The "TOMMIES" are here.

May 1945. A nice day with blue sky. Near our hous in Rendsburg, Garrison Town for more than 100 years. in the northern Germany Schleswig - Holstein, the firdt brit. Troops arrive. I was 11 years of age. I expected something else. The soldiers looked like germans. Just a different uniform. They looked at us kids, smiled and gave us something to chew. The older told us not to eat it. Its poison. Some told us to get away from the street and dont look at the soldiers too friendly. I didnt understand what it was all about ?. I took my chewing gum, the first in my life and found it tasted good. One of the units, 2856 Sqn. RAFR, pulled in to one of the barracks. A few days later, I cleaned the kitchen and brought back something to eat for my family. My mother start ddoing the laundry, and repairs shirts etc. More food and my dad could stART SMOKING AGAIN: I learned to speak english more and more. Bill Brown, Jock Boogie , Stanley Maltwood and Paddy MC Durmed are names I remember. On the big Barracks square, they learned me to drive, firdt a Jeep, than a 3 ton Thornycroft. A new Unit came in, the 309 supply and Transport Collum RAF. Flight Ltn Fletcher and Anderson I remeber. In the beginning of 1946 Both Units moved away to Hamburg. A new inf. Regt. came into a nother Barracks. The 1st Btl. Middlesex Regt. Name of Barracks was ALBUHERA Barracks. I was in the camp nearly every day. Loundry and cleaning up. One the soldiers made a little uniform for me. My mother made it to fit. One day the Sgt, Major (Old Bosle) came to me and told me to do the bottons of my jacket up. If I cought a again I will put you on charge. Some soldiers where watching it and told me after : Next time tell him he could charge a battery, So I did and got stript . During this time 1946/47 the RASC from Neumünster, a nearby town had to transport bred to Schleswig every day. I joined them often, after a while I took over and drove the 3 To Bedford from Rendsburg to Schleswig, for weeks and weeks. The driver taffy or sometimes Ginger, took a nap while I was driveing. At that time, there was hardly any traffic on the road, just brit. trucks.One dav a Humber staffcar overtooks us, and a high ranking Officer pickt us up. Big trouble. 3 weeks charge fore Taffi. I felt so sorry, told my parents, and from that day no more driving. A few years later I tried fo find Taffy in Neumünster, but he wasnt there anymore. By the way, a young Ltn. Schleswig at that time was ROGER MOORE, sorry SIR ROGER MOORE now... I made so many friends in those years, sorry to say mostly first names. A number of soldiers came to our house quiet often. Jimmy Hanlon I rember well. At christmas we had about 5 soldiers with us at home. all nice lads.I have found some after nearly 50 years, visit them in UK and they visit me here in Rendsburg. The 3rd and 15 med Artillery was here also. The 23 rd Parachute Field Ambulance, and ofcource a famous NAAFI. The NAAFI KIEL CLUB on the Kiel Canal.. Im ssure a lot soldiers will remeber this NAAFI. Miss Downy was the managerrest., Jean and Pamela. I have a lot of Photos of nearly all Units,from that time. I made a Exhebition in our Museum .Rendsburg under the UNION JACK hour sero 1945 untill 1949. If any soldiers who where stationed in Schleswig Holstein 1945 - 1949 are interested to see some of photos, let me know, I will send copies. free of charge. I could prolonge this story for houres, but I would rather be happy to find one or nother who can remmember northern Germany, Schleswig Holstein , Rendsburg and perhaps even me, The little Jimmy

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