 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Stories Page 3 |
|
|
|
|
Back |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Forward |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Home |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Index
Stories |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
Frank's Story |
|
|
|
|
|
Frank Perry MM . Frank's story is one of humour and dramatic events from WW2. He was a Desert Rat part of Monty's Army. This story is in Frank's own words. One of many he could have told. He served in North Africa, Italy and Austria. |
|
|
|
|
|
I was called up in Jan.1940. I reported to the Duke of Wellington Heavy Infantry Battalion at Plymouth. After initial basic training I was posted Halifax, the home of the Regiment, where I trained as a Radio Op over the next months.
A message was posted one day on the Battalion notice board, asking for volunteers who had knowledge of engines, radio, and guns. Of course no one came forward, the army way never volunteer. The next morning we were all summoned to muster. The Sgt.Maj. called all A1's 3 steps forward, naturally we all were A1s. "Right gentlemen you are all now in the RAC, pack your kit bags". The very next day we were off to Catterick Camp. Upon arrival we were met by the CO, who greeted us and thanked us for "volunteering " for the Tank Corps.
Soon ,we boarded the Troopship Arundel Castle in Scotland. |
|
|
|
We sailed first to Freetown then around South Africa coming up the east coast and through the Suez Canal. I joined the 6th RTR in Egypt. By now it was 1941 and I was assigned to 5 Badger Troop. We were using A-15 Crusader Tanks which had a 2lb pop gun as its weapon. I had been assigned as a gunner as there was a shortage of this trade. |
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
My story begins on an offensive towards Tobruk. 5 Badger was the lead. Engineers had pathed a way through the minefields, and 2 American Honey Reconniassance tanks went ahead to each brow and would signal us forward if clear. A lack of radios meant that messages had to be passed by hand signals from tank to tank. |
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
The area we were in was later aptly named Hellfire Pass.
At the top of one ridge the 2 Honeys stopped and brought us carefully forward. Below as the airfield of Sidi Rezegh. The Germans had thought this a very safe drome and was lightly guarded. Many JU-87 Stuka dive bombers were on the ground. |
|
|
|
|
|
| We were told to encircle the Aerodrome, we were a total of 52 tanks. When in place, 2 Stuka's landed and so one tank opened fire and destroyed one of them . Unfortunately the other took off, this would become costly. We did not attack during the night. At about 4 am all hell broke loose flares lit up the sky and there they were 2 or 3 squadrons of Tiger Tanks. Those 88mm guns just hammered us and our 2lb pop guns were no match. After a short time only 5 tanks were serviceable. Mine had suffered a hit on the track . We were ordered to retreat. Further back I was assigned to another tank which was also hit by an armoured piercing shell, It went through the turret and ended up a couple of inches from my legs. Except for Davy Jones,we were ok, he had been hit by shrapnel. |
|
|
|
I was ordered to crawl back with Davy to a field hospital and watch the bits of metal pulled out of his back. He survived and we met up after the war.
On my crawl back an open staff car pulled up and the officer asked if we were ok. That officer was Brig. Jock Campbell VC DSO MC. Famous for his ( Jock's Columns) he died before El Alemein 1942, when his staff car overturned. I could go on forever but thats one of my stories. |
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|