Jack Bobbitt, D-Troop, Hq office.

  1. Of a position he visited when he noticed the US guns were facing – so he believed the wrong way! On telling the Yanks they replied "Happens going to shoot them up the arse".
  2. At Caumont – The first deployment – our AP (ap1) was in the US sector and was curious to learn what all the medals were which one GI was wearing one was for shooting a bulls-eye at 150 yards, another for being in the army before Pearl Harbour, the third was for overseas service – he must have collected a few more before VE day.
  3. At St Oedenarde the Americans after the air landings in Sept 44 – and taking the bridge at Eindhoven they were given the choice of staying in the parsa’s or infantry. So several men around and men on British sections, as it was a British Sector. One asked how to make tea and said he liked our stoos (stews), "we put tea, Jam, and damn everything else into it - pretty good " " Everyone to their taste".
  4. At Geilenkirchen in Germany – American men digging up iron fences which divided some fields – asked what was the idea and the reply was " I guess they are going to ship them back to England for scrap metal".
  5. At Caumont we had our first casualty on our AP – this was the 2nd day I think – there was some activity and we were lying side by side in the dug out. Joe Winn then said "they’ve got me" I said don’t be silly or something and then noticed blood coming from his foot! How and why will never know but there was a fighter plane around and we think it must have been a spent – stray bullet. we phoned HQ and an ambulance picked him up twenty minutes or so later and that was the last we saw of poor Joe Winn. One great driver and a character to be sure.
  6. At Cheux my worst moment of the campaign. The second day in action a troop of 25pounders moved in and deployed about 60yards or so left of our AP. That evening 3 bombers flew over and dropped flares so everything was as daylight. Returning they dropped some bombs and one gun was blown out of the pit. Lives in the AP trench at this time. They then circled back and machine gunned the crews of the gun troop men dug in trenches not far from our AP. I saw the bullets which marched in line with the AP and I waited for the logical end – nowhere to escape _ but thank god within a few yards of the AP the firing ceased and the plane passed over fairly low. We took a name call to see our party of five men OK. One was fast asleep and heard nothing!
  7. In Holland - I can’t remember the location but there were no infantry in sight and after several days in action were surprised to hear a tank approaching from behind. It was a Churchill tank and the commander came across to see who we were since according to his briefing this section had not been taken by the army! So much for army intelligence.
  8. Then at Hatterath our first AP in Germany at the time of the Runstedt offensive a rather eerie position – Daggy shot a fowl which Tom Carter was annoyed about - security – noise – we ate it the same day. That evening an infantry officer appeared he told Tom Carter that he was pleased since we were on his exposed left flank ! we weren’t so pleased.
  9. Our best APs were St Oedenarde in Holland and near Moll in Belgium. The former was frequently under fire from 88mm guns and a fake. sense of security with all the children around from time to time. Both very civilised positions having families of which we saw a fair amount when we were off duty