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My name is Noel Barwick and I was known as nobby, I was a tank wireless operator in the Middlesex Yeomanry 7th Armoured Division known as the Desert rats, I served in North Africa, Italy and Europe.

I have the following three memories which I believe may be of interest.

1. A FINE ROMANCE

In June 1942 there was a major tank battle south of Tobruk. The tank of one of my friends and fellow operator was hit and I lost contact with him. He later turned up at a prisoner of war camp in Italy. However parcels from his girlfriend continued to arrive and I was delegated by my crew to write and thank her.

When I eventually returned home in January 1944 I called at her home in Dulwich in order to thank her personally. I learned from her mother that she was at the local hairdressers, where I found her in curlers under the dryer. This was my first sight of the girl who was to become my wife.

2. BRIEF ENCOUNTER

After landing in Normandy and crossing France we eventually found ourselves in Belgium outside the historic city of Ghent. The German commander was threatening to resist our entry, which would certainly have led to major destruction in this beautiful city.

My Brigade Commander decided to lead a small party into the city centre under cover of darkness to try and negotiate a ceasefire. Whilst he was away I was standing outside my tank where I found a small boy scout tugging at my sleeve. He led me into a large cellar where many local residents had taken shelter. Needless to say their hospitality was overwhelming and fortunately the negotiations with the German commander proved successful. This enabled the whole Brigade to move into the city the next day.

3. JOURNEY'S END

On the night of VE Day we found ourselves in a small German town not far from the Danish border. The British Cromwell tank which had been my home since landing in Normandy was also the Brigade Command tank and had extra wireless equipment installed in it.

This meant that the normal gun was removed and replaced by a dummy wooden gun in order to make the tank look like all the others. On VE night we had much pleasure in sawing off the wooden gun which with other rubbish made a very satisfactory bonfire to mark the end of the war.

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