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Part 4: (Victory and after)

Fighting through Germany — VE Day - Victory Parade at Bremerhaven - Far East Draft cancelled (VJ Day) — Transfer to Tripoli, Libya — Promotion - Post-War Service, Royal Artillery and Hong Kong Regiment. (end)

We learned now that the 51st. Highland Division line-of-march was to still-distant Bremen and Hamburg. On 11th. April, the 5/7th. swept forward in assorted transport to Ankum. It was here (as I recall) that I had another fright. Concentrated mortar fire sent us into a cellar for cover. As soon as the fire slackened, I hurried back to the half-dug Slit Trench where I had left my shovel. The handle had been ripped clean off by shrapnel. The thought occurred that it could have been my head!

On 12th. April President Roosevelt died suddenly, casting a shadow over the all of the Allied Forces. About this time, also, news of the liberation of the Nazi Concentration Camps at Buchenwald and Belsen caused a wave of anger and revulsion throughout the B.L.A.

Our next advance was to Amerbusch and, on 14th. April, to Wildeshausen. Here, I spent one of the worst nights of my life.
“C” Company had found billets in the town and we settled down for food and rest. However, in the late afternoon, 13 Platoon suddenly received an order to “Move Out” — we were to act as a Standing Patrol to protect the rear of “A” Company, who were required to clear enemy units ahead so that road craters could be filled for passage of tanks and vehicles. This was
to be a “silent” night operation.

At dusk, 13 Platoon moved out of Wildeshausen, reached our position close to the crater and rapidly Dug-in on either side of the road (“Dig or Die” was a common road-sign of these times; “Dust Means Death” another!). “A” Company then moved through us and, almost immediately, clashed in the dark with enemy defences ahead, suffering casualties and getting pinned down by small-arms and machine-gun fire. Stretcher Bearers and Walking Wounded began to filter back through our position. This was the prelude to a hellish night.

Presumably anticipating a major attack, enemy mortars opened a heavy bombardment on 13 Platoon positions, followed by their Artillery and, we were told later, by Naval long-range Coastal Guns. Evidently, the road crater had been well “Zeroed—in” on the German D.F. (Defensive Fire) Plan and 13 Platoon were sitting ducks, it seemed, for all the German Army and Naval artillery within range.

The advantage of a two-man Slit Trench (‘Duva’ or ‘Douver’ as we called them) is that, if you keep your head down, you are relatively safe short of a direct hit. Nonetheless, there is almost unbearable stress and discomfort when shell after shell drops in and around your position, for what seems like hour after hour (next morning showed 3-4 explosive impacts within feet of our Trench). During a short lull, my companion was sent back with a wounded colleague to the Regimental Aid Post. I was alone when the barrage resumed its intensity, huddled in the dark at the bottom of the trench — cold, half-concussed and fearful. I had exhausted all my prayers; in anger and frustration, I wept.

Everything passes in time, and dawn brought the welcome sound of our armour trundling towards us. A troop of Flail Tanks arrived in support while a Bulldozer, manned by a surprisingly nonchalant Royal Engineer, began repairing the road. “A” Company was relieved and we enjoyed the happy sight of surviving German troops doubling down the road, encouraged on their way by one of our 13 Platoon members, a very large and angry Gordon from Cumbria, wielding the broken branch of a tree.

Our small campaign over, with the overall loss of “only 10 men”, we marched back soberly to our comrades in Wildeshausen, where a hot meal and rest soon restored our spirits.

On 16th. April we moved with Tanks and the fearsome Crocodiles (flame throwing tanks) to our next objective, Dotlingen, to find the Germans in retreat after our 20-minute Artillery barrage. Some casual pot-shots apart, we occupied the village without difficulty, although “D” Company had to repulse an enemy Fighting Patrol that night. Relieved next day we were transported to Beckeln where, much to our joy, we were greeted by a Mobile Bath Unit and a Church of Scotland Canteen. Luxury!

The next plan of attack involved the important town of Delmenhorst , now closing in on Bremen. As we moved forward on 20th. April, we heard that the Germans had evacuated the town, leaving 2,000 of their wounded to our care. Our mobile column moved in comfortably to the strains of our adopted anthem, ‘Lili Marlene’, and to the cheers of several hundred Polish and Russian D.P.’s (Displaced Persons), mainly young female forced labourers. Next day, we were shelled and mortared, but collected some German prisoners and deserters. My primitive German had now expanded to “Hande Hoch!”, and (used reassuringly to a large German haus-frau I confronted with a Bayonet while she hung out washing in a farm-yard!) “Wo ist der Deutscher soldaten?”. We heard that the Russians had penetrated into Berlin.

Delmenhorst secured, Bremen under attack by air and land, and the enemy in retreat, the 5/7th. Battalion was transported forward on 27th. April to a new concentration area near Horstedt, between Bremen and Hamburg, where the 2nd. Bn. Gordons were preparing to cross the River Elbe as part of the 15th. Scottish Division. The 1st. Gordons took position near Bremervorde on 1st. May, and launched an attack on a strong force of Panzer Grenadiers defending Bremerhaven, at Oerel and Barchel, losing 3 of their Carriers in the fight.

The news now came that Hitler’s suicide in his Berlin Bunker. In the meanwhile, however, as 2nd. Gordons and the 15th. Scottish Division moved on Hamburg, the 5/7th. Gordons advanced north-west to take Ebersdorf, another outpost of Bremerhaven.

Our Forward Company attacked Ebersdorf with Tank support at 6.00 p.m. on 2nd. May.
Contrary to expectations they soon ran into concentrated fire from “Moaning Minnies” and heavy guns; while small arms, mortars and self-propelled guns halted our Tanks. “C” Company was then called up in support and, for a couple of hours, we lay in ditches along the roadway until 2.00 a.m. when a half-hour barrage from our Guns signalled the start of our flank attack across fields and into the village. We seized a cross-roads in the dark and the Company dug-in. 13 Platoon then advanced into the village and, while I gave “Covering Fire” from the edge of a large Barn with a Bren Gun, an abortive Platoon Attack was launched on an enemy force which, we suddenly realised, had armoured support. German shouts of command and revving engines shattered the night, followed by rapid but badly-aimed shell and machine gun fire. The withdrawing Platoon doubled hastily passed my position, while Jerry S.P. Guns blasted away at houses up and down the street. There was a tense stand-off for a while, until my Bren Group crept slowly back to the security of our Company position at the cross-road. Luckily, we had only one casualty in this mellee.

By dawn on 3rd. May, German soldiers from our rear were filtering passed our flank, helped on their way by shots from our position. A dual later developed between our armour and two remaining S.P. Guns which were soon wiped out, one of them left burning and exploding for most of the day, their crew dead inside. This was our last action of the War in Europe.

Contrary to regulations, I had kept a small, green T.G.W.U. 1945 Pocket Diary, given to me by my father, an ardent Trade Unionist. These are my last three wartime entries:-

“Wed. 2/5/45 : Moved to attack Ebersdorf this afternoon. Got stonked on way in. One
killed and one wounded in 14 platoon. “D” Company stopped by heavy
fire. Lay all night in ditch.
Thurs. 3/5/45 : By-passed “D” Company at 3.00 a.m. Platoon charged German position
dug-in in gardens. Counter-attacked by S.P. Guns and Platoon scattered.
Marm hit. Tanks up at daybreak and town finally cleared. Two German
S.P. Guns knocked out and crews killed.
Fri. 4/5/45 : All Germans disappeared from area. Argylls and Black Watch passed
through in Kangaroos. Artillery 5.5-inch Guns also moving ahead.
ALL GERMAN RESISTANCE CEASING TOMORROW.”

On 4th. May, German Staff Cars passed through our front to conclude surrender terms with Montgomery at Luneberg Heath. We were ordered that all offensive action would cease
effective from 08.00 on 5th. May, 1945. (Following this, the German Generals met at Eisenhower’s Headquarters on 7th. May and agreed surrender on all remaining Western Fronts, effective from midnight on 8th. May. Field Marshal Keitel and the German High Command confirmed the end of all hostilities on 9th. May 1945, my 19th. Birthday.)

In the meanwhile, we had been ordered to secure Bremerhaven, and we marched into this key port on 8th. May in Battle Order, the Company lead by its Pipers, ready for any last-minute resistance. Many of the streets were rubble from Allied bombing, and the German civilians and soldiers we met looked dazed and apprehensive. Thus, we passed “V.E. Day” in requisitioned billets, happy to be at peace, and glad to be alive. We managed to “liberate” some Schnappes to celebrate victory in Europe, and my birthday.

The first few days of peace were spent collecting German prisoners and arms, and controlling rampaging D.P.s. — there were 3,000 of these quartered on the German Liner “Europa” in the port. Unfortunately, in collecting arms my good friend and comrade-in-arms, who had shared our Slit Trench and helped to sustain me over the past arduous months, was hit by an accidentally discharged bullet and carried off to Hospital — our last casualty of the war.

Spruced up and kilted out, the 51st. Highland Division formally marked the end of the European War with an impressive Victory Parade at Bremerhaven on 12th. May, 1945 with XXX Corps Commander, Lt. General Horrocks, taking the Salute. Lead by the Massed Pipes and Drums, representatives of all Units and Supporting Arms marched proudly on parade, remembering the 10,000 of our comrades who had killed, wounded, or were missing-in-action since D-Day, 6th. June, 1944. In the battles of N.W. Europe my own 5/7th. Battalion had lost 803 officers and men, and the 1st. Gordons had suffered 1,054 casualties.

On 18th. May, I was again on Ceremonial Parade at the Hand-over of Bremerhaven to the United States 29th. Division, now to be a supply port for U.S. Forces in Germany. We shifted to the quiet town on Nienburg, conscious of the fact that the Japanese War still continued, with bitter fighting by Australians in New Guinea, and in Okinawa where hundreds of Kamakazi pilots rained suicidal attacks on American forces. In Burma, British Forces were moving on Rangoon. The invasion of Japan loomed ahead as a major Allied operation, and there was general anticipation of hard fighting and huge casualties.
While older soldiers now looked forward to Demobilisation, the first drafts for the Far East began to move out in July. With my limited war service, and a high “Demob Number”of 68, I was soon earmarked for the Far East campaign. Farewells to the 5/7th. were duly made and a group of us moved to a concentration area to join other troops awaiting transport.
We were here, on 6th. August, when all movement was suspended — the Americans had dropped the world’s first Atomic Bomb on Hiroshima. A few days later, on 9th. August, a second Bomb struck Nagasaki and we had news of Japan’s surrender. We gladly received the Order, “Return to Unit”. The 15th. August, 1945 saw the celebration of “V.J. Day”.

I was now transferred to the 2nd. Bn. Gordon Highlanders in Lubeck on the Baltic, swapping the HD shoulder flash of the 51st. Highland Division for the Rampant Lion of the 15th. Scottish Division. This too, was to be short-lived, for on 19th. September the whole Battalion entrained for Calais (an 18-hour journey via Hamburg and Minden), thence to Dover and to Bulford on Salisbury Plain. I now wore the “Pegasus” shoulder badge of
the 6th. Airborne Division, destined for duty in another unfriendly hot-spot — Palestine.
We sailed from Liverpool on the Troopship “Reina del Pacifico” on 20th. November, 1945 but, again, fate intervened. Before we reached the Straits of Gibralter, there was an outbreak of inter-racial rioting in Libya, and we found ourselves transhipped at Algiers and bound for Tripoli. Our mission: to protect the ancient Jewish community in Libya from extremist attacks. Happily for us, the arrival of our 790-strong veteran Battalion signalled the end of the communal rioting and we settled to Garrison duties in Azzizia Barracks, Tripoli with out-post duties in the Jebel, at Garian. Aged 19, I was promoted to Corporal in February 1946, and raised to Acting Sergeant soon after my 20th. Birthday.

Thus, it was as Sgt. MacKenzie, 2nd. Bn. Gordon Highlanders that I made my first flight in August 1946, by RAF Transport Dakota, from Castel Benito Airport, Tripoli to Cairo. Here, at Almaza, I was accepted by the Middle East Officer Selection Board, and ordered to proceed to U.K. for Officer Training at 164 Infantry Officer Cadet Training Unit, Stoke-on-Trent, by way of Cameron Barracks, Inverness where I was engaged in transporting German POW’s pending my Course assembly..
My Teenage Years were over, and a new life and prospects lay ahead.

The Aftermath

I celebrated my 21st Birthday at O.C.T.U. and was appointed to an “Emergency Commission” in May 1947. However, with the rapid run-down of the Army, there was now a surplus of Junior Infantry Officers (also, war-time life expectancy for Subalterns of 3-4 weeks no longer applied!), most of my Course graduates were commissioned into other Service Arms. Thus, I was posted as 2nd. Lieutenant, 24 Light Anti-Aircraft Battery, Royal Artillery, based first in Trowbridge and, later, at Horfield Barracks, Bristol. I was promoted Lieutenant in November, 1947 and, after 4 years of Army Service, released in July,1948.
Back in “Civvy Street”, as a “young ex-Officer”, I was recruited in London by a firm of Far East Merchants and posted to Rangoon. Moving later to Hong Kong during the Korean War, I found myself in another “Emergency” situation, called to the service of The Royal Hong Kong Defence Force. I now received my second Commission, in the Hong Kong Regiment (The Volunteers), and for several years commanded the Battalion’s 3” Mortar Platoon. Fortunately, we fired no bombs in anger and I resigned in 1966, with the rank of Captain, to better pursue my business and public service career. Periods of discomfort, fear and stress apart, I enjoyed my military life.
It was “fun” while it lasted!

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