Hi Everyone.

The Diary of a Wounding.
Boots full of blood.
The Sappers, the Field companies, as I stated earlier, tend to be used in small groups, often with infantry units, (Come to that, anyone who needed us) in that way we were sent all over the place to help those who needed our skills on the battle field. It was not uncommon to be sent to different areas where an attack was to take place. Not always with ones own group. Sometimes getting back to our own company lines, only to be dragged out again to go off to another part of Normandy.

Very often under close Enemy fire, sooner or later the odds catch up with you, and your name is added to the casualty lists. The weather this day, was beautiful, bright, sunny and warm, as clear as a bell, a day when it is good to be alive. For those of you who like to have dates? What follows happened on about the 8th of August. Here, I must be honest, I only found this out in recent years. We had arrived near the town of Vire at the base of the peninsula and abutted the American 2nd Division. (Lovely fellows)

An invitation! How would you like to come along with me on this assault? Join us as an “Observer” For in our immediate front is a ridge of high ground that ran east of Vire. We had been ordered to capture this high ground and as usual we have been selected to do it. The surrounding country side was typical “Bocage” little fields, lots of trees and cover, easy to defend.

We arrived at the foot of this very steep hill, it stood out very prominently in the countryside and one could see trees were growing on the crest. Firstly, those mines had to be cleared and a safe passage cleared through, and marked with white mine tape. Three of us were detailed to get up there as the top was infested with S Mines and had already caused casualties. We were also told that the enemy where just over the crest of the hill. These mines had to be cleared as they were holding things up. You as observers are to come with us.

The three of us. Wass Thomas, myself, and a Sapper from London, set off and tried to climb the hill but found the sun dried grass so slippery that we had great difficulty getting to the top, Eventually, we made our way to the crest, and it was all to obvious why the hill was so important. Even under the most trying circumstances the view from the top was spectacular, it was possible to see for many miles around and in all directions. It was little wonder that both sides wanted this hill. Each one of us took on a task each, I was to operate the mine detector, Wass Thomas was to lay out the white tapes showing exactly where we had swept, and made safe, while another sapper, the Londoner was to get down and disarm the mines. Not easy under the prevailing circumstances. Especially as it is necessary to stand up and be exposed to the Enemy's fire!

The Germans had a genius for mines, S Mines, these were the most evil of all those we had to deal with., they consisted of a steel barrel about 5 inches across and inside of that was another steel barrel with a small charge underneath, The inner barrel had a Y shaped detonator, it could be set off by trip wires, by touching it, and sometimes by even more sophisticated means, one things for sure, they are very difficult to deal with.

We normally carried some "panel pins” in our pockets, if one could get the pin into the detonator it could be made safe. Sounds easy, doesn’t it? But under battle conditions it most certainly is not! You are looking certain death in the face as you bend over to make it safe. Ones hands are not as steady as you would wish, as you get down on your hands and knees feeling for, and looking for the mine in the long grass, at the same time you must watch where you put your hands and feet, outside the tape in one unguarded moment! and it is "Goodnight Nurse" while all of this is going on the Enemy may well stick his five eggs in and open fire on you.

Concentration! Utter Concentration! Oblivious of all that is going on around you, Enemy fire, shelling, mortaring or small arms fire, must all be ignored, or all is lost. When detonated, the S mines small charge is set off, propelling it up to head height, whereupon it explodes, inside of the casing are row upon row of steel balls that radiate out in all directions. The effect is absolutely devastating, and causes casualties over a wide area.

As observers, you are about to find out what it is like to blown off your feet, and to be saturated with flying schrapnel, with a murderous rain of steel balls. Where the wounds occur on your body will be a matter of chance, you may be disembowled, or lose limbs, or it may cost you your sight, indeed, if you had not already fathered children, it may be that you will no longer be able to in your future life. The damage you sustain will still be with you, as long as you live.
To be continued.
Sapper Brian.