Big ray

The U.S. troops would pass my home from their camp to town, lots of them were trucked down of course, some would walk. The liberty trucks (GMC) would collect the troops at the end of the night out, but lots would miss the truck. Because they had to be back in on time, one of our neighbours, who drove a truck for a civil engineering Co. would take G.Is back to the camp for I think a charge of 2s / 6d (Thats 12.5p in new money). During the war vehicle lighting was seriously subdued, only marker lights really. On one occasion he was driving troops back to camp (only a distance of maybe 3 miles) when he ploughed into a group of G.I.s walking up the hill that led to the camp. One of the G.I.s suffered fatal injuries, it transpired that he (the G.I.) had been married only a matter of weeks before being shipped over here. It was very tragic to think that with all the lives lost in combat one would lose his life in such circumstances. You have to wonder just how often such things occured.:kissoncheek:

Hi Markus, welcome to the forum, the british army had many V.W.s in the 1950s, I was stationed in a tank workshop in Hamm Nr Munster..... I drove all the different variants, cars, mini bus, ambulance. I was very impressed with the V.W. A bit of good german engineering. Promised myself that I would buy one one day, but I`m afraid I never did, still time yet though. Regards. Ray.:kissoncheek:

I cannot convey to you the sort of impact that the u.s. troops had on us, they were young, smart uniforms and very brash, that brashness came from a supreme confidence that they had in their country and leaders, they had not experienced rationing, bombing and the sort of austerity that we had suffered for many years. Class distinction was alien to these people, amongst the whites that is, it was a very different matter with the black troops. I remember that my grandmother believed the stories that she heard, that the black troops had tails, a story banded about by the white u.s. troops, and that they all suffered with s.t.d. All of this only illustrates the power of indoctrination, something that we all suffered from during the war years. I had occasion to visit a P.O.W. camp (German) as a school boy with my grandfather, I remember that my grandfather spoke with quite a few of the german p.o.w`s and when we left he said that they seemed like nice boy`s. The reason for our visit to the P.O.W. camp was because my uncle Jimmy was a trustee prisoner there. I did mention in an earlier post that my uncle Jimmy was the black sheep of the family, always in trouble. Whilst he was serving in Italy in 1944, he and his buddy, a scotts guy, visited an Italian pub, this pub was out of bounds, but that would only make it much more attractive to my uncle Jimmy. He and his scottish buddy got into an altercation with some Italians, I suspect that they were pro-german, anyhow the scotts guy got into a fight with the Italians and was stabbed. The two Italians involved in the stabbing ran from the scene, my uncle Jimmy incensed at what had happened took aim with his rifle and shot the Italian nearest to him as they fled. The bullet passed through him and killed the Italian guy running in front... net result two dead for one bullet. He was of course initially charged with murder, but that was subsiquently reduced to manslaughter. He was sentenced to 5 years hard labour...... he must have been a model prisoner because that was reduced, and he was sent as a trustee to the german P.O.W. camp at Marchington, Nr Uttoxeter, hence my visit with my grandfather. I have ran a business for many years doing amongst other things erecting fencing, security etc. In the 1980s I was contracted to go to that former camp and erect some new fencing....... small world is`nt it. That was certainly not the end of my uncle Jimmy`s shernanigins, I will have things to relate in future posts.:kissoncheek:

Jeeps were flat packed and assembled over here by lots of back street garages, hardly U.S. built. The French acquired the the plant and built the Jeeps under license, the early Hotchkiss was predominently U.S. bits, and 6volt.:kissoncheek:

It might be worth pointing out that the Hotchkiss factory refurbished something like 160 thousand Jeeps in 1944 after the liberation of Paris for the U.S.army. They went into one end of the factory, Willy`s or Ford, stripped, refurbished and reassembled, using Willy`s or Ford bits for the rebuid..... net result, a composite Jeep. There is a lot of rubbish talked about the genuine Jeep!!!!!:kissoncheek:

Today I am thinking about the many parents that have lost a child whilst serving in the military, children who have lost a parent, siblings who have lost a brother or sister. We have two children, a daughter and a son, I dont know how we would cope with such a loss. This morning I awoke as usual to my freedom, our troops awoke this morning to defend that freedom. The next time that you see a soldier, airman or sailor, just shake their hand and say, thank you.:thanx:

I Tony, I suppose that all training camps in them days were very large in order to cope with the great influx of rookies, nice to know that we have both been wearing out the same tarmac though, I have vivid memories of the vast lines of men at the NAAFI. Memories, something that they can never take from us, wish that I could do it all again...... with the same guys. Regards. Ray. :kissoncheek:

Hi Ashley, I notice that you live in Dorset, I did my basic training at Blandford, R.E.M.E. 1956, January - February. For the last 52 years I had only to hear any reference to Dorset County, and my mind immediately flew back to my time spent there..... I thought that it was all very hard at the time, but it has all turned into very fond memories....... Although the R.E.M.E have long gone from Blandford (Training Depot No.1) I believe that the Royal Signals have a camp there, I must call one day to see how much that things have changed. Regards. Ray :kissoncheek:

Welcome to the forum........ your english is just fine, not many over here can speak dutch. I enjoy visiting Holland along with my friends (Oosterbeek, Arnhem.):thumbsup:

Welcome to the forum. Ray:kissoncheek:

Try The Victory Show at Cosby.

The naval connection might make good sense when you think about it......... sea of water, or sea of sand, not much difference in terms of range finding. Ray.:cool2:

DONT, assume that it has been looked after, take someone along with you that knows what he is looking at......... just one of the many advantages of being a member of a club!!! Welcome to the forum. Regards Ray. :cool2:

Hi Ashley, thanks for that, I will make a note......... when I made reference to my friend the parachutist, thats Paul, he is absolutely soaked in knowledge concerning Arnhem. But it would still be very nice for us all to meet, fingers crossed. Ray. :kissoncheek:

I have been a regular attendee over the last 10 or twelve years in Arnhem, Holland, for the September commemorations of the airborne landings. I have however missed the last couple of years due to my current medical condition, so I have decided that if I feel O.K. the next time around, then I am going to visit both Normandy and Arnhem. It will be nice to see some of my foreign friends again. On one of my visits in the 1990s I was accompanied by one of my friends who just happened to be a member of the Pathfinders Group, a bunch of people who like to jump out of aircraft (sometimes a D.C.3 Dakota) over Ginkel Heath. Well on one of our visits my friend asked if I would take some of the group, along with all their gear, parachutes etc at 6.30am the following morning to the airfield. I agreed immediately, and on loading these people the following morning I enquired how far is the airfield from our camp site. I was informed, only just a short distance. So I set off with my load of paratroopers in an open Jeep, wearing only a T shirt. That just down the road turned out to be about 6 miles or so, giving me something like 12 miles in an open Jeep early on a late September morning......... and it was very cold, I was frozen, but I did thoroughly enjoy the trip, its felt like the real thing at the time. On a subsequent visit to Arnhem, again with my friend, who was again parachuting over Ginkel Heath, he went to some considerable trouble to arrange for myself to accompany them on the flight as a passenger..... and they were flying in a D.C.3. Another member of our party (a friend) could not walk past me without exclaiming, you jammy b.....d, I would give my right arm for that flight........... so because I am full of chicken blood anyway, I told him to take my place, which he did. I am not too sure that the friend that arranged the flight for me was very impressed with my action......... however he does still talk to me.:kissoncheek:

Hi Andy, I think that you fed all of our group down at Stoneleigh, you were with John & Michele Y...g....... It was a fabulous meal, its not your mechanical knowledge that they will want.. its your cooking expertise. Welcome to the forum. Ray. :kissoncheek:

Hi James, welcome to the forum.......... what part of Staffordshire are you living in? Now dont tell us that you tow the 25 Pdr with the James ML........ the Matchless, maybe. Regards. Ray.:kissoncheek:

Just tracking down some hardened criminals :yawn:

Ouch` that hurt, glad it was not my Recce truck.:kissoncheek:

Things that I remember, and nearly sixty years on I still cant believe what I did. It was during the last twelve months of my service, at that time I was in charge of the stables. For a short period I was billeted in my own room, did`nt like that very much, soon had it changed. Whilst occupying that room I overslept one weekday morning.... I was awakened by the footsteps of what I instinctively knew was the Sergeant Majors walk coming along the passage towards my room. ( His boots made a noise on the quarry tiles) One look at my watch, and my heart began to beat its way out of my chest....... I was in very serious trouble.. my eyes were transfixed on the door awaiting what I knew was going to be the S / Major. The door opened and he stood there, looking larger and more formidable than usual, he demanded to know what I was doing still in my bed at that time in the morning. (I did not have to present myself on early muster, it was generally assumed that I was in the stables) I blurted out......... I have been up most of the night with a sick animal in the stables...... he apologised for waking me, and told me to go back to sleep, he closed the door behind him, and I just lay there completely shell shocked that I had just told him a blatant lie. For weeks after that, if I saw the S/Major coming in my direction, I would go in another direction, I felt sure that at some point he would want to know more about the "sick" animal, and I was not prepared to compound my problems by telling more lies.... It was probably a couple of months before I could feel comfortable in his presence. I still dont believe that I did it........... obviously the fear of the consequences for lying in. If I should meet him today, I would have to tell him the truth. :embarrassed:

When I finally left Germany for my demob in December 1958 I had to travel to the uk by ferry, then from the ferry terminal to London, change trains for Arborfield in Berkshire. One of my buddies had been demobbed a few weeks before myself, he was a London boy, I had visited his home on several occasions and his family knew me quite well. He invited me to break my journey when passing through London and have lunch with him and his family, he would then drive me to the rail station to complete my journey to Arbourfield where I would remain whilst they processed my discharge papers. My travel document gave the date of departure and the date of arrival at Arbourfield, but no mention of time of arrival. I had my lunch with Allan and his family, then I was asked to stay for tea, they checked the time of trains and confirmed that I would still arrive at my destination before midnight on my schedualled arrival date. I duly had my meal and left for the train station, driven there by Allan. I arrived at my destination before midnight, reported to the guardroom, was issued with pillow and sheets and told where that I would find an empty bed. The following morning we mustered on parade and roll call was taken, as names were called each individual was assigned a task, eventually just two people, myself and another guy were left standing on the parade ground. The other guy had arrived after midnight, I have no idea what had delayed him, but we were both charged to appear before the company c.o. for being late. I protested strongly that I was not late in view of the fact that I had arrived on the date stated on my travel documents, all to no avail. We were duly marched before the company c.o. , we both explained our reasons for our arrival times. The other guy received some minor punishment, the c.o. then turned to myself, he said that he could bust me and reduce me to the ranks, and then went on to say, I dont suppose that that would bother you now. (Actually it would have bothered me a great deal) but he went on to ask me where I lived in the U.K. When I told him that I lived in the Midlands he said, well in that case I will reduce your 48hr pass to a 36hr pass, all in the full knowledge that I could not get home and back in that time. (The 48hr pass was valid from mid afternoon untill 8.00am on the following Monday morning) My pass could not be altered, but the Sergeant Major, who was in attendance, was instructed not to give me my pass untill lunch time on the Saturday. Up untill this point in time the Sergeant Major had been very authoritive with me, on leaving the office of the c.o. he said, I think that he was a little unreasonable with you laddie, he went on to say that the c.o. left the camp mid-afternoon on Fridays, and if I reported to him (the Sergeant Major) he would give me my pass once the c.o. had left, that would only delay me by some 2hrs, and I could still make it home for the weekend. I got my weekend at home all courtesy of one compassionate Sergeant Major, so you see, the army wasn`t really so bad, even then with all its discipline. :kissoncheek:

Hi Scott, welcome to the forum.... I have a BSA M20 (not for sale) I also have a Royal Enfield WD. CO. 1943, I find the Enfield to be more reliable, and a little sharper (overhead valve) Just might give you a little food for thought!!!!! Once again, welcome and good luck with your search. Ray:kissoncheek:

Welcome to the forum, this is not about vehicles, its more about people, we dont all love the same woman. I`m glad that you are enjoying it already, I have been enjoying it for years and I still do.:kissoncheek:

You will be giving the girlies a bad name watching that tosh ( I must confess that I did used to watch it, but only because my wife did):kissoncheek:

Our neighbour Dennis has passed away today, he was younger than myself and was enjoying relatively good health a few months ago, this only illustrates the fragility of this existence that we lead. We will of course offer any help that we can give to lessen the blow that this loss has caused to his wife. However with the best will in the world, we are a poor substitute for the loss of a life long partner. Life can be very cruel, I hope that we can be of some help.