Life after War

It was very hard trying to return to normal life after the war. It was very hard indeed. I can hardly hear at times. I had to stand beside guns everyday as they banged and banged. There were the depth charges as well. It has affected my brain. I have had a very poor memory ever since then.

People didn’t understand at all the horrors of war. If they had have been on HMS Pink and looked ashore to see those poor boys getting off those boats and getting blown to pieces, it would have changed them too.

There are times now that I wouldn’t even join the Christmas club. At the start when I joined the Royal Navy it was great as we were doing all the training. I volunteered to train in depth charges, plastic explosives and torpedoes. I didn’t get any leave at all during the war until I was demobbed. When we were returning home we were sent to Devonport on a tanker. The Australians had filled it to the neck with fruit juice, it was fantastic. At Devonport it was transferred to another ship and was sent out to the Germans! After fighting them they sent out all this grub to them and we hardly had any!

In saying that, I had hatred for nobody. I never did. I don’t like violence and I can understand the horrible things that people experience in war. Anyone that fought and engaged in the war deserves credit in every way.

If anyone asks me about the war I block it out and don’t associate with it in any way because it was hard. It’s amazing I still hurt but that reflects the horror.

When you came out of the Navy you were guaranteed this and you were guaranteed that. There were two chaps in particular that were aboard with us. They were Australians and they had a chequebook. They were sending British money out to Australia and for every pound they sent out there was another 50p or 10shillings added to it. As soon as they were demobbed they got their chequebook, when we got out we were lucky to get 4 or 500 pounds. And I got a soft hat and a dress suit too which chaffed the inside of my legs so I couldn’t walk properly. I was walking like a cowboy; you know the old rough underpants and the rough vest. You would have thought I was just off my horse. My Mother came out and said “Andrew, what’s wrong son?” and I told her about the pants and she said “Away and get your own clothes on!” That’s all we got out and there was really nothing for us. All the forces were the same, there was nothing for them.

I didn’t even consider staying in the Navy after the war, it was hard enough.

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