Sword Beach to Bremen., A Veterans tale. Sapper

Hello Brian ! Great to hear from you....I was wondering recently how you were.

Yes indeed, many of the Old Brigade are here......

 

Hi Otto! The new layout looks great.
Brian Sapper.

 

So far I have only read up to 'the bloodiest square mile' and it has been amazing! The detail you go into is so in depth I feel like I'm there! Thank you so much!

 

Be my guest Tox, Oddly I can recall every thing very clearly, even after 62 years. I hope you will find the rest as interesting . When we Vets depart we take it all with us.
Cheers
Sapper.

 

Dreadfully quiet round here....Is this old Vet the only one alive?

 

Just dropped in to check out the new forums

Never fear Sapper were still here.

Also whilst when the vets pass, all the first hand experiences may go with you, and we who have never experienced them, can only have a very vague understanding gleaned from you marvelous postings.

I for one will always remember the sacrifices you all made, my father who was also a sapper and landed on D-DAY +1 with the Middlesex Regiment. Went through much the same campaign as yourself. So there is still a generation or two who will always remember

All the very best

Brian Messenger
Sydney, Australia

 

The Middlesex Regiment. Heavy mortar and Machine gun, I had the unfortunate experience of coming under fire from them.
Sapper

 

Glad to see you're still around Brian, I think we all feel privilaged to be able to read your story and discuss historic events with someone who was there.

Take care,
Stefan

 

Hi Stefan and everyone else here. sadly the war has caught up with me of late. But at 82 and very severely injured I'm doing very well.

Many of my old mates have left now. Rather lonely... there is no one to chat to over the phone. So far I have not been able to open a line to where ever old Vets go to.
Bless their old Cotton socks! Despite me age and infirmity I intend to go on for along time yet.
Best regards to all here
Sapper

 

Glad to hear that Sapper, I think you're entitled to take things easy.

Actually, I was recently pivilaged to meet a group of veterans up here (Sheffield), I could pass on their association's contact details if you wish? It may be a long way to travel but if it would be of help let me know.

Regards,
Stefan

 

It will not come of too much of a surprise to learn that the Normandy Veterans Associations are closing down at the rate of knots.

Age is now playing a major hand as the lads depart at an ever increasing rate.

The Market Garden Association (Nijmegen/Arnhem) is also reduced to mainly News letters. Time and Tide folks........Though I have decided, (having seen the upset that falling off your twig causes) not to take part in that game of soldiers......

I intend to go on until I bore the pants off of everyone, And scare the living daylights out of the Summer visitors as I take my "Boy Racer" round the country back roads, and lanes of the Purbeck isle.
Sapper

 

I have spent the last two hours transferring many of your posts and making it sort of a article,

its only so I could organize your fascinating story. I am young, and your experience always makes me proud of all of the soldiers that liberated the great continent and eventually swept the world of a great evil

many thanks

 

Sapper, I thought I'd share this with you, particularly as you mentioned coming under fire from Middx Regiment....

I took my 83 year old father back to Normandy a couple of weeks ago for the first time since 1944.

He was in 12 Platoon D coy 1/7th Middlesex Regiment a Vickers Heavy Machine Gun Battalion. He was driver/wireless operator of the platoon commanders bren gun carrier. Paul Reed who I believe is a member of this forum kindly supplied me the Battalion war diary and I was able to take my dad back to some of the exact locations, for which I will be eternally grateful

All in all a very emotional trip, but one my dad had always wanted to do all his life.

Photo 1 shows me and my father in St Honorine La Chardronette, a key village in the Orne Bridgehead overlooking Columbelles and Caen and one of the start positions for Operation Goodwood. We are pointing at a shrapnel mark on the wall. My fathers unit had their guns positioned alongside this wall for about a week.

Photo 2 shows the start of the village. My father's unit attacked the village on 13th june 1944. Within a short time they were subject to a German counter-attack and ordered to retreat. My fathers carrier stalled and refused to restart (he wasn't driving!). He vividly remembers abandoning the carrier and radio, removing the slidex codes and running back down the road. The remainder of the platoon were firing on open sights at the Germans coming over a ridge. This was the only time my father can recall the unit firing on open sights as the vicker HMG was normally used like artillery, firing on unseen targets.

Photo 3 shows the village under a stormy May sky.

Photo 4 shows my father remmbering the events of 60 years ago...

Photo 5 shows my father reunited with a bren gun carrier at the tank museum at Saumur.

 

Thats Lovely. Tell your dad I forgive him for giving us a stonking on our way back from a deep penetration of the German lines.

I cannot be sure, but the stone wall in picture one, in that exact place is where we dug in using the wall for protection. Later, I shook my mate Harry, and told him "Harry your hair is full of glow worms" The reply was "So is yours mate"

Why is it I expect the Veterans to look young? That is how I remember them.

Please give your Dad my very best wishes, and tell him the best grub out of the Compo pack was the tinned bacon. Ask him if he recalls the long stream of scalding water, steam, and fat, that spurted yards when they were punctured.
Cheers and thanks
Sapper...PS Did your Dad get through unscathed?

 

Thanks for the kind reply and I'll ask him about the compo!

My dad did come through unscathed and essentially followed the same path as you to Bremen. 1/7th Middx was part of 51st Highland Div.

We visited Ranville Cemetery where I had traced the graves of some men from his unit. Looking down on those immaculately kept gravestones I couldn't help thinking how close my father had been to being one of those names and that I wouldn't be here...

Ian

 

Excellent report Ian - and thank your Dad for his kind letter, to which I shall be replying shortly.

 

Yes indeed, fascinating stuff, Ian - many thanks indeed for sharing such a special journey with us.

 

Sapper,

Very nice narrative. I have forwarded a link to this thread to several of the guys that will be in Normandy with us this October. Thank you very much for the posts.

sommecourt,
Great sites!