Requiem For The Infantry

[Enigma]

I got a email from a veteran yesterday. I've met him a few times during commemorations in Den Bosch and consider him a friend.. He was in the 53rd Welch.

When I took the time to read it half an hour ago it struck a nerve.

 

I'll post it as sent to me, nothing added, nothing omitted.

 

 

" I was in the 7th. Btn. Royal Norfolk Regiment, and before we went on the second front, we were billetted in boarding houses at Cliftonville, next to Margate. When we landed on the beaches in Normandy in June 1944, 12 platoon, C Company consisted of 35 lads, mostly aged 19 or 20. We first went into battle at Epron on 8th. July, and there were about 100 in the company.

I heard a mortar bomb coming down and we all threw ourselves on the ground. I put my arms over my head to protect it and felt a hard blow on my right arm. When I stood up the chap on my left was dead, and the one on my right had his foot blown off. His rifle was bent like a letter S. I looked ar my arm and found a bomb fragment had hit the brass button on my cuff and bent it. I still have the button. If my arm had not been there and the fragment had been an inch either way, it would either have broken my arm or entered my head.

At the end of the day only 20 of the company answered the roll call. I was a lance corporal and Nobby Clarke was a corporal. We took half of the company each and dug in for the night. In August, after the bridgehead over the River Orne, the 59th. Staffordshire Division was split up because of the high casualties in the 2nd. Army, and our company joined the 1st. Oxf. & Bucks. Light Infantry, in the 53rd. Welsh Division.

 

We battled our way across France, Belgium, Holland and Germany, ending up in May 1945 in Hamburg. Of the 35 who landed in my platoon, there were just 2 of us still on our feet. I had been hit five times, four shell fragments and a bullet, but they all bounced off. We had no body armour in those days.We had not lost just these 33, we had reinforcements, but so many of these had gone also, some before we even learned their names. From Normandy to Hamburg are so many graveyards containg boys that I knew, all the way from Cambes en Plaine.

 

I have heard Ron Morrow, president of the 59th. Division old comrades speak of the butchers bill paid by the fallen. Nobody but an infantryman who was there could understand the horrific casualties we suffered. I recommend reading Mud, Blood and Poppycock by Gordon Corrigan. It is about the Great War, but in it he states "The death rate on the Somme in 1916 was less severe than it was in Normandy, when 28 years later another inexerienced army would be loosed against the Germans. The Somme lasted 20 weeks with 89 dead per division per week, whilst Normandy lasted 11 weeks with 100 dead per division per week." The infantry only comprised 11% of the army but they were the ones who suffered over 90% of the casualties. They were at the sharp end, the only ones capable of taking ground from the enemy and holding it. The armour who supported us went back to lager each night. We who had been fighting all day, spent the night in trenches we had dug, guarding the front.

 

I went on leave in February 1945 from the Reichwald Forest, and took with me a doll which I posted to Nobby's daughter. I have a letter from his wife dated 1st. March 1945. in which she thanks me for the doll and ends " I hope you and my husband and all the boys will soon be able to return to civilian life once again"

 

On 12th. April I said to Nobby, he was now our platoon serjeant. How long is this war going to last, there are so few of us left? His reply was Don't worry Tommy. I am going on leave next week, stick close to me and you will be alright. That night, Friday 13th. April we attacked a wood defended by marines and he, along with others was killed. His family never saw him again.

 

I have now traced the other survivor of my platoon, Len Moseley, and wrote to him, he phoned me and we had a chat about the boys we left behind and places we had seen.

 

How fortunate I have been that it was somebody else the machine gunner or sniper had his sight on. that those shells had somebody elses number on. When I think of all those who never saw the brave new world, married nor had children and grandchildren, I appreciate it, and hope later generations do also, as those friends in Normandy, Belgium and Holland do. War is not glorious, mud, blood and misery about sums it up. My abiding memory of Normandy is the smell. Dead men, dead horses and dead cattle.

 

I caqn speak of this now, I hope others listen. We just carried on. no counselling, we did not resort to drugs or drink. This last Christmas, with 20 of my family around me, I had occasion to say - If it had been me, none of you would have been here now.. This is not a cheerful article, but we do have a future to look forward to.

 

When you go home, tell them of this and say, for your tomorrows we gave our today.

 

 

This is why the infantry are known as the PBI.

 

Tom Kelley "

[ferretfixer]

Stirring stuff! I dont think there is anything that can really be added to this post.

The content says it all......:saluting:

[Mk3iain]

We pass this generation in the street without a thought, but what they have been through!

 

:saluting:

[15cwt]

We pass, the few remaining, of this generation.