Working for the King.

This story was submitted to the People’s War site by Julie Turner of the ‘Action Desk — Sheffield’ Team on behalf of John Hodgson and has been added to the site with the author’s permission. The author fully understands the site’s terms and conditions.

Story Title: Working for the King.

Names of People in the Story: John Hodgson.

Location: Norway 1940, Normandy 6th June, 1944.

I joined the Territorial Army in Leeds and the medical check showed I was colour blind. I was informed I would be put in a Field Ambulance as a stretcher-bearer. I attended a Camp in Redcar in 1938, then on the 2nd August, 1939 I received my “Calling up” papers and reported to Harewood Barracks that day; we went on route marches every day. On the 18th April, 1940 our Division, 49th was sent to Norway. During the 22 hours of daylight, we were bombed. On the 4th May, we were evacuated. A few days later, I was told to see the CO who asked my date of birth, I answered the 30th October, 1921. He told me I should not have gone to Norway. The Division was going abroad and I could not go. I was posted to Edinburgh Castle where I was the PT and Drill Instructor. I also looked after the welfare of a few German POWs, I took them for exercise in the Castle grounds, out of sight of public visitors. One chap called out to me, “Are you the veteran who was in the Norwegian fiasco?” I did not reply but one of the POWs said to me in German, “Whereabouts were you, I was the navigator in the Lufwaffe and we bombed Andalsnes on the orders of Hitler, to completely destroy." He told me his name and address, which was in Munich, and said please contact me when the war is over. I remembered his name and address and did contact him about three years after the war.

He invited me and my family to Munich. We were there about 4 weeks; he really did look after us. Alas, we both lost our wives but did keep in touch. He came to Britain and I took him to the Castle in Edinburgh. He too died but before that, his daughter came to stay with me. She is the same age as my daughter. We went to London and stayed at the hotel where I had stayed during exhibitions. The Polish owner said to me, “One of your daughters speaks with a German accent." I said she was not my daughter, I did not enlighten him. This young lady lives somewhere in Canada and teaches English.

On my 19th birthday I was called to the CO’s office and told DI was being posted to the Orkney Island, attached to the 19/104 Light Ack Ack. After about nine months, I was posted to a Holding Unit in Leeds, then posted to the 9th Field Ambulance of the 3rd British Infantry Division which was training for the Normandy landings.

I was attached to the 2nd Lincolns and about 10 a.m., on the 6th June, we landed on Sword Beach. I think it was about the 8th June. I was told there was a wounded German officer to be collected at a Map Ref. which turned out to be a building near the Pegasus Bridge. I went to the Map Ref. and took the German officer to the beach where he would be sent to the UK.

The Division fought its way up through France, not much fighting in Belgium but this soon altered on the Dutch Border where our casualties were very high. Treating the wounded was a 24 hour job; it was our job, but we did manage a few hours sleep.

Apart from being shelled every day, plus the odd attack by German Fighter or Bomber Planes, life was very noisy. Just referring back to taking the German officer POW, one “Wag” in a trench called out to me, “Who have you got there Rommel?” I did not answer.

On New Year's morning, still in Holland, we could hear a new sound approaching, like a flash of lightening. The Germans had sent over their new jet propelled Messerschmitt 262. It dropped a bomb near our Divisional Headquarters. I do not know if there were any casualties, as we were forward of the Divisional Headquarters. We did the Maas River crossing with heavy casualties, but moved forward and crossed according to the Map into Germany.

A Londoner driving the Jeep, said to me in Cockney, “Cor Blimey, I fort Landon had been bombed but that is nafink compared with this, wait till I get back ome and tell them.” We were very near the German border, no signs of course, except we saw one as we moved up - Bremen, which we took. Some days later a German came up to me and said “Sie haben ein neu Bomb veil tousan leute sind tot.” I said, "Wait until you see the 20 engine bomber we are getting.” He looked surprised. Our Division took, I think it was Syke and a few days later someone said, “The war is over.” We were ordered not to fraternise with the Germans but when a German couple invited two of us into their house for a glass of red wine we did not hesitate. Coming out of the house about half an hour later two Redcaps were waiting at the gate. I was a medic and we did not have weapons, but I had found a small German automatic, I showed it to the Redcap and said, “We found this in the house.” He did not bother us any more. A few days later, we were told, “Prepare for Japan.” Shortly afterwards we were told, "Forget Japan." We were however sent to Egypt, then to Palestine where we had casualties. A few days later, the Orderly Room Corporal came up to me and said, “Your demob papers have come through Sarge.” A few hours later I was on my way home.

Pr-BR

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