My first
port of call was Helwan Camp, situated a few miles from Cairo. There I stayed
for a few days before being sent to the battle front to join the 1st
South African Infantry Division. Second Brigade Field Force Battalion, under
command of Colonel Jack Bester. The Division was entrenched at El Alamein. As
we approached the front line, I heard the bursting of shells and realised that
this was "for real".
 |
| El Alamein Station (pic taken by Jack Taylor) |
I was
posted to support a company under Major Davies in charge of a mortar platoon
comprising 24 men. Except for the enemy shelling with our artillery responding,
the front was relatively quiet. At that time, the 8th Army, of which we were a
part, was preparing for the big push. Night patrols into "no man's
land" and probing enemy lines was the preoccupation of the Battalion.
One
night, two of our men were killed and I was assigned the task of going through
their kit for disposal to the next of kin. Among the belongings of one fellow
we found photographs of Hitler and Mussolini. Why they were kept by this man I
do not know, but seen against the history of politics and war in South Africa,
anything is possible!
No comments:
Post a Comment