蜜芽传媒

On the 28th April we arrived at Newdorf at about 7 p.m. We were taken off in groups of 50 to barns and were getting some straw for our beds. A prisoner came in and said 鈥淐orporal there are some Americans outside!鈥� I said 鈥淏ring them in鈥�. He told me to go and look. I went outside the barn and there in the road were about 30 tanks with German soldiers standing on top. I was trying to make out what was going on when a voice from inside the tank said 鈥淪ay Bud are you a Limey?鈥�. I said I was a British soldier P.O.W. 鈥淲ho are you?鈥�. He said 鈥淲e are the American Third Army you had better get your head down before it is blown off.鈥� I said 鈥淲hat about those Germans鈥�. He said 鈥淭hey are my prisoners if I gets it鈥�. They got it.

From then on it was bedlam. We disarmed the guards and took them prisoner and went out on the town. I saw slave labour women at a big store. They broke the windows, stripped naked and changed into new clothes. We found a huge wine store and drank and drank.

We sat talking with the American soldiers and a Sergeant was laying on a bed. I was on the floor. He said how long were you a P.O.W. I said 5 years. He got off the bed and said 鈥淵ou have it, you deserve it better than me鈥�.

During the night the Germans tried to counter with an attack. The Americans opened up with quick firing mortar rockets. It was the first time I had seen or heard them. It was like a dozen thunder storms.

We were left at Newdorf for about 10 days. We had Red Cross food, but were in very poor condition.

On the 8th May we were flown by Dakota aircraft to Brussels where we were cleaned up and given cash. That night we were released on Brussels and we did a conga through anywhere we thought we would go.
While on the aircraft to Brussels the pilot came back to us and told us that Donetz had asked for peace. I said never mind about peace, who is flying this aircraft. He said 鈥楪eorge鈥�, which was my first introduction to auto flying.

We left Brussels on 9th May and flew to Westcott in Berkshire.

When we arrived there a young WAAF insisted on carrying my bag. They did not seem to understand that the joy of setting foot on English soil once again was enough to make us all feel well again. I must have looked a bit rough as I only weighed 7 stone, which at 33 years was a bit thin.

We had to be interviewed by security and I got away about 1 a.m. 10th May I went to the phone and asked the operator to get me my wife鈥檚 parents鈥� number at Burgess Hill. A sleepy voice asked very testily why I didn鈥檛 know the number. I said I had been away for some time. He said 鈥淲here鈥�. I said 鈥淚n a prison camp for five years鈥�. He said 鈥淩ight鈥� click, click, click and I was through to Burgess Hill. I said 鈥淗ow much?鈥� and he said 鈥淵ou talk to your wife for the rest of the night if you like, it will cost you nothing.

Most of next day was spent in interview and late afternoon we were taken into Aylesbury by T.V.Cs. On arrival in the square there was a huge bonfire. Two stone lions had been painted red and blue and it had a large white 鈥榁鈥� painted on it. My friend and I went into a pub and I asked for a pint of beer, it was bedlam in there, everyone shouting out for booze. I asked two or three times for a drink and the barmaid said you will have to wait. I said 鈥淚 have waited five years for a drink鈥�. She said 鈥淲here have you been鈥�. I told her. The next thing I knew was two soldiers picking my friend and I up and carrying us to a table. One of them brushed all the glasses on to the floor and I think everyone in the pub bought us a drink.

The next day we were given passes and sent home. I travelled to Burgess Hill and then to Keymer Road, I knocked on the back door and opened it and saw a very small boy hiding behind a cupboard. He looked at me with two very wide brown eyes and fled upstairs shouting 鈥淢y Daddy鈥檚 home鈥�. I can picture him now dressed in short pants and a floral overall. He was then nearly 5 years old and this was the first time I had seen him.

This was the start of trying to get back to something of a normal way of life.

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