Sword Beach to Bremen., A Veterans tale. Sapper

Remarkable story sir. Even the smallest of things can affect our lives in the biggest of ways.

 

When I post stories here, I am never sure if it worth the trouble as there is no way I can check to see how many folk have read the article....?????? Or is there?
Sapper

 

This is quite a popular thread so I am sure people read your stories.

 

People will no doubt still be reading the posts long after all of us have left this mortal coil Brian. With luck this site, and others like it, will be a type of living history. What better history is there than that from the horses mouth as it were. Perhaps people will then realise that all they read in books is not the whole picture. War diaries are an example. Having read lots of diaries at the National Archives at Kew, it should be realised that they are only a general account of events, written by some tired and war weary officer and clerk after they have been in battle.
Keep posting Brian.!!!! Many thanks.

 

Well, Brian, as of right now according to the information on the far right of the listings of what is in Honor, Service, and Valor there have been 39,710 views of your thread. And if you look at the lists showing the top stats it is one of the top viewed threads.

 

Thanks for that Michelle.... I had no idea Girl. Why I ask is that sometimes it seems a lot of trouble when you are not sure if the postings are read? So At least I know that my one fingered typing...... that looks like Egyptian hieroglyphics when I Look up at the screen, is worth the effort.
Sapper

 

It most certainly is worth the effort, Brian. You have taught many of us about the day to day fighting and living conditions of British soldiers, particularly the Sappers of course - and I have thought that living conditions were probably similiar for others in 21 Army Group, including the Canadians since their supplies also flowed via Britain vs. what US Army QM Corps provided when conditions allowed.

You are one of our Forum treasures - never doubt it.

 

Sir,
all of your posts are very interesting stuff to read!! Thank you for making the efforts to write them down!

Best Regards

Ulrich

 

Brian

Most of the British veterans I have talked to did a lot of courses during their time in Britain.

Battledrill, fieldcraft, sniper training, driving etc.

Did you do any courses not directly linked to your job as a sapper?

 

That question raises several odd things. I( think the war had taken its toll of Sappers, so at the time I joined, the army seemed in a hurry to get us out there.

You may find this hard to believe, but I never had a leave in the army till I came out of hospital,,,, Seriously !

Trained in infantry battle practice, drilling Etc before moving on to Number ONE training battalion at Clithero. Lancashire.
We trained in all the Sapper crafts.bridging . Assault crossings....And my favourite...mines and Explosives.... I never forgot what I learned, and would be quite confident to use it today.

There, we had a real terror of an assault course. up one side, cross the river Ribble down the other side. Live explosive charges used to keep us on our toes. The first leave I had was after a year in Hospital. It took about 2 years to get going, no matter how I tried, (And I did!) that was the quickest I could do.

It may be of interest to learn a little about me. I am 85 and classed as "very severely disabled. With what is known as "Exceptional severe injuries" I am by nature..very determined, and stubborn to the ninth degree.

I am also a very happy go lucky old buzzard, I enjoy life to the full within the boundaries of what I can do. Obviously those boundaries are restricted..But you can have a lot of fun within what is possible .....And I do....

Sapper

 

Ever since I started reading this thread Brian, I was amazed and I admired you so much, too the point where I would bore my wife with your stories. So you can believe me Brian, people read your words and there appreciate grows for all the veterans of the war through your words. You honour us with your presence and I hope you continue to share your stories.

 

Robert.
In that case I am pleased to be able to "try" to bring those days alive. The one and only reason i do this? So that those we left behind will be remembered.

From the Fields of Normandy I bring many memories. Beneath them I leave many friends.
Sapper

 

Thank you for the reply Brian.

As a soldier myself I never understand what makes you sappers tick. The worst fear for me is the bleeding mines somewhere out there with "to whom it may concern" written on them.

Modern S-mines or the de-bollocker as an old Gordon called them is what scares me the most. Quite fond of the wedding vegetable you see.

My 2i/c lifted a lot of mines with the USMC in Afganistan. Home made stuff from old Russian mines. He says that when you work as a sapper you quickly come to terms with handling them. Done properly they are quite safe.

 

Cheers !
For me there is no such thing as safe ! We lost very experienced men lifting.

I have been writing to several groups, trying desperately to get them to listen to this old buzzard. For all the mine clearing gear we have today, are no more than modern examples of what we discovered under battle conditions..

WE are wasting mens lives needlessly. In Afghanistan, or any other battle theater, we need mine dogs to range ahead of the patrols, to sniff out the hidden mines,They are very adept at finding any material they are trained to find.

Then by remote, or to fill them full of MC gun fire.... FROM A DISTANCE! No man should lose his life lifting explosive charges, for the sake of preventing a hole in the sandy ground ....FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!

Detect... Pull, or blow in situ...... Any mine explosive expert has a length of life, before he eventually gets killed. Totally unnecessary. Killed he will be that is a certainty.

STOP wasting young mens lives lifting mines and explosives the "Proper way" Do what we did...Use any method to save lives.... What does a hole in the ground do? except look unsightly....... Angers me deeply.Why? Because I know that it works.......

We had trained mine dogs in Holland, to find the wooden box Schu mines. The only man they lost was when a big black Labrador named the Colonel, pulled his handler outside the white tapes and lost a foot...
sapper

 

Brian

Did you have many dogs?
We have many dog units in Norway, most are trained for mountain rescue though. Wether it is detecting drugs or finding people there are no mechanical device that match a trained dog.

If I recall correctly there were glass mines aswell as the schu mine that the mine detectors did not register?

 

dear brian,
being heavily disabled,i am looked after by the government very well,d.l.a,incapacity benefit etc.do they help you out enough?,cheers.lee.

 

Yes there were little glass mines, though I never came across them. Some of the Sappers swore by the mine dogs...Me? Oh I was never going to put my future sex life, or my ability to father children, at the disposal of some bloody scruffy canine.

Hi 4th Wilts.

When we were invalided out of the services, we were treated like dirt. I suffered a fractured spine. lost top of my left knee. left leg shattered so badly that there were only small bone fragments left. Nearly every bone in my body was cracked.

I was in a complete body cast for a long time....A complete cast from my toes to my chin...Like an Egyptian mummy.

I was invalided out from Salisbury Hospital.. Miles from my home with no transport....Nothing only able to walk very short distances....On crutches....Don't know how I got home......

I was moved around the Country, while they tried to find someone to put me back together..Eventually, I ended up at Shaftesbury military hospital under the care of a genius...Major John Charnley. Later Sir John, who gave us the replacement hip joint operation we have today.

To save me an amputation, they tried a Bone graft on a goat, then when it was successful, they operate on me on VE day 1945. They took my hips out (what you hang your trousers on) put that in my leg and plated with steel.

Over the years we were treated abominably. Then the war caught up with me, and the old leg injuries started giving off blood clots that settled in my lungs "Multiple Pulmonary Embolisms" Killers ! Nearly died (had a near death syndrome)

Back in about 1975/7 the war pensions people invited me to retire for good, I refused and went on for another two years, but then...All me flaming wheels came off me cart..And I was forced to give in.

I am now, as I said, in the exceptional severe injuries class. And am well taken care of. But I am angry about the long years, when under a great deal of pain and discomfort. I had to make my own way, without any assistance whatsoever...from any quarter..... No help of any type ever NOTHING.

WE did have the SAffa here,.They treated me like crap,and wrote me a letter about my wanting charity. it was a complete insult......

So all my life as a severely war disabled pensioner, not one person ever stepped froward to offer help...Not one.... I Tried to get help from the RBL to get a light weight wheelchair... They sent me a long form to fill in One question was how much food did I eat...Piss off !

While at Shaftesbury I was in ward one...A privilege ward for the severely wounded with a few little extras. A pint of beer a day.the [prettiest girls to visit and little goodies like chocolate.

As to the service charities? I would not go near them...Ever.. all they do it seems to me is gather money that they do not want to spend...... Certainly this old bloke has nothing to thank them, for.....except the insulting letter they sent me.

You would think that at 85 some one would take an interest..Not on your Nelly. But then I do not have to say thanks you to anyone......

Under the last admin things got better/I have a decent wheelchair. Sadly the war pensions welfare officers no;longer visit the severely disabled. At one time they had to visit every so often....Not now. The rewards from a grateful nation to those that saved their bacon when we stood alone...
Cheers sapper

 

This remind me of the first lads who came back from Lebanon.

At the Airport they were asked if they wanted to talk to a priest before going back to their families... That was it. A lot of them ended up on the bottle or killed themselves from Post traumatic stress syndrome.

Their war disability pensions are finally made easier, you had to be a bleeding lawyer to find all of the forms that needed to be filled out.

I have disabled soldiers in my family and this issue get's my blood boiling.

It is the veterans club that have sorted it out.

Do you have veteran clubs nearby Brian, and are you active there?

 

i had to wait 14yrs for a new lectric chair off the wilts wheelchair services,ive been fighting pressure ulcers for about 20 months now,bedrest most of the time,but i dont quite know what to say to you brian.you should be top bloody priority.i really thought the d.s.s. would give you anything you need.keep well brian.

 

Oh make no mistake, this old buzzard will continue to enjoy life in his own way. I regret nothing. I have had a wonderful life .

Done wonderful things. reached the top[ of my [profession to a degree that I was sought after.....One thing I do not intend to take part in? That is dying...NO way... they dig a bloody great hole and shove you in, then cover you with earth .... OR they stick you in a hot oven and turn the heat up. None of that appeals, so I decided not to take part
Sapper