9th September 1941

My father, Isaac Edward Lerman, would never talk about his experiences in the army during WW2. Unfortunately he passed away aged 82 in 1998 and I found the following article and photograph amongst his belongings. The article was published in a Birmingham newspaper under the heading “Ex-Service News”.

“While Mr. Eddie Lerman, secretary of Birmingham Jewish Ex-Service Association, was heading for the Arromanches beaches to take part in the invasion of Europe soon after D-Day, a storm damaged the “Mulberry” harbour where his ship should have berthed.

So for a week Staff Sgt. Lerman (No.7648966) and his comrades drifted in the middle of the English Channel while V1 rockets bound for London passed over their heads.

Sgt. Lerman was mentioned in despatches for his work in an R.A.O.C. unit serving with the Guards Armoured Division.

Near Caen they set up an Ordnance park from which they replaced damaged tanks, Bren carriers, and armoured vehicles. He had a ringside seat at the battle of Caen.

“I was on a hilltop overlooking the battle area and saw our boys holding the full weight of Hitler’s armoured divisions day and night” he says.

Later, Sgt. Lerman was among the troops who tried desperately to break through the enemy to the relief of the airborne troops at Arnhem. They came within a few miles of success.”

Staff Sgt. Lerman was awarded a bronze Oak Leaf Emblem for being “Mentioned in Despatches for gallant and distinguished service in North West Europe”.

The photograph shows the famous violinist and band leader Eugene Pini playing for his colleagues on 9th September 1941. My father is ringed.

Others in the picture include:
E.L. Gibson, A. Barr, A. Moore, E. Cole, W. J. Bloomfield, M. Naxdas,
Mark B. Dimmer, F. R. Emmett, R. Robinson, S. Taylor, B. Johnson, F. Lewis.

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