THE COVENANTER
German act of bravery that remained fixed reconnaissance from which it became clear
in my memory. The enemy from time to the threat had been eliminated. On my
time sent patrols over the Rhine at night. return, Rifleman Bolton presented me with
The Rhine was in flood at this time, running the binoculars he had removed from the
a current of about six knots. To maintain commander of the defeated enemy. I have
silence, the enemy used paddles as the only them to this day - prized as one of many
means of propulsion. This meant that the memories of days with the Regiment, some
rubber dinghies used must be launched at happy, others tragic through losses.
a point well upstream from the intended
landing pint, and the return trip forced the Later, immediately before VE Day, I was
dinghy to be swept downstream, again for able to see the mental toughness and also
some length. The Rhine is some three to four the compassionate side of the Regiment.
hundred yards wide in that area, and because The Battalion was faced with firstly, dealing
of ‘Monty’s Moonlight’, the crossing could with a newly captured concentration camp
not be made in full darkness. Often it was Sandbostel north-east of Bremen, and
possible to lay an ambush for the German secondly in Magdeberg within about four
patrol, and on one occasion we were able weeks after, charged with the repatriation
capture some of the enemy. The battalion of non-German forced labour from almost
manned the flood banks some two hundred every European country, to their country
yards from the river’s edge. Unknown to of origin. The dignified restraint exercised
us, and because we were forbidden to go against the German nationals in the vicinity
beyond the flood banks to the river itself, of Sandbostel, despite the surge of anti-
a wounded member of the German patrol, German feeling in the hearts of all who
lay over the lip of the river bank - visible witnessed it, spoke volumes for the discipline
from the mans side of the Rhine, but not and self-control of the Regiment, when one
to us. One mid-morning and therefore in considers the reprisals visited upon their
full view, a motor- powered rubber dingy former captors by the inmates. Sympathy
was manhandled the river’s edge by four of for the victims of the concentration camp,
the enemy. It then proceeded, under fire, anxious to avenge themselves for their
downstream, landed under the shelter of the suffering yet ensuring humane treatment for
lip of the collected the wounded comrade the civilian German population, required a
and proceeded downstream, successfully to delicate balance that was never allowed to
the opposite bank under heavy fire, despite get out of hand. Emotions could so easily
being hit several times. Sir Max Hastings have gained the upper hand. General Sir
referred to the incident in his book, but by Brian Horrocks, then Corps Commander,
describing it as having taken place over ‘a visited the camp during the Cm-eronians’
river’, he entirely missed the point of the tom of duty. He was so badly affected, that
length of time of exposure and the difficulty soon after, when accepting the surrender
of navigation in the circumstances. of German troops in his sector of Northern
Germany, he quoted his experience to his
It was only in late April that I ventured to German counterparts with considerable
hope, at last, I was beginning to pass force. At Magdeberg, after VE Day, controlling
muster. The battalion was allocated a flank the released forced labourers from attacking
protection role in the assault on Bremen, German military units, brought to forcibly
the object being to keep, open a corridor clean the former barracks, required an
and communications along the banks of understanding of the primitive habits of
the river Weser through which the attack on many Eastern Europeans, who seized the
the city could be mounted. Some ten miles slightest opportunity to avenge themselves
from the city, a counter-attack threatened, upon their former conquerors. Whilst
that if successful, could sever the line sympathy always was with the repatriates,
of communication. 6th were ordered to the normal tenets of civilisation had to be
eliminate the danger by a sudden assault maintained without recourse to seeming
on a wood, over open ground The enemy to be biased towards the former enemy. As
were seen to be assembling, and speed was with many others of my age, whatever rank,
imperative, We had the good fortune to catch the forbearance and help received from
the enemy off balance and a well planned one’s seniors, aided a traumatic process of
and artillery-backed action was successful necessity: the transformation from youth to
with minimum casualties. After overrunning adulthood forced upon one by the peculiar
the enemy, Maj Storm sent me on a further circumstances of the time.
85
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