as my father, civilian, in the Merchant Navy,relied...

Ship Hit Mine and then it Sank in just 11 Minutes

In February 1941 I was sent to join the HMS Sindonis at Alexandria, in Egypt, which served during the...

Memories of Plymouth Blitz

On another occasion he was standing with his brother Ted watching as Jay's in The Octagon was...

Americans and Malaria: Memories of the 8th Army

The first tale as he described it was that he and his unit had been on a long patrol when aircraft they...

Overseas Welfare

But it was marvellous on the troop ship; we had bananas and oranges, which we hadn't seen for ages When...

Army Equipment - A Chance in a Million

While stationed in the Shetlands with the Royal Engineers in the winter of 1940 we were ordered to hand in...

The Captured Tiger Tank

Mr Roy Elliott served 4 1/2 years in the 8th Army in North Africa as a driver mechanic in the REME He...

Algeria to Italy in four years

Leslie was in Algeria for two years and moved to Italy where he became a staff car driver....

Madras Sappers and Miners

From 1939 he was attached to the Queen Victoria's Own Madras Sappers and Miners in Bangalore. If anyone...

But for the Grace.....

My story is in an oasis called Hon, which is 7-800 miles to the west of Alamein. The War Graves Commission...

Military Medal Awarded to Farnworth Soldier

News has been received this week from Trooper Joseph McFarlane, that he has been awarded the Military Medal...

RAF Wireless Operator Air Gunner Egypt (4) - In Hospital at Christmas

Towards the end of my stay in hospital I was invited along with some other service men to take a trip down...

A Wren in Egypt

We went straight from the office to the station and were put into cattle trucks - the floor of the trucks...

Prisoner of War for Three Years

He was taken prisoner of war in Toubrock, N. Africa by the Italian Forces and spent some time iin a...

The Untold Deaths of WW2

My father worked as an apprentice in Portsmouth Dockyard prior to WW2. He rose to become a Chief Petty...

Action in the Desert

In 1940 I had arrived in Durban, South Africa from Scotland with my regiment the Norfolk Yeomanry. I took...

Personal Account of M Willey and Assisgnment with Battalion Padre

One unexpected event occurred during my duties at this time - an order to leave my unit in the front line...

Wartime Service

Went abroad sailing from Liverpool, calling at Freetown, West Africa and Capetown, ending up at Bombay,...

Poem.. THE AFRICA STAR

FOR THOSE WHOSE BATTLEFIELDS WERE IN THE SKIES,WHO FOUGHT THEIR DEADLY DUELS ABOUT THE SUN,AND TOOK THE...

Transporting Petrol

Just before the Salerno landings in Italy we acquired petrol tankers which were put onto the landing craft...

Evacuation with a Difference

Our food was served in large army tins, and we then had to wash them up in tubs of water. When D-Day...

Birth

Following the successful invasion of North Africa by the British 1st Army, I was driving a 15hwt truck from...

The Long Hike

Word had reached me that my older Brother Kenneth was in Sfax a mere 90 miles away from our position in...